enzed_viffer

Yeah, I guess it was. The weird thing about it was that it was congenital, so I had no idea about it. In hindsight it explains my crapness at sports at school. It was such a fluke that I had it detected; I'd gone to the doctor for a script, and while he was typing it up 1-finger style, I was umming and aahing about whether to get him to check the pain in my chest. In the end, I did. The pain had nothing to do with the faulty valve (heartburn, perhaps), but if I'd said nothing, my heart would've crapped out within maybe months, and have been inoperable. The really sad thing is that since then, I've often wondered if I made the right choice, because of the pain they installed during the operation (left shoulder now has permanent damage, ribs hurt), and the pain from four munted discs in my spine. But... if nothing else, I've had an extra six years of riding the VFR, and annoying people on biker forums. And good (?) news today; the neuerologisisist had a cancellation, so I get to go and give him some money this Thursday, not in 3 weeks! Presumably, this means I get a few hours off from being Dobbie the House Elf. And today I have my elderest mutant son at home to help with house-elfing. Actually, all three mutants are home, but he's the only one that has arisen before noon. AND he volunteered to cook dinner tonight.

No faces pulled (except by my SpousalUnit, who wasn't happy at having to pay our share (after med insurance) of $300. Probably thought it was overcapitalising my 57 year old carcase. (as if that wasn't already the case, when I spent a small fortune in 2010 to have my heart repaired and some plastic, stainless steel and PAIN added to it.) Anyway, now I have to wait 3 weeks to find out what's what, when I visit the specialist, who'll charge me another $500. I think my idea of crossing the road in front of a speeding bus was moar betterer. Meanwhile, all my bike gear is failing to sell, so it's still cluttering up the cupboard I built especially to accommodate it... But at least I still have my health sense of humour...

I forgot to ask the technician about cats, so I dunno what he saw in the images. Perhaps 3D versions of the rorschach test? Anyway, it was uncomfortable and boring (apart from the face he pulled when he saw the strange colours on my arm from the blood sample that was taken the other day. Not the first scan I'd had (second CAT, and I've had two MRIs, and a few ultrasounds. The ultimate in complete crapness is the Trans Osophageal Echo. No-one should be allowed to do one of those without first being subjected to one themselves. Or even 3, just for good measure... OOps - must go; SheWhoMustBeObeyed is home. Back soonly....

Well, as it's so far turned out, none of the accessories and bike gear have sold anyway. I gave the Ukrainian my bags, as the rack was already on the bike. Anyway, I'm off for a CAT scan tomorrow, to see whether or not I have a brain, and if I do, whether it has a hole, some bleeding, a tumour, is missing altogether, or has a cat infestation. I HATE cats, especially when they're hiding somewhere I can't see them (like under a car or hedge), but the dogs can. The last two times this happened, the doggies just about ripped my arms off, and because the cats ran, the dogs went "Kewl! Game on!" and lunged at them. Last time, Mr Fluffy took the "Charge!" option, while Orange Dog ran around the back of me, wrapping the lead around my legs so I fell on the ground, letting go of her lead so she got to chase the cat around the owner's property. So/sew/sow; IF there is no cat infestation, and whatever is wrong with my head is fixable with some duct tape or gorilla snot or whatever, then I may be able to relinquish my position as Dobbie the house elf, and get another job (even though I'm nearly old), and may need another motorbicycle to negotiate the D'Auckland traffix.

Thanks, Terry. A pity I never bothered to catch up with you for a ride or whatever before I sold the bike. My wife was happy with the price (which is the main thing), but I reckon I could probably have got more for it. I was after a sale that wasn't long and drawn out, and it was pretty quick. Now I just have to sell all the other stuff: a whole bunch of Sena gear (love that stuff!); two helmets, two jackets, a whole bunch of gloves, wet-weather gear, back protector, tank bag, blah blah blah. Or I could just enjoy my MotoGP subscription and procrastinate about everything else...

Whelp, I sold my bike to a very nice Ukrainian gentleman this morning. He came to inspect it, sat on it, and said "Yes, I will buy this bike (before even test-riding it!). No negotiating, just sold. He was so pleasant I gave him one of the two VFR hats I had made a few years ago. Today I went and had a blood sample taken, which was interesting because as I was walking back to the car, my arm felt cold. Blood all down my arm. A new experience; in over 25 years of blood donations, and many blood tests, I've never sprung a leak before. So, I dunno. This could well be the end of an era. I started riding in 1973, I've owned 8 bikes, all Hondas, and three of those were V4s. Dunno if I will ever get another one, but if my brain comes right, and my four wrecked spinal disks miraculously repair themselves, then who knows? At least in the meantime I will have a break from crashing, dying, bursting into flames, and dying all over again. I *HATE* it when that happens!

