And so for my next trick...

I was looking for another project and this 2015 1200 hove into view; after one too many bourbons I hit the "buy-now" button and had it shipped to me. It has done 23000km and was an insurance write off; it was bought by the PO with the intention of powering a dune buggy but that never happened. It appears to have sat outside for a couple of years and has quite a bit of surface corrosion and the obvious crash damage. My guess is it was dropped on the right side at reasonably low speed in a collision avoidance, and then slid under the object that was being "avoided". Scuffs on the right side, left middle cowl completely missing and a severely bent radiator look to be the major offenders but the time parked outside has not been kind. Anyway the chassis and forks appear perfect, the brakes a bit draggy but not bent, and it starts and sounds mechanically great. I've owned many VFRs but never the 1200 so this is all new territory for me. Watch this space! Wish me luck!

1 hour ago, Terry

I've owned many VFRs but never the 1200 so this is all new territory for me. Watch this space! Wish me luck!

So, back to stock or do you have something more exotic in mind? Either way I'm looking forward to your new project.

best wishes for a successful build.

"One too many bourbons" will get you every time....lol! :biggrin:  

Looking forward to see how you do...

Good luck 👍 

Step 1 is the Voyage of Discovery where I get to learn just how many parts I need to buy. It is clearly going to need some panel  and paint work, and given the price of new OEM bits I am looking for some lightly-used bits on the net. I also pushed the button on some Helibars as research shows the ride position of the 800 VTEC and 1200 are near enough the same, and I enjoy the higher bars on my 800. I will also splash out on a centrestand.

I think I will keep it generally stock except for maybe a slip-on muffler to replace the "unique" stocker...call it a sympathetic refurb constrained by price.

A lot of the bolts are showing surface corrosion; what would be the smart way to deal with those (other than just buying new)? as thinking to start with a soak in Evaporust but after that?

The brake and clutch levers are super furry, what about those?

Bourbon brings wisdom 😎
Nice move 🤘

Nice, but you have some work to do.

Depending on how you will ride it (it's really fast!) you may wish to consider upgrading the suspension. There is a remote ECU flash available which will make it much smoother as well as removing some gear limitations etc.

The exhaust note can be made to sound abso...fecking...lutely fantastic, but you'll need the right can.

Other than that, iyt's a fantatstic bike and I hope you get her how you want her and enjoy the ride.

Will keep an eye out for updates.  :beer:

Thanks Skids, feel free to give me more specific info on the reflash and suspension upgrades. Right now I have the more pressing issues of mostly seized front brakes, a leaking fork seal and an electrical gremlin; I had started the bike once, but when I tried to repeat that I got an electrical pop and deadness so need to locate the cause. 

Not asking for any dick pics, but do you have any photos of the left side of your bike with its clothes removed, especially the area around the front left of the engine?

20 hours ago, Terry

I was looking for another project and this 2015 1200 hove into view; after one too many bourbons I hit the "buy-now" button and had it shipped to me. It has done 23000km and was an insurance write off; it was bought by the PO with the intention of powering a dune buggy but that never happened. It appears to have sat outside for a couple of years and has quite a bit of surface corrosion and the obvious crash damage. My guess is it was dropped on the right side at reasonably low speed in a collision avoidance, and then slid under the object that was being "avoided". Scuffs on the right side, left middle cowl completely missing and a severely bent radiator look to be the major offenders but the time parked outside has not been kind. Anyway the chassis and forks appear perfect, the brakes a bit draggy but not bent, and it starts and sounds mechanically great. I've owned many VFRs but never the 1200 so this is all new territory for me. Watch this space! Wish me luck!

[image: IMG_7602.JPG]

[image: IMG_7601.JPG]

[image: IMG_7600.JPG]

Great stories never start with " After I had that second wine Spritzer" 😁

Definitely will be keeping an eye on your progress.

18 hours ago, Terry

A lot of the bolts are showing surface corrosion; what would be the smart way to deal with those (other than just buying new)? as thinking to start with a soak in Evaporust but after that?

Put the bolt in a drill and spin it against a scotchbrite pad + polishing compound. Chaos Causes demonstrates this over on YouTube. (the video should start at the 7:00 minute mark)

A bench grinder and polishing mop would be the easiest way, but they might come out shiny polishing by hand. 

4 hours ago, Terry

Not asking for any dick pics, but do you have any photos of the left side of your bike with its clothes removed, especially the area around the front left of the engine?

[image: wPW1CJKoeUJUX3LHT3vrKOR-OsT_c8g5eHU_n_iuQ3Y.webp.deefd52012554e05b08a74a91ec5e7b6.webp]

1 hour ago, Captain 80s

[image: wPW1CJKoeUJUX3LHT3vrKOR-OsT_c8g5eHU_n_iuQ3Y.webp.deefd52012554e05b08a74a91ec5e7b6.webp]

Well-played Mike. I could do with that diagonal support "member". 

FromMaine, 9/8/2025 at 6:56 PM

Great stories never start with " After I had that second wine Spritzer" 😁

Definitely will be keeping an eye on your progress.

Great one!  

Anyway, wishing you the best on the restoration.  It's great bike once you get it dialed in.  The Service Manual is on the site here somewhere if you don't have it already.

Had a reasonably busy week making a bit of a start. First up was the front brakes which were were semi-seized making rolling around a challenge and which were predictably gunked up, one or two pistons had a small amount of pitting on their exposed ends but the seals were in good order, but what a pain to refit!. The master felt awful but was clean inside, still feels more draggy than I want so I will pull that one down again. One oddity that I haven't resolved is the brake light switch which works fine but the lever doesn't actually touch it. Wondering if I have an aftermarket lever here? The levers were horribly white and furry but a soak in alloy cleaner got rid of most of that followed with assertive wire brushing, and some penetrating oil and (im)patience got the span adjusters working. I will need to repaint the calliper bolts and maybe replace the pads pins as these also suffered corrosion. The discs cleaned up with some elbow grease and red scotchbrite pads but the disc bolts should get replaced to lose the rust. The rear brake will need similar attention but is not causing major drag.

