Ejphotos Posted September 7, 2021 Posted September 7, 2021 Hey all, new to these forums. Just picked up a 2001 VFR800 recently. Super happy I found one, pretty much one of my favorite bikes of all time.. I'm a pretty new rider as well, just started riding regularly a month ago, even though I've had my motorcycle license for 15 years. My first bike is a 1985 Honda Nighthawk 650. The VFR is a completely different animal: much more powerful, and yes, heavier. It already had some mods done to it: Sargent seat, Two Brothers slip on, double bubble windscreen, Heli bar risers, and heated handgrips. Just over 17,000 miles. Has some issue going on with the clutch so it's actually currently in the shop. In the meantime, I was able to download the factory service manual from here. That should come in handy. 5 Quote
Member Contributer VFRMAN Posted September 7, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 7, 2021 Welcome aboard, beautiful bike, enjoy, love that seat would love to try a sargent seat on mine, looks like you need a new front brake lever, 1 Quote
Member Contributer slowbird Posted September 8, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 8, 2021 Welcome! Lookin good 😎 What's up with the clutch? 1 Quote
Member Contributer Grum Posted September 8, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 8, 2021 Great bike. Agree with slowbird WTF with the clutch lever? Don't think I could change a gear with a lever like that. Your nice bike deserves a new one. 1 Quote
Ejphotos Posted September 8, 2021 Author Posted September 8, 2021 Thanks all! The brake lever is bent from it being dropped at some point in its life. I'm getting a new one for it! The clutch started slipping bad after about 30 minutes of riding. It got to the point where I could put it in gear at a stand still, let the clutch lever all the way out, and the bike stayed put and didn't even stall. Also wouldn't go under throttle - would just rev up. After sitting for about 45 minutes, it started working again, so I just rode it straight to the shop as my emergency ride drove behind me. Previous owner did a fluid flush and fill on the hydraulics because he said clutch lever was feeling spongy. Thinking it was a bigger issue and that was just a first sign. Usually when hydraulics of clutches fail, it fails the opposite way - meaning you can still move forward and shift without engaging clutch. We'll see what the shop says (they are closed most of this week for Labor Day so it's sitting there still until it's looked at). Quote
Member Contributer Grum Posted September 8, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 8, 2021 1 hour ago, Grum said: Great bike. Agree with slowbird WTF with the clutch lever? Don't think I could change a gear with a lever like that. Your nice bike deserves a new one. Woops sorry stupid me. It is the brake not the clutch. I think its because I'm upside down in the southern hemisphere that I got the levers mixed. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Didn't realise you actually had a clutch issue. Hope you have it sorted ASAP. 1 2 Quote
Member Contributer St. Stephen Posted September 8, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 8, 2021 57 minutes ago, Grum said: Woops sorry stupid me. It is the brake not the clutch. I think its because I'm upside down in the southern hemisphere that I got the levers mixed. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Didn't realise you actually had a clutch issue. Hope you have it sorted ASAP. lol! I did notice it was the brake lever, but then I thought "shoot, it's Grum, as usual he must know something I don't!" When I got back to the U.S. from one of the great rides of my life in NZ, I told riding buddies that it wasn't too hard to ride on the left side of the road, but clutching and shifting with my right hand and foot was hell! Some of them bought my story for a minute or two. 😎 3 Quote
TimC Posted September 8, 2021 Posted September 8, 2021 Congrats on your 5th gen. and welcome to the forum! 🙂 I hope the clutch issue is sorted out quickly, and not to expensively! 1 Quote
Ejphotos Posted September 8, 2021 Author Posted September 8, 2021 Haha! Thanks again. Yeah hopefully the issue with the clutch is simple and easy - doing some research, I have a couple ideas as to what it may be, so we'll see what it comes to be. Getting eager to ride this haha! Still have my Nighthawk to ride around on though, in the meantime. Quote
Ejphotos Posted September 11, 2021 Author Posted September 11, 2021 The shop adjusted the clutch lever so it has play in it...taking it for a test ride, and once the engine heats up after a while, say 30 minutes, it's really starting to slip again. At least with the lever adjusted I have at least some engagement with the clutch, so I can move forward...but it slips. Back to the shop it goes. Quote
Member Contributer Captain 80s Posted September 11, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 11, 2021 45 minutes ago, Ejphotos said: The shop adjusted the clutch lever so it has play in it...taking it for a test ride, and once the engine heats up after a while, say 30 minutes, it's really starting to slip again. At least with the lever adjusted I have at least some engagement with the clutch, so I can move forward...but it slips. Back to the shop it goes. You can't "adjust" the lever for play on a hydraulic clutch. Somebody is full of shit. 1 Quote
Member Contributer Terry Posted September 11, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 11, 2021 A clutch problem that starts slipping when it heats up may be due to crud in the master compensation port; that is meant to allow fluid to release pressure from the clutch line, when it gets blocked you start to build more and more line pressure and eventually the clutch starts to slip. When you let the bike sit for some time the pressure bleeds off and you are back to normal for a while. I'd suggest disassembling the master and slave for a thorough clean. 2 Quote
Ejphotos Posted September 13, 2021 Author Posted September 13, 2021 On 9/11/2021 at 6:07 PM, Terry said: A clutch problem that starts slipping when it heats up may be due to crud in the master compensation port; that is meant to allow fluid to release pressure from the clutch line, when it gets blocked you start to build more and more line pressure and eventually the clutch starts to slip. When you let the bike sit for some time the pressure bleeds off and you are back to normal for a while. I'd suggest disassembling the master and slave for a thorough clean. Good info to know, thanks. Quote
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted September 13, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 13, 2021 Welcome to the asylum Ejphotos. That's a great looking machine you have there. (I may be a little biased.) You obviously have great taste in mc's. Good luck with your clutch issues, 1 Quote
Ejphotos Posted September 14, 2021 Author Posted September 14, 2021 Thanks! Yeah, can't wait for the clutch issue to be resolved lol. It rides really nice when I'm able to ride it! Quote
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted September 21, 2021 Member Contributer Posted September 21, 2021 On 9/14/2021 at 10:08 AM, Ejphotos said: Thanks! Yeah, can't wait for the clutch issue to be resolved lol. It rides really nice when I'm able to ride it! Your comment reminds me of the moto of our Triumphs of Minnesots car club (I had an aluminum block V8 TR8): "But when it runs...." 1 Quote
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