Our changing leaf color and cooler temps here in the northern U.S. signal the coming of winter, and with winter comes motorbike storage. Over the years I've amassed a menagerie of bike covers, so I thought it might be a good time to inventory the 13 covers I found in my collection. As it turns out, the only one I actually use regularly is a lightweight indoor cotton dust cover — all the rest are versions of outdoor waterproof covers. I store the bikes inside so I decided to put my varied covers on Marketplace for $10 each and after a couple of weeks they all found new homes.

Seat is sold.

I have a very nice Corbin seat to fit the 1986-87 VFR 750/700. This is the two-color seat to match the Pearl Crescent White 700 bikes. White and blue with gold piping to match the gold pinstripe on the pearl white bikes. The seat is in very good condition with no visible tears or other damage. A few imperfect "spots" on the white portion, but hardly noticeable. I have thoroughly cleaned it and rubbed in two coats of vinyl conditioner. It fits fine on my '86 700, see photos. The price is $200 which includes shipping to CONUS ONLY. AK & HI will pay actual extra shipping costs. No international shipping. PayPal OK, contact me for details: [email protected]
See several photos here:
​https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWVCRWi

What: 1997 VFR750F
Where: New Jersey?
Why: Well-kept, original survivor
Price: $5500

I'd come across this beautiful example of the final-year carb-fed Interceptors awhile ago, but was put off by the asking price. But, when it appeared in my inbox this morning, I wanted to be sure to share the great write-up from RareSportBikesForSale.com and the seller. To wit:

"The Honda VFR750F is an icon. Through 10+ years of constant production, evolution and improvement, the VFR gained notoriety for doing everything well. This is not a bike that just ticks one of the “most” buckets; it is not the cheapest, it is not the lightest, it is not the most powerful, it is not the most race-like, it is not the fastest. But for those that actually prefer to ride, the VFR has been a constant companion offering good looks, great performance and legendary reliability. From the clean sheet beginnings way back in 1986, the VFR steadily improved to what can only be considered as close to motorcycling perfection as possible."

That's a nice chunk of hyperbole. The photos leave something to be desired, but what's there shows this to be an exceptionally well-kept 4th-gen Interceptor. Looking closely, I would have guessed that this is a very thorough, meticulous restoration, but the seller claims it's all showroom. The bike shows 18,250 miles and is represented as "close to museum quality." RSBFS makes the point that "the market has yet to come back around to equalizing value for money," which is a wordy way to repeat my mantra — the VFR is the best value in the used bike market. This is my personal favorite generation of Interceptor to actually live with, and they will always be great to look at. Here's your chance at an exceptional example.

Back in August, Patti & I decided to sample the International Motorcycle Show's (IMS) new outdoor format, which they're simply calling IMS Outdoors. Here in the frozen hinterlands, we've always found the indoor venue to give a needed mid-winter break, but the switch to an outdoor concept has the added advantage of allowing test rides, which I took advantage of. Lots of brands were participating, even Harley, providing several Livewire bikes along with some of their traditional lineup.

We had a predictably hot and humid late summer day, one of those days where you dread pulling on riding boots, much less the rest of your gear. But I've been hankering to try Honda's latest DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) and they provided a few Gold Wings and the new Rebel 1100 so equipped (sadly, no Africa Twins). So, at my appointed 2:30 time slot I sweated through the short safety talk, plus a 10-minute DCT briefing, and about eight of us mounted up and took off on our 20-minute ride through the Illinois countryside.

I immediately attempted to exit the parking area with the "parking brake" left on which I figured out after about 100 feet — I don't think anyone noticed my newbie faux pas. My first impression was the odd sensation of the missing clutch lever, followed by the added layer of button pushing to get the DCT in the riding mode(s) that you want. But, once you're configured, the scooter-like ease of operating the DCT bike comes naturally. In anything other than "Sport" mode the shifts are barely noticed and stopping/starting is a breeze. Once underway, the bike is just a Gold Wing, which is to say a large, comfortable, easy to ride touring bike. This latest iteration of the 'Wing is trimmer and lighter, and I soon realized that it felt very much like my old ST1300 in size and handling — a good thing. It even features a very handy "walking mode" which provides power forward and back.

Power, however, is on a whole n'other level than the ST. Even in "Rain" mode there's no lacking of grunt and speed available, but when I selected "Sport" at a stop light, I was taken totally by surprise when giving the same throttle input that I had been using while leaving a stop — I literally nearly had my hands pulled from the grips. I have no idea why Honda felt the need to provide such an excess of acceleration for their flagship tourer, but it's there if you want it. After sampling "Sport" for awhile I switched to "Tour" and settled back to imagine myself in everyday riding…which is where this bike shines. Smooth, easy, balanced, sophisticated…just what you need in a full-sized touring bike, though air conditioning would have been nice on this day.

