1985 Vf1000R Restoration...and...here...we...go!

So I have been a long time member of the the F site (I bought a Blue 1100F new and still own it.) Anyway I started with a damaged bike a couple years ago and finally found the second "donor bike" needed to begin the restoration. I have a heated shop in the northern part of New York state (by the Canadian border) so winter is when work gets done. Anyway this will be a complete restoration and the bike will be ridden like all bikes should be! No show queen here......

Here is the rest of the story....or at least the start of the rest of the story.

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Welcome to the site Doc. You'll find a few of the F boys here too. Seems there's a fair bit of cross-over with these beauties ;-)

Look forward to seeing your progress.

cheers

ian

Welcome to the Board.

That.......................is a project.

Like the fact that it will be ridden, that's what its all about in the end.

Bought my second R in March 2012 as a non runner with parts and pieces in various boxes.

By July I was off cross country from Maine to Calf. and back, 7800 miles in 17 days. If you can deal with the ergonomics these bikes are tremendous all around machines. Mine in my driveway when I got back.

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I suspect a few of us here will be keeping tabs on your progress, good luck.

Wow you've got your work cut out for you.

Simple curious question: what is it about these bikes that makes you want one so much?

I only ask from a position of ignorance.

Because they are like Playboy magazine, so much beauty to look at?

And you may end up with a great ride!

My little puma makes me giggle already.... Imagine what a VFKR would do...

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All she needs is a seat cover...

Skids

Simple curious question: what is it about these bikes that makes you want one so much?

I only ask from a position of ignorance.

For me, it was that big beautiful machine in magazines and up on a stand at the Honda dealership when I was in high school that I couldn't afford. Pure lust. I got a used 84 VF500F and loved it. Always wanted the 1000R, at the time they were the best looking sport bike out there (still holds up for me... right behind the RC30). Well, later when you have money and space, you start looking for those machines you never had. Mini Trail 50 to a VF1000R. Now I have an 85 and 86, as well as a 84 1000F.

Yes they are heavy and complicated. That's not what it's all about. They are still very satisfying rides.

Good luck on your resto, my 85 took me a long time to "finish". It's still not quite done.

Mike.

Dang!,

It looks like you literally pulled that bike out of a swamp! :ohmy:

Good luck on the re-build! I hope that the elements did not damage too much of the critical parts on the bike.

Hope nothing jumped out at you when you took the airbox apart...... :rolleyes:

Keen to see this. The R is a real beauty.

Dave.

+1 to the foregoing. Will be watching this one with interest!

That looks like more of a "lake find" than a "barn find". I'm quite certain that this is the most ambitious project I've ever seen kick off.

The mailman

That looks like more of a "lake find" than a "barn find". I'm quite certain that this is the most ambitious project I've ever seen kick off.

I thought exactly the same thing!

The night shots indeed are giving the impression it was in a lake.

The day shots look a lot better.

Plenty VF-heads here so go for it.

What is for you will not go past you!!! :goofy:

Just for motivation.. It was a long ron on mine as well.. It came in as a basket case, had been in a garden for 8 years, without even a tarp over it...

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After some dedicated work (total rebuild including the engine) she came out fine..

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I'll be checkin in to see if I can provide any support..

First some background...This will be my fourth frame up bike restoration. As far as my preference there is no question for me it has to be an 1983 CB1100F (or a 1979 to 1982 CB750F / CB900F)....but...Having the opportunity to see a VF1000R in person I decided I wanted one so I began looking for a restorable one (or two) three years ago.....So the riding season was extended up here a bit and I have been taking advantage of it all I can... On Saturday SteveG and I worked on the VF1000R all day. SteveG and I have 12 bikes between (us with 6 each)...so far. Saturday we stripped the bike down to the motor in the frame with the forks and rear suspension still in place. We stopped when we couldn't get the front exhaust flanges off the studs at the cylinder heads (we soaked them in PB Blaster for a few days.) On Wednesday night after heating and wiggling the flanges came loose and the rest of the bike was stripped after the motor was on the bench. Yesterday I pressure washed off as much oil and chain lube as I could and dropped the frame off at the sandblaster and it will be powder coated in a week or so. Then the suspension will be reattached and once the chassis is reassembled SteveG and I will completely re-build the motor.

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Storing up on the popcorn, this is going to be awesome reconstructive surgery, good luck Dr.!

Having seen a fully restored VFKR in person (the one done by The Dutchy see a few posts up) I can only say I'm jealous,,,

That rear shock might be toast..... the one on my VF500 was..

