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I think I have used CLR before with good results. Something recently surprised me how well it worked, but I can't remember if it was Wheel Cleaner, Aluminum Boat Brightener or Bathroom Mildew Cleaner. If it was definitely something I usually having kicking around the shop utility sink.

Since I am doing full cooling system refresh, also want to clean out the coolant reservoir too. I had this sitting for months with white vinager in it, it worked some, but not enuff. Waht are your tricks to clean out? thxz

Moving date is now end of October, due to all the work we (er, I) still need to do... It seems I was wrong about what's under the garage floor. It now appears (and I still need to pull more boards and maybe dig a little to confirm this) that there is already a concrete floor under the entire garage. It seems like it is about 90mm thick (3.5"), and on top of that is (what I think is) a self-leveling layer and square terra cotta-type tiles, followed by a plastic sheet, 5-7mm green fiberboard and, finally, softwood tongue-and-groove floor boards. All together, the surface of the wood flooring is 140mm (5.5") above the threshold of the outside double doors. The painted-shut doors also open inwards...or at least they did before someone installed the concrete floor! Since I want the doors to open again, I will either have to remove the entire concrete floor, or remove the part over which the doors will need to swing (leaving a step)--or raise the threshold and shorten the doors to clear the concrete floor. So now I have a dilemma: what kind of floor do I really need/want in my garage? Softwood is not very durable, but it's usable and slightly insulated. Terra cotta tiles by themselves are subject to cracking from impacts, and I would have no insulation at all. I could replace the wood with some of those trendy plastic garage tiles, but would that really be an improvement? Are there any other options? I suppose I could remove the concrete floor (at great expense) and re-pour it with underfloor heating, insulation or something? I wouldn't say there's absolutely no budget for that, but I think I'd rather spend the money elsewhere. * * * So, I've done some searching online, and I think I'm warming up to the idea of using 7mm PVC "x-joint" flooring tiles. They aren't as flimsy as the vented ones I referred to above, and I can probably lay them directly over the terra cotta. I can also glue them down. I'd lose what little insulation I have, but I think they would probably create a safe, sturdy surface which would stand up to a 500kg pallet stacker moving a 300kg motorcycle. Hot things would still melt them, but of course, soft wood doesn't like open flames much, either... The pallet racks would probably need to be installed directly to the concrete floor, which would mean cutting away some of the terra cotta tiles and also fitting the PVC tiles around the legs. But my workbenches could be set directly on the PVC tiles, and anything with wheels should also be fine. This could work... Ciao, JZH

Life is simple here. Just five bikes: MZ ES150-2, Honda CB350K4, Yamaha SR500, Ducati 900 Darmah, Honda VFR750 (RC24)

Repairing the O2 cable should be straightforward - hard to believe they have any magical properties 😉 Keep up the good work.

I've been looking for PCII and PCIII models in Italy. You can find a lot of them, even at a good price, but they're not for the VFR. I have a question. I imagine the PCs are all the same, with only the wiring changing depending on the bike they're installed on. Or am I wrong, and are there also internal differences? I'm asking this because if it were just the wiring that was different, we could try to make it happen. I don't know if it's possible; this was just my idea. Could someone who owns a PCII and/or PCIII post some photos of the connectors and wiring so we can see how it's done? If my idea is absurd, please let me know; I won't be offended. Thanks.

Changed the coolant on the 8 Gen to Honda Type 2 ( as I had it in stock) which meant flushing through with demineralised water to clear the old stuff out. The bodywork on the 8 Gen is beautifully made but what a royal PITA to get the fairing off and on again. So many tabs, clips, bolts. Perhaps I'm just slow but I'm sure the fairing antics took twice as long as flushing and changing the coolant. There's also a section in the lower fairing behind the radiator which collects water and grit and rusts the bolt there. I'm thinking a couple of drain holes need drilling to sort that out.

Can somebody post the dimensions of just the element area on the small version HA-8098?

