VOLUME 57 ISSUE 29 JULY 21, 2020 P79
the VF750F, also known here in the
USA as the Interceptor, where a new
set of regulations set the top capacity
limit for Superbike racing at 750cc.
In an effort to shorten the rangy
wheelbase, the engine was tilted
backwards by 15°, while the shaft
drive was ditched in favor of chain.
Curiously, the transmission went
from six ratios to five, but incorpo-
rated an early version of the slipper
clutch to make down-changing at
high rpm a less fraught affair. Also
ditched was the VF750S's rubber
mounting system for the engine.
The most radical departure, how-
ever, was the chassis; a full-cradle
design in square-section steel, with a cast alumi-
num swingarm operating Honda's Pro-Link single-
shock rear suspension. Up front was another first
for a production bike—a GP-style 16-inch front
wheel, with an anti-dive system (known as TRAC)
operating on one fork leg. North American models
received white wheels (Euro and Australian mod-
els received gold-anodized Comstar wheels), and
brakes were specially made Honda/Nissin twin-
piston calipers on ventilated discs. Despite the
attention to detail, the bike was heavy for a 750,
tipping the scales at 487 pounds.
But still there were quality control problems,
particularly in the top-end with camshafts continu-
ing to wear out at an alarming rate. Honda worked
hard on modifications to the lubrication system that
(Top) One of the most distinctive
rear wheel designs ever created.
(Bottom) The attention to detail
is everywhere, such as the quick-
release axles for fast endurance
racing wheel changes.
