86 vf500 upgrades.

Good deal Matt. I figured you had thought of this.

I think you'll need rectangular slot and not a circle though.

This will allow you to fit everything through and will allow for cable movement when you turn the front wheel.

 

Matt,

Good job. Been following what you've been doing over the past couple of years. Dare to dream, you might make it to the moon. I still have my first 500 I bought in high school in 86. My other bikes will never replace it, only complement it. I have a VTR, it's a completely different (and equally enjoyable) bilke.

On your structural mods, any material you add will benefit. The further from the center of the mass at the bending/twisting you put it, the greater the benefit (moment of inertia principle). As the frame is already welded, you won't lose any strength from changing the temper of the material. Just advice, but if you want to strengthen two boxes in bending and torsion, weld the steel on both sides of the tube. This will especially benefit in torsion.

The one thing to remember in structural mods though is that when you strengthen one part of the frame, where is the next weak part going to be?

Your neck brace is an excellent idea, that's why all the newer sport bikes have massive heads and frames at that location. Box it up, do precision, clean and careful welds, and you'll be good to go.

If you beef up the front, maybe a beefing up the back is in order too. I know you're looking at a single sided swingarm, but an arm off a later model 600 or 900 would give you much more rigidity with less rectal pain and weight. Just my thoughts....

 

Thank you superhawk. Yeah this single arm thing has become such a pain in my ass that im throwing out the idea just getting one is just as bad as pulling teeth. So im just considering putting the stock arm back on.Now for a update on the project the frame is at the powder coating guy I should have it back next week then I can figure this out.

 

Update got the frame back from the powder coating guy looks good now im going to start working on the swing arm and rear of the bike.

 

Looking good Matt!!!

 

Thanks JD seems like this thread has very well died! Ill keep posting here mybe it will generate more responses/people.

 

We're still here Matt. I'm enjoying the progress so far. I can't wait to see what's next!

 

Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing how your bike turns out Matt!

 

Just a sneak peak for what to come with the swing arm.

 

Just got the swingarm done gotta say looks pretty good. Sorry that the progress is moving really slow just bear with me please

 

NO! I refuse!
:smile::tongue::smile:

 

HA! you going to have to....plus your to busy with being a pudin to follow my threads lol.

 

UPDATE ok guys its been a crazy year so far not much progress is being made to the bike im hoping to change that. I will be bolting up the swing arm today and there is a steel piece looks like a dog bone if i only knew a certain someone that could machine me one...who could that be...... but ill will be finishing up out back the shock will go back to jamie for some more aggresive valving, then i can start on the front then the real fun begins!. thanks to all of you guys for your support it means alot to me.

 

Looking forward to seeing the progress Matt. Take plenty of photos!

 

+1 on the updates and Photo requests.


I've been thinking about this thread and, in my opinion, the best mod that this bike has received is Matt as an owner. The bike had probably never seen such attention till then.

Kudos.

I think the #1 best Mod for a VF500 is a good, attentive owner.

( my buddy who owns my old VF rarley changes the oil, lubes the chain or washes the bike )

 

Yeah the bike has seen alot of attention since I've owned it but I've reeped the rewards and also its just a cool bike!

 

Ok fellas I need to do a update with this thing seem to have set on the back burner for to long. Ive changed direction with it AGAIN I was going to go with a inverted forks but seeing how prices of them are so ridiculous im going to bolt the the ones that jamie revalved for me, the front end worked so good for me when it was on the bike im just having a hard justifying spending nearly a grand on a new one. With that being said a set of triples will be machined up to add some rigidity and lose some weight. Sorry for the build up then the let down.

 

Ok fellas not much to report I've the forks on the bike and waiting on the rear shock then ill put the bike on stands and start on the motor.

 

Whoa its been to long, as for my progress its been slow but it wont ne but a couple more weeks and ill have the engine back in the bike. Ill post some picture very soon of my progress.