[image: IMG_7642.thumb.JPG.0188df9e41fa32a599748f21e9a52d75.JPG]

I ordered a full left middle fairing from a breaker in South Australia and that showed up today. I also found a radiator locally which arrived yesterday. I also found a clutch cover locally which will a little scarred is 100% better than what I have. I have the inner middle fairing coming from the US, and some radiator hoses from Florida. I bought a genuine HISS key from the local stealer and will get that coded and cut at some point. I have worked some graphite powder into the locks and they are feeling much better. I am wavering on buying a centrestand; I have a set of race stands but no way to use the rear one due to the SSSA and shaft drive. 

Have found a few unpleasant surprises with the hinge bracket on the tank rear really rusty; structurally OK but will need TLC to preserve what is left. The frame has some weird powdery white corrosion which is visual only but a bit ugly. Autosol seems to do a reasonable job without messing up the black finish. The reflector on the left lower fork leg took some impact and this has marred the lower casting and cracked the fender a little which will need some Plastifix or similar. One of the mirrors refuses to lock down when in the normal position, and I'm suspicious this might be an aftermarket part as well. 

[image: IMG_7630.thumb.JPG.2bdc3a753b362940d4286c0f53622c0b.JPG]

[image: IMG_7643.thumb.JPG.21d986d40ba7ec56f73e90a5cb0dc0dc.JPG]

Today has seen a major scrubbing session which has left me feeling drained, but at least the worst of the gunk is behind me and I can see what I have to work with. Electrically all seems fine, and the bike started right up with a new battery fitted.

The next major project will be the forks which are a bit weepy as they are wont to do after a long idle period; there is some surface corrosion on the tubes but nothing too serious so I am hopeful a decent clean and polish will sort this out.

[image: IMG_7637.thumb.JPG.2211fdb75babfe8fd11f1859c579938b.JPG]

55 minutes ago, Terry

found a few unpleasant surprises with the hinge bracket on the tank rear really rusty

Are you able to spy the inside of the tank? This spring I finally worked up the nerve to check my '09 Vtec's, and was very relieved to find it looks pristine inside. 

Looks pretty nice in the tank, no sign of any corrosion inside. This bike sat outside for at least 2 years, looks like maybe salt spray got to it. The corrosion while not unexpected is more widespread than I had hoped. Still looks like a clean and straight chassis and the motor sounds great but without a cooling system I have limited my enthusiasm there. I just fitted the radiator so as soon as I get the missing hose and the forks I could take a sneaky ride.. 

I received some second-hand radiator hoses on Tuesday and so was able to properly fill the cooling system for the first time, which also allowed me to run the engine up to fan cycling point. It sounded great and there were no leaks! Unfortunately I now have a check engine light which is telling me I have a wiring fault in an O2 sensor. Closer inspection shows nicks in both sensor wires where the bent radiator crushed them, so I ordered some more second hand parts for those (sigh) from Boontsra in Netherlands...

I'll be pulling the forks apart this weekend and seeing what joys reside within. I am hoping to just clean the seals without replacing them but that will depend on what I find. I also placed a reasonable order with Webike Japan for some OEM fasteners and a mirror, plus second hand levers and muffler shield; a bit spendy but the best I could find. 

Onwards. I put my big boy pants on and pulled the forks out, and was a little unsettled by the amount of corrosion that was hiding on the inside of the left stanchion. This has cut the fork seal so disassembly was in order. This is my first time on USD forks although, being in the Southern hemisphere, I suppose most forks are USD anyway...Prior to this I fitted up the new left fairing panel which aside from the colour will be great. The 1200 has a very different fairing attachment method to other VFRs, that's for sure, but actually pretty easy when you get a feel for it.

[image: IMG_7656(1).thumb.JPG.c242aa6f23c853463315c9ecd062c5ec.JPG]

I concocted a jig using three pieces of wood screwed together, with a couple of 6mm bolts threaded through. I put a ratchet strap through the axle hole, then tied the other end to the joiner of my wood pieces, and slipped the 6mm bolts into the plastic pipe. This gave me plenty of leverage to compress the springs and get the caps off. The bushing on the left leg is badly scored so that needs to be replaced along with the seal.

I have gently filed all the rusty spots off and then followed up with 800-grit paper, which has left the stanchion smooth/shiny with barely detectable pits; I will see how this goes with the new seal, but I might need to replace the stanchion if the seal fails again.

Now playing the waiting game again while parts wing their way from Europe, Japan, US and the Waikato...

We had a great spring day today, so I celebrated on my MT10 with a 300km, twisty ride. Such a crazy bike, had a few instances of involuntary wheelstands in 3rd gear...[image: IMG_7660.thumb.JPG.ba1d18b4b17688b96771edaa5ea5dffd.JPG]

IME you can have some pretty good pits in a stanchion as long as they are smooth. Anything deep enough to cause sealing issues can be filled in with JB Weld.

MBrane, 9/21/2025 at 1:28 AM

IME you can have some pretty good pits in a stanchion as long as they are smooth. Anything deep enough to cause sealing issues can be filled in with JB Weld.

Thanks mate. These are tiny pits from the corrosion so all the high spots are gone, and I can barely feel the worst with my fingernail. I had heard of the JB Weld trick before and will bear that one in mind. 

Back into it tonight as a few parts arrived from Japan and the Netherlands. Unfortunately I have learned (the expensive way) that my 2015 VFR is different in a few places to the earlier 1200. I got some used O2 sensor leads as I had a MIL indicating the 2-3 sensor was faulty, and I can see some crush marks on the cable where the radiator got bent back, so that made sense. Unfortunately, the 2015 (and I think the -X model) has the O2 sensor moved to under the rear of the motor, which means the lead is about 150mm longer, and the lead from the earlier one just won't fit. Looks like I will need another new part. I did at least confirm that plugging the new (short) lead in clears the MIL. I will see if  a local autoelectrician can repair the damaged lead first.

Also (and this one is harder to understand) the pair of levers ordered from Webike was lovely for the clutch, but no bueno on the brake, being both shallower but also the pivot point was slightly wrong. So I will just keep working with what I have, maybe add a screw into the area that contacts the stop switch so I can make that work. 

Anyway, I was at least able to rebuild my front wheel with some new bolts, cleaned up rim and repainted ABS ring.[image: IMG_7664.thumb.JPG.9afadbfb78f257763a2392f6a383b376.JPG]

9 hours ago, Terry

I will see if  a local autoelectrician can repair the damaged lead first.

Repairing the O2 cable should be straightforward - hard to believe they have any magical properties 😉

Keep up the good work.

