It was too cheap!

I have been a confirmed fifth gen owner for many years, but recently a 2009 which had sat on the local auction site reached my "buy now" level. The bike has 85000km, and the PO had parked it in 2022 after an inspection failure due to thin front discs. I just so happen to have a complete set of near-new lovely gold wheels with discs that I bought speculatively 5 years ago. The bike also has the dreaded cam chain rattle at low revs, a cracked windscreen, leaking fork seals and very minor stationery drop damage, but the seller put zero effort into resolving any of those or even cleaning the bike for photos (or possibly at all, during his ownership...). His loss, my gain!

I collected the bike last night and survived a chilly ride home which did not reveal any unexpected faults aside from weird handling due to low tyre pressures. I'm looking forward to peeling off the covers and giving this dirty bike a good scrubbing, and then setting to rectifying the faults. I am planning on trying the "two turns of extra spring preload" fix for the CCT but replacements don't look too expensive. I will also check out the valve clearances; as I don't want to buy the small dowels to lock the VTEC valves, can someone tell me what diameter rod I need to get to make my own?

And no new post is complete without a photo...

Congrats Terry! Looking forward to more pics on those great NZ roads.

Such a great color on a 6th Gen. Congratulations on the acquisition! Yes more pictures would be welcomed!

I'm going to repaint the fork legs in satin black when I fit my new/old gold wheels, so I end up with this. I must admit that I really do like the 6G's lines, even my wife commented what a nice looker it is.

[image: VFR_800_12_1.jpg]

Great looker for sure Terry. I'm sure the Candy Red with the silver wheels was for 2008, 2009 saw the same colour scheme but with the gold wheels, black frame and forks.

My 2009 Sword Silver with gold wheels was a great looker and all round fantastic bike.

As for re tweaking the CCT springs, that just doesn't seem to work as a long term fix. And especially with the front CCT you don't want to be in and out of the Vee replacing it again as it's a PITA. Best fit a new oem. Rear CCT is easily accessible.

Have fun with it Terry hope it brings you tons of riding joy.

Cheers. :fing02:

27 minutes ago, Grum

Great looker for sure Terry. I'm sure the Candy Red with the silver wheels was for 2008, 2009 saw the same colour scheme but with the gold wheels.

My 2009 Sword Silver with gold wheels was a great looker and all round fantastic bike.

As for re tweaking the CCT springs, that just doesn't seem to work as a long term fix. And especially with the front CCT you don't want to be in and out of the Vee replacing it again as it's a PITA. Best fit a new oem. Rear CCT is easily accessible.

Have fun with it Terry hope it brings you tons of riding joy.

Cheers. :fing02:

Thanks Graeme. I bought as a bit of a project so I am not fussed if I have to tinker from time to time.

Do I take it that you did the CCT re-tension on your 6G and it did not work? Or just not for very long? Did you also increase the oil feed hole size?

16 minutes ago, Terry

Thanks Graeme. I bought as a bit of a project so I am not fussed if I have to tinker from time to time.

Do I take it that you did the CCT re-tension on your 6G and it did not work? Or just not for very long? Did you also increase the oil feed hole size?

Correct, I gave it a go and within days the chain chatter was back, all solved with a new one. I'm also of the belief that increasing the oil feed hole does Jack, as these tensioners are not like some of the early car type plunger tensioners that certainly did rely on oil pressure in the punger to do the job, the VFR CCT's don't rely on oil pressure from the oil feed, just purely for lubrication. The VFR CCT's I've removed (3 of) have all been very adequately bathed in oil and operated smoothy, think it's an issue with heat cycles, vibration and age that the spring tension starts to go off resulting in chain chatter up at the head covers, probably a fine line with CCT's in applying just the right tension.

Nice score on that great looking 6th gen.  Congrats!!  🙂

The great clean up has commenced. I picked up some bits and pieces and set to work on Saturday stripping all the bodywork and cleaning. A new bike is always an interesting puzzle to solve when it comes to bodywork and the different fasteners used. Only found one chewed out fairing bolt, but someone had kindly cut a slot in that for a big screwdriver.

[image: IMG_6496.thumb.JPG.d30b0112ad262780d49b61e01f636ed6.JPG]

The level of gunge was amazing; the PO had been a motorcycle courier in UK back in the day and had treated his VFR like a dispatch bike, where cleaning wasn't a priority... Seemes to be well maintained under all the dirt with evidence of antiseize on fasteners and none over-tight. I spent all of Saturday with degreaser and a scrubbing brush transferring years of oily mess from the bike to me. Great clumps of dirt were washed out from all nooks and crannies, but I can see i have more to do around the suspension and swingarm. 

I removed some bodgy combination numberplate light/bolts; the PO had not realised there was a standard light (new bulb needed)!. One H4 headlight plug was completely absent and evidence of burning on the loose connectors; new socket fitted, back to two headlights.

The forks disassembled easily and were predictably nasty in side, obviously was some water mixing in the oil and a deep layer of gunge in the fork bottoms but near-new bushings, and no tube nicks. Fitted some new seals and refilled with clean oil, then set to prepping the legs for paint, which I did on Sunday.

I did the dreaded brake caliper clean yesterday, and the right caliper was hideous, full of a mix of fork oil, brake dust and dirt, and took a LOT of scrubbing to get it all off. The pistons were nice and clean and moving well, so I buttoned them up with new pads and called that done.  A full brake flush is in the plan.

The bike has a K&N air filter which was a little manky, but responded well to cleaning and re-oiling. The airbox was nice and clean but there was some emulsion in the breather tube; I think this bike needs a good thrashing to dry out after a few years of neglect. The engine oil window shows a little evidence of this too. 