I mentioned the interchangeability thing because it is what I experienced when I took my bike in to have the suspension fettled. When the guru disassembled the rear shock, he made a comment along the lines of not being sure what settings, springs, valves, etc etc he'd have to use. He did have a shock dynamometer (or whatever it's called) to test and dial it in. However, because he was used to working with Ohlins, he already knew all of that, so when he measured the internal parts of the Elka, it was a very simple job to just remove them and swap in the appropriate Ohlins bits. Saved heaps of time and frustration, so even though I had to pay for new parts, it was cheaper than the alternative. Also means that replacement of any that require it will be easier for the next owner. (Bike's now on the market, because my brain is kaput (either early onset Alzheimers, or a tumour or bleed or summat), so wife says I have to stop riding. :(

Well... it's true that selling the VFR won't net much moolah, but on the other hand, the insurance and registration is expensive - about a third the value of the bike. Anyway, something else has happened that has now forced my hand (bike is now listed for sale). I've got summat wrong with my brain (Yeah - I Know; I meant MORE wrong than normal, smarty-pantses). Going to the GP tomorrow, to find out if it's summat like Early Onset Alzheimers, some sort of depression-related thing, or summat else. I keep doing mental things (MORE mental than normal), like going to the supermarket with a list, and buying other things and ignoring the list. Or asking the same question two or three times in a row. Or (the latest thing), packing up to go away, and arriving to find I'd packed everything except MY clothes. Oh well - I needed new underwear, socks and sweatshirt... So, the nett result is She Who Must Be Obeyed says I must sell my bike. :( Just in case I make a fatal mistake, I guess...

Dunno if this is any help at all, but if you can find an Elka shock that needs some feedling, the internals accommodate Ohlins parts with no modification required.

My bike came with heated grips (which I'd never had before), and I'm now on my third pair in 12 or so years. Thought they were for pussies until I first turned them on! First thing I fitted myself was an Evo Star Factory Pro shifter kit, as the other 7 Hondas I'd owned all had crap gearchanges, whereas this one's still good. A surprising mod was the fitting of a Pentium cooler fan to the R/R; the bike is still on its original 15 year old R/R, after my previous two bikes (91 VFR750 and VTR1000 eating theirs. I'm sure it's down to heat. The MotoBatt battery has been in the bike so long now (10 years??), I can't remember when I fitted it, but it's still as good (according to the voltmeter/ammeter testing) as when fitted. The garage door opener button on the right switch block has been brilliant! I took it out recently because I'm about to sell the bike, and I miss it heaps! The Blue Sea fuse block thing under the seat was a good way of tidying up the electrics, but I think I could manage fine without it. When I bought the bike, I insisted it have a Ventura packrack fitted. While it's had some use, I've found the cheap magnetic tankbag more indispensible, as it took my wet-weather gear, a few essentials and my lunch to work and back every day. Unfortunately, on a 3-day trip to the Far North of Noo Zilund, it also sucked up lots of metallic grit from the unsealed roads, so my paintwork on the tank is borkt. Most expensive (but not regretted) mod was getting the suspension overhauled (some of it twice), which cost me over $2k. Cheapest (and most invisible) mod was a lump of lead I melted into the left footpeg - vibes disappeared. Best commuting mod: lower temp fan switch and manual override. Second best: twin Fiamm horns for waking up dozy drivers! I broke the taillight, so installed a Thurn LED taillight and front indicators; love the look! Most crap fitting: a hugger I bought from some guy on VFRD. Still on, works OK, but it's not great. I think the rubber flap it replaced was better. :(

So, there I was, minding my own business, when something happened to VFRD while I was away. Scary... Took me a while to get unlost. Anyway, this may well be a "Hello!" + "Goodbye" sort of post. Probably accompanied by permanent flambeau (I *HATE* it when that happens ) T'other day, I rode the VFR for the first time in a couple of months. The last time before that was the day I quit my job. Yes, now I'm unemployed, because although I get food and board (and bored) being a Domestic Slave, I don't get paid. That's about an UnZud$90k drop in income, so the chances are, my beautiful blue 2001 VFR will be stuck on the selling forums here, once/if the warmer weather returns. So, that's about it. The End of an Era, and all that. The first time in nearly 20 years I won't have a V4, and the first time in over 30 years without a bike. It'll be weird, as I've been riding for 43 years, so it'll be kinda like cutting off one of my hands. Oh well, c'est la vie, and all that.....

Hi there - welcome to VFRD. The clutch thing is commonplace, and if you browse the site you'll find solutions for it, the most common being either replacing the clutch plates, or taking them out and sanding them. The springs in the clutch basket may also need replacing. The cause is uneven wear or warpage, and it's exacerbated by too many revs when taking off, causing the clutch to slip/grab/slip and complain about it. It's not specific to the VFR - my last bike (VTR1000) did it too. I'm not sure about the "dull grinding noise" - could be related, but is more likely to be the drivetrain, so check the chain and sprockets. Possibility too (if it sounds like it's in the front) of the front left desk, if the sliding doofer (technical term) in the actuator for the "Dual Combined Braking System" (that activates the left front disk when the rear brake is applied) is dirty. This can cause the front left brake to drag slightly if the piston doesn't retract fully due to brake dust or road spooge buildup.

How many engines have you broken?