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Practical Sportsbikes/Performance Bikes September 2019 issue

Rocky Mountain National Park

I've got it out of the van this morning, there are still some jobs to do, like change the forks, install the screen and then set it up but here goes with a few photos, please play nice!

Hi Saoirse. Bit of a shame you feel this way. Personally I have found this thread to be incredibly informative. Disregard the passionate fors and against, just look at all the valuable info put forward by some very experienced people, there is a lot of good statistical info that will help you make your own decision. I had my own feelings regarding a modern day 8gen valve clearance check and this thread has definitely helped me in deciding to do the check OR not. There is great info embedded in this thread, just seek it out and use it. Cheers.

For Sale: Honda VFR750F 1993 Pearl Crystal White Only 14K miles. Located in Princeton, New Jersey Clean title. In very good condition. Bought this from someone who put it in his garage 8 years ago and did not touch it anymore. The carburetors were very dirty, also the fuel tank was rusted inside, beyond repair. Cleaned the carburetors and exchanged all the jets and seals, and the boots to the engine. Found a white fuel tank with no rust inside, but with a couple of dings. Cleaned the fuel pump and changed the fuel filter. Changed the oil and oil filter, as well as the clutch and brake fluid. Also changed the coolant and just to be sure the thermostat and radiator cap. Put new sparkplugs and air filter in, including the little foam one. Checked the valve clearance, all in spec. Removed the pair system and installed block off plates. Original front wheel paint was in bad shape, so found a nice 4thgen. with floating brake discs, so better braking. Changed the wheel bearings also and cleaned front and rear brakes. After all that, the bike started right up, but ran a little rough. Did carb sync and runs great now. Ready to go everywhere, and no maintenance necessary for now. Tires were okay, but more than 10 years old, so replaced them with a new set of Pirelli Diablo Rosso II’s There was an incomplete toolkit with the bike, made that complete including the big C spanner to adjust the chain. Put a center stand on it, makes chain lubrication and maintenance much easier. Like I mentioned, the bike has some dings on the fuel tank. Also the fairings on the right side have some scuffmarks. Still the bike attracts a lot of attention from people, more than my other bike, a KTM 990 SMT;-( Bike has a 2 Brothers slip on muffler, sounds good, not too loud. Would love to hold on to this bike much longer, but have to relocate to The Netherlands and taking the bike with me is not worth it. So decided to sell. Asking $1950 obo.

Losing your hearing is no joke. I'm 63 and just started to hearing aids. Lost most of the high frequencies from years of working around gas turbines and steam turbines. I had a hard time hearing some people. Mostly women. Their voices fall in the ranges I could no longer hear. It took my wife about 5 years to talk me into the hearing aids. Wish I would have gotten them sooner. Protect your hearing. Once gone, it ain't coming back. Pick ear plugs that are comfortable. If they are not. You will not wear them like you should. I have the ringing in the ears. To me it sounds like summer crickets all the time. With the crickets and the new voice in my head that says "Low Battery" for when the hearing aid batteries get low. Combine that with the other voices in my skull. I hate it when they have a staff meeting.

Hi guys, I just want to let you know that I’ve solved the problem and the bike is running well! The problem was the valve timing. When I set it as the service manual says it was not working and I couldn’t align the marks perfectly. What I finally figured out is that the cluch cover on my bike is not original, and the timing mark in the inspection window is in the wrong płace... I had to turn the cam shafts forward to make it work. I don’t have to tell you how much time it took me to figure it out... My main mistake was that did’t properly documented the position of the shaft l, only the camshafts and then I tried to set it as in the service manual... Always look at the bright side so the good thing that I got to know the bike inside out now ;) Thanks for your help guys! Stay safe! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just bought a 2015 Honda VFR 800 DLX and was a little bummed at how there isn't a lot of aftermarket stuff available. I was looking for some good tank pads and can only seem to find Evo as an option. Anyone have any other brands you would recommend? I was really happy to find this site. Looking forward to learning lots and excited to be part of the group now 🙂