Then I pulled the sprocket cover off, and yet again there was a gritty, greasy mess around that area; it needs a deeper clean, but for now I have scraped all the big lumps out, and so far avoided tracking any of that onto the carpet...I disassembled the clutch master, seal was good and I polished up the piston, and I cleaned and greased the pushrod. The cutch was complete PITA to bleed, even with my vacuum bleeder there was too much air leaking around the nipple until I wrapped that in thread tape. The clutch master had a layer of grey goop in the floor so all of that was removed. 

I bought a nice new T32 front tyre and some 90 degree stems from the dealer. When I fitted the stem, it seemed kind of small for the hole and I wondered how it would seal, but found that out after fitting the tyre and blowing it up. Apparently there are 8mm and 10mm holes, and I needed the bigger one... Bugger!

I have taken Grum's sage advice and orders up new tensioners from Webike in Japan; great prices, hopefully decent shipping times too. 

Anyway, she's all coming together pretty well. 

[image: IMG_6497.thumb.JPG.5dfbe6086218aaaedbc9326416bcc1ae.JPG]

Those black fork bottoms look mint. That's going to be a definite winter project. 

Really looking nice Terry. The gold wheel and black forks look brand new, love the colour combination. You're not wasting any time getting some serious work done.

Tyre valves - Had a new rear tyre fitted to my 6gen years ago, wasn't aware they also fitted a new valve stem, just slightly longer than the original, kept hearing a tic tic sound when riding as the valve stem was hitting the brake caliper. Beware of valve stem height on a 6gen rear wheel.

Keep the pictures coming.

P.s. How's the ST's Neutral Switch behaving, no further starting issues?

Cheers. :fing02:

1 hour ago, Grum

Really looking nice Terry. The gold wheel and black forks look brand new, love the colour combination. You're not wasting any time getting some serious work done.

Tyre valves - Had a new rear tyre fitted to my 6gen years ago, wasn't aware they also fitted a new valve stem, just slightly longer than the original, kept hearing a tic tic sound when riding as the valve stem was hitting the brake caliper. Beware of valve stem height on a 6gen rear wheel.

Keep the pictures coming.

P.s. How's the ST's Neutral Switch behaving, no further starting issues?

Cheers. :fing02:

I actually bought the wheels off Highside, a member here, who put a 5G motor in a 6G chassis, and then (I think) put an R1 front end on, plus sexy wheels. These don't look to have seen much use and have been living on a shelf in my garage for 5? years. 

Good tip on the valve length, I had a small issue with 90 degree stems on my 86 750 but could rotate the stem for clearance. 

The ST has been starting on the button since I changed the switch. To be fair, the weather has not encouraged to many rides lately...

That is a beauty of a bike, the very best of luck with it Terry! Looks like you're getting stuck in to the work too!

Is the cam chain tensioner failing a very common issue on this generation? I don't think I've had it as an issue on my 6th gen. Certainly wasn't on my 4th gen  :goofy: (I know I know, gears!).

On the topic of fairing fasteners and whatnot, isn't it amazing how nicely the bodywork removes from the 6th gen? I'm comparing it to my 4th generation which, obviously, is a good deal older and the plastic more brittle. 

4 hours ago, fabio222

That is a beauty of a bike, the very best of luck with it Terry! Looks like you're getting stuck in to the work too!

Is the cam chain tensioner failing a very common issue on this generation? I don't think I've had it as an issue on my 6th gen. Certainly wasn't on my 4th gen  :goofy: (I know I know, gears!).

On the topic of fairing fasteners and whatnot, isn't it amazing how nicely the bodywork removes from the 6th gen? I'm comparing it to my 4th generation which, obviously, is a good deal older and the plastic more brittle. 

From my reading it seems that the CCTs are a weak point on the 6G, fortunately they don't look too hard to swap, and aside from getting noisy there don't appear to be any consequenial effects. The same issue occurs on the VTR1000F Firestorm, but on that bike the front CCT failing is often catastrophic resulting in valves getting bent by piston contact...

I took the fairing strip slow and steady; the only bits that were difficult were the small panels either side of the instruments, probably due to the grommets being very dry. I make a practise of adding a smear of silicone grease to these which should make it an easier job next time. Other than that and the multitude of the weird plastic push-connectors it was easy enough. 

I reassembled the front end last night and the gold wheel, black fork and red fender certainly do pop! Unfortunately my front brakes are now not releasing after application so I will be stripping the master for a clean soon...

My wife observed that I was spending a lot of time on the bike too...she has suggested that if I keep at this pace, my "project" will be over too soon. Women, eh?

49 minutes ago, Terry

From my reading it seems that the CCTs are a weak point on the 6G, fortunately they don't look too hard to swap, and aside from getting noisy there don't appear to be any consequenial effects. The same issue occurs on the VTR1000F Firestorm, but on that bike the front CCT failing is often catastrophic resulting in valves getting bent by piston contact...

I have what's left of a Firestorm valve on my shop shelf from when I was riding one.  I had to hold about 3K RPM at stop lights with 5 foot flames shooting out the high mount Two Bros pipes.   The owner of the bike on another bike next to me looked at me and shrugged his shoulders....    "Just get it home".   Can do, we were about a mile or two away from my place.

He had the choice of buying the '98 Superhawk or a '98 VFR.  He still regrets his decision.

51 minutes ago, Captain 80s

I have what's left of a Firestorm valve on my shop shelf from when I was riding one.  I had to hold about 3K RPM at stop lights with 5 foot flames shooting out the high mount Two Bros pipes.   The owner of the bike on another bike next to me looked at me and shrugged his shoulders....    "Just get it home".   Can do.

He had the choice of buying the '98 Superhawk or a '98 VFR.  He still regrets his decision.

When I bought 1997 VTR, the first thing I did after getting it home was to change the tensioners for manual items. More time consuming to maintain and I had to learn about tensioning them correctly, but it got rid of my impending doom feelings.

We switched to manual tensioners after the warranty repair.

I have spent a few more evenings working on the VFR, getting the front end reassembled and testing the brakes. The dealer that sold me the 90 degree stems was decent and swapped them for the correct size, and I was able to shame them into physically swapping them from my wheel, so well done Auckland Honda.

