GET BENT!!!

[Veefer800Canuck]

Got the front end installed today!

Installed the races for the new tapered bearings into the frame. Used the old races, with a slot cut into them to aid in driving them in:

For those who are following this saga (or simply have no life) you might remember when I did the front end swap, I put 2 spacers in the lower steering head bearing.

Logic was that the RC51 lower bearing was 14mm, and the VFR's was 17mm, so I was trying to make up the difference.

Well, it turns out that upon disassembly, I found that I could eliminate one of the spacers. Looking at the grease mark where the upper bearing had sat, and the clearance between the lower triple and the frame, I elected to remove the spacer up in the frame shown here:

Now it sits like so, with perfect clearance between the triple and frame:

Here's the old spacer in the gap:

Topwise, there is a bit of threads proud of the top nut, whereas before, it was flush. Also installed the new ignition switch with barrel type lock (the OE switch was getting worn out):

Non-bent upper fairing stay is on:

Dubious Chinese Wavy rotors are slightly bolted up. I ran out of locktite, so the rest of the bolts will have to wait for later:

And got some protection on the wiring harness near the rear shock:

And here she is, looking almost like a motorcycle:

Still to do:

-Install front brake calipers

-Finish bolting up front rotors

-Install rear subframe and tuck all wiring nicely away

-Repair headlight wiring as one plug had melted last year on the way to the Summer Summit Meet

-Fix skinned wiring to instrument cluster

-Rewire front turnsignals back to OEM connectors to allow fitment of clear/smoke OEM style dumbo signals

[magicman]

Looking good. Best worst thing to ever happen to that bike!

[enzed_viffer]

Some good progress there, Rob. Well done, Sir! :unsure:

[Veefer800Canuck]

Rear subframe is mounted, battery is in, need to fasten the main wiring doodads on the LH side, and install the R/R.

RH side wiring is done.

Heavy stainless bar ends are on.

Rear footpeg hangers are on.

Front brakes are on, pads have been sanded to break the glaze.

Didn't want to buy new ones, the old ones still have mucho life left, so I did the 100 grit sandpaper treatment.

They will eventually find their happy place with the new rotors on their own.

Also dunked the calipers in hot soapy water and scrubbed them down with an old toothbrush.

Everything is locktited and torqued to spec.

Didn't get after the wiring repairs, I'm totally procrastinating that one 'till last. I hate soldering and shrink-wrapping. :unsure:

[The Phantom]

Rob. When do you sleep.

Looking good :tour:

[Veefer800Canuck]

Rob. When do you sleep.

Looking good :unsure:

I'm gearing up to go onto nightshift tonight, so I've been shifting my sleep time forward around the clock.

[Veefer800Canuck]

I now have, to use the industry vernacular, a "rolling chassis"! :bliss:

Only thing left to do is clean and install the underseat exhaust. :laugh:

Now I am truly ready to have the bodywork fitted and the graphics projected onto the plastics, then off again for final painting! :cool:

The whole enchilada:

Front end completed:

Damaged wiring repaired and tucked around the fairing stay so it doesn't flop about for now:

Instrument housing mount repaired with 5 min epoxy:

One very tired, sore, but happy Vifferhead:

[KanadianKen]

Way to Go Rob!!! Can't wait to see this final product! :fing02: :fing02:

[magicman]

Looking good! :laugh:

[dutchinterceptor]

QUICK, pull that swingarm off and throw some paint on it!!

Looking good, Rob. :laugh:

[jaimev34]

Wow! She's looking good.

[enzed_viffer]

The end is in sight, and it's looking like a goodun!

Tell me, Rob, when you project the pattern onto the bike, how do you trace it without getting things in the way (like your hand, arm, pen, etc.)?

[keny]

Looking great :laugh: , but why not paint also the swingarm black? or did I miss something....

[SEBSPEED]

QUICK, pull that swingarm off and throw some paint on it!!

Looking good, Rob. :bliss:

:pissed: :laugh:

Tell me, Rob, when you project the pattern onto the bike, how do you trace it without getting things in the way (like your hand, arm, pen, etc.)?

Carefully! :cool:

[TexOz]

One very tired, sore, but happy Vifferhead:

Cool ... off you go to bed little vifferhead ... pleasant 5th gen dreams! :laugh:

Good job mate ... really looking forward to pics of the end product.

[Veefer800Canuck]

Looking great :bliss: , but why not paint also the swingarm black? or did I miss something....

Well, the frame is powderocated, not painted.

The swingarm? It was already cleaned, all bearings scrubbed totally free of old grease and dirt, then lovingly repacked with fresh grease and torqued to spec.

THEN, I decided that I really didn't like the two-tone look of the new frame (dull grey cast sections, shiny silver extrusions) so I elected to powdercoat the frame.

This old Dog is absolutely beat from working on the bike. Remember I've been parked on the couch for the better part of 6 months recuperating, so my stamina is anything but.

And after working on the bike yesterday just getting the wiring in place, the instruments fixed, and the fender mounted, my foot is bitching at me something fierce. :cool:

SOOOOO, that all means that from time to time, I reserve the right to wimp out, and the swingarm is one of those times. Also, my wheels don't match.

Hey, gotta have something to do next year, right? :laugh:

[Squamishvfr]

Nice job. How is this working out $$$$-wise? Now that you are close to the end, was it worth it? Waiting for more pics... BTW I'd do the swingarm when you do the wheels, you've come this far, very cool with pearl white.

[Veefer800Canuck]

Nice job. How is this working out $$$$-wise? Now that you are close to the end, was it worth it? Waiting for more pics... BTW I'd do the swingarm when you do the wheels, you've come this far, very cool with pearl white.

I have almost spent all of the insurance money.

After I pay for the paint, I will have run right out of insurance money.

Getting a new VIN issued for the new frame will be a $415 touch. That will put me over the top.

Grrr, oh well.

As for the swingarm, L8R.

I need it on the bike so I have a roller to take to the painter dude to fit up the body and shoot the graphics.

Then, once the paint is done, I wanna ride. Plenty of time next winter to do the swingarm and wheels.

[Squamishvfr]

Sounds like you are ahead in allot of ways; a one of a kind VFR with an RC51 front end...could be worse. :biggrin:

[Tyke]

It's looking awesome Rob, can't wait to see the paint done, I love the RC-51 look, looking forward to seeing it finished in person at the PNW meet. First rounds on me. :biggrin:

[LeSQUID]

Exceelent thread and a great read, looking good :fing02:

Cheers Mate

Adam

[Veefer800Canuck]

Trailered the bike 2 hours to the painter's shop today so he could mount up the bodywork and project the wing graphics.

Saw a few of the panels, of course they look like crap, having just been shot in base white, and no sanding, clear or anything else......

No pics, as it wasn't pic-worthy.

With any luck, it'll be done in a couple of weeks.

[keny]

Hey, gotta have something to do next year, right? :biggrin:

Possitive thinking is werry wise sometimes :ph34r:

[Guest]

Too bad about what happened, at least you and most of the bike made it through.

Your threads make for a good read however. I like the RC51 swap thread and this is quite interesting as well. Can't wait to see the bike painted with the 6th gen tank.

[SEBSPEED]

How's the paint coming along?