A Dangeruss VFR Tale

[Egg on Leggs]

On 3/28/2021 at 1:58 PM, Mohawk said:

Re Rear brake M/C reservoir you could always get the world best kept secret.

 

https://psr-usa.com/sport-bike/fluid-reservoirs/intergrated-rear-brake-reservoir.html

 

I did the Honda hose thing years ago but like many others they often leak where they fit on the spigot. So a lot of searching turned up the PSR's above, they replace the spigot connector on the M/C & look super cool IMO. 

I note that there is no VFR option in the model list, which one should I choose?

[JZH]

You're right to be cautious.  They look alike, but I think there are at least two sizes of NISSIN rear m/c reservoir "spigots".

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

[Dangeruss]

A few things going on with this at the moment, made a jig to modify the RC51 subframe to bolt right on, finally got some aluminum square tube from Aircraft Spruce. I fitted a CBR600 tail light that blends nicely with the lines of the tail and a plate mount with brackets for some Motogadget Blaze Pin signals that are amazingly bright for the minuscule size. That required making a mount to attach the light and plate to the subframe, also still ongoing. 

I also bought some VTR1000 forks and master cylinders off VFRCapn to delink, and ordered a Brembo P32 rear caliper for the back. I don't have enough -3 line from my last project for the rear so need to order some from Earls.

I am curious if anyone has any advice regarding refinishing fork lowers. I'm wondering whether to paint or powder coat. Original coating must be paint, but it's tough stuff. 

Cerakote looks interesting, gun guys love it, so it must be pretty rugged. https://www.cerakote.com/shop I like the bronze colour on the Yamaha in the C series picture.

Suggestions and advice welcome.

[RC1237V]

Cerakote is great, we use it at our shop. I scratched a sample piece as hard as I could with a key and upon close inspection noticed that it was not a key scratch in the cerakote, but rather the key material transferred to the cerakote surface - tough stuff!

 

Just make sure that you sand/bead blast the surface just prior to cerakoting and then clean it with a spray bottle of brake cleaner or acetone. Coat it without letting it be exposed for too long as even the air around you will contaminated/corrode metals. If you have to take it somewhere to get it blasted, spray it off with brake cleaner, and then compressed air and put ziplock bags over the ends with rubber bands. When you're ready to paint, take off the bags and do the brake cleaner/compressed air, then paint as soon as possible. We had to buy a special gun for the high amount of solids, as well as a paint shaker, but all that info is on the cerakote website. 

After painting, let them cure for at least 36 hours, your garage will smell like a dairy farm, as the off gassing has a nasty ammonia smell. You can bake them to speed this up, but the nice thing about cerakote, is you don't need an oven, like powder coating. Also you can paint parts that would otherwise melt in an oven, and it's at least 10X more durable.

 

Post some pics when you're done!

 

 

[Dangeruss]

Thanks, you convinced me. I already have a DeVilbis gravity gun (HVLP IIRC) so I'll give it a try. I'll order some of their colour swatches and do a few things at once to make it productive.

[Dangeruss]

I got some colour swatches from Cerakote, its amazing how many ways you can do 'metal coloured', it's looking good for 'titanium' or 'glacier titanium'. I also received some smoked front signals from Herr Thurn, which really blend in nicely on a black VFR.

 

[Dangeruss]

I stopped for gas last week and pulled up with the only available pump on the right side. I knew the guy at the next pump and was chatting with him while I opened the tank and hung my newish Shoei GT Air on the left mirror (I would normally have put it on the 'uphill' right side). I decided to put the bike on the centerstand to get a better angle for the nozzle, and as I heaved back and pushed the stand down it all went pear shaped and the bike fell away from me towards the pump. My friend and a random helpful stranger quickly helped me right the thing, which had stopped on the pump curb with the handle bar end. Nothing else touched the ground, except the bottom of the foot peg as it folded and the brake pedal which bent slightly. Not a mark on anything, my helmet stayed on the upside mirror and not a drop spilled from the open tank. Lucky or what?

After the fact I found my foot had slipped off the stand at the critical moment because there was a wad of chewing gum (with a cigarette butt stuck in it!) on the bottom of my boot right where I pushed on the stand  🤬 .

[Captain 80s]

Lucky Fucker.  Whew!

[Philois1984]

This all sounds way too familiar, unfortunately my service station mishap did not end so well as some of you may remember. Glad you got out of it so lightly.

[DFOTECH]

Love the yellow VFR decals Dangeruss,   I just rolled over 100K last week on the ol' 98  Sorry to hear about your fuel up experience.  I typically sit on the bike while fueling even though I know its not recommended to avoid any droppage.  

[MaxSwell]

I can empathise with your embarrassment. My foot has missed the sidestand a number of times. Twice resulting in broken bones in my foot. Full focus until standing upright off the machine is the watchword.

[Dangeruss]

 I had to put the RC51 tail project on hold to heat and winterize the garage so I can work in there all winter, but it was getting close to finished. In the attached pic you can just see the little Motogadget turn signal on the side of the license plate frame, those tiny things are hell for bright! There's also a CustomLED CBR600 tail light with integrated signals that I found on sale, it blends right in to the shape of the tail so you can only see it from the side when it's on. I'll have to make a midpipe for my VFRD header once installed. I've got a 6th gen subframe lower shock mount too, might install that and some Sato rear sets too when the rest of it is done.

I will post more pics of the subframe mods when it's done, right now it's on the jig I made to modify it, which will be a good place to store the VFR parts should I ever want to reinstall them. Only painting required is the trunk lid, the one to match the tail was NLA so it needs a black T shape on it. I have Interceptor decals that may go where the 800R is.

I was able to get the trunk lock to line up with the rear master cylinder reservoir viewing window so it's nearly invisible, and have some ABS sheet to make a flat under tray. The trunk space will be substantial and this will be a bolt on when finished. I also have a seat to replace the trunk lid, to which I can attach a 20L Kriega bag.

 

[Dangeruss]

Once I get it on the bike and try it I might want to upgrade the seat to a Sargent, feed back from anyone who has put one on an RC51 would be appreciated.