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Its great to see you start this, I will definitely be keeping an eye on this to see if I can steal any ideas.............:)

One question though. How far are you planning on getting into the motor?

Reason I ask is Honda has virtually no parts for these bikes.

Top end gasket kits are available from a supplier in Poland, and old Vesrah or Athena kits sometimes show up on E-Bay, so you are probably be OK there.

Piston rings miraculously reappeared after being NLA for years, so thats a good thing.

But I have yet to find anybody with complete crank bearing sets. Yes, you may see the odd bearing available, but not a whole set in the color needed. I have purposely stalled going into one of my R's motors to repair a bad second gear because of this. I figure if I'm going in I'd like to do it all at once, rings, bearings, undercut tranny, etc and be done with it.

Anyway, I'm curious how you are going to approach this and if you have sources for parts lined up.

BTW, thanks for posting pics from the start of rebuild, it brought back a some memories from a few years ago.

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Thanks

Michael

Looks like a fun project. Keep posting.

Well I plan on doing a complete rebuild on the motor as well and obviously you guys know about the gaskets and seals needed to rebuild these motors so I hope I can get them. (I saw a couple Vesrah sets on Ebay so i figured the gaskets were readily available!) As far as the bearings go I was unaware Honda sold "sets" of bearings since they are always individually selected in color sizes to match the crank journal dimensions. I am hoping to clean up and reuse the pistons and bearings, install new rings then blueprint the entire motor returning it to OEM manufacture tolerances. This will include measuring the cylinder head and piston CC's and degreeing the stock cams (static balancing is a waste of time on the "CB" motors I do since they are just about perfect from the factory.) Questions:

If this motor needs an overbore are Weisco piston sets available?

Are the decal sets still available from CBdecals / AFE graphics?

Dont know about pistons but this guy mite know where to get some .

http://www.hondarestoration.com/for_sale_motoqs.asp?md=Fairings%20and%20Body%20Work&p=Motorcycle%20Parts&c=35560&k=VF1000

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-VF1000R-Interceptor-1985-1986-Pistons-Rods-Very-Nice-/191744691005?hash=item2ca4dfcb3d:g:3DsAAOxyXDhSj6FZ&vxp=mtr

DrOlds

Well I plan on doing a complete rebuild on the motor as well and obviously you guys know about the gaskets and seals needed to rebuild these motors so I hope I can get them. (I saw a couple Vesrah sets on Ebay so i figured the gaskets were readily available!) As far as the bearings go I was unaware Honda sold "sets" of bearings since they are always individually selected in color sizes to match the crank journal dimensions. I am hoping to clean up and reuse the pistons and bearings, install new rings then blueprint the entire motor returning it to OEM manufacture tolerances. This will include measuring the cylinder head and piston CC's and degreeing the stock cams (static balancing is a waste of time on the "CB" motors I do since they are just about perfect from the factory.) Questions:

If this motor needs an overbore are Weisco piston sets available?

Are the decal sets still available from CBdecals / AFE graphics?

I had a set of 1mm overbore Pistons made last year. Dave Dodge had it done by Arias.

I believe the decal sets are still available. Send Mark an email at CBDecals.

How do you plan to degree the cams with the gear drive?

DrOlds

Well I plan on doing a complete rebuild on the motor as well and obviously you guys know about the gaskets and seals needed to rebuild these motors so I hope I can get them. (I saw a couple Vesrah sets on Ebay so i figured the gaskets were readily available!) As far as the bearings go I was unaware Honda sold "sets" of bearings since they are always individually selected in color sizes to match the crank journal dimensions. I am hoping to clean up and reuse the pistons and bearings, install new rings then blueprint the entire motor returning it to OEM manufacture tolerances. This will include measuring the cylinder head and piston CC's and degreeing the stock cams (static balancing is a waste of time on the "CB" motors I do since they are just about perfect from the factory.) Questions:

If this motor needs an overbore are Weisco piston sets available?

Are the decal sets still available from CBdecals / AFE graphics?

I thought my reference to a set of bearings was obvious, but apparently not. I did mean being able to assemble a "set" of the various colored bearings needed for a particular engine. Different nomenclature can be misleading at times.