The auoelectricians declared that the O2 sensor should just be replaced; in their opinion  the visible marks to the cables were not enough to cause a break, and having peeled back the insulation they may well be correct, so I bit the bullet and ordered a new cable from Webike, USD198. At least it comes with all the little cable clips; diconnecting the old cable from under the engine/above the headers was quite a bit of contortion as I was saving the old clips for possible reuse. 

I made a small modification to my brake lever and drilled and tapped a small screw into the area that contacts the brake light switch, and this now functions as it should, so that's a win. I also fitted up the replacement right mirror part as the detente didn't work on the old part, which I suspect was aftermarket.

I cannot believe how many small and intricately shaped plastic parts there are on these 1200s! 

2 hours ago, Terry

I cannot believe how many small and intricately shaped plastic parts there are on these 1200s! 

That's how I felt about the plastics on my '92 3rd gen. 

32 minutes ago, Lorne

That's how I felt about the plastics on my '92 3rd gen. 

The bit that really bugs me (as a clean freak) is a pocket in the black plastic inner of the top fairing, which is visible through the clear screen but you can't actually get to without disassembly. Clearly my cleaning efforts haven't got to that level (as I deal with the more pressing issues of O2 sensors, the cooling system, brakes and suspension) but I'll get there...

23 minutes ago, Terry

The bit that really bugs me (as a clean freak) is a pocket in the black plastic inner of the top fairing, which is visible through the clear screen but you can't actually get to without disassembly. Clearly my cleaning efforts haven't got to that level (as I deal with the more pressing issues of O2 sensors, the cooling system, brakes and suspension) but I'll get there...

I hear you.  I solved it with a lightly smoked screen.

I finally got my USD forks back together; as a serial fork fiddler I can (nearly) disassemble and reassemble RWU forks with my eye closed, but the USD is significantly different and requires some quite different techniques. My contraption involving bits of wood, two bolts and a ratchet strap worked really well to compress the spring, and a piece of wire around the damper rod allowed my to pull that up to refit the cap without too much effort so I'll call that a win. I was surprised at the oil height in the manual (160mm) which is very low compared to other bikes but I'll stick with stock until I know better. It was great to get the front end back onto the bike so I can roll it around the Mancave again. I repainted the fork bottoms in satin black which looks very tidy, along with the cleaned brakes, new disc bolts and some repainted bolts the front end is pretty tidy now. I just have a score mark on the left calliper to repaint. 

In other news it looks like I have a buyer for my ST1300, and I'll be stripping the Racetech forks and damper parts out and resetting that to stock. I may end up reusing the springs and Gold Valves in the 1200 but will see how that all goes. I need to ride the 1200 first!

I'm also getting a CBR600F4 shock with DMr modifications built up; this is intended for my 6th gen but I believe (maybe wrongly) that the shocks interchange between 800 and 1200? The shock in the 1200 has only done 23000km so should be good for a while, but even the 92000km shock in my 6th gen feels pretty reasonable. 

[image: IMG_7680.JPG]

Had a very satisfying shipping day yesterday as my new O2 cable turned up along with the Helibars. There's an eBay mystery with the bars, eBay customer help contacted me to say the package had been received at their shipping centre empty, so the deal was on hold and a refund was being process. Tracking showed the consignment had stalled there too. Imagine my suprise when I received the bars as originally planned!

The new O2 sensor cable slipped into place (if you ignore the contortions to fit the clips under the motor) and the MIL fault light is now gone, so I refitted and refilled the radiator (again). Tip for others, the radiator is much easier to fill with the engine running, which seems to stop the annoying airlocks forming; otherwise, this bike is the worst I have seen for slow filling and burps.

With repaired forks, working brakes, a working cooling system...I could have gone for a ride, but satisfied myself with a few short launches in my driveway confirming clutch and brakes, and also extinguishing the TC and ABS indicators, so all now checks out electrically. I'll move onto the rear end next to deal with the corrosion effects on the ABS ring and brake disc/bolts. I'm expecting some 90 degree valve stems from Aliexpress today so will see about fitting those to the rims, and also change out the oil and filter.

https://youtu.be/iEoRCQvdUJc

Terry, thanks for the radiator fill tip, engine running, I may try that...😉

15 minutes ago, mello dude

Terry, thanks for the radiator fill tip, engine running, I may try that...😉

I haven't had an issue filling the 800, but the 1200 has a tiny (1/2"?) hose from the filler cap down to the radiator, with a 90 degree bend and a horizontal section...you need extreme patience and a willingness to see green burps happening. Running the engine seems to have allowed the air to be displaced much more quickly.

And so on we go. My attention has been on the back end and specifically the corrosion apparent. So I had the wheel off (putting a jack and block of wood under the shock link was a good spot to lift) and then pulled the calliper out and then the disc flange off the final drive; this took a bit of drifting to get free. The calliper was peachy inside, no sign of the corrosion that was on the end of some of the front pistons, and disassembled without a fight. The disc bolts were horrid and I had to hammer the hex bit in on a few, after an overnight penetrating oil soak they came out and were tossed, and the torx bolts on the ABS ring came next. Lots of Evaporust and a final wire brush got all the bits clean again, and the tone ring and the disc flange got a shot of etch primer and then some wheel silver. While we were there, I also swapped out the final drive oil, based on the crud that washed out, it was due. 

So I have gone from this...

[image: IMG_7632.thumb.JPG.3893973b7c469da139520e8df9180869.JPG]

To this.

[image: IMG_7706.thumb.jpg.9bd95c35f0b488a42f4228d2caaa6803.jpg]

[image: IMG_7705.thumb.jpg.f1245ad30d388dc8f30e85f6915c341f.jpg]

Keen eyes will also spot the muffler has had the used main cover fitted (ex Japan) and I sanded and polished the few scuffs on the end cap  so they are barely visible.

I'll be moving on to repaint a few rusty fasteners and then the clutch cover, plus a bit of a touchup on the wheel weights (does anyone else miss lead weights which were compact and never rusted...?). If the weather permits, it will be time for a sneaky local test ride this weekend! Still plenty of work to be done, I'm really enjoying this project.

Looking good!  :fing02:

Looking good indeed!

I also have an ethical dilemma with eBay now.

