VFR owners' thread, for VFRPS members and prospective members

**DrunkenMistake** · 27th April 2011, 18:46

Im kinda pissed now because I only have the 250 which has its rego on hold, with no gas and more than likely a flat battery ... So maybe if i strap a jump pack on the back of the 400... ill be good for work

**HenryDorsetCase** · 27th April 2011, 18:53

Originally Posted by gatch

I'll make you a deal, you lay down the cheddar and I'll build as many of them as you like.

Here's my (unfinished) GL145 powered spada. Not hugely difficult, but I am keen to tackle something more involved..

Attachment 237424

that looks OK.

reading the thread about the vFR400/750 it appears that the key issue is the front engine mounts, which on that bike were (apparently) cut off the donor VFR750, and added to the 400's frame. Given its aloominum, that might require some specialist knowledge.

Think too: cheap rego! Its a 400 orificer~!

**DrunkenMistake** · 27th April 2011, 18:59

There was a bike somewhere down this was, was in a 89 cbr 250 frame and It had either a cbr 600 or a cbr 400 in it and was rego'd as a 250, I think they re stamped the engine with the 250 markings haha.

**gatch** · 27th April 2011, 19:51

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

that looks OK.

reading the thread about the vFR400/750 it appears that the key issue is the front engine mounts, which on that bike were (apparently) cut off the donor VFR750, and added to the 400's frame. Given its aloominum, that might require some specialist knowledge.

Think too: cheap rego! Its a 400 orificer~!

Ally welding I can't do. But I'm friendly with a few that could, with the right motivation

I'd certainly leave it reg'd as a 400 too.

**motorbyclist** · 27th April 2011, 22:17

Originally Posted by Monty69

You say that 1st gear is different on the RVF... i hope its shorter,

yeah they redline around 80kph rather than 100

the power develops at 6k instead of 8k, too

and the bars are moved 10mm higher relative to the seat

and it doesn't get as hot

and the clutch lever is adjustable

etc etc

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

you still need three very small hands to get the plugs out I find. two to hold the radiator, and one to undo the plug....

I got the longer shock option: +12mm and its mint. Made a huge difference to ground clearance too: shows you how the old shock was sitting down in its travel..

i use a spanner to prop up the radiator

lol how could I forget the wheel!
btw the HRC manual recommends putting a spacer to jack up the rear from stock anyway

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

I'm not sure how much of a drop the 18 vs 17 inch wheel would give you:

about half an inch? 12mm? maybe a tad less....

Originally Posted by Icemaestro

haha my wife hates having to jump on the pillion seat of my raised nc30 - she actually has to jump to get her leg up and over...mind you I'm probably the only one silly enough to try pillioning with this beast anyway!:-D

Me and the missus toured the north island on it over xmas/new years year before last. Did great with the rear preload set up properly

Originally Posted by DrunkenMistake

Can you pick up a calliper rebuild kit easy and cheap enough? and could you use callipers from another bike?
and can you get a fork rebuilt kit as well or do you need to buy all the components separate

yes, david silver spares sells all the bits your need. Otherwise the brakes are the same as the late-ninties vtr1000 firestorms (from memory). NC35 brakes have different sized pistons to the NC30.

what needs replacing in the forks?

Originally Posted by DrunkenMistake

Managed to somehow leave my key in the ignition and the lights on last night and today the bike wouldnt start, gave it a charge but the charger wouldnt pick it up, so I took it into the battery center,

I get a bit iffy when car mechanics poke around motorcycles.

did you try bump-starting it?

whatever you do DO NOT jump start from a running car. Bike electrics work differently to car electrics and your reg/rec gets in an argument with the car alternator it is bound to lose..... jumping from a car battery is fine, just don't have the car motor running.

