Hi. I’m new to the forum. Took delivery of my first Honda today - VF1000FE '84, 36k miles. Must have been drugged (or besotted ) when I went to look at it… but for some reason said ‘yes’. She’s pretty rough, especially the plastics. Would welcome some advice on where to look to get some decent repair/paint job. While that’s happening I can see if I can get her to start 
Thank you kindly - amIcrazy?
welcome to the forum amIcrazy,
good luck with your vf, are you located in the UK ?
welcome iamcrazy before you try to start the old girl check the fuel pump is working and the starter is winging it over at a good rate then give it a go. How long as it been sitting idle
Hi. Thanks for the reply and the welcome. Sorry for the delay, I forgot password… :/. Thanks for advice, managed to carefully get started, but battery is knackered so will likely need a new one. Runs ok - I think. Slight high pitch “ticking” noise, increases with throttle proportionately…nothing excessive - camchain issue?, wonder if anyone has any advice? My last bike was a Guzzi California and that ticking noise was a ‘recognised’ and in many respects a normal sound (I found out after a lot of exploration). Should i be concerned? Thanks amicrazy?
Sorry, yeah. UK - Scotland. Cheers
the slight ticking noise could just be tappet clearance or at worse a pitted cam or follower, Mine had a slight tapping noise last year, but did 4,000 miles and the noise stayed the same. Upon inspection recently I removed the rocker covers and found one cam lobe was pitted badly so have replaced the camshaft, everything else was fine the cam chains in my experience give very little problems, cam chain rattle is normally a very harsh noise which comes and goes depending on revs and throttle opening and closing
Hi. Thanks Paul810 will explore. Sorry another question…probably simple answer, but would welcome some advice. Bike was running the other day, albeit with a bit if a jump on an old (and I thought knackered) battery. New battery… turned over, caught once, maybe twice- refused to start then massive (really really loud backfire). Hoping it was just flooded have left it alone. Quite a click off the starter relay/main fuse area…with a wiring pattern (to positive terminal) which doesn’t look like that in the manual. Looks like the starter relay/main fuse have been wired through in one to the battery? Could teh problem be ignition related? And how do you figure it out? Worst of all, could it be timing? Sorry, I’m not the best mechanic :-[
Cheers
Hi again I doubt it is timing it as a cdi electronic ignition and seeing it was running the other day, these old bikes if they have been standing for a while do have carb issues and will easily flood even if you turn the tap off because the taps seldom seal properly and will still allow the fuel to drain to the carbs, when I got mine it had been sitting in a barn for 10 years and when I started the old girl it ran like a bag of nails, so this is what I done removed carbs and stripped them and had them sonically cleaned then replaced all the plug caps and new plugs, removed sump and cleaned the oil pump strainer common to block up with idiots putting sealer around gasket joints and clogging the strainer, then refitted carbs new fuel and started the old girl up balanced carbs and it as run like a dream ever since as for your fuse situation I am not sure yes the starter solenoid should have its own fuse, you should have a wire direct from the battery to solenoid then a fused starter wire to solenoid, also the starter should turn over quickly and not slow down after 5 seconds or so if it does it is likely the bearings have gone in the starter a overhaul kit is cheap to buy and easily done by yourself. let me know how you get on and I will help further if I can
Hi again, thanks for that, very helpful. Hope it’s a simple fix. Not even ridden it yet :-, and can’t wait… !!
There’s some snort/exhaust note off it when it does run…hope that too is normal?!!
Just wondering, the radiator fans run all the time after turning ignition on. Is that normal/modification or likely fault? Read somewhere about overheating issues and various attempts at modification. At this rate though - being cool won’t be a problem - not running/Scottish weather… ;D
Cheers