If it hadn't been so uncomfortably hot I would liked to have sampled a couple of Triumphs and a Zero electric, but instead we casually wandered the displays, had a food truck snack, threw a leg over several bikes and tried out an electric bicycle demo machine — my kind of bicycle. I'll miss our winter IMS break, but having the ability to try out several new bikes in the new summertime venues is a plus. All in all, a good day.
(photos courtesy of Honda)

What: 1983 VF750F (V45)
Where: Mesa, Arizona
Why: Low mile time capsule
Price: $5900

This first-year 750 Interceptor is blessed with historical provenance, low miles (9500) and appears to be in excellent original cosmetic condition. The seller states that the bike's mechanics have been addressed, including a fresh YSS shock absorber, and full records in hand. For the asking price of $5900 I would want to see some detailed photos, but zooming in on the few in the ADVrider ad shows a nice, desert-kept VF. 

What: 2007 VFR800 Anniversary Edition
Where: Downers Grove, Illinois
Why: Low miles, original condition
Price: $5500

​Located in the Chicago suburbs is this time capsule Anniversary Edition showing only 965 miles. Our seller gives no hints to the history of this bike, and I'm always curious as to how an expensive toy ends up with so little use over so many years of ownership.

​In any case, this non-ABS model is described as "flawless" and appears to be unmolested save for the cheesy carbon fiber dash overlay.

What: 2007 VFR800
Where: Philadelphia, PA area
Why: Original, low miles, good price
Price: $4500

"Immaculate…zero drops, zero accidents, zero mechanical issues."

Those are comforting words from the seller of this very original-looking 6th-gen Interceptor. Showing less than 5000 miles with fresh Dunlops and a large rear hard case, this beauty is realistically priced at $4500.

Several months ago, reader Tom B. from Boise, ID contacted me with a few questions, later sharing his moto-story and how it led him to his latest buy, a 1986 VFR750 in R/W/B.

Like many of us, Tom's story begins back in his early teen years with a fateful visit to the local dealer. The gleaming showroom bikes we drooled over make a lasting impression, and for some of us, it's an attraction we never quite get over.

​In his own words….

"My dad used to take my brother and me to a Honda dealer occasionally when visiting Bend, OR. My brother and I always headed straight to the dirtbikes; for us, the dream bikes.  A few years later I turned 15 and got my driving permit and my attention began to sway to driving interests but I still liked dirtbikes. My dad took us to the Honda dealer that summer and my brother and I headed to the dirtbikes like normal, but this time there was this R/W/B streetbike displayed right next to the CRs and XRs.

I was so captivated by the body work, lines, and paint that something in my brain clicked. There was suddenly more to motorcycles than dirt. This time when we left the dealer I was carrying more than the usual dozen dirtbike brochures. I was also leaving with brochures for VFs and the new VFR. Through my junior and senior years of high school, while friends carried pictures of sports cars in their school binders, I carried the sales brochure for the 1986 Honda VFR.

As a teen it was far out of my grasp, but boy did it inspire me. In 1990, I was sent to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield, which in 1991 turned into Desert Storm. We saw a lot of USO, Red Cross, and troop support care packages come our way. Some boxes contained donated books and magazines. I started collecting motorcycle magazines there in the desert. My buddies and I would talk about what we'd do when we got home safe from the war. I said that after surviving that ordeal I deserved to get a motorcycle. Of course you know which one I had in mind.

When I got back to the States, for me it was Port Hueneme, CA (USN Seabees), I immediately got my motorcycle permit then headed to Santa Barbara Honda when I heard they had some sportbikes. They had a 1987 VFR700 in blue. They also had a 1986 VF500 in Rd/Wt/Bl. I actually chose the VF500. It was significantly less. It was the right colors. Also, in a rare form of good sense, I decided it was a better first streetbike. I learned to ride and survived those twisty SoCal and Malibu canyon roads where all the magazines test. Two weeks before my discharge from active duty my baby-ceptor was stolen.

I moved to Boise, ID and bought some other bikes in my four years of college, then I bought a 1992 VFR750. It was midnight blue and I thought it would look better silver. A friend who was a painter shot it with some PPG and another friend with a sign and graphic shop printed me some decals. I ripped and toured on that bike for many miles and 9 years. I rode it to my first track day. However, motorcycle life changes had it sitting too much over using other bikes so I unloaded it.

I've been without a Honda V4 since 2005ish, but I've always had a soft spot for them. When I started road racing, I painted my CBR600 in the 1986 VFR Rd/Wt/Bl scheme. I've always pined for a 1986. I never really aggressively searched and shopped. I always felt one would just happen to come along and I'd know it was the right time. I wasn't even shopping when I found the one I just bought. A friend who knows I like the old VFRs happened to notice it for sale in Facebook classifieds. He sent me the link."

And the rest, as they say, is history. Tom's currently working to finish the cosmetics on his '86…his original dream Interceptor.

Some, but not all, of our coolant hose clamps are still available from Father Honda, but these are very good quality clamps and if they're not damaged in some way, I give the originals a little refurbishing and a fresh lease on life. First they get a cleaning in WD-40 or similar. I then exercise them by running the screw back and forth several times — if I'm doing several I'll attach the 6mm socket to a drill adaptor as I look for smooth operation with no apparent damage. A thorough wipe down and back on the bike.