1986 VFR750F RestoMod

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by Captain 80s, Feb 18, 2020.

  1. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    OK... let's do another one. It is starting life from this bike.
    [​IMG]
    38K miles. Sat outside for about 7 years without a cover... in Seattle!! Ugh.

    [​IMG]

    Most everything that isn't essential to starting it has been removed. Pretty much threw the whole brake systems, front and rear, in the trash. Saved the front calipers just to see if the pistons want to come out and what they look like. Rotors were junk. Oil is clean, coolant just looked old.

    Next is to pull the carbs and completely rebuild them. I am also going to pull the valve covers for cam inspection. I don't suspect any problems, previous owner seemed pretty competent until he flaked out and parked it. I will pour some oil on the cams and squirt a little down the plug holes before turning over by hand. The carbs will go back in to run it before the bike gets disassembled.

    It is (was) a California bike. At first I thought the engine had been replaced at some point. It doesn't have the ports in the front head and doesn't have the "pump" on the right next to the coil. But after looking at the vacuum hose routing sticker on the inner fender, apparently 750's didn't get them. But if you look at a sticker on a 700, it shows them. I never knew that!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I already have a bunch completed/collected for this build. F2 wheels. 1994 cartridge forks are completely rebuilt/assembled. This tasty unit for the rear (spring will get a color change).
    [​IMG]

    Gauges are pretty toasty.
    [​IMG]
    But I have these already done and waiting to bolt on.
    [​IMG]

    It usually takes me about 2 years to complete a build like this (while building and maintaining many other bikes), but I think this one should only take about a year.
     
  2. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2007
    Messages:
    6,120
    Likes Received:
    852
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Desert Southwest
    Nice, well, at least it will be. That Nitron spring color isn't something I think a lot of people keep. The titanium black option is definitely a little easier on the eyes.
     
  3. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Yep - loving it already..
     
  4. straycat

    straycat Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2017
    Messages:
    1,443
    Likes Received:
    539
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Canada
    Map
    looking forward to seeing this progress!
     
  5. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Carbs out, Radiator removed. Time for another bath before pulling the valve covers.
    [​IMG]

    I was going to wait until the next day to take the carbs outside for what I was expecting to be very nasty, but I decided to pop the left rear bowl off for a quick glance hoping for the best...
    [​IMG]

    Very pleased! They didn't even smell bad. This will be an easy rebuild looks like, they had good action before pulling and the starter valves all moved nicely. I don't think they have ever been into, the throttle cables still had the yellow markings on the nuts and none of the float bowl screws were rounded. Hoping to have them done this weekend, maybe one morning with coffee.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2020
    raYzerman likes this.
  6. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Now that is a pleasant start.
     
  7. BluRoad

    BluRoad New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2011
    Messages:
    143
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    Antioch, IL
    Map
    Mmmmm...my kind of project.
     
  8. sixdog

    sixdog Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2010
    Messages:
    1,353
    Likes Received:
    471
    Trophy Points:
    98
    Location:
    So California
    Map
    I love working on a project like that!!!!!
     
  9. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    [​IMG]

    As suspected, everything looks perfect. Not a scratch, line, pit to be found anywhere. Turned over by hand easily with no weird resistance or noises.

    [​IMG]

    Running a little lean when parked, which makes sense. He said it started running rough. Local independent service shop scared him with a ridiculous doomsday estimate and it got parked. Good for me, I suspected dirty carbs immediately.
     
  10. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Damm good buy.. How are the fairings?
     
  11. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    The original left cowl and upper cowl on the left are fairly bad. The rear cowl around the taillight doesn't have any cracks and the solo cover is saveable. The right lower cowl is nearly perfect. The tank is pretty nice with very minimal rust but the decals are super faded. But I have another complete set of bodywork that I have been collecting that will get some paint. Thinking about a play on the 87 blue.
    [​IMG]
     
  12. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    i think the blue is a pretty good idea - the dark blue is excellent..
     
  13. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2007
    Messages:
    6,120
    Likes Received:
    852
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Desert Southwest
    I have always thought, if I was going to do a late 80's, I would go for this scheme. Minus the yellow number plates and the non HRC sponsor decals.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    sixdog likes this.
  14. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    If I ever have the real dough to do a high end paint job, I have always lusted over that exact one.

    Problem is when I get close I buy more parts or another fucking bike. I'm selling my AR80 collection soon and I want to earmark the money for some real paint.
     
  15. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
  16. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2007
    Messages:
    6,120
    Likes Received:
    852
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Desert Southwest
    Seriously considered it for my RVF, but decided to keep it looking stockish instead. Maybe someday for me, as well. Have a potential RS500 that a buddy brought back from Japan, we have been talking off and on about a possible sale. It would HAVE to be done, if that ever does happen
     
  17. Colddevil

    Colddevil Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2008
    Messages:
    648
    Likes Received:
    292
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Map
    Not sure why, but this made me crack up. Looking forward to watching the bike restored and this thread progress.
     
  18. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Ran outa time last weekend... but found some tonight to get started.

    [​IMG]

    Decided to disassemble some 49 State carbs that I got , ironically, off of a Cal parts bike I bought years ago. They look pretty good. Stock jetting and somebody shimmed the needles 0.5mm. Oh, and they also pretty much mangled all of the float bowl screws.

    Gonna go thru the Cal carbs too and see whats there.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2020
  19. atx

    atx New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2015
    Messages:
    143
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    18
    What're those red covers you're using to keep the engine safe while the carbs are out? Excellent work as always.
     
  20. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,815
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    158
    They're Caplugs. I work at an Aerospace Manufacturer and we use them (all sorts of sizes) to cap parts (tubes, ducts, lines, etc) after they have been cleaned in the vapor tank.

    It was a couple days before I was gonna roll the bike out for a bath and I saw those at work. Took a couple sizes home and these were perfect. I've been taking smaller sizes home for a while, but I finally thought of this. Usually it's a small rag remnant with plastic zip tied over.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page