I bought a set of used Helibars (for a decent price). The vendor was pretty slow to ship, and when the package eventually reached the eBay international hub, they found it to be empty, started a claim on my behalf and instructed the vendor to make a refund. Nothing happened for a few weeks, I sent a couple of "hurry up and refund me" messages, then out of the blue I get tracking notification and a delivery happens to my house, and the bars arrived on Tuesday.  So I sent messages back to eBay customer help and the vendor saying "close the claim, item arrived" and also closed the claim myself.

Then this morning, eBay emails me, I will get my full refund and lo, it shows as pending in my bank.

Do I take the windfall and use it to buy a centrestand now? 

eBay has lost the plot. I had a similar thing happen. Then another where the package arrived but eBay still showed it as pending delivery for months ! I blame it on AI being used by companies when its clearly not of sound mind. As I explained to someone the other day, AI is a toddler, it will be a teenager in a few years, then we will see if its friendly or stroppy ! 

14 hours ago, Terry

Wheel weights (does anyone else miss lead weights which were compact and never rusted...?).  

Got a bit of work on there Tez.

Car spec steel weights look a right mess on a bike wheel, personally I'd remove em & test spin the wheel on a balancer, I expect you have one in ya garage like most of us do? you may find it needs no weight at all, last few tyres I've fitted needed no weight.

Lead bike specific adhesive wheel weights are readily available over in the UK, I expect you can get in your neck of the woods, or is there some kinda ban on Lead use?

17 hours ago, Terry

I also have an ethical dilemma with eBay now.

I bought a set of used Helibars (for a decent price). The vendor was pretty slow to ship, and when the package eventually reached the eBay international hub, they found it to be empty, started a claim on my behalf and instructed the vendor to make a refund. Nothing happened for a few weeks, I sent a couple of "hurry up and refund me" messages, then out of the blue I get tracking notification and a delivery happens to my house, and the bars arrived on Tuesday.  So I sent messages back to eBay customer help and the vendor saying "close the claim, item arrived" and also closed the claim myself.

Then this morning, eBay emails me, I will get my full refund and lo, it shows as pending in my bank.

Do I take the windfall and use it to buy a centrestand now? 

My advice would be to hold yourself to the same standard you expected from the vendor and make every reasonable effort to return the funds.

As far as your refurbish of your 1200 goes, you are doing a cracking nice job!

10 hours ago, Gaz66

Got a bit of work on there Tez.

Car spec steel weights look a right mess on a bike wheel, personally I'd remove em & test spin the wheel on a balancer, I expect you have one in ya garage like most of us do? you may find it needs no weight at all, last few tyres I've fitted needed no weight.

Lead bike specific adhesive wheel weights are readily available over in the UK, I expect you can get in your neck of the woods, or is there some kinda ban on Lead use?

I did put the front wheel on my static balance stand and it does need all those weights. I think wheel weights have gone the same way as shotgun pellets, no lead allowed here.

Looking great!

I am embarassed now, I can't seem to set my clock. Aside from waiting until midnight to reconnect the battery, how do I do that? I have an owner's manual but I suspect they made a change in the later editions (mine is 2015). If I follow the instruction (switch to odometer, press and hold the B (r) button) I get the screen brightness control. 

Maybe, like my cellphone, I need a teenager to help?

Update: I solved my own problem, you hold the "B" button and switch on the ignition. Couldn't find an updated manual but was able to find manual for the "X" model which had enough of a clue. No teenager required (thank the Good Lord).

Don't tell the (fun) Police, but I have been out on the road for a 2km ride! All checks out 100% aside from a worn front tyre making for poor low speed steering, but the engine and brakes are great and I can verify that it has plenty of welly.

Next up I will change out the clutch cover; I wasn't able to get a perfect colour match but VHT "Cast Iron" isn't too far off and is rated for high heat. I spent a little time with some metal epoxy, then a bit of sandpaper and (because my wife went out at just the right time) it got a trip through the dishwasher, a final turps wipedown and the 3 coats of paint, followed by a bake in the oven (because she still wasn't home)...can this be our little secret???

Photo shows the inspection cover in original colour. It is getting painted now.[image: IMG_7708.thumb.JPG.afbffaa4da7a4655e2def27a1e668ff4.JPG]

Coincidentally, it is almost exactly 4 years since I was doing this to my '86 project bike. Time really flies!

[image: IMG_2540.thumb.JPG.435df7b9ae84d014a92028a4c9da5da4.JPG]

Well, that looks so much better. From this:

[image: IMG_7638.thumb.JPG.838292274a12309a52b6c77f44078d70.JPG]

To this:

[image: IMG_7712.thumb.JPG.af3293ea6404a49aaf45daf59d9a642b.JPG]

Amazing how little sealant was on the case joint; I did not clean any off before the photo. Obviously some great machinging work.

[image: IMG_7710.thumb.JPG.191c5401157fca5d0cdfdf68af00410f.JPG]

Kept cracking away on Sunday as the weather dictated staying home, not roaming the highways and byways of this fair land. 

I did a trial fit of the bodywork again with the bellypan reinstated. This highlighted that I am missing a good number of the "5x11 special screws" which hold the bodywork on. I think I will get those ordered but may also look at bodging something up using cut-off bits of aluminium tube as spacers. 

[image: IMG_7719.thumb.JPG.eec42ea488ac3f9ea86a1422379a4dbd.JPG]

The body panels obviously need painting and I will get a Real Painter to to that; I did spend time with my brush putting rust neutraliser on the tank rear bracket which did not enjoy its previous "Outdoor Lifestyle" very much. Fortunately all the rust is superficial, unlike the wave washer on the gearshift which had been eaten half through. In spite of my best efforts, the frame still looks a bit scruffy,being faded and with a bit of alloy crusts in places. Any suggestions on how to improve this? I am leaning towards a lot of masking and a light spray of satin black at this point, at least on the exposed bits.

[image: IMG_7714.thumb.JPG.bbd88033b9089ab6f549a17062f934c6.JPG]

And lastly-an Oil Question! There's not  alot of 10W-30 MC oils available here (I found one). What are other 1200 owners using? All my other bikes (including the MT-10) have 10W-40 specified. Would the bike explode if I use that instead?

I also got as far in as the air filter; predictably ugly but at least serviceable.

