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  1. Spring of 1993 and I'd only had my '91 VFR for a couple months when I snapped this photo by Salish Bear totem atop Malahat Drive. Compared to many of the mountain passes I've crossed by VFR this is one of the lowest, but it is close by and offers a good view of Finlayson Arm - and, on a much clearer day, even the Olympic Range in Washington state to the south. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice the Bubba Shobert-replica Bell helmet. It looked cool, but my next helmet, a Shoei X7, was a huge improvement.
    11 points
  2. I've been spending the winter scanning some of my old slides & negatives and this week I came across these two photos. First pic shows my 2nd VFR800 barely an hour after taking delivery back in Feb. 1999. It replaced my stolen red '98 and this time I opted for superfast yellow instead of yet another red bike. I'd had it fitted with a 3rd gen 8-spoke and both wheels painted a glossy pearl white. Beacon Hill park, in Victoria, is my goto spot for new bike pics. The 2nd pic shows my '91 VFR750 on it's final long ride, near Courthouse Towers in Arches NP, Utah.
    11 points
  3. Long term Honda lover! Had a 30 new in 89 and forever regretted selling it! Managed to pick another up just before covid struck and have finally got her on the road (with two disks) 👍 1988 14,000 miles and had its first MOT last week (Ornament before). Great to be back on one, although at 61 don't think I'll be doing what I did on the first one, Northampton to Bol d'Or in a day. 968 miles and it nearly killed me 😜 Andy M
    9 points
  4. Count me among those . . . swapped mine during the Covid lockdown in '20, was great to have something to do whilst stuck at home. Main things I can think of * 5th gen engine bolts right in to the 5th gen frame - no mods needed. * The "cushion" (Honda's term - I would call it "swing arm mount") that connects the swingarm to the engine is different - requires a 6th gen version to mount to the engine * Yes, the swingarms are slightly different * 5th gen uses remote coils with HT leads, 6 gen is 3 wire COP setup. This is the BIG thing to contend with in doing a swap. I retained COPs. Alternative is to source 5th gen harness and ECU and swap all that over. * 6th gen rads are larger, IIRC 2 additional rows * 5th gen cylinder heads are about 1 1/2" shorter - creates no issues * Shorter heads mean that the cam timing marks no longer appear through the inspection hole in the 6th gen frame (most people don't know why that hole is there). Makes valve adjustments more difficult. Suggest checking valves prior to doing swap * Despite cylinder head differences, throttle bodies are a direct swap * Hoses, thermostat, everything cooling system is interchangeable * If keeping 6th gen electronics, you WILL need a VTEC solenoid connected to the harness or you will get a no-start * 5th gen has a smaller alternator than 03 and up 6th gens. Currently swapping a 6th gen alternator over. * Despite all the similarities in the engine block, water pump, etc, 5 & 6 G alternator covers are different and do not interchange. * As mentioned above 4th through 6th gen gear ratios are different. The 5th gen is under-driven by 1 additional tooth, makes for about 200 rpm or so increase at 70 mph cruise. Barely noticeable. * Power output is indistinguishable. Honda did not add VTEC for power, torque or any other discernable butt-dyno reason. Maybe emissions, marketing, or who knows why. I don't miss it, and I do NOT miss the insanely difficult valve adjustments on the VTEC - the main reason I swapped it out. * Despite keeping 6th gen electronics, there is no VTEC "hit or kick" . There is a subtle change going through 6,800, but if no one knew about it, they would have no idea - nothing like it is stock. * Wheels and front rotors are interchangeable. * 6th gen brake system has 2 proportioning control valves vs 5th gen 1 - bleeding procedure is similar, but different. The linked brakes are plumbed differently between the 2. * 6th gen has available factory luggage * I have seen 6th gen tanks swapped to a 5th gen - doable but requires trimming the 5th gen bodywork in the front where it curves around the tank * 6th gen has available ABS. I've read that about 10% came with ABS, but I know of no documentation of that. On 1 occasion I was glad to have ABS, for me a good addition. * 5th gen has more room under the seat. That's probably more than anyone wants to hear. Owning both, I don't note much difference between them. And now, having one swapped, there's even less. If it weren't for ABS and the factory luggage for long-haul riding, I would probably stick with the 5th gen. However parts are getting harder to find for them, so I don't know how much longer they will be practical for daily or long trip riding. There are still times when I start the 6th gen that I just look at it and still can't get used to hearing that whine from the cams. For my $, that was the best engine Honda ever did or will make. I'm super happy with it.
