Goodbye 1st Gen...hello 2nd Gen

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by slowbird, Aug 1, 2010.

  1. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    If I could recommend, an AGM (sealed) battery and a Battery Tender Plus will have you in high cotton. No more battery worries with this combo.
     
  2. Dukiedook

    Dukiedook New Member

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    They didn't appear to fit on the set of carbs from my one 86 but they fit on the carbs for the other with the replaced engine- go figure. I think they were both VD BAA 49 states model carbs.
     
  3. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Thanks IC....the AGM battery sounds good (if it's readily available in canada).

    I do have a nifty battery tender....I just never bothered to hook it up to the battery

    Hmmm...that is very odd. The same o-rings fit on one set of VFR750 carbs but not another???
     
  4. Dukiedook

    Dukiedook New Member

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    I know, maybe I was in an altered state the one evening from the gas fumes in the basement and didn't know any better.
    I could have sworn they appeared to be the wrong size on the one set...
     
  5. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Good deal on the Battery Tender Plus. AGMs should be available up in the land of milk and honey. If you are having trouble sourcing this please feel free to send a PM - I'd be happy to send one on up.
     
  6. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Well I ordered those from that website Dookie....i'm counting on you. :tongue:

    Thanks IC. :smile:
     
  7. coffee_brake

    coffee_brake New Member

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    Watching this thread, just learned a whole lot in 6 pages....

    Now I'm all paranoid...I too picked up my '86 VFR700 with crash damage and very low miles. All I did was clean the carbs (several times) and replace battery/tires, and I'm riding the snot out of the very ugly thing.
    Unlike poor Slow, I have an established (but very small) garage, basic tools including a lift and a carb tuner, and a kerosene heater :wink:....and much warmer days here in GA.

    I wonder if I need to go do valves now and check the cams. It sounds great but and valves were supposedly done in the bike's life, but now I wonder....

    Slow the days before you get a decent place to work are hard...you're doing great hanging in there...looks like you have some awesome folks here helping you, and I for one appreciate the info I've already gotten.
    I was only here looking for a way around the stock rear shock...
     
  8. JamieDaugherty

    JamieDaugherty New Member

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    I think this thread is a bit misleading. Owning and riding an older bike, regardless of make/model, will involve making various repairs and overcoming a few challenges along the way. This is not a negative or a downside - it's the fun. If you want something that you can get in and turn the key, buy a 2011 Camaro. That 1968 Camaro will require some carb adjustments and a new set of plugs before cruising the strip, but I guarantee that you'll get more respect and more looks with the 68. The same goes with bikes. If you think something that is 25-odd years old will cause you zero grief then you have been mislead somewhere along the way.

    All generations of VF/VFR are great bikes!
     
  9. coffee_brake

    coffee_brake New Member

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    James you are definitely right. I didn't pick up a 1986 motorcycle without knowing it would have age-related issues. Rubber parts fail with age, period.
    The fun has been how little I've had to do to make the bike streetable!

    Most of my local riding buddies are just as cash-strapped as me and my husband are, and one by one they have all learned (or are now learning) that any, ANY older bike is going to require work to keep it running right. This fact has caused several of them to just sell the bike and quit riding. That "good deal" on an older model will be tempered with the cost of fork seals, carb rebuild kits, tires, batteries, and possibly many gaskets and a tank sealing. Never mind the TIME involved in putting on all those new parts! Then there's the (one-time) expense of tools to install those new parts.
    Finally, the frustrating learning curve of HOW to install those new parts. Nobody would ever mistake me for a mechanic but lots of friends come to me for help adjusting a chain the first time....

    My VFR has been a real joy to bring back to street-worthiness and the cash outlay has been minimal...but then again I already have most of the tools and experience to do the basic things old 80's bikes need, because I've been keeping my bikes on the road by myself for years now. Those of us who are just beginning the process of learning what to do and how to do it (on a teeny-tiny budget) face a formidable challenge, but the learning resources available are immense, especially from helpful places like this one.
     