[image: IMG_7720.thumb.JPG.4a5344f29c5acd1ecc2e1244dcec2605.JPG]

3 hours ago, Terry

And lastly-an Oil Question! There's not  alot of 10W-30 MC oils available here (I found one). What are other 1200 owners using? All my other bikes (including the MT-10) have 10W-40 specified. Would the bike explode if I use that instead?

Ooh, can't resist jumping into an oil discussion.

   Fwiw, I've used Motul 10W-40 since the last century without any issues. Of course, my 3rd & 5th gen owners manuals suggested a number of viscosities: 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40, 20W-50. My 6th gen says 10W-30 or 10W-40.

   That said, I think the more important consideration is the additive package because of the integral gearbox and wet clutch.

Thanks Lorne; who doesn't love a good oil discussion? In this case the 1200 specifies 10W-30, whereas all my other bikes (both VFR800s, my ST1300 and the MT-10) all specify 10W-40. The 40 will be marginally more viscous when hot than the 30, which maybe means a little more internal drag and heat generated. 

The diagram below is from the 5th gen owner's manual (although the service manual just says 10W-40). The 40 certainly covers a wider range of riding temperatures (over 40! No thanks, I will stay home by the pool). 

I just wondered whether other 1200 owners were fussy about this or had been using 10W-40?

Information on the 1200 suspension seems a little sparse so thanks for that. I have been in contact with the esteemed Mr Daugherty and he confirmed that the CBR600F4 shock that I have being rebuilt (new spring, piston, shims etc) should be a a straight swap if I choose to do so, i.e. I can use it interchangeably with my VFR800 VTEC or 1200. He wasn't 100% on the upper shock mount being the same but I note YSS list the exact same shock for either the 800 or 1200 so that tells me the clevis must be the same dimensions. I'm quite looking forward to taking a decent ride on this now, but I have the recertification hurdle to overcome first.

A few more pictures of the (nearly) finished project. But are they ever really finished??? I still need to diassemble the nose cowl and pull the screen out for a proper clean and polish, but the rest is looking pretty good now. A lick of paint and you will never know it has had a few lie downs...[image: IMG_7723.thumb.JPG.bdd9e12c7947506722849ddeedca8e44.JPG][image: IMG_7731.thumb.JPG.6d7b94d029af3346cd15126a7b34905d.JPG][image: IMG_7725.thumb.JPG.ef27e081eeaaf5e76092b5668d7342d2.JPG]

1 hour ago, Terry

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Already looks better than 90% of the 1200's on the road--not that I see many on the road. Nice work Terry.

Sweet looking bike. I like the black/silver more that the red/silver that first came out. 

I love the Titanium colour. 

A smoked screen will hide those impossible to clean pockets.

Fantastic and rapid job sorting her out there, nice one  :beer:

So I have started the journey towards "road legal" status; the bike was an insurance write-off and was deregistered as a result, so I need to get it back into the NZTA computer system, which requires "Entry Certification", basically a thorough check over of the various items needed for compliance like lights, horn etc. That went well but because the bike was written off, I now discovered I need a "Repair Certificate" from an engineer. And...there's no one in the largest city where I live, the nearest is an hour's drive away in Hamilton, and booked out for a couple of weeks. This bit is proving costly in time and money, the repair cert is NZD710 and 3 hours time, on top of the NZD520 and 2 hours spent to get the entry certificate today.

I thoroughly enjoyed my 50km round trip through morning traffic however; the bike is sneaky fast, super steady and effortless on the motorway, and ran perfectly. There was a fair bit of cooling fan action at traffic lights but the heat was well managed (unlike my ST1300 "Frying Pan"). 

Anyway POIDH.

I always thought of the 7th gen as the gentleman's sport bike. Good job on the restore. She's lookin' good. Good luck with the gubment crap.

12 minutes ago, MBrane

I always thought of the 7th gen as the gentleman's sport bike. Good job on the restore. She's lookin' good. Good luck with the gubment crap.

Thanks MBrane. The only two things you can't avoid are death and taxes.

The weight distribution is really different to my ST1300. That bike has a short wheelbase and surprisingly quick steering; the downside, with the big fairing, is the bike gets pretty nervous whenever you follow other wake-inducing traffic. The VFR by comparison is long, low and heavier steering but that gives it a rock-steady feel, and I can imagine on an autobahn this would be very confidence inspiring. The gearing on the 1200 is also pretty tall, with the engine turning at a lazy 3500rpm at the legal limit, which is a fair bit lower than the ST. 

"Sneaky fast," and "super steady." Yes, exactly. What is your impression of the brakes--on your limited riding experience so far? 

My 2010 had the best brakes I've owned, the Nissins better than my two current bikes with Brembos.  Keep the updates coming please, fun stuff.

12 minutes ago, St. Stephen

"Sneaky fast," and "super steady." Yes, exactly. What is your impression of the brakes--on your limited riding experience so far? 

My 2010 had the best brakes I've owned, the Nissins better than my two current bikes with Brembos.  Keep the updates coming please, fun stuff.

Wel I have had the brakes completely apart for cleaning, and they are certainly not lacking in feel or power, but I need to get them out into the twisties to be sure; 50km through traffic is not really a good way to judge them, and I haven't spent any time looking at the suspension settings yet either. The brake lever action is not quite right yet as it feels a little "sticky" and may need a bit more attention to get rid of that. 

What was your experience with the cooling fans? Mine seemed to be coming on at every traffic light, but I was mired in slow traffic for most of the trip so not a lot of airflow. The fans are particularly loud/whiny so maybe I just noticed them more. 

I'm waiting on (hopefully) a last shipment of OEM bits and bobs, not having a complete set of the correct fasteners annoys me more than it should, and I also needed a new wave washer for the gearshift. I have greatly enjoyed getting rid of the surface rust on this bike; when I got it, the rust was omnipresent, but now I think I have hidden it all away. I will keep pottering along.

4 hours ago, Terry

Anyway POIDH

The rear ¾ view is one of the most flattering angles to shoot a 7th gen. And I gotta agree with mello dude, I too prefer the dark grey. (tho I don't think I'll ever warm up to headlight)

2 hours ago, Terry

brake lever action is not quite right yet as it feels a little "sticky"

All my recent Honda's suffered from that, but it has always turned out to be the brake lever & pivot needing a thorough cleaning. But methinks my long idle 6th gen's caliper pistons might need attention.