    9 points
  5. Gentlemen, I give you VIN# 00089. Looking nearly as good as the day I brought her home from the dealer back in May 2001. She's not perfect, but I'd say the time spent in the garage has paid off nicely. Cheers, Justin
    7 points
  6. One last thing. I met Freddie Spencer in person at a motorcycle show before Covid. We had a great convo and he luved the fact i was riding a RWB VFR 800 25th. I told him I always pretended I was him when I attack the corners. We had a great laugh. When asked what do you ride on the street back home? He replied with a grin and a smile: RWB 25th like you. and thats how he signed his book (Freddie Spencer: FEEL) for me; Hey John, keep enjoying your VFR I have one too. Freddie Spencer. F'N Priceless.
    6 points
  7. As a 19 year old in 1992 I fell in love with a new VFR in the dealership showroom. The dream was to buy one and ride across Canada. Not a care in the world! (No money either so it didn’t happen) 30 years later I finally bought my VFR. Super low kilometer 2006. 100% stock. It’s going to stay that way with the exception of a tidy tail. I’ll be looking for a set of pannier mounts as well. C’mon spring!!!
    6 points
  8. Hello! I'd like to introduce myself and my new (to me) 21,000 mile 1999 VFR! After riding vintage motorcycles for a while (1970 CB450K3 and 1969 CL350K1), I decided it was time to get a commuter that would be a little faster, more reliable, and most importantly.... FUEL INJECTED! After a lot of research and soul searching, I decided the VFR should fit my needs nicely. It's a substantial bump in HP, with a more comfortable riding position than a supersport, and it has that unique powerplant - apparently I have a thing for unusual valvetrains. Once I decided on a 5th gen VFR (it had to be fuel injected and it had to have that gear driven valvetrain), I waited until a clean one popped up for sale near me and pounced on it! A 1999 VFR in very nice condition, with all the OEM parts (muffler, signals, passenger pegs/grab handles) included, and just one problem - it doesn't charge the battery. Upon taking off the fairings, the reason why became quite obvious: Luckily, the stator and wiring seem to be good. No internal shorts when tested, 20V AC at idle and just over 50V when revved, even across all three legs. I just had to order a SH847 from Eastern Beaver with wiring kit and I should be ready in time for the season! So while I wait for that to ship, I've been cleaning, restoring it to OEM condition as best I can, and taking quick jaunts around town in an attempt to satiate my impatience. Thanks for the help - this forum was a great resource in diagnosing my charging issue and determining a course of action - and I hope to stick around!
    6 points
  9. The bike spent some time in a carport and the right side showed some fading from exposure to the elements. A light polish makes a difference in no time. That Italian Red pops nicely. Even with 39,000 miles the headlight cover cleaned up great. This piece was missing when I got the bike back. It's a bulb cover under the headlight assembly. No bulb on the US bikes but I wanted the cover in place regardless. Fuel tank cushions were also missing, now installed. Fairing bracket missing from the left side, now installed. Even got a new tool bag and rubber band. I noticed that the turn signal switch was sticky. Took it apart, cleaned and lubed inside. Now it moves freely as it should. All that remains now is to polish the windscreen, tail and side fairings, install and final wax. I ordered a taller windscreen that will be here soon, we'll see how well it works. I'm hoping it will direct the wind blast a bit higher. Also need to figure out how to polish some discoloration near the bottom of the Staintune pipe. I have a few metal polishes to try out. Getting closer to a real shakedown run. Cheers, Justin
    6 points
  10. Arguably one of the best motorcycles ever made. I never thought an 11.3 sec quarter mile time was slow or 0-100 mph in 7.5 sec. (Cycle World Test) The engine is so refined and the quality of assembly is so above most bikes. Just riding it slow makes me Grin. Engine noise and smoothness and qaulity of controls and paint. Its not the lightest bike but I ride with Ducati V4s and V2 and Aprilia Tuonos and my buddies bikes are always having problems or waiting for parts. In the twisties on the street I'm there with them and if they want to lose me they are going to crash. LOL Its so stable at 140 mph. VTEC noise transition. Good luck, my VFR is my sportbike that I can ride for 4 hrs. And the looks , nuf said.
