In response to the global pandemic, declining show attendance and general malaise in the motorcycling world, International Motorcycle Shows has made the decision to change its format from a winter indoor event to a summer outdoor convention-style show encompassing an expanded emphasis on outdoor powersports in general. I agree that our annual Chicago show in February has become repetitive, but it was still a nice mid-winter break for those of us entrenched in the cold, snow and ice of a midwest winter. Guess we'll just have to take a little trip to Key West instead.

Show locations and dates will be announced in December. Here's a little promo video from IMS:

I was recently reminded of how a tool that we easily take for granted can be such a lifesaver in a mechanical pinch. I came across a corroded master cylinder reservoir screw that was simply not going to budge, even with all the pressure I could muster by hand. Time to reach for the impact screwdriver kit.

I was browsing "Inside the Garage," which is a sub-feature of "Continue The Ride," which is a sub-feature of IMS (International Motorcycle Shows), if I'm following the progression correctly. In any case there's a short video on the lowly impact screwdriver, which we may not think of as an essential tool...until that moment comes where a couple of whacks on this thing will save the fastener, possibly save the part and save a boatload of time removing a trashed screw head. And, if you don't have a kit like this in your tool collection, it might be a great suggestion for that understanding significant other as a holiday gift.

​Here's Steve Knoble at Skidmark Garage with a demonstration (and check out their other YouTube videos):

I'm not sure what to make of this item up for sale on eBay. It's listed as a Honda Test Track, which our seller speculates was an apparatus made available to dealers to use as some sort of treadmill for motorcycles. I'm having trouble visualizing how it was used, maybe as an indoor testing device after performing service? I also can't figure out which is the front and which is the rear, but the two large ducts, powered by the moving belt, apparently blow air for engine cooling, which would make that the front end. The large center pad would then be used by the "rider's" back to help steady the bike as the rear tire did its best to slide sideways off the belt? I have no idea, but this looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

In any case, it can be yours for $1750 or Make Offer. Shipping is on you, or pick it up in Leveret, Massachusetts.

For reasons unknown, one of the nastiest cleaning jobs I come across on these old bikes is the coolant overflow bottle. The exterior is bad enough, as a rule, but the interior is more often than not a mixture of dark sludge and stained plastic.

To address this, I use a water-based degreaser inside and out. The exterior gets a good scrubbing with a cleaning pad, but the interior is more of a challenge. For this I use a flexible baby bottle brush from the dollar store with a strong solution of degreaser and hot water. Keep at it, and you'll soon have it looking its best.

If those stickers have lost their sticky, a little rubber cement or all-purpose glue will put them back in place.

I happened to see this simple tip on YouTube's Delboy's Garage, where you can find lots of helpful video tutorials, from replacing steering head bearings to plastic welding.

In this case I have 18 little brake disc bolts to clean and polish and need some way to hold them. This is called splitting a nut (I see a joke there...) and it comes in handy for lots of little jobs like this.

Begin by finding an old nut that fits the threads in question, then simply cut a slit in one of the flats using a Dremel or hack saw.

When squeezed gently into a vice, the bolt is held tight, allowing me to quickly and easily complete this task.

As our cold weather season creeps into the upper midwest, I'm finishing several small painting projects to support the three builds going on in the shop. Just returned from the powder coaters are these two sets of 2d-gen valve and engine covers in "Bronze Texture" (Prismatic Powders #PTB6794).

And, here at the shop, I've finished a set of brake discs, bar ends, rear brake torque arm, radiator screens, foot levers, OEM muffler pipes, a horn and rear brake master. Still to complete are a rear fender extension, chain guard, kickstand and radiator.

These may be small parts of the big picture, but they provide the finishing touches so important to help bring these beautiful bikes back to their best.

There's a huge selection of "pre-owned" motorbikes out there, and $4-5000 will get you any number of quality machines at one-third their original selling prices. But for us in the know, the Honda VFR will always stand a few bars above the masses in value, performance and panache. Like any commodity, however, the cream of the crop will still demand the highest resale value and here's two examples from our corner of the bike world.

What: 1999 VFR800 FI
Where: Fulton, New York
Why: Impeccably dressed, nicely farkled
Price: $4600 BIN or Make Offer

The fifth-gen Interceptors have a well-deserved rep for being the quintessential VFR in the eyes of their faithful, and justifiably so. This example comes to us from beautiful western New York state, shows ~20K miles and has been serviced from the foot peg rubbers to the fuel injectors. Visual and comfort upgrades include a Sargent seat and GIVI windscreen, while the full Delkevic exhaust system and tasteful color change to the wheels complete the look and sound.

