NEW (for me) 86 VF500

Discussion in 'Introductions' started by Big_Jim59, Dec 22, 2009.

  1. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    Well I did it. I finally moved up to the decade of the 80s in my bike holdings to become the proud owner of a 1986 VF500. (I have a 73 Norton Commando I ride so the VF500 is my first "modern" bike.) I have always loved smaller bikes, even though I am a bigger guy and the VF500 looks to be pretty fun.

    One of my all time favorite bikes was my old Moto Morini 3-1/2 and the VF500 seems to have that feel. The bike is not pristine by any stretch of the imagination. It is scratched all to hell. It looks like it has skittered down the road on both sides but surprisingly has retained all of its original plastic.

    It needs a lot of TLC. The radiator has a leak around the sending unit but a trip to the radiator shop (or a shopping trip to eBay) should sort that out. On the plus side it runs. The engine sounds tight too. I gave a whopping $500 for it and thought it was not too bad for a running bike with a clear title. It even has a new chain and front and rear sprockets.

    I did a quick walk around tonight and found a missing bolt in the left side foot rest mounting casting. I also found that one of the chain adjustment bolts is bent and possibly stripped. Both hand levers are bent as are both shift and brake levers. These are pretty easily fixed with replacements or bending.

    This will be a lot of fun if I can resist the urge to make it look pretty. I am sure it will look just fine when I get it put back together. It has the full lowers and not the small belly spoiler that most of the VF500s seem to have.

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
  2. rccaulfield

    rccaulfield New Member

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    Nice one- That'll keep you busy! Start a restoration thread and keep the pics coming!!!!!!!
     
  3. JamieDaugherty

    JamieDaugherty New Member

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    Great looking bike, even if it's not perfect. It sounds like you got a heck of a deal, congrats!
     
  4. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    Welcome to the forum. Nice looking bike! I have an '85 500 and love it.
     
  5. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    The object right now is to get it in running form and to fix the minor screw ups I have found. Most of what I discovered (like too tight drive chain and stripped adjuster bolts) is the product of someone with too little experience in bike mechanics. I have an advantage in that I have tinkered with bikes all my life. I purchased my first bike, a Honda SL125, in a box and it has set the pattern for most of my motorcycle purchases thereafter.

    I am going to need some tools. In my younger days I worked as a mechanic for a Norton, Triumph and BMW dealer. (I am dating myself.) My work and most of the bikes I have owned, to this point has been on older British twins and triples and I always got by without carb synchronization sticks or an auxiliary fuel source. I think I am going to need both in pretty short order for this gig. I am pretty sure that the bike will need a full tune up before I will feel comfortable riding it. (I am kind of picky that way.) I have been reading the service manual and while it is not beyond my skill level to perform, it will not be a lazy Saturday afternoon affair.

    I do marketing work for a local Honda shop so I have a pretty good source for spares and advice. I have this fantasy of showing up for one of their group rides with my tatty looking but good running VF500. They think I just a little nuts for riding the Norton on group rides. It's not modern you know!

    I’ll get more pictures posted when I can. It looks pretty good with the fairing lowers on it.
     
  6. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I just couldn’t stand it. I had to make the 1986, VF500 Interceptor I purchase on Monday run and move forward. Since this was my Christmas present to me and since I have not been able to touch it until today, I have felt like a pouty little kid with a present he can’t play with.

    I braved the ice storm here in Dallas on Thursday and made a pilgrimage to the Honda shop. I got a new battery, plugs, oil filter and assorted odds and ends. I got it running and I slithered, feet down, through the mud in the yard and rode about a mile up and down my dirt road. I ran through the gears and It runs and shifts pretty good considering. I didn’t get a chance to get a feel for the bike. The road is so rutted and full of mud holes I had to ride it more like a dirt bike. From what I was able to tell, it runs pretty straight and true but I’ll have to wait until I get it out on a proper road to really evaluate it. I am going to have to pull the carbs and rebuild them. It is as I feared. The bike has been sitting far too long and the idle circuits are stopped up on at least one or more of the carburetors. It does not want to idle and it pops and farts on over run. Plus one carb is leaking gas. Oh joy!

    I did find that both the brake and shifter brackets were missing mounting bolts. I found replacements in the cast off bolt bin at the Honda shop so that was no big deal. I expected, because the bike has been thrown down, that the bolts had been sheared off but no, they were just missing. I found that just a little strange. The guy I bought it from said that the radiator leaked. It didn't leak when I ran it but I didn't get it very hot. It was just warmed up.

    I am looking forward to some dry weather so I can really tear into the bike and set it right. (Currently I have no place to work indoors but I am working on that too!) The wife kicked me out of the living room after I cranked up my kid’s XL100. I thought it made the house smell nice, like a bike shop, but she didn’t think it was good at all!
     