The brakes have been a little frustrating as there is an inordinate amount of drag between the new pads and new (old) discs. So far I have disassembled and cleaned the master (in perfect condition apart from external dirt) and then did the same to the calipers. I had the seals out and the grooves were spotless and the seals perfect to eye and feel, and the pistons are unmarked, so it has all been cleaned and reassembled with some silicone lube, including the sliding pins, and the pistons slid in smoothly with no binding. The result is about the same; I can get about 3/4 of a revolution with a good shove on the wheel. I suspect the discs have got a bit of surface corrosion (they sat in my unheated garage for 5 years) and I have some assertive new pads, so assume this will correct itself with a short ride. Anyway...on the bright side, I know they are all clean now!

As I had to break the SMC line to get the LHS caliper off, I carried on to the do the back caliper and will repeat the full strip and clean process (it had a great coating of chain lube and other grunge), and then get into a decent bleed.

I learned my lesson with the clutch slave, so I am carefully adding some thread tape to all the bleed screws as I work. The back pads were just about worn through so intervention was timely. 

More than likely, a few miles with those new pads will sort itself out.

One thing I've done since the mid 90's, is always bead blast the surface area of the rotors when changing pads. Luckily we have a bead blaster at my workplace .

Not knowing the previous pad material and such, I'm starting fresh and new and it always seems to reduce said drag on the ones that I experienced any.

Also, I always give the bobbins a good cleaning on both sides and a spin with larger flat blade screw driver to make sure they are "floating" correctly.

6 hours ago, VeeEffArah

More than likely, a few miles with those new pads will sort itself out.

One thing I've done since the mid 90's, is always bead blast the surface area of the rotors when changing pads. Luckily we have a bead blaster at my workplace .

Not knowing the previous pad material and such, I'm starting fresh and new and it always seems to reduce said drag on the ones that I experienced any.

Also, I always give the bobbins a good cleaning on both sides and a spin with larger flat blade screw driver to make sure they are "floating" correctly.

Thanks, those are some helpful suggestions. I think I will give the discs a light sanding to remove the surface corrosion before I give it a test ride. I know all the slidey bits are slidey and properly aligned so corrosion is my last likely drag cause.

I finished off the back caliper last night, then did the dreaded linked brake bleed starting from empty lines. Actually not as painful as I thought, I followed the manual which (unless there is a typo) goes PCV --> Rear Centre --> PCV --> Rear outers --> Front left centre. The repeat on the PCV was interesting, not sure if it was needed, but the brakes bled up like a charm with great pedal feel.

I'm expecting a new Aliexpress screen to be delivered shortly, and I have some new grips to go on (the old Hot Grips had been worn to slicks). Then I plan to swap the 50% worn Road 5 onto my nice gold rear wheel, and then move to a coolant, oil and filter change. The new CCT's have been dispatched from Japan so should see those in the next 7 days I hope. 

That gold wheel certainly makes the stock silver wheel look a bit dull! Good thing I like cleaning though...

[image: IMG_6500.JPG]

And this is what I have ended up with. I have even been out for a sneaky run around the block, and the bike is now handling, braking and running sweetly. The camchain rattle disappears after 2K and I am left with a lovely induction bark and an appetite for revs. The clutch remains quite grabby and also has a decent rattle, so I think I will get some new fibre discs next. I also checked out the plugs and they look like they may never have been changed, so will order up some of those expensive little blighters as well.

Very nice Terry! 

Great job Terry, really looks nice and classy.

You didn't waste any time in getting it to this state. Glad you found something to fit the Gold Wheels you had sitting around. :fing02:

Do you use some secret sauce on the black bits like the chain cover or was it still new looking and not faded yet?

Terry, those gold wheels really compliment the candy red paint.... :fing02:

Thanks gents, yes I'm really happy with my purchase. I gave the bike a thorough polishing last night and it shone up beautifully. There's no truth in the rumour that I bought a bike to go with my wheels...

I do use Armorall on black plastics and unless there is a lot of sun damage, the plastic absorbs the treatment and eventually it will come back to near new. I have also used a different restorer on my ST1300 from Cerakote and that has done a great job.

I thought I would have a go at the camchain tensioner pre-loading. I gave both tensioners two additional turns, as expected the back one was easy, the front was a little challenging as I left the tank in place and just pushed the hoses aside. A little nerve wracking as it took a little manoevering to get it clear of the hoses, but we got there. And guess what...it is about 95% better. I'm wondering if a decent starter valve synch might get rid of the last bit of clatter? I think that the front tensioner spring end had come out of its slot in the end of the tensioner. 

Did a bit more polishing on bolt heads polished the heat shield and repainted the passenger peg brackets. Not sure the PO would recognise this bike now.

Don't tell the missus, but the Mancave is looking a little crowded now...

Lucky you to have the space and the wonderful Honda toys. 6gen is bloody beautiful, looks like new, top job as always Terry. I take my hat off to you mate. :fing02:

Spent a fun hour in the Mancave this evening with my Morgan Carbtune gauges and had a good tweak of the starter valves. They were miles out with the rear two cylinders much higher than the front, and it took a bit of fiddling to get them all even, but what a great result. The clutch rattle is nearly gone and the bike sounds SWEET. So different to the clattering monster that I rode home a little over two weeks ago. I get the odd small backfire when I blip the throttle which is quite similar to my ST1300.

https://youtu.be/xxLCWHVN_vM

In other news, the new camchain tensioners that I ordered 10 days ago from Webike Japan have arrived. I compared pricing to Partzilla and Webike was a clear winner. US$48 each for two tensioners, plus freight. The big decision now is whether to leave my "tweaked" tensioners in place or swap in the new ones?

