1984 VFkR resto begins today

Hi all. Today marks the start of what will be a complete restoration of my just purchased 1984 VF1000r. I hope to be able to update this post regularly with the latest work being undertaken, and add photos along the way. I hope that what I encounter and overcome might be of assistance to others, as some of the other topics on the forum have already done for me. I have added a couple of photos of the bike as it is now. [image: post-25008-1337986512397.jpg][image: post-25008-13379865582808.jpg][image: post-25008-13379865764792.jpg]. Will post again soon with details of the strip down , and what surprises I may find. Cheers. Simon.

Thanks for saving that classic beauty!! We look forward to your progress.

Rollin

Welcome to VFRD. Good pics on the first post. Nice work.

Looks like maybe a good find too, if dusty. :fing02:

Oh yeah, that bike needs some love!

Subscribed!

You have your work cut out for you but very do-able. Look forward to the progress pics.

good luck. its always nice to see another vf come back to life.

Thanks guys. Although my first fail was the name of the topic. In the words of the immortal Homer Simpson, Doh !!!!!! What I meant to call it was resto of the "VFkr"

Fixed thread title.

Love seeing the old ones brought back to life.

Thanks so much veefer, I couldn't see how to make the change.

If anyone on the site has a red seat cowl pad that they no longer need, or knows where I can find one, I would be very grateful. I believe this is the only part I am missing, but as I get into the rebuild this may change. cheers Simon

Love the European faired VFKRs, best of luck and welcome!

Hi all,

Got the workshop sorted today and started to strip the old girl down.

Not too many surprises at this stage.

Will need to source the odd bolt etc as I go along.

Cheers Simon

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Good start on your 1000. Now post some pics of that pretty 1300 in the background!!!!!! Us Americans don't get those beautiful big beasts over here so we can only dream.

might have an extra wind shield pm me.

Awesome work! Love those big CBs too!

Cheers from VIC

Not a lot left to come off the frame now. I should be able to get to a bare frame by the end of this weekend, and then the real work begins. Restoration of all the individual parts. Can't wait. [image: post-25008-13383409671373.jpg][image: post-25008-13383409825789.jpg]

Hi all. Just wondering if anyone can tell me about the coolant hoses connected to the left side lower frame. I have seen this mentioned on forums, but looking at other vf1r's I have noticed that they have a full rubber hose fitted. Was this something Honda did to certain year models? My frame and engine numbers match and are within the Australian delivered number range and my parts book has the frame part with hose connectors. Any info would be appretiated. Cheers Simon[image: 3aa3afab-a60a-9f66.jpg][image: 3aa3afab-a619-94c7.jpg][image: 3aa3afab-a627-4563.jpg]

The '84's used the older F setup with the coolant running through the frame. They did away with that way of thinking with the later models and so they have the long hose that runs under the radiator to the right side thermostat.

Thanks Kel. I knew there must have been an explanation. Cheers

Good luck with your project. I hope it turns out so well that you forget about your CB, so you can ship that beauty over here to me. :smile:

Thought that I would post some photos of the CB13 for those who have requested them.

She is a 2008 model with 11000klms on the clock, and i love it.

It is a fantastic ride and has so much torque that you dont really need to use the gearbox at all.

Also though I would add some of my last resto, a 1981 Suzuki Katana 1100 SXZ

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Very nice! And goodluck with the restoration.

Nice Katana! I have an 82 1000 here in the states set for my next restoration. Wish we had the CB 13 available here that is a beautiful bike!

The Kat's a real looker - like the wire wheels. Following your latest project with interest, and it looks so much better without the dust.

Hi all,

Just a quick update.

Engine is finally out of the frame.

Not an easy task with limited tools.

Thanks for you help "TassieDevil" (Motorcyclist Cafe).

Couldn't have got that lump of engine out of the frame by myself.

Now the real work begins.

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Hi all, I hope that this is not a stupid question, I am having trouble freeing up the left hand swingarm bolt.Just wondering if this is a normal thread, or is it a Honda querky left hand thread. Any info appreciated prior to me getting some heavy duty tools onto it and potentially stripping the thread. Cheers

The bolt is normal "lefty-loosey". Just verified with a spare swingarm bolt here.

