The restoration has begun... Now the questions!

[TOE CUTTER]

vfrcapn is giving me a chub........my wife wants to punch him.

[TassieDave]

I don't visit here very often since I bought a Ducati but I did keep my VF1000RE - that I dreamt of riding last night and a mate asked if it was for sale today.

A few years ago (lets call it the time before Ducati) I finally got around to doing the engine as it used far too much oil from the day I bought it. Then I saw an advert for the drags on telly one night - of a dude doing a burnout. When I bought it I was told that it was traded on a GSX1100 that was going to be a drag bike.

Anyway - it turned out that number 3 cylinder had probably leaned out and had badly scored the liner. Cost of parts were weird and most came to around $300 Australian. Pistons about A$300, gasket set $300, standard size plain bearins for my engine $300.

Only other thing I did a while back was to ask about a manual. This was before they became available via (and may have even been before) the internet. I had to buy the fische version of the manual then find a reader for the cards. At that time I bought that manual I was also offered the parts list. The original parts list quotes bearing type and numbers and seal sizes. Hell of a lot cheaper to be able to buy direct from a bearing supplier then only get those weird sizes that Honda insist on using in some areas. at the time of my rebuild, my cams were good but I wa a bit suspect of one cam rocker. Local Honda shop had one on the shelf - it didn't cost $300.

[vfrcapn]

vfrcapn is giving me a chub........my wife wants to punch him.

TMI!

This'll take care of that problem.


I believe this is Jamie Daugherty's bike, I snagged it off of Daugherty Motorsports - Motorcycle Suspension Performance and Modification. I really like the single side exhaust on the F bike, lightens it up a lot. Dual exhaust is fine for the R.


Just looking around and found this, maybe an option for painting on the R?
Custom Painted 1985 Honda vf1000r factory replica restoration

[Salvo]

Hey Capn, The link for the factory colors looked nice... The red, white, and blue look alot better when freshly done. On mine those colors are so faded from sitting that I am just having a hard time seeing it back in those colors...We'll see. I'm playin' around with some colors in maybe the european style but changing out the r/w/b for something else... I'll see what I can come up with. Depending on the scheme, it might make a difference whether or not I leave the frame silver...

I got the frame completely stripped of any accessory items today, I was even able to get the vin tag nails out without mucking 'em up! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to remove them without damage...

[josephvh]

Wow, I can't wait to start restoring my VF1000R now. That was sad how dirty and mistreated it was but at least it's in good hands now. Good luck with your restore.

[Salvo]

Hey Joseph, I just noticed your in AZ, Wherebouts? I'm in Mesa.

Also, I was cleaning stuff in the parts tank today using ZEP, That stuff works awesome for being waterbased!

Any of you guys know how to get the yellowish look/stains that appear on the plastic coolant and breather tanks off? I was thinking about trying bleach??? Any hint's?

I've been sketching on a pad lately and think that I might lean towards one of the old Kawi Z1R Schemes, Black base with maybe candy yellow, orange, red stripes with Pagan Gold pinstripes separating the stripes... Maybe wrap up and over the rear cowl, come down and work towards the front while slightly fanning out a couple inche's.... Maybe go semi-gloss on the frame and lot's of stainless fastners to give a little detail to the look....

Trying to figure out what to do with the swingarm, black with the ribs left aluminum or aluminum all over??? We'll see.....

[vfrcapn]

The body colors sound like they'd work nicely. No idea on the plastic but let me know if bleach works. I suspect once it's gone yellow there's no going back.

I polished out the swingarm ribs and painted it trying to match the RC forks I've since replaced with stock forks, but this gives you an idea. I've thought of pulling it back off and repainting it black, I think that flows better than all aluminum with a black frame.



Frame and swingarm.

[crustyrider]

looking good your garage is the shiznits!!!!

[Salvo]

I like the swingarm treatment! I agree that it is probably better than an all aluminum swingarm.... Is your frame semi or gloss?

[vfrcapn]

I like the swingarm treatment! I agree that it is probably better than an all aluminum swingarm.... Is your frame semi or gloss?

Gloss, 3 coats sprayed a couple days apart. It held up well in the rebuild, no dings or scratches.

[Salvo]

I was out cleaning more parts today and noticed that the clutch master cylinder is broken where the handle pivots, it's junk for sure... this leads me to this question, Are other manufacturers clutch assemblies, such as Suzuki or Kawi's compatible with Honda's? Or maybe I should ask whether or not handlebar tubes come in different sizes or is it a industry standard to have one size fit's all??? I don't know yet if I can buy replacement clutch/brake master cylinders from Honda or Bike Bandit. If not, any idea which ones from other Hondas will fit?

Also, what about clutch fluid lines, Do they make a stainless flex line to replace the rubber and metal tube line that is on the R model?

While I'm at it... Water hoses, Do any of you know if there are still replacements available from Honda? I haven't gone to the library yet and made copies of my microfiche... Thanks!

[josephvh]

Salvo, I'm down in Yuma.

[Salvo]

Just an update for the thread... I've been busy scrubbing parts in the tank and getting my sandblasting setups ready. I plan to beadblast the frame soon and will get a coat of urethane semi-gloss black layed down and install the new head bearings and go from there...

I am thinking about doing away with the TRAC unit and installing the "Gold" accumulators from RaceTech unless someone gives me a reason not to... I thought I saw someone on here do that, was that you VFRCapn?

I am still waiting to hear from you guys on what to do about clutch/brake master cylinders and what will/will not fit my handlebars? And also about the clutch line....

