As far as 80s sportbikes go, the Honda VF1000F Interceptor often gets overshadowed. Riding on the success of the VF750F, Honda introduced the VF1000F to expand their V-four lineup and offer a sport-touring option for riders craving more power and range. But the VF1000F never quite matched the popularity of the 750, and was outgunned by rivals like the Kawasaki GPz900R Ninja.
Still, the VF1000F holds a special place in Honda’s history, since it served as a crucial stepping stone to the legendary VFR series. It’s also hard to look at the old Interceptor now, 40 years on, and not feel a wave of nostalgia for this underappreciated machine.

This gnarly Honda VF1000F Interceptor restomod is the work of ICON Motosports in Portland, Oregon, USA. ICON’s motorcycle gear has one foot in the past and one in the future, so it’s no surprise that the crew was starstruck with the Interceptor in its heyday?especially in its timeless HRC livery. With a 1984-model Interceptor on the bench, ICON had the arduous task of getting the aging Honda’s motor up to par before moving on to the fun stuff. It took almost a decade to source all of the parts needed to revive the tired old V-four, with most of them coming from three additional VF1000F donors. (Appropriately, the bike was quickly dubbed ‘New Found Hope.’)

With the Interceptor’s engine once again ready to be revved beyond reason, ICON turned its attention to the bike’s running gear. T...