Yesterday I was busy with a '91 VFR which is in the shop for maintenance. One of the chores was to clean the drive chain. When working on an "endless" chain it's handy to have a marker to let me know where I began the cleaning or lubing.

Here's what I use — a simple 4" zip tie fastened to a random spot on the chain. It will withstand solvents, brushes, lube and many rotations through the sprockets. Just snip it off when finished.

Also, note my cleaning agent; WD-40 does the job. I actually used it all over the rear sprocket/chain area on this bike. It easily and safely wipes away stubborn chain lube from the wheel, swing arm, chain guard, sprocket, hub…anywhere that nasty stuff sticks.

Also note the beautiful one-year only muted gold colored 8-spoke wheel on this 6500-mile example.

Plastic repair has become an unfortunate necessity when working with our older sport bikes. Time and use have conspired to produce cracks and outright breakage.

In the case of a restoration, I will do a permanent welding repair, but that's not always appropriate nor necessary. This photo shows some spider cracking emanating from a mounting hole on the side fairing from an RC26. A full welding repair would require repainting the piece, as both the front and back would be grooved and welded, the front ground smooth and body filler applied. But in this case, we wanted to preserve the otherwise presentable fairing, so I will stabilize the cracks to prevent further damage.
(click on images to enlarge)

To accomplish this with minimal visual effect, I will reinforce the cracks from the rear using heat, metal staples and Plast-aid repair plastic, shown here.

(Below) I begin by cleaning the area and scuffing the plastic with a grinding bit in the Dremel, giving a rough surface to help adhesion.

I then shape the staples as needed, laying them strategically at the reinforcement points. Next, I use the plastic welding tool (a soldering iron will also work) to heat the metal just enough to melt them partially into the plastic. Overheating the metal will produce telltale lumps on the "good" side, so proceed cautiously. 

(Below) Next, I combine the Plast-aid powder and liquid according to instructions. The proportions will affect the viscosity of the mixture, so if it's too runny, I let it set up for a minute or two till it pours correctly for the job at hand. I want to keep the mixture from flowing away from the cracks. This product sets fairly quickly; in ten minutes you will have solid plastic so work accordingly.

After about 30 minutes to allow a full cure, this part is ready to be put back in service. While not a "full" repair, I've managed to mitigate further damage to the part and avoided repainting a fairing that's "only original once."

What: 1993 VFR750
Why: Low miles, 1-owner
Where: Santa Clara, California
Price: $6495 OBO

Having recently sold my '93, this one caught my eye. Showing only 7107 miles and said to be a 1-owner bike, this example appears to be very original, even sporting the kickstand fairing and original rear fender, a feature which rarely survives on the Gen-3 bikes. The ad states "garage kept," but there's some sun bleaching evident (southern California) and I would expect some less than perfect finishes under the tank bra and bag. The seller also notes that the bike is "freshly serviced" and has new tires fitted — I would be looking for some further details on those items. The asking price reflects an original condition, low mileage example, so here's your chance at a one-year only Pearl Crystal White classic rider-grade VFR750.

SOLD: $67,000

​Fresh from its recent Bring-A-Trailer auction, this RVF750R is on its way to a new owner. After 13,000 views and 19 bids, the hammer price stopped at $67,000 + buyer's fee.

Among the rarest and most coveted of the Honda V4s, these seldom trade hands. From the Rare Sport Bikes For Sale website:
"One mile. In three years, the seller put one mile on it. That’s not ownership, that’s custody. The RC45 doesn’t need much introduction here. It’s Honda’s V4 homologation special, built to carry on what the RC30 started. Honda built 200 for the 1994 model year, just enough to qualify for World Superbike. They cost $27,000 new, which put them in the same price range as a Ducati 916SPS or a Bimota SB7. HRC built it to win, and it did: John Kocinski took the 1997 World Superbike title on one. Cycle News did a road test on a ’94 that’s worth a read if you want to know how it rides."

This one shows only 903 miles and looks pristine from the photos, with a bobbed rear fender the only apparent deviation from original. The selling price may be another indicator of the current soft market, as this bike apparently sold for a similar amount three years ago. In any event, congratulations to the new caretaker, and here's hoping this one gets some rolling exercise.

I'm a sucker for white wheels. But whenever the subject comes up on a public forum, the first comment is usually something like, "they sure are hard to keep clean."

And that's true, but it's also true of any color wheel, especially rears with chain drives. My solution over the years is simply to keep them clean, rather than letting the dirt and grime win. Of course, that's relatively easy for an occasional use classic bike — a daily rider is another matter.

This tool will help in either case. It's a medium-soft bristle brush designed for today's cars with alloy wheels and all their nooks and crannies but works well on our motorcycle wheels, both alloy and wire spoke. It also accesses hard to reach bits like brake calipers, engine recesses and much more. Yesterday it helped make the final detailing of Project 39 (for its new owner) much less of a chore. The brake dust and chain splatter disappeared with minimal effort and no bruised knuckles. The intricate calipers, swingarm, chain guard and exhaust pipes now look their best.

$9 well spent.

BIKE IS SOLD

What: 1993 VFR750 F​
Why: A fully sorted Gen-3 VFR
Where: Antioch, Illinois 
Price: $5700

I won't dwell on my difficult decision to offer my personal VFR for sale. Suffice to say, I have to admit that I've probably aged out of sport bikes, and I don't keep motorcycles that don't get exercised. It's been a rewarding build and a great bike to call my own.

