After recently finishing Project 24 I cleaned up the shop, straightened the shelves and thought I'd find time for some smaller projects sitting on the back burner. But then I stumbled upon this on my local Craigslist:

This is a 1998 VFR800FI, first year of the redesigned fifth-generation Interceptor. The "I" in the model designation stands for "injected," marking this as the first fuel-injected VFR. While the visual aspects of the frame and body remained familiar to VFR fans, the engine was a major redesign. From my "Historical" page:

"With a nod to the RC45, the V4 mill was substantially reworked; the bore & stroke numbers of 70 x 48.4mm, around since the beginning, were nudged to 72 x 48mm for a total of 781cc. The cam gears were moved to the right side of the engine and compression bumped from 11:1 to 11.6:1. The engine was a few pounds lighter, a bit narrower, a few more ponies (108 HP claimed) and redline bumped to 11,750 RPM.

A new chassis was in order; lighter, stiffer, with a shortened wheelbase and steeper rake. The excellent Pro-Arm single-sided swingarm remained, but it and the shock now pivoted directly from the engine cases, something Honda dubbed "Tuned Flex." Brakes were in for a major upgrade; a dual linked braking system, DCBS, wherein both the front and rear levers actuated portions of the others' calipers. It was techie, it was cool and it worked, Rider magazine calling the system 'world class.'"

This particular bike was found in a northwest suburb of Chicago in the hands of its second owner, a 30-something who used the bike as intended — sport touring in the western U.S. It's now showing just north of 17,000 miles and is in very much original condition, with the addition of an aftermarket windscreen and control levers. Maintenance is up-to-date, tires are fresh and the bike runs perfectly and tracks true. At some point the first owner went down on the left side, cracking the headlight fairing and adding some rash to the side fairing. My job will be to repair the cosmetic damage. The rest of the bike is in gorgeous condition, but I'll want to source the missing passenger seat cowl as a finishing touch. Honda actually still has the fairings available, but the premium cost is probably prohibitive for this project and I may go the repair/repaint route if we can satisfactorily match the paint.

This will be my first experience with the fifth-gen Interceptor. I did a shakedown run of about 40 miles and my first impressions are that the bike is very comfortable, extremely composed and smooth. The stock muffler is very quiet and actually lends an air of overall sophistication and quality. I've heard owners gush that this is the best of the Interceptors; I will say it's impressing me.

Abhi at Bike-urious has recently teamed up with the guys at Iconic Motorsports to launch a new motorcycle-only auction site named, appropriately enough, Iconic Motorsports Auctions based in Marina Del Rey, California.

They're continually adding a variety of auction bikes, and one of the latest is this mildly customized 1992 VFR400 (NC30). With a Miguel Duhamel-inspired paint job on altered fairings, and several more mods, this is one unique street or display bike. Interesting fact: There were more VFR400s produced than VFR750s, but none for the U.S. market. This bike is registered in Wisconsin, but no word on its actual location. Auction ends Wednesday.
(click on image below for the auction listing)

We're enjoying some absolutely perfect weather here in the upper midwest, so I couldn't resist a morning shakedown ride yesterday on Project 24, my 1995 VFR750.

I'd already put on a few miles locally to verify that everything seemed to be doing its job after reassembling the project, so I finished fitting the remaining body panels and completed a 90-mile loop to a favorite coffee spot, 2894 On Main, in East Troy, Wisconsin, former home of the late Buell Motorcycle Company.

The bike performed perfectly. My previous experience with the fourth-gen models was a 1997 project with modified suspension, which, frankly, was way too stiff for the abused roads of this area. This bike is just the opposite — the stock suspension is very forgiving, giving a comfortable ride but still turning and tracking like an Interceptor should. I've never sampled Avon tires but these Spirit ST's feel very planted and smooth.

This bike is fitted with an aftermarket Micron muffler, carb jet kit and K&N air filter, so the freer-breathing engine pulls cleanly to redline with that great V4 music completing the VFR experience. The carbs seem spot-on at any throttle opening, while the braided lines and EBC pads help make these brakes the best they can be. All the little electrons are flowing in the correct direction and to the correct places. And, of course, the bike looks great on this bright, sunny day. 

One of the additions I've made is switched power for a GPS mount, which is a RAM ball mounted in the steering bearing shaft. The setup works very well—the GPS unit is positioned perfectly without interfering with any controls. I've grown accustomed to having a GPS available, so I've provided all three of my bikes with RAM mounts and wiring, making swaps between bikes quick and easy.

A fun and successful day, and another VFR back on the road.

I've ridden (and driven) Colorado's roads and trails several times over the years. As a lifelong flat-lander I'm never disappointed with their scenic beauty, varied topography and fun factor. But they can surprise with unexpected weather, be clogged with traffic, and a road closure can force you hundreds of miles out of your way. But, if you get yourself away from the most-traveled areas, there's often a chance of finding open road. The southwest part of the state, for example, boasts the San Juan mountain range and its famous Million Dollar Highway (550) and the roughly parallel highway 145. These roads typify Colorado's best.

A recent post from Cody Hicks on the Facebook forum, Honda VFR Riders USA and Canada, provided a few photos of a recent ride near Silverton, CO. His VFR800 with aftermarket pipes echoing off the canyon walls is the perfect tool for enjoying a blue-sky day in Colorado.

