What: 1986 VFR700F
Where: Minneapolis, MN
Why: Cheap, complete
Price: $1450

Here's an inexpensive project for someone to bring back to life. These finds are always hard for me to resist, but my garage and schedule is full. Our seller is sparse with details, like mileage, but the bike is relatively complete and the plastics seem to be mostly intact. Peel off the boy-racer decals, rebuild the carbs and source some missing bits (seat cowl, signals, rear fender) and you'll have a base for a "fancy Honda sport bike," just like the ad title says.

I tried to reach out to the seller for details, but got back a generic click response: "Yes, it's still available." Maybe you'll have better luck.

Project 32, a 1986 VFR700 F2, is in dire need of a radiator rejuvenation. This thing is nasty, with 34 years of accumulated dirt, corrosion and general grunge. This will be a challenge.

I begin with disassembly — the front protective grill is removed along with the fan assembly mounted to the backside. 

Next is a thorough cleaning with a water-based degreaser followed by a general sudsing with a kitchen detergent, like Dawn, and a hot water rinse. The finning is gently scrubbed with a soft brush. I then blow dry the whole thing with compressed air and sand any rusty spots on the steel grill cover.

(Below) I'm left with a nice, clean assembly — a big improvement from what we began with. We could stop at this point but I want to take this all the way, so….

I'm going to spend about a half-hour to carefully straighten the delicate finning with a small straight-blade screwdriver, front and rear. This is not just cosmetics, it will help air flow and cooling efficiency.

The next step is paint. Here I'm using Dupli-Color engine primer, followed by their cast aluminum color, and finally three coats of engine clear.

(Below) I like to let the parts cure for a few days before reassembly. The fan is bolted into place after cleaning and applying dielectric grease to the ground and temp sender connections.

The finished product will pretty up this project, just one of the many little things that make up the whole.

During mid-year 1986, Honda made a number of changes to the VFR "F" model, resulting in the "F2" variant, which would carry through 1987, the final year for the U.S.-spec 2d-gen Interceptor. One of the more subtle changes was to shorten the shift lever. Was this a purely ergonomic/comfort change or maybe a means to quicken the shift action by shortening the lever's throw? I've never read of an explanation for the change and never really noticed an appreciable difference in the two levers, which are interchangeable, of course. By my measurement the F2 lever shown here is about 3/8 inch, or 10mm, shorter.

What: 2007 VFR800 Anniversary Edition
Where: Tampa, Florida
Why: Well-priced, well-kept, well-farkled
Price: $4000

The red/white/blue 25th Anniversary Edition VFR may have not have been popular with buyers back in '07, but that may have been because Honda failed to complete the look with the simple addition of white wheels. This example fixes that issue plus the bonus of a third-gen eight-spoke rear. There's also added comfort and convenience hardware — large Givi saddlebags, Heli-Bars and aftermarket windscreen. A nice package.

Our seller is also refreshingly reasonable with his asking price of $4000. This one would look great in my garage.

Today is Memorial Day in America, a day which is set aside to honor and memorialize those who have died in active military service on behalf of our country. First established in 1868 to honor Civil War casualties throughout the country, it was to be observed by "strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades" — May 30th chosen because flowers would be in bloom nationwide. Congress, in 1971, established Memorial Day as a national holiday, placing it as the last Monday in May.

​This is considered a somber day, not to be celebrated, but over the years it has become synonymous with the unofficial start of summer and so is usually used as an excuse to join with family and friends at outdoor gatherings. Nothing wrong with that, so long as we remember the very important purpose of this day. In fact, there's something known as the National Moment of Remembrance which asks that Americans pause in silence to honor those who have died serving the U.S., and takes place at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.

For those in search of third- and fourth-gen VFR bits and pieces, eBay seller motorecykle is parting out a couple of bikes to help you out.

Prices are reasonable, if not bargain basement, and the selection is thorough.

But if you're looking for unicorn pieces like 3d-gen side body panels or 8-spoke rear wheel…I've already checked — no dice.

Click on the image to link his eBay store.

While perusing my morning email feed, I came across a Petrolicious (.com) video featuring a guy named Ewen Getley who runs Kingsbury Racing Shop out of a former RAF facility in England. Kingsbury's focus is on ancient Bentley cars but his philosophy runs parallel to those of us who see the beauty and value in preserving old machines as best we can without diminishing their provenance and history. Which is, I suppose, a fancy way of saying that they're only original once.

This excerpt from the Petrolicious summary could just as well describe old motorbikes:
Well-engineered from the outset, but often modified during the course of their lives at points when their values were relatively minuscule, these old Bentleys often come to Kingsbury not to have their past erased in a full restoration, but revived. Getley describes the thinking behind the work as, “Restore where you can, replace where you must. Ultimately you want to end up with a car that looks like you haven’t touched it — much more difficult than making a shiny car, believe me."

When owner Ken stopped by yesterday for a bit of maintenance on Project 25, his 1998 VFR800 FI, I couldn't help but admire his unique addition to the bike.

I was also reminded of what a gorgeous example his bike is of the fifth-gen VFR. Another project I wish I could have kept.

SOLD: $3450

Another nicely-kept, low-mile 800 Interceptor has sold at auction, this one a 1998 VFR800 FI with 12,210 miles.

Like the Anniversary in the previous post, this bike looks to be a fair example of its generation and sports an aftermarket slip-on exhaust.

And, like the previous 800, this sale shows a realistic street value despite typical asking prices north of $4K. Further proof that used Interceptors are the best value out there in the sport-touring world.