  7. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    So far, I have not really touched my VF500F, except to run it down the road and make myself miserable at not being able to work on it. (The weather has been really nasty here.) Since I have not been in a position to get into it, I have been taking care of the paper work and ordering some things I know I will need. Here is the tally to date. The purchase price was $500. Today I transferred the title which involves tags for a year, transfer fees and sales tax, grand total $100.56. In order to transfer the title and get tags I had to buy insurance. Geico insures my Norton so I put the VF500F on my policy as my primary ride for a grant total of $0.65. I guess they figure I can't wreck two bikes at once. I have liability only on the Norton and it was running around $150 a year. I guess now the Norton and the Honda are both costing 150.65 per year together. I made an eBay purchase consisting of a used radiator, chain guard and a set of semi usable turn signals. This haul set me back $56 with shipping. My only other purchase was a $13.50 box of oil, spark plugs, oil filter, and several key bolts from the Honda dealer. My total to date is $670.71. I am hoping to keep all expenditures under $800. I don't know why but that seems like a good number. Since I work for a dealer they gave me a loan of the Honda factory service manual for the VF500F. They just don’t have a lot of call for it these days. It is a great manual by the way, with very clear and concise procedures.
     
  8. MrDen

    MrDen New Member

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    Thanx for sharing, and please do keep us updated on your progress. I bought an 86 VF500 new back in Sep of 86. I miss her to this day, and I'm sure I always will. I've had many bikes over the years, and I love my current ride (07 VFR), but that 500 was somehow really special. Enjoy, and ride safe.
     
  9. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    keep us updated. Sounds like you're smart to watch how much money you sink into it. I have about $1100 into mine including what I paid for it, tires and a drive chain being the biggest hit. I bet there's an employee discount that helps a bit!

    I recently had the same pleasant insurance surprise. Not very often that consumers are happy with insurance. When I added my '03 750 Shadow to my policy it was only $39 more. So for full coverage on my VF500 and the 750 Shadow, I'm paying $290/yr. That includes $1000 in "extras" (i.e. saddlebags, helmets, jackets, etc). I've been wondering what it might take to increase that slightly after looking at how much my gear alone cost plus all the extras the Shadow has.
     
  10. JamieDaugherty

    JamieDaugherty New Member

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    I wish my policy worked that way. I get a 10% break or something on each additional bike but that's it. I'm the only licensed motorcycle driver in the household so I think that I should only pay for the most expensive to insure and everything else should be free. That argument didn't go very far, as you would expect.
     
  11. drewl

    drewl Insider

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    Welcome aboard, Jim.
     
  12. matt1986vf500f

    matt1986vf500f New Member

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    very nice bike indeed!!
     
  13. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I have to keep track of the expenditures as it helps to keep me in line. My first reaction, having a new (used) bike, is to fix everything. That means almost a complete stem to stern refit. Once I get started I really don’t know where to stop. I have been reading about swing arm bearings, steering head bearing replacement, paint and body work and everything in between. I promised myself that I wouldn’t go over board and would only fix the necessary items required to get the bike road worthy. For now necessary items mean fluid changes, carb and tank cleaning and checking the suspension and tires. Cosmetics can wait until later.

    The VF500F looks to be a very special bike. In my brief time on it I can already tell that it is small, nimble and oh so smooth!
     
  14. matt1986vf500f

    matt1986vf500f New Member

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    nimble yes very smooth oh yes i would say when you start tearing it apart replacing thing talk to jamie for suspension and wheel kits.
     
  15. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I can see the value in upgrading the 24 year old suspension, especially when it comes to my 18 stone body mass. I have always liked smaller bikes and I have always looked like an elephant on a bale of hay when riding them. I never let appearance get in the way of having fun on a great bike.
     
  16. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I have been out today making a start on the VF500F project. It is still wet and swampy outside but the sun was shining and it was a nice day for some bike work. I wanted to have a look at the VF500's innards so I pulled the tank. What greeted me was a substantial fuel tank leak. I examined the hoses and the petcock and noticed a large amount of some sort of dry yellow sealer all round the base of the petcock. I pulled the petcock, cleaned it and cleared off the dry yellow gunk. Using the proper, gasoline resistant sealer, I mounted it back on the tank. It has been several hours and no more leak. The good news is no rust and no build up of junk in the petcock screen. I also got the rear axle adjusters fixed (they were stripped and bent.) Tomorrow, I’ll take a link out of the brand new chain that came with it and I’ll have the rear end ship shape. I really like setting up a bike right.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. JamieDaugherty

    JamieDaugherty New Member

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    It's 12° and snowing here - so no complaining!!!
     
  18. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I am working on a dry/warm place to work but like all my other projects its progress has been hampered by the weather. If you look closely at the image below you can see the fuel tank from the VF500F propped up for the petcock seal to cure. This would be my first motorcycle project in my new shop and the roof is not on it yet!

    [​IMG]
     
  19. SteveReject

    SteveReject New Member

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    sweet bike!!! congrats on the new toy!!! :) good luck and keep up posted!

    oh yeah, how many miles on her?
     
  20. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    Kind of high 36,000.
     
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