As the title states. I'm looking for pics and stories of 1st Gen VF 700's and 750's.
How was the install. I'd go with the JD kit personally. Did you rig up your own kit? Did you use the JD kit? How has the handling changed? How did you modify the suspension (PENSKE, CBR900, Fox, WP, etc.)
Last, any advice.
****VF1000RS, yours does not count. I do not have your mechanical ability or resources. I am jealous enough as it is when you post. :)
I'm sooooooooooo bored with this surgery on the ankle and recovery. Getting cabin fever and very tired of sitting on the couch. I get to go back to work later next week! PT the week after and hopefully (if the Dr. says so) I can ride sometime later in June at which point I'll be looking for a 6th gen to to put 100K miles on and a older VF to tinker with in the garage.
I just installed pair of CBR600F2 wheels on my 83 VF750F. I used Jamie Daugherty's kit and everyting fits perfectly. I used the CBR600F2 dics that I got with the wheels. I had to remove the fiber dampers between the discs and the front wheel. I used new bearings, VF750F wheel bearings in the front wheel and CBR600F@ wheel bearings in the rear. It is nice to be able to use 17" wheels.
I also have Race Tech gold cartridge emulators in the front forks an a Fox shock in the back.
The bike now handles much better.
I had an issue with one of the rocker arms wearing out. I had the engine apart and I took the opportunity to change out the pistons to a set from a VF700F to gain 1/2 point increase in the compression ratio for a little more power. I have been thinking about a set of Dave Dodge stage 2 cams but the $1200 price tag for cams and rocker arms is hard to justify. I do have the Dave Dodge spin-on oil system mod and it was a piece of cake to install. You have to use the shorter oil filter from a later model but it is a trouble free installation. I just didn't like the thought of installing a takeoff in the case with a NPT fitting. If I decide to go that route I will probably use an SAE O-ring style fitting to connect the oil line to the engine case.
Anyway, enough of my ranting. Here are some photos of the wheels installed on my bike.
Here is a photo of the bike. Sorry for the dark picture, I will upload a better photo tomorrow after i get the camera battery charged so the flash works better.[image: post-21461-0-82456500-1338772566.jpg][image: post-21461-0-82456500-1338772566.jpg]
Front wheel - built my own spacers and seal adapter. Stock CBR rotors. All beiong grasped by VF1000F legs and emulators.
Rear wheel - built my own spacers, used a vf500f drive section for alignment and machined bushings to fit the VF750F sprocket. Yes, it holds up fine. Been on there since '05. Rear brakes is stock CBR caliper and disc.
Cbr shock is the reservoir hanging from the grab rails. Been on there since '05 also. Machined my own adapter kit. Resprung and revalved.
Bike runs smooth and comfy. Flicks side to side as easily as 500-odd lbs can.
Those are old pics, the bike is currently going though a "regenisis"....
Welcome back GW. How about some new progress pics?
Oh, progress pics involve the bike being neglected for nearly 3 years......I lost interest a long while ago because of several cross country moves for work.
Working on a rebuild now after running across the old hack in the corner of the garage when moving some stuff around (well, I always knew it was there but life gets int he way sometimes, yaknow?).
Had to pull the carbs out and rebuild, they had gummed up solid. Chucked in a new batt and it fired right up. Blowing a little blue, not sure where that came from. Maybe some rust on the bores or gummy rings....
Slipped on the RC51 master cylinder today after reworking it a bit.
Working on my hindle exhaust, a custom can built from a GSXR 750 unit and a "monoposto" seat arrangement seeing as the missus has said in no uncertain terms she won't be riding a bike every again.
Her last bike was an R6 but now she's done with riding. Only thing she will consider is the rear armchair on a new 'wing and I don't have the money or desire for one of those beasts....
The handling difference by changing just the wheels is pretty amazing on the Gen1 bikes. It feels as if they have lost 100lb (the actual weight difference is minimal). Much of this improvement comes from the 17" front wheel and the fact that you can run modern radial tires. Those two factors add up to a completely changed motorcycle. Add to that some suspension upgrades and it is impressive what one of those bikes can do!
so I assume this is a pretty worthwhile upgrade to my 86 vfr750 eh?
When I did my 86 VFR750, the switch to radial tires had me believing that someone must have hidden a power steering pump on the bike somewhere when I wasnt looking. LOL!
And tires have only gotten better since then. These were the early Michelin A59x M59x tires. Infant radial tires for motorcycles.
So, has anyone tried the CBR900 16" wheels on a VF-F yet?
I'm considering it if I run across one that's affordable.....would be interesting to see how 16" radials react with a bike that was designed for 16" bias ply....