Reader Michael S. recently sent along this image of a custom license plate frame he had made for his truck. They're also available for motorcycle-sized plates. Click on the image for his online source.

Yesterday evening an eBay auction ended for this beautiful VFR750R RC30 with no sale. Sale or no sale, the auction still provides a snapshot of the current market for the RC30, an iconic collector bike if there ever was.

This particular example is a U.S.-spec 1990 model and is claimed to be completely original except for tires. It has a documented 2801 miles, spending the past 37 years as a static collector bike, not run, with no fuel in the tank. The seller, Ron Susser, a vintage vehicle dealer/broker, offered some 200 detailed photos in the listing, which show what a pristine RC30 this is.

"The condition of every one of the finishes, from the paint to the trim to the finishes on the engine, is nearly flawless…every part on this RC30 is original and as it left the dealership floor."

The original factory rear paddock stand, tool kit, owners manual, two keys plus additional factory paperwork and other items are included in the sale. He also offered to recommission the bike to roadworthy status if the buyer wished.

The bidding stopped at $59,600 after 83 bids. I think that number further supports the current cooling trend in the collector market, as that kind of money would have gotten you a more average condition RC30 just a few years ago. The RC30 is a bellwether indicator of that market, the canary in the coal mine, perhaps?

What: 2007 VFR800 Anniversary Edition
Why: Well-kept, nice additions
Where: San Francisco, CA
Price: $7000

Apparently the '07 VFR Anniversary Editions haven't gotten the memo about the "cooling" of the classic vehicle markets. Case in point; this past October a pristine, very original example sold on BaT for $9600.

This listing is a little different animal, sporting several nice farkles and more miles (12,000). The seller describes the bike as "perfect condition, flawless bike." Mods include a LeoVince exhaust, aftermarket windscreen, Power Commander and white wheels, the rear a lovely Gen-3 8-spoke. The rear seat cowl and centerstand are present and the photos show off the beautifully-kept one-year paint scheme. No word on whether the original parts are included with the sale. This is a non-ABS example.

Good to see the Anniversary Editions finally coming into their own in the classic bike market.

What: 1990 VFR750F
Why: Well-kept, original
Where: Upland, California
Price: $3100

Arguably the most striking colorway of the many all-red VFR years, the 1990 cuts a classic '90s profile thanks to that gorgeous Italian Red with the stark contrast of bright white wheels, a one-year only combination.

Looks aside, this first-year RC36 marked the transition of the VFR's mission to a less aggressive, more "GT" look and feel. The mechanicals followed suit with a new frame, subtle engine changes, a more relaxed riding position, 17" wheels front & rear, radial tires and what would become a VFR trademark — the Honda/ELF single-sided swingarm.

This example shows 31,900 miles, has managed to stay original and was obviously pampered throughout its life. The seller notes, "in very good original condition and ready to ride." This appears to be a great rider at a fair price. Good luck to seller and buyer.

What: 1986 VF500F Interceptor
Why: Nice survivor, mostly original
Where: Neenah, Wisconsin
Price: $3695

For all the folks who write to ask me if I know of a nice 500 Interceptor available for sale, well, here ya' go!

This example appears to be a very complete example — aftermarket mirrors the only non-original bits to catch my eye — with just enough patina to show its originality. Showing 32,785 miles, the black chrome mufflers are intact, the steel frame doesn't show the usual rust areas, the black engine area gleams, the paint looks very good with some scuff marks, and the windscreen shows fading. The selling dealer notes, "...purrs like new, no leaks and does not smoke. Drives and shifts perfectly."

Overall, I would rate this a #2 or 3 rider-grade bike, which puts the asking price somewhat high, but I'm assuming there's some negotiating room built in.

Longtime reader Dale E. from Arizona has his own small collection of Gen-2 Interceptors, and while at least two of them are still in the project stage, he also has a matched set of gorgeous red, white & blue examples. Below, he's shared a few photos of them, including a great pic of he and his son ready for a ride. I immediately envision matching 1986 VFRs twisting up Hwy 88 to Tortilla Flat for lunch at the Superstition Saloon on a sunny 70° December afternoon.

I don't have all the particulars, but both bikes are sporting 17" wheel conversions, one with a what looks like a CBR fork, slip-on mufflers, tail eliminators and even a preserved Bubba Shobert signature! Both are mint-looking, highly detailed examples. Nice work, guys.

