Some numbers to start with. The Department for Transport publishes vehicle licensing data by make and model, and the Q1 2026 figures for the VF1000 make interesting reading.
Of 460 VF1000s still registered in the UK, only 58 are licensed for road use. The other 402 are declared SORN — off the road, laid up, being kept.
Two things stand out. The registered total is up 72 since we last looked at this in 2015 — more of these bikes are being kept than ever. But the number actually on the road has fallen, from 86 to 58.
We’re preserving them faster than we’re riding them.
So here’s the idea. There are 58 road-going VF1000s in the UK. Let’s see how many we can get into one thread.
Post a photo of yours and tell us:
which model it is
roughly where in the UK it lives
A muddy one from this morning is better than a showroom shot. Ridden bikes are the point of this - bonus points for a decent mileage on the clock.
If we can account for even half of the 58, that’s a proper record of the surviving road-going VF1000s in Britain, and something worth keeping.
(Figures: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, Q1 2026. “Licensed” means taxed for road use — with the historic tax class many VF1000s now cost nothing to license, so it’s a fair measure of bikes in use rather than of roadworthiness.)
That’s a VF1000 F2 (Bol d’Or colours), taxed historic and in use. Only 6 F2s are licensed for the road in the UK, against 85 declared off-road — so that’s one of a very small bunch still being ridden.
Good to see it out and about rather than tucked away.
Running tally: 1 of 58.
Keep them coming — every bike posted here is a small piece of the record.
g
Teambif’s lightly modified FE.
Registered as historic and clocked almost 3000 miles this season
Our RF is in the background,having a rest this year so is SORNed
South west Scotland at Teambif HQ(UK)
Hi Mate.
Mine is the same paint scheme as yours.
If have some time (no Hurry) put some photos together for my painter plus what is the seat colour please.
I am looking for a f version as well
Cheers Peter.
This is my latest completed VF1000 project, it was a one owner bike sat in a damp garage for 25 years. Ive gone through the carbs, tank, swapped out the fuel system for E10 compatibility, modern fuel pump, replaced all the rubbers, fluids, seals, plugs, battery, filters and 101 odd jobs plus usual cosmetics. This weekend gone ive just replaced the tyres for King K97s and if its dry tomorrow ill try them out. Another one saved, and it runs and rides exceptionally nice so i may keep it to go along my 1000FE, though this could make a daily rider next year once it qualifies historic
this is my other VF1000FE restomod, its back on the road this year as a historic vehicle. Great that our VFs are coming of age and getting cheaper to run! (It helps to have a shed full of VF spares accumulated over the years!)… im just outside Aylesbury
