Hello all. Been lurking here for a while, thought I'd finally join. Been riding since - umm - 1987 or so, started off on a C90, moved on to a CB250N, GPZ500, CB550, RD350, FZR400, RF400, and rode a bunch of others. About 20 years ago I moved from the UK to France where I have an XT550 and, finally on topic, a 1984 VF500FII. Money's been tight for the last few years, so the bikes have been sleeping, but I've finally got the go-ahead from the missus to put at least one of them back on the road. And I do love my little interceptor, so she's getting some much needed TLC after 15 years of hibernation. As a part of getting her back on the road, I've serviced the shock, changed the oil in the forks, done the valve clearances, modded the petcock, and have started working on the plastics, which are 35 years young and a little the worse for wear. I'd hoped to avoid the carbs, but the horrible mix of petrol and oil in the sump, indicating at least one stuck float, that came out when I pulled the alternator cover to do the valves, means that it's unavoidable. Which means I have, of course, "questions", but those will come elsewhere. I've already skimmed a load of proper good advice from here, I'm sure I'll learn a bunch more. Simon
Also, here are a crappy photo of the VF without its plastics (with several bicycles behind it, and the tail of the XT) Some plastics, and a radiator, and a load of crap The shock being serviced, with the seal-pushing tool I whipped up on the lathe as per JD's website And a preview of the horror found in the float bowls
Hi Simon74 and welcome to the MadHouse! From those pictures it seems you like a challenge, but hopefully you will persevere and be able to put the VF500 back together and it will not be too long before you can take your interceptor out on the amazing roads which France has to offer. Bring on the questions. PS - does your forum name suggest you are another resident of the Haute Savoie? SkiMad
Cheers. Yeah, she's going back together as fast as possible, but we've been away for a week in Corsica, so not much work done recently. Yeah, my handle would imply the Haute Savoie, and it wouldn't be that far from the truth. I'm in Savoie (73). Why 74 and not 73? Long (and dull) story.
So howdy near neighbour. I hope you were not fried alive in Corsica as further north it has been very warm. I spent the last few days checking out riding routes in the Vosges mountains for a meeting in September. The riding was brilliant fun in the cool mountain top air but each time we dropped down to the valley floor level it was like riding in Death Valley with the temperature soaring to well over 40c. By the end of each day a cool shower and a cool beer or two was essential
Corsica was OK, we were doing the GR20 so at altitude with a bit of breeze - knackering but tolerable. Flew back into Geneva today, 37°C here at 900M. Hot hot hot and tomorrow I have to drop down to Albertville.
