Topic: Honda VF700/750 Interceptor

[The Sovereign Man]

Hi all,

Does anyone have experience with the Interceptor? I owned one for a short time in the early 90's but threw it down the road whilst perfecting "backing it in" and "power sliding out" of corners. Ahhh, the joys of youth with no responsibilities and money to burn.

I have the opportunity to buy another but didn't own mine long enough to know, nor was I particularly interested in, how mechanically reliable these bikes were.

The bike in question turns over and has spark, has no chain fitted but clicks through gears at the sprocket, and appears to be all there. It's a bit beat up aesthetically but I'm more interested in mechanical land mines. 23k miles.

Any input, advice, or even stories from the past, are appreciated.

[seanbarney41]

They are amazing machines but extremely challenging to work on.  Some of these early v4's were also very fragile engines.  The 750's are known for eating camshafts.  I had a 1986 vf500f Interceptor, dropped a valve at 7 or 8000 rpm.  Damage was catastrophic.  Rebuild?  Head gaskets are NLA.  Such a heartbreaker as I had done a lot of work to get it running and it was such a fantastic performing little gem.  I can't go through another heart break like that...so I will not have another.  I am gonna hold out for a later VFR with the gear driven cams.

[The Sovereign Man]

They are amazing machines but extremely challenging to work on.  Some of these early v4's were also very fragile engines.  The 750's are known for eating camshafts.  I had a 1986 vf500f Interceptor, dropped a valve at 7 or 8000 rpm.  Damage was catastrophic.  Rebuild?  Head gaskets are NLA.  Such a heartbreaker as I had done a lot of work to get it running and it was such a fantastic performing little gem.  I can't go through another heart break like that...so I will not have another.  I am gonna hold out for a later VFR with the gear driven cams.

Oh no! What a bummer having to turn away from a bike because it's unrepairable due to unobtainable parts. I had read a YouTube comment mentioning the camshaft, but in that instance it was cams causing excessive wear on the rocker arms. I just want another one because I have fond memories, which is usually the reason for my purchases. Not keen on hearing they're "fragile" though.

[grcamna2]

I had a 1986' Honda VFR750F1 and I did many performance improvements to it as far as handling and Engine.These are bulletproof,1st generation VFR's.The 1990' models(Both 1st Gen. VFR700/VFR750F models and later 1990's-on have gear driven dual overhead cams)are more of midrange-top powerband.The 1986-87' VFR750/700 models(RC24)Interceptors with the 18" rear/16" front wheels where actually originally built for Honda HRC to race and they offered HRC factory Honda race kits back in 1986' so the privateer could race and be fairly competitive with the rest of the field(the bike that is)and have a better chance of keeping up.Honda built a certain number of the 1986' VFR750F1's so they could homologate? them to allow them to be raced.. they have a step-up in power after 7000rpm and then the bike Really turned-on.
Sean,I think whoever had your 1986' VF500F before you got it may have pounded it(may also have installed an early model black box with no rev limiter..) and left you with the result.The 84-85' VF500F Interceptors had a very high-end powerband with no rev limiters on them:they would literally rev till they blew.The 86' VF500F was detuned with 30mm(2mm smaller)carbs and a bit more midrange tuning with the cams plus it had a rev limiter and so did the 1986' VFR750F1.The hot set-up that the low budget privateer roadracers would do was get a 1986' VFR700F1(red,white and blue model)black box and pulse generators because they didn't use a rev limiter on that model.The VFR's had no camshaft wear problems:the early(83-85') Honda VF750F Interceptors did have that problem on a few.

[The Sovereign Man]

I’ve heard of the VF700/750 cams as being “made out of chocolate”.

[ekpent]

 One of the problems I have read at least on the V65's was a lack of oil flow to the top end at idle. Its suggested to raise the idle speed and there is also aftermarket 'oiler' kits that are tapped in to provide more oil up top also. Some of the metal in the cams may have been problematic also. Not sure if there was ever a recall. I've got a V65 Sabre that so far has defeated me on my one and only attempt to get it running right. Sounds like a winter project this year as I would like to see what their all about.

[FourUsTry]

Just picked up my '01 VFR800 yesterday that I snagged from CL for what I think is a good price. I hope the chocolate cams were fixed by then! After just rebuilding my 550 carbs I decided that getting the FI VFR was a requirement even though the 750s look better to me.

Rode it back home ~100 mi with some obligatory thunderstorms and loved the power and the gear-driven cam noise but my hands were going numb after a while so I'll need higher risers or something. She needs some tuning/love but I'm hoping it's a solid platform. But, yes, looking at the videos on servicing the starter valves (wax cylinder! WTF) and such does seem way more complex than the CB. I'm hoping I can avoid too much deep engine work beyond the valve adjustment for at least a year.

Good luck finding a nice VFR if you decide to go for it.