Not a Teaser! 1983 VF750F resto project

I know my 170-60/18" required some grinding to just clear the swingarm. And the chain will rub unless you offset the sprockets a bit. The 17" tire/wheel may not need as much, I'll find out when I fit my CBR wheel.

 

A couple guys on VFRD have installed the same wheel with a 180 on their 1000R's, with offset countershaft sprockets and extra machining of the hub.

Apparently the brand of tire comes into play as well, to be more specific, the tire profile. Michelins seem to be the hot ticket.

Looks like on Mason's bike, someone just jammed the bigger tire on there... you can see he can't get over on the edge of the tire because of the botched profile...

 

I know the 18" is probably the issue. The swingarm tapers more the farther forward the tire sits. Back when I installed the 18", that was the size to have. The 17 should fit a little easier, but I may have to check different brands to see what fits best.

 

You'll need the 900RR wheel, a machined hub, and an offset sprocket to start. Stack washers under your stock countershaft sprocket t oget an idea of how many mm's you need to move out. Be aware that they are expensive!

 

I've already got the CBR F3 wheel, a mill and lathe, I can make things work! Shouldn't be too hard. I've swapped wheels on most bikes I've owned, just can't leave anything stock.

 

Is the F3 a 5.5" wheel?

Congrats on the big equipment, I'm still saving for mine. I have a drill press, a MIG, and a crap load of hand and power tools. As I save for a TIG and mill/lathe, I'm trying to decide which I can get more use out of first, and whether I should buy big & used(Bridgeport & lathe) or finance a new Smithy 3-in-1... got any input to offer on that? Looking at the Thermal Arc 185 for TIG purposes, I am aerospace certified for aluminum & SS, and have some experience welding titanium, so there is money to be made there, but on the other hand I have so many projects in mind for the mill & lathe, it's ridiculous.

 

It's a girly 4.5". It will do fine for the street. If I was going to race again I'd probably go with a new swingarm and run a 6".

I'd save for a real mill and lathe (used can be had cheap), the 3 in 1 usually doesn't do either one very well. And you may have size limits with it. If you go bigger than you think you need, you'll be ok. And you know more about the welding than me! I can gas and stick weld, I leave the aluminum to my Dad.

 

Go to VFRDiscussion.com and check out a post called "VF1000R rebuild". It's in the "VFR Models - Earlier VFRs" forum. You'll go nuts, I promise!

 

Any updates on this thing?

 

Seriously....ISO an update!!! Badass project dude!

 

Any more work being done? I have an 85 and I'm starved for ideas

 

Amazing thread. Great project! Love to see one's dedication and patience.

 

Nothing significant to report lately guys, I broke one of the upper mount bolts off in the head and have been working on&off to get it fixed correctly... I got the LED conversion for the gauges pretty much complete.

I can post some pics later today for you guys. Thanks for the continued comments! I appreciate it, and it sure does help to motivate!

 

Did you have to get rid of those metal "lampshade" things?

 

Keep it up! This is inspiring!

 

OK I definitely need to see that!

 

Yup. Back with pics in a bit.

 

It took long enough, but I found a way to get those 5-led bulbs in the 750 housing. I needed bigger sockets to hold the bulbs, and "lucky me" the 86 VFR I just got has the right size sockets. So I cut 5 sockets off the 86 cluster harness, and drilled out the 83 socket holes to .5" to accept the new sockets.

Here's the pics I promised.

Drilling:


Old 86 bulb/new LED bulb:


Cutting the harness:


Pigtails cleaned & installed:


With bulbs:


I cleaned the harness and wire wheeled all the connections with my Dremel, and cut the old sockets off. Here it is installed waiting to have the wire ends stripped and soldered to the new sockets:


With bulbs & gauges:


& the old gauges look so much better without the faded cover over them...

 

That looks great. Much brighter? Are you going to replace said faded cover?

 

Haven't been able to try them yet, maybe today.

Gonna try some Brasso polish on the 86 gauge cover, it's worked before. Autosol should work too. Wanna buy them? I won't be using them in the 86 build! :wink: