Kinda need some good insight when it comes to MC 21 and MC 28 specially the users/owners here who have used both MC 21/28 variants.

Been saving some budget to buy myself a Honda NSR but as I've mention above those two variants are being offered to me but the problem is that I do not know which one of the two is worth getting with.

For the past few weeks I've been trying to find a good answer that will justify and clear some misconception on my mind which one should I'll be getting between the two since the MC 21 is available locally and being offered to me while the MC 28 will be sourced from outside my country.

Which one of the two is worth getting and worth spending on and why?

I'm only gonna be using it for a road use and not for track since I'm no pro when it comes to track usage.

Depends what you want. The MC21 is very easy to derestrict and should cost less than the MC28. The MC28 costs an arm and leg to derestrict. You'll need a HRC card and have it programmed to you PGM for the 28. Whereas the MC21 is a simple wire splice.
However with that being said the mc28 is the more desirable of the 2 because of the PGMIV swipe card ignition and that there seem to be far less going around lately.

I own an MC28 and i would advise if you want a great bike and arent to fussed go for the MC21.

prelude2.2 wrote:Depends what you want. The MC21 is very easy to derestrict and should cost less than the MC28. The MC28 costs an arm and leg to derestrict. You'll need a HRC card and have it programmed to you PGM for the 28. Whereas the MC21 is a simple wire splice.
However with that being said the mc28 is the more desirable of the 2 because of the PGMIV swipe card ignition and that there seem to be far less going around lately.

I own an MC28 and i would advise if you want a great bike and arent to fussed go for the MC21.

I was talking to my friend since he's the one whom I gonna buy the MC 21 or 28 he's offering to me and he mentioned that the key card harness and cdi of MC 28 does have a hefty price tag if it got damage or burned and he suggest to me just get the Mc 21 and slap some VFR/RVF Pro arm and Inverted fork.

But its good option to ask with proper insight first before I go head on buying which one of the offered one is worth it.

If anything does happen the PGM on the mc28 it is a heafty amount to replace it.
Sounds like you want a solid nice road bike. The MC21 can be easily derestricted and if your not worried about wanting a rarer model then id say the MC21 is for you. Usually people only go for the mc28 because its rarer and they've always wanted one

Just go for the Mc21 I just picked one up but I had one that I ended up selling a while back you can’t go wrong basically the same engine I believe and I’m 100% sure the swing arms between the Mc21/28 are interchangeable from what I’ve read on here in a the past I’m looking for a Mc28 as we speak so I could do the conversion it’s just more of a nice style upgrade for me

prelude2.2 wrote:If anything does happen the PGM on the mc28 it is a heafty amount to replace it.
Sounds like you want a solid nice road bike. The MC21 can be easily derestricted and if your not worried about wanting a rarer model then id say the MC21 is for you. Usually people only go for the mc28 because its rarer and they've always wanted one

Well yes that's why I'm asking here so yeah don't wanna burn or damage the Key card harness and its CDI.

Yes, I'm looking for a nice and well packed road bike to use and I don't mind which one of them two but I wanted to get a proper clear insight on which is one worth money spending on so I posted a thread here hoping a good bingo answer to it.

Well the MC 21 and 28 is a rare unit back in my country so folks tend to just buy the Kawasaki KRR 150 and set some "Thai look" as what many referred to it.

Hello Phantom, and welcome to NSR-WORLD.

The guys have made some great points, and given some sound advice.

As mentioned, the MC28, rightly or wrongly, often has the more desired styling [mostly due to the single-sided Pro-Arm swingarm], and is sought after as being the last model. It is however very expensive [and a little complicated] to derestrict, requiring quite intrusive modification to the wiring harness, and the key card/PGM progamming; currently something that can only be done by one vendor in Japan.

The MC28 Pro-Arm isn't a direct fit into an MC21 frame, but it's not a difficult conversion. The NC30 and NC35 swingarms are different to the NSR however, and fitment of one of those is a more complicated job. Don't expect to be able to buy any old Pro-Arm and just slot it in. There's very little room between the forks and the radiator, so fitting a set of USD forks drastically limits steering lock. I have RS250 NF5 USD forks on my MC21, and while they are vastly superior to the standard NSR forks, I'm not sure I'd really recommend a USD conversion.

In my personal opinion, the MC21 is the better bike. The chassis is undeniably better, although you'd be hard pressed to tell on the street, and it's better value for money. It's very easy and cheap to liberate 60rwhp with little more than a wire-splice, modified airbox, and a set of aftermarket silencers.

I prefer the MC21 styling too, but that is of course, totally down to personal preference.
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Andy wrote:Hello Phantom, and welcome to NSR-WORLD.

The guys have made some great points, and given some sound advice.

As mentioned, the MC28, rightly or wrongly, often has the more desired styling [mostly due to the single-sided Pro-Arm swingarm], and is sought after as being the last model. It is however very expensive [and a little complicated] to derestrict, requiring quite intrusive modification to the wiring harness, and the key card/PGM progamming; currently something that can only be done by one vendor in Japan.

The MC28 Pro-Arm isn't a direct fit into an MC21 frame, but it's not a difficult conversion. The NC30 and NC35 swingarms are different to the NSR however, and fitment of one of those is a more complicated job. Don't expect to be able to buy any old Pro-Arm and just slot it in. There's very little room between the forks and the radiator, so fitting a set of USD forks drastically limits steering lock. I have RS250 NF5 USD forks on my MC21, and while they are vastly superior to the standard NSR forks, I'm not sure I'd really recommend a USD conversion.

In my personal opinion, the MC21 is the better bike. The chassis is undeniably better, although you'd be hard pressed to tell on the street, and it's better value for money. It's very easy and cheap to liberate 60rwhp with little more than a wire-splice, modified airbox, and a set of aftermarket silencers.