Great job Terry. The bike sounds perrrrrrrfect. Don't bother with the CCT'S your bike will tell you when it would like a newy. Suggest releasing the spring tension off the plunger, fully extended, a bit oil, then plastic bag them for the future.

Great bike, Go Ride.

Cheers.

12 minutes ago, Grum

Great job Terry. The bike sounds perrrrrrrfect. Don't bother with the CCT'S your bike will tell you when it would like a newy. Suggest releasing the spring tension off the plunger, fully extended, a bit oil, then plastic bag them for the future.

Great bike, Go Ride.

Cheers.

Good suggestion about releasing the tension for storage Graham; can't do any harm, although they were supplied fully wound.

Need to find time to get a WOF inspection, then I can get properly road legal. 

Terry, 7/24/2024 at 7:21 PM

Good suggestion about releasing the tension for storage Graham; can't do any harm, although they were supplied fully wound.

Need to find time to get a WOF inspection, then I can get properly road legal. 

They come like that I'm sure, to minimise packaging space and cost, probably adds protection to the plunger having fully it retracted as well.

Good luck with the WOF inspection, have no doubt the bike will cruise through it.

Enjoy the new ride mate. :fing02:

Had my first decent country ride today, about 300km all up. The bike ran beautifully, very smooth and the brakes are great, and the handling decent. It was interesting experiencing the VTEC transition; it is very smooth at large throttle openings but there is a bit of softness around 6K and a harsher transition to VTEC at part throttle. I'm guessing this is a feature, not a bug...

My experience is that VTEC tends to operate just as you describe. The transition between 2 and 4 valves is most noticeable when the engine and oil is still relatively cool. Gets better (less noticeable/smoother) as things get hotter but it is always there and gentle throttle opening around the transition point can sometimes feel like a bit of a stumble. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Beautiful machine by the way and lovely clear photos.

3 hours ago, Presson

My experience is that VTEC tends to operate just as you describe. The transition between 2 and 4 valves is most noticeable when the engine and oil is still relatively cool. Gets better (less noticeable/smoother) as things get hotter but it is always there and gentle throttle opening around the transition point can sometimes feel like a bit of a stumble. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Beautiful machine by the way and lovely clear photos.

Thanks for that. Your description of a "stumble" is spot-on.

I got stuck into the clutch today using a TRK kit from Wemoto; gave the plates the obligatory overnight oil bath, picked the old gasket off carefully and also deglazed the steels while I was in there. No obvious wear on the clutch basket but the inside of the engine shows signs of overdue oil changes with a nice brown coating on a lot of the engine case. I got to clean out the oil glass which was also a bit scungy. While I was in there poking around I could reach the front camchain and that was not properly tight, so after the clutch swap was over, I blipped the engine and while it was quiet at idle and on acceleration, I could hear the front chain clattering on the overrun, so I installed one of my new tensioners to the front; actually an easy job if you've done it before. This was all good work and rewarding; the clutch now has a nice wide takeup, and the engine sounds better than ever. Happy days!

Great stuff Terry, just confirming, is there no need to remove the TB's to replace the front CCT? I've only ever replaced a couple of easy rear ones.

Hi Terry.

Hope you don't mind me being a PITA fuss pot. Just a small suggestion to get the looks just a little neater I tucked the Fuel Vent Hose just rearward of the head cover behind the frame and it sits there nicely out of sight.

Go from this.

[image: IMG_6519.JPG.6fb2f575f351adfef52a1d95614a44e3.jpeg]

To this.

[image: 20240728_162234.jpg]

35 minutes ago, Grum

Hi Terry.

Hope you don't mind me being a PITA fuss pot. Just a small suggestion to get the looks just a little neater I tucked the Fuel Vent Hose just rearward of the head cover behind the frame and it sits there nicely out of sight.

Go from this.

[image: IMG_6519.JPG.6fb2f575f351adfef52a1d95614a44e3.jpeg]

To this.

[image: 20240728_162234.jpg]

OK Graham, it shall be done. I need to sort the hoses a little, there’s one terminating loose between the front headers at the moment.

Yes you can do the front CCT just by raising the tank and popping off the air box, a little bit of faffing around with a small water hose but patience and care will get by that without any more disassembly. Maybe a 45 minute job. 

A small amount of tinkering this week; I fitted the new rear camchain tensioner, and pulled off the fairing to chase down my errant hose. Turns out the tank vent, which passes around the front of the engine behind the headers, had melted and parted. Bought a metre of new 8mm id fuel hose from a local autoparts store and sorted that. Realigned its path to satisfy Mr OCD from Sunbury. Had a cracking ride today, 310k of twisties, and all was great. What a lovely runner this bike is (now).

42 minutes ago, Terry

Realigned its path to satisfy Mr OCD from Sunbury

Haha just as well, after all the good work you've done, no point in having a daggy hose upsetting its good looks! She's a beaut, glad its putting a smile on your dial. Happy Travels Terry.

Cheers. :beer:

P.s Just curious did the original CCT you had a go at re tensioning the spring start to cause chain chatter again?

And I'd not consider errant hoses and such as OCD. Just how it should be. I spent a couple hours on my RWB sorting the bolts, screws and plastic push pins.

Carry on good man, great encouragement in your efforts.

13 hours ago, Terry

A small amount of tinkering this week; I fitted the new rear camchain tensioner, and pulled off the fairing to chase down my errant hose. Turns out the tank vent, which passes around the front of the engine behind the headers, had melted and parted. Bought a metre of new 8mm id fuel hose from a local autoparts store and sorted that. Realigned its path to satisfy Mr OCD from Sunbury. Had a cracking ride today, 310k of twisties, and all was great. What a lovely runner this bike is (now).

[image: IMG_6545.JPG]

[image: IMG_6547.JPG]

C'mon Terry, stop it! Now I want my 6th gen back! Your bike looks great.

Eight great years it was my only bike--missing your beautiful wheels and of course a different red, but...