** Updated** Dropped price, added a jacket With a sad heart, Im selling my 1998 Honda VFR 800. I have ridden this bike all over the USA and Canada and it has been very reliable and trustworthy. I am looking to sell it because the riding where I am located now is pretty boring and I just dont have the time to dedicate to it anymore. The Good: 2 Aftermarket ZeroGravity windscreens, tinted. Installed one is slightly larger for some added protection, other one is racier and lower Sargent seat, black on black PowerCommander III K&N Intake Twobrothers Exhaust Later model rectifier (this is due to notorious VFR rectifier issues. I have the original as well that never displayed problems. Was swapped "just in case") 2 RAM mounts (tank and clutch bar mount) Recent rebuild of entire rear hub (bushings/bearings) New battery Shoei RF1100 Helmet (flat black with tinted and clear visors) Motocentric soft bags Stainless brake cable kit installed New front wheel bearing kit still in package Honda Service Manual for the bike Bike cover Joe Rocket silver mesh padded summer jacket The bad: She might (probably) need a new stem bearing as it is starting to give the clunk sound on speed bumps or pulling the brake hard while backing up. I have not tried tightening it up yet but I would bet that its time to replace Occasionally, the FI (fuel injection) system will not prime properly, thus preventing a start. This has NEVER stranded me. I toggle the power button once or twice and she primes just fine! I pulled and cleaned the fuel rail some years ago and checked the bushings but everything was fine so I kept riding. Tires are about 50-60% tread left, Michelin 2CTs. Chain/brakes are ok, still some life left. I bought this bike with about 23K miles on it and I have put around another 23k on it myself. Like I said, I have ridden it all over the USA (14 states) and Canada (Ontario/Quebec) and it has even been into Mexico for a brief second during the Border to Border Insanity trip. I wouldnt hesitate to address the stem bearing issue and take it back to Canada tomorrow! Asking $1900

Hey all, were not ignoring you, just a bit hectic on our side of the fence at the moment. SF and I have not had a chance to pow wow and come up with a plan for the next run. Please be patient, not always easy with work and family obligations thrown in the mix. Cheers, D

Finally got all the bits to fit my uprated FPR to complete my throttle body & airbox upgrade. Then updated my other threads about both elements 👍

UK dealer offers special paint & a discount ! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-VFR800FA-New-Bike-in-classic-Rothmans-Race-colours-other-classic-options/253418593395?hash=item3b00ecdc73:g:xrIAAOSw8R9afdF- I’m sure they would sell more ! Whadaya think ?

Yep, the OE size tyres on the VF work really well. I did the 17 inch conversion and apart from being able to access modern rubber, the difference in handling in the dry is hard to detect.

You are correct. Never heard a thing. But I'm sure my ear plugs and Schuberth C3-Pro "helped" in that regard. But that allowes me to better hear the voices in my head.

I know a great address in the middle of nowhere in southern Finland should you ever go there....

RIP. That is one pretty bug although it's wing eyes look a little cross-eyed.

The 'Oprah' bags look really good. They integrate well with the overall looks of the bike. Lots of discussion about top cases. They are the ugliest and most versatile thing you can add to your bike. They do disrupt the lines and looks of the bike, but, you can carry stuff.... If you're touring or commuting, I felt the top case was ugly but necessary. If you get one you won't regret it. And... you can always take it off if you don't use it. I planned to have mine on only for long tours but after getting used to it I've had top cases on all my bikes.

Got one... It's okay, but I really want something solid that I can truly ignore except when I need whatever is inside it. I can say with absolute confidence that the passenger pegs are never going back on the bike, so it's just foam getting a free ride for now. My seat is already a custom job I did myself, this is just evolution. As for wee in the tank bag, the one I have has a port for a hydration bladder... I guess you could convert it to a catheter!

fresh paint keef?

