VOLUME ISSUE AUGUST , P151
superhero was born.
"The Interceptor is to the
canyon rider what a phone booth
is to Clark Kent," the staff wrote.
"With the light steering from the
16-inch front wheel, amazing
leanability (sic) and its strong
and wide powerband, the VF is a
dream come true in the corners."
The Honda was outfitted with
the best suspension in the indus
-
try at that time, the air-assisted
Pro-Link. "The rising rate single-
shock setup provides a plush, yet
controlled ride. Freeway compli-
ance is good, as is high-speed
handling." Forty-two years ago,
suspension adjustment was a
finite world, with the Honda al-
lowing rebound damping to be
altered in four different ways.
Add a little air to stiffen the
shock, if you so choose.
The heart of the Interceptor
was its four-cylinder engine, each
cylinder receiving fuel/air from a
good-as-gold 32mm carburetor.
These were the days before ride
modes and mapping, of course,
and the Honda apparently didn't
need any nannies. "Tractable
power lets the VF rider get on the
gas hard through turns without
sudden rushes of power to break
the rear wheel loose."
There were other nice features
that the staff loved, including the
hydraulic clutch. Cast aluminum
handlebars and an aluminum
swingarm did their best to help
the Honda get down to sum
-
mertime slim, but alas, this one
tipped the scales at nearly 500
pounds. The staff complained
not about the Interceptor's
weight, so the feeling of heavi
-
ness must have disappeared
once the bike was in motion!
In the end, the test crew loved
the Honda Interceptor, yet they
stopped short of saying that
they would actually own such
a motorcycle. Great handling
and performance, coupled with
Honda's reputation for building
reliable motorcycles, were strong
selling points. But for at least
this particular staff, it wasn't the
bike for them. This was a mo
-
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(Above) The Honda
Interceptor is just as
beautiful today as it
was back then. (Right)
We said we loved the
Interceptor but wouldn't
own one. Huh?
torcycle that was difficult to ride
in slow traffic, had no storage
space, and the leg room for the
passenger was best suited for
"pygmies."
The Honda Interceptor VF750F
was a great motorcycle, but only
for a specific purpose, which
was that of riding the canyon
roads that exist mostly in the
magical kingdom of California. It
wasn't made for the motorcyclist
from Des Moines who needs a
place to carry a lunch box and a
friendly space for a passenger.
An industry evolution was taking
place. The staff of Cycle News,
without the burden of hindsight,
was able to lay it down for all to
read.
CN