[image: 6.3.04 001.jpg]

15 hours ago, Grum

Haha just as well, after all the good work you've done, no point in having a daggy hose upsetting its good looks! She's a beaut, glad its putting a smile on your dial. Happy Travels Terry.

Cheers. :beer:

P.s Just curious did the original CCT you had a go at re tensioning the spring start to cause chain chatter again?

I thought the engine sounded OK with the tweaked original CCTs but when I had the clutch cover off I could directly compare tension between the front and rear chains and it was clear the front still was not right. When I fired the bike up I could actually hear a little clatter on the overrun, so I swapped out the front tensioner, which dealt to the clatter. Then I swapped out the rear tensioner just because I could.

2 hours ago, St. Stephen

C'mon Terry, stop it! Now I want my 6th gen back! Your bike looks great.

Eight great years it was my only bike--missing your beautiful wheels and of course a different red, but...

[image: 6.3.04 001.jpg]

While I do love my 5th gen, I think the 6th has much neater styling. I really like the rear view with those pipes!

9 hours ago, St. Stephen

Eight great years it was my only bike--missing your beautiful wheels and of course a different red, but...

And the lovely 3d VFR badges - can't forget them now, can we?

6 hours ago, Terry

While I do love my 5th gen, I think the 6th has much neater styling. I really like the rear view with those pipes!

I flip-flop on which looks best, but speaking of VFRs with a set of Leo Vince fitted...

Most of my pics are from trips when the bike is loaded with luggage, then I this one after I'd cleaned it up for a long inter's nap back in 2019.

Of course nobody new that the covid-19 pandemic was just around the corner and would throw the world, and my m/c travel plans, into chaos for years.

[image: Df-N17713 _HDR.jpg]

I was gazing at my new toy last night, idly thinking about repainting the rider footrest brackets when I noticed an interesting feature. The bracket where the brake master is attached has an interesting and (I thought) decorative slot. Then it hit me that the designer has thoughtfully made it super easy to adjust the rear brake pedal height, as a spanner will fit through that slot to reach the adjusting nut, while the locknut can be reached directly from below. I felt somewhat foolish as I made some adjustments to the pedal recently and grumbled  that one should not have to unbolt the bracket and master cylinder to do so...🙄

Thanks T. I was todays years old when I found this out. Had to go look at mine to verify and TA-DA.... it's there !!!

Terry, 7/15/2024 at 3:06 PM

When I bought 1997 VTR, the first thing I did after getting it home was to change the tensioners for manual items. More time consuming to maintain and I had to learn about tensioning them correctly, but it got rid of my impending doom feelings.

[image: IMG_0019.JPG]

How did I miss your VTR pic? They are such great bikes, but with an SSSA and a 21 litre fuel tank they'd have been near perfect. I had a red '97, too, and this 2005 back in the late '00's.

3 hours ago, Lorne

How did I miss your VTR pic? They are such great bikes, but with an SSSA and a 21 litre fuel tank they'd have been near perfect. I had a red '97, too, and this 2005 back in the late '00's.

[image: D200-D10826.jpg]

Yes I was very fond of my VTR. It was another of the "it's too cheap!" purchases and I was slightly amazed that my wife thought it was a good idea, and then consented to us driving 200km to collect it the next day...My 97 was a Japanese import (complete with a dropped Japanese coin sitting in the V) and over a couple of years I fitted manual CCT's, some gutted stock exhausts, Ohlins shock and Racetech goodies in the front, plus CBR954 calliper and master. It was a great handler, and just loped along. I sold it for nearly double what I paid for it (as long as you ignore all the extras that I added, maths was never a strong suit for me...).

I spent a bit more time on the VFR during the week as my long-awaited iridium plugs arrived; I was not in a tearing hurry and bought them new on eBay from a US vendor, US$90 delivered, vs local pricing of US$134. The old plugs looked like original items being Nippon Densos and very well worn. [image: IMG_6573.thumb.JPG.42b990c3098a507c9593ea1e04dbd72a.JPG]The plug change was easy enough except for the right rear coil retaining screw which was a complete bastard to undo, requiring penetrating oil and an impact driver before it cried enough, and of course I had to remove the tank to get access. Whilst I was in there I also disconnected the PAIR solenoid plug and plugged the intake flapper actuator as well. 

Those changes all seem like good things, and the flat spot before the VTEC activation seems to be much less noticeable, whereas previously it almost felt like the bike was running out of fuel. Had a lovely 300km ride to celebrate and it was all good. I know the flapper has no effect barring sound but I happen to like that.

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For good measure and because the weather was nice, I also pulled the big blue bus out for a 300km run; I had forgotten just how comfortable and well-suspended this one is, and it made me think about a suspension upgrade for the VTEC...

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Terry, 7/24/2024 at 2:01 AM

new camchain tensioners that I ordered 10 days ago from Webike Japan have arrived.

Thanks for the tip about Webike Japan, they are well under half of Partzilla's price is. Even with shipping & currency exchange my net cost will be about half that of my local dealer in Canada.

40 minutes ago, Lorne

Thanks for the tip about Webike Japan, they are well under half of Partzilla's price is. Even with shipping & currency exchange my net cost will be about half that of my local dealer in Canada.

You're very welcome. I would like to support my local dealer and importer but they refuse to hold stock and whenever I want something it is always "ex Japan, 6 weeks ETA, please pay up front" and then a charge that makes your eyes water. I used to use Partzilla but sometime around COVID their shipping costs went from tolerable to uncomfortable. The Webike portal is not the easiest to navigate but OK as long as you know your part numbers, and I may buy a Hurricane bar kit next. Another site that I have bought from is Wemoto as they have a location in Australia that is handy-ish and their prices and service have been great.

VeeEffArah, 7/20/2024 at 12:37 PM

Do you use some secret sauce on the black bits like the chain cover or was it still new looking and not faded yet?

Was thinking this myself!

