Reuniting With An Old Friend

Here's a story many of us wish we could experience our own version of. In January reader Tom S. contacted me looking for some painting guidance for his 1986 VFR700F. In his email he shared his tale of lost and found:

"Quick story on how I just reacquired my old VFR…….I purchased this bike new in ’88 as a non-current from a Honda dealership in the Twin Cities. In 1999 I traded it in at a different Twin Cities Honda dealer on a new VFR800. Fast forward to a week ago and I’m searching FB Marketplace for Rupp minibike parts (I restore them).  I see a listing for an ’86 VFR and looking at the photos it seems to have the same minor mods that I had done to my old bike (HRC sticker placement, red lever covers, turn signal stalks removed). I reached out to the seller with the VIN and sure enough it's my old bike. He had bought it from the dealer where I traded it and had it ever since. It had actually been off the road for ten years and he recently had the tank etched and coated, carbs gone through, all fluids replaced and new tires and battery installed. Incredibly It’s only got 17K miles on it…..only 5K more than when I traded it. As you can see from the attached photo it’s in really nice shape (save for some minor damage to the left lower fairing). We worked out a deal and it’s now back in my stable of bikes."

A beautiful bike and a great story. Tom found a local painter who was able to match the Shasta White and also a decal supplier in Canada, BDesigns, to supply the reproduction 700-specific decal:
www.bdesigns.ca/80s_Honda.htm
With the left side fairing repaired Tom and his old friend are ready to experience the back roads of Wisconsin and Minnesota…just like the old days.