Terry, 10/9/2025 at 5:56 PM

What was your experience with the cooling fans? Mine seemed to be coming on at every traffic light, but I was mired in slow traffic for most of the trip so not a lot of airflow. The fans are particularly loud/whiny so maybe I just noticed them more. 

Honestly, I don't recall the fans being annoying or coming on constantly. I did commute to work on the 1200 when I lived in the midwest U.S., but no issues. Mine was a 2010.

Brakes on the VFR1200 are epic when working at their best. Best braked bike I have ever owned. I think it's a flawed bike in many ways, but it definitely has something that grabs you. I have had two and the one I have now I really need to sell to make space, but I just can't bring myself to do it. As they sold so few, I keep thinking it will be become more sought after, and prices will rocket. So much for that pipe-dream..

While I wait to bring legality to my ride (and top up the tax take) I took my 800 for a spin, this felt light and eager, being on near-new T33 tyres, and maintained within a mm of its life. Such a sweet bike to ride.

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The 1200 came in for some more attention, I like knowing tyre pressures are correct and like to have TPMS on each. I have had a bit of a scare fitting the TPMS "valve caps" on standard rubber valve stems, so I know to fit 90 degree alloy stems for security. So both wheels came out, one bead was broken and then the new stems fitted up. I went with red, mainly because there is so much black, silver or grey present! I then gave all the black plastics a ceramic coating recommended by my fave YT-er, Project Farm. This is a wipe-on coating that dries to a hard-wearing shine that makes weathered plastic look new; it was great on my ST1300 belly fairing and panniers so I know it works. I wiped some on the frame spars as well, if they keep the "wet look" it will be some improvement.[image: IMG_7746.thumb.JPG.84a49941845800097ef83c0798608ee9.JPG]

I'm also a big fan of Project Farm and also Torque Test Channel.... 

Together, they have cost me a lot of money! 😁

A question for the Hive Mind.

The ignition switch is not quite right. Once the key is in and pressed, I can rotate the key easily, but then it is not easy to retract, feels kind of sticky, and I have to work it back/forth until it releases and can be pulled out. I have dusted some graphite powder into the lock but I don't think that really changed much. I feel that I should be spraying some sort of solvent in there to wash out whatever is making the lock sticky. Any suggestions? I am thinking of WD40 or penetrating oil.

I've used WD40 previously on another bike, which worked, but I dont know if it is the best thing to use.

Check the slot cover, ham fisted use when inserting the key can bend the soft metal surrounds & jam the slot cover. You can usually straighten it all out with a thin flat blade screwdriver to lever the bent metal up which frees the stuck slot cover.  
 

Then squirt some silicone spray or WD40/GT85 etc into the lock mechanism through the key slot. Then work the key a few times to distribute the lube. 

18 hours ago, Terry

The ignition switch is not quite right.

Is it possible the key is bent or twisted? Do you have a second key you could try? Graphite is the better choice for lubrication, too bad it wasn't your solution.

Sounds like I should try the WD40; the key is really beefy, definitely not something you can bend easily unlike some earlier keys (my 99 Fi for example) which are pretty skinny. The key slot is perfect, but the bike did have an unfortunate 3-year outdoor experience which has not been kind to many parts. Feels like any lube in the lock has turned into a sticky substance. Thanks all for the comments. I only have the one key although I do have a blank to get cut and coded at some point. 

7 hours ago, Terry

 I only have the one key although I do have a blank to get cut and coded at some point. 

I would do that before sticking it in a nasty hole.

mello dude, 10/12/2025 at 8:01 PM

I'm also a big fan of Project Farm and also Torque Test Channel.... 

Together, they have cost me a lot of money! 😁

They are supposed to save you money😁

Enjoy 👏

Amazing!  Loved reading the story and hope you get lots of fun miles.

One more evening of work; the preload adjuster didn't seem to be doing a whole lot on the shock so I assumed (correctly) that it had the same issue as the ST1300, namely a loss of oil in the preload circuit. My shock is about as crusty as the rest of the bike was, so the banjo bolt and even the preload bracket bolt took a bit of shifting, but soon revealed the expected issue; I don't know where the oil goes but there was a bit of a shortage.

If you've not done this, you disconnect the banjo keeping the hose end elevated, take the preload adjuster and empty the old oil, then you back the adjuster knob fully out and then (through the banjo fitting) push the piston back down fully with a suitable scredriver or other narrow object. Then fill the adjuster fully (I used fork oil) allowing air bubbles to escape, screw the banjo back in tight, then wind the adjuster in fully, the  wind it back out so any bubbles can come back to the adjuster. Unscrew that, refill again, and then refit the banjo with as little spillage as possible.

Now my adjuster starts moving the shock cylinder after a single turn, and winding on the recommended 11 clicks took some effort as the shock cylinder started compressing the spring again for the first time in ages. I can feel a big difference in the ride height now! I suspect this may help the turn in quite a bit. The forecast for tomorrow morning is nice so wish me luck!

The 1200 may be another bike where a shim over the shock upper mount might be a good idea to raise the back end a little higher.

So...300km later, we had a great ride down to Raglan and back on my favourite back road. Earl performed famously well, and the restored rear ride height was apparent from the off with much better low-speed manners. I had a bit of a fiddle with the front rebound adjusters and ended up back at the stock setting (1.5 turns out) and didn't mess with the rear at all. The road I took is a great tester of suspension and cornering confidence, and while I think the front end could be better on the bumpy bits, none of it was bad and we had a fairly swift run, including a few brake work-outs (they're great!). Unfortunately Earl is still identifying as a chain-drive bike and throwing some oil onto the rear rim. 

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I found my oil leak; the big seal around the wheel hub had a torn lip, no idea how or why but at least I know what to fix. The old seal came out easily without any more disassembly than removing the muffler, wheel, calliper and the brake hub then popping the circlip out and prising the old seal up. Parts ordered from Webike so should see these in 7-10 days time. I will spend a bit of time polishing corrosion off the wheel hub, not sure if it is the sealing area but better safe than sorry.

Or did I find the oil leak? Earl has been sitting quietly in the Mancave with the FD draining into a bucket, but there was also some fluid leakage on the floor, which had come from the joint between the bevel casing and the swing arm. There is of course another big oil seal in there (see handy photo), unfortunately this one will need more serious surgery as the shaft must be disconnected at the motor end and the bevel casing unbolted. Not completely new territory as I did something similar to my ST1100, but I hadn't expected to be solving a shaft oil leak on this one. The FD case shows witness marks on the retaining nuts and some pry marks too, so someone has been here before, probably from one of Earl's earlier crashes. Ho hum, more parts to order...