Back in January I found this 1995 VFR750 locally, in need of rescuing from a seller who used it till the brakes wouldn't brake and the carbs wouldn't carb. The rear tire wasn't just worn to the cords, it was shredded into the cords. During my walk-around I could see that all the pieces were there plus a few extras like the undamaged Micron carbon fiber slip-on and a nearly new RK drive chain. Despite the 38,000 miles showing on the odometer, the seat was excellent, the fuel tank was nearly perfect and the paint original. Good bones, as they say. 

The bike actually did run, just not very well, but I was able to ride it around the block to verify that the transmission felt right and the bike tracked true. The deal was struck and Project 24 was trailered home.

It was April before work began with a strip down and bath. What I found was a largely unmolested VFR. Someone before me had installed a carb jet kit and K&N air filter, along with a VFR-ness auxiliary wiring harness and aftermarket regulator/rectifier. The lower section of the frame, near the foot pegs, had been stripped and polished, and a set of VFR800 mirrors installed. Two intake valves needed a slight adjustment while the others were spot on. The chain and sprockets were like new and, once detailed, the black wheels sparkled. There were small areas of rash on the right side fairings from a spill and the fuel tank had two small creases. My paintless dent guy (a metal magician) made those disappear and the tank buffed out beautifully. The carbs got a full treatment and a running sync.

(Below) When reassembly began, I decided to make a few changes and updates. I chose to powder coat four pieces in a textured "Gold Dust" finish — the clutch cover, upper triple tree, shift lever and foot brake lever. They ended up blending well with the similarly-colored drive chain.

(Below) The polished frame sections were wet-sanded and machine polished, along with the foot peg brackets. The Micron muffler and pipe were also spit polished.

(Right) Speaking of foot pegs, I also wanted to delete the passenger foot pegs and their brackets. This modification really opens up the rear area of the bike, visually, and allows the single-sided swingarm to shine.

The right side is easy, just unbolt the bracket from the subframe. The left side, however, also serves as the handhold for raising the bike on its center stand and locates the seat/helmet lock.

To keep the functionality of the handle, I found a used bracket on eBay and cut off the lower portion, eliminating the foot peg but preserving the handle and lock. Some grinding, sanding and polishing gives the remaining piece a clean factory look, and the original bracket is saved for future use.

(Below) This bike didn't come to me with the passenger seat cowl, but I was lucky to locate a nearly perfect example in Canada. In order to tuck the Micron muffler inboard for a very trim look, the rear fender was trimmed to the license plate.

Finishing the project included some hidden repairs to the plastics, paint touchup, lots of sanding and buffing, brake system refurbished, stainless brake lines front and rear, fresh Avon Spirit ST tires mounted, forks rebuilt, steering head bearings replaced, cooling system flush, heated grips installed and various correct fasteners sourced. The final piece was a NOS Pro-Arm metal sticker on the swing arm.

The end result speaks for itself, I think. The classic NR-inspired lines of the fourth-generation Interceptor is as good-looking today as it was 25 years ago. With a few modern upgrades and better tires, these bikes are arguably better motorcycles than when new. This one looks great, makes beautiful music, and is impressively quick — the rush to redline never gets old.

There are times when I'm first introduced to a potential project that I can absolutely see the finished project in my mind's eye and know that the bike deserves the many hours of labor to take it there.
​This was one of those times.

Click here for the photo album.

What: 2010 VFR1200F
Where: St. Louis, Missouri
Why: Ride it or fix it for little money
​Price: $3000

I stumbled upon this 1200 during my usual morning Interceptor search. The seller states that the bike was dropped by movers on the right side and some superficial damage was done. The bike shows 21,000 miles and has a few extras included: full luggage, heated grips, lithium battery and Z-bomb. There appears to be a V-Stream windscreen with deflector installed, otherwise in stock condition. The seller notes some cracked plastic, which he shows in the photos, along with a rashed muffler and a footpeg needing repair, but the bike is represented as fully rideable. No word on the title situation.

The required repair parts should still be available new from Honda or used via the internet, or the bike could be patched up and ridden as a commuter or weekend fun bike. This would be a good basis for a personalized build with a color change (red, white, blue?) and a throatier pipe. Lot of possibilities here, and conveniently located right in the middle of the country.

I stumbled on this video from 2013. It's a very unpretentious young chap hosting a start-up and walk-around of an absolutely stunning 1990 VFR750R. Enjoy.

SOLD: $2520.95
​
This 2003 VFR800 Interceptor sold July 25th via eBay action with 18 bids. The bike was located in Carrollton, Texas and shows only 6045 miles!

The beauty of no-reserve auctions is that they provide a real-world snapshot of resale value on any given day. Search eBay for VFR800s for sale and there's no shortage of $5000+ examples from hopeful sellers. But, having sold a few myself over the years, I can testify that that kind of value rarely exists for this model.

This bike was represented as a one-owner, never modified, with clear title and "like brand new."  If that's the case, then this would be a very nice example for someone in the market for a fast, comfortable sport tourer. It's a lot of machine for only 2500 bucks, but that's the state of the used motorcycle world — it's a buyers' market for common models, there's lots of inventory. Well bought.