Nice CB. Wish it was here.

Also like your Kat. I have a modified 1983 1100 myself.

Thanks VF100RS, I have been working on the bolt today, but no luck. It is very seized. Tried undoing with socket wrench with a 5 foot extension to get more purchase. Now the bolt will move back and forth about 3mm which is not good. It would be better if it was stuck firm, or better still, undone. Trying to work out my next course of action. Any advise appreciated. Cheers. Simon

Added a few photos, just in case someone sees it and thinks there is something dodgy.

These 3 are of the stuck bolt.

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And this is the other side, which is loose.

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I am thinking since it moves slightly both ways it`s time to soak the threads with liquid wrench or PB Blaster and walk away for awhile..like days..stopping only to squirt more penetrant daily...

...Then add heat...

Drill a 1/8" hole in the blind side of the swingarm, then use a straw and shoot a bunch of penetratin oil in there. Go ahead and just flood it with the oil. Let it sit for a day and it should break free.

You can plug or fill the hole with something(maybe a grease fitting?) later.

Hi VF1000RS, thanks for you reply regarding the thread on the swing arm bolt. I take it that a normal "lefty loosely" is a standard bolt thread that is undone by turning Anticlickwise. Sorry for the question, but I have not heard the above term before. Thanks do much for your assistance here. I have been soaking the thread in freeing fluid for a day or do now, and will see if it it free today cheers Simon

Hi VF1000RS, thanks for you reply regarding the thread on the swing arm bolt. I take it that a normal "lefty loosely" is a standard bolt thread that is undone by turning Anticlickwise. Sorry for the question, but I have not heard the above term before. Thanks do much for your assistance here. I have been soaking the thread in freeing fluid for a day or do now, and will see if it it free today cheers Simon

Hi Sebspeed, I drilled out a hole as suggested and have been soaking as stated above. Thanks for your info on this. I will see if it has loosened up in a day or so. Cheers. Simon

Good luck sir!

Thanks to all for the advice on freeing up the swing arm bolt. It is now undone and I can now continue with the resto. Cheers. Simon

Don't forget to log your progress here :-)

Sure will. Just having some time issues at present. Work keeps getting in the way. Will have an update this weekend. Cheers. Simon

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in an update.

Work and other stuff been getting in the way of my project........

I have now completed the respray of the frame.

Just trying to source a left hand needle roller bearing for the swingarm, as this seems to be almost impossible to buy in Australia.

Also, discovered a bent left hand fork leg.......

No visible evidence of the bike being thrown down the road, so not sure how the bend happened.

Oh well, I guess that's just part of buying an unknown entity to restore.....

Nothing too bad, just means I will get to know the old girl a little better.

Cheers

Simon

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Looking good!

Hi all. Nothing too much to report on the rebuild front. Replaced swingarm bearings and seals. Trying to free the fork leg (sticking in the leg, think it is a stuck bushing) so i can get it straightened and have found some parts online that will be used later in the project. Have also confirmed my spray painter for fairing etc Cheers. Simon.

Hi all,

Not too much to report today.

Still working on frame and swingarm.

Have just found out that my left hand swingarm bolt is cracked at the head, so if anyone has a spare, please let me know.

Waiting on return of forks from getting straightened, then will need to get fork legs painted.

Cheers Simon

Hi all. Sorry it has been so long since my last post. We had a burst pipe which flooded the house. This meant no work in the garage while the house was being repaired. Anyway, back on track now. Have had the fork legs straightened and rechromed, received all fork rebuild parts, and have stripped the fork lowers ready for paint. Hopefully the weather will start to warm up a bit and I can get a bit of work done in the coming weeks.

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Thanks for the pics, looks like it's off to a good start. Will be following the build.

I know that it is not from the V4 family, but I thought I would just post a pic of my next project. Although I havn't really even started this one, I am currently negotiating on one to put away for a later date

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And for the final part of my Honda collection, I want one of these.......... Ahh "Honda, The Power of Dreams"

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Bike Whore. I hate you.

(No really, I'm just jealous)

Keep up the good work. Gonna be a nice stable.

Looking great! Good job!

