Picking up a 'yard find' 85 VF750F

Hello all. I briefly appeared on the forum last year with a VF500F project I had picked up for $100 - sadly, the motor turned out to be seized and it needed a ton of other work as well. I cut my losses and sold it to a buddy for parts (at least I broke even, though).

It looks like my V4 dreams aren't quite dead, though. For the past couple years I've known of a VF750F (possibly 700? forgot to check the VIN tag) languishing in a backyard in the suburbs. Sometime last year I knocked on the door and got some info from the owner - it's an '85, the 71-year-old guy who owns it was the original owner (for all 34k miles!), and it has been parked since 2002. Apparently he had paid to have the valves adjusted and within two days of getting it back, the bike was stolen. It was found the next day, running, with a screwdriver in the ignition and all of the plastic missing except for the tail section. He took it home, put a tarp over it, and parked it. The first time I spoke to him, he didn't want to sell it, but a few weeks ago I was driving by and saw a woman out in the yard. I asked her (his wife) about it, and unsurprisingly, she wanted it gone! A week later they called me, and I'm picking up the bike later this week for a cool $300.

All of the fluids look fresh, and there's no real bad rust on it. It'll probably turn over - most of my work will likely be rebuilding the components that are on the bike with new seals and so on. I'll need to weigh my options of going for F2 wheels vs just getting new tires, as I'd need a death wish to ride with the old ones that are on the bike!

Anyways, that's my new project, I'll post pics as soon as I get it. Now, does anyone have a headlight fairing, a chin scoop, and a pair of side covers? :wink:

 

Awesome find! Just an FYI - the 85's were all 700cc. Make sure to keep us up to date on your progress!

 

Finally, some updates! Been too busy working on it! Tank is currently off the bike being cleaned; the tires on it are actually nicer than I thought, enough to ride for a few months while I gather the CBR wheel swap parts anyways. I've been stripping screws like mad all over the thing...ugh. Hoping to get the carbs cleaned next week (and I know not to remove them from the intake plenum), and start riding!

Pics:




As you can see...I have too many projects xD

 

I just saw the highway pegs..... now my eyes won't stop burning. The horror!!!!

 

I'd definitely put on some fresh rubber on. If not for safety, then just for looks. If the bike has been sitting for a while, I wouldn't trust the tires.

 

It's always rewarding to bring back a forgotten relic and restore to the road a young man's dream.......and the price on this one is right !

Send me a PM immediately if you find an old RC 30 rotting away in a wooden shed somewhere, please.