Yep, a lot of people have hard-ons for K&N. I've used them in all my bikes since for ever, and had no failures, no excessive oil usage, no problems. That being said I would not use them in certain circumstances. I pulled the one that came on my Cummins diesel because that thing just moves too much air and needs to be cleaned frequently. It was a mess when I pulled it out with crud everywhere. The ones in the bikes clean up great. YMMV.

... ... ... Wait, were you serious? ... if so, sorry . ACE

Next time you are in the Netherlands: 4th gen, might fit yours

I can almost translate the British to American but they dont number the instructions and all the relevant pics are put away from the text. The pics are zoomed in too close so you dont know what you are looking at, So I took my own pics and labeled the hardware with the info in the Honda manual....I will take a pic of their instructions...its like they were written in aribic and traslated into Swaili and then into Chineese and back into British! 😜

Honda do a great range of 500cc bikes, you could do worse than start there, but my first bike (after 20 years away) was my first VFR800 so I'd be tempted to look there, especially if your friend is "mature" and hopefully can control his wrist.

Hmm... I've been able to find ethanol free "regular" in my area, it just costs a premium... Anyhow, they do calculate their octane differently in much of the world. Their 91 is roughly equal to our 87.

Well perhaps they thought it just might be an easier way to get around the original issue, in that the Normal Neutral start was not working because of a potential Open Circuit Clutch diode. Hopefully it shouldn't be too big a deal to get it all back to standard ops. The fact that your Neutral light works means there is no issue with the Neutral Switch. Are you competent with a multimeter? I've mentioned above the easy way of checking the Diode. Have a good look at the clutch lever and see if you can locate the Clutch Switch near the base of the lever. With your ear close to the lever and as you slowly pull the clutch in you should hear an audible click as the switch activates, there should be two wire attached to the switch. Hopefully they are not just shorting wires!!!! But that would explain your situation if they were. Are you able to discuss the situation with the previous owner, they may give you a good insight as to what and why the starting system is not correct?

Nice!

Plus the efficiency of fans has definitely improved in the computer world. I don't know what the amp draw of your setup is, but I wouldn't be entirely surprised to find your 4 fans plus electric water pump don't draw much more than the stock fan. A really ambitious sort could probably hunt down a two stage thermostat switch that fits the stock bung in the radiator, add a second relay, and have the fans come on two at a lower temp and two at a higher. I've been kicking this around since I saw that first post. I see even more potential benefit to the 6th gen, considering the R/R location right on top of the fan-less right radiator. That thing has to just cook when not moving.

Still working great. They are 2x 140mm & 2x 120mm. 140’s at the front & 120’s at the rear on each rad. They are lighter than the OEM one, they suck air through the rads which increases their efficiency. They are cable tied to the rads & each other. The fairing panels need a little trim where the air outlet openings cross the fan frames, just to stop putting pressure on the fan frames, which then puts it on the rads. There is better airflow around the engine once the OEM fan is off the left rad. I dropped the bike last October & the left fans survived fine, as did the rad. All PC’s are 5v computer core, 12v for fan cooling & additional services. So most PC/Server fans are 12v !

Fitted the dent free tank, checked the cams on the rear bank while I was at it. Surface of the lobes looking good The chrome pipe in th coolant system was painted over (to hide corrosion?), so I fitted a better looking one...

That sucks big time; brings me back to 1989....... If not done already READ through your insurance policy details to make sure you donot make ANY statement that can make the insurers not pay out...

Fwiw, my 2009 VTec has black calipers despite it being an ABS model.

Cool to see this decade old thread still going! Thanks all.

It is part of the pump assembly (on top; in the drawing above to the right). AFAIK, the way it works is that as the plunger rises if will eventually push the contacts towards each other. This causes a "short"(hence a spark) which will cause the plunger to fall back. And repeat. I once posted a small video of this in action but it is lost forever... Your bike WILL run OK w/o the fuel pump, just re-route the hoses. I'd make sure (jist guueessing) that I'd not let the fuel level in the tank drop below 1/4. The fuel relay ensures that if the engine stalls, so will the pump. To avoid that (in case of a crash for instance) the engine is off but ignition still on, fule will continue to be pumped.

