:( I bought a Kawi Z400 a couple months ago and one of the first things I looked for was a haynes for it. Seems like they don't have anything past 2019 for Kawasaki, and didn't bother to make one in 2018 for either the Z400 or the Ninja 400
Epic puffing and cussing in the garage when taken to the end of your tether with a b***ard of a job and in a tight space too. All been there. Loved the honesty of it. No rock music and clinical operating-theatre-like spannering: just a mallet, drilling out mashed up stuff, some top common sense problem solving and some elbow grease - the reality for all home mechanics. Top work. Tidy job. Love the V4, but the way Mr Honda shoehorned everything in, though brilliant, is an absolute ball ache to work on.
Love the reality and honesty in these videos. Glad to see your wife is as happy as mine when I ask for help with maintenance! Been meaning to upgrade the 20yr old rear shock on my Fazer for a while now, you’ve given me the inspiration to bite the bullet.
I have always had Low price higher mileage bikes 30,000mi+. your not buying for economy and know your going to be replacing/ maintaining it to YOUR standard.... Yes absolutely an uneconomical task but the fun lies in making it YOURS to be enjoyed in your way, where Purity isn't such a factor in putting you off REALLY enjoying your machine
the VFR major flaw is the mild steel exhaust system. if you take it off you pretty much need to do the stainless replacement because you don't want to take it off again
Strange, I've had the rear shock off and on my 2001 VFR800Fi a couple of times (replaced with a Nitron unit) and not needed to remove the exhaust. I did have to remove that collector bolt when replacing the engine but managed to undo it without the need to drill it out.
I was trying to check and grease the linkage too - I do have a feeling that I could have had the shock out without all this faffery! After all that, The final linkage bolt was seized in place anyway! Fortunately it all rotates fine. For now. Cheers, John
Great video, makes me want an old VFR! I remember those downpipe gaskets on my SP1 OE silencers. I found a bit of copper grease and opening them up slightly with the neck of a small bottle helped a lot.
I suppose when you are ready to replace the exhaust system it will come apart easy love my vfrs have 3 of them and yes do all my own repairs myself a hgv mechanic . Honda vfrs are a well made bike if you look after it will run ever both of my 750 models i replaced the exhaust system i replaced the shockers like you did top tip grease the the linkage every 2 years . my other vfr is 1200f love that as well that v4 motor is a beauty.
9:25 If you were a gentleman, you might have done the heavy lifting whilst you wife pushed the bolt in. And if you were an engineer and aspiring contortionist, you would have used a simple wedge or lever system to lift the back wheel as you aligned the bolt yourself. 🧐😎😜🏴 VFRs are great value aren’t they? Peace
I was also trying to get the full linkage out to check the bearings - sadly it has to all come out for that. But yeah, once I'd got the whole thing off I realised!
Loved this video. I remember working on a vfr400 20 odd years ago doing the front valve shims. they were a pain with the limited tools I had. They were right on the limit. I was getting so stressed. I will always remember my dad who designed industrial electric motors coming along and saying to me " remember, every limit has a tolerance". That always stuck with me. 🤣
John, I did this exact job on my 2000 VFR800Fi... With a Nitron shock. It was nowhere near this bad... I can't really remember that well, I did it in 2019 but I vaguely remember that linkage nut being a touch difficult, having to use a bunch of tools connected together to get at it, but I didn't remove the exhaust at all. I did the job in half a day.
Black widow full high level (get the rear wheel straight off) stainless steel all gasket & a fitting kit £400 it literally fell on. No collector box bollocks.
Never worked on a VFR... but i've worked on some other Hondas... and the intro is 100% true! Like you have to do a ritual at the right planetary conjunction to be able to do what you want to do...
Appreciate this was "just" the shock, but would it be fair to say that all V engines are a pain to work on, and the more cylinders the greater the pain? 🤔
Hmmm, tricky. This is a particular pain as it's so crammed in. I wouldn't say more cylinders are more awkward as my 4-pot ZX-6R wasn't as bad, but that's only done 18,000 miles and it's an inline four. Yeah, Vs can be tricky I think, depending how they're put together. More heavily worn bikes seem harder as more things fail when you take them off. It does come down to design too though. Really, you can't generalise I reckon; it's the bike itself and the state it's in. Cheers, John
Ohh John, I feel your frustrations mate, I've been spannering on my own bikes (and cars) since I was 17 so a looong time, and I've also had times when I wanted to burn the things, when confronted by poor design and poor workmanship by previous owners... well done for sticking with it, I look forward to further installments on the Viffer 👍
A great example of why you should lash everything under the covers on a VFR with old engine oil then it wont end up a corroded mess like this one . Engine/shock/stand/oil pipes and copper slip your exhaust nuts .:)
That moment in the garage (on your knees in more ways than one) is unfortunately quite familiar to me! My mate has a 2015 facelift Crossrunner 800 and was considering swapping the standard shock out for something newer / better. I told him it was a great idea, but although his bike looks a lot cleaner / less corroded than your VFR, I'm now wondering if the exhaust system on it is just as fiendish as this frustrating setup?!
