All Categories - V4 Dreams

Removing Bowl Gasket Cement

7/13/2021

When I come across original bowl gaskets on my projects, they're often very difficult to remove. Pictured here is what's left of 35-year old, never-touched gaskets on a recent project, which fought me every millimeter of the way. What's left behind in the bowl's groove is a crisp, hard varnished substance, which appears to be a cement used in factory assembly. I want this stuff removed, but it too puts up a fight. I've found that soaking the affected part of the cover overnight in a shallow dish of acetone will make the adhesive easier to remove using a brass wire hand or rotary brush mounted in a drill or Dremel. The brown gasoline residue in the bowl will clean up with a water-based degreaser and tooth brush.

Replacement Fuel Pump Solution

7/10/2021

Reader Tom from Boise, ID sent me this fix for a failed RC24/26 fuel pump. The 2d-gen fuel pump is unique in that it has 90-degree curved inlet & outlet pipes, necessary to allow the fuel lines to clear the coolant overflow tank. The later VFRs are mounted in a more accessible location, allowing straight inlet/outlets. Trouble is, the curved-piped pumps are NLA from Honda and not available on the aftermarket.

Tom's solution is to simply source some 3/8-inch (10mm) 90-degree rubber fittings and clamp everything in place. I've accomplished the same thing with shortened brass 90-degree fittings, but the rubber fittings are a simpler solution. This fix will allow use of the later OEM pumps or their aftermarket replacements. NOTE: the later pump wiring is reversed from the earlier connectors. You'll need to splice the original connector onto the newer style pump wiring.

Tom's initial problem was fuel spewing from the crimped metal seam in the middle of the pump. He opened the crimp and disassembled the pump, locating a failed o-ring which he thinks may fix the leaking. Tom elected to go with the new pump, but replacing this gasket might be another approach.

Muffler Tip Therapy

7/7/2021

The black muffler tips on the 2d-gen pipes can get pretty scuffed up over time. But their finish is easily renewed with an application of high-temp spray paint, like VHT.

The muffler assemblies on these bikes are notoriously difficult to remove, so when possible, I simply spray them in place.

I begin with a thorough washing, noting that there's always an accumulation of carbon exhaust deposits on the tips. Some sort of degreaser will take care of that, with a final wipe with a paint prep product, like Dupli-Color cleaner. Often, a light sanding is in order to remove surface scratches.

Next, a precise taping around the perimeter of the tip followed by completely covering the bike to avoid overspray. For this I use large plastic sheet which I source from the dollar store, sold as party table covers. Cut these lightweight sheets into any size or shape you need.

All that's left is to apply three or four light coats of paint, let dry for about 30 minutes and remove the plastic and taping. The bike can be run immediately. After about four days buff the flat paint with a clean, dry terry or microfiber cloth to bring out a factory sheen.

(Below) I also repaint the black pipes forward of the muffler in situ — a real commitment in taping! But, much easier and faster than fighting with muffler removal/install. Here, the pipes are shown in primer.

Tail Tidying

7/5/2021

What's that, your tag is wonky and just won't behave? The license plate assembly on the 2d-gen VFR is prone to being loose and no manner of tightening the two bolts on the backside of the fender will help, as those bolts are designed to bottom out on the bracket studs.

(Below) Here's a simple fix. The issue is that the rubber mounts surrounding the two studs which protrude through the fender have shrunk with age. I give them a new lease on life by simply inserting two internal tooth lock washers onto the studs (external tooth would also work).
Those teeth will grab the fender and hold everything tight.

Next issue — those two holes hiding under the license plate aren't there for aerodynamics. They're supposed to hold little nubs which keep the plate from rattling about. The good news is that they're still available from Honda for about $1.70 each.

Pop them into place to complete our tail tidying chores.

Now's a good time to brighten up the black plastic fender by cleaning, then applying a quality plastic treatment like 303. If it's beyond that, then an application of a dye-type product like Back-to-Black or That Black Stuff will help.

Here's an Amazon link.

Time & Neglect

7/2/2021

One of the final tasks on Project 34, a 1987 VFR700 F2, is to inspect the fuel tank fittings. When I removed the original selector valve, this is what I found. This is the result of many years of disuse and evaporating fuel, leaving these line-clogging crusty deposits behind.

The petcock will be changed to a fresh assembly, and to clear those three lines into and out of the tank I use a flexible vinyl-coated electrical wire, gently breaking up the deposits. I then blow compressed air into the tank from the filler neck which blows the crud outward, so as not to clog the pickup screens inside the tank.

This is a perfect example of why every system on these old, inactive bikes needs to be addressed.