I prefer the MC21 styling too, but that is of course, totally down to personal preference.

Well indeed but asking questions is better than having a regret in the end for not doing it. As I've read before in the forum here while finding a good answer the MC 28 doesn't mean the last new version of the NSR means better the only fancy thing about it is the Keyless card and its single pro arm nothing more nothing less special.

My friend stated that just few adjustment from the bushings and machining will fit the Pro arm and the Inverted fork from VFR/RVF to achieve the best nimble bike I want to use, he also suggest to do the "Poormans Deristricting" since he have a wide knowledge when it comes to nsr since he have been releasing and fixing 250cc street legal 2 stroke bikes in my country.

I'll be slapping some tyga gp-t fairing kit and a full titanium chambers.

Yes many folks said its all about "Personal preference" lets set aside those hoping to find a good answer to clarify things out 😁😁

Phantom wrote:
My friend stated that just few adjustment from the bushings and machining will fit the Pro arm and the Inverted fork from VFR/RVF to achieve the best nimble bike I want to use...

To be perfectly honest, I rode a friends MC21 fitted with NC35 forks while in the States a few years back, and frankly, it was awful! I didn't have the chance to ride it for long enough (or in varied conditions) to determine exactly what the issue was, but the feedback was very poor and the handling "interesting", to say the least. It's not a conversion I've ever personally endorsed since! I'm certainly no suspension guru though, and only speak from that particular experience.
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Andy wrote:

Phantom wrote:
My friend stated that just few adjustment from the bushings and machining will fit the Pro arm and the Inverted fork from VFR/RVF to achieve the best nimble bike I want to use...

To be perfectly honest, I rode a friends MC21 fitted with NC35 forks while in the States a few years back, and frankly, it was awful! I didn't have the chance to ride it for long enough (or in varied conditions) to determine exactly what the issue was, but the feedback was very poor and the handling "interesting", to say the least. It's not a conversion I've ever personally endorsed since! I'm certainly no suspension guru though, and only speak from that particular experience.

I guess instead of using the NC 35 fork might ask him if he can source me an RS 250 fork to have a good nimble road bike 😁

Andy wrote:

Phantom wrote:
My friend stated that just few adjustment from the bushings and machining will fit the Pro arm and the Inverted fork from VFR/RVF to achieve the best nimble bike I want to use...

To be perfectly honest, I rode a friends MC21 fitted with NC35 forks while in the States a few years back, and frankly, it was awful! I didn't have the chance to ride it for long enough (or in varied conditions) to determine exactly what the issue was, but the feedback was very poor and the handling "interesting", to say the least. It's not a conversion I've ever personally endorsed since! I'm certainly no suspension guru though, and only speak from that particular experience.

If I remember correctly he suggest that I should spend on getting an RVF Pro Arm just some little alignment and bushing adjustment and also spend on an VFR Inverted fork just some minor adjustment and machining to fit in the T-post hole of the chasis.

So I do not know if his suggestion is a good one or not, I mean I just want to have a good nimble bike without breaking the bank

Hi phantom, if you want a nimble and good handling bike, leave the standard suspension on an mc21 and get it sorted by a suspension specialist and it will feel much better and handle better than any modified mc21 with u/side down forks and single sided swing arms, how do I know?, iv'e rode both at trackdays for the last ten years and a well sorted standard mc21 is sublime. Good luck with your efforts.
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Lesviffer750 wrote:
Hi phantom, if you want a nimble and good handling bike, leave the standard suspension on an mc21 and get it sorted by a suspension specialist and it will feel much better and handle better than any modified mc21 with u/side down forks and single sided swing arms, how do I know?, iv'e rode both at trackdays for the last ten years and a well sorted standard mc21 is sublime. Good luck with your efforts.

Couldn't agree more, Les!

The 1991 NF5 RWU front-end I ran for a while was great, but it certainly wouldn't be to everyone's taste, and would be a very expensive option these days. But well set up RWU forks are the way to go.

A good "conversion" would be later adjustable NC30 forks. They are a cartridge type [similar to the MC28], and also allow you to run the larger 296mm discs that some people like. (NC30 or modified MC18/MC21 calipers required.) They're the same 41mm diameter as the NSR, so slot straight into the standard triple clamps, therefore maintaining the stock geometry, and can be used with the NSR or NC front wheel & spacers. Note: Be aware that some NC30 forks are similar to the non-adjustable NSR "R" model forks.

Rear wheels and tyres need to be taken into consideration with a Pro-Arm conversion too. While NC30 swingarms and corresponding 18" wheels are pretty cheap and easy to come by, RVF400 and MC28 17" rear wheels are expensive, and considerably scarcer. An 18" wheel and incorrect suspension geometry can easily and radically alter the MC21s handling for the worse, and the choice of decent rubber in 18" is also seriously limited.

What would be shame, in my opinion, would be to modify a very capable chassis and turn it into [maybe] an acceptable one, having never known just how good well set up stock parts can be. I think there are a lot of modified bikes out there that fall into this category. Of course, if you're only ever going to ride it down to the local bike night to display, then it doesn't really matter how bad it handles.
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I agree with the lads. The standard suspension is great. I can sell you a set of MC28 SE front forks if you like.

Also welcome to the forum Phantom.

Lesviffer750 wrote:Hi phantom, if you want a nimble and good handling bike, leave the standard suspension on an mc21 and get it sorted by a suspension specialist and it will feel much better and handle better than any modified mc21 with u/side down forks and single sided swing arms, how do I know?, iv'e rode both at trackdays for the last ten years and a well sorted standard mc21 is sublime. Good luck with your efforts.

I'll take note of these you have suggested, thanks 😁