The black plastics on my Deauville NT700v are notorious for fading to grey (cue that song by Visage being stuck in my mind!). Nothing I applied would sort it so used black trim colour which is meant to last at least a year and it's holding up alright so far.

Something tells me the plastics on the VFR were higher quality....

3 hours ago, fabio222

Was thinking this myself!

The black plastics on my Deauville NT700v are notorious for fading to grey (cue that song by Visage being stuck in my mind!). Nothing I applied would sort it so used black trim colour which is meant to last at least a year and it's holding up alright so far.

Something tells me the plastics on the VFR were higher quality....

I have used this on my ST1300: https://cerakoteceramics.com/cerakote-ceramic-trim-coat-restoration-kit/

My choice was based on a favourite Youtuber, Projectfarm: https://youtu.be/XXOX4z6uwXo

1 hour ago, Terry

My choice was based on a favourite Youtuber, Projectfarm: https://youtu.be/XXOX4z6uwXo

A huge thumbs up to ProjectFarm!

1 hour ago, Terry

I have used this on my ST1300: https://cerakoteceramics.com/cerakote-ceramic-trim-coat-restoration-kit/

My choice was based on a favourite Youtuber, Projectfarm: https://youtu.be/XXOX4z6uwXo

ProjectFarm is the best.

After 1100km I decided the back PR5 was toast; a bit squared off and the blocks were starting to crack, so I levered a nice new T32 onto the back tyre.

I decided to delve back into the starter valves as the clutch rattle was back with a vengeance. My first run through was not fantastic and I ended up with a surprisingly long cold fast idle, basically this was only settling back in the mid 70's, and the cold speed was sitting at 2500 which seemed a bit off. While I had been poking around I did a forbidden thing namely tweaking the reference starter valve, which was weirdly completely loose; I gently finger tightened this but also filed that away for consideration. Also notable was that the reference SV's vacuum signal was very low, and it was hard to get the others to match.

So I cracked back into it having re-read the manual and the watched @Kaldek's useful video on how the system worked. Kal usefully showed the SV's moving via the lever on the back bank (when the engine was hot). When I tried that it was obvious that the front left SV moved only with difficulty, and the reference front right SV was jammed solid in the cold/open position. Freeing these up is probably easy with TB removal and complete disassembly but I did not fancy that so I used penetrating oil and patience until I could get the little blighters moving freely and snapping back with their return springs.

This then highlighted that I had inadvertantly wound closed the reference SV so I needed to wind the nut in to open that SV until I had a "reasonable" level of vacuum, then match with the rest. I can now set the idle to any level I like with a steady idle, and the idle adjuster screw now works without a fight thanks to a bit of penetrating oil. And the clutch rattle is gone.

So the lesson that I learned is that you need to be able to check the SVs are all free to move out and retract (which you won't see on a cold engine as the wax unit will be holding them open) otherwise the SV balance will be frustrating and other odd stuff will be happening. If you see any unusually small vacuum signals, this could well be an issue. 

SVs are fairly simple to understand when you step away from the heat and fumes for a moment. The throttle butterflies are 100% sealed when the throttle is closed, which you can easily check with the flat of your hand across the inlet. ALL of the air at idle is then coming in via the SVs, and I believe there are two for each cylinder, one is fixed open and the other has a plunger valve that can vary the opening. If you close the SV then the plunger moves in and seals more of the second opening, making the vacuum signal increase. If you screw in an adjuster, it retracts the plunger and allows more air to pass and lowers the vacuum signal.

The wax unit does the same, pulling the 4 starter valves open via a synchronising plate and linkage. As the wax unit heats up it extends and releases the SV's back to the hot idle position, which is controlled by the idle adjuster screw.

My only other comments are that the manual is a bit vague on some other bits. For example why on earth are we to put a cap on the PAIR valve spigots at the cylinder head? The other end of the PAIR system is sitting loose and unconnected so I simply don't get the point of that.

Secondly why bother to reconnect the MAP sensor to the vacuum tube? I get why connecting the MAP sensor electrically is a good idea to prevent FI faults, but the other end of the vacuum tube is the 5-way T and that is connected to...absolutely nothing while the SV balance is in progress.

And lastly; the vacuum tube that provides vacuum to the flapper could well be sitting wide open when the airbox is removed; it would be useful to recommend plugging that one at least.

Moaning completed...as you were. 

Terry, 8/17/2024 at 6:28 PM

After 1100km I decided the back PR5 was toast

Hmm, that seems an awfully short life for a Pilot Road. Any chance you dropped a zero in your calculations?

Otoh, do continue moaning - at least it makes for interesting reading.

9 hours ago, Lorne

Hmm, that seems an awfully short life for a Pilot Road. Any chance you dropped a zero in your calculations?

Otoh, do continue moaning - at least it makes for interesting reading.

The PR5 was on the bike when I received it. It was well worn in the centre but had a bit of life left on the edges so I have had a little use from it. The last rear PR6 that wore out was on my MT-10 and I did get 10,000km out of that somehow. 8000km is a more usual life for my back tyres and seems to be a result of my riding style (enthusiastic throttle application exiting bends) and preferred usage (corners). Fun per $ is perfectly acceptable in my view.

17 hours ago, Terry

Fun per $ is perfectly acceptable in my view.

Absolutely. I only asked because my experience with Michelins is that Pilot Power would last ~8,000 km and the Road well north of 13,000 km. I'm sure doing multiple track day sessions will cut that life considerably.

4 hours ago, Lorne

Absolutely. I only asked because my experience with Michelins is that Pilot Power would last ~8,000 km and the Road well north of 13,000 km. I'm sure doing multiple track day sessions will cut that life considerably.

