Click on image for the Craigslist ad. What: 1986 VFR750F
Where: Boise, Idaho
Why: 3797 miles
Price: $3500
Here we have a second-gen Interceptor with the lowest indicated miles I've ever personally seen on a street bike that's actually lived in the real world.
The telltale signs suggest that the miles are accurate, but, unfortunately, the cosmetic condition shows some ownership neglect over the years — at least what I can discern from the horrible photos. The seller states "original condition" and that's mostly accurate, though the seat is the wrong color. Cosmetically, the tank has a small dent, the left muffler is scarred, the front fender is rashed and there's some sort of goop which has defaced the windscreen and headlight fairing.
The good news is that some of the deferred maintenance has been brought up-to-date, including the forks, carbs and brakes.
When I spotted this ad I was ready to send a deposit...till I looked more closely. The seller may state that the bike would make a "great collectors bike," but that's only after the cosmetics are brought up to the level of the low miles. That would require a complete repaint and sourcing a seat, windscreen and perfect muffler — and that's just what I can see in the photos. The problem is that, once that's completed, it's no longer "original" and the value stagnates. And, from my experience, there's going to be a whole lot more mechanical details to attend to on an example like this with such little use over the decades. I would love to tackle this project, but the numbers don't lie, and these numbers just don't work for me.
But maybe they will for you? If this is going to be your forever bike and low miles is important, then non-original paint might not factor into your decision. Or you can run the bike as it is, basking in its patina. In any case, I sure would be interested in following this bike's future.
Where: Boise, Idaho
Why: 3797 miles
Price: $3500
Here we have a second-gen Interceptor with the lowest indicated miles I've ever personally seen on a street bike that's actually lived in the real world.
The telltale signs suggest that the miles are accurate, but, unfortunately, the cosmetic condition shows some ownership neglect over the years — at least what I can discern from the horrible photos. The seller states "original condition" and that's mostly accurate, though the seat is the wrong color. Cosmetically, the tank has a small dent, the left muffler is scarred, the front fender is rashed and there's some sort of goop which has defaced the windscreen and headlight fairing.
The good news is that some of the deferred maintenance has been brought up-to-date, including the forks, carbs and brakes.
When I spotted this ad I was ready to send a deposit...till I looked more closely. The seller may state that the bike would make a "great collectors bike," but that's only after the cosmetics are brought up to the level of the low miles. That would require a complete repaint and sourcing a seat, windscreen and perfect muffler — and that's just what I can see in the photos. The problem is that, once that's completed, it's no longer "original" and the value stagnates. And, from my experience, there's going to be a whole lot more mechanical details to attend to on an example like this with such little use over the decades. I would love to tackle this project, but the numbers don't lie, and these numbers just don't work for me.
But maybe they will for you? If this is going to be your forever bike and low miles is important, then non-original paint might not factor into your decision. Or you can run the bike as it is, basking in its patina. In any case, I sure would be interested in following this bike's future.
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