New To Site: 85 Vf1000R

Just wanted to say hey!! I'll be giving this baby some love this winter. All the parts are there-just not pictured. I just got her off loaded and snapped a quick pic.

[image: 15652456188_27a9292fd0.jpg]

Nice. Keep us updated.

I need a source for some parts, anyone have any VF1000r parts laying around?? I really need the red seat covering from somewhere. My seat looks awful and needs recovering bad.

Sergeant makes a seat cover, that's where I'll be getting mine. Keep the pics coming! Looks good.

WELCOME AND GOOD LUCK !!!

As you can see the seat is no good...

[image: 15821908436_2a578f8e02.jpg]

Tail - looks like plastic work in my future. I was like really...glue a zip tie??

[image: 15225466494_d0a9a98c83.jpg]

[image: 15847118542_a4b34cd8e8.jpg]

Great!!

[image: 15847869235_70061f2364.jpg]

Gas Tank and some fluid floating around in it...pretty sure this bike has been sitting for YEARS...not looking forward to seeing what's inside.

[image: 15228086363_419326058d.jpg]

Rut row

[image: 15847754105_1a8926ae64.jpg]

[image: 15661968717_8b4b20d770.jpg]

WTF?

[image: 15228086523_3abb831aaa.jpg]

[image: 15660417218_f0a229461a.jpg]

Looks like a previous attempt to coat the inside.

I have had very good luck with a couple local upholstery shops.

I've had really good luck with POR 15 tank sealant system...however I've never seen a tank with this much gunk. I'll do a few days soak with Apple Cider then rinse with a pressure washer prior to doing the POR 15.

dcompson

Sergeant makes a seat cover, that's where I'll be getting mine. Keep the pics coming! Looks good.

Sergeant? I couldn't find him/her in the member directory.

You can do the seat yourself too, $15 in vinyl and a staple gun. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/37075-vf1000r-rebuild/page-2#entry497929

Here's my original tank: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/37075-vf1000r-rebuild/page-19#entry588579

POR brought it back to life and it's still going 5 years later, good stuff.

Here's the seat cover, $70, http://www.sargentcycle.com/s.nl/sc.25/category.27452/ctype.SS/SS.27452/.f?range=25%2C36%2C36

Congrats and Welcome! :smile2:

Always good to see another VFKR being resurrected. I have a good assortment of spares from the 3 bikes i've had through my garage, but my spare seats look like yours. I would follow vfrcapn advice, his bike is all the proof you need to know that it works.

Keep us posted -

Thanks guys...where did you get the vinyl? Did you match up the reds pretty good?

Yo unbalanced - you have any windscreen screws, nuts and rubber? I need 4 of them? Access door on lower fairing? I could start making a wish list with you...lol

Looks like the tank will need stripper...the old lining wont come all the way out.

[image: 15667900218_2df0239fab_z.jpg]

[image: 15235769483_2fc07126bb_z.jpg]

you need to load up your parts and hit me up in DC we can fix your problems in no time.. and i can show you how to cover your seat correctly

i also have some vf1000r parts laying around that you can have.

you need some MEK

[image: 023857726114lg_zps01ad36c4.jpg]

I took the seat to my old VFR ('97) to an automotive upholstery shop after time and the sun started to split the vinyl and the guy completely reworked the whole seat. This guy had classic muscle cars, a vintage Jag, and a few antiques in his shop so I think he could have done my seat blindfolded. He said it might be a while since he was busy with big projects. He called me two days later and said it was done! He had enough "scrap material" from big projects so he didn't have to make special purchases for my seat. New dual density foam and new vinyl. ---> $50!!!

gll429 - hell yeah. I'm hoping to be riding by spring...or sooner.

mp33dave

gll429 - hell yeah. I'm hoping to be riding by spring...or sooner.

read http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/59209-deafness-it-really-is-vfr-deafness/

atleast the 1st post by me.

then send me a PM :fing02:

Yo unbalanced - you have any windscreen screws, nuts and rubber? I need 4 of them? Access door on lower fairing? I could start making a wish list with you...lol

I may have a few extra windscreen hardware, and definitely the access door - I assume by the first pic that you need the left hand door? I'll take a look and PM you.

:fing02:

How long you leave the MEK in???

never mind...I started at 2pm...I dumped it around 8pm after many turns and shakes and its clean now!!! And Yes, that is some nasty stuff. I have a FULL face respirator mask on and high end chemical gloves.

Good times...

