Will's '84 Vf1000F Resurrection

G'Day All,

Just bought myself an '84 VF1000F as a ticket to returning to biking after a forced hiatus. Pix to come when I'm off the tablet and on the computer :happy:  

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A few more pix.

looks pretty tidy Wills. For some reason your second post is empty?

I'm sure you'll enjoy being back on the bikes with something like that to get you around.

cheers

ian

looks pretty tidy Wills. For some reason your second post is empty?

I'm sure you'll enjoy being back on the bikes with something like that to get you around.

cheers

ian

Yeah Ian, soooo looking forward to regular riding again! That empty post was due to my lack of dexterity with my new Android Tablet...........D'oh! :unsure:

A couple more photos. I think...............

[image: after detail 09.06.13 right rear qtr.JPG] [image: after detail 09.06.13 rear.JPG]

A couple more photos. I think...............

that's better  :wink: What's the plan of attack? Doesn't look like it needs too much to get her back on the road.

ian

A couple more photos. I think...............

that's better  :wink: What's the plan of attack? Doesn't look like it needs too much to get her back on the road.

ian

Yeah Ian, it passed its blue slip for nsw rego 1st go. I'd like to fix the tach....or replace it if I can find one at a good price. It will be on the road as soon as I have the $ for the rego. Can't wait eh! Should have my sidecovers back next week, around the same time as the new seat cover arrives from the 'States.  :cheerleader:

[image: After frame cleanup.jpg] [image: 20130614_130217.jpg] Did some more cleaning today. 

That is a clean looking F. All these new F's popping up are making me want to start searching for one.

I think what attracted me to this bike, besides the low cost was the easy going riding position. And the sound from those cans with that aftermarket exhaust. It looks like a snake pit under the engine! :cool:

I do love those big 'ol Fs.  I have been forced to stop dragging bikes home for a while, but either one of those or a Sabre will be mine soon enough!

Good luck with it.

I do love those big 'ol Fs.  I have been forced to stop dragging bikes home for a while, but either one of those or a Sabre will be mine soon enough!

Good luck with it.

Thanks Mate! Can't wait to take it for a decent ride :cheerleader:

Did some more tidying up on the VF this morning. Repainted the tired looking centre and side stands, and citted the rejuvenated 'Gearsack' rack with stainles fasteners.

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more pix :cool:

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[image: SANY1394.JPG] [image: SANY1395.JPG] Picked up a cheap second seat and fitted the sheepskin on it today. Also grabbed a RJays rack bag for the weekend run coming up in October. Refitted the sidecovers, including the LH side one my brother Mick painted for me. Looks a whole lot better than the matt black one that was on it :-) Original seat is at the upholsterers being professionally recovered in Blue. I have a seat bag that will fit on the pillion spot just nicely, so luggage sorted!

Your seat used to be this guy's brother.....

:goofy:

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Love that pic! With a sheepish grin on my mug.............................

Picked up the recovered seat the other day and fitted it. According to the trimmer the seat had modded to lower the seat height so the US made replica was too big :-/

Still looks way better than the faded blue one or the aftermarket black one! I might have a go at recovering the spare base I have myself.[image: SANY1399.JPG] [image: SANY1400.JPG]

The last job on my list for the present time is to fix the tacho.[image: vion.jpg]

Mine has a broken needle, and it doesn't work anyway. I found a used dash assy on local classified's and bough it. Turns out the speedo fitted is in MPH, so it must be off a UK or US model? My speedo is in KPH. I disassembled the unit, removed the speedo and tacho and cleaned the faces with some mild detergent, paper towel, cotton buds and finally a coat of petroleum jelly. Came up OK I reckon.

Hopefully it will work once I take my bike to bits, and fit it. :-)

My  brother gave me his unwanted topbox. I modified the steel gearsack rack and bolted the box to the rack with ss fasteners. Very solid and I now have secure waterproof storage. Thanks Mick!

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 I kept the removed section of the rack, refitting it to use a soft slip on bag would be simple using an internal sleeve with pins and r clips.

I also located a matching set of blue adjustable levers, my clutch lever that was on the bike wasn't adjustable as well as being bent and the wrong type! My less than perfect left hand has a much easier time with the adjustable lever :-) A bit of farkle is nice too............

Forgot to mention, the new Pirelli Demon Sports are fitted. I've only travelled 8km so far but they feel immediately better than the BT45's. On a rally ride with the Veteran, Vintage and Classic bikes on Saturday so that will be the real test!

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Looking good Will. Interested on your view of the Pirelli's when you've had a good ride on them. Always thought the BT45s were a good tyre, but would like to switch radials if I could? Jeff has also suggested a pair of Avons.

cheers

ian

The Avon Azzario is the only set I could find as a front and rear radial.