The second phase of my carburetor rescue regimen is cleaning. While it's tempting to throw everything into the ultrasonic cleaner and hope for the best, I've found that a more detailed, hands-on cleaning will deliver the best results. Completely disassembling/reassembling a set of four carburetors is no small task and we don't want to be doing it a second time due to cutting corners in the cleaning phase.

​(Below) I begin with a "pre-cleaning" of these very dirty and soot-blackened carb bodies, using purple water-based degreaser and a few sizes of brushes. I just want to get the majority of this dirt so the ultrasonic cleaner has an easier job and its solution stays cleaner, longer. The second photo shows a comparison after a minute or two of scrubbing and a quick rinse. Next, I take a piece of 1200-grit wet/dry sandpaper and scuff clean the slide bores and bowl gasket surfaces. If there's tough gasket cement residue I switch to something more aggressive, like 600-grit.
(click on an image to enlarge)

(Below) Before entering the ultrasonic cleaner, I take a moment to clean the fuel and vent tube inlets using a brass brush on the Dremel tool. This will ensure a clean and smooth surface for the tubes' o-rings to make a good seal, especially important for the fuel supply tubes. Then it's into the warm ultrasonic solution for a 20-minute clean followed by a 20-minute soak and a second 20-minute cleaning. I'll also add in the brass jet collection to begin their cleaning process.

When finished I blow the carb bodies clear with 80-100psi compressed air, paying particular attention to the various orifices and passages. This is often, but definitely not always, enough to clear everything out, so, using two sizes of vacuum hose, I verify every passage is clear by blowing by mouth pressure, listening for the escaping air in the appropriate place — this took years of experience to know where the air is supposed to be exiting and how much air resistance each passageway should have.

(Right) In this case one of the carbs had a clogged passage in the choke jet. This is the second most common place to find a clog, right after the pilot jets. Both of those jets can be cleared with a very fine wire, shown here. This tiny passage can be stubborn, so I soak it for a bit in Gum Cutter, or a similar solvent, then carefully probe the orifice, being especially careful to avoid stressing the wire to the point of it breaking off in the opening, which would create a real problem as the choke jets are not removable — at least I've never been able to do so. This clog cleared after a few minutes of effort. I then blow Gum Cutter through the entire circuit by mouth pressure, followed immediately by hitting it with compressed air. It's difficult to see in this photo, but the arrow points to a small drain port which is connected to the jet, so that port needs to be plugged with a spare fingertip when blowing through the circuit to ensure the entire circuit is clear. All the rest of these carbs' passages were clear — YAY!

(Below) While the carb bodies and other metal parts are enjoying their ultrasonic bath I tackle the remaining parts, like the slide/diaphragms shown here. These were coated in this unknown white crusty residue which, fortunately, cleaned up well with Zep degreaser and gentle finger rubbing. I use the same cleaner on the plastic slides along with a blue non-scuff kitchen pad. I always remove the needle from the slide, but not really necessary if the needle can be cleaned sufficiently while installed, your call.

(Below) Some of the smaller parts get attention too. From left to right: The float bowl covers are hand washed, the gasket grooves scraped of residual gunk, and their new Viton gaskets fitted. The floats are cleaned as necessary, sometimes requiring a degreaser soak and scuff pad to remove varnished gas, but these cleaned easily. I also submerge the floats for several hours to test for leaks — I've never found one. I gently clean the air cut valves and coat with a thin layer of red rubber grease (Gen-3 & -4). In the center photo these parts are cleaned with fine sandpaper, like 2000-grit, and/or a brass rotary brush. Finally the aluminum velocity funnels are washed, then scuffed to a satin finish with an auto painter's scuff pad, used wet or dry.

(Below) I found upon disassembly that one of the choke rods was bent, so I quickly straighten it using a straightedge for reference. Gently tapping as necessary with a brass mallet on a flat surface makes quick work of this task. Raising each end a bit helps get things nice and flat — here I'm using the rods' end brackets as shims. 

(Below) Here's a collection of many of the auxilliary parts, all hand-washed. Every one of these individual parts are inspected during the cleaning process, with repairs or replacement made. This allows an easy flow into the next phase of the process — assembly.