Back into it tonight as a few parts arrived from Japan and the Netherlands. Unfortunately I have learned (the expensive way) that my 2015 VFR is different in a few places to the earlier 1200. I got some used O2 sensor leads as I had a MIL indicating the 2-3 sensor was faulty, and I can see some crush marks on the cable where the radiator got bent back, so that made sense. Unfortunately, the 2015 (and I think the -X model) has the O2 sensor moved to under the rear of the motor, which means the lead is about 150mm longer, and the lead from the earlier one just won't fit. Looks like I will need another new part. I did at least confirm that plugging the new (short) lead in clears the MIL. I will see if a local autoelectrician can repair the damaged lead first. Also (and this one is harder to understand) the pair of levers ordered from Webike was lovely for the clutch, but no bueno on the brake, being both shallower but also the pivot point was slightly wrong. So I will just keep working with what I have, maybe add a screw into the area that contacts the stop switch so I can make that work. Anyway, I was at least able to rebuild my front wheel with some new bolts, cleaned up rim and repainted ABS ring.

Thanks mate. These are tiny pits from the corrosion so all the high spots are gone, and I can barely feel the worst with my fingernail. I had heard of the JB Weld trick before and will bear that one in mind.

There's a quote attributed to Paul Thede, founder of supension company Racetech, "the best you've ridden, is the best you know". That is why when I graduated from a 125 to a 250, I thought it was so powerful (hint: it was a 26 bhp 4-stroke single; not actually powerful!). The suspension on all bikes is a compromise between cost of manufacture and the ability to tailor it to a specific rider's weight and intended use. There's nothing wrong with the stock suspension on any VFR (if it is in good health) but improvement is not far away. The basic components of a 41mm fork with a 20mm cartridge damper is pretty sound; mechanically not as stiff as say a 43 or 45mm diameter fork, and nowhere near that of a USD fork, but streets ahead of the weedy forks of my youth, and much better than a damper-rod fork. My suggestion is to get the best out of the stock suspension first; make sure the components are clean, the bushings are in decent order and the oil is fresh and at the correct level. Then ride and see what you like or don't like. Changing springs and damper components is pretty cheap, and they benefit you every time that you ride.

I’d suggest going thru all the basics before taking your bike to a suspension specialist. Check if the headstock bearings seem in good condition - not notchy or loose, tire pressure is ok, chain has the correct slack. Tires have an huge impact on how your bike steers. Even if they have plenty of tread your tires might not offer the feel you like.

Ah, thank you.

The stock suspension is not horrible, but leaves a lot on the table especially for us heavier riders. I am currently about 210 lbs. I do not regret spending almost as much on suspension bits as I spent on the bike itself. It was transformed into a bike that will do whatever I ask of it. It is way more capable than I am. A couple things I learned riding my '87 ZX600, and '98 VFR with the stock suspension was leaving the throttle cracked open slightly, and using the rear brake to scrub off a little speed on corner entries, and help settle the bike. Makes for a much smoother transition without the off/on throttle lag/snatch.

Again, many thanks, I am much appreciative for all the reassuring posts. Since I'm still quite novice in regards to working on my own bike, basics down but no real proper understanding of geometry... I was thinking of bringing my bike for a suspension specialists for a treat... There's 'PLR Suspension' in Newtonards here in Northern Ireland, and from what I've read online, the guy is supposed to be very very good... lots of good things said about him online, and also, apparently his service prices are very reasonable. Been really enjoying getting more accustomed to the VFR Gentleman's express hahah. I guess the bike has to be treated a certain way in regards to throttle... aiming to have a long relationship, while being able to use the engine and suspension properly, just love the sound of the engine and the feel of going up and down those gears haha... thanks guys

Is that the video where the rider runs into some oil on the track? I think I've seen that one... Maybe...

I really enjoyed this video. Saw it shortly after buying the 5th... "That's sweet as a nut mate!" hahaha loved it

Installed new fuel filter and in-tank hoses.

