My initial test ride confirmed the brakes, suspension and wheels are in good shape. The bike only has 6400 miles but at 23 years old, age has taken an aesthetic and functional toll on some parts of it:
- Front tire needs immediate replacement due to cracks in sidewall and minimal tread left
- Loose front, right foot peg
- Scratches requiring paint on forks, frame, fairings, brake lever, fuel tank
- Faded front right side fairing
- Small spider cracks on one gauge lens but not very visible
- Crack near one fuse cover mounting hole
- Cracks in some fairings
The front tire is my first order of business. It is a critical safety feature and I have felt very uneasy riding the bike with the front tire in its current condition. Tires are limited in 16”, bias ply sizing, but for the commuter intentions of this bike, I’m not looking for the latest and greatest race rubber. I ordered a Bridgestone BT45 from http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ today. The bike currently has a BT45 mounted and I have had a good experience with past Bridgestones on both cars and motorcycles.
The brakes feel weaker than my other bike, a 2006 Honda VFR800, but that was to be expected. I believe there is nothing wrong with the VF500’s brakes; my first motorcycle was a 2006 Ninja 500 of similar design vintage to the VF500 and the brakes felt very similar.
The rear shock in VF bikes of this era is known for being a common failure point. Both front and rear shocks use air for either damping or as a spring and the rear seals are failure prone. A much more reliable CBR shock can be adapted, but the custom work runs to close to $300. Anyhow, the rear shock on this bike does not seem to have failed yet. The air pressure range for the rear shock is 7 to 21 pounds and is currently set at about 18 pounds. The previous owner is heavier than I and had described the rear suspension as “bouncy” which led me to believe the rear shock was bad, but bumps are damped well at my lower body weight. I may try a bit higher pressure to see how it feels, but at this point, I don’t believe the rear shock is bad.
I had initially thought of immediately removing all the fairings and sending them off to be repaired and painted, but I have decided to patch and touch them up initially. I will later take on the painting task myself, especially since it looks like I will need to trim or modify some of the fairings in the back for my “surprise” feature. Learning to paint and repair plastic panels will be a bonus learning experience.
I have ordered the Clymer’s Service Manual from http://www.oldbikebarn.com/ and will wait for it to arrive and the new tire to be installed before beginning the removal of the engine, transmission, exhaust, cooling system, and stock battery. I’m a big fan/believer of factory service manuals. I do not want to damage any parts during removal as I may use them for another project or will offer them for sale online.
The brakes feel weaker than my other bike, a 2006 Honda VFR800, but that was to be expected. I believe there is nothing wrong with the VF500’s brakes; my first motorcycle was a 2006 Ninja 500 of similar design vintage to the VF500 and the brakes felt very similar.
The rear shock in VF bikes of this era is known for being a common failure point. Both front and rear shocks use air for either damping or as a spring and the rear seals are failure prone. A much more reliable CBR shock can be adapted, but the custom work runs to close to $300. Anyhow, the rear shock on this bike does not seem to have failed yet. The air pressure range for the rear shock is 7 to 21 pounds and is currently set at about 18 pounds. The previous owner is heavier than I and had described the rear suspension as “bouncy” which led me to believe the rear shock was bad, but bumps are damped well at my lower body weight. I may try a bit higher pressure to see how it feels, but at this point, I don’t believe the rear shock is bad.
I had initially thought of immediately removing all the fairings and sending them off to be repaired and painted, but I have decided to patch and touch them up initially. I will later take on the painting task myself, especially since it looks like I will need to trim or modify some of the fairings in the back for my “surprise” feature. Learning to paint and repair plastic panels will be a bonus learning experience.
I have ordered the Clymer’s Service Manual from http://www.oldbikebarn.com/ and will wait for it to arrive and the new tire to be installed before beginning the removal of the engine, transmission, exhaust, cooling system, and stock battery. I’m a big fan/believer of factory service manuals. I do not want to damage any parts during removal as I may use them for another project or will offer them for sale online.
No comments:
Post a Comment