1999 Honda VFR800 Resurrection

Starting Point:

I picked up this 99 in December from a seller on Craigslist. It had been sitting for a while, but I didn't realize exactly how long. Turns out, almost 11 years of sitting/practically no miles. Plastics were solid, faded, but no major cracks/ flaws, pretty much all stock with just a tick over 13k miles. When I showed up to look at the bike (after driving 5 hours), it wouldn't start because the battery was dead and the key didn't match the gas cap for whatever reason. I bought it taking a risk, but $1500 for a complete 5th gen was a risk I was willing to take.

Here's the bike just after being unloaded, straight from TN to the shop in SC:



Here are a few pictures to show a few things I ran across while getting the bike back on the road.







Without further ado, here's what I ended up doing to help the ol girl out.

Motobatt battery
POR15 tank sealer kit to deal with rusty tank
Sent the injectors to InjectorRX since only one was spraying.
TPO Parts PAIR Delete
JT Steel Sprockets
DID 530 VX Gold Chain
NGK Spark Plugs
Coolant flushed and filled with Engine Ice
Complete brake and clutch fluid flush
Rebuilt clutch slave cylinder
K&N Air Filter
CNC non-locking gas cap
Fresh oil and filter
Fuel rails and lines ultrasonically cleaned
Broke the fuel pump strainer, didn't want to buy a whole new pump, found out that the strainer from a 94 Honda Accord fits. Saved $230 right there
Michelin Pilot Road 3's

With this work, she ran!



For 2 weeks.

VFRs never have electrical problems, do they? :uncomfortableness:





A completely fried Rick's R/R. This will not do.

Here's my final solution:

Shindengen FH020AA MOSFET R/R from Roadstercycle, 10GA wiring fromt the battery, and I replaced the stock connector with a Metripack 630 connector.



Ebay voltmeter, and the final results: 14.3V at idle.



Now that it's mechanically and electrically sorted, here's the mod list:

Randakk's Amazing Grips
NEC throttle lock
HK shorty levers
Tech Spec C3 tank grips
OEM Honda ST1300 tank protector



Yoshimura RS3 stainless slip-on
Givi rack (old style, now replaced with the 257FZ)
Plastidipped the stock screen and a bit of the nose black



00-01 Emgo mirrors with extender blocks
Blue gauge LEDs

That's it for now, but look for more in the future!

In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the 1300 miles of fun we have shared together...









And finally, with my cousin's bike: keeping the family in V4s...



RD

 

Great job ,the 5th gens are the best. Shame the electrics ain't.

 

Always nice to see another 5th Gen back on the road. Good job, enjoy.

 

Woooooooooooooooow :scared:
Great job bringing her back to life. She look much better :thumb:
Thanks for sharing.

 

Outstanding, great job.
She looks happy.
ATGATT.

 

She looks great. Do those Emgo mirrors fit on the 98-99 models without any modification? Do they fit without the extender blocks?

 

They do. Make sure to get the rubber base for a 00-01 from Partzilla or somewhere. Take the bolt out of the Emgo mirror and hit it with black paint or replace with stainless, as it will rust within a couple months.

 

High five on saving a VFR from the grave.

 

It's had close to 14000 miles put on it by me already, so I declare it resurrected for sure.

 

Thanks SC

 

I love your response to the fried R/R, made that thing into a tank. Done and done, lol.

 

How is the plastidip holding up?

 

On the windscreen, it's peeling a bit. Needs redone, but i rushed the job initially.

On the fairing, it's holding up just fine. Would I dip any areas that I would contact while riding? Nope, but just as a styling addition, it's working nicely.