Do you mean the yellow one between the bearings ? If so, I haven't used it, as I assumed it's not meant to go in that configuration (2x standard bearing vs tandem as the original)

Mapping is available here. I've got an extra PC2 you can have, not 100% sure it still works though. PM me. Edit: see you're in Italy, shipping might be expensive, may be easier to find one over there. It does use a 9-pin serial port, I've had hit-miss luck with the serial to USB adapters. I have an old tower running Windows 10 and no problem running the PC software or connecting to my primary bike's PC2.

Really nice all black Corbin seat. $150 Left red panels (upper and lower) $75 These are not perfect. Bike had a VERY slow tip over and there are a few scratches. Good 15 footers. Solo seat cowl (missing mounting tabs) $50 Parts are located in LaGrange, GA. I can possibly meet in the Atlanta area. Can also ship but these are odd shapes and shipping won't be cheap.

Glad you got it figured out. I would keep an eye on it anyway.....

Thanks so much for the explanations! So I'll focus on a PCII or PCIII. The USB port is definitely more practical, but the serial port isn't a problem for me (I love collecting old computers of all ages, 386, 486, and even older ones, including later generations; each has its own quirks). Between the two, I'm probably more interested in the PCII; I wonder if you can still find something out there. I think the mapping software is available on this site.

Well I got to tell you, I have read the story of the RC45 find and the bike life of member ( Busy little shop ) many times and it still puts a smile on my face What a life centered about motorcycles and to find an RC45 collecting dust in Mexico is just wild. When I read about the RC45 having the very low serial numbers and started thinking about the bikes I have had and their production numbers, I was never below 000010 but it was sure funny looking for 0001. As I read the article I was instantly taken back to around 1996 when I was working about 2 hours from home, in those days I was always driving the back roads looking for the shine of chrome in the open garage door or stopping into every small bike shop I could find. One day I stopped at this little backyard garage to ask if he had any interesting bikes for sale, I roamed around a bit and here off to the side was a banged up 1990 VFR750. I always wanted a VFR750 since a demo day with Honda in 1990. I almost fell over when I saw the serial number was 0001, to say I held my excitement would be a lie, of course I asked if the VFR was for sale and got the old, well not sure, it is here for repairs etc etc. I left the shop with the understanding that I was to drop back in a week and he would know more. A week later I made a special trip to the shop and of course the VFR was gone and the shop owner would not tell me where the bike went, who owned it or anything. I was almost sick from missing that one, and in the past 30 years I have never found old #1. The RC45 article was just like being in that little shop again and I can still see that beautiful banged up VFR sitting there, Thanks for the memory flash Not as impressive as many here but here is a short list of my life CT70 1970, new, my first bike, wish I had this one here CT70 1970 have CT70 1971 CT70 1973 XL100 1974 XL125 1975, The first bike I bought new from summer job money, wish this one was here CB350F 1973, Was bought new by my dad, his first street bike at age 54 and my first street bike when he upgraded to a new 1976 GL1000, still have the 350F CB350F 1972 have CB350F 1973 have CB350f 1974 have CB400F 1975 have CB400F 1976 have CB400F 1975 Vintage Racer, have RM125 1978 CR125 1983 CBX550 1983 XL600 1983 XL250 1983 have KZ900 1976 RD400 1976 CB750 1975 Z50 1993 have XR100 2000 have CRF150 2003 have CB1 400F 1989 VFR750 1990 have VFR750 1991 have VFR800 1999 have I think that is about it for a list, I hope to have a couple of more to add before I call it a day, enjoy the hunt and the ride As a side note I think I should add that the 1990 Honda VFR750 #1 I found was no where's near as rare as the RC45 found in Mexico, I believe the RC45 had a very low production run which I think was world wide, the 1990 VFR750 #1 I found however was a Canadian bike and I believe their production run started with 0001 and the United States started with their own 0001, Europe Asia etc all had Honda Production runs starting with 0001, due to the different DOT rules and laws, correct me if I am wrong