Terry

I haven't tried posting but like you, I'm a frequent visitor and the page seems to have died with no new content since 19 Nov.

I had my last VFR start to reset the clock when I started it hot. It just needed a new battery. For less than $100 it is a cheap thing to swap out if you've not already done so. Cleaning the fuses and diodes is a sound strategy too. Thanks to Grum's help, I figured out that my occasional hot-start problem on my ST1300 was a dirty diode connection. Who'd a thunk that?

Mr Google found me a Patent application for a novel form of application equipment for the moly coating, but had the following words: "Over time, during use of the fuel system, a carbon-based sludge seal will form between the plate member and the wall member to close the annular gap. This seal will be formed by the fuel system component byproducts. If this seal is allowed to form during the use of the fuel system, the amount of air introduced, and thus, the operating conditions of the fuel system, will have varied overtime. Accordingly, it is desirable, and has been industry practice, to form a seal in the throttle body assembly to cover the annular gap during production of the throttle body assemblies to provide a throttle body assembly which can have continuous and stable use. Typical sealant compositions comprise a Molybdenum disulfide/MEK solution, such as Molydag® from Acheson, which is further diluted with an additional 10-20 weight percent of MEK."

The threaded rod just moves the resting position of the pedal. I found the pedal sat much too high for comfort with the original length of the CBR600F4 master, even with the clevis adjusted to the minimum where the end of the rod starts bottoming out and can go no further. Once I shortened it, it was fine.

I agree with the Captain. There are some critical dimensions between the brake pushrod (which locates the piston) and the master housing and its ports, and assuming the ports are clean then your lock up may be due to fluid being unable to escape after applying the brake. I used an unopened CBR600F4i rear master when I delinked my last VFR and did as Mike suggests and cut some length off the threaded rod to get the VFR pedal in the right location for my big feet.

While I am all for experimentation with suspension, I don't believe it is possible for us mere mortals to open a shock and change oil or shims. Showa shocks like the Blackbird or VFR have a nitrogen charge above a floating piston at the blind end of the shock body. To open the shock you will need to fight against that gas pressure to get the circlip out, followed by an "exciting" pressure release. How Showa build these shocks in the first place is a mystery to me, but as there are no shortage of sealed gas shocks in the world it must be simple with the right machinery. To do the job right, you need to breach the blind end of the body and release the pressure in a more controlled manner, then fit a valve there so you can re-pressurise after rebuilding the shock. YMMV and all that.

For any given capacity a twin should be cheaper and lighter than an i-4, and put out more torque but less hp. On the road those all sound like attributes that I would value. Lest we forget, the first VF750F had a power output of 86 hp, 46 ft-lb torque and a wet weight around 250kg. The new Hornet has a claimed 90.6 hp 55 ft-lb torque and 190 kg wet weight. I don't recall my old VF750F as being in any way slow. Personally I like the new Hornet styling, and the white on red colour scheme reminds me a lot of a VT250F that I lusted over as a young rider.

I happily use AllBalls tapered rollers in all of my bikes that needed new bearings. For fork seals I would prefer SKF or stock, but have also had good results with Tourmaster. The only seals which have given me grief were Pyramid Parts.

Have you tried synching the starter valves or using a vacuum gauge set? From your finger test it certainly sounds like #4 is getting weak vacuum which probably means an air leak, either the throttle boot (cracked? loose? not seated?), or one of the rubber vacuum hoses, or possibly the starter valve just needs adjusting (closing down a bit). Could also be some crud/corrosion on the throttle butterfly plate causing it not to seal. On the FI bikes, the butterflies should be fully closed at idle, all air for idle running passes through the starter valves, and these are always open (otherwise you'd have no idle) and they get pulled further open by the wax unit when cold. When hot, the wax unit should be letting the starter valves rest on the idle screw.

That's awesome. I have a Sargent seat that is two piece and the area below the cowl is vacant. I'm just not sure I can bear to cut into pristine plastic...

I think you should consider the seals as damaged in any case so I wouldn't worry about damaging them with penetrating oil. Hydraulic pressure would be the safest way to eject the piston, I've read of folks using a grease gun to do this but have never had to resort to that myself. Have you tried tapping the piston in further to break any corrosion? You might need to think about getting a replacement SMC, as it is possible the bore is now damaged as well.

Beat me to it Dude; I did the same thing on the back of my last VFR800 and had to pump the lever to get the brake working. The spring clip kept pushing the pad/piston back out. Being a cheap bastard, once I get fresh clean fluid flowing during a bleed, I start to catch the bled fluid and re-use it for bleeding. I've also had success firming up a lever by tieing the lever back to the bar (or hanging a full can of paint on the pedal) and leaving it like that overnight. I don't understand the physics but this can make a slightly mushy feel go solid. I've also got a cheap vacuum brake bleeder; I've had good results winding the vacuum up and then pumping the brake to quickly blast fluid through.

Put some penetrating oil on the clevis and let it sit overnight. I've done this a couple of times and mine weren't that tight. Supposedly you can pull the boot back far enough without removing the clevis to get at the circlip, but it didn't work for me. I fired some brake cleaner through the tiny port in the check valve and made sure I could see a clear jet flowing through.

The circled spot is where the compensation port in the check valve lives. The check valve can be pulled right out, and then disassembled completely/carefully as it just snaps together. Don't lose the little ball and spring from the check valve! This photo is from my ST1300 but it has a very similar linked brake system.

Until you pull the SMC fully apart, the compensation ports are currently like Schrodinger's cat, being both blocked and unblocked.