New owner

How do all,

long time lurker here who has just become a new owner.

While I have always preferred the looks of the original VF1000 model, I’ve just bought an 87 VF1000FE.

Having seen some of the jobs where modern running gear has been grafter onto a VF1, I’ve always wanted to do something similar.

Then a few years ago, I was at a track day and saw a CBX1000 with a CB1300 front end and a monoshocked rear, and it looked the dog’s.

So I thought the same should be possible for the VF.

However, a job, a wife, small kids, a house, a garden and lots of other things that take up one’s attention left me looking at classifieds and not much else.

Then I spotted something that I couldn’t ignore.

It was a VF1 that was the personal machine of a dealer in Germany who used it to showcase stuff he was doing at the time in restorations.

It is completely rebuilt, from polished, balanced crank, matched pistons (oversize) and rods, nitrided cams and a top end oiling kit, down to Wilbers suspension all round and high precision bearings in every application.

It also has 1000R tail lights set in a single seat set up that actually makes the back end look very nice, even though I prefer the look of the original model. The single seat actually works really well and improves the lines over the standard FE.

My logic is that it is probably the best ‘jump on and ride’ VF1000 available to me, but even with everything he has done to it, it does not preclude me doing the modern running gear job later, should I so desire.

Best of all is, it was cheap for what was done to it, and next year, even counts for classic tax and insurance.

Also, it was bought by this guy from the original, from new owner, so I also have its complete history - no small thing with a three decade bike.

It took a bit of organising to get it from Germany to Ireland, but it should be arriving here in about a week.

I cannot wait.

I’ll post some proper pics when it arrives.

A

Hi ascalon,
that sounds a nice combination you’ve (nearly ) got there from Germany. I know VF Pete will be keen to hear more from you. You’ll probably know if you’ve been reading these pages that he has a really nice amalgam similar to your thinking.
Let us see the pics as soon as it arrives so we can drool over it as well.

Cheers
Marmite.

hi ascalan,

welcome to the forum, sounds like a the previous owner has done quite a lot of engine work as well as the cosmetics, look forward to seeing the pics.

pete

Welcome Home, Ascalon! I’m planning to build a special VF1000R with a VF1000R G engine, a VF1000F II frame, a VFR rear single arm, a modern front fork, 17’ wheels all around and a RC30 lookalike fairing &seat… I have most of the ingredients but I lack time…

Hi all,
thanks for the welcome.

Indeed, I can’t bloody wait to see the thing in the flesh.

I had initially spoken to one of the guys who works in the dealership and the way he described the bike was as the boss’ baby :slight_smile:

It was his personal transport as well as a showcase for the business. Not only that, but the guy is listed by a German classic bike magazine on its resources pages as the definitive expert on VFs!

That said, there’s always a trepidation in handing over the cash for something sight unseen. But when the invoice came, in German, it said that there is a complete spare engine too!

I’m not going to post pics until I can take them myself, but hopefully, within the next week, I’ll have it here in me grubby mitts. :slight_smile:

A

Damn!

A bit pissed off this morning!

Just got an email to say that the bike has not been de-registered in Germany yet, and so cannot be exported yet. There was a transport on 11 May, which would have had it here by the weekend, but that won’t happen.

Next transport is 26 May.

Arse biscuits. >:(

Well, it finally arrived!

If anything, it is better than I expected.

Covered in a thin film of oil, it is well protected without being too good to use. :slight_smile:

Not only that, it has come with four large boxes of spares, including a complete spare engine.

The one that’s in it is fairly highly spec’ed and the previous owner/builder said it now makes 122 crank HP and about 70ft lbs of torque, which is pretty healthy. My ST4s makes about 126 crank and 75ft lbs.

My only issue so far is that I can’t get the damn key out of the ignition. The ignition barrel looks original, but when turned to the off position, it won’t release.

Anyway, it was de-registered in Germany, so I now need to get it registered here, and then get some new BT45s for it and get rolling :slight_smile:

The previous owner and modifier had christened the bike Mjolnir (Thor’s Hammer), which is fine if you are of a certain Teutonic disposition.

I’ve always liked the Interceptor moniker, as it conjures imagery of Cold War aircraft. That said, as soon as I set eyes on it in the flesh, the term ‘battle cruiser’ came to mind :slight_smile:

I will, however, be dispensing with the services of the wee chap on the front mudguard.

A

Hi a ascalan
Bike looks really well… does the key come out of the lock when the steering lock is on ?

Thanks mate, very happy with it.

Yeah you’ve got to turn the bars all the way to the right and then turn the key through to the lock position to get it out. That’s a bit of a pain.

I’ve not had a chance to do more than take a spin around the estate, but it feels very torquey, even compared to my ST4s. The forks feel very good, no major dive or wobblyness. The brakes feel sharper than I expected too.

My earliest opportunity to get it registered will not be until a couple of weeks, but at least I know it starts and runs!

A

your right about the lock, the one that i fitted to my project ff/fe is exactly the same… pain in the buttocks >:( >:(, the only good thing is it encourages you to put the steering lock on whenever you park up… :slight_smile:

Well, the battle cruiser is now all road legal and I took it into work today.

Power-wise, it feels surprisingly similar to the ST4s, without the vibration. The way it develops the power is like the twin, insofar as it produces near seamless torque from nearly zero RPM.

I know mine has a fair bit down to it and is putting out 122bhp with 70 lb ft, so it is quite close, despite the extra weight.

Handling is not as bad as I thought, or rather, it is not as hard to get used t as I expected. The front feels weird at lower speeds, but tipping into mid speed turns feels grand, and reassurring.

I’ve not pushed on too hard yet, the tyres are old and I have a new set on order.

The brakes are OK too, but don’t build in the progressive way that a pair of Brembo Goldlines and 320mm discs do, but that’s to be expected. Still getting used to using the back too, which is scarily easy to lock.

All that said, I’m definitely warming to it and love the deep drone of it.

Mmmm, menacing.

:slight_smile:

The seat cover looks cool, is it hand made, or were those comercialy available ?

Sorry mate, only seeing this now.

The single seat unit is custom made by a German company.

There’s a name underneath, I’ll post a pic later.

Here we go mate, some details and pics.
http://honda.vf1000.com/forum/index.php/topic,1725.0.html