Project Bike

Hi Everyone,

New here so I thought I'd introduce myself. I decided to take on a summer project restoring a 2006 VFR that was caught in a shed fire. The bike itself didn't catch fire but the damage is pretty...ugly.

Here are a couple of the before shots. I'll post up some pictures as I go along. Should be a fun project :) .

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_D96fmoyyIAw/S8pBBJ05XUI/AAAAAAAABA8/A-fhp0WCVS8/s800/000_0319.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_D96fmoyyIAw/S8pBB52kDLI/AAAAAAAABBA/dYyOQZ3ZpnQ/s800/000_0321.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_D96fmoyyIAw/S8pBCZnUa9I/AAAAAAAABBE/vqYiwm0Nt5Q/s800/000_0323.jpg

Cheers,

James.

Whoah, looks like you've got your work cut out for you........

Good luck.

O

M

G

It took me a few to figure out that MY damage wasn't going to buff out, but I made a snap call on seeing your pix.

How much did they have to pay you to take it off their hands? I can't imagine the effort you're gonna have on your hands. Good luck and please keep us posted.

Mals

No problem, that'll buff right out :laughing6-hehe:

Welcome.

Glenn

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 21 April 2010 - 08:27 PM, said:

Hi Everyone,

New here so I thought I'd introduce myself. I decided to take on a summer project restoring a 2006 VFR that was caught in a shed fire. The bike itself didn't catch fire but the damage is pretty...ugly.

Here are a couple of the before shots. I'll post up some pictures as I go along. Should be a fun project :) .

The bike did not catch on fire? Really? It's a little disturbing to see a VFR in the burn ward. Good luck with it.

Love it.

You got any BEFORE photos?

Good on you for giving it a try! But it doesn't look like there's much at all to salvage?

[image: View Post]number9, on 21 April 2010 - 10:16 PM, said:

Good on you for giving it a try! But it doesn't look like there's much at all to salvage?

I think he'll salvage it. Apart from the tank and the plastics it doesn't look that bad. Second hand tank of ebay (any colour will do) and one of those chinese body kits of ebay will see it through to a cheap track bike atleast. :fing02:

[image: View Post]VifferDude, on 21 April 2010 - 11:36 PM, said:

[image: View Post]number9, on 21 April 2010 - 10:16 PM, said:

Good on you for giving it a try! But it doesn't look like there's much at all to salvage?

I think he'll salvage it. Apart from the tank and the plastics it doesn't look that bad. Second hand tank of ebay (any colour will do) and one of those chinese body kits of ebay will see it through to a cheap track bike atleast. :fing02:

Uhh, all the bits which are worth anything are plastic!

• The wiring harness
  
• The Engine management system
  
• The ABS control module
  
• The injectors
  
• The dashboard
  
• All the fairings

Good luck putting a new complete wiring harness into the frame when the old one is melted to the frame!

Have you "run the numbers" on this? :warranty:

Yeah, I gotta say, I've bought some cheap, crappy, beaten and abused bikes in my day, and I'd say I'm batting about .900 in successfully putting them back together and riding 'em.

If you've paid ANYTHING for this bike, you got hosed IMO. As kaldek mentioned, there is a lot of plastic that if it isn't totally melted, is most likely distorted, not to mention that some or all of the welds on the bike may have been compromised.

Just my 2 cents, but I'd run now before you get anymore money into this thing. Maybe you could sell the rims on eBay??

Welcome Riverhead, you're clearly insane so should fit in ok here - good luck with the project :)

Looking forward to seeing how you go about this...

Looks like I'm the only optimist?

[image: View Post]VifferDude, on 22 April 2010 - 03:28 AM, said:

Looks like I'm the only optimist?


Perhaps. I'm not sure how this project will go but it was too interesting to pass up. The gentleman who had it before me had already bought a lot of the stuff required but is going through some life changes is unloading most of his bikes.