We’ve all the the wife in’t shed, to hold, lift or help, and like your wife. They all have the same reaction! Leg it as soon as done. There’s a glass of wine with their name on it😂
Oh did I laugh and cry…I thought it was just my ineptitude when restoring mine. It’s a challenge in every way. I have several vfr800fi how too’s to help others through the pain but what a great bike..great delivery 👍
You can save a lot of money on jobs like this by shopping around and researching on eBay. For example, generic stainless bolts and nuts solve the rust issues, especially with exposed exhausts etc. And it’s easy to improvise rubber parts from multipacks available from DIY stores, Aldi or Lidl etc. Adapt and improvise.
Christ knows why you had to take the front pipes and collector box off. I've had my 800 from new in '98. Changed out the shock after 35k for a fully adjustable Nitron, it's been jn and out a few times for servicing. I have slso swopped out rear shocks on a few other 800s with no problems and have never had to remove anything but the rear wheel and the end can.
9:20....yea...she was happy. God blessed you with an awesome wife. I swear ,the entire deal looked like a nightmare. Thanks for not doing the RUclips magic install video.
Having owned many singles, twins and inline fours, I once owned a VF750F, and soon became enamoured with it (till some dimwit cager pulled out on me me), so yeas, I WOULD have a VFR (particularly love the early 3rd gen in red, or the 4th in 'NR' colouring/styling..), HOWEVER.. It's this particular nightmare that makes me think, yes - IF I had a large garage AND IF I had a ramp AND IF I had a good sized work bench AND IF I had a vast tool setup THEN YES I WOULD get one hahahaha Otherwise I'll happily stick with my Front garden, the tools I have, and an aircooled or liquid cooled 4... As sadly, not everyone even has a basic garage, but, I've done alright so far 👍😉🤞 😎🇬🇧
Ahh nothing like having a whinge at design engineers that made something as wonderful and robust as these VRF's. A 150xxxkm bike that's been averagely maintained, is rusty as hell and has an exhaust system as flogged as that should have been better cared for long ago; it's an outcome of poor maintenace you're dealing with not poor design, if the cheap hardwarewas replaced before it got to this state there'd have been no issues lol? So funny, you Euro/UK guys have a very different tolerance for rust than we do in Aus, in Australia a conciencious owner/quality mechanic would have tossed those flogged headers, flanges, studs, shock bolts and replaced them all a decade ago looking like that; and cetainly wouldn't have refitted them in that state... when Delkavic make the whole system for 250pound/$480AUD. Also those rear shocks ARE rebuildable by a shop that knows what they're doing, I've had multiple stock sealed OE shocks (inc. a Husky TR650 & my VFR800) rebuilt, pistons machined and revalved in the past. Loads of shops in Aus, and I'm sure in the UK, that can do this. Obviously the full replacement is a nice option but also cost me ~180pound/$350 AUD for my last sealed unit rebuild & revalve and this replacement cost $1000AUD so better to do at least rebuild of the stock unit than nothing for those on a budget.
Haha ... the dreaded 2000/2001 5th Gen 800fi Cat mount bolt ... Yes Mr Honda engineer, will be pissing himself laughing, this fuck up alone is one good reason to not buy a 2000/2001 5th Gen 800fi ... 1998/1999 has no Cat, hence exhaust is easier to remove... You keep banging on about this being a £500 bike, it's not tho is it, you've thrown hundreds at it to make it a usable bike ... so in reality, you could have just bought a 40/50K bike, that wasn't shagged & saved a lot of grief, for probly less money than you've chucked at this old banger.... funny vlog tho ... keep up the humorous content bro👍
Im the owner of a 1984 VF750F with 50000km on it....I have often thought of upgrading to a VFR800 1999 to 2003 gear driven model but every time I see anyone working on one the complexity seems 10 times more than my old bike...so I have not pulled the trigger to upgrade...but darn do I like the look of the 800....If the 800 is anything like the VF750 Im expecting the bike to fit my 6foot 4 size very well.
