My 1986 VF500F revival

noice!!

 

I tried getting the 85 tank installed today, but I'm having an issue with the petcock.

I don't have the Actual screen that goes up into the tank, I have a repro piece. And when I install the petcock with the screen attached, if you so much as look at it wrong, the screen comes off. And I'd rather not have it lost inside the tank so I'll just go without it for now

So now I am going to try and find an oring that will fit the petcock oring indentation. The one I got from Honda is slightly smaller than the opening, but is perfect when it's on the screen, as it has something on the inside to keep it taut.

Probably a 1.5x10.5 or something close. Got a hydraulic supply pretty close so hopefully I can find something that will work.


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I also tried getting the carb heat shield installed but ran into an issue.

Either the heat shield is bent, the frame tabs are bent, or I have the wrong shield. I believe it is the 84/85 shield and I'm running the 85 carbs, but with an 86 engine and frame.

Currently, if installed the heat shield would rest on top of the fan motor. No bueno

And the holes in the rubber are obviously for the throttle cables and the idle stop screw, but the angle is totally wrong.

Do the frame tabs look correct or bent upwards?

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Got the 85 tank installed and lines hooked up today.

Also decided to try another clutch line to see if there was any change with the odd lever feel. No dice

No matter how much I bleed the master, there are bubbles coming from the return port.

I disassembled the master cylinder again to inspect the bore. Looks like shit with pitting in one area.

Guessing the pitting is not making a good seal, making the lever bite point slightly random.

Also found a pic of a naked frame on eBay and lo and behold, those tabs that hold the heat shield are supposed to be horizontal
Guess whoever the moron that tried to seat the carbs before me used the prybar right there
Oh well, easily fixed and the shield is installed.

One step forward, two steps back

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Changed out the clutch MC today for an eBay special.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...1&share_fid=1656&share_type=t&link_source=app

Seems to work a heck of a lot better than the old.

On to the next project on it's list

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No wonder the fairing and gauges were crooked to one side.

And she runs gooooood sweet little engine

Feels good to have all the plastics back on. They don't really match to the year, but they are there. Even the chin fairing

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Got her up on the triple stand today.

Pin size is the same as the 6th Gen so

Got the front wheel off to have new rubber mounted. Sweet baby Jaysus! A 2 piece front axle?!

Noticed one of the caliper bolts is a custom with a few washers, will probably order one of those as well as rubber gaskets for the valve cover bolts, they are weeping a bit.

I can't get the rear wheel off with the front.. not sure what's going on, the shock is blown? But the rear wheel hangs pretty low. Even on the center stand I have to put her on a plank so it's high enough to spin.

So 2 trips for tire change.

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Pervious owner had a 130/80 on the rear! I just noticed that when I was looking for the date code

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6 mo. + break?
Triple stand?
What is 'I can't get the rear wheel off with the front.'

 

Triple stand = head lift so I can remove the front wheel

If I have the triple stand up, I can't take off the rear wheel because the angle pushes the rear wheel to the ground

I took a break because my garage is unheated and the winters here get below freezing
I'm not holding a metal ratchet on metal fasteners in freezing temps lol. Too old for that shit

Plus I have a daily already this is just a side project

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I have to pull the rear first on a bunch of my bikes. Normal-ish.

 

I know I'm spoiled with my setup, but every time I read a sentence like this my brain has a hard time processing it.

 

The two piece front axle and the multi-piece axle clamps are my least favorite part of the whole bike.

Regarding the rear wheel lift--my rear stand barely gets the wheel off the ground. Not quite an inch.

 

You can always convert to your 86 VFR fork lowers. Both are 37mm.

 

Hmm, certainly something to consider. I assume that would require swapping to the VFR front wheel as well? I think I'm content to stay with how I've got it currently after putting the time and money into getting the racetech emulators setup. It's just the alignment part that I find tricky compared to pushing through a solid axle, tighten axle nut, tighten pinch bolt, done.

 

I know I'm not in any real hurry to get her going. But now we have some warmer days and I can get things done without freezing fingers.

The front wheel wasn't terribly difficult.. it was more just figuring it out.

Second time will be much faster. The hardest bolt to undo was the horn bracket

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Looking back, I suppose I could have removed the rear wheel first, then the front and shed be up on the triple stand and the center stand.. but I got a weird feeling about the center stand anyway. The bike teeters forward and back a little more than I'd like.

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Your Emulators stay exactly where they are now. You would have to change the bearings in the VF wheel to 20mm. Think you would need VFR brakes tho.

I know I say this shit like, "why don't you just..", but I have so many parts kicking around here that I forget it's just not that easy.

The next (last) VF500F I build is getting the VFR forks.

 

"I took a break because my garage is unheated and the winters here get below freezing"

I know how you feel jstehman, it was a brisk 71* in my open garage yesterday. Had to go for shorts and T-shirt.

 

Got the new one piece clutch line installed.

Looks good, feels good bleeding took all of 3 minutes

Gotta go shopping for that YSS rear shock now.

Sorry no pics. Tapatalk doesn't like phones apparently




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