86 VFR700F Retool or therapy or both

[SEBSPEED]

20 hours ago, tsmitty said:

Whats the secret for removing the gauge hands?

 

Gently pry up on it using 2 thin flathead screwdrivers or butter knives. They are press fit to the motor shafts. Make sure the needles remain in the "power off" position when removing and reinstalling. You do not want to rotate or twist them, especially when reinstalling.

[tsmitty]

On 2/27/2024 at 12:09 PM, Captain 80s said:

I would take another hit with that lighter, chill out with a finger of bourbon and look at my killer bike with it's new custom Volt Meter.

Why did I ever doubt the Captain...

I gave my sacrificial volt meter a full pardon...reassembled, tested and shelved.

Yea, that mod is cool as is, my heart's just not into pursuing the face alterations any further...later maybe.

I am going to paint the bracket and I thing the cowl stay comes off for a paint job as well. This aught to be fun... haha

 

[tsmitty]

@Captain 80s is there a specific "black" paint to use on the cowl stay? 

 

Thanks

[Captain 80s]

The Duplicolor Wheel Coating is great general purpose, durable stay and bracket paint that I use a lot.  Shoots easy and dries pretty fast for general handling.  Available in Gloss and Matte, I would go Gloss for a factory look.  The Duplicolor Caliper paint is great too.  Has a very unique, factory like finish for items like that too, but is harder to shoot.  It is thinner and runs easily, but dries to a hard, durable finish.  I used it on the 1992 VFR lower cowl brackets I made.

[tsmitty]

Should I clean, scuff and prime everything or spot prime?

Clear coat? I do have a can of the 2K you mentioned somewhere... I understand the 48 hour pot life thing.

I will be doing all the stays including my home made set in black. Maybe a set in polished w/clear. 

 

Can of worms! It all started with this....

Thanks Captain...preciate-cha...  

 

bike builders are an annoying lot... haha

[Captain 80s]

On stuff like that, I personally rough the original paint, sand / fair out bad areas and spot prime.  The original finish roughed up makes the best primer in my experience.

 

I'm not sure if I would pop a 2K on brackets...   but it certainly can't hurt.  I always try to have as much stuff as possible ready when i do pop one.  But...   can-o-worms like you said.  I then find myself refinishing shit I had no intention of doing right now!

[tsmitty]

Just busting your balls a bit...

 

thanks

[tsmitty]

So... I'm not a paint person. 

Got the cowl stay painted, the can says 6 days for the paint to cure but I don't think I'll be putting a clear coat on, I was having such a hard time; the part is so complicated to paint, I have it heavy in some places and light in others! 

 

I suck with a spray can...

 

 

[Captain 80s]

When you mount everything up, most of the little things you didn't like disappear.  It looks good.

 

Things like stays, subframes, etc are challenging.  I tend to make sure all of my hard to reach areas are addressed first, giving the easy stuff a light coat as I go around.  A couple rounds of that, then finish strong with all of the most visible areas last with the money shots.

[tsmitty]

In "assembly mode"

This is going to open a can of worms...

Stupid lighter..!

That's all I got...

[Captain 80s]

Brackets came out great.  Makes a difference when everything's all bolted up.

 

That subframe tho ...

[tsmitty]

1 hour ago, Captain 80s said:

Brackets came out great.  Makes a difference when everything's all bolted up.

 

That subframe tho ...

Thanks!

"That subframe tho"

Haven't sat down to think about the logistics of that move yet! Maybe a distant future project. 🙂  Altho at my age I have less future than I do past...haha

[Captain 80s]

48 minutes ago, tsmitty said:

Thanks!

"That subframe tho"

Haven't sat down to think about the logistics of that move yet! Maybe a distant future project. 🙂  Altho at my age I have less future than I do past...haha

 

They are not terrible, but they also don't just fall off either.   Once you start, all of sudden your VFR looks like this!

 

 

[Captain 80s]

Whatcha got goin on in the last pic?  Fan and Fuel Cut toggles?

[tsmitty]

1 hour ago, Captain 80s said:

They are not terrible, but they also don't just fall off either.   Once you start, all of sudden your VFR looks like this!

Do I have to disturb the rear brake fluid? I'm not out in the garage today, too damn cold. 

 

1 hour ago, Captain 80s said:

Whatcha got goin on in the last pic?  Fan and Fuel Cut toggles?

Yes, mounted on that 2x1/8 piece you see. Thats the motor mount that will hold it with the red reflector (my lock out tag out system; matching tag on keychain.)

its going on the mount above the oil fill. I'm making the wiring to plug into and out of the stock harness so there is no splicing. Here is the harness for the fan; it plugs into the radiator fan temp. switch.

 

I'm doing much the same for the fuel relay using in and out plugs.

 

[tsmitty]

So my thoughts for location for the toggle switches.

from the cockpit...switches are hidden but with the spring loaded safety covers, the two switches can easily be found (with cold weather gloves on), manipulated and closing the cover turns the switch off. The switch safety cover can be seen from the rider if the switch is on and i'm hoping will be somewhat illuminated at night. Who knows...if it too rude looking from the parking lot, it can all come off.

I'm waiting for the paint to dry on the switch plate and it may get a clear along with my home made lower cowl stays. 

The black wheel paint says 6 days to cure. Do I have to wait until then to apply that 2x clear? 

[Captain 80s]

31 minutes ago, tsmitty said:

Do I have to disturb the rear brake fluid? I'm not out in the garage today, too damn cold. 

 

Here is the harness for the fan; it plugs into the radiator fan temp. switch.

 

 

 

Nope.  The rear reservoir can hang intact.

 

Good idea on the female / male.

[Captain 80s]

4 minutes ago, tsmitty said:

The black wheel paint says 6 days to cure. Do I have to wait until then to apply that 2x clear? 

 

Nah.  I've done it after a couple days on the 1992 VFR footpeg brackets and pedals.

[tsmitty]

I'm still waiting on terminals come in for the two harness sets.  

Any thoughts about this? 

 

[Captain 80s]

Heavy Metal       <click me

 

[Captain 80s]

I typically put my fan switches on the left so I can "work the controls" in flight.  But it's not like I'm constantly on / off either.  And I usually reach down sitting at a light anyway.

 

Looks good! 

[tsmitty]

25 minutes ago, Captain 80s said:

I typically put my fan switches on the left so I can "work the controls" in flight.

I never thought of that. haha 

The plug on the fuse box is where I originally had the fan switch back in 87, it was still there and wired in when the bike came back home. I found out real quick how fast the bike heats up in summer construction.

[tsmitty]

I use to love packing her up every year for, at least, 1 week camping trip and several weekend excersions

; loved the bikes torque in the mountains, and the sound the little bitch made accelerating under a load. I had one of the first "general public" Kerker White Tip exhaust (I rememberer calling those guys once or twice for status reports; you racers took priority) Of course I had a cruise control on the bike...that was fun shit! When bike to bike communications came out; that was a game changer for my friend Ace and I. 

 

This Yosh. tail piece was off one of Ace's bikes when I finely retired the Kerker can

 

Old dude rambling...

[tsmitty]

Too cold in the garage to spray the clear...and waiting for the UPS dude...

[Captain 80s]

1 minute ago, tsmitty said:

Too cold in the garage to spray the clear...and waiting for the UPS dude...

 

Yeah, don't waste a can in too cold / humid conditions.