    5 points
  11. I used a little MAF cleaner that I had on the shelf. Didn't take much. I suspect carb cleaner would have worked as well. Just a few light, quick sprays to remove the old lube that was on the contacts. I then added a little brake lube that was out since I did the rear brakes. Worked great. On the turn signals (and all of the plastics) I used Meguiar's Ultimate polish on a white foam pad with my dual action polisher. For small pieces like the turn signals it can be done by hand if you don't have a DA. Just clean the part, add a bit of polish to a clean microfiber, use circular motion with light pressure for maybe a minute. Wipe off when done to reveal the shine, repeat as needed. If you want to polish the tank and fairings, a machine polisher is the way to go. I was a bit surprised to find that the plastics on the bike are single stage paint (got some red paint transfer on the pad) and only the tank has clear coat. They did polish up nicely though. @Grum I tried some Autosol metal polish on the pipe and it worked very well. Thanks for the tip! The bike is basically put back together at this point. Just waiting for some clear weather for a shake down run and some outside pics. Cheers, Justin
    5 points
  12. Slowly making progress as parts come in. New hotness vs old and busted. Nice to be able to get an OEM part to replace the original with the failed epoxy repair. Now with Honda blue coolant, sorted! Honda oil and filter up next... Looking good. With new oil and coolant I started the bike and let it warm up, checking for leaks and luckily none were found. I also wanted to confirm that the cooling fan functioned correctly. I let the bike get up to 230* F and the fan did not kick on. After the bike cooled down I put it on the side stand and topped off the coolant level, then went to the manual. Per the manual the fan should kick on from 208*-216* F. So, following the manual I tested the fan motor by running a jumper from the fan motor switch connector to a ground with the key on. Fan motor works. Then I tested voltage, looks good. I thought I might need a new fan switch but decided to do a continuity test first. I put the switch in a vise and attached the leads from a multimeter. I then heated up the switch base with a propane torch. After a few seconds of heat, the multimeter confirmed continuity. I did this 3 times just to be sure. On the last one I listened to the switch as it cooled down, and heard the click. Reinstalled the switch and let the bike warm up again. This time the fan kicked on right at 219* F and off again at 206*F. I let that cycle 3 times before calling it good. Next up, rear brake pads. The fronts are fine but rears were getting low. There is a very good chance these are the rear pads I installed many years ago. (The damage on the left pad is from me using a flat screwdriver against the old pads to compress the pistons) Caliper cleaned, pins lubed, new pads installed and everything torqued to spec. Torqued the front calipers, axle bolt and fork pinch bolts. Found two caliper bolts that were slightly loose. Good to have peace of mind on these things. Next up, more polishing and more OEM parts to install. Added bonus, the weather is starting to warm up nicely! Cheers, Justin
    5 points
  13. If the wax unit is not receiving coolant then it will keep the starter valves open more than you want when the rest of the engine is hot and give the excessive idle. Either an air lock or possibly the "cleaning" process has moved some crud in the small water hose and caused a blockage. My view is that a blockage is the most likely cause of a "wax unit failure" rather than any mechanical fault with the unit itself.
    4 points
  14. Assuming you had No fast idle issue Prior to your coolant flush, then it sounds to me like an air lock situation, adding to poor coolant circulation to the wax unit. Running the bike to high temps without the radiatior cap on will cause the volcanic eruption you had and especially if there is air trapped. Did you follow the fill and burping process in the Service Manual?
