Later in its career HRC heavily modified the bike to keep it competitive including new exhaust systems and switching back to a standard two-sided swingarm for increased strength on non-endurance bikes. The RC51 was released in 2000 to make use of the 250cc displacement advantage for V-twin motorcycles that allowed the Ducatis to be so competitive. The RC45 was shadowed with problems when first released on the World Superbike championship. This did not bode well with Honda, who entered the World Superbike championship with full factory support, not just privateer support that they gave to teams with the RC30. Castrol was the major sponsor of the RC45, and Honda came to win. The RC45 only won one World Superbike championship with American John Kocinski when he won the 1997 FIM Superbike World Championship. Jim Moodie from a standing start, on an RC45 Honda lapped in 18:11.4 seconds, 124.45 mph in the 1999 Isle of Man TT. Miguel Duhamel won the 1995 US AMA Superbike and the 1996 Daytona 200 on an RC45. Miguel came in 2nd in 1996 and 2nd again 1997 on the RC45, then a season ending crash in 1998 injured his leg. However, Ben Bostrom won the 1998 AMA Superbike Championship on an RC45. The bike was used to win the Endurance FIM World Championship six times between 1984 and 1998. Michael Rutter won the 1998 Macau Grand Prix. The RVF400R (NC35) closely resembles the RVF750R (RC45) with the exception of the headlights, which are large and round on the 750. If there was ever a bike that really had a reputation to live up to it was Honda’s RC45; after the success of the RC30, the RC45 really had to pull out all stops. Part of the success story of the RC30 was that it was a hand-built race bike that was available at a cost that many club racers could afford, so even though the number of victories in World Super Bike were only a few, (enough to win two titles though) The bike really excelled at a level where up until now only very expensive works bikes could have any chance of competing towards the front end of a race field. With the RC45, Honda drew on its extensive knowledge of racing the RC30 and factory RVF racers. Many engineering ideas were brought across to the RC45. Honda wanted to produce another no-expenses-spared race machine.