Captain 80s

Perhaps give it some more time. 86-87 VFR radiators used to be very rare on ebay, but I've noticed more coming up in the last year or two that look decent and aren't crazy expensive. I've also kinda wanted to try one these out, but with no real high hopes. I don't know why this one is so cheap. They usually always go for around $180. new VFR Radiator

Yes sir. Bolt on. Let me check my "Parts Department". I might have an odd ball that's not part of a set that you can have for actual shipping if you want. But that one is a decent deal with free shipping. I would be shipping from Washington State.

Example: ebay VF500F front disc

Like you, that never makes sense to me. But, rear calipers are often overlooked and nasty. They drag and destroy discs. And that rear caliper is the older design and very prone to seizing on the collar and not floating.

To increase your search area, the VF500F Interceptor discs are the same size and thickness, just without holes. The 500 front rotors are a little lighter design than the 500 rear. We put a front one on my buddy's 87 VFR, his was toast. "But it doesn't have holes." "It's in perfect condition and I'm giving it to you for free." "Oh. Yeah, I like it."

Lovin' it! Awesome. Don't know if anything ever materialized on those inner panels.

Don't think I have ever seen welded on radiator protectors like that before. Pretty sure you can see a radiator repair from before these were welded on? Anyway, that's pretty cool. And with a replaceable skid pad? And looks like the crankcase cover has a plate welded up to it too. Did that on both sides of my CBR600F2 race bike.

Look forward to hearing the report on that shock.

Well, something is different on that bike preventing the swingarm from extending like your other one, and other VFRs it sounds like. So you are probably at about 328 after taking all available slack, with a couple mm more preload on the shock.

I'm glad you got it in! Looks like a nice shock, that's for sure. If the swingarm wouldn't move any more to allow you to install the shock at 330mm, I'm not sure how you were able to put 3mm back into the length after installing it. Are you sure your weren't just compressing the shock 3mm?

I'm interested. Never know when I might need to know some trick or quirk.

Has the exhaust been touched down before (and shifted) and is preventing the suspension form extending more?

Gotcha. Weird then.

From what I can find, stock length is 317mm? 330 is a pretty good jump in length on a rising rate linkage. I'm not totally surprised that it might be (just barely) out of the range that would still fit.

Hmmm. Every bike can be a little different. Maybe try taking one turn out of the ride height. That is the lower shock eyelet, right? And the swingarm won't extend any further? Then the shock is too long at it's current ride height setting for that particular bike. What am I missing?

Also, is the shock ride height adjustable? Did you check the overall length compared to stock?

Maybe taking the top shock mount bolt out will give you the movement to assemble the linkage, and then the shock might be able to be manipulated to get the upper mount bolt back in.

Cool. Pictures are needed.

Here's the set off of the bike. Not terrible, but pretty sure there's a fair amount of crud / corrosion under the dust seals that was contributing to the lack of proper action. In contrast, here's the set that I sourced for this project...

I've never done it, but I've thought about transfers (like out of a model kit) and then a matte clear coat.

I'll update later, but pretty decent I think. The only thing really preventing the brakes from working properly was the ring of crud / corrosion on the pistons preventing them from retracting. I'll clean up the pistons and see how bad the pitting is for possible use on another project, might be able to assemble one more "good" set out of all the left over parts. I have a 3rd set that I threw together as some place holders on my Hawk project before finishing the F3 calipers.

Brakes next. Had to get out the special tool. Shadow 1100 master cylinder I keep primed and capped. Compressed air wasn't budging the pistons. I forgot to pump them out most of the way before removing the lines. Pistons out. Not great, but about what I was expecting. So I had collected some parts in preparation. Here's the "new" calipers I sourced. That's more like it. Should be a simple clean, inspect, red rubber grease, assemble. Bike had near new front and rear EBC pads in it, so that's nice. Master cylinders were clean inside and worked perfectly. I have a full set of stainless lines for the bike too; front, rear, clutch.

I like that too. Way more than I thought I would.

The bike did have the stalk rear winkers on it, but they were trashed. I wouldn't have kept them in any case. I have some amber lenses already, but I`m not sure which way I'm gonna go yet. I might make the red lenses running lights and signals. Its gonna have some original style mirrors at first. My 95 had 2000 mirrors on it when I got it and came with the brand new originals. The weathered 92 mirrors went on the 90. Forks are pretty rough. I have a real nice set of 97 forks that will go on, along with a 97 wheel and rotors. If any thing goes in the fuel valve blanking plate, it will be a Honda Voltmeter. Graphics wise, I will be eliminating the whole purple stripe and VFR. I already have a plan to update it, but keep it OEM looking. Body work is OK, but yeah, I've got some tabs to repair. Done quite a bit on other projects.

Yeah... not my first rodeo... I own a 95 I flipped a 90 last Summer... before @ $400 After... sold for $2300