My vf1000 arrived and it had covered in muck due floods in NSW, the delivery guy could not get up my street so a block away and road up to my place, it sounded okay. 8pm so dark and I waited for daylight to have a decent look started it and it was a bit sluggish to rev so I let it idle to check the fans operation after about 3 minutes it died would not run cleanly or idle. At point I realized that the bike had significant corrosion and the rear shock was seized. I thought dirty carbs and started to strip down the bike. let the pics tell the story
Would you have comeback on the dealer?
I am going to call him tomorrow.
Looks like an '85 FF or F2..?? Not good mate, plenty of corrosion & rust in there. That exhaust is interesting. The whole bike needs a good going over, frame stripped, cleaned and powder coated, swingarm bearings and shock pivot bearings replaced etc. The steering head bearings and wheel bearings will also need doing. Those carbie manifold/boots are what looks like pieces of an old radiator hose.??
The rear shock isn’t such a bad thing, they were junk even when new…just fit a nice YSS shock and be done with it.
It is 40 years old, so not surprising it isn’t great if it hasn’t been looked after…pity, they’re a nice ride when all is good.
What’s the bodywork like..??
Smithy.
I am in the process of stripping to the frame and replacing bearings but it is such a poor state I cannot get the linkage pivot bolts out, so everything is soaking in penetrating oil, The fairings are ok for their age, just dodgy mounting bolts (there is a pattern here) and a paintjob that is good from 10 meters. I have a YSS shock coming and Carby kits, intake rubbers, but I cannot seem to find a coolant hose kit and was wondering if the R models are close. Yes, it is an 86 F2 from England the dealer imported.
Samco do coolant hose kits for the R’s…but nothing listed for the F’s…the RF/RG kit should be very similar to the FF/F2 since the engine/radiator layout is pretty much the same.
I got a kit for my RE, works fine.
I fitted a YSS shock and fork valve emulators to my RE…transformed the bike into something that actually handles a bit.
Smithy.
thanks, the 1000r hose kit will definitely help, I think. I hope mine looks as clean as yours when it is finished.
Warning..!! Long post..!!
If you take your time and use attention to detail…you’ll get there in the end…I’m a bit anal and tend to go overboard a bit…This is my second RE, the first one was restored many years ago and sadly was sold off when I had to move house from Sydney to Brisbane ~6 years ago. I regretted selling it every day since.
When I first got this “new to me” RE, it was rideable but wasn’t happy at all, it ran poorly, engine ignition misfiring, variable idle, the carbies were poorly balanced and I suspect were a bit gummed up with old fuel, tyres were all cracked and suffering from old age… 40+ years had taken it’s toll, it had sat unloved and unused for many years and had suffered as a result. The previous onwer had unfortunately passed away and his family weren’t interested in keeping it and kept it in the back of an old shed under a tarp…at least it was out of the weather… I was happy to take it off their hands and give it a new home and do my best to restore it back to it’s former glory.
During my restoration I used many stainless bolts and screws wherever I could on non structural items. New YSS suspension front and rear, new titanium wheel spoke bolts, Samco coolant hose kit, I stripped the bike down to a bare frame and repaired all the little frame clamps and poor welds & powder coated the frame, new swingarm pivot, shock pivot & headstem bearings, overhauled/rebuilt carbies with a “Factory Pro” jet kit…one-off home made stainless “cross-over” headers and Polish Dominator mufflers, Italian Mold lab side covers, repaired/painted and new decals on the bodywork as required, new windscreen, new Avon tyres, new DID chain and sprockets, complete new ignition system, new brake kits, all new brake pads, front brake rotors, new Lithium battery, reg/rec and stator wiring… and lots more, the engine only had 27k km on it so it’s still in good condition with no oil or coolant leaks, I replaced all the engine side coolant related O-rings, external engine oil seals etc as they had gone a bit hard, as they tend to do over 40+ years…it came up really nicely… even if I do say so myself…a labour of my love for old Honda V4’s.. 
I’ve put probably ~1500km on it since it has been completed…it will be ridden and enjoyed as these old classics should be. I also have a new clutch pack which I plan to fit in the not too distant future.
Smithy.
1 Like
I am a long way from yours, but I see hope to get close. My motor has 60,000 miles but is super quiet and goes through the gears well, good clutch no contaminates in the oil or filter. everything else is a complete strip and repair, brakes linkages oil liines coolant hoses thermostat fuel lines and the dash is suspect. But, one step at a time. Thanks for the support.
Just spoke to the dealer and he bought the bike at the American mercu auction but it is a British sold bike. He agreed to part refund in good faith and I can live with that. I have a large project.
1 Like