Hi all,

Have been tinkering out in the shed over the past couple of weeks.

Started to get things in order for the painting, so had a bit of a look at fairing alignment etc.

Not too bad, but as with the forks, the small "off" the bike must have had meant that the fairing bracket was very slightly bent to the right.

This has now been corrected, and it all lines up as it should.

I have seen a few posts on fairing painting, but not too much on how to get the best alignment when masking out for the different colours.

I have offered to bring the workstand and frame with all fairing mounts to my painter so that he can fit the fairing and mask up for each colour.

Is there an easier or better way...?

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Best way is to have the rolling chassis in hand, and hang the bodywork properly, so you can tape off the sections where the paint lines will be.

Then you can get it symmetrical. Pretty tough to do with loose panels and no bike, especially when lines flow from one piece to another, which may not butt up against each other.

Hi again all,

Well, the latest development in the rebuild is that i have discovered a cracked/broken front brake reservoir.

On inspection, it came totally apart as it was cracked right through.

Does anyone out there on the forum have one sitting collecting dust?????

I have all the other parts, switch, lever etc, just need the reservoir.

Cheers and regards to all.

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Thanks to Nate at 2topiacycles, I now have a replacement front brake reservoir. Back into build mode now. Should be getting the fork lowers and front guard back from the painter this week. Will then get the bike built to rolling chassis state and get into the handlebars an levers etc. cheers. Simon

Hi all,

Plodding away at the rebuild, have refurbished all handle bar fittings, and now just need the fork legs back to get the bike to rolling chassis stage.

Problem.......I cannot get a paint shop down here to mix/match the paint colours, because according to them, i am not buying enough to warrant them spending time matching.

Can any of you guys that have painted or had your bikes painted provide me with a paint recipe .

If I can get the mix ratio or exact paint mix codes, then they will do it for me .

Other than that, does anyone know if any Honda cars from the 80's were painted in the same red colour, because Honda released car codes, but not bike ones.

Once again, any assistance is greatly appretiated.

Cheers Simon

I've taken some notes over the years on R paints and have this from my files, maybe it's a help. Italic comments are not mine.

1. Taffeta White #HA 00978

2. Electron Blue #HA 00980

3. Fighting Red #08P50-R134-PN

http://vfreek.tripod.com/id1.html

http://vfrworld.com/...-honda-vfr.html

ColorRite

Shasta White - NH138

Fighting Red - R134

Candy Aleutian Blue - PB127MU

I had them matched with PPG paint. Here is the info:

Honda Red - DBC3001 (Mars Red)

Honda White - DBC898 (Grand Prix Weiss)

Honda Blue - DBC103762 (Liberty Blue Mica)

vfrcapn again:

I used this powder coat red on my '85 R fork legs to match the original color. Diamond Vogel Bright Red #ET5394

This was a good match for the red on the fairings and the manufacturer makes a paint that matches the powder coat. Not sure it's a perfect match to the original paint but very close.

Hi all,

Life has got a bit busy, and the VF project has been on hold for the last couple of months.

I have had some problems with regard to paint shops mixing small volumes of paint for the bike.

In a nutshell,they won't do it.

My painter has been railroaded by the small number of suppliers down here, and at present we are unable to source the colours.

I have been considering going to the US market where you can buy premixed paint for this model.

See the below website.

http://www.colorrite.com

My project is going to start again in the new year.

A safe and happy new year to everyone on the forum.

Cheers

Simon

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Looking good so far, kudos for keeping with it....that's my downfall for projects- patience! I try my best to find some, but can't seem to wait that long...

Having used Colorite many times (none recently though) nothing but good results. Odd local shops won't mix whatever you want, I've bought pints of custom colors many times.

Looking forward to your next update.

Hi everyone at VFRD. I have been looking at this website for many years whilst working at my first resto/mods on my 83 VF750f, and I finaly have joined up here :woohoo: .

Love the 1KR tassie its going to come up real sweet im sure.

I will be hopefully adding one to my garage one day, just needs to be the right price and project for my liking.

Rgds

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What is that lurking behind the VFR1000 is thst CB1000R ?

Switchblade

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What is that lurking behind the VFR1000 is thst CB1000R ?

Honda CB1300S