Not sure if this exactly what you are looking for, but have a look. The price is right but I have no experience with them. I bought my decal kit from another vendor, but they are not offering them anymore:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VF1000-R-84-85-Decals-Stickers-set-of-10-H25-/291624067657?hash=item43e6262249:g:G18AAOSwPcVVygQc&vxp=mtr

This is the gasket kit I bought. Just an FYI as I have not installed it yet.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KR-Motorcycle-gasket-set-TOP-END-for-HONDA-VF-1000-F-Interceptor-VF-1000-

R-/161835249696?hash=item25ae21f020:g:UckAAOSwwbdWKd2J&vxp=mtr

Partzilla shows the std rings available and .25 and .50 over also. Have not ordered these from them but they show in stock. There is a Dutch company that also shows them also in stock for immediate shipping, but at a substantial price hike.

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/Honda/Motorcycle/1985/VF1000R+A/CRANKSHAFT+%2B+PISTON/parts.html.

Hope some of this proves useful.

Thanks for following this thread! Merry Christmas and the NY Title arrived in my name yesterday! Since I haven't taken the motor apart yet I "assumed" the cam gears still bolted on the cams...Partzila shows different...huh. I will be away for a couple weeks then it's go time!

Decal kits are available from afe but no wiseco kits I know of.

Looks like a decent project though.

I think cam gears are cast/forged.

Just looked at cams. The gear is not bolted on in any way. Maybe the gear assembly with secondary spring loaded offset gear is riveted onto the cam.

There is no obvious way to disassemble it.

If I had a munted one I would be happy to pull it to bits but cams are in short supply.

Cams are a trouble area to get, as also the crankshaft bearings.. There are some openings on Mahler and other companies to get them aftermarket.. Piston rings are identical to the early model CBR1000F which are available throught fleabay..

Got the frame back from the powdercoater yesterday. (It looks white in the images but it is actually Argent silver with 20% gloss.) I will be using the forks from the assembled bike in the background when this is done but need the ratty ones until the lowers are coated and I rebuild them. I will spend today hanging the suspension and pick up the fairing and taillight stays which will be done will be done later today. Tomorrow I can start hanging the fairing stay, cluster and upper radiator.

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So I spent 4 hours today cleaning up the swingarm and the rear wheel. I repacked the linkage bearings and got the shock back in.

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I got the black parts from the powder coater late last night....so I started assembling the front of the bike.

This is as far as I got as of 1/17/2016... Next will be the rear of the bike, the fuel pump, coolant and emission tanks.

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Did you end up having to pull the gauges apart to clean em? Those look cherry. I just did the cluster on my 86 vfr700 and i missed a spot, gotta take em off and reclean em... The needles on yours look killer, way cooler than mine(before pic http://i.imgur.com/F5LtEFj.jpg).Keep up the good work, loving the updates.

I removed the gauges from the rubber holder and cleaned them. I did not attempt to disassemble the guages themselves since they looked fine.

Really starting to come together .

I started looking into the engine last night and discovered two things (well actually three but...) Can someone post a link to the source that sells the socket to remove the clutch nut? Can someone post the bolt size and thread pitch for the bolt to remove the charging rotor? And the third thing is .. the internals look really good.. there appears to be some slack in the oil pump drive chain but the second engine I have has the exact same length and slack.

I just had to buy the clutch tool. Pretty sure I bought it from David Silver Spares. I could not find one in the states immediately available. Pretty sure I have the rotor puller bolt too, I'll check. Chain slack is normal (well, at least on every one of my bikes... And that's a few).

Edit: Here's the Clutch Tool I bought - https://www.davidsilverspares.com/VF1000R-1985-USA/part_281071/

Very good quality and worked perfectly.

It arrived fairly promptly too. Which was good, because one of my 1000Rs was apart on the lift after I thought I had the tool already.

Excellent...I was looking for an excuse to buy from David Silver Spares and have heard good things.....The tool is on the way!

The tool has arrived and the inside of the motor looks to be in excellent condition. I am going to clean this up and install it as it is since I have two other motors to build. Once a new motor is done I will swap them out. One thing I noticed is the slack in the little chain that drives the oil and water pumps. I tried the chain from one of the other motors and it was the same length and had the same slack (defined as slight but there is some none the less)...No spec in the Honda manual. Is this a source of concern or do they all have a little slack?

Decided on a name finally...Bike one will be Phoenix ... as in risen from the ashes to fly again!

Excellent work Dr., the patient is receiving the finest care. Stay warm, I used to live in Saratoga, and stories of the cold in Watertown are legendary!

Inspiring! Your work looks excellent.

Looking good. You can take some Vaseline and smear liberally over your switches and let it sit for a couple days. Wipe off excess and they will be nice and black again. It lasts pretty long too, depending on exposure to the elements.

Excellent work...I'm so glad you saved it!