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.

Well…this can't be good.

When owner Jeff dropped off Project 31, a 1986 VFR700 F2, he mentioned that there might be a cooling issue. As part of my initial maintenance, I flush the system, and in this case the coolant was chocolate brown in color. The thermostat was replaced and upon restart there was still marginal coolant flow, which indicated a peek at the water pump — this is what I found upon removing the cover.

Don't think a coolant change should be a part of your maintenance schedule? This is what you risk. Those steel impeller blades were literally rotted away after years of sitting in corrosive coolant. The level of coolant is obvious and if you turned those blades 180-degrees, the blades are missing at that level. The remaining blades were barely hanging on.

So, what to do? The pump is long gone from Honda's parts shelves, but it turns out there's a water pump savior in Arizona, Tom, who operates azv65.com. He rebuilds V4 water pumps and provides miscellaneous seals etc. for those models, and, fortunately, the Interceptor pumps are so similar that he's also able to help out us VFR guys. Tom is a great guy, and he soon had a fresh pump at my doorstep. When I opened the package I was impressed, to say the least. I doubt that the original Honda part looked this good. Mine you, these metal parts are used originals which Tom has restored to new condition, then alodined to this beautiful, durable finish. It's ready for paint or can be installed as is.

And, here we are during installation. I left the housing in the alodine finish but painted the cover black to match the engine.

Removal and installation on the 2d-gen Interceptor is very simple. Once the four cover bolts, cover and rear coolant hose (the blue hose pictured here) are removed, the entire pump simply pulls outward. The new pump is slid back into place (while engaging the driveshaft notch) and the four cover bolts secure it in place.

Thanks to Tom, this VFR will keep its cool for many years to come.

What: 1983 VF400F
Where: Pittsburgh, PA area
Why: Rare, cool, lo-miles, unique in U.S.
​Price: $3950 OBO

Here's an interesting V4 sport bike produced for the Japanese domestic market in 1982 and '83. This is the model that spawned our VF500F and the specs are familiar; high-compression, high-redline V4, 16/18" wheels, TRAC, 6-speed, bikini fairing. The model also featured Honda's answer to a question no one asked: inboard (covered) disc brakes front and rear.

This example shows only 1973 miles and is fitted with aftermarket rearsets. The seller has sourced a set of OEM brackets to put the pegs back to stock, but is still missing the foot pegs. The OEM front turn signals are also MIA. The seller is asking $3950, and with so few of these changing hands in the U.S., the street value will ultimately be up to the buyer and seller.

Need a new seat for your 1990-93 VFR? Here we have a forever-stored new-bike take-off, in black.

Available in exotic Paris...ahh…Kentucky, our seller is asking $155 and will ship for an additional $50. The 1990 seat was gray, of course, but not to say this might provide a little more modern look. If the condition is, in fact, "perfect" as the seller states, this is a great find for a "new" OEM seat.

A few days ago, Brett, the proud owner of Project 33, a 1993 VFR750F in original Pearl Crystal White, emailed me with a question about his brother-in-law's newest acquisition, a 2007 VFR800 Anniversary Edition. Brett also mentioned that he'd recently gotten the '93 down to the Smoky Mountains for a few days of riding bliss.

When someone in my small part of the VFR universe casually mentions that they've taken their Interceptor on a special ride, no matter where that may be, I doubt that they realize how satisfying those words are to me. Helping to rescue a forgotten, forlorn machine from the corner of a dark shed and put it back in the hands of someone who will see it with fresh eyes and fresh enthusiasm is a reminder of why I keep doing this work.

Someone commented to me once regarding this website by saying, "Wow, you flip a lot of VFRs." I wasn't sure how to take that. I hope that what I do isn't "flipping." Spending 80 to 100 hours in an effort to breathe life back into these special motorcycles is often dirty, tedious, thankless work. I call this "sympathetic restoration" — that's when you do your best to bring an example up to the best standard it can be while still being true to its unique overall condition, history and originality, all the while trying to avoid looking restored. That requires attention to every detail, down to every screw head, knowing full well that no one will likely appreciate the effort. But anyone who's done this kind of work understands that those details are what define the whole.

These classic VFRs can hold their own 30 to 40 years after leaving the showroom. They have looks, charisma and the charm that only a vintage road machine can provide. The V4 development was Soichiro Honda's pet project, culminating in the RC30, RC45 and RC213V-S. And, in my opinion, no GSX, CBR or ZX7 can touch 'em.

So, thanks for sharing, Brett, and reminding me of why we do this.