Wish me luck...

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by Terry Smith, Aug 13, 2021.

  1. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,821
    Likes Received:
    2,352
    Trophy Points:
    158
    OH MY GOD. So much this. Or out of the sand blaster. Some of my covers and top triple clamps have little nicks still in them because, "I am done. Fuck it."

    And still look way better than most of the shit work I see.
     
  2. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    At the end of the day, I'm working on a 35 year old bike with over 100,000km on it. I am happy to get it to a well cared for and decent finish rather than showroom fresh.
     
  3. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2017
    Messages:
    910
    Likes Received:
    198
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Houston TEXAS
    Map
    Really looking fantastic. Great work.
     
  4. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Here's where it is at today. I got some second-hand indicators all the way from Holland (Boonstra Parts, great selection and prices and freight was swift and not too costly) so I moved the long-stem blinkers to the front (actually where they belonged based on the wire colours) and the shorties to the back. Starting to look more and more respectable. I repainted the alternator cover too, didn't have the gasket but 95% of the old one was intact so I bridged the gaps with some gasket maker, please don't hate me. If it leaks I will order the proper part, but hopefully....
    IMG_2548.jpg
     
    Jim McCulloch and Gator like this.
  5. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,821
    Likes Received:
    2,352
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Looking pretty damn good! Love it. Nice work.
     
  6. sixdog

    sixdog Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2010
    Messages:
    1,353
    Likes Received:
    471
    Trophy Points:
    98
    Location:
    So California
    Map
    Very nice !


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  7. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    I followed Captain80's advice and threw some 040 pilot jets in, and dropped the fuel screws back to 2 turns out. I had found the bike a little cold-blooded and a little slow to come off idle. The bigger jets seem to have improved this area really nicely. I had used some cheap Chinese bowl gaskets and these were great when new but swelled in contact with gas and were bastards to re-use. The Captain put me onto a standard Viton o-ring, size 041 is 1.78mm thick with id of 75.92mm and is spot-on, and easy to find from an industrial seal supplier.

    My bodged alternator gasket was less successful and my Honda is now imitating a 1960's British bike. It will take a few weeks to get a genuine gasket so I'll have a crack at making a DIY gasket from some proper gasket paper. How hard can that be?
     
  8. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2019
    Messages:
    1,228
    Likes Received:
    450
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Millgrove, ON
    Map
    Ha, in a pinch, make a gasket from a cereal box, coat in grease and install. However, RTV is available at your local auto supply........
     
    Terry Smith likes this.
  9. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,821
    Likes Received:
    2,352
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Hondabond or Yamabond4 over RTV, every damn time.
     
  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
    Really easy to make a gasket with gasket paper. Take the cover off & turn it upside down. Place the gasket paper on it and using a small piece of hard ROUND plastic - like a thick washer, just press it down firmly along both sides of the cover - BUT NOT HARD - this should leave an imprint on the paper. Then using a SHARP CRAFT KNIFE trace along the imprint and cut it out. Roll the washer along the cover...
     
  11. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Also it only leaks if you have oil in it. No leak = no oil = put some in.. lol - this technique has lasted centuries..
     
    Terry Smith likes this.
  12. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Is there a preferred brand of cereal?
     
  13. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,821
    Likes Received:
    2,352
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Everybody knows Cap'n Crunch WITH Crunch Berries makes the best.
     
    Terry Smith likes this.
  14. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Unlike the engines it was used in...
     
  15. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2019
    Messages:
    1,228
    Likes Received:
    450
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Millgrove, ON
    Map
    Get the cereal with Tony the Tiger on it... bike will go faster.....
     
  16. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Sounds...GREAATT!
     
    raYzerman likes this.
  17. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Thought I'd take a crack at repainting my wheels. I was in two minds about this as I'd had a price of US$65 each to powdercoat, but figured I'd have a go. After many hours wire brushing, sanding, cleaning, degreasing, washing and masking, I went at the front wheel with some etch primer. Then watched in horror as patches appeared where the original paint was being stripped by the new coating and wrinkling up. Said some garage words, and decided to leave this to the experts, and instead took out my frustrations by knocking the bearings out ready for the powder coaters.

    At least my new discs looks to be decent quality, the old disc bolts came out without a fight, and they cleaned up beautifully after a bath in Evaporust and a little polish with Autosol.
    IMG_2550.JPG


    I suspect the bike will be wheel-less for at least two weeks, and I plan on replacing the steering head bearings in that time as the old bearing (although massively over-greased) was dented and had a nice self-centring action.... The old bearings came out without too much fight, now waiting on the new parts.
     
  18. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2017
    Messages:
    910
    Likes Received:
    198
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Houston TEXAS
    Map
    "Said some garage words"

    I have never heard that before....good one.
     
  19. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    I've been playing the waiting game with the powder coater, but they sent me text yesterday saying my wheels are ready to collect. Bought them home, fitted some new bearings, the new discs and raced back to the bike shop with tyres. They levered these on overnight and I collected those this morning. All good except they put the front on backwards, so back I went to get that fixed. Once fitted up to the bike I found the new 90 degree stem made contact with the front calliper so I rotated that a bit for clearance, fitted up new EBC HH front pads and headed off for a ride. While the bike was off the road I also fitted new head bearings and some cartridge emulators, and I also rebuilt the front callipers which were binding due to crud in the seal grooves.

    I made a point of taking some pictures of the fresh wheels as they will never look that pretty again...

    IMG_2608.jpg

    Very happy with all of my work, the steering and braking are excellent, and the fork feel has improved substantially being both firmer and less jolting, so a big win there too.

    IMG_2609.jpg
     
  20. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,821
    Likes Received:
    2,352
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Looking great! The emulators make a nice difference. Did you do springs as well? Yeah those wheels will never look that good again, but PC does clean up nice because of it's finish. You sure knocked a bunch of stuff off the list.

    There was always one thing about the pic of your discs above that made my brain hurt a little but I never took the time to figure out why. I have never seen VFR discs made like that before. They used the pattern for the rear disc and just increased the Outside Diameter and added a drilled hole to the pattern. Nothing wrong with it, just more solid material than needed.

    Oh and one more thing, they sold you two right front disks. ; ~)
     
Related Topics

Share This Page