I have still been buying parts off Ebay... Got a nice lower coming to replace my beat up one... it's got a couple of small places to fix but way less than mine...

I would like to ask you guys who own these model bikes what tires you run? And why? I have been perusing the tire sites and don't know which ones to pick, so who better to ask than the peeps that have them now!

I went to the library today and made copies of my microfiche, now to compose a list and hit Honda up to see what they actually still sell...

Sorry no new pics, there just isn't anything groovy happening yet... Take care and thanks for the input to the questions! Salvo

[Salvo]

I went out this morning and welded up a framework to suspend the bike frame from when I paint it... Then proceeded to get out the blaster and have a go at the frame... it cleaned up fairly nicely, now to get a coat of etching primer on it and go from there.






I won a sweet fuel tank on ebay today, that about does it on the updates for now....

[Salvo]

I layed down a couple light coats of etching primer, letting it dry, then will lay down some primer-surfacer coats....

I also got in touch with Dave Dodge about future engine machine work, I can't wait to get started on that!

I think that I have changed my mind on the paint scheme. The more I look at my sketches the more I think about going with a variant of the Rothman's scheme... Instead of the blue maybe trade that for a version of candy pearl mango/orange...

'til next update...

[matt1986vf500f]

dude you should have covered the threaded holes with tape or somthing, just by running a tap through them it should be fine!

[Salvo]

I always run taps thru the holes after painting anyways, but thanks for keepin' an eye out for me!

I just got done with 3 coats of surfacer, didn't snap a pic... I'll wait until I get the metallic silver down...

[Salvo]

I got the frame wet sanded today in preparation for painting tomorrow morning, snapped a couple pics just because... I'll snap some more after the paint... Waiting on my rim savers to show up and I'll get the tires off, then bead blast those... I'm planning on powdercoating them.

Umm, what else... I also got the triple clamps bead blasted and primed today, those will get a nice coat of gold to go with the Rothmans scheme...

[hopit88]

I got the frame wet sanded today in preparation for painting tomorrow morning, snapped a couple pics just because... I'll snap some more after the paint... Waiting on my rim savers to show up and I'll get the tires off, then bead blast those... I'm planning on powdercoating them.

See if you can get a low temp powder coating. I heard of a guy who had his R rims done but had the outer bolts loosen up. Possibly the steel spokes and the aluminum rim "moved" differently during 400 degree baking? You cannot retighten them. He ended up replacing all the bolts, something I would be very nervous about.

Love the stand!

[Big3]

pretty sure he's powdercoating the F2 wheels not the stockers

[Salvo]

I will be using the stock R rims. I have considered going to the F2's but for some reason I just can't see them on the R...? Even though I can't get a decent sized tire for the rear, I still love the way the wheels look! Maybe I can fit a 150 size tire at least? I will check into the powdercoating issue, it was in the back of my mind and I really don't want to play with my safety. I would however like to replace those bolts as some of mine look a little weathered. If anybody has any info on getting replacement bolts I would love to hear about it! Right now if I can't powdercoat, then I will have to mask off each bolt and nut and see about some kind of metallic shade of paint... I think Eastwood Products offer something close enough to the patina of metal polishing that would suffice... we'll see. Thanks for the info on the powdercoating though, got to keep it safe!

B.T.W. hopit, I like your little project too!.. would love to know more about that exhaust system, i.e. about bending the pipes??? I am contemplating bending up my own stainless system...

[Salvo]

I got the frame painted this morning and also layed some color on the triple clamp... I'll let these sit a week or so to air out and start to go back together.... WOO HOO!!!!!!

[Big3]

I stand corrected on the wheels .. I figured since you upgraded the front forks you were going to upgrade the available rubber also ...

[Salvo]

Hey Big, I think you might have my thread mixed with another... I haven't gotten into my forks yet... I am planning on ditching the TRAC system and going with some RaceTech Gold Emulators though....

[Salvo]

Heres an update for the week... I've been bead blasting the various metal and aluminum pieces getting them ready for paint, primer is drying on some of them as we speak... I got the swingarm blasted and a coat of clear on it, looks good! Here are a couple pics of my rear shock, I think Jamie said it was a Fox "clicker"... Can anybody identify it for sure? I can't find any numbers on it and want to have it rebuilt.... Jamie, if you see this, are you still offering your rebuild service? and cost $$$ ? It seems like it still has plenty of pressure in it but as long as it had been sitting I don't trust it... and I want to have the resevoir re-anodized anyways.

[vfrcapn]

Looking good!

Definitely looks like a Fox shock worth saving. Where are you located? I have a local shop that I believe rebuilds the Fox shocks.

[Salvo]

I'm in Mesa,Az... Any ideas on how to take this system apart as far as the resevoir is concerned? I would like to have it anodized before sending the shock out for rebuilding...

[supertex]

Right here is a break down and how-to.

HondaVFR.org: Fox Shock Rebuild

[matt1986vf500f]

dude send it to jamie he's the man when it come's to shocks and forks i still am blown away with my rear shock on my bike! it's worth the time and money trust me bro...keep us posted bike's lookin great!

[Salvo]

Thanks for the link SuperTex! I'll study it for a bit and maybe I'll just attempt to do this... I found a page for a rebuild kit at $20.00 for the parts... Thanks for any of the comments guys, they mean alot to me! I need you guys for backup, I can ride and I can paint but as far as the internal mechanics... this is the first time that I have taken a bike project this far, in alot of ways I'm venturing into unchartered territory for myself. I hope you can appreciate my effort at restoring one of the "Great!" bikes out there. I want to see this one survive!