Topic: my latest acquisition, hoping to not be a project thread

[seanbarney41]

...several '84-'85's and at least one '86 reported.  However, non of the bikes showed evidence of being properly maintained.

[grcamna2]

...several '84-'85's and at least one '86 reported.  However, non of the bikes showed evidence of being properly maintained.

I think some of those may have had aftermarket pipes(w/o the lower exh.collector box) and they may not have been 'sealed system'..  I really noticed a big performance difference past 6K rpm's when I installed a pr. of early(84-85')VF500 mufflers on my 86' along w/ a Stage 1 dynojet kit. The early VF500's are much faster after 9K

[ekpent]

Sounds like your not wasting time Sean. I have had the v65 running on my slave tank but have not finished treating the big tank yet.
  Is there big differences between the 86 and 85 bike you have ?. See part #16211-mj8-000- carb insulators at $7.78 each at M&M for 1985 but nothing for an 86 ??
 Looking forward to seeing this run. PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

[seanbarney41]

of course the '86 has a different part number, and the '86's are nla, looks like 84-85 had bigger carbs...cmsnl supposedly has 'em for 13 euros a piece

[ekpent]

of course the '86 has a different part number, and the '86's are nla, looks like 84-85 had bigger carbs...cmsnl supposedly has 'em for 13 euros a piece

  CRAP-  If you have a valid Honda part number for them M&M can do a nationwide search on their special computer database to explore other dealers inventory across the nation and maybe hook you up.  When I was doing a GT750 I found a very friendly dealer in WI through them who hooked me up with some hard to find NOS items at a very reasonable price and shipping. Still got some parts on the shelves cause I bought them all 

[Stev-o]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

[ekpent]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

[Tews19]

So this was the new bike! She looks ridiculously clean! Great find! Maybe head this way next summer for Rockerbox/Road America with that?

[seanbarney41]

So this was the new bike! She looks ridiculously clean! Great find! Maybe head this way next summer for Rockerbox/Road America with that?

there is some uggo as usual with any old, all original bike that is not seen in the pics.  I am excited to see how it rides, though.

[Terry in Australia]

Terry , you can diss my bikes anytime.  Afterall, it seems you mostly ride Wangs these days anyway!   And honestly I had heard all the VF horror stories already.  Probably should have held out for a Suzi, Kaw, or Yam of the same era, but really there seems to be very few sportbikes left from the '80's and early 90's of any make.  Seems almost all got ridden in anger and were crashed to death or the motors went south and they were just too expensive and complex to rebuild.
[/quote]

Ha ha, there were a few duds out there in the 1980's Sean, not just Honda were releasing bikes like the VF's without spending the R&D time and money to get them right, Kawasaki and Yamaha in particular made a lot of goofs too, but there were some great bikes built in the era, such as the mighty CB1100R, Suzuki Katana's, Yamaha FJ1100/1200 etc.

My mighty 'Wang is my winter bike, with it's barn door fairing and central heating it's a joy to ride on cold winter days when most other bikers are hiding under their doona's, but now that the weather is warming up it'll get a rest and my other bikes will get a run. I've just got my historic plates for my BMW K100RS, Yamaha FJ1200 and of course, my CB750, but today I'm taking my Triumph Rocket III for a blast, I'd been nervous about riding it since it hand-grenaded a couple of years ago, but I took it out for a ride a few weeks ago and it was a joy to ride. Cheers, Terry.

[seanbarney41]

yep, I still love almost any cb750, but I can tell that you are also one who appreciates the benefits of having a harem of bikes to choose from....a tool for every job, sort of...

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah, at one stage I had 4 or 5 CB750's and not much else Sean, but then I realised that there are so many great bikes out there that I was missing out on the benefits of a diverse collection of old bangers. Sadly I've run out of room in my garage, or I'd have a few more, I'd like to have a different bike to ride each day. Cheers, Terry.    

[grcamna2]

Yeah, at one stage I had 4 or 5 CB750's and not much else Sean, but then I realised that there are so many great bikes out there that I was missing out on the benefits of a diverse collection of old bangers. Sadly I've run out of room in my garage, or I'd have a few more, I'd like to have a different bike to ride each day. Cheers, Terry.