Smalls

7/2/2021

With four 2d-gen VFR projects in the works — all Pearl Crescent White — I gathered together the little bits for a painting frenzy. The mirrors and turn signal housings (and wheels) on these models don't have the pearl color added to the finish, they use only the base coat white. So, in the interest of efficiency, I prepped all that I have on hand and asked my painter to spray them together. After disassembly, cleaning and sanding, they were ready for paint. In the box are shown some of the finished items, awaiting their installation.

Brian's '92 For Sale In IL

6/27/2021

Click on image for the RSBFS link

What: 1992 VFR750F
Where: Peoria, Illinois area
Why: Completely refurbed beauty
Price: $5500

While perusing my daily RareSportBikesForSale (.com) email feed, I was pleasantly surprised by this black beauty, offered by Brian F., a VFR-isti I "met" some time ago via this site.

Brian has gone balls out with this project, as the description and photos will attest in the RSBFS Featured Listing. His attention to detail and commitment to offering a quality bike is impressive, with a full mechanical and cosmetic refurbishment; "cleaned commutator and brushes on the radiator fan." I think that gives a clear picture of the lengths Brian went to on this unique VFR. The original paint isn't black — the Granite Blue Metallic was a one-year color in the U.S. It first appears black, but at just the right angle, sunlight will show subtle shades of blue with a tinge of purple in the decals.

RSBFS's write-up is spot on; here's a sample:
"When you look back at the bikes you could have owned – or maybe did own, but let slip away – many will dream of the unobtainable collector machines built in small numbers and high prices. But when you look back on the bikes you could have owned to ride, then the list changes significantly. Gone are the torture racks, the rolling stock full of NOS parts never to be found again, or the odd and unique (but not very practical) imports. Instead you would look back at the best all around bikes in history – and come to a singular conclusion: the Honda VFR750F. Here is a bike that can do it ALL – from canyon riding and track days to touring, exploring and commuting. The VFR has long been a do everything exceptionally well type of mount."

Brian is asking $5500 for his VFR. I will tell you that, even at my bargain shop rate of $40/hour, I would have all of that and more just in parts and labor to duplicate this bike…plus the cost of the bike itself. The third-gen VFRs may not have the collector panache of some '90s bikes, but this one is special. Check out the link for more details or, better yet, give Brian a shout:
[email protected]

Project 34 Test Ride Day!

6/26/2021

Project 34 is a 1987 VFR700 F2 in Pearl Crescent White, showing 23,000 miles. The bike belongs to Steve, from Michigan, and it came to me with one of the most clogged, gummed-up set of carburetors I've ever seen. The brake system was in similar condition along with leaky forks, bad steering bearings and dated tires. After a full mechanical service and some tricky paint matching on the damaged headlight fairing, this Interceptor is back on the road.

The test ride went perfectly — the engine is super smooth with clean revs throughout the range with lots of power, just like a VFR should perform. After some final checks, I'll mount up the remaining fairings and this one will be ready to go home.

Easy 2d-Gen Project In MN

6/26/2021

Click on image for the Marketplace link

What: 1986 VFR700F
Where: Minneapolis, MN
Why: Cheap, complete
Price: $1450

Here's an inexpensive project for someone to bring back to life. These finds are always hard for me to resist, but my garage and schedule is full. Our seller is sparse with details, like mileage, but the bike is relatively complete and the plastics seem to be mostly intact. Peel off the boy-racer decals, rebuild the carbs and source some missing bits (seat cowl, signals, rear fender) and you'll have a base for a "fancy Honda sport bike," just like the ad title says.

I tried to reach out to the seller for details, but got back a generic click response: "Yes, it's still available." Maybe you'll have better luck.

Radiator Resurrection

6/13/2021

Project 32, a 1986 VFR700 F2, is in dire need of a radiator rejuvenation. This thing is nasty, with 34 years of accumulated dirt, corrosion and general grunge. This will be a challenge.

I begin with disassembly — the front protective grill is removed along with the fan assembly mounted to the backside.

Next is a thorough cleaning with a water-based degreaser followed by a general sudsing with a kitchen detergent, like Dawn, and a hot water rinse. The finning is gently scrubbed with a soft brush. I then blow dry the whole thing with compressed air and sand any rusty spots on the steel grill cover.

(Below) I'm left with a nice, clean assembly — a big improvement from what we began with. We could stop at this point but I want to take this all the way, so….

I'm going to spend about a half-hour to carefully straighten the delicate finning with a small straight-blade screwdriver, front and rear. This is not just cosmetics, it will help air flow and cooling efficiency.

The next step is paint. Here I'm using Dupli-Color engine primer, followed by their cast aluminum color, and finally three coats of engine clear.

(Below) I like to let the parts cure for a few days before reassembly. The fan is bolted into place after cleaning and applying dielectric grease to the ground and temp sender connections.

The finished product will pretty up this project, just one of the many little things that make up the whole.