If ever there were a rat rod Interceptor project, this might be the perfect candidate, complete with the word "SAVE" scribbled on the hopelessly scarred fuel tank.

Barely surviving in a field in Alvin, Texas, this 1984 VF750F is looking for a new home. With a suggested drag-home price of only $600, this example of criminal neglect shows an amazing 9617 miles on the odometer. Normally I'd be more than a little skeptical of that claim, but the vintage license plate shows that the bike was last registered in 1986, so the miles could conceivably be actual. In one of the most positive bits of hyperbole I've ever seen in a motorbike ad, the seller states, "has been sitting for at least two years, so there is some surface rust." I'm thinking both of those claims are somewhat…ahh...understated. Is there a title? Of course not. My guess is that this engine suffered at the hands of a throttle-happy squid when the infamous cam oiling issue reared its ugly head, and this poor soul was pushed into this Texas field and forgotten. Best of luck to seller and buyer.

Project 33 is progressing steadily despite an arctic blast of frigid air settling over much of the country, making the garage seem much less inviting. Fortunately, I anticipated the situation and lined up some indoor projects, one of which was to prep the brake calipers for this 1993 VFR750.

In this case, a complete rebuild of the calipers was not in order, as the bike has low miles and light use. With the calipers disassembled on the bench, an inspection of the brake pistons showed that they would clean up satisfactorily — no need to remove/replace the pistons. If the pistons had corroded to the point of pitting of the shiny surface, they (and their seals) would warrant replacement.

Below I'll reference a very thorough YouTube tutorial by Delboy's Garage on servicing a Nissin caliper, a Triumph in his case, but very similar to our VFR Nissin caliper. Del specifies some specific cleaners and lubes, but stresses that his choices are not magic potions, just use what we think is best. For example, he applied something called Red Rubber grease to the pistons after cleaning. I just apply some brake fluid on the pistons to help them slide back into their bores, just be sure to avoid getting any kind of lube in contact with the pads. He shows that this service can be performed on the bike, but I've removed the calipers as I'm also servicing the forks and upgrading the brake lines — and everything's easier on the bench, right? Many of Del's brake-related videos apply to our bikes, so consider them a good reference.

​Here's our calipers assembled with EBC HH pads and ready for many more miles. TIP: Note the old brake line banjo bolt in place with a stack of washers — I do this to keep anything (dirt or liquids) out of the caliper bores during this service when the pistons will remain in their bores. If the pistons are removed for replacement, then this isn't necessary. The bolt will need to be loosened when pushing the pistons back into their bores! Then snug back up and leave in place till mounting the brake lines.

I recently came upon two VF1000Rs for sale. To call them "project bikes" would be too kind. I know the satisfaction of rescuing needy relics and breathing new life into them, but these two examples may be a few clicks beyond rescuing.

First up is this 1985 model in New York state. Showing only 12,427 miles on its crusty odometer, the poor thing is strapped together with bits from here and there — corrosion, rot and neglect dripping from every crevice.

The seller is a master of understatement. "Runs perfectly" (Hmmm...). "Seat cover…will have to be recovered/replaced." "Corrosion on the engine covers…and some surface rust." "The tank is dented and severely bulged and will need replacement or extensive repairs." Our seller also notes some fairing damage which "may have been caused in a tip-over incident." Or possibly backed into by a garbage truck. This would qualify as a parts bike, at least in my world, and you can keep the fuel tank, thanks just the same. Once stripped down to the frame, my depression factor would make a year of COVID isolation seem like a tiptoe through the tulips. Asking price was $1200, no word on whether she has a new owner.

Okay, when you see a photo like this on Facebook Minefield, your immediate reaction should be to close the app and find something more productive to occupy your valuable time, like clean the toilets.

Another (presumably) low-mileage VF1000R, this one is languishing in our seller's backyard scrap heap, slowly being reclaimed by nature. This VF shows 13,238 miles and is represented as a "1984-1985" The model year is a bit of a moot point as the title has gone missing — "lost title submission needs to be accomplished." Why do sellers always downplay a missing title and insinuate that it's the buyers' job to fix that little discrepancy? I've been down that road and, at least in the two states where I've attempted it, I've found it nearly impossible. If it's so easy, then how 'bout the seller takes care of that minor detail.

In any case, this lost soul money pit can be your next project for only $800. Located near Nashville, TN.

I spied this great photo while perusing the Honda VFR Riders USA & Canada Facebook page. The rider is, presumably, the post's author, Bbh Veilluex. He/she lists himself as an instructor at Moto Pro FMQ, a riders' organization in Quebec, Canada. I thought I'd owned a selection of VFRs, but he's had his share. Here's his comment on the eighth-gen VFR:
"I confirm: This is the best VFR-F ever after owning: 5 VFR750F 1986; 1 VFR750F 1995; 1 VFR750F 1996; 1 VFR800F 2002; 1 VFR800F 2006. My Canadian model 2015 (same as the Deluxe US model) has more than 54000Km on the clock and is always ready to have fun!"