I'd enjoy having more bikes myself  Good for you Terry for having so many nice ones

[Stev-o]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

Any GOOD Dad would do that!

[seanbarney41]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

Any GOOD Dad would do that!

watch what you say papa Steve-o, might be in Austin this winter!

[Stev-o]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

Any GOOD Dad would do that!

watch what you say papa Steve-o, might be in Austin this winter!

C'mon down, I'll let you ride the big boy Z1!

[seanbarney41]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

Any GOOD Dad would do that!

watch what you say papa Steve-o, might be in Austin this winter!

C'mon down, I'll let you ride the big boy Z1!

screw that!  I will let your Z1 get spanked and ride your rd350.

[Stev-o]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

Any GOOD Dad would do that!

watch what you say papa Steve-o, might be in Austin this winter!

C'mon down, I'll let you ride the big boy Z1!

screw that!  I will let your Z1 get spanked and ride your rd350.

Ha......I'll blow by you at 125! (RD only will do 95)

[Terry in Australia]

Sounds like it needs a tune-up Steve, I've got fond memories of looking over my mate Hughey Bowden's shoulder to see his speedo needle on his RD350 hovering between 105 and 110, of course that was when the bike was still fairly new, and Hughey and I wouldn't have weighed much more than 200 pounds between us, but that old stroker could get along........

[seanbarney41]

PS-Take the Kaw 900 out for a ride before the snow flies.

Who's Kaw??

I let Sean drive the CB900F around when He was at the shop one time so now he can take my Z1B out for a spin for comparison. Light his fire to get his hot rod cammed up big bore KZ 1000 done also.  Wouldn't any Dad do that ?   

Any GOOD Dad would do that!

watch what you say papa Steve-o, might be in Austin this winter!

C'mon down, I'll let you ride the big boy Z1!

screw that!  I will let your Z1 get spanked and ride your rd350.

Ha......I'll blow by you at 125! (RD only will do 95)

that's about where the curves in the road start, right?...see ya!

[Stev-o]

Sounds like it needs a tune-up Steve, I've got fond memories of looking over my mate Hughey Bowden's shoulder to see his speedo needle on his RD350 hovering between 105 and 110, of course that was when the bike was still fairly new, and Hughey and I wouldn't have weighed much more than 200 pounds between us, but that old stroker could get along........

Hey Terry.....it needs a clutch....

[Terry in Australia]

No worries mate, after I posted that I did some research and saw that most magazines reported the RD350's top speed as 95 MPH, but that's crap, my little 350F would do the ton (eventually) and the RD was lighter and faster. If I had a choice between the two, I'd take the RD.........

[grcamna2]

The RD/RZ's handle SO well  but the VF500F Interceptor handles Excellent in it's own right.I had Avon tires on mine in the 90's;I hope Avon still makes a 16" tire for the front,that would be my tire of choice for it.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah mate, Avon's are great, I'm deciding whether I'll install 17 inch wheels on my 1987 Yamaha FJ1200 to replace the 16 inch OEM wheels, as 16 inch sports bike tyres are pretty hard to find nowadays. I bought a really nice pair of wheels from a 2009 Yamaha FZ6R, but they'll need a little "engineering" to make 'em fit. Cheers, Terry.

[seanbarney41]

   ...just a little progress report...Cleaned the carbs and got them back on there.  The bike now starts great, idles great and revs nice with no load.  ...But no mid-range or top end power?   Played with the mixture screws and got very little improvement.  I do not know how to tune cv carbs.  Needles are non-adjustable and there is no reason to suspect main jets, as induction and exhaust are totally stock with a new air filter.
I need to find a real manual.  I have the Clymer, but most of the tune-up/test specs are either for the 84-85 only, incorrect, or just not in there.
    I have two guesses...1-For some reason, maybe some still clogged passages or pinholed diaphragms, the slides are not opening as they should?  2-Spark is not advancing with rpm but there is nothing in the Clymer about that?  ...controlled electronically by the pulse generators or spark units?
    The bike handles and brakes on a whole other level than anything I have ever ridden.  But as it runs now, it is slow as molasses.  It's weird because it doesn't really bog or miss, just not making any power after about 1/3rd throttle.