Stuff coming with the bike:

New plastics
New Wiring harness
New frame (titled, old one was totaled by insurance co)
New instrument panel and mounting bracket
New handlebar switch gear
New windshield

I got nice Pearl White tank off eBay yesterday for $80 shipped :bliss: as well as a new ignition harness with matching keyed gas cap and seat latch (including the top triple tree). I'm buying the chain guard and ECU off a couple of folks here for a really good price ($75 for an ECU...sweet!)

From my inspection 90% of the damage is above the belt line and forward of the clip-ons (where all the expensive bits are lol). My thinking is that the bike was sitting between other bikes so the top got scorched and the rest is relatively OK.

The poor thing only has 0.6 miles on her. She is (was) brand new from the factory.

So what this project pretty much comes down to is a frame up rebuild salvaging what's good from the old bike and replacing what isn't. Regardless of how it turns out it won't be a boring summer :beer: .

Here is a link to my Picasa Photo page for the project. New pictures will be added as I go. Everything in the photos came with the bike plus a bunch of stuff not pictured (like the stuff I bought off ebay over the last few days).

Like I said before, I have no idea how this will turn out. I've always wanted to do a frame up rebuild of a bike like this and now I have the time, space and money so why the hell not :biggrin: .

http://picasaweb.goo...O-h8-C1wJLIlgE#

James.

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 22 April 2010 - 07:13 AM, said:

I got nice Pearl White tank off eBay yesterday for $80 shipped :bliss: as well as a new ignition harness with matching keyed gas cap and seat latch (including the top triple tree). I'm buying the chain guard and ECU off a couple of folks here for a really good price ($75 for an EUC...sweet!)


If that ECU is EJS0429's, you do realise they are useless without the keys, right? If you don't get the keys with the ECU that it came with, the ECU is a brick. They are coded and you CANNOT link up a new key without one of the original keys.

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 22 April 2010 - 07:43 AM, said:

If that ECU is EJS0429's, you do realise they are useless without the keys, right? If you don't get the keys with the ECU that it came with, the ECU is a brick. They are coded and you CANNOT link up a new key without one of the original keys.


Good info, thank you.

So if I read your reply right it means that if I have a key from Ed's ECU I can link up the new key? I'll dig around the intertubes and see what I can find. How do people replace lost keys?

Thanks again for the heads up.

James.

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 22 April 2010 - 07:43 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 22 April 2010 - 07:13 AM, said:

I got nice Pearl White tank off eBay yesterday for $80 shipped :bliss: as well as a new ignition harness with matching keyed gas cap and seat latch (including the top triple tree). I'm buying the chain guard and ECU off a couple of folks here for a really good price ($75 for an EUC...sweet!)


If that ECU is EJS0429's, you do realise they are useless without the keys, right? If you don't get the keys with the ECU that it came with, the ECU is a brick. They are coded and you CANNOT link up a new key without one of the original keys.


Nope, not true! We don't have the HISS system in the USA, he's good to go!

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 21 April 2010 - 10:11 PM, said:

Love it.

You got any BEFORE photos?



I wish there was but I don't think so. The bike was delivered from one dealership to another where it was waiting for a going over by a tech before it hit the streets when the fire happened. Since it was brand new I suspect I could post any picture of a brand new pearl white 2006 VFR but that wouldn't be very sporting http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif.

Anyway, I'll ask and see. Would be a great benchmark.

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 22 April 2010 - 09:17 AM, said:

Nope, not true! We don't have the HISS system in the USA, he's good to go!




Bullet = dodged. Thanks SEBSPEED http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.

Hey I always had faith - but knowing what you got with the bike has bumped the level up a few notches :fing02:

:lurk:

How did the tires not melt??

[image: View Post]Ryanme17, on 22 April 2010 - 11:17 AM, said:

How did the tires not melt??




Most of damage is up high. If you look closely you can see the little soft rubber bumper between the tank and the frame is still good (or at least not melted) http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 22 April 2010 - 11:39 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Ryanme17, on 22 April 2010 - 11:17 AM, said:

How did the tires not melt??




