Back in June a very special Interceptor was off-loaded from the transporter after its long trek from south Florida. This example is unique for a few reasons, the most significant being the 1112 miles showing on the odometer. The bike is a one-owner 1986 VFR700F in red/white/blue with original everything, right down to the tires and battery (drained and bagged).
Some history: Seller Jim purchased his new Interceptor as a showroom "left-over" from Gables Honda, Miami Florida, on November 28, 1988 (now Gables Motorsports & Marine). The selling price was $3979 plus fees and tax, giving an out-the-door total of $4257, according to the original sales contract provided with the sale. Jim also provided the second key, still with its protective plastic sheath, tool kit, owners manual, an unused Factory Service Manual and the optional center stand in its factory wrapper.
Jim managed to put a few miles on his new bike before hurricane Andrew hit south Florida in 1992, the most destructive U.S. hurricane of record. Jim was then busied rebuilding BP facilities throughout south Florida for the next few years. When the VFR eventually failed to come back to life, weeks turned into months and months into years. It would be three decades before Jim decided to finally resurrect his "new" bike. He completed a thorough brake system rebuild before contacting me about some carburetor parts. After some discussion the possibility of a sale came up…and it became my project…Project 35.
I immediately took to checking the mechanical basics of valve checks (a few intakes and all exhaust valves were tight), compression check and visual inspection of electrical, fuel line replacements, etc. The gooey carburetors were tended to, installed, and the old engine came to life without hesitation. After a carb syncing, the bike was running well, so as a final check I ventured out on a short test ride to verify that the suspension, clutch and transmission were correct — it was a tentative outing due to the 35 year-old rubber, but everything checked out and the bike felt tight, together…basically what a new 1986 Honda VFR would feel like. This was a very special experience for a VFR geek like myself.
I've developed a plan to keep this bike in its original state while bringing the mechanical systems up to snuff. It will be a running, riding time capsule. And it may well be on the podium at the 2022 Las Vegas auctions. It's a bittersweet reality that rare, original finds like this one have reached the collectability stage in their life where further miles and risk of damage are counter-productive to the bike's monetary and aesthetic appeal. But, that will be up to its next caretaker.
(click on an image to enlarge)
Jim managed to put a few miles on his new bike before hurricane Andrew hit south Florida in 1992, the most destructive U.S. hurricane of record. Jim was then busied rebuilding BP facilities throughout south Florida for the next few years. When the VFR eventually failed to come back to life, weeks turned into months and months into years. It would be three decades before Jim decided to finally resurrect his "new" bike. He completed a thorough brake system rebuild before contacting me about some carburetor parts. After some discussion the possibility of a sale came up…and it became my project…Project 35.
I immediately took to checking the mechanical basics of valve checks (a few intakes and all exhaust valves were tight), compression check and visual inspection of electrical, fuel line replacements, etc. The gooey carburetors were tended to, installed, and the old engine came to life without hesitation. After a carb syncing, the bike was running well, so as a final check I ventured out on a short test ride to verify that the suspension, clutch and transmission were correct — it was a tentative outing due to the 35 year-old rubber, but everything checked out and the bike felt tight, together…basically what a new 1986 Honda VFR would feel like. This was a very special experience for a VFR geek like myself.
I've developed a plan to keep this bike in its original state while bringing the mechanical systems up to snuff. It will be a running, riding time capsule. And it may well be on the podium at the 2022 Las Vegas auctions. It's a bittersweet reality that rare, original finds like this one have reached the collectability stage in their life where further miles and risk of damage are counter-productive to the bike's monetary and aesthetic appeal. But, that will be up to its next caretaker.
(click on an image to enlarge)
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