  10. Lazy in AZ

    Lazy in AZ New Member

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    Sorry, Slow.... been a while since I've been on here enough to notice when I'm being talked to. I was fortunate enough that the excess noise WAS definitely the carbs being out of sync. Once I had the carbs dialed in and the fuel mix adjusted properly she ran quiet and idled fine. 9k miles later now and I just did her scheduled carb synch/idle drop (a must do after 8k miles of riding) and the idle/noise problems are gone. She started running rough at idle so I knew the carbs were out of adjustment - not much, but enough to make it noticeable on cold mornings.

    The only problem I know of on my bike is that the rear exhaust valves are tapping a bit and that it's audible enough now that people go "Got a bit of a valve tap there..." but not enough to go "Holy crap, you need to fix that thing!" I don't know, maybe I'll get to actually adjusting it sometime in the next few months. I really haven't ridden her much in the past few months as my roomy was getting bitchy about the ride to school being too cold and he insisted that we take the car instead.

    Oh, and before I sign off.... those float bowl gaskets you were talking about replacing? Tell Honda to F off and die... you can save yourself $35 and get a set of #041 o-rings from any hydraulic shop for less than $10. The only difference is that they are not pre-bent for the bowl. Just use a tad bit of petroleum jelly to hold the gaskets in place while you install them. I have them in mine and they work perfectly!

    Best of luck restoring her, I've got a ways to go before she is in the condition I want her in but it's gonna be a fun ride getting there!
     
  11. Alaskan

    Alaskan Member

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    I have Interceptor bookends - 1st Gen and 6th Gen. My experience with these bikes teaches me that I prefer superior function over inferior function.
     
  12. coffee_brake

    coffee_brake New Member

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    Don't we all? Some of our wallets dictate what level of function we get....
     
  13. matt1986vf500f

    matt1986vf500f New Member

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    Surely not.
     
  14. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Thanks for all the advice and positive vibes everyone. I am still going slowly with the bike fixing, and I do love it at times...though my lack of storage and indoor work area is frustrating. The plan was to have a ride-able bike and not have to do all this work over winter but plans never always go as expected, eh?

    Jamie, I don't see how this thread is "misleading". These are actual problems I am having and it's not like I'm making it up. The carbs are messed...i have a worn cam....the valves are a tad noisy and the can of worms keeps opening.
    I wish it wasn't so but it's the truth. I'll stick with it until they are all sorted out or until I hit a wall that prevents me from going any further.

    Until then I collect my little mountain of parts and wait for the weather to warm up enough to try tackling the old bugger.
     
  15. Pcohen

    Pcohen New Member

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    Well.. if slow owned a reliable bike then what would he have to complain about...? We would probably never hear from the poor guy!
     
  16. matt1986vf500f

    matt1986vf500f New Member

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    :pound: I love this forum!
     
  17. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Ohhh...I'm sure I'd find the time to come online and poke fun at certain folk. ;-)
     
  18. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Ok....so I'm starting to get the bike back together.....I'm currently working on the carbs. See thread: http://vfrworld.com/forums/1st-2nd-generation-1983-1989/33860-need-help-setting-float-level-2nd-gen-vfr750.html

    Dookie: Those Bowl Gaskets seem to be the right fit....thanks to you and SM for suggesting them.

    I got a new float Valve assy from Honda for that one carb that I'm having issues with....though after I installed it I noticed the new Float seat has 2.6 written on it while all the old ones say 2.4
    Is that gonna be a problem?
     
  19. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    Stamped numbers refer to inlet hole size, therefore max fuel flow rate, not a problem unless you're dragracing.
    But I have found during some rebuilds that the needles supplied are VERY slightly different in length from original items, and that changes proper float height setting.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2011
  20. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Thanks Squirrel.

    The needle in the float valve assy I got from Honda didn't look different...the tip just looked newer.

    Alright....i'll set all the float levels to 9mm, install the new float bowl o-rings and then cross my fingers
     
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