Though it was unplanned, I finished two projects this past weekend. Project 39 is my personal 1993 VFR750 which was actually finished last summer, whereupon I promptly dropped it on its right side in the shop. During the off-season I made the needed plastic repairs and my painter finished everything off.

Project 42 is my UK-spec 1986 VFR750F Interceptor, which was originally a Honda UK Press Fleet bike brought into the US in 1987 and lovingly kept by its original owner till last year. Here's a short video just before the bikes' photo sessions.

Like owners manuals and tool kits, Gen-2 windshield edge moldings have a mystifying habit of vanishing over years of ownership. Nearly all my 1986-87 VFRs have come to me with the soft plastic edging missing in action. Such is the case with Project 42.

The molding has been NLA from Honda for several years, but some time ago I found three OEM sets available on eBay and grabbed all three, one of which came in handy as I put the final touches on this project. For a substitute part, see note below.

To my surprise, I didn't have any end clips in my parts stash, but, equally surprising…Honda still does. My local dealer had them ready for me five days after ordering: $5.20 each. The molding is very soft and flexible — very much like silicone — and has extra length, as it's used on other Honda models. Here's how I install the molding.
(see photos below, click on an image to enlarge)
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The end clips have an open end and a crimped, or closed end. The crimped end is first installed onto one end of the molding, and I then use a small screwdriver to seat the molding fully into the clip, also spreading the clip a bit to aid in pressing it into place onto the windscreen (if reusing an old clip, you needn't spread it). I install the first few inches of molding onto the screen and press the clip into place. Note that you will be pushing and pressing forcefully as the screen/fairing creaks in protest, so support the screen as you proceed.

I wet the screen edge with a water-soaked towel to help the molding slip into place (alternatively, heat gently with a heat gun), then work my way along the screen edge. Be certain you're fully seating the molding, as it affects the final length. Nearing the end, I mark the end point and cut the excess. Install the clip onto the molding, seat and spread the clip with the screwdriver, and press into place. Finished.

NOTES:
• Reader Kevin shared that he has found a substitute molding from Suzuki; part # 94631-33C01, about $16
• No glue is required to install the molding.
• If you're reinstalling an old molding which has stiffened with age, try softening with a heat gun or soaking in hot water, pressing into place while warm.

I use several products from Griot's Garage, who market themselves as a higher-end source of detail supplies and, well, garage stuff. As a classier purveyor, they also regularly send out glossy paper catalogs…in the mail…old school style. And there's nothing like browsing pretty pictures of cool guy stuff over morning coffee.

In their latest "Garage Handbook," ​the cover photo shows two generations of Griots playing with one of their Porsches in their own garage. Perusing the background, we see an eclectic assortment of Ferraris, race cars and even a Meyers Manx dune buggy. But wait…what's that along the back wall?

Why, it's a VF Interceptor, sitting proudly amongst the million-dollar vintage Indy and CanAm iron. I tried to research the Griot's collection, but found nothing on the Honda. With the financial means to display a row of RC30s and maybe an NR750, instead they've chosen to honor the first modern sport bike. Griot's stock just went up in my book.

Project 42 is a very special Interceptor here in the States. Imported from England in 1987, this bike was one of three Honda UK press corps bikes provided for the introduction of Honda's new 1986 VFR model. This blue model was partnered with a white and a red version.

Over this past winter, I stumbled upon moto-journalist Neil Graham's El Camino video series on YouTube. I liked his genuine style and well-filmed approach to moto-related subjects and now he's begun posting episodes from season two; see the trailer below. Neil also hosts a podcast series, "The Lowdown Show."

NRs don't surface too often and it's always interesting to see where the market is at when they do. On the weekend of May 31, Sothebys is hosting a unique auction in Toronto — the Miles Nadal collection of cars, bikes, memorabilia and sneakers, which he calls "The Dare To Dream Collection."

The NR pictured below will be offered on Saturday at no reserve. Click on the image for the auction link.

Just a random internet photo: There's lots of interesting stuff in this shop, but what caught my eye, of course, is the impressive line of VFR400Rs, which look to be the NC30 version. I don't know what's going on here, but I suspect it's an auction situation.

What: 1991 VFR750
Why: Low miles, original, WOW!
Where: Topton, Pennsylvania
Price: $6500

I always get excited when a pristine, original survivor shows up on the market, and here's a "perfect" example. The seller's description says it all: "Stock, unmolested survivor. Mint."

Showing an incredible 4846 miles, this Italian Red beauty still sports its original rear fender, muffler and everything else, near as I can tell (with the exception of fresh tires). This second year of the Gen-3 Interceptor features a gray seat and muted gold-ish wheels — a one-year only wheel color. The asking price is up there, but represents the rarity of a classic VFR in this condition. If you'd like to savor the V4 ownership experience with a bike that looks like a perfect restoration…but isn't, here's the one you want.

What: 2008 VFR800A
Why: Low miles, 1-owner, nice!
Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Price: $5500

​Spring is in the air here in the upper Midwest, and the bike classifieds are alive. I've featured a few 800s lately, but when an optioned-out, 8300-mile, one-owner 6th-gen pops up, I think it deserves a mention.

This example shows beautifully in its Sword Silver Metallic and features two hard-to-find factory options — color-matched saddlebags and ABS. The rear fender has been removed and there's a couple of garage scuffs to show her age, but otherwise original condition. I spoke with seller Matt, and he shared that when he purchased the bike in 2010 as a left-over, there was also an unsold '07 Anniversary Edition on the floor; "I took a long time to make up my mind which one to buy and there are still days I wish I would have went the other way, that paint scheme was truly classic. But, the grey has been an understated beauty and fit my personality a lot better anyway! They offered me the same deal on either one...about $9500."

One-owner, low miles, pampered, never down, clear title, "runs like new" and a fair price. What's not to like?

October, 2017
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, CA. 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, allowing it to be kept as a trade secret, which it is to this day.

WD-40 is also a lubricant, though a low viscosity one. After application the thinning agent evaporates leaving behind a very thin film of oil which protects from moisture, and thus corrosion. Its lubricating qualities are for very light-duty applications, like throttle linkages or zippers. WD-40 can be used as a parts loosener in a jam (no pun intended) and, of course, it displaces moisture, like on water-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, scraping with a plastic-bladed razor. I also use it as a general, gentle degreaser, and for removing chain grease on the rear wheel and anywhere else that stuff goes. It will remove light surface rust and could be used as an electrical contact treatment, but I tend to use di-electric grease for that job.

I will always have a can or two within reach.