    4 points
  15. This was the "what have I done" moment, after the VTEC was lowered from the frame with the 8,000 mile 5th gen motor waiting on the pallet. The cam cover is removed b/c I had already been in there adjusting the VTEC valves and it also gave me the extra clearance needed to clear the frame once lowered on the jack. Once it was back together and running, going for its first short ride around the block left me barely believing it was actually working. I read where others that have done this sit the engine down on block(s) and then lift the frame off and roll it away like a wheel barrow, leaving the engine behind. On top of the 2 step ladders is a thick wooden beam and ratchet straps. Either way works, this is just mine. Clearly this is quite invasive surgery, but very doable for any determined DIYer. Like any project, bag & tag fasteners, label, stay organized and torque to spec and you'll be good.
    4 points
  16. For a variety of reasons I last rode my VFR over a year ago - zero miles in 2023. Today I threw off the cover, dusted off the cobwebs, cleaned and lubed the chain, then replaced the battery and started it for the first time in a few months. Fingers' x'd that I'll manage to get a ride in this year.
    4 points
  17. Welcome to the forum, Johnnie! I've never done track days, but I rode a 6th gen. VFR for over 14 years for a great variety of uses - commuting, touring, sport-riding in the twisties, and even lazy Sunday fun rides for a few hours. In my opinion, the VFR's strength is its all-arounder-ness. It's capable enough to embarrass less experienced or talented riders in the corners, but if they're on newer liter bikes, they'll probably whiz right past you in the straights. But if you're only doing track days and not racing, I think you'd have a blast on a VFR on the track and on the street. The V4 engine is just a terrific blend of power and character, especially when revving it from mid to high rpms. The big plus for many VFR owners are its ergonomics. I can't imagine riding a supersport more than 30 minutes at a time, but on my old VFR I frequently did all-day rides and trips where I rode 400+ miles a day. It's a bike that will get you to the good mountain roads comfortably enough, rather than having to trailer it, so you can enjoy the ride to and from, not just in the twisties. VFRs are not light, but the others above are right - once you're moving the weight is a non-issue. And the additional heft does make it more stable, including in high winds. And as others said above, too, it will run forever. And the wealth of information on this forum is a huge plus to VFR ownership.
    4 points
  18. Welcome to VFRD Johnnie. The question you're asking is almost impossible to answer as it comes down to personal preferences and expectations. I think everyone on here is by definition a fan of the VFR line. I'll try to offer my perspective and I'm sure others will chip in. The VFR is a fantastically well designed and built machine and the 8 Gen you are thinking about includes a number of improvements on niggles from earlier versions. It handles very well in a neutral way and can easily walk tall among sportbikes on the road in the right hands. The VTEC transition is almost negligible now and in my mind gives you 2 engine characters in one machine; a softer response below 6500 for cruising about (and circa 60mpg), or a bit of a hooligan from 7000 up if you're going for it and plenty fast enough for the real world if you value your licence. Bags or torque and sublimely smooth. It is quite heavy compared to a GSXR or R1 but the weight disappears when moving. It's also a taller riding position than a superbike or supersport. This makes initiating turning a little bit more effort but it's also more stable - particularly noticeable when it's windy. The higher seat height also means you probably won't and don't need your knee on the floor with one cheek off the seat unless you're really pushing. So it really depends on your personal preference. If you want race style flickability and raging superbike acceleration in a light package that has you lying on the tank testing your knee and wrist joints on every ride, the VFR ain't it. On the other hand if you want a well mannered road bike that will get you where you want to go in comfort and then offer good scratching potential and fun on your favourite curves, the VFR fits the bill. If you can, try to ride before you buy.
    4 points
  19. I've used this stuff on the lower exhaust on my 8gen. Keeps it nice and shiny. Picture - Lower exhaust after 90,000k's.