Bronze is just fine for me. After living with two of these for 18 years I'll never have white wheels again until I'm not riding to work every day. They only ever looked clean when I'd just washed it, as soon as it dried they were accumulating grime again!

Since the VF400F is a HONDA too.... I rummaged through some boxes

So, since testing everything, I have had no issues. Two weeks, starts every time. No problems. I think I may have left the key in the on position all day... Well, at least I learned how to use a battery tester.

Took me long enough but got these test fitted finally. I picked up a set of inexpensive Danmoto rearsets. I'm going to remake the rear brake line, waiting on a new heim joint to connect to the shift linkage Danmoto has in their kit, need to get a pressure brake switch. Going to be finally mounting this up while I'm in there too..

Keep at it, Lid, and soon enough you'll have it looking the way you want. The forks on my '92 (and, I think all 3rd Gen) do not have a even finish. The area facing the wheel is rougher, especially around the bosses for the caliber & mudguard. I used steel wool (#0000) and scotchbrite (can't remember what grade) and went for a 'satin' finish. Note that the legs on my '92 still had the drain plugs which were eliminated later on. Btw, the passenger bars on both my '91 & '92 3rd gens were plain alloy, no paint or clear coat.

Why are there no lairy colours? Only me?

I have a Motech center stand that is difficult to use, however others mention that the higher lift enables tire removal when the road surface is uneven. Had I known this I would have opted the OEM center stand.

I believe the Honda H4 bulb has the same dimensions as the regular H4--save for the positions of the tabs--so if regular H4s are put into a headlamp designed for the Honda bulbs the filaments should be in the same positions--provided the process of tab-snipping does not alter the overall position of the bulb. Even a slight tilt relative to the OEM position would likely move the positions of the filaments by 1mm or more. This is also why HID and LED conversions (where just the bulbs are swapped into reflector headlights) are such utter bodges: the "filaments" (or, the light source location) simply cannot be located in the same position(s) relative to the reflector as the H4's precisely located filaments. These conversions do produce a lot of light, but it is no longer cast where the engineers wanted it to go. Whether that's a problem or not probably depends on the specific conversion (and on which side of the headlamp you sit). On some bikes it is fairly easy to re-engineer the headlamp assembly to accept regular H4 bulbs, thus making your own "Euro-spec" headlight. However, on the RC36-I the reflector is smooth and the focusing of the light is done by the glass lens, which may or may not be the same for US and Euro-spec bikes. But it's the same problem if you snip tabs. Anyway, all you need is a Dremel... Ciao,

I often run one yellow and one white headlamp in my bikes, just for conspicuity. It's usually the same type of bulb, just that one of them has a "French yellow" capsule on it: But there's nothing really stopping you from running a 55/60 on one side and a 55/100 on the other. They don't have to match, but the wires (and switches) do have to be robust enough to handle it. Ciao, JZH

Compare the VFR decals in these three pics. The first is from a UK-model black 1990 VFR750. Note how the decals differ: black for black VFRs is red for red VFRs and white for white VFRs. So these decals would look all wrong if not applied to the matching coloured body.

oxgard, better idea than s/g, found in elec dept of local "home depot" type store, or even in the mom n pop style hdwre if ya have such a thing

Electrical: you mentioned updated rec/reg but another weak point are all the connectors in the charging system. The 3-conductor between the alternator (stator) and the rec/reg, and everything on the starter relay (adjacent to the battery) Bodywork: G3 VFRs have complicated bodywork with lots of fragile tabs that have only become more delicate over the past 25 years. Take care when removing & replacing. Fuel tank: some G3 tanks have a sympathetic buzz at mid revs. Honda came up with a tool design to *very* slightly tweak the vent line bracket located just in front of the filler neck. Mirrors: you already replaced them but know that the condom-less mirrors from 2000/2001 VFR800 also fit

In some markets, rules require headlights hi and normal beam lenses to appear "separate". In Italy for instance it is not required, hence #8 is fitted as standard