2 hours ago, Terry

also some fluid leakage on the floor, which had come from the joint between the bevel casing and the swing arm

this one is fighting you tooth & nail, Terry. But I suspect you'll prevail.

I love your confidence Lorne.

I cracked on with removing the final drive case. The manual helpfully just says to open the drive boot (at the motor end) to access a circlip that holds the prop shaft to the output shaft and slide that back...and that circlip will not release at all. I may need circlip pliers that expand a bit more than the ones that I have, or figure out some other way to spread the circlip and get it off the output shaft groove. Unfortunately it sits inside the final drive end with just a small cutout for access as you fight with the rubber boot. Suggestions to the usual address please! I am wondering if (in following the general themes of corrosion) the drive splines are actually a bit rusted together and the circlip isnt the only problem. So have given the area a good dose of penetrating oil.

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On the other hand, the drive shaft was able to be removed from the bevel case with a little wedge encouragement so that FD is completely off; loads of oil drained as this was removed from the shaft tunnel/seal area (which should be dry), so there's my smoking gun at least.

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I will keep persisting with the little bastard circlip as I think I need to be able to push the drive shaft end back into the spline on the bevel case with a bit of encouragement, if not I will need to wedge the shaft to stop it sliding forwards when I remount the FD. 

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I recommend Knipex snap ring pliers. I sprung for a full set some years ago when I tired of fighting with cheapies or improvising. It has been money well spent.

1 hour ago, MBrane

I recommend Knipex snap ring pliers. I sprung for a full set some years ago when I tired of fighting with cheapies or improvising. It has been money well spent.

Thanks for the suggestion MBrane. The frustrating thing is that I believe I am spreading the circlip ends fully but I just can't get the clip to recess into the groove on the inside of the prop shaft and fully out of the groove on the output shaft, with all of the splines that are there. I think the circlip may be distorted somehow, doesn't seem to have a lot of spring left either. Or maybe corrosion. 

I decided to leave it alone for a day as it was making me pretty frustrated. I am hopeful that I can proceed to refit the final drive without disconnecting this circlip. The prop shaft pushes into the final drive with a spring clip that expands into a groove inside the splined cup, and it is just a push fit. If I can hold the prop shaft from sliding back up the tunnel this should be do-able, I am thinking of wrapping a hose clip around the prop-shaft as an anchor point to work with. Along the prop-shaft is a CV joint which feels pretty springy; the manual cautions not to yank too hard to avoid tearing the CV boot.

For those who wonder what the heck I am talking about I present a nice image from eBay; the right circle shows the ends of the circlip on the motor end, the left circle is the spring clip on the spline that meets the pinion gear at the wheel end. If only it was all so easy to access on the bike! The shiny silver section next to the left green circle is just accessible with the bevel casing removed. 

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The only shaftie I've ever been into was my girl's old BMW R1150RT. It was pretty simple as long as you know to heat the final drive carrier bolts to 275℉ to soften the threadlocker on disassembly. They are aluminum so simply using ugga-dugga to get them off would be bad.

2 hours ago, MBrane

The only shaftie I've ever been into was my girl's old BMW R1150RT. It was pretty simple as long as you know to heat the final drive carrier bolts to 275℉ to soften the threadlocker on disassembly. They are aluminum so simply using ugga-dugga to get them off would be bad.

I bought myself some bigger circlip pliers today, but suspect I'll have the same result. The offending circlip sits in a gap inside the prop shaft and outside the output shaft. It's sole function is to prevent the shaft sliding back off the output shaft. I'm 95% confient that I can reassemble the bike without dismantling this bit. When I worked on my ST1100, the shaft was basically two sections with a universal joint, trapped at both ends so aside from a small lengthways movement with suspension travel, it stayed put, and with the "pumpkin" removed, the shaft could just be slid right out. The 1200 uses a very different geometry  as it is in three sections with a universal and a CV joint along the shaft so the driven and driving ends of the prop shaft need to be more firmly fixed where they mate with the splined couplings at each end.

My new oil seals left Japan today so hopefully I will see them by early next week. 

The circlip continued to defy me, in fact just to truly thumb its nose at me, one of the wings broke off as soon as I waved my new circlip pliers at it. So that one won't be coming out any time soon, not a train smash as it is still stubbornly doing its job of keeping the output shaft and prop shaft joined. I suspect if I truly need to git it oot one day, it will be possible to drag it around the outside of the propshaft and pull it right out of the groove.

My Plan B of using a hoseclip to hold the other end of the propshaft in place while the bevel case was refitted worked beautifully, and the reassembly of that with new seals has gone smoothly, so (hopefully) I can put this whole episode in the leak-free rear-view mirror now. I have no idea why the shaft seal had been leaking before but it has new seals now and the sealing surfaces are very shiny and smooth (and greased).

Earl is now back on his wheels and I can turn my atention elsewhere. I have had my new OEM key cut and it works so much better in the lock than the old one, I just need to program the HISS system to recognise the chip but I have done that before and have a lead that I built for the job on my ST1300. I'm waiting on a centrestand to arrive, and also a new throttle tube so I can give back the VFR800 loaner. I did buy a throttle tube on Aliexpress (for $8!) and that would have been OK (aside from a slick-feeling grip rubber) but I wanted to fit a Hotgrip, and when the rubber grip came off the inner part was fluted and made of pretty soft material; even with the flutes trimmed off, it took a lot of force to get into the Hotgrip and got distorted, and then chucked into the bin. A new OEM part is now on its way for a little more money. 

Using Webike in Japan as a source of OEM spares has been really excellent; their prices are less than Partzilla (my prevous benchmark but frustratingly not shipping to NZ post COVID) and the transit time for parts has been less than 7 days. The only downside with Webike is their website; I can't use my Windows PC as the formatting is impossible to decipher, but my iPad or iPhone do a decent job. Webike also act as a portal for used parts in Japan and I have got some decent bits for not much money; the left fairing panel was USD75, its not perfect but fits really well with the lived-in look of the rest of the bike. 