    4 points
  20. "Gaslight" directed by George Cukor in 1944 and starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. Basically the bad guy husband in the 1880's in London tries to drive his wife crazy, including turning down the gaslights and then pretending nothing was wrong. Not a bad film for its era. I'm pretty sure this key bit of information will solve your rear shock issue immediately! 😎
    4 points
  21. A bit more completed today. The Engine is now fully built and timed up. Just waiting on fitting the oil cooler to spin it over on the starter motor with no spark plugs in to check oil pressure. Rear sub frame has been loosely mounted along with the rest of the exhaust. Big shout out to Gave Silver Spares who accepted an order for the gearchange detent spring an item they did not have in stock and listed as "No Longer Available" that the sourced and got to me in two weeks for £5.00 including postage. This was a show stopper as the old spring was so week that it was failing to push the paws home and so not changing gear smoothly. A Few more pictures of progress
    3 points
  22. Hi all i am the new to me owner of a 2003 6th gen VFR800. I’ve previously owned an RC36 but now living in NZ I thought I would add the VFR to my collection to use as a commuter and sometime tourer. I brought it as a bit of a neglected machine, hadn’t been cleaned or properly looked after in years. Anyhow, 4 days of mechanical bits like CCTs, full servicing, bit of wiring and a damn good clean and polish she is on the road and riding lovely. A couple of little niggles that seem normal for this gen VFR for me to work through but what an awesome machine. It’s up there with mileage being at 163000 kms but seems sweet as a nut. Pic attached, all original panels with a few battle scars and micron end cans. Great to be in the forum and I’m sure I will be asking a few questions. cheers
    3 points
  23. Not sure that gives me a tonne of insight. Pretty sure John McGuinness could smoke me on a Grom!!!
    3 points
  24. If you're interested in how one will do on the track, have a look at this video of John McGuinness riding a 5th gen at a track day. This one has 100,000 miles and a luggage rack. Note that he's passing many sportier, more powerful (probably liter) bikes. They likely pull away from him down the straights, but in the corners he makes it all back and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMWXwsGUGM8
    3 points
  25. Lots of rain recently but a nice day today before it all returns tomorrow. Did a thorough chain cleaning, adjustment and lube Tuesday so felt like everything was ready and prepped for a 10 day trip! However, this was not a 10 day trip, just 60 miles. I may complain about the rain but spring after an El Nino winter is beautiful here. Sorry it's not a VFR, but...red...V cylinders...motorcycle Squint and you can see the Pacific ocean...
    3 points
  26. Another sign of how different the different years of RC24 are. The 88/89 uses the same gearbox as the RC30 (although different ratios), with the exception of the shafts and gears themselves all the parts are RC30! ...but the actual gear change shaft comes out in a different location hence the different lever!
    3 points
  27. if the coolant level falls too far below the temp sensor the reading will not be correct. best to check under the rad cap cuz overflow bottle level could be misleading
    3 points
  28. Obligatory Dutch biking pic from yesterday's ride: So, "two or three weeks" turned into a few more, and then when I finally got back to London I was too busy to touch the (motor)bike. Typical! From the previous post in this thread, it appears that I will need to press the steering stem back into the triple clamp and sort out the steering stops. Drilling the clamp would be easier without the stem in place, but I can't locate the holes correctly without it. But, I do have my own press, so in the stem will go, and commence the measuring I will. If I can't drill the holes with the stem in place, out again it will come! (An hour, tops?) Beyond getting the forks in place, it occurs to me that I might need to order or make brake lines. Grrr. (I hate making brake lines. Stainless steel hates me!) I'll see what I've got in boxes that might work--I'm sure I've got something that will work, if only temporarily. Alternatively, I may have some bulk, clear-coated -3 line, but the question is always re the stainless steel hose ends, which I generally only buy with specific projects in mind. I'd really like to avoid having to measure and then wait for the hoses/hose ends to be delivered, but we'll see... Ciao, JZH