[image: 15871436951_55fbef3c6e.jpg]

Rust

[image: 15251172654_986b8e1348.jpg]

dirty and damaged...

[image: 15251174794_9b316dfd23.jpg]

Brakes looks sketchy...may need some powder coat love and some new fluid and pads.

[image: 15871439701_ea23f41aef.jpg]

VENTILATE well when using MEK

That stuff ate away manier braincell from house painters over the years...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butanone

Congrats on your VFR1k and welcome to VFRD! Looks like a real project, but not as rough as some that have posted here. Good luck getting her back to 100%! :smile:

Yeah...i didn't take any chances...I had good gear on. Whats funny is that when I poured it in the tank a little spilled on the tank itself...but nothing really happened to the paint. However - after 8 hours of working its magic in the tank I went to dump it and yuck-O...tank got stained up a bit. No biggie seeing that I'm totally re-doing the tank anyways. (dents pulled and filled / paint - decals)

[image: 15686098580_ccb51479e9.jpg]

JoAnn Fabric had Marine Red...said for $15, why not? First attempt. Key...heat gun!!

[image: 15694997499_904d1338f3.jpg]

[image: 15879031551_b2d8f34b37.jpg]

[image: 15258747664_e2fdc1a52c.jpg]

[image: 15693507988_f257e29ecd.jpg]

[image: 15694995449_df91f8b814.jpg]

[image: 15261364533_e2835af0e7.jpg]

Nice! :beer:

love it when a plan comes together...the seat is next. I promised myself that I would tackle one thing at a time, two at the most, when doing this bike. Sometimes I get over zealous and break down too much then get overwhelmed with stuff.

After seat - Tank.

Sorry I'm late to the greetings but have been wrestling with a 10 week old Husky puupy that has been occupying all my time.

I was going to say wrap the seat yourself. I got that same red at Jo-Anns as well. Put a staple in the middle of one end then pull back till its slightly tight and put in another in the middle. Don't pull to hard from back to front or you'll distort the section that meets the tank. Do the same on each side. Now you can really pull to make it snug by working your way around. Looks like you have a good handle on it cause the butt pad is the hard part.

It might look bad now but everything can be fiberglassed and worked to look new. Keep it up.

mp33dave

love it when a plan comes together...the seat is next. I promised myself that I would tackle one thing at a time, two at the most, when doing this bike. Sometimes I get over zealous and break down too much then get overwhelmed with stuff.

After seat - Tank.

when doing your seat..

staple the back.

heat and pull forward to front..

heat

do a side , heat

other side..

heat,do back.

heat and do front last.. :fing02:

if you start at the front it some times pulls the padding back and you end up with a "lip" on the edge .

Hey Dave - I just saw this thread. Welcome to the forum and congrats. Now we have two forums in common. You'll need to get a GL1000 next!

Tom

mp33dave

love it when a plan comes together...the seat is next. I promised myself that I would tackle one thing at a time, two at the most, when doing this bike. Sometimes I get over zealous and break down too much then get overwhelmed with stuff.

After seat - Tank.

Good plan ..

Dave, when rebuilding rear caliper try not to mess up the piston seals as they are no longer available new.

Thanks for the tip thx113. Good to know.

Hey Tom...yes. two sites now...I guess the GL1000 is next, lol

I made some progress on the tank...

Today is remove a dent day!!!

[image: 15728816257_a3fd2da690_n.jpg]

[image: 15727087158_e79cdbbb32_n.jpg]

[image: 15728814917_a342cca1c2_n.jpg]

Still looking at some discoloration in the tank...wonder if it needs another metal prep/rust treatment b4 I seal it??

[image: 15912633671_9ef86e8c13_n.jpg]

Wow that's a lot of work . Gonna look good tho .

yeah...I was thinking of not going all out...but the tank is pretty much the first thing you see...and with the dents - faded paint...rust. Just wanted to do it right the first time.

thx113

Dave, when rebuilding rear caliper try not to mess up the piston seals as they are no longer available new.

Hmmm. Anyone know what the piston diameter is? The rear caliper must be different than the one on the VF1000F. The fronts are the same on both.

Tom I was wondering the same thing...

Seat progress:

Before:

[image: 15218471693_b5d833cc66_n.jpg]

After:

[image: 15739646608_bcefc3d33e_n.jpg]

Just need to tighten up a few spots and finish the band...my sister in law can work a sewing machine!!

[image: 15741103609_8c19ea12e6_z.jpg]

Update. I was able to get all the dents out prior to sealing the tank. I wanted to make sure I wasn't pulling on metal after the sealant went in. I ended up buying a stud welder / dent puller from HF. Worked great...

[image: 15378016883_169d3e2af4.jpg]

[image: 15811829487_cd7e56b3fb.jpg]

Inside the tank came out better then expected.

Before:

[image: 15811797977_a84c4ab2c0.jpg]

After:

[image: 15996859822_f37e9e2f60.jpg]

Tabs are being re installed using Q Bond...So far its a great fit and seems very solid. I have some sanding to do and will prob put on another layer of Q Bond and more sanding prior to paint.

[image: 15995558061_c13d3e52e3.jpg]

[image: 15995640131_87d9da5d9d.jpg]

About to get the Carbs str8 next...wish me luck, they came in a box not assembled. Great!!!

Got a present in the mail today!!

[image: 15998407801_c9b0795894.jpg]

Happiness is new decals. That's the fun part, the sucky part is laying out the stripes but even that's not too bad. The new tabs look good and once painted, no one will be the wiser. Honda dropped the ball on a few things on this bike and the tail is definitely one place. Those tabs break as well as the small ones in back that hold the taillight trim piece. You also see a ton of mesh side panels with one or both mounting holes broken off. I could go on and on but they're so damn cool, you just forget about those things and fix them with a smile.

Nice!

Inside of the tank looks good .

It was real bad when I first started....i have never seen that much gunk in a tank. I did two rust blast/flush treatments...MEK once, rinse it like 50 times and pressure washed it . At least now I'm confident that its going to last and I wont have any fuel issues when getting her back up and running. Carbs are a mess.

Welcome to the asylum. Good luck with your project.

Everything looks so good! Thanks for the inspiration.

[image: 15828037338_191a434a54_z.jpg]

[image: 15829415459_57da28d7a9_z.jpg]

[image: 15395821983_35033d6230_z.jpg]

[image: 15829703747_a8edf1a2d8_z.jpg]

really like the way the ridge got formed...

[image: 15395821243_36f01ed437_z.jpg]

Anyone know if the fuel pump is serviceable? I will assume there is junk in it due to it sitting for so long. Or if there is a comparable aftermarket replacement?

I've got an aftermarket on mine, I'll take a look at it tonight and see what make/model it is. (Put on by PO)

Just an out of the box thought - I removed mine well over a thousand miles ago (albeit a vfr750 tank...) and have not had any issues. My guess is Honda had to plan for high speeds with low fuel (lower static pressure) at some crazy altitude as a worse case and decided to go with the e-pump. I have had my share of low fuel and above speed limit runs, but likely not at the extreme envelope the engineers had to plan for.

But if you're on the restoration path this may be sacrilege...

Yeah...looks like I may just delete it all together...go with gravity fed.

I can't get a good look at my pump, it's low in front of the oil catch tank. Jamie Daughtery swears by the gravity feed but I was never able to get my R to run reliably when I tried it.

From the VF1000R email list earlier this year, the question and a few replies:

1) Any low pressure electronic fuel pump for a carburetor equipped car works fine. Best to match the fuel flow rating. Others modify fuel tap and try gravity. No problems on my 85 VF using an auto pump.

2) Yes, (gravity) for a couple of decades almost! Some of my VF's have a filter, but only the ones that have/had a rusty tank. Remember, the gravity feed Hondas that followed the first gens came from the factory without a filter.

3) Guys, A couple of times since I went "gravity", the flow to one side of the carbs has disappeared; I mean, the two right carbs (front and left) have no fuel in them. I can check that easily by opening the drain bolt.

BTW, the VF1000R list is a Yahoo worldwide group. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/VF1000R/info

I looked at my pump...i'm going to get adventurous and try opening it...clean what I can and test it's flow per the manual. If it appears to be working ok i may leave it on. My only real fear is there is crap inside and will want to spew its nastiness into my freshly re-done carbs.

dont pry it open..

just jump it with a battery and let it run for a min...

then hook up some hoses and pump clean gas from a gas jug into a pan ,so you can see any left over grit that simple.. :wink:

Welcome aboard, can't believe I missed this thread.

As far as fuel pumps go a lot of First Gen owners of V4's have used the pump for a 83 Honda Civic 1300cc with good results.

As far as the rear brake goes the calipers for the F and R are different, the reason is that the R got Hondas first vented disc. And that's an issue if yours is not in great shape as they are NLA and nobody I have found offers a pattern part. So you may want to have a good look at it just in case.

