what did you do to your vfr today?

I guess it was ride to work day, i work nights so i left work in the 86, then that night i went in the 96. Gotta keep those carbs clean. One of these days i'll get around to cleaning them both at the same time and getting a shot of em together....

 

I took both wheel to the dealer, where I work, because the service writer said he knew a guy that can fix my dented 6th gen VFR wheel. The dent is big enough to pooch out but the tire bead still seals. It makes me nervous and I want it fixed. In the worst case scenario, it would have to be replace the dented wheel with a used unit but I want to try everything I can not to do that. I left my new Shinko tires and wheels there on Friday and I stopped in today to check on my wheels. It turns out that they don’t know anyone that can fix a rim. He thought I said ‘fix plastic.” That’s not what I said and not what I heard but that is neither here nor there. I should have known better. Corporate shops do not “fix” wheels. They throw them out and order new ones. We used to beat dents out of those fragile BMW snowflake wheels and these VFR wheels are a hell of a lot tougher than those.

I regress: They did mount and balance the back tire and they pulled the front tire off the rim for me. I was driving home and thinking “I could beat the dent out myself. The worst that could happen is I break the wheel and I would be no worse off than I am now.” So I stopped off at the local hardware store and purchased a fresh bottle of propane. I cleared the floor in the shop of flammable objects and I laid out my kit, consisting of a large rubber mallet, a 5 pound sledge hammer, a striker to light the torch and some gloves to keep from burning my soft and doughy office worker hands.

I laid the wheel on two, 2x4s to keep the brake disks off the ground and heated up the dent. In less than 15 really good whacks with the sledge and the dent was gone. There is still a slight dimple in the wheel that you can feel if you run your finger over it. I mounted the new tire myself and I will get it balanced when I get into town on Thursday. I am really happy with the resulting wheel. That saves me a bunch of money and moves the project forward. I might be able to actually ride it at the end of the week.

 

I hope you gave yourself a warranty for the wheel straightening work Jim!

 

ride it- the best vfr rider in the world -wolf

 

If I thought for a moment that the wheel was the least bit unsafe I would not hesitate to toss it.

 

Sorry, wasn't casting aspersions there Jim. I'd do the same. I straightened a front brake disc carrier and lived to tell the tale!

 

Today I took one more step towards getting the VFR on the road: I bought Insurance!
In Michigan, it is not possible to get a plate without proof of insurance. Tomorrow, the PLATE!

 

I know and I didn't take it that way even if my reply sounded snarky. If the metal had show fatigue cracks or if there were deformities that effected the tire seal I would have put it in the scrap pile and carried on. I do think that in our litigation happy society more and more businesses are unwilling to fix items that are good and useful on the grounds that they might be unsafe.

 

Ok, so first off I'll confess. Bless me father for I have sinned. I have had my bike apart since winter and have not gone for a ride yet this summer. :cower:

That being said, I plastic welded the crack in the bodywork, and paint is drying as I type. Once painting is done, I will post pics. and info. about the paint I used. I should have her back up and running this weekend. :eagerness:

Jose

 

w00t!!!! that shizz looks hawwwwwt!!!

 

Wednesday was indeed the plate day, installed on the VFR, and out we went for a 25 (S)mile ride!

No chance at that Thursday, hit the ground running at 6:16 and just let up 18+ hours later. Other obligations this weekend, but Monday is shaping up to be another (longer) ride day!

 

Way to frame your shot in the rear view. Canada Eh?

 

While I waited on my 6th Gen parts to arrive I changed out the blade actuator cable and did the PMs on one of my riding mowers. I have an acre of yard and another acre of pasture attached to the house property so I am always mowing something. The blades were horrible with blunt edges and the oil change was long overdue. It cuts like a new mower now and the blade actuator is smooth as butta’! I moved all the bikes to the front of the shop so that I had room to work on it indoors. The smells of oil, grease and grass brought back fond memories of my grandfather’s lawn mower shop. I got my start in mechanics tearing down lawn mower engines for my grandfather. The only thing missing was the smell of cigarette smoke.

 

Oh that reminds me, a very HOT CHICK works at my work place with that license plate
CANADA EH...

 

There was a leaf??

 

I've just had an awesome day - pictures will need to follow tomorrow.....

 

I guess you stopped dropping bits inside the engine?

SkiMad