VF1000R rebuild

VF1000R rebuild...IT FREAKIN' LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess it's about time I got in here to start posting so here goes.
My '85 Vf1000R was starting to leak some oil so I figured it was a good time to redo the old girl. It's had the F2 wheel conversion for a few years and that was fine but I thought I would amp it up this time around.

The RC51 front end came next. It wasn't exactly bolt on. The 51 forks are quite a bit shorter than stock. To keep the stance right I knew I had to do a special upper triple. I decided to use an RC51 lower triple as the upper since it has a fairly stepped gullwing to it. This allowed me to push the forks down enough to get the right ride height. I relocated the ignition and reattached the idiot lights to the stock brake hose holes that were in the triple.


Steering lock is a not ideal but short of a custom set of triples, there's not much to be done about it. Brakes are real strong and rides rock solid.

So now it's time for the rear end. It had to have a single arm and nothing short of a single nut wheel would do. The VFR arm went in with a little metal work but the RC30 wheel was going to be a challenge. After some creative machining the wheel is on. I just have to make a sleeve and a collar for the end of the spindle for extra insurance and see how the brake caliper fits. Should have that buttoned up in the next few weeks.


While that's going on, I've got to fit the RC45 tail(which needs a ton of work) and the VF tank. I really wanted to have a tank with the knee cutouts but the US kR's don't so I thought this would work just fine. I'm going to cut the stock gas fill out and weld in a flat one from a CBR/VFR with the modern cap. Then it all gets painted in some version of HRC colors.


A lot to do so I better get crack'in. I'll keep you posted.

 

Nice

Very cool. You should definitely integrate the kR's side vents into it though. One of their coolest features.

 

Believe me, I've thought about it. I had one up next to it but wasn't sure the lines were right. The other thing I thought of was painting the front part black and putting in some mesh with a Cam Gear Drive sticker, a hint of the stock panels. Obviously, there is a lot of glass to remove under the tank so it won't look so large.

 

Very Cool! I like your project... Good Luck and keep us posted. Salvo

 

So cool nice work.

 

I had to move the bike out of the shop so I decided to throw on the panels. I've got the 400 wheel on just to move it cause I haven't gotten a tire yet for the RC30 wheel. Without the motor in it sits as tall as a TransAlp! Won't even rest on the sidestand comfortably. I painted the motor and put in a stainless bolt kit. Also put in a new clutch while it was open. Still have to trim the tail some more and glass in the headlight area. The dipstick door is glassed over as well. Lots to do.

 

Very nice.

Haven't seen this old girl in a while, but you're doing some nice work there.

Have you considered an 86-87 VFR 750 tank like Toms'? (mutant VF1000R)

(It's BJ from the yahoo interceptors list)

 

Hey BJ! Yep she's still kick'n. The RC51 frontend was a fun update.

Actually I was going for something closer to the European kR tank which is flat on top and also somewhat parallel to the ground. The 86-87 tank is shaped to follow the different frame geometry of those bikes so once on an older VF, they look like they "tilt" forward somewhat. Great for Tom, not so much for me. The glass is drying as we speak in the headlight opening. I'm looking for a single round light for in there, endurance style.

 

Looks great man! I love the look of the single sided swingarm, and have toyed with the idea of doing that to mine at some point too, although I've heard it's a fairly intense install?

Out of curiosity...what tank do you have on your bike? It looks like the tank that's on my 1000R which some people told me was a european tank, but mine has tabs on the bottom edge which are unused on my bike but I assume would be an attachment point for a side panel/fairing. My tank also has a sending unit in the bottom of it, but my bike (obviously) does not have a fuel gauge. I'm thinking my tank is off a 750, but I'm curious what yours is off?

Regardless of all that, keep up the good work, it's great to see people keeping these old girls alive, and even modernizing them!!

-Paul

 

Thanks Paul. I see you're in Maine? I'm in NH and ride with 2 other guys with kR's. We'll have to hook up for a White Mountains run! The tank I'm using is from a Vf700/750f and I suspect yours is as well. The Euro tanks are a little more narrow towards the front than yours, that combined with the sending unit means it's no stock kR tank. US and Import kR's were without a fuel guage so...The smaller fuel pipe on the tank is proof as well.

 

OK, cool, that's what I thought, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't way out in left field or something! I bought a US 1000R tank from a member on here for $25. Not original colors, but good shape and the price was right, so I'll have 2 tanks to choose from whenever I get around to restoring my bike. I may paint both of them the same and then I can pick between tanks depending on my mood LOL.

That would definitely be cool if we could meet up sometime. This is my first bike so I don't ride very hard (especially considering the 600 lb weight of this beast!) but I'd love to go for a cruise with some other 1000R's! A friend of mine just bought back his old '90 GSX-R 750, so maybe I could bring him along too, even though it's not a Honda

 

All are welcome. A good buddy just restored an '87 FZR1000 so we're all old school.

 

I did an initial trim of the tail, under the tank. I may take a bit off the top to reveal more of the frame member. I wont' know for sure till I bolt it in nice and firm. It's a race piece so it's not OEM in the fitment department but...


An early shot of the placement of the cans. I think I may draw them back in a bit, again, won't know for sure till the holes are all drilled. Then fill in where the brake light was cut in, something similar to the kR's brake light holes, it worked well before. They are at a steeper angle than they were in the stock tail.

 

What are you going to do for tail light?

 

Good question. I searched the web for something small that could go above the tips. It's an odd shape and if it doesn't follow the curves right it might look off. I may go with an LED bar that mounts across the upper license plate holes? I want it legal and more importantly, visible. Search continues.

 

Have a look around at third eye brake lights on cars.

My Chrysler 300M has a third eye light that looks pretty much just like the shape you have above the cans on that ducktail....

 

check this out

I can't wait to use these guys for a project, they have some cool shit here!

LINK -> Flexible LED Arrays

 

It needs to be a running light as well.

 

Could be some answers in here for sure. A lot of stuff is not DOT but if they're bright then...

 

Well, if you want cool AND legal, then you're in for a long haul...

I have seen one of these setups (integrated yellow/red/yellow) on a Ducati Paul Smart in person, and it was really bright and totally sexy. Since then I've been wanting to build a bike around a friggen light... LOL