SOLD — $28,180
At the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale this UK-spec 1991 VFR750R, better known as the RC30, sold for just over $28,000, including the auction premium.

Showing only 4,000 miles, the seller describes it in "generally excellent condition," with full ownership history documentation.

Collector bike prices are considered soft right now, and this sale seems to reflect that.

What: 1989 VTR250 Interceptor
Where: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Why: Hmmmm...
Price: Auction opens at $2499

The smallest bike to wear the Interceptor brand from Honda is this guy, the VTR250. While it's not V4-powered, the family resemblance to the bigger 'Ceptors is unmistakable, from the 3-spoke wheels to the shape of the seat. So, what is this thing?

The VTR was produced only for the U.S. and Canada markets from 1988 to 1990 (an updated naked model is still available in other markets). The engine is a 90-degree, DOHC, 4-valve V-twin, and is liquid-cooled. We don't often think of V-twins as high-revving engines, but this little guy has a lofty 14,000 RPM red-line. I couldn't find any horsepower figures, but with only 249cc's, there won't be a whole lot. There's no doubt lots of cool Honda tech hidden in that engine, but the most obvious talking point on these bikes is the inboard front disc brake fitted to the 16-inch wheel. Not sure about the thinking here, but it was discontinued for the final model year along with a change to a 17-inch wheel.

Small displacement sportbikes have always had a tough time finding homes in the U.S. and this was no exception. Our seller explains that it was made available to compete in production racing, but me thinks Father Honda would have utilized a more favorable engine configuration if that were the case. In any event these bikes are not common, but do come up on eBay occasionally.

The bike featured here is a very low mileage example, at only 1147, and the seller claims to be the original owner. The bike is stock, right down to the tires. This one could be put back on the road with some tires and maintenance brought up to date. He notes a few small blemishes, so this isn't a museum piece, but could be made so. The colors are hopelessly 80's and definitely period sportbike correct. I'm not sure who our buyer is, but I suspect he or she will expect to pay something less than the opening bid.

What: 2008 VFR800 ABS
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
Why: ABS, low miles, minty
Price: $5300 or make offer

Hailing from the beautiful State of Utah, this 2008 VFR800 shows only 9000 miles and glows in its understated Sword Silver Metallic. It's offered by a full-service repair shop, Moto Station, who offers the unusual bonus of "free" shipping to the auction winner. Nothing is really free, of course, so expect that expense to be reflected in the selling price.

In any event, this beauty shows very well in the supplied photos and has a few nice, and expensive, add-ons — factory matching saddle bags, throttle lock and a Sargent aftermarket seat with matching solo cover. And are those bar risers I spy? There's also the ABS linked brakes, not a commonly found option on the sixth-gen bikes. The cosmetics look great with maybe some scuffing on the lower fairings, but that could just be a reflection. If you're looking for an 800, this is what you're after. Value? These models, in average condition and miles, go for around $3500-4500. Add in the extras, low miles and shipping, and $5000 would buy you a lot of motorcycle. Some buyer is going to be very happy.

Veterans Day is a good day to remember our vets, both here and gone. But so is any day. When we see a veteran wearing a ball cap or jacket commemorating his or her service, feel free to give a hello or take the time for a short conversation. Their service was important to them...and to all of us.

I once introduced myself to a old vet who was sitting alone in a cafe' booth in Longmont CO. Turns out he was part of the first wave of Marines to hit the beach in the Battle of Okinawa on April 1st, 1945. The fighting lasted more than two months and cost over 20,000 young American lives. I bought him his breakfast; it was the very least I could do. On another occasion I had the pleasure to meet a survivor of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, when, at midnight in July 1945, she took a fatal hit by a Japanese torpedo. Some 300 went down with the ship and of the 900 who went into the sea only 317 survived four days on the water — victims of dehydration, exposure, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks. No, freedom is not free.

As a young marine my story was much less interesting. As the Vietnam war wound down I was fortunate to find myself stationed in Morocco for 18 months. A group of us managed to procure a gaggle of new Hondas, Nortons and Triumphs. We toured the country and a buddy and I even ventured across the Straits of Gibraltar into Spain and France. I learned to ride in Morocco, and we had many adventures in this strange and unfamiliar land. Here's a short story about my time there. The values and ethics I learned in the Military have served me well all my adult life. I'm also grateful for the GI Bill, which helped me financially through college.

So, "thank you" to our vets, today and everyday.

Last week I was visiting my Triumph dealer, Team Power Center in Janesville WI., for my Bonneville's 500-mile service. This is a friendly, family-owned and operated dealership who carry Triumph, Royal Enfield, Massimo and, to my surprise, Motus. Motus is an upstart American manufacturer of the MST sport-tourer. The MST is a brawny, big-block, macho beast of a motorbike, proudly made in Birmingham, Alabama. It's powered by a V4 (of course), often referred to as half a Chevy small-block — a torquey, pushrod, 1650cc (101c.i.) lump of brute force putting out around 165 or 180 hp, depending on how much you're willing to spend. The cost of this kind of moto-exclusivity starts north of $30,000.

Project 13's teardown is complete.

A fresh set of Bridgestone's are on their way, the clutch & alternator covers just returned from the powder coaters and the forks and master cylinders are apart for rebuilding.

No real surprises at this point. The steering head bearings will need replacement, but that's not uncommon. The carb rack is ready to go, and there's a set of Progressive fork springs that came with the bike. I've not yet decided on which type of exhaust to fit. Watching the bike come back together is the fun part for me, so let's get started!

WD-40 is versatile stuff. Invented in 1953, it was developed for the aerospace industry by the appropriately named Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego. The "WD" stands for "water dispersant" and the "40" presumably indicates the 40th development attempt. It was first made available to the San Diego consumer market in 1958 and the rest, as they say, is history. An interesting side note is that the inventors never patented the formula so that it could instead be kept as a trade secret, which it is to this day. (source: Wikipedia)

Contrary to what some believe, WD-40 is a lubricant, though a very low viscosity one. After application the thinning agent evaporates leaving behind a thin film of oil which protects from moisture, and thus corrosion. It also has lubricating qualities, but again, for very light-duty applications (like zippers). WD-40 can be used as a parts loosener in a jam (no pun intended). And, of course, it displaces moisture, like on soaked ignition wires.

There are more job-specific chemicals available, but the attraction of WD-40 is its versatility, making it useable for many tasks.

Here I'm using it as an adhesive remover along with a plastic-bladed razor. I also use it as a drive chain cleaner and degreaser for chain grease on the rear wheel and anywhere else that stuff goes. It will remove light surface rust, too. It could be used as an electrical contact treatment also, but I tend to use di-electric grease for that job.

I will always have a can or two within quick reach. 

Helmets are important. And they can be expensive, especially when associated with our racing heroes, whether they be motorcycles or riders. Here's a few examples:

This is an Arai helmet offered on eBay which is claimed to have been custom made for "Fast Freddie" Spencer. No authentication is offered and the helmet has no DOT sticker or sizing, which technically makes it unusable for road use — though that's probably not what the buyer would have in mind. Offered at a $700 opening bid plus $25 shipping.

Here's a new Arai RX-7X helmet produced as a tribute to the Honda NSR 250R, a 2-stroke street bike produced from 1987-99 and popular in Japan.

I'm obviously not privy to the attraction here 'cause this thing is offered for a whopping $3079. It's listed by a few sellers in Japan for similar money. I'm not sure the market exists here in the U.S., but good luck to the sellers in any case.

Well, I am able to relate to this eBay offering. Another Arai RX-7X, this is designed as a tribute to the RC30 and marketed as a 30th anniversary edition.

Again from a seller in Japan, these are available for a more reasonable $1047 with free shipping. A high-quality helmet in classic livery. Love it.

SOLD: $3150

This nice 1987 VFR700 F2 recently sold on eBay. The seller indicates some rash from a spill but otherwise stock and original. It shows only 9700 miles and was located in New York state.

The pictures look good with only a few blemishes. The passenger seat cowl was not included. Seems like a fair deal.

Project 13 is in the shop and, before the rear subframe assembly is reinstalled, I'll take the opportunity to detail the areas that I have good access to with the subframe out of the way.

One of these is the rubber chain slider. The rear of the slider is secured to the swingarm by this loop, which is nearly always broken, like this one. The slider is NLA from Honda and, in any case, requires the removal of the swingarm to replace.

I've come up with a solution which makes life easier and provides a more positive and permanent attach point.

I'm going to secure the top and bottom of the strap to the swingarm with these screws and upholstery washers.

I simply locate the washer where I want it and drill the appropriate sized hole, screw down the washer and trim the rubber strap. Repeat for the lower strap.

Job done. This also gives a little cleaner look to the swingarm when everything's back in place.

Does the swingarm on Project 13 look a little more shiny then normal? It is. While detailing the area, I realized that, at some point, the swingarm had been stripped and polished.

The only issue with polishing aluminum parts is that it will never end (unless they're clearcoated). But with some Mother's polish and about 15 minutes of effort we have a beautiful piece of bling.

Here's a shot showing the before and after contrast.