GooD Hecking Day

[Bronco]

So I get a VFR today;

First of all, hello wrench twisters and all the others that hangs here;

 

Back to the VFR; so, I've always had a bike/toy that is more like art and then I have my other stuff that I actually ride and use.

There is a 06 K1200S with less than 5K on it and it is the "art " part of my life. Ya see, I, for some reason saw fit to sell the K75 that was the "ride" part. Ya, someone actually showed up in the middle of Dec and wants to buy it if it starts. I looked at him like he was a gonad but having had the bike advertised for a few months I said, what the hell. So the old bitch starts and commences to run in -20. I sold it.

 

So now I need a ride, and what do I see? A yellow 1999 VFR with 40k on it that looks a little like it may be a pig with lipstick. Actually that's a bit harsh. My new bike is one damn beautiful machine. and a stellar example of a VFR; so I think and so I am.

 

Hahahahaha; I'm laughing cause of what I know it coming. So.. I ride the bike home. It is around 14 C or 50 F and it is telling me that it is running at 68 or so for most of the 30 mile ride home. But, as the last 10 miles are going by I am noticing that the temp is drifting...higher. Ya, it comes down a bit but at one point it reads close to 90 C and higher.

 

So....I decide to check out the knowledgeable folk and sign on here and have a look at what is involved in a thermostat change/coolant flush etc.. Thats when I see the thread with ambitious amounts of coolant hoses; or should I say ambiguous numbers of coolant hoses. 15 hoses; 16 hoses; Hahahahahaha. Omg.

 

Its a good thing that a yellow VFR has been on my mind since before I remember. 20 years.

 

Anyhow good folks; it appears that I will be doing a bit of picking of your brains.

 

Pleased to make your acquaintance.

[squirrelman]

welcome

 

try replacing the radiator cap first, easy and cheap, might fix the problem. a cap with a weak spring or cracked rubber seal won't hold pressure, and that causes overheating.

[Dutchy]

Welcome to VFRD from across the pond Bronco 

Nice story, but without pictorial proof that the BBQ banana exist...........   it remains a story 

 

90c seems nothing to worry about, the fans on my RC51 donot switch on untill 103...

as mentioned above, a new cap might just fix it.  If you do decide to change coolant now, do check where ALL the drain points are.

 Earleir VFRs has one each on the front cilinders too.

[MaxSwell]

Welcome to the asylum from south of your border. I have it on good authority, although not my own, that the Y2K VFR800 exerts a strong magnetic force toward the opposit sex. You will find a lot of great information and help along with some amount of pure male bovine droppings (see previous sentence).

 

So be prepared. For sure for some riding fun.

[Bronco]

Thanks for the suggestion on the cap but no such luck.....

 

Actually, I didn't do a very good job of describing the temp. issue; the entire cooling system warms up at the same time.

It's the thermostat for sure. So.......looks like I'll be going in a little deeper than I wanted in the first week of ownership. That suits me just fine though.

Might as well get to know her now before the real season starts and ends up north where I'm at.

 

So far the bike looks really good. Fluids are changed, plugs and tappet clearance check will be done on the way back when buttoning up from the thermostat change and hoses.

 

Maybe I'll get a picture when she's all back together Dutchy;

 

 

[MaxSwell]

Another thing I've found that is a weak spot in these fabulous machines: steering head bearings. Every one of the five fifth gens I've owned needed them. The eldest at ~70,000 mi, the youngest at ~28,000 miles.

 

Here is how to check: with the bike on it's sidestand, get the front end off the ground. Have an assistant press down on the pillion. As I have no assistant, I put a concrete foundation block on my top case rack (far back on the pillion will also work), with a small piece of plywood under to protect the machine. Then slowly rotate the forks from side to side (lock-to-lock). If you detect a "notch" in the center that means you steering head bearings are bad. The recommended solution is replacement of the OEM ball bearing with tapered roller bearings.

 

On my first VFR, an '01, there was a vibration at certain speeds in the steering that was first diagnosed as a cupped tire; the service tech showed me the cupping on the front tire. So I had the tire replaced. (It was about time anyway.) That did not entirely solve the vibration issue. So he did the test that revealed the problem. Tapered roller bearings installed, the machine was back to it's expected normal front end behavior. On a subsequent fifth gen, a Y2K '00, I felt the vibration before 29,000 mi, did the test, and knew what to do. (Call the dealer - I'm not enough of a mechanic to DIY.)

[Bronco]

That is one of the things that I did check out on the motorbike was what you 're referring to Max; what I found is that(although I have not verified) the bearings could use another slight tightening up. But no play or notch was noticed; just a bit too free of movement in my opinion.

 

So; as we get older we are supposed to learn something about ourselves if nothing else; I had a good look at what lay before me in that area below the cleaner housing and all else that I saw and at my years of age I know this; If I go any further I won't be riding the bike for the rest of the year. I would rebuild the whole darn bike as I see fit and that will be the end of the season for ole yellow. I'm going to do the best for now and leave it till the off season. I'm just another OCD old bike nut. New tires, finish what I have started so far, and lets enjoy the ole Honda for the summer and trust in that great Honda quality to get me through till the snow flies.

 

 

 

[MaxSwell]

21 hours ago, Bronco said:

That is one of the things that I did check out on the motorbike was what you 're referring to Max; what I found is that(although I have not verified) the bearings could use another slight tightening up. But no play or notch was noticed; just a bit too free of movement in my opinion.

 

So; as we get older we are supposed to learn something about ourselves if nothing else; I had a good look at what lay before me in that area below the cleaner housing and all else that I saw and at my years of age I know this; If I go any further I won't be riding the bike for the rest of the year. I would rebuild the whole darn bike as I see fit and that will be the end of the season for ole yellow. I'm going to do the best for now and leave it till the off season. I'm just another OCD old bike nut. New tires, finish what I have started so far, and lets enjoy the ole Honda for the summer and trust in that great Honda quality to get me through till the snow flies.

 

 

 

I judge that as a likely good bet. Honda's reliability has been well established.

 

Besides, your mc riding season is short enough as it is. I think it shows good control of your OCD leanings, which I struggle with constantly.