Most of damage is up high. If you look closely you can see the little soft rubber bumper between the tank and the frame is still good (or at least not melted) http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.


He's right. Look at all of the lower rubber (hoses, tires, footpegs, etc). They all look good.

The exhaust (stainless steel) should polish right out with a tube of Simichrome and an orbital buffer and a good dose of elbow grease.

Good luck. Atleast everything has been stress relieved.

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 22 April 2010 - 09:43 AM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 22 April 2010 - 09:17 AM, said:

Nope, not true! We don't have the HISS system in the USA, he's good to go!




Bullet = dodged. Thanks SEBSPEED http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.


Indeed? Hmm, I didn't know that! I wonder why they didn't give you guys HISS?

Then again I'm constantly wondering why they never sold the ABS model here.

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 22 April 2010 - 07:02 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 22 April 2010 - 09:43 AM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 22 April 2010 - 09:17 AM, said:

Nope, not true! We don't have the HISS system in the USA, he's good to go!




Bullet = dodged. Thanks SEBSPEED http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.


Indeed? Hmm, I didn't know that! I wonder why they didn't give you guys HISS?

Then again I'm constantly wondering why they never sold the ABS model here.

I wonder the same thing, but suspect it was decided when the AUD was << USD.
Bringing in the options would have put the price in VFR1200 territory ! :ohmy:

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 22 April 2010 - 07:02 PM, said:

Indeed? Hmm, I didn't know that! I wonder why they didn't give you guys HISS?

Then again I'm constantly wondering why they never sold the ABS model here.


And Ford doesn't give us Falcons http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/pissed.gif. There is no justice I tell ya.

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 23 April 2010 - 04:57 AM, said:

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 22 April 2010 - 07:02 PM, said:

Indeed? Hmm, I didn't know that! I wonder why they didn't give you guys HISS?

Then again I'm constantly wondering why they never sold the ABS model here.


And Ford doesn't give us Falcons http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/pissed.gif. There is no justice I tell ya.


We don't get any utes either! :pissed:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 23 April 2010 - 05:01 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 23 April 2010 - 04:57 AM, said:

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 22 April 2010 - 07:02 PM, said:

Indeed? Hmm, I didn't know that! I wonder why they didn't give you guys HISS?

Then again I'm constantly wondering why they never sold the ABS model here.


And Ford doesn't give us Falcons http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/pissed.gif. There is no justice I tell ya.


We don't get any utes either! :pissed:


Yeah, gotta say I feel very elite driving around in my RWD 4 litre straight-six turbo Falcon with 6-speed german ZF auto box. ;p

[image: View Post]kaldek, on 23 April 2010 - 05:06 AM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 23 April 2010 - 05:01 AM, said:

We don't get any utes either! :pissed:


Yeah, gotta say I feel very elite driving around in my RWD 4 litre straight-six turbo Falcon with 6-speed german ZF auto box. ;p


I'm going to try to not start a Ford vs. GM debate, so I will say that I would prefer a Holden... :laughing6-hehe:

Picked it up on Sunday and immediately started to take it apart as soon as I got it up into my work space http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif.

I have updated the photo site with some new pictures but they were all taken with my cell phone because my digital camera lens decided it didn't want to come and play anymore http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif. Do they make Viagra for digital cameras?? Anyway, some pics.

The tank I ordered arrived and can be seen (sort of, again I'll take better pictures soon) and it looks fantastic. Great score on that one for $80 shipped!

In the last photo you can see the bike up on the work bench with most of the burnt bits taken off. Surprisingly it's not bad at all! We're picking through everything to examine it for damage but basically what we're finding is that all the burnt stuff was on the surface. Behind the melted headlight lenses the bulbs are still good, the turn signals are still good (some headlight cleaner did wonders), all the soft expensive bits (relays, etc.) under the front cowl look untouched (boots are still soft and completely untouched).

