Once the forks were removed from Project 22, it became apparent that the steering head bearings were toast. Not only were they notchy, but were adjusted much too loosely, which was most likely the cause of their demise.

These bikes were originally equipped with ball (roller) bearings, and there's nothing wrong with that approach in this application, but tapered bearings are a definite upgrade and should outlast the OEM bearings. 

But how to remove and install the pressed-on lower bearing without the nice factory tools? Well, the old bearing inner race won't drive off, so I use a Dremel with a cut-off blade and very carefully slice the race with a diagonal cut, stopping just shy of cutting into the shaft itself. Right at that magical point the bearing race gives a little bing as it loosens its grip on the shaft — it can then be pried off with a screwdriver blade. In the photo above are (left to right) the new lower seal, the new bearing, the old inner race and the old outer race. I will use the old parts as adaptors to drive the new bearing in place.

Here I have the parts stacked along with the driver tool — a length of black gas pipe or heavy conduit (with a cap installed to pound on). You can see the diagonal cut I made when removing the old inner bearing race; that cut is not quite all the way through the race. The old and new (inner) races are the same size so the old one makes a perfect driver adaptor to pound the new race onto the shaft.

To prepare for driving the bearing onto the shaft, I first put the lower triple tree/shaft assembly into Patti's freezer for a few hours to shrink the metal — frost is visible on the metal in this photo. I then quickly drive the freshly greased bearing into place. I drive the bearing till it just bottoms onto the seal but still turns freely. With the cooled shaft, the bearing slides on pretty smoothly but still requires several hard hits with a hefty hammer.

Job done. Reassemble onto the frame, install the forks, etc., and this project will be back on its own two feet — with a nice, smooth steering action.

Project 22, a '97 VFR750, is in the final phase of its mechanical checks. The last item before final reassembly is the leaking fork seals. Upon removal and disassembly the fork internals look great, the only modification being stiffer springs — in this case a set of straight-wound 1.1kg/mm from DMr back in 2009. I reassembled with 5w fork oil as recommended by Honda.

So what does spring rate mean? In simple terms, my 1.1kg/mm spring means that it will require 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds) of force to move the spring one millimeter. Straight-wound means that the spring has a constant resistance throughout its movement — each additional millimeter of movement requires an additional 1.1kg of force. A true progressive or dual-rate spring will have less resistance in its initial travel and greater resistance as it compresses. This would theoretically be ideal in a street application, so as to allow small bumps to move the fork (or swingarm) more easily (less jarring) but then resist large bumps to prevent bottoming. In practice, however, this isn't completely practical for the relatively short fork/shock travel common to street motorcycles, but is very useful in the off-road world with their long-travel suspensions. Soft initial travel also promotes undesirable fork dive under braking. In fact, road race bikes will almost always have straight-wound (constant rate) springs. This allows the rider to experience the same springing throughout his ride — no surprises. Of course, race bikes typically ride on relatively smooth surfaces.

The reality is that springs are mostly there to hold the bike up at a correct height — it's the damping system's job to provide suspension control, and so is much more important to handling. A high-end shock absorber like an Ohlins, for example, has a similar spring to anyone else, it's whats inside that counts.
••••••
For much more on suspension theory and real-life application I strongly recommend Lee Parks' book Total Control.

Americans may be tempted to think that the 1986 VFR750/700 Interceptor in red/white/blue was a U.S.-only color scheme, when in fact, it was available in many (possibly all) world markets...like Canada, for example. I recently met Deron Douglas through this forum, and he graciously agreed to share his experience bringing his '86 VFR750 back to life. Deron is from Ontario, Canada, and is the original owner of his VFR. His is a familiar tale of long-term ownership of a classic vehicle, from excited new owner, to languishing in the back of the garage as our lives change, to the realization of what an important part of our life the machine represented. Here's Deron's story in his own words:

      I originally purchased my red/white/blue 1986 VFR750F in 1988. It was dealer “old stock” and for some reason no one wanted her. It may have been the GSX-R craze that swept the area that year? Who knows the reason, but I was able to purchase number 2024 for “below the usual dealer price.” I still have the receipt, canceled check and brochure.
      This was my first brand new sport bike. I’d purchased used street and trail bikes before, but nothing new and certainly nothing this fancy! The bike cost me $5200 Canadian dollars. That was a lot of money back then!
      As time rolled on the VFR and myself became fast friends, exploring the roads and highways of Northern Ontario with nothing more than a sleeping bag and tent. Most of those trips were with like-minded friends, many of whom have since passed away. These people became more than my good friends, they became my brothers with the shared experiences of riding in all sorts of weather and road conditions. Nothing pulls people together like the survival of a fletching hurricane.
      I’ll mention one of them right now for posterity. Rick was a Harley enthusiast and had an old mid-70’s Sportster. I used to tease him, saying the riding position and sound reminded me of an old “John Deer Riding Lawn Mower.” It may have been true, he only smirked and shrugged, but in the end he was always able to keep up and we travelled many miles together for more than 30 years on various bikes.
      I enjoyed the VFR for what it gave me and for the people I happened to meet. Back then motorcycles were less a fashion accessory and more a community.
      Fast forward 25 or so years....

What: 1985 VF700
Where: Chappaqua, New York
Why: Low miles, original
Price: $1800 Buy-It-Now on eBay

The very first of the first generation VF750/700 models had their teething problems, and may have been a little overweight, and, okay, a bit underpowered...but three decades later those things don't diminish their usability or collectibility. And here we have an example that could check both those boxes.

This final-year VF700 should be saved from a slow death due to non-use and now is the time for its next caretaker to step in. Showing only 5279 miles and mostly original condition, this would be a perfect example for someone to use as a bike-night and Sunday morning ride. The period Corbin (I think) seat and aftermarket engine guards are a nice touch. With some cosmetic TLC and refinishing or replacing the fuel tank this would be an inexpensive and fun-to-own vintage bike. And at only $1800 it's a bargain. Someone please save this Interceptor!

UPDATE: Sold!

The eighth generation Honda VFR was introduced in 2014. I think it's safe to characterize its sales as, ah... lackluster. I'll leave the speculation as to the reasons why to marketing professors everywhere, but suffice it to say the "new" VFR800 was a very comprehensive update to the sixth-gen VFR and is, by all accounts, a great ride. I will note that with sport bike sales tanking worldwide Honda still chose to clothe the VFR in full bodywork, and today's buyers are just not feeling it. But underneath its robes beats a modern and thoroughly sorted sport-touring package. And a V4.

The good news is that for those of us in the know there's a supply of leftover 2014 and 2015 models with prices firmly in the used bike class. I've recently come across two examples; both Deluxe models. I think the Deluxe is the one to look for, as the included options more than make up for the $1000 upcharge. This includes ABS, traction control, adjustable fork, remote shock preload, self-cancelling turn signals, heated grips and center stand. Original MSRP on the 2014 VFR800 Deluxe was $13,500 in a choice of Victory Red or Pearl Glare White. Personally, I'm a sucker for pearl white.

First up is a red 2014 offered by Sunrise Motorsports in Searcy, Arkansas. Their eBay price is $7799. No word in the listing about additional dealer fees, so that's worth investigating. Fair warning; Sunrise requires a non-refundable $500 deposit.

Here we have a white example located in my backyard at Sportland 2 Powersports in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. This is a 2015 Deluxe model and is listed at $7976, excluding "dealer setup, taxes, title, destination charge." 

Choose your color!

As I progress through the rebuild of Project 22 I'm coming across more fun mods and extras.

Here we have a piece of tech-wizardry from a company called Nology. These are HotWires, the "most technologically advanced ignition wires available." Utilizing a built-in capacitor, these wires produce a spark 300 times more powerful, according to the manufacturer. I don't know about that, but they sure look the part. About $140 in a variety of colors.

Next up are are a set of Pazzo Racing control levers. These little pieces of functional bling hail from Canada. They look good, feel good, and offer 6-position lever adjustment. They'll set you back about $150 and are available from the manufacturer, on eBay and elsewhere. I've never had a set mounted on one of my bikes, so I'm looking forward to trying them on the road. Pretty cool.

I love throttle locks and cruise control. The ability to give your right hand a break on the straight stretches goes a long way, especially near the end of the day's ride. I like the Vista Cruise for it's simplicity, ease of use and low price, but this bike came to me with a set of good-looking Throttlemeister bar ends mounted up.

The Throttlemeister is a friction throttle lock with a matching left bar-end. Made right here in the Midwest (Milwaukee, WI) these high-quality pieces come in various weights, sizes and finishes. I have a stainless steel set on my ST1300 and this bike sports this sexy black matte finish. $120-$150, depending on options.

Project 22 has risen from its lengthy slumber, wide awake and running like it never took a day off. With all the mechanical checks completed, it was the carburetors that really needed attention. With the jets cleaned, adjustments made, the leaky fuel rail o-rings were sourced and replaced along with fresh Tygon fuel lines. So I now have the appropriate VITON o-rings for the '94-97s if anyone has the need. I've also verified that my VITON bowl gaskets fit the fourth generation VFRs.

With everything double-checked, an aux fuel line connected and battery installed...the magic button was pushed and this beautiful VFR came to life. After a warm-up the carbs were sync'd and.........

With my recent purchases finally making their way to Illinois, we can make some headway on Project 18, a 1986 VFR750. Today the super-techie silicone coolant hoses were installed.

While I've never experienced an issue with the 30-year old OEM hoses on our bikes, this particular build is a more thorough restoration, so I made the choice to replace all four coolant hoses. As they're no longer available from Honda, I went with the only replacements that I'm aware of.

These beautifully-made hoses are manufactured in England by Samco (samcosport.com) and are available mostly through racing supply dealers around the world. Samco makes the claim that these are "the best hoses that money can buy."

And it will take a chunk of dinero to buy 'em. Here's the pieces in the #76670 hose kit I received.

The hose kit is $141 and the "German style" clamp kit an additional $30. The little red hose is a complimentary keychain — a nice touch, I suppose.

I purchased my kits through Samco's U.S. distributor, OPP Racing (.com). OPP orders from England, so shipping was about two weeks. The retail prices seem to be controlled, as everywhere I checked were the same.

While Samco hoses are available in a rainbow of colors, I chose black to maintain the original look as closely as possible.

The hoses install easily and the clamps seem to be of high quality without looking like Ace Hardware replacements. In this case I would have preferred no logo, but if you're going to spring for the best, may as well let everyone know it.

And Project 18's next owner will have just a bit more confidence in their new ride.

It's a warm, sultry mid-summer's day here in the upper midwest, and out in the shop Projects 18 and 22 impatiently await parts orders. Just this afternoon the shock absorber for Project 18 arrived from Jamie at Daugherty Motorsports. But a small order from Rock Auto is really dragging it out. I ordered a set of spark plugs and a coolant hose for the '97 VFR way back on June 26 and they're apparently stuck in limbo, which in this case is somewhere between Cleveland and the Chicago area. DHL's tracking app had it leaving Cleveland on the 27th and...that's it. Now, I realize it's been a long holiday weekend but a recent order from Amazon and Jamie's shipment seem to have cleared that hurdle with no problems. Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking....

What: 2002 VFR800
Where: Houston, Texas
Why: Great bike, great value
Price: $3399 or make offer

When shopping for a used vehicle, there's a certain kind of seller's vibe you're looking for. Sometimes you just get a bad feeling about a seller...and sometimes just the opposite. Here we have the latter.

This first-year VFR800 VTEC is a shining example of what you want to stumble across when shopping for a pre-owned VFR, or any used bike, for that matter: Original condition, check. Low miles, check. Responsible mature owners, check. Full disclosure, check. Showing only 6475 miles, non-ABS, and some recent maintenance completed, this one appears to need only an enthusiastic rider. The original paperwork, manual and toolkit are still with the bike. Our seller takes some pains to point out the imperfections from a garage fall but the brilliant Italian Red still impresses. As far as value goes, the seller is in the ballpark and there's some wiggle room. If you're in the market for a VTEC, this may be your next ride.

UPDATE: No sale; for another chance at this one, here's a link to the local C-list ad:
https://houston.craigslist.org/mcy/d/honda-vfr-interceptor/6201320490.html

(click on an image to enlarge)