So Honda ceased racing the V4 because it was too costly to make it WSBK compliant? Gotta admit WSBK/MotoGP was better in the early 00's/90s than now? I remember The Professor Valentino brought a sense of fun & excitement the sport hasn't seen since. https://www.reddit.com/r/wsbk/comments/ta9nll/why_does_honda_no_longer_run_a_v4_honda_in_the/
Every bike on the MotoGP grid is a V4, including Honda. And MM93 is certainly not the opposite of fun & excitement. But, yes, I too would love to see a Honda V4 in WSBK.
$$ I guess To develop a brand new V4 sportbike capable of winning in WSBK would be expensive, especially since the numbers produced would be low. Probably more than homogolation minimum quantities, but not a bunch. And then wouldn't be able to be sold in many markets likely. But on the other hand, the CBR1000RR-R was not fucking cheap and did not set the World (SBK) on fire. And to try answer you other question regarding the RC45, it did not come out of the box ready to set the new standard like the RC30 did. It took a fucke-tonne of work and development to make that a championship winning package. Like non single sided swingarms and a bunch of exhaust designs. I don't have the whole story at the tip of my finger, but those are the highlights. Summing up... the RC30 was fucking special. And still got a bunch of development to allow it continue to win. Somebody will likely chime in with a documentary worth of background, but you get the picture. But god-fucking-dammit... the world deserves a special Honda V4 jus cuz.