​I acquired this project in early 2022, the first ride coming nearly a year later. This was a full-bike project, every system outside the engine internals requiring my attention. I will provide links below for all the details. Yes, it has a "rebuilt" title, a result of fairing damage over 20 years ago; the insurance company totaled it but the owner kept it and repaired/replaced the damaged fairings. I've applied several personal mods and updates to this bike but have the parts to return it to a more original look, if desired. They can be viewed in the Flickr photo gallery.

Please spread the word and help this great bike find its next caretaker. Thanks to all who have contributed to this build and complimented it over the past few years.

Build details with photos:
https://v4dreams.com/shop-blog/my-v4-dream

A Blue Ridge ride report:
https://v4dreams.com/shop-blog/blue-ridge-dreamin-a-ride-report

Photo album:
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBADva

Two short riding videos:
https://v4dreams.com/shop-blog/two-quick-videos

Many of us who turned on our televisions on the morning of the September 11, 2001 attacks are looking back today, amazed that 25 years has passed. For many, it was, or became a very personal experience. One of those is reader Brian, who contacted me earlier this year for some parts and advice on getting a pair of Gen-2s back to running condition, one after 14 years of inactivity.

It wasn't until later that I found an account of Brian's VFR story on a VFR forum. It involves his brother (I'm so sorry I can't find his name) who was sickened after responding to the attacks in NYC. Brian's words are below….

My Rock Auto newsletter landed in my inbox this morning and I was educated on a tool that I have to admit I never knew existed; a brake fluid tester.

Over the years I must have gone through many gallons of brake fluid on my projects and vehicle maintenance in general. While the project bikes get a full fluid replacement as a matter of course, there are cases where more complex systems are not so easy to flush out, like cars or modern ABS-equipped bikes. For those tasks, it would be great to know if the brake fluid does, in fact, need replacement. That's when this tool would pay for itself. Owner's manuals like to suggest a two-year replacement schedule, but that's rarely followed and, in reality, is rarely necessary.

Here's an excerpt from the newsletter's article:
"Brake fluid absorbs water over time or relatively quickly if left exposed to ambient air. Under heavy braking, that water could boil, reducing hydraulic pressure in the brake lines and causing brake fade. Water may also acidify the brake fluid which can lead to internal galvanic corrosion of components in the brake system. 
Acidic brake fluid can mimic the electrical properties of battery acid. The voltage of that weak "battery" can be used to approximately measure the moisture content of the brake fluid. Set a multimeter to DC millivolts (mV). Put the positive multimeter lead in the brake fluid in the master cylinder and the negative lead on a good ground or the negative battery terminal. A reading greater than 300 mV may indicate the brake fluid is contaminated with water and should be flushed and replaced with new fluid. 
A dedicated brake fluid tester can provide another convenient way to test brake fluid moisture content. Submerge the brake fluid tester's two probes in the master cylinder reservoir. The tester measures conductivity between the probes and translates that data into a moisture reading. Generally less than 2% water is good and more than 3% water means the old brake fluid should be flushed out of the system and replaced. I found the dedicated brake fluid tester to be more accurate than the multimeter.
​
Another advantage the brake fluid tester has is the ability to test leftover brake fluid in an opened bottle. Leftover Johnsen's brake fluid I had in my garage since 2019 was still good with 0% water contamination. The bottle's lid must have been sealed tightly."
​
This tool will soon be finding its place in my toolbox, so that I can more accurately decide when my vehicle's fluid needs freshening.

What: 2006 VFR800 Interceptor
Why: Low miles, sexy black, farkled
Where: Chicago, Illinois
Price: $5900

​This particular VTEC 800 caught my eye on my local Facebook Marketplace for a few reasons. Beginning with the relatively rare Pearl Cosmic Black with muted silver wheels and progressing to a handful of desirable mods and accessories. The low 11,300 miles is just a bonus.

This is a non-ABS model, no factory luggage is included, and there's no details on the cosmetics, though the photos look great. For the asking price I would want a few more details and hope for recent tires to avoid that immediate expense. I'll let the seller handle the details:

"Full tune up; new spark plugs, manifold clean.
Carbon fiber brakes front and back.
Carbon fiber dual HBK exhaust.
Fresh clutch and brake flush.
Puig racing aftermarket tinted windshield.
Battery trickle charger installed, hidden wiring.
Sargent seat.
Handlebar risers.
Carbon wheel overlays.
Aftermarket sideview mirrors.
2 original keys.
I have a bunch of the OEM parts for the motorcycle as well."

$5900 is at the top of the range here, so I would expect some wriggle room, especially considering its local competition, see below…………...

What: 2014 VFR800 Deluxe
Why: Low miles, Deluxe model
Where: Bartlett, Illinois (Chicago)
Price: $6000

Skipping ahead two generations, here we have a Gen-8 in Pearl Glare White, "ready to ride" and showing only 9252 miles. This model represents the pinnacle of Interceptor development, and is generally regarded as the best balanced, most refined example of the breed. On top of that, this one is the rarer Deluxe which adds ABS, heated grips, traction control, self-cancelling turn signals and center stand.

This is a lot of VFR for $6000, all stock and lightly used. This is the one I would choose, how about you?