I’d been hunting for a project bike for a while—something to get my hands dirty with, tinker around, and play. But I also wanted a winter ride. Basically, I needed a winter project that didn’t involve binge-watching YouTube bike rebuilds.
Honda VFR800Fi
By sheer luck (or fate, maybe?), a good friend mentioned he was thinking of selling his bike since it had been sitting in his garage gathering dust for years. He asked if I’d be interested. It took me all of half a second to shout, “YES!”—though, to be fair, I’d been pestering him to sell it to me for years anyway.
Next thing you know, a deal was struck, and I became the proud owner of a 2000 5th-gen Honda VFR800 (RC46) with just 20,331 miles! Sure, it had been idle for a while and didn’t have a current MOT, but it fired up perfectly with just a prod of the starter. After giving it the once-over, I was pretty chuffed with its condition. Sure, there was some rust here and there, but overall, it looked great.
Wemoto Service Kit
Once the bike arrived at Chateau RigsVille, it was time for the fun part—giving it a good scrub and figuring out what I’d gotten myself into. The first thing I tackled was testing the stator, regulator/rectifier, and battery charging voltage, because these bikes are notorious for having the Reg/Rec fry the stator and battery. Thankfully, everything checked out fine (thanks, YouTube, for all the DIY tips!).
Replacement stainless steel fairing fasteners
Next up was a full service. That’s my standard routine whenever I get a new bike. So, I hopped onto the Wemoto website and grabbed one of their service kits, which came with everything—air filter, oil filter, spark plugs, sump plug washer, engine oil, and even a pair of latex gloves so I could pretend I’m a professional! They also threw in some freebies like a sticker, keyring, and notepad. Talk about service, right?
The actual servicing only took a couple of hours, and I didn’t find any unpleasant surprises (phew!). But the Honda fairing fasteners? Yikes. They were rustier than an old garden shed. A quick check of my favorite supplier, Biker Bling, revealed a complete stainless steel replacement kit for just £35—a bargain compared to Honda’s £3-a-bolt rust specials.
My last task was the coolant change. The bike wasn’t overheating or anything, but I like to know it’s been done right. So, I picked up some genuine Honda coolant and Holts Speedflush, then spent a fun few hours draining, flushing, burping, and checking for air pockets until the radiator fan behaved like it should.
Photo of Vera with her clothes off!
Oh, and in case you’re wondering… in July 2024, Vera (yes, I named her) found a new home. But that’s a story for another day!