I do seem to get less distance out of tyres than many others will report. We are blessed with many twisty roads, and my bikes generally get used for fun only, along those twisty roads, so I do very little freeway riding. We also have a road surface called "chipseal" which is basically small stones embedded in tar, and these can be pretty abrasive to ride on. My worst mileage would be on my ST1300 where I wore a Pilot Road 5 GT front tyre down to the wear bars in just under 4000km! Back tyres on that bike will usually only give 6000km before they are done. Having said that I am not someone who just keeps going until the tyre cords start to show. I had a ride with a friend on a V4 Tuono and he started the day with visible tread (some fancy Pirelli Diablo thing) and just 400km later the metal cords were visible, which taught me a valuable lesson. 

7 hours ago, Terry

I am not someone who just keeps going until the tyre cords start to show.

The majority of my mileage has been on my trips to California, annually till covid. Typically around 5-7,000 km round trip. A lot of their secondary highways have really coarse pavement texture, good for traction but not so much for longevity.

The tire in this embarrassing pic is an original Pilot Power. We'd just arrived at the Port Angeles ferry terminal in Washington State after a morning ride up from Seaside, Oregon. The night before we'd inspected the bikes and checked the chains, oil level, and tire wear. My rear's wear bars were getting pretty thin, but no worries as it was only about 350 km more to get back home. Was a bit of a shock when my pal Tony spied the rear's condition.

ps. my cam chain tensioners from Webike Japan arrived today. Now to figure out whether I am brave enough to tackle the job of installing them - thanks again for the tip.

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9 hours ago, Lorne

The tire in this embarrassing pic is an original Pilot Power. We'd just arrived at the Port Angeles ferry terminal in Washington State after a morning ride up from Seaside, Oregon. The night before we'd inspected the bikes and checked the chains, oil level, and tire wear. My rear's wear bars were getting pretty thin, but no worries as it was only about 350 km more to get back home. Was a bit of a shock when my pal Tony spied the rear's condition.

That happened to me with my 6th gen. several years ago during a trip to the Skyline Drive in Virginia.  My rear tire looked fine when I was leaving home.  When got to my hotel in Front Royal, VA, I was alarmed at how thin it looked.  I think the tire wore much faster than usual due to a combination of abrasive road surfaces, a loaded bike, and hot weather.  I looked online for any local motorcycle shops where I might be able to get the rear tire changed the next day, but there was nothing close.

I had planned to ride a little of the Blue Ridge Parkway that trip, but that tire was already getting thin, and when I got to the BRP a warning side said 'Loose stone' (chip seal) for the first 12 miles.  No way I was risking that, so I turned back toward home.  By the time I got home I was showing cords in a couple spots.

My friend's Tuono tyre wear was similar to yours. I was following his bike as we approached Inglewood after we had ridden down from Auckland on some fabulous twisty roads and even a stretch of dirt road. I noticed a flash of silver as the wheel rotated and flagged him down. I had been seeing areas of bare steel cords, and our plan called for another 400km back home (up the Forgotten World Highway). Fortunately we were only 30 minutes ride from New Plymouth (a decent sized city) and it was midday on Saturday, and we got lucky to find a dealership still open and willing to call in a mechanic to swap out a tyre. Added a couple of hours to our trip but made for a good story!

16 hours ago, Lorne

The majority of my mileage has been on my trips to California, annually till covid. Typically around 5-7,000 km round trip. A lot of their secondary highways have really coarse pavement texture, good for traction but not so much for longevity.

The tire in this embarrassing pic is an original Pilot Power. We'd just arrived at the Port Angeles ferry terminal in Washington State after a morning ride up from Seaside, Oregon. The night before we'd inspected the bikes and checked the chains, oil level, and tire wear. My rear's wear bars were getting pretty thin, but no worries as it was only about 350 km more to get back home. Was a bit of a shock when my pal Tony spied the rear's condition.

ps. my cam chain tensioners from Webike Japan arrived today. Now to figure out whether I am brave enough to tackle the job of installing them - thanks again for the tip.

[image: 92 VFR at ferry terminal.jpg]

 I did not find the CCT swap too challenging. If you start with the back one you will have easier access and get a better feel for the task. I think the only real challenge is manouevering the front CCT out if you leave the throttle bodies in place, as there is a little wiggling and rotating needed to clear the water hose.

I've spent a few more evening messing with starter valves. I can definitely confirm that you DON'T want to mess with the fixed reference valve. If this is set in a slightly different position you can have either a very slow cold fast idle, or a rather fast cold idle. I now have it sitting at about 2000rpm cold which feels alright and I will try to resist the urge to fudge with them anymore.

It feels like spring is here. I optimistically headed out yesterday but retreated after getting properly drenched; a good test for my Alpinestars suit (passed) and SMX-S boots (also passed). Today was a beaut, fine and clear with light winds, so I headed out and did the Coromandel Loop, a great 400km loop from home which takes in some great scenery and roads.

The VFR did not disappoint and ran like a watch all day.

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At Ohuka Beach, Whitianga. There were even some keen souls in the water.

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At Kuaotunu, the water looked very inviting.

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15 hours ago, Terry

the Coromandel Loop, a great 400km loop from home which takes in some great scenery and roads.

After exploring by map & Google Earth I find that indeed you do have some great scenery and roads. Not that there is any doubt about NZ's geography

2 hours ago, Lorne

After exploring by map & Google Earth I find that indeed you do have some great scenery and roads. Not that there is any doubt about NZ's geography

 The Coromandel Loop is a favourite for riders from Auckland, but timing is important as the area is also a favourite destination for people towing boats and caravans. There are some great sections of the trip, Kopu to Hikuai is 30km of fast sweepers that take you up over the spine of the ranges, Pumpkin Hill north from Tairua is a 12km of very tight bends that climb up and over another hill, but my favourite is the road between Coromandel and Te Rerenga which has a fantastic set of tight and hilly curves and a mostly great road surface. There's some great views to be had but I generally keep my eye out for the next apex...

Decisions, decisions...