While awaiting various parts for Project 33, a 1993 VFR750, I tackled the windscreen and chain guard refurbishment.

The screen had seen a lot of neglect but fortunately no severe damage, like cracks or gouges (right). It would need more than polishing, however, so I began with wet-sanding with a 5000-grit sponge, which proved to be not aggressive enough in this case. I switched to 1500-grit paper which is about as aggressive as I care to try on these plastic items. That seemed to do the trick, so I then worked my way through 2000, 3000 and finally to 5000-grit, on both sides of the screen. That got me to the cloudy finish shown below.

Next, the screen is buffed. In this case I began with Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 100, their most aggressive compound in the Mirror Glaze line, followed by Meguiar's Ultimate Compound for the final finish. 

The end effect is a real transformation on this original windscreen. I've shown this process before, but each item is different, and may require a different approach. The point is to always begin with the least aggressive method, going more aggressive only as necessary. The part will tell you what it needs.

Next up is the faded and graying plastic chain guard. As a nod to originality, I want to leave the decals in place, so avoiding black dye or paint makes this much easier.

Again, beginning with the least aggressive approach, I clean/degrease the part, then lightly sand with 5000-grit to even the surface, remove imperfections, and help the Mother's Back-to-Black Trim & Plastic Restorer get a grip. Here, I've treated the upper portion of the part — the difference is dramatic.

The quality and look of your finished project is the sum of many large and small projects. These are two perfect examples of how all the little things come together to make the whole.

Browsing my local HonKawZuki dealer the other day, I spied this pretty little gem, a 2020 Suzuki GSX-R600 in brilliant white with white wheels.

Honda did this trick back in 1986-87 and again in 1993, the white-on-white combination proving to have stylistic staying power, still popular today. The white wheel thing originated back in the day with race bikes (motorbike style often does), the street bikes mimicking the racers. But this Suzuki makes its own statement. I like it, but then I have a thing for white wheels.

Inflation and technology have taken their value toll over the decades, this 600 now sporting an MSRP of $11,400.

Back in the Fall of 2007 I embarked upon a memorable ride from Wisconsin to Birmingham, Alabama for a visit to the Barber Museum and its fledgling Vintage Motorcycle Festival.

My route took me on a bucket list ride down the full length of the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn colors and perfect weather. One of my more memorable stops was at the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum in little Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

Antique American iron may not be my passion but I had to see this amazing collection amassed by the museum's founder, Dale Walksler. As I strolled through the place, almost alone, I spied Dale himself futzing with a display. My regret is that I didn't stop to say "hi."

Dale passed away on February 3d at age 68. I first heard of Dale through Tom Cotter's book, "The Vincent In The Barn" and later on the TV shows "What's In The Barn" and "Chasing Classic Cars." Dale's life-long passion was motorcycles, beginning at age 18 when he started a H-D parts business, then at 22 becoming the youngest H-D dealer in the U.S. In 2002 he opened Wheels Through Time and in 2019 the AMA recognized his contributions to the sport by inducting him into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

By all accounts Dale lived his dream with conviction, fairness and good humor, while instilling his passion in son Matt, who will hopefully continue his dad's legacy. Dale was truly one of the good guys of our sport…I just wish I would have paused to chat on that beautiful October day.

SOLD: $7500

Just sold via eBay classified (set price), this 2012 VFR1200F Interceptor has found its new owner.

While the first-year 1200s are plentiful in the used market, the later 2012-13 models are more scarce. This example, resplendent in its Candy Tahitian Blue, is a non-DCT with only 11,000 miles and some desirable extras, including hard bags, Corbin seat, 2-Brother's can and Heli-bars.

The VFR1200s can be had for $5000 and up, this one's selling price reflecting the "near perfect condition," nice farkles and in ready-to-ride condition. Our new owner's major cost will, unfortunately, most likely be depreciation, as these bikes have shown no sign of an uptick in popularity. 

What: 1994 RC45
Where: Sun City, Arizona
Why: 0-mile RC45
Price: Current bid $41,100

UPDATE: Bidding ended at $71,000 but the bike sold for $90,000 in private negotiations.
The rarest of the V4 family, this homologation special was available to U.S. buyers for its first year of production only, with only 50 made available in this country. This is production number 52. The bike was on display in an East Coast dealer's showroom for many years before being acquired by its first owner in 2002 and by the current seller in 2010.

The RC45's rarity pretty much ensured that bikes sold outside the racing world would see little road time and this one takes that to the extreme, showing less than a tenth of a mile on the odometer. Personally, I'd rather see it doing display laps at the Barber Vintage Festival every year, but such is the reality of private collections.

​I would expect this one to go well north of $50,000 when the virtual gavel drops. Auction ends Feb 5th.