I've gone through all the wiring harnesses. Some parts are out right trashed, some just have the plastic casing melted and some bits are completely untouched. Interesting from a forensic perspective but they're all going to be replaced. It would be silly to put power to the bike with a questionable harness and blow something out.

Bits I still need:

- Front cowl (Pearl White) - Tough to find as most bikes being parted went to Valhalla nose first.

- Front wheel fender (Pearl White) - Same problem as cowl but to a lesser degree.

- Headlight - Probably the whole assembly as you can't just buy the front bits.

- Tail light combo assembly

- Wiring harnesses (all)

- Chain - O-rings in the chain may have taken damage when the battery went nuclear.

- Battery (see above lol)

- Tires - The ones on there look great but they've been sitting for years.

- Probably something I forgot but that's the main stuff.


That's pretty much it. Everything else came with the bike. My car was stuffed with extra bits from the previous owner.

The project has been a ton of fun so far...it's hard to sit at my desk at work when I'd rather be tearing into the crispy critter!

Once I swap out the wiring harnesses, replace the rear fender and change ALL the fluids I'll try firing her up. If she goes and runs well I'll consider getting it inspected (about $150 here in Philly) and having a reconstructed title issued. If she doesn't fire up (or runs poorly) and I need to dig into the core of the bike I'll probably start rebuilding on the new frame. I have no plans to sell the bike so a reconstructed title is fine by me.

I'll post much better pictures when I get my camera sorted out. Seems everything I own these days needs some love and attention lol.

James.

Congrats on the progress, sorry to hear you have to wait for a plate.

When I lived in Philly at the end of last year I ended up keeping my motorcycle in a Public Storage down near the PA side of the Ben Franklin bridge. Commuting to my motorcycle was awfully painful and is one of the things I do not miss about living there.

At least you made it this far. If all else fails you can just swap everything over to the frame with the clean title (I know...a PIA but it's still an option) and then just roll it in and get a plate and tag. And you know everything works at this point. :fing02:

[image: View Post]vanion2, on 03 August 2010 - 10:07 AM, said:

At least you made it this far. If all else fails you can just swap everything over to the frame with the clean title (I know...a PIA but it's still an option) and then just roll it in and get a plate and tag. And you know everything works at this point. :fing02:


Can there be an issue with the engine VIN not matching the frame VIN? Maybe it's just by state, but when I got mine registered in NM they checked.

Great work on the bike!!! You have completed a good task and put one back on the road :)

THE PLATE IS IN!! http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif

Just got the call from the tag & title place. PennDot deemed the VFR project worthy http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.

Congrats!

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 01 September 2010 - 05:30 PM, said:

THE PLATE IS IN!! http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif

Just got the call from the tag & title place. PennDot deemed the VFR project worthy http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.


So, have you taken her for a decent sized fang yet? :wheel:

[image: View Post]Riverhead, on 01 September 2010 - 05:30 PM, said:

THE PLATE IS IN!! http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cheerleader.gif

Just got the call from the tag & title place. PennDot deemed the VFR project worthy http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif.



So we will see you at the next Ephrata breakfast meet??

[image: View Post]04viffer, on 10 September 2010 - 06:18 AM, said:

So we will see you at the next Ephrata breakfast meet??


I found Ephrata on Google maps and it's doable. Is that the "First Sunday of the Month" meet? I haven't been able to find lot of info on it...

A friend of mine has an '85 VFR and he may make the trip as well.

[image: View Post]TexOz, on 10 September 2010 - 01:13 AM, said:

So, have you taken her for a decent sized fang yet? :wheel:



Sadly no; haven't had time. I've been riding it around the city as my primary bike and met a friend for dinner about 20 miles away but haven't done any serious rides yet. So far so good though. A few little issues have surfaced but nothing major. For example my clutch reservoir was leaking because the heat distorted the rubber accordion. Something I didn't notice until I started using the clutch. Was a cheap fix and now it's all good.

Congratulations! Hell of a good job there.

Love the communal workshop, great idea - want to throw some general pics of it up?

Sweet deal! Way to bring one back from the dead. :fing02: