Topic: F Owners- What did we get ourselves into?

[Terry in Australia]

See it depends on where you come from, over here in Oz with 24/7 riding weather, good original cosmetics like tanks, seats and sidecovers are almost impossible to find, and will set you back way more than the 500 buck sticker price.

I'd buy it just for those bits, even though I'm not really a fan of the fugly F/F1. If I bought it and imported it to Oz I'd paint and install the engine into my F2 frame, (along with the F2 carbs and pipe so no-one would be the wiser) and sell all the other bits for twice the sticker price! Cheers, Terry.

[Wheelhorse77]

See it depends on where you come from, over here in Oz with 24/7 riding weather, good original cosmetics like tanks, seats and sidecovers are almost impossible to find, and will set you back way more than the 500 buck sticker price.

I'd buy it just for those bits, even though I'm not really a fan of the fugly F/F1. If I bought it and imported it to Oz I'd paint and install the engine into my F2 frame, (along with the F2 carbs and pipe so no-one would be the wiser) and sell all the other bits for twice the sticker price! Cheers, Terry.

I'd read the serial number off of your mill; Ha.

[Terry in Australia]

I'd read the serial number off of your mill; Ha.

Don't worry about it Wheely, over here most folk wouldn't know what they were looking at anyway, and those that do would be happy to know that the more reliable F/F1 engine has been retro-fitted, as the F2 engine (deservedly) has such a bad rep. Cheers, Terry.  

[Wheelhorse77]

I'd read the serial number off of your mill; Ha.

Don't worry about it Wheely, over here most folk wouldn't know what they were looking at anyway, and those that do would be happy to know that the more reliable F/F1 engine has been retro-fitted, as the F2 engine (deservedly) has such a bad rep. Cheers, Terry.  

I think that bad rep is all hear say. Besides, I contribute to the aid in fighting mosquitoes for the first five minutes.

[Terry in Australia]

I think that bad rep is all hear say.

No it's not mate, I've got two stuffed F2 heads here, one appears to have dropped a valve and a guide, and the other one's valve guides are so loose in the head you can move them with your hand, I've never seen a K head like that, ever!

It's not just the valve guide material though, it's a combination of that, plus the actual valve angle was steepened in the F2/F3, the exhaust valves were too big and so it doesn't flow as well as a K head.

The cam design was poor which resulted in too much high speed stress on the cam chain, which caused the premature death of the cam chain, cam and rockers, rocker shafts etc, and the hardening on the valves themselves was suspect, causing "mushrooming" of the tops of valve stems.

All in all, a botched design. The best thing that can be done is to replace the head, barrels and pistons with "K" items, and then it's as "bullet proof" as a "K", or an F/F1.

Mosquitoes? The one's here are as big as Emu's!

[jtb]

Unfortunately, Terry's right, Wheely.  (I really hate to admit that )

[Wheelhorse77]

Sounds like the trick flow heads when they first hit the market for mustangs. They ended up redesigning the angle to correct the accelerated guide wear.

I thought that the F head atleast flow'd better CFM wise, but I guess I was wrong.

[KB02]

dont feel bad guys,at least ya`ll dont own k8`s.

So what does that mean for me as I own an F1 and a K8?       

I missed show and tell, too, but I'll try to post some pictures when I get home from work, but for now you can look at my Avatar pic.

QUESTION ON REARSETS -
I'll admit it, I'm a cheap b@sturd. I'd like to put on some rear sets without spending a ton (The whole Cafe project has been on the cheap). The left side is no problem to figure out, but what have all ya'll rear disked riders done for rear sets on these F's?

The way I figure it, the comfprtable position for me would be with the peg about an ich behind where the brake pedel spindle is.

[Terry in Australia]

Here you go mate, these are Suzuki GSXR600/750/1000 items that you can buy on EBay for around $100.00 per set. You'll only need to weld a couple of strap brackets to your frame like I did here, and then you'll have some very tasty rearsets indeed! Repeat the mantra, "Cheap is good, free is better", ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

 

[UnCrash]

Nice tip Terry!

That looks right up my alley.

As a friend of mine in India once said "Cheap and Best"

[Wheelhorse77]

I think that bad rep is all hear say.

No it's not mate, I've got two stuffed F2 heads here, one appears to have dropped a valve and a guide, and the other one's valve guides are so loose in the head you can move them with your hand, I've never seen a K head like that, ever!

It's not just the valve guide material though, it's a combination of that, plus the actual valve angle was steepened in the F2/F3, the exhaust valves were too big and so it doesn't flow as well as a K head.

The cam design was poor which resulted in too much high speed stress on the cam chain, which caused the premature death of the cam chain, cam and rockers, rocker shafts etc, and the hardening on the valves themselves was suspect, causing "mushrooming" of the tops of valve stems.

All in all, a botched design. The best thing that can be done is to replace the head, barrels and pistons with "K" items, and then it's as "bullet proof" as a "K", or an F/F1.

Mosquitoes? The one's here are as big as Emu's!

What year bike should I look for to get donor K parts?

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Wheely, well, the model evolved quite markedly during it's life, so the best engines were the last produced. My advice is to use either the F/F1 or K7/K8. They might have been the fugliest 750's, but they had (arguably) the best power-plants. Cheers, Terry.

[Wheelhorse77]

G'Day Wheely, well, the model evolved quite markedly during it's life, so the best engines were the last produced. My advice is to use either the F/F1 or K7/K8. They might have been the fugliest 750's, but they had (arguably) the best power-plants. Cheers, Terry.

Thanks for the response!

I might have located a 78K, unsure of the mileage at this time.

On another note, the bigger vavles didn't do much in the F heads I take it huh? Maybe bigger, but lost velocity--lazy ports? Or is that an upgrade to the K head to use F valves? I would be unsure as to their installed height if there is a difference there because I do not have an actual shop manual to see if that could be achieved. I guess my point is that I ride maybe 2000 miles a year at the very best, so if the guides lasted 20G miles on average, that's ten years of riding for me. I'm just trying to weight the F vs K jugs and head swap.

I was also thinking it might be a good time to go 836 if I am going to be throwing K cyls on the thing.

Mreick? Comments?

[TwoTired]

The bigger valves on the F head were to improve breathing at higher RPM and gain some HP.  The F models have a higher red line than the K models to take advantage of this.

I can see where head work to improve flow on a K head could make it as ,or more, effective than the F head flow.

Of course, if you had the same head work done to the F head...

I guess just about everything you do to an engine yo extract more HP, also shortens it lifespan.

Cheers,

[HondaMan]

.....I'm just trying to weight the F vs K jugs and head swap.

I was also thinking it might be a good time to go 836 if I am going to be throwing K cyls on the thing.
 

I have some (K4) 836cc cylinders and pistons that I'd like to swap with someone for some stock 736cc cylinders, K0-K6 engines.

[Wheelhorse77]

.....I'm just trying to weight the F vs K jugs and head swap.

I was also thinking it might be a good time to go 836 if I am going to be throwing K cyls on the thing.
 

I have some (K4) 836cc cylinders and pistons that I'd like to swap with someone for some stock 736cc cylinders, K0-K6 engines.

Sorry,

I'm all F'd up here

[paxtonpony]

13 pages...  Has this become the "Shamless Post Boost Thread" for F owners?  Ah well, I'm just happy to see some pics of some F models I've never seen on here before.

[Terry in Australia]

.....I'm just trying to weight the F vs K jugs and head swap.

I was also thinking it might be a good time to go 836 if I am going to be throwing K cyls on the thing.
 

I have some (K4) 836cc cylinders and pistons that I'd like to swap with someone for some stock 736cc cylinders, K0-K6 engines.

Ooh ooh, pick me, pick me! I've got some Mark, and I'll pay the shipping for yours too! Cheers, Terry.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

OK guys, I'm not sure of the final quality but check this website out.

http://lpmreplicaparts.com/

[Terry in Australia]

OK guys, I'm not sure of the final quality but check this website out.

http://lpmreplicaparts.com/

Hey thanks Jerry, and welcome back from that incredible ride! Next year I wanna come, but we probably won't get much further than the first bar we hit, ha ha!

 I just contacted these guys to get a total price on an airbox and sidecovers for my K0, the weather is warming up here, so I can shoot some paint on them in time for some summer riding! Cheers, Terry.

[Wheelhorse77]

OK guys, I'm not sure of the final quality but check this website out.

http://lpmreplicaparts.com/

I need to start an individual thread and we all vote on which dealer/vendor we want to go with. It may be the one willing to cut us the best deal.

[mikedialect]

OK guys, I'm not sure of the final quality but check this website out.

http://lpmreplicaparts.com/

I need to start an individual thread and we all vote on which dealer/vendor we want to go with. It may be the one willing to cut us the best deal.

Those are the same guys I linked on ebay I believe.

[pddpimp]

I bought a set from them this last winter. The quality for my K7 was great. They fit very nicely and they have a bit more flex than the OEM ones. And they are cheaper than nice originals on Eb@y. I will buy from them again when I need to get another set. A+ stuff.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks for that info mate, I'm gonna order some stuff from them shortly. Cheers, Terry.

[Wheelhorse77]

Side cover group buy!!!

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=25853.0