    3 points
  29. My 5G gasket(s) finally came in, which gave me the confidence to remove the 5G stator from its cover. I got to measuring the differences between the 5th and 6th gen versions, and it would seem that about the only similarity between them is that the inner mounting diameters and bolt patterns are the same. That's where it ends. I'll lay out the measurements I took below, using a digital slide caliper. Some of the measurements could be made accurately and repeatably, but others were somewhat guesses where the wire wrapped around each of the poles. It probably requires an electrical engineer with familiarity of these types of alternators to definitively say whether this makes a difference to power potential at various RPM's of each - definitely beyond my ability. I measured in inches - apologies to metric folks, but you get the idea. 5G 6G Inner mounting circumference 1.65 1.65 Outer circumference 4.23 4.54 Core thickness 1.05 .89 Height of pole(s) above core .84 .90 Width of each pole 1.40 1.30 Depth of pole .54 .59 The last 3 measurements took some estimating. The wiring obscures the true measurement, so I did my best to keep it consistent. The last item is interesting. The core appears to be a stack of plates vs a solid block of machined or cast metal. The 5th gen clearly has thicker ones. I used a fine dental pick to drag over each , counting each click as it slid across. The 5G core had a count of 22, and the 6G a count of 46. I could be off by a few - regardless it's quite noticeable just looking at it. But does that make any difference to the power potential of the stator? My intuition says no, but if not then why would Honda make such a significant change? Lastly, the 4 mounting bolts are significantly different length. I put the 6G core in the 5G cover and ran the bolts down by hand. Something seemed odd as I encountered resistance from the bolts but the core had play in it relative to the cover. Be careful if doing this swap and using the 5G bolts - with the 6G thinner core, shorter bolts will be required or the result could be stripped threads in the cover. In summary, the 6th gen stator is larger diameter, thinner, with poles (both have 18) that are taller but narrower. Possibly this allows for more wraps of wire which might be helpful - not sure. At any rate, it's not clear to me what this swap might accomplish. My real interest is in improving output at idle, as voltage going down the road is a steady 14.5v. It's mostly at stops particularly when the fan is running that things go south and I see low 12's for voltage. I am running an 847 R/R, so it's not OEM. If there's anyone that definitively knows if the differences in two stators would produce different results, it would be great to hear. Cheers
    3 points
  30. Yep. Seems like I do. Even pissed at myself.
    3 points
  31. We have a member here that goes by Throttlepimp. His name is Kevin Sigler, he does graphic design and has been creating and fabbing gauge faces and decals for a long time. He's supplied all my decal and gauge face mods for my business and bike projects for almost 15yrs. Countless transactions with nothing but good results - including a set of gauge faces for a second gen VFR like yours to replace sun faded ones. He's not on here much, so shoot him an email at throttlepimp@gmail.com. Tell him you are a VFRD member, and that I sent you. He already has files and color match for your gauges saved from my project. Customizing a face for your voltmeter will be very easy for him.
    3 points
  32. "Dances with tires" 🙂 VID-20230515-WA0021.mp4
    2 points
  33. Knee down, toe about to drag, and the peg feeler still has a way to go before it touches. This one still has more in it re corning before it's at the limit. These bikes (as most modern motorcycles) are more capable than most of their riders (including me!).
    2 points
  34. Lot's of people feel the same way. This is another forum member. The things the newer bikes are going to have though are the adjustable power modes, TC, WC, ABS, electronic cruise, etc. You don't sound like that is what you're after but may be a consideration.
