JoelF

I have a pair of these I ran for a while before doing a bar conversion if anyone wants them for a modest price. You can install them with the VF1000F dampers in them and the only mod is a redrilled control pod locating hole.

I am running the Buell drop pegs and do not have kickstand clearance issues. I did rotate the shifter, and took a propane torch to the brake to heat+bend it a bit. That's easy, you just heat it until it looks almost wet then it bends easily enough without breaking or being brittle afterward.

Serious score. If that bike had been closer to me I'd have tried to get it for $500-$700. With the motor on the bench I suggest a new thermostat, clean and backflush the injectors, check the valves of course, maybe some rubber bits if anything looks weathered. I just did an inexpensive upgrade to a knockoff version of the MOSFET voltage regulator also. Everything looked good on my bike but I'm not a fan of the load-based voltage regulators. I also swapped in LED headlights, which I like but that's pretty far from the oily bits of the bike.

At 56K miles if you get it I'd say just swap in a used engine/trans assembly, under $500 shipped off ebay. That said it's probably not worth messing with at the price unless you have a lot of spare time. You do say he's letting it go cheap so maybe cheaper than advertised. That'd change things a bit.

Headlight bulbs could have been related, possibly too-high voltage. You'd have measured the voltage to see but that'd be before all this other damage. I'm planning to install a knockoff FH020AA unit I got for $30 (USD) from a USA vendor. There are lots of writeups on this. A genuine version is $130 or so, I'm game to try out a knockoff but not the even-cheaper ones direct from China, too much of that stuff I find are QC fails.

Hi, check the alternator stator connections, search for lots of helpful info: https://www.google.com/search?q=vfr+alternator+stator+wiring It could also be battery connections. If you wire in a voltmeter and reproduce the problem you might see the voltage cutting out. You can download a manual from this site also. Cheers, -Joel.

If you are paying for labor IMO a used engine/trans assembly would be a better value as it can just be bolted in with no particular skill or ability. Probably find an engine for $350-$450 if you are patient or a whole running parts bike for $500-ish.

I have had heated grips on a couple previous bikes, they were nice. Some suggest putting an extra throttle tube on the left side to insulate the bar from the heating element, I have not done this myself but instead glued on a section of heat shrink tubing to the bar to add some insulation with less worry about the tube coming off the bar, also somewhat cheaper unless you have a scrap throttle tube on hand. I am sure there is a safe way to mount a throttle tube to a left bar, I just never put my mind to it. BTW I am working on a bar conversion and might have a couple bar options up for sale pretty soon, VF1000F clip-ons (similar to VFR800 helibars) and SV650 helibars. -Joel.

It'd be interesting to see some compression and leakdown numbers on higher km VFR engines, however if performance, mpg and emissions are OK I'd see no reason to replace the engine. I believe one thing I usually see in engines with some blowby is that new oil turns dark quite quickly. I have compression and leakdown gear but no adapter for a VFR spark plug. No idea what that'd cost.