True Confessions:

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by Big_Jim59, Jan 18, 2015.

  1. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    There I fixed that for you. Good to hear the bike runs fine, no problems. Those bikes love the curves.........
     
  2. Alaskan

    Alaskan Member

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    Don't get too many points on your license now, amigo!







    .
     
  3. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    It's going to be hard to get much seat time. I drove to Bonham TX to get my tag and get all “legal” and the computers were down for the whole great state of Texas. No license plate for me or anyone else for that matter.
     
  4. Outboard John

    Outboard John New Member

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    My motto Jim, "it's always something" too bad about the tags.
    Sorry to see your project coming to a finish, it's kind of like finishing a good book that you didn't want to end!
    NICE JOB!
    John
     
  5. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    A lot has happened since my last post I did get the tags, finally and I was able to take it out for a shake down ride. It did not go well. I rode about 45 miles and the ticking noise was still there. It sounded like a loose valve but I knew it wasn't because I had check the valve adjustment. I was running down highway 121, at or above the posted speeds, and I needed gas. I slowed for the Trenton exit, down shifted and I heard a sound like "tink" and then it died. I could restart it but only on the rear cylinder. I called my wife and she returned with the truck and my son and together we loaded the bike for the ride home. I am gratified to know that I can still push a dead bike several blocks without having a heart attack.

    Once back in the shop a compression test reveled that the front cylinder had no compression. I pulled it down and opened the front cylinder valve cover. I found pieces of broken collets (valve spring keepers). I did not rebuild the heads as part of this project but in hind sight I guess i should have paid more attention to them. I then pulled the head and discovered the bent valve as a result of the broken keepers having flown the coop. I considered myself very fortunate the the valve was just bent and that it didn't fall into the cylinder and rattle around a bit.

    The piston was fine, the head was fine. I replaced the valve and the springs as well along with new collets. I disassembled the other valves, lapped them in and installed new seals. I did not pull the rear head but i did check the condition of the keepers by pulling the cams and the buckets.

    I got it all back together today. I synced the carbs and then ran it down the road, (helmetless) so I could hear what it sounds like under load. It is a lot nicer than before. It still makes a "luck, luck, luck" sound but it definitely comes from the clutch side. There is an anti-rattle gear that may be causing this. There is also a metallic buzzing I traced to the Two Brother's mounting springs that are just a bit too long. They do not have much tension so they tend to buzz.

    I'll take it for a short ride tomorrow.

    [video=youtube_share;0aw8oCzA6nY]http://youtu.be/0aw8oCzA6nY[/video]
     
  6. Alaskan

    Alaskan Member

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    Jim, a weird coincidence that the valve went after all that work on the bottom end. Sounds like you have it well in hand now, though. Good luck on the next long ride!

    Jon
     
  7. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I think it is done. In fact i am pretty sure it is done. Yesterday was beautiful. The storms have past. The area lakes are full again. The skies were blue and the temperatures were in the high 80s. In short it was a perfect riding day. I first pulled the VFR out and made a run into town. This was made tricky because all the recent rain has my the path from the shop to the drive a slipper mud hole. I put about 90 miles on the Y2K and then it was time to take the Superhawk out. Because of the failure during my last outing I made sure the ramp and the tie downs were in the truck. I set out on a set route with mostly straight line roads. I rode the 6 miles from Leonard to Trenton and back a couple of times. This is a 70 mile an hour stretch that allowed the big V-twin to stretch it's legs a bit. It runs great. It pulls hard and shows no sign of jetting problems like popping back on the over run. It runs so good in fact that I was pulled over by the local constabulary. The Leonard cop said he had me at 60 in the long sweeping turn coming out of town by the high school. He said the speed limit was 45 through there and I guess it is. I always accelerate hard when I hit the apex so he could be right. He gave me a warning which is great but that was really too close. The rest of my ride was uneventful if not slower. It is really hard to ride this bike slow although, after the warning, I was creeping along like a dude on a Harley.

    warning.jpg
     
  8. RobVG

    RobVG Member

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    Nothing like flashing lights to put a damper on the day. Glad you got off with a warning.
     
  9. grabcon

    grabcon New Member

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    Congrats. It is always a great feeling when you take it out for the first time and it runs like a clock.
     
  10. brucethebarstard

    brucethebarstard New Member

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  11. brucethebarstard

    brucethebarstard New Member

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    Jim,I know its an old post but I am a relatively new member. I just wanted to tell you that this is best article that I have read on this forum,congratulations and keep up the good work.
     
  12. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    Thanks for the kind words. I can't believe how long ago this was. It was quite a journey and I do miss the VTR. I have to list the Honda Superhawk as one of my all time favorite bikes. It was narrow use but it sure liked to run. I have since owned and sold a Buell M2 Cyclone. I expected some of the same type of performance as the VTR but I was wrong. That old Harley Sportster mill might have been a powerhouse in the 60s but it was nothing today. I still have my yellow 5th Gen and I picked up a 2000 Moto Guzzi Quota that lets me stretch my legs a bit.
     
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