    2 points
  35. Thanks for uploading this Terry, just finished reading it and I have the urge to go for a ride (again) on my 8th gen. I personally have only ridden the 6th and 8th gen, of the two the 8th is definitely my favourite but there is little between them. Perhaps the deciding factor was the mileage on them. The 6th gen I rode (for about 10 days) was a rental and had quite a few miles on it, still felt very good though. Would love to have a complete set sitting in my garage 😍
    2 points
  36. Hello again fellow Vifferini! Some of you may have read my long winded story here of getting back on a VFR after a 15 year absence from riding. I then posted the clean up thread here about that bike. Since purchase I have put about 10,000 miles on it having an absolute blast riding around the fine state of Utah, USA. The warm weather season is short but we do have a handful of excellent roads with endless scenery. The bike is set up just like my first VFR and it runs perfect. I couldn't be happier with it. Well, the plot thickens...which is to say I tracked down and bought back my original VFR. The one that I bought new in Northern California back in 2001. Yes, my actual exact bike, VIN #00089. Turns out the internet can be an interesting and effective tool. I actually got in touch with the owner a couple years ago but he wasn't ready to sell at that time. Finally, in recent weeks he let me know that he had upgraded and would sell it back to me, and at a very reasonable price. I was more than pleased, and my teenage son and I made plans to pick it up two states away in California. Not wanting to drag my small open trailer 1800 miles there and back, I wondered if a motorcycle would fit inside the wife's minivan. The Google machine quickly confirmed that I was not the first to consider this, as I found multiple pictures of various bikes shoehorned into spaces more commonly filled with soccer moms and soccer kids. That said, we had to test before the drive just to be sure. After some general measuring I figured that if we removed the windscreen and mirrors from my current VFR, we might be able to load it through the side door, which is exactly what we did. "Easy does it. Left a bit! Watch the ramp!" Success! Even got the doors to close with room to spare. Took it right back out and put it in the garage, neighbors shaking their heads, unsurprised at my usual shenanigans. So with that confirmed we made our way out to CA to pick up the original machine. Let me say this, one-on-one time with your kids is absolute gold. While going to get my old bike was cool, 20 plus hours in the car with my son was the real highlight of the trip. He's a fantastic kid and we had great time making new memories doing something that wouldn't make sense to most people. We arrived just after dark at the seller's home after a full day's drive. It was great to meet the gentleman and trade a few stories. I pointed out the small scratches on the clutch cover. "Yeah, that was me, trying to put it up on the center stand one day wearing flip flops and it slowly went over on it's side on the driveway. Not my first bonehead move." It was so cool to see that it still had every mod that I had installed more than 20 years prior, save the Sargent seat, but I'll just use the one from my other bike now. Looking over the bike further I noticed that he had the db killer installed on the Staintune, something I never used in my ownership. "Have you heard it without the db killer?" I asked, reaching for my set of Allen keys. "I didn't know you could remove it." he said. A few seconds later I had it out and fired up the bike inside his carport. Let it warm up for a bit and then gave it a few mild revs. "Whoa you can't have it now!!" he said jokingly, "I should have removed that a long time ago!" We both got a laugh. Every VFR guy has their favorite pipe, an uncorked Staintune is mine, though a period Micron is a close second. The Staintune look and sound just can't be matched. I removed the windscreen and mirrors, having done this exercise once before, and we loaded up the bike in the minivan. I strapped it down securely using the factory seat anchors and several ratchet straps. It was almost as if the van was made for this type of thing. We journeyed back home and put the bike in the garage, with some new memories and a new chapter to start. Seeing double, this looks familiar. The more recent left, modded to resemble the original, right. It even has my original plate on the back as plates stay with the vehicle in California. So what now? Get organized, make the punch list. Gotta go over everything to see that it is clean and up to spec. Fluids, charging system, brakes, etc, a nice winter project. The seller provided me with some receipts of maintenance he'd had done recently at a shop near his home. New plugs, valves checked (all in spec), new coolant and brake fluids. Mentioned an issue of stumbling in lower revs that the shop couldn't rectify. Also mentioned a slight coolant leak on the left side and a dent in the left radiator. Interesting but no worries, I have time to look over everything and make it right. When I sold the bike in 2006 it had 26,000 miles on it. Now it shows just 39,000 miles. I can live with that. In general it looks to be in decent shape still, just needing to be gone through a bit. I first removed the side fairings to have a look at things underneath. Hmmm...of the 18 or so fasteners I removed, only 3 were correct and all were finger tight or less. Luckily you can still order the correct ones from Honda. It's clearly been down on the left side at some point. The coolant leak is from an epoxy repair attempt at the bottom of the reservoir. Actually glad to see it's not from the engine casing as the reservoir is easy to replace. Odd repair though. The left rad is indeed dented on the bottom and the bracket bent slightly, though it is not leaking. It will work until I can get another one. When I removed the tail fairing some of the tool kit fell out of the left side, clanging onto the garage floor, and there is a small crack on the left of the tail fairing at the franken bolt insert. Yeah, it's definitely been down. But....(and it's a big but), whomever dropped it did put on an OEM side fairing so that's a win, and everything else I can deal with quite easily. I also took a chance to check voltage and saw 13.70ish at idle and a solid 14.44v at 4,000 rpm, right where it should be as far as I understand. I'll keep an eye on things once I start riding it later. I made a list and ordered a bunch of fasteners and a new coolant reservoir, OEM oil filters and fluids. Just going to take my time and enjoy it. More to come. Cheers, Justin
    2 points
  37. Found it issue why other brake pad is angled bad. The plate in bottom of brake caliper has Ben modified badly This is how it should look Better Now brake pads are angeled good Also got the stripped tread for the plate that hold the pins fixed Now I just need to find the plate I should have, it order a new one.....