I have been enjoying the 6th gen, but then I pulled out my 5th gen for a little run and realised a) I don't really need two 800s and b) the 5th gen is actually quite a bit better. Before all the 6th gen owners get cross at me, I should explain that my 5th gen has the same mileage and is similarly pretty condition, but has been treated to some tasty upgrades with touring bars, double bubble screen, heated grips and a Sargent seat; it also has a Nitron shock and has had a full Racetech rebuild in the forks. As a result it is a more planted ride and more comfy to boot. Back to back, the 5th feels freer revving and better in the low and especially midrange, and has none of the 6k surge and 6800 VTEC step; it also feels less top-heavy, presumably due to the lack of the high pipes. The 6th is certainly much quieter (no gear whine) and is also smoother; my 5th has a bit of seat vibes around 7000 which the 6th does not. I still really like the 6th gen styling, but I will be keeping my 5th gen and selling the 6th, which will free up funds for another project...

To celebrate my decision I took a fun 320km run today on Bumblebee and he told me very clearly that we were meant to be together.

My buddy on his 2007 and me on my 1998 swapped back and forth a bit yesterday. I feel the same. I liked some things on the 2007, but the 1998 felt much better to me. More visceral. Better sounds. No VTEC, which while less intrusive than the earlier one I rode, but still hits like a big step when using a lot of throttle. Can't tilt levers on 2007 enough with Helis on both. 

And on both...why WHY do they put those silly dash buttons in impossible places to use them. Why not put them at the top of the dash!?!?!?

Congrats on a good decision!

So this thread came to an end in October and I listed my bike on our local auction site, and got as far as being visited by a potential buyer (who subsequently bought another 6th gen). As you would, I prepared the bike by giving it a good once-over and had it looking perfect for viewing, and then I proceeded to explain all the work that I had put into it, and and how nice it was to ride. I ended up convincing myself not to sell and have continued to have some great rides. Unlike you folk in the wrong hemisphere, we are well into summer here and the conditions are great for riding right now.

This was yesterday:

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And for S&G I took out this lunatic machine today...

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Good decision Terry. On both counts. Cheers!

I got to ride in NZ for two weeks back in 2005 and tried to move there for years...

bmart, 12/28/2024 at 2:06 PM

I got to ride in NZ for two weeks back in 2005 and tried to move there for years...

Don't blame you bmart! Did that almost 10 years ago, just over two weeks riding the south island. Here in Sonoma County we've had 25 inches of rain since October 1; I could use some NZ summer right now. So, post a few more pics Terry!

Have to admit, the RT wasn't too bad a bike:

Be careful what you wish for Stephen. Some ugly bastard got in the way of the scenery today. Sorry about that. In my defence before this I took the dog for a 10km walk, then mowed the lawns and then put too much protective clothing on for a warm day of riding.  And I forgot to do my hair...[image: IMG_6934a.thumb.JPG.14870f612092f6455fdf2626bb821a7e.JPG]

Great photo.

Spent a bit over 4 months working in Auckland in 2004. Was brought in to repair 2 100+ foot masts on a boat at Orams. Lived in Freeman's Bay as the boat was hauled. Got exactly 2 days off during that time as pressure was on to get the boat ready for sea. We left Hauraki Bay, and 26 days later pulled into Puerto Montt Chile. Wish I had a bit more free time and acsess to a motorcycle while there, but as usual, work got in the way of some of my better riding plans.

Today was the continuing saga of the DMr shock absorber. In May I spotted a used item on eBay, recognised correctly as DMr-modified CBR600 shock, and bought it for not too much money. When it arrived, it was a bit oily and when I fitted it up, was apparent that it was free of damping (little oil/gas) far too hard (wrong spring) and a bit short. EBay refunded my purchase but I lost the freight. Jamie advised what I needed to do, and a local shop quoted me more than NZ$1000 to swap the spring, replace the seals, re-oil and regas. Jamie offered to do that for about half, so I shipped the shock to him. Unfortunately due to misplaced honesty, our post office decided the shock was a prohibited item, held it for 8 weeks, then returned it to me with lot of DANGER/EXPLOSIVE type placarding. Morons. And I lost the freight that I had paid. Again.

Then I had a chance encounted with an old mate now running a mountain bike suspension business in a nearby town, we got talking and he agreed to do the rebuild for me, so I got the parts shipped from Jamie, and had Norm do the rebuild. Norm took his time and so many, many months have passed since I ordered the shock. Jamie supplied a new spring, seals, piston, shims, and a modified clevis (to correct the length).

Today was Der Tag, I got the spanners out and fitted the rebuilt shock to Sakura. That short sentence does not tell about the finger trapping, knuckle scraping, knee breaking and sweat-inducing work that probably takes a mildly skilled Honda employee about 30 seconds on the production line, but took me more like 4 hours. Does it work? Is it worth all the effort? No idea...it is hosing down outside and I have no interest in getting wet. Stand by for next weekend!

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15 hours ago, Terry

Does it work? Is it worth all the effort?

Ooh, inquiring minds want to know 😉

Looking forward to your verdict, and some pics of the test ride. 

50 minutes ago, Lorne

Ooh, inquiring minds want to know 😉

Looking forward to your verdict, and some pics of the test ride. 

That would be two of us!

Bear in mind that this is not a current DMr product but does contain a new piston and shims. 

The refitting was a giant PITA; I came pretty close to just jamming the original shock back in a few times. The modified clevis has a particularly long threaded shaft, and that makes it tough to get into the socket in the frame while the bottom of the shock is constrained by the swingamr and exhaust system. I assume the length of the shaft allows one to add more shims to raise the rear end, not something I want/need to do. 

Just back from a sun-drenched, twisty road test of about 280km. The verdict? Totally worth it. Although the spring is notably stiffer when you bounce on it, this translates to much less unneeded suspension movement on dips so the net effect is to absorb bumps better and keep the chassis much steadier in bumpy turns. It is also more comfortable, and of course confidence-inspiring. $usp$pension upgrade$ - the best money you can spend!

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