While you have the bike apart you may want to consider mounting spools on the rear then buying a paddock stand. Makes life so much easier on a bike with no centerstand. I know my first pic shows the bike on paddles, but that was only for the install, the spools provide a much more secure lift. I threw some on the front axle also just because.

Good luck, I look forward to watching your project.

[image: post-19876-0-50431700-1419185730.jpg]

[image: post-19876-0-37759200-1419185862.jpg]

[image: post-19876-0-82335300-1419185926.jpg]

something like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-Fuel-Pump-AIRTEX-E8055-fits-80-83-Honda-Civic-1-5L-L4-/261638679239?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1983%7CMake%3AHonda%7CModel%3ACivic%7CSubmodel%3A1300&hash=item3ceae16ac7&vxp=mtr

Yes, that is the one, the part Numbers matches. I've not had to install one myself but have seen 2 used on First Gens (VF1100C's) with no issues. Can't imagine it would be any issue to retro fit to an R. I will try and send you a link to common problems and their fixes for the First gens in a PM. Not all will apply to the R as its a different animal but there is enough there that will to make it worth your while.

The VF1000R is a great ride. I took one of mine from Maine to Calf and back for a total of 7800 miles back in 2012 and after the first few days of discomfort found it to be a good all rounder. Pretty easy going on the highway and decent enough when I spent a day on 129, 151, 215 276 and Wayah Rd. in western NC.

Holy cow...that's a few miles in the saddle. Got the message and replied. I cant get past the what symbols are above keys 1590876432?:

Carbs are cleaned, polished and reassembled.

Carb candy!!

[image: 15486828723_b92c634413_z.jpg]

[image: 15920776367_8ae3ecd9ba_z.jpg]

[image: 15919108228_28449f59d1_z.jpg]

Nice carb porn.

Nice, mine are sitting on my workbench, can I send them over for the same treatment??

Those look great - too bad they'll be hidden under the tank!

yeah I thought of that with the carbs but at least I know they are shiny and new!!

vfrcapn - Sure - send them over...along with a check and we be good!!!

This reminds me, I need to pull my carbs off and re-do them... Shit

mp33dave

vfrcapn - Sure - send them over...along with a check and we be good!!!

I'll trade you your carb shining tips for some windscreen nuts and rubber isolators? I think I've got a baggy of them floating around, will check.

Nice job on those carbs, Dave. They look like new. That baby is going to fire right up when you press the button.

What a beast! I remember saving every cent I could to buy one of these, when they came out. The sound, alone, was worth every cent. Massive induction noise, during acceleration, and all that whirring and crackling, when you'd shut it down into a corner. I hope it comes together for you.

Of course all the carb boots are dried up and cracked...money pit.

Tom: with all the time and money in the carbs they better start right up!!!

Dave - you probably don't want to hear this, but if the carbs are still out, you might want to replace the coolant tube O-rings. This is the time to do it while they're easy to get at. They're most likely the originals and are brittle and flattened out.

Will do...thanks Tom. I have a list of some other things to address while the carbs are still off. That is one of them now.

Tank getting some attention:

First coat of 2k Epoxy Primer

[image: 16128425981_b4ba3fd299_z.jpg]

Second coat:

[image: 16104541716_6e3d00a58a_z.jpg]

Primer is showing me some spots to fix...more to follow

tank getting done

wow, that's a good look inside, handy tool!

I also need to do the carbs on mine. will be a year and a half off the road this spring...

Any news on this build?

I got another tank (non-CA style)...so I'm starting over with stripping it down etc. Boring stuff. Got all my decals in...expensive little buggers. Garage is pretty cold too...so I have not been putting in many hours. Once it warms up a bit I'll be back in FULL swing.

Guys,

I realize this is a very old thread, but I´d like to ping in, as I am experiencing the same issues mp33dave had with a California style tank. I bought one several years ago as I replaced my (badly painted) euro tank. Initially al was well, but over the last couple of years I´ve had a sequence of blown fuel pumps, and I´ve experimented with going gravity.

When on gravity, I´ll start having problems with the right hand front and left cylinders not getting fuel. I believe my fuel pumps die from trying to get fuel out of the tank.

I also had a leaking fuel petcock, that I replaced for a new one. I did not get any flow from the tank until I filled it up, and plugged it into the pump suction side. After that, it does flow freely.

Could someone direct me to some solution? Over the rest of the week I am going to try to go through the tank, and see if it works with low fuel. Not sure, however, how last the pump will last (currently using a VFR750 one).

Cheers.

Carlos