    2 points
  38. Just... WOW. Great job. Many VFRs just at the brink like that one don't get a comeback. The Honda Gods are smiling.
    2 points
  39. to this day, it is the only bike I've slid both wheels on while going round a fast speed turn.
    2 points
  40. I think you can put some voltage to the meter and check for movement...
    2 points
  41. Why did I ever doubt the Captain... I gave my sacrificial volt meter a full pardon...reassembled, tested and shelved. Yea, that mod is cool as is, my heart's just not into pursuing the face alterations any further...later maybe. I am going to paint the bracket and I thing the cowl stay comes off for a paint job as well. This aught to be fun... haha
    2 points
  42. There were a lot of "grey imports" into the UK in the mid-late 1990s, and at the time, most European models only illuminated one of the headlights. So, unless you check your frame number, you may never know for sure if yours was grey imported into the UK where it was sold as "new". Or, you might just have a blown bulb! But if yours was a grey import, the grey importer would probably have fitted a UK-spec headlamp unit (to get the dip right), but may not have bothered to change the wiring to allow both bulbs to be used. Bikes which were factory-designed to have only one lamp illuminated on dip/low beam often lacked a lo-beam relay, as V4 Rosso mentioned. So if you do convert to use both bulbs, you should add a lo-beam relay. Otherwise, you WILL ruin your headlight switch, eventually. Honda 400cc grey imports had similar wiring issues, not from having only 1x 55w/60 H4, but from having 2x 35w/60 H4s. People used to throw in regular H4s, not realising that these bikes only had relays on the hi-beam side. Many fried headlight switches ensued... Ciao, JZH
    2 points
  43. In case you guys haven't already seen this.
    2 points
  44. Hand-washing the inside of your fairings? Love the attention to detail! Lovely time reading through the initial post and will follow along. About the zipties, I just have a nice pair of side cutters and flush cut right to the housing. Always comes out damn near perfect with no stickout - never cut your hands again and it looks quite tidy!
    2 points
  45. I can tell you this...I leave many of my zip ties long these days if no one sees them. The short ones cut up your hands when you're working in tight spaces!
    2 points
  46. Thanks Grum. It is a fun and somewhat mysterious project so far. Today I began cleaning things up. Took the rest of the body work off to inspect and wash inside and out. The fairings came out nice. I will machine polish all of the plastics before they go back on. Always interesting to see factory markings on the inside of things. Found more evidence of the left side drop, the gauge cluster is cracked on the lower left mount. I just took it out and super glued it back together. Luckily just the housing was cracked that I can see. Everything else looks ok. Took the opportunity to put LEDs in the backlighting slots as done on my other bike. That needle indicated 155 mph exactly once with me at the helm, in Death Valley around 2002. Actual speed would have been somewhere in the 140s but it was all she had. Still faster than my buddies Ducati 900SS at the time. We were headed to Las Vegas for Ducati Revs America. Ironically, after doing some top speed runs out in the desert we both got pulled over just outside of Vegas for doing 20 over. Found two more missing fasteners, and a lonely zip tie in place of one. The excess wasn't even snipped off. What kind of neanderthal put this bike back together? lol Just taking my time, trying to make a difference... Chain and sprockets are recent so they can stay. Little by little. Cheers, Justin
    2 points
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