The Honda VF1000F Interceptor — a bike that was meant to carry forward the legacy of the VF750F, but fell short of that target with the debut of Kawasaki’s GPZ900R Ninja. Nonetheless, this was an important bike for Team Red, and folks at Icon Motorsports took it upon themselves to re-introduce this beauty to the world like no one ever did.
With the help of three donor VF1000F engines, Icon Motorsports fixed the 90° V-four 998cc powerhouse that made 122 bhp and 9.11 kgm. And to announce its grand comeback, it was fitted with twin Leo-Vince exhausts.
To help it get back up on its feet, a generous Honda CBR900RR lended its forks and Nissin brakes, while a VFR400 pitched in with its single-sided swingarm and rear wheel. And the front wheel? Well, a Ducati Diavel lent it simply to quash Icon’s OCD of matching the spoke count of the rear wheel with the front.
Icon didn’t fiddle with Honda’s venerated tricolour and the design. So, the fairing, windscreen, fuel tank, belly pan and even the instrument console, are all original parts. But, gave a subtle update to the rear end to make it a part of the modern age. This also meant getting rid of the passenger seat and footpegs. Of course, that gave Icon a chance to have a race plate on the side, and the ‘84’ signifies the year of the Interceptor’s debut.
It took Icon six motorcycles and almost a decade to breathe new life into a rusty old VF1000F Interceptor without changing anything that it represented all those decades ago. Maybe that’s why Icon has aptly named this bike ‘New Found Hope’.