The asking price was recently dropped from $5000 and still sits about $1000 above the average well-kept fifth-gen. But, to duplicate this example will cost you more than that premium, and this is obviously a loved and cared for Interceptor. Add in shipping and registration and you're going to have a $5000 investment here, but this one will serve its new owner for many years, with a pride of ownership and fun factor that just might be worth the extra bucks.

What: 2007 VFR800 Anniversary Edition
Where: Miami, Florida
Why: Original, low miles
Price: $5950 BIN or Make Offer

The sixth-gen VTEC VFRs were available in the U.S. from 2002 through 2009 with only minimal changes during its run. In 2007 Honda offered this red/white/blue version alongside the standard Candy Glory red, as a tribute to 25 years of the Interceptor model. Not particularly popular at the time, it has since come into its own with nice examples fetching some of the highest prices of this generation.

This one stands out for its low miles, only 6033, it's "impeccable condition" (per the seller), and the fact that it's represented as all original with no modifications. The asking price is well above the average Anniversary, and unfortunately does not include the ABS and luggage options, so our seller may have to make a further price adjustment in order to find his buyer. This model is pushing 14 years old now, and finding one that hasn't been touched or damaged will only get more difficult. So, if a showroom example is what you're searching for in a VFR800, this might be your baby...but some negotiating is in order.

I've never seen anything like this.
My daughter's boyfriend has a 2014 Triumph Scrambler 900 which lives on the gentrified streets of Wicker Park, a north Chicago neighborhood. Andres contacted me a few weeks back to tell me of what first appeared to be a rear brake fluid leak, but when I came by with the trailer, I could see that it was, in fact, an oil leak, and it was bad enough to have coated the swingarm, rear brake and even the tire. 

​This past weekend Andres joined me in the shop to see what's what. I had by then traced the source to the oil filter, so a complete oil change was ordered, but when I fired the engine to warm the oil a bit, this is what I was surprised with:

Whoa. That's an epic oil leak. Long story short, the oil and filter change did the trick — no more oil leak. Upon a closer visual inspection, we couldn't find any physical damage to the filter, though it was torqued on pretty tightly. In the photo below, you can plainly see that the paint surrounding the tacked-on hex fitting is peeled and surface rusted all round. That's not normal for a filter installed a few months ago, and that flange is the source of this leak. So, either this is a huge manufacturing defect or this filter was tightened with a wrench, which is never recommended — the hex is for ease of removal, not installation. FWIW, the filter was installed by Motoworks, a Chicago Triumph dealer, and was leak free for three or four months.

The filter is a HiFloFiltro, a brand which I've used and trusted for years. I've never used the hex design, which HiFloFiltro designates with an "RC" suffix in the part number, simply because I've never seen the need, I suppose. And I definitely won't use an "RC" in the future. One more reason to do your own maintenance.

I realized that I hadn't posted here for awhile, and that's due to a busy garage schedule...and a recent break in the amazing mountains of Arkansas.

Every year at this time Patti and I take a week off for horseback riding at a guest ranch in Colorado, but this year they faced advancing wildfires and mandatory evacuation orders. But we still needed a break from this confined lifestyle we all find ourselves in, and managed to find last-minute accommodations at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch near the little town of Jasper, AR. This turned out to be a great change of direction, as we were able to trailer our Victory Cross Country Tour on the 660-mile drive, therefore combining Patti's horseback riding passion with another favorite, motorcycling some of the best roads in America.

We began with two full days on the bike, searching out some hidden gems amongst the more well-known byways in northwest Arkansas — the popular Hwy 7, along with Hwys 21, 14, 16, 327 and 74, along which the ranch itself is located. These scenic and twisted ribbons of well-maintained asphalt wind their way over and around never-ending hills and valleys, borne of ancient geological uplifting and subsequent drainage erosion. National Forest designation has helped preserve the natural landscapes and the state actively promotes motorcycling. Even so, during this first week in October the roads were light with traffic and the weather cool, sunny and dry with the blanket of trees just beginning their autumn color change. We hit the rider's jackpot, and everyone we met was friendly, happy and helpful...and don't forget the great BBQ!

The next two days were spent sampling some of the ranch activities — horseback riding throughout the canyon, shooting, zip-lining, hiking and even trying our luck at rock climbing, something the ranch and this entire region is justifiably famous for. What a great destination.

Click on an image to enlarge; clockwise from upper left:
Grandpa poses in front of Grandpa's Flea Market in Kingston.
A rare stretch of straight pavement; Hwy 221, aka Racetrack Road, southwest of Berryville.
An awesome early dinner in Eureka Springs.
Taking a butt-break at a pullout along Hwy 74, south of Huntsville.