Older Honda Interceptor as Track Bike?

[Bigevildoer]

Hey Guys...
Have the possibility of picking up an older Honda Interceptor 500 or a 750, both with around 40,000km on the clock... Both are under $1000.
Been thinking about pulling the trigger and turning it into a track bike (NOT race bike - track days only).
Any opinions on this? Not figuring to be the fastest guy out there - that'll come with more track experience and eventually a different bike. This is just a starter to get me on the track more frequently.

Both bikes will need better rubber - thinking about doing a front end swap too - would a CBR 600 front end fit?

Let me know what you think of the whole idea....

 

[CrazyKell]

Personally, I'd save the money and put it into a different bike.

What are you riding now?

 

[GreyGhost]

General consensus is it's always cheaper to buy a pre-prepared trackbike than to do it yourself. Parts for the interceptor may be harder to come by when you bin it too.

If you are doing this as a project to learn about modifying and repairing bikes, it may work, if you want a bike where you spend more time riding than wrenching, a newer, prepared bike is probably the way to go.

 

[Bigevildoer]

CrazyKell - right now I'm riding a Buell 1125r. So I know an older bike of that cc range wouldn't perform near as well.

GreyGhost - It's a combination thing for me. Learn to track ride and also learn more about repair. I've got some wrenching skills, but nothing to write home to mom about -- can do all the basic stuff, with an interest in learning more.

Half the allure of wanting the old interceptor is the sound - I've always had a thing for v4 bikes. I know, I know - sound is useless on the track. But, since I won't be the fastest guy on the track by a LONG shot, I figure I may as well sound good doing it.

 

[mma01]

Hey Guys...
Let me know what you think of the whole idea....

Track use is harder than street use, obviously. The suspension, bearings and other parts on that bike are probably old and tired. Even if you have no intention of being the fastest guy out there, you want the bike to be mechanically sound so that you can focus on your riding and you will likely end up throwing a bit of money into this thing just to get it to that point. If you crash, parts are also going to be harder to come by. I think its a bad idea.

 

[Bigevildoer]

Good enough. No supporters, several naysayers.
Idea: Older Interceptor as track bike = Bounced out the door.

Thanks guys!

 

[jay-d]

Yamaha YZF-600R is a great choice, you can find them for cheap too!

 

[akinz]

Have you thought about tracking the Buell?? It's not a race, just to go out and have some fun and get the chance to legally haul ***!

 

[silverbullet132]

Personally I would do it as I LOVE my VF750S.

The power delivery on the v4 motor is amazing in comparison to the I4, it comes on a lot earlier and keeps going. If you want to track a v4 get a newer VFR800, as others have said parts are very hard to come by for these bikes.

 

[Franko!]

The old Interceptors can make an ok track bike, but you will need aftermarket rear shock, and at a minimum, gold valve emulators in the and much stiffer fork springs.

When I first got my 86 VFR on the road, I did 2 years of trackdays with it. It was OK. I spent $1500 on the suspension (stated above) and you still have the issue of bias ply tires on a 16" front and 18" rear. Then you need to deal with the wooden brakes. The EBC HH pads helped a lot, and I changed the 5/8" master to 14mm, and that gave me much better feel and braking power.
After all this, I had a nice street bike and a so-so track bike.

About 5 years ago, I came across an old CBR 600 F2 race bike, fully prepped and ready to go with a TON of spares (4 rims, engine, 2 transmissions, bird case, carbs, etc) This thing is fantastic!

Anyways, my point is (and has been said already) it is cheaper and faster to buy a track bike than to make your own. I would look for a nice F2/F3/F4/R6 track bike.

 

[Brian P]

Vintage roadracing is pretty much the only way it makes sense to convert a Honda V4 of that era to a track bike nowadays. And even then, it will be a Period 4 bike (1989 or prior) which means you will be up against newer, better competitors, including first-generation Honda Hurricane 600's, Yamaha FZR600s, etc. The FZR's in particular have better (i.e. non-zero) aftermarket support.

1990 give or take was when sport bikes started getting decent as track bikes without having fundamental design or geometry issues like flexible frames, center of gravity in completely the wrong location, swingarm pivot in the wrong spot, inadequate cooling systems or brakes, etc. That's also when 17-inch wheels became the de-facto standard, for which you can get good tires for nowadays. You still had to change or modify everything in the suspension for any 1990's bike. 2000 give or take is when stock suspensions started becoming adequate at least for moderate track-day use by most people without having to be replaced.

The "last year for period 4 vintage" being 1989, was not a random choice.

 

[Amazon]

I have an '84 500 interceptor that I'm looking to sell if your interested. I even just put a new chain and sprocket on, plus the tire are in good shape. I was considering tracking it, but don't have any money after buying a new bike, and after Brian P's post, definitely not tracking it. But if you still want an interceptor, this one also comes with a pre-dented (repainted) tank and an autobot sicker

 

[Bigevildoer]

Have you thought about tracking the Buell?? It's not a race, just to go out and have some fun and get the chance to legally haul ***!

Oh yeah, I have definitely thought about tracking it many times... I have fun with it already, but I really don't want to risk it, as it is my only street bike. Parts are hard enough to get as it is without having the potential of any other damage (been waiting almost 2 months for a new dash cluster - CEL comes on and give fuelling issue errors - so, it's either the cluster or the pump/sending unit giving false codes).

 

[Bigevildoer]

Hey Amazon...
Send me a PM... I might be interested just to have something to wrench on.

Later!

I have an '84 500 interceptor that I'm looking to sell if your interested. I even just put a new chain and sprocket on, plus the tire are in good shape. I was considering tracking it, but don't have any money after buying a new bike, and after Brian P's post, definitely not tracking it. But if you still want an interceptor, this one also comes with a pre-dented (repainted) tank and an autobot sicker

 

[GRAYZ]

Oh yeah, I have definitely thought about tracking it many times... I have fun with it already, but I really don't want to risk it, as it is my only street bike. Parts are hard enough to get as it is without having the potential of any other damage (been waiting almost 2 months for a new dash cluster - CEL comes on and give fuelling issue errors - so, it's either the cluster or the pump/sending unit giving false codes).

I tracked my BMW 10 times the first year I owned it and still weigh whether to bring it or my GSXR600 track bike to many TDs. There's no law saying to need to push the limit, but for fun factor and actually feeling what the bike was designed to do you can still have fun and improve your skills.