Most chargers will crap out on dead batteries if they think they are poked - and a dead bike battery "looks" different to a car battery. try leaving the battery overnight hooked up to a charged car one and see if that helps.
I've also noticed some car chargers pump FAR too much current for motorcycle batteries - not good if you want them to live a long and happy life

**jono035** · 27th April 2011, 22:34

Yeah, my crappy Arlec car battery charger can be used for about 5 minutes before you can hear the electrolyte beginning to fizz...

**DrunkenMistake** · 27th April 2011, 22:49

Nah I got one of those 12V - 24V Jump packs, it fired up fine on that and I let it run for a while and took it for a short spit, got back and turned it off, gave it a start and it clicked once and that was it, the charger wouldnt even pick up it was there,
I dont take the bike to Car mechanics, I took the battery to the batt centre, in the hopes they could get it to charge up if not replace it

**jono035** · 28th April 2011, 07:10

Originally Posted by DrunkenMistake

Nah I got one of those 12V - 24V Jump packs, it fired up fine on that and I let it run for a while and took it for a short spit, got back and turned it off, gave it a start and it clicked once and that was it, the charger wouldnt even pick up it was there,
I dont take the bike to Car mechanics, I took the battery to the batt centre, in the hopes they could get it to charge up if not replace it

I've had a situation where a stuffed battery loaded down the reg/rec too much for it to do anything other than keep the bike running, barely. It would start to cut out if run with the lights on for more than a few minutes. Got it completely charged up using a decent float charger and the battery was good for another few months, providing I didn't have any troubles starting the bike.

**DrunkenMistake** · 28th April 2011, 10:48

Originally Posted by jono035

I've had a situation where a stuffed battery loaded down the reg/rec too much for it to do anything other than keep the bike running, barely. It would start to cut out if run with the lights on for more than a few minutes. Got it completely charged up using a decent float charger and the battery was good for another few months, providing I didn't have any troubles starting the bike.

Yah the 250's battery was fine, I held it upside down and it fired up the 400 but wouldnt do shit to the 250, turns out I had popped a ignition fuse, I have ordered a new Motobatt battery for the 400.

**tigertim20** · 28th April 2011, 12:26

Originally Posted by DrunkenMistake

There was a bike somewhere down this was, was in a 89 cbr 250 frame and It had either a cbr 600 or a cbr 400 in it and was rego'd as a 250, I think they re stamped the engine with the 250 markings haha.

it was an 88/89 GSXR 250 with a 400 motor in it, still regod as a 250. seller was in invercargill. figures!!

**HenryDorsetCase** · 28th April 2011, 14:47

Originally Posted by tigertim20

it was an 88/89 GSXR 250 with a 400 motor in it, still regod as a 250. seller was in invercargill. figures!!

I've seen (in a PB, where else) a ZRX400 with a 929 Fireblade motor in it. Looked factory.

**gatch** · 28th April 2011, 16:40

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

I've seen (in a PB, where else) a ZRX400 with a 929 Fireblade motor in it. Looked factory.

I have reason to believe my alternator is wrecked. I have a new aftermarket reg/rec and a juicy new YUASA battery. Been about 7 days since the battery went in and it's going flat.

Arse.

**DrunkenMistake** · 28th April 2011, 22:35

Originally Posted by tigertim20

it was an 88/89 GSXR 250 with a 400 motor in it, still regod as a 250. seller was in invercargill. figures!!

Yeah thats the one that was on Tm, there is another one riding around, one of those sunny day riders

**motorbyclist** · 30th April 2011, 22:40

Originally Posted by tigertim20

it was an 88/89 GSXR 250 with a 400 motor in it, still regod as a 250. seller was in invercargill. figures!!

I've seen that on trademe a few times now over the years... was bright yellow when I first spotted it....

Originally Posted by gatch

I have reason to believe my alternator is wrecked. I have a new aftermarket reg/rec and a juicy new YUASA battery. Been about 7 days since the battery went in and it's going flat.

Tested the coils? If rewinding proves expensive you might find some luck with the F3 racers - many of them pull all the charging gear off their bikes (they like to remove the flywheel and run total loss), so you could just do a straight swap over a few beers!