We just had the best weekend for riding, 22C, blue skies, light winds, spring growth on the trees, so It is just as well I have motorcycles in reserve...the MT10 came out for a spin on Saturday, and then the VFR enjoyed a romp around my favourite twisty road loop on Sunday.

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Great you got the 1200 shaft and seals together...sometimes it takes a good dose of creativity to figure out how to fix something... we've all been there...

Also agree....absolutely have to have more bikes to jump on while the projects are down!

Heading into summer in NZ? Sounds sooo good! 

Cheerz

My Zieger-branded centrestand arrived today and wasn’t too hard to fit, even kept all the skin on my knuckles when I put the springs on! Not too much effort to lift up, but it  wanted to stay up on my painted floor, not quite enough friction to roll over the drop point but some roughening up on a real road will fix that. I have been missing a decent vertical stand.[image: IMG_7794_Original.thumb.jpeg.6fac27f96c161db38a0f231eacf2c5f1.jpeg]

I spent a bit of time on my leaky fork last night. As received the bike had spent 3 years outdoors, maybe somewhere coastal based on the corrosion. On the hidden inside of the left stanchion (behind the mudguard and adjacent to the disc) there was a decent amount of corrosion; the right leg, and the exposed part of the left leg were not near as bad and my assumption is that salt spray was being washed off by periodic rain in those areas. As I was doing the rebuild I carefully filed off any protrusions and then polished further with 400-grit emery paper which has left no "lips" that can catch on the seal but there are a handful of divots that you can just catch a fingernail in at the right angle. The little black specks on the chrome above the obvious oily line are all that is visible of these divots. 

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I was hoping to fill these with metal epoxy, but after application and then sanding back the divots are still there, maybe just too small/shallow to have enough adherence to the putty. So I have given everything another good emery paper rub down, and will hope for a better result with a new seal. I am not ruling out that I may have caused some damage to the last seal when I pushed that over the bushing groove as I know I did that a few times as I was figuring the fork out, so I will take extra care (and wrap the sharp parts in insulation tape) when I fit the new seal. 

Plans B and C are to buy a used fork (there is a local breaker that has a decent pair for US$320) or I can get a new part ex Webike for a little less money, or there are replacement tubes on eBay for about US$230 (but that will require disassembly of the axle/brake mount from the old tube, which looks a bit challenging). 

At this point I am inclinded to reassembly with the old part with new seal, and some finger crossing. 

I would give it one more go with a new seal knowing that you're not installing/removing it multiple times over the top of the tube and being extra careful by wrapping the lip and groove. 

Then you will know for sure if you have to source another tube. and it might buy you more time as it may not leak as bad if it starts to leave a ring.

Thanks Mike; the divots aren't really any different to a rock dent and I've dealt with those before without leaks so I was disappointed with this outcome. I'm trying to avoid spending too much more money on Earl, as far as I know this is the last mechanical issue that I need to deal with (famous last words...). 

 My experience with stanchions like that is if your fingernail catches on it it will take out a seal, but fine polishing will make some pretty large pits acceptable. As mentioned use protection, and lube when installing the seals over the top of the tube. I use Ziplock bags or multiple layers of plastic wrap whichever is handy.

 Packing the space between the oil, and dust seals with grease will also help as any debris that gets past the dust seal gets suspended in the grease.

18 hours ago, MBrane

 My experience with stanchions like that is if your fingernail catches on it it will take out a seal, but fine polishing will make some pretty large pits acceptable. As mentioned use protection, and lube when installing the seals over the top of the tube. I use Ziplock bags or multiple layers of plastic wrap whichever is handy.

 Packing the space between the oil, and dust seals with grease will also help as any debris that gets past the dust seal gets suspended in the grease.

Yeah, did all of that, thanks for the advice; used insulation tape wrapped around the stanchion where the upper bushing sits, and coated the new oil and dust seals with red rubber grease. This time around I have used some fancy SKF seals, and I have spent a good amount of time with the 400-grit paper on the pits. Installation was really easy using a neato fork seal driver that I bought from Aliexpress ($22!). [image: driver.jpg.2c0741bd618d27bc89ea9a6488ea186f.jpg]

I re-used my home-built fork spring compressor; it's a little agricultural and consists of two 900mm lengths of 90x22 decking timber with a 50mm joiner length screwed in at one end to make a U; then two bolts are screwed in about 300mm from the joiner projecting in to catch the holes in the plastic preload spacer. I put a ratchet strap through the axle hole and tie it around the joiner and ratchet that until the wood points up. I now just push down on the ends of the wood and can easily compress the spring to reach the damper rod bolt.

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I did buy one of those handy forked plates that slip under the damper locknut and hold everything still so you can refit the fork cap which makes this less of a three-handed task. I also bought the supposedly correct tool to compress the springs but my trebuchet design is much easier to use! 

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I need to get that forked plate, or make one.  I manage, but I could manage easier.

11 minutes ago, Captain 80s

I need to get that forked plate, or make one.  I manage, but I could manage easier.

I never needed it on all my RWU forks either but the USD design is quite a different beast. I have usually been able to catch the underside of the locknut on top of the spacer while I wind a cap on.

I buy a lot of bits like these on Aliexpress; I know they aren't always the best quality but they are cheap and usually travel swiftly, and it is a whole lot easier than trying to find similar bits locally. 

Earl may be getting renamed Öldicht! (a poor pun for my German-reading friends) as he is no longer weeping fluids from either end. We had a little 150km shake-down run after the recent work, the forks are now weep-free (for now) and the shaft likewise is keeping its oil inside. Earl is running famously well, handling nicely but the centrestand came under attack again. The new front subframe has made no real difference and is still sitting a bit to the right which means the tabs on the frame are bent and I am not touching those...The new LED lights make him look a little more modern.

For S&G I disconnected the cable from the exhaust flap actuator, and have to say the soundtrack is much improved, with a nice smooth rumble at low revs now. Take that, noise police!

Earl and I completed another test run today, about 350km of the best bumpy and twisty roads that I know of close to home. He passed with flying colours although the forks bottomed a couple of times and I lost count of the centrestand clashes on dippy bends, but they seem to be lessening (as is the centrestand). The forks and shaft have remained leak free! I remain highly impressed with the chassis and braking, and the ground clearance has also been untroubled although I have been edge-to-edge on the Road5 rear tyre. Even the fuel economy was suprisingly decent at 17km/L. 

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