Thanks vfrcpan. I forgot to mention I fitted the used tacho I bought too, I now know how far not to rev.......

It's turned a good budget big bore tourer. Looking forward to a long run somewhere, anywhere! :-)

I'll have a good idea of what the Pirelli's are like by the end of this weekend. I'll post my thoughts here,  as the new hoops are a part of the VF's "resurrection" after all!  :cool:

The Avon Azzario is the only set I could find as a front and rear radial.

ooops. You're right Jeff. For some reason (hope?) I thought the Pirellis were radial. My bad  :unsure:

Well, I clocked up about 200km on my new to me VF1000F.

[image: VF1000F maiden ride Mac Town Rally 2013.jpg]

Firstly, a little on my thoughts of the new Pirelli Demon Sports. In short, brilliant. They seem to have made a real positive difference to the way the big VF handles. The route I travelled  on the Macquarie Town Motorcycle Preservation Club rally covered a wide range of surfaces, smooth tarmac with tight sweepers, rough as guts pock marked asphalt, unsealed 'work in progress' sections, wet and slippery steel ferry boarding ramps, and damp early morning bitumen.

In my opinion they handled every thing I threw at them with aplomb. 'Feel' is much better than any experience I had with the BT45 Bridgestones, and they are effected less by road surface irregularities-and trust me, there were plenty of those! High speed stability is good, I only saw 150km/h briefly while overtaking a line of slower vintage cycles. The only negative I think there may be is the compound is soft once warm and as I've read elsewhere they may not last as long as the BT45's did on my last big motorcycle. Time will tell!

Some may notice in the pic above the rack and topbox is missing, it was there when I left home :comp13: I learnt a few things about old V Four Honda's on the run, they vibrate and nyloc fasteners are a must :rolleyes: Just before that pic was taken I noticed the rack wasn't sitting right, and on closer inspection both the front mounting bolts had loosened and fallen out! Only the back two bolts held it in place. There was a FJ1100 on the ride too who suffered the same malady. It was duly removed with riding mates '71 Triumph Tiger's tool kit and passed on the the breakdown vehicle for me to collect at a later date. Maybe I should stick with soft luggage............

Further to above, this being my first decent ride on the VF a couple of observations and questions for those with all the ownership experience.

I wasn't able to get any air in the forks for the ride, my pumps fitting is too big. Is that an issue?

I had about 25psi in the rear shock, I'm 120kg. What do you guys run?

The lever part of my centrestand was cut off by the PO to clear the aftermarket exhaust. I had been inserting a piece of steel rod into the hole while at home whilst working on the bike, and the day before the ride[typical]the rest of the lever part broke off, it was rusted through! :huh: Is this a common problem? And if the lever section is left on, does it tend to drag on left handers when 'pushing on'?

I forgot to mention, on the way home yesterday the VF began to miss, lose power and eventually stop. My mate John on the Triumph to the rescue again[thanks John!]and while he road away to arrange the breakdown trailer[how embarrassing]I had a look. I though initially it was a fuel issue-maybe a fuel pump? Pull seat off, have a look around. When the carry rack became dislodged it was banging on the tailpiece so hard one of the igniter box plugs had come loose, and the missing and farting I had before it conked out must have been the intermittent contact made at the connection before it fell right out. Plugged back in, hit the starter and awaaay we go! Cancel that breakdown trailer please John..... :laugh:

Sounds like a good ride. Ventura is apparently still offering the mounting kit for the F btw, another luggage option. I liked how it fit on my R.

Thanks vfrcapn, I'll look into the Ventura unit. Good bit of gear in my experience :-)

She looks good on street Will.

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Well, did another 300 odd kilometres on the VF yesterday, in company with brother Mick on his

'07 K1200GT BMW.

No hassles this time with bolts vibrating loose. Only fault I have noticed is a blown LH fork seal. Seeing as I don't have anything resembling a workshop I'll take the VF to the bike mechanic who has serviced it for the last eight years and see what more info on its history I can discover. The fork seal leak is bad enough to leave a slight dribble on the fork leg, then some spots on the bellypan.

I had several chances to give the bike it's head on the ride, and I've gotta say that for a 30 year old machine that is no lightweight sports bike it really does get up and boogie!

I'm very impressed by the stability and grip of the new Pirelli Demon Sports too. They continue to improve as they are 'scrubbed in'.

As far as ergos go, I would like to fit a set of 'bar risers, if they are available. Even an extra inch would make a difference, I'm tall and my wrists and forearms were very sore by days end. It was less of an issue while travelling at 120km/h[indicated]with air pressure on my upper body but made countersteering tiresome at slow speeds. Anyone here fitted risers to their older VF's?