I had to chuckle watching this again, we've all been there, shiny sockets and spanners and a Haynes manual, what could possibly go wrong ?. Three hours later, bleeding knuckles, face covered in grease and contemplating phoning the scrap man. I replaced my VFR800 shock with a YSS unit last week and struggled to get the old shock out at first, I had to drop the top mount as far as it could go then unbolt it from the shock, the shock then fell on the floor, fitting the new shock was the reverse.
Wow these bikes look like they had been submerged into the North Sea for a couple of years. Soo crusty and rusted up it's incredible.. I bought two of these VFRs 99' models. Rust free but both failed with electronics. Recertifiers two times. Both at 130 000kms. One was a dedicated track bike. No lights, mirrors, etc. Straight piped, no collector. Sounded awesome just like MotoGP.😊 When the rectifier failed i just finished the sixth session of the day, so it stopped at the end of the event but it nearly burnt down. The battery got such a load that it expanded into the frame and had to prie it out with tire irons and screwdrivers, when the whole thing cooled down. It was a mess. Oh well it was fun until it lasted.😅
Great vid mate 👍, But it did look rather challenging. I bet the swear box more than paid for all the parts, and a few well earned beers afterwards 😉 Haha.
I've had my vfr 2000 year since new, replaced the rear shock earlier this year. With the exhaust can wheel heatsheild and lineages off , tank lifted and battery box removed and the rear tank bracket we managed to wriggle the shock out. Then wriggle the new back in. It was a case of this is in the way lets remove it but apart from the can the rest stayed put. I bought a hyperpro shock as that's what my local m/c dealer sold and what a difference best mod ever. But at 22 years old and nearly 50 thousand miles, I'm not looking forward to replacing the exhaust headers.
Yeah - I reckon I could have done it but I was also trying to get the linkage out to check and grease it all. In the end that final bolt was seized in and going nowhere! Fortunately the linkage moves fine.
I don't remember removing the headers and collector box to change my shock? I used a Nitron. You are right about the exhaust though, my motorcycling mate helped and it went much smoother. I had spent weeks prepping the bolts with penetrating agent though.
Im interested in getting into working on my bike. But don’t know how to start. Any tips for someone who knows next to zero mechanics, e.g. should I do a mechanics course or something else?
Make sure you can get a Haynes manual for your bike, then start on the basics. If you're in the UK, do this: rewards.bennetts.co.uk/rewards/diy-motorcycle-maintenance-voucher-discount-code
Im watching your pain and feeling it. I have a 1997 GSXR1100 and its a pain in ass {38.000 miles}. I had to buy a new bike because i cant rely on it to take me anywhere. I only ride where there is cell phone reception within a small radius of home in case it shits out again again.
Er.. electrics by any chance?! Had a slabby 1100 and more modern 1000s and Suzuki always had a poor reputation for their electrics in the eighties - frikkin' rightly - and if they don't still, they should: as the 1000s are no better. Connectors' quality shite, weak regulator/rectifiers (and on the slabby, weak coils)...
@@villiamo3861 Yes all the connections/ relays/ switches etc . Apart from that its an awesome bike. My 80s Katana 750 was the same. Its a 1997 1100 so i will sell it or if i cant get decent money leave it in the back of the garage to rot. Maybe i could start a bonfire on guy fawkes night with it lol
Over the years I have upgraded five bikes with new shocks from Hagon. Excellent service, excellent products, excellent value for money. Such an upgrade changes the ride so much.
Richie Vida has one of those bikes and paid a company a small company mom and Pop to redo his bike and it came out phenomenally well. You should check that out. I wouldn’t be afraid to sink a lot of money into a bike like that if you are able to get the parts to make it like new or aftermarket parts to make it better than new . Odds are That bike would have a whole new lifespan ahead of it as the engines rarely give you any problem
I have to say that i gave up working on my knees years ago. Now i sport a proper Bike and ATV Lift to do my work. You need to do the same or your knees will pay the price.
Interesting video but I steer well clear of high mileage, abused rust buckets. There are plenty of clean, low mileage, well looked after bikes that cost little more in the long run.
Keep em coming on the vfr because I'm nursing a 80k 98 model on the daily commute. How did the overheating go mine doesn't like traffic or hot days fan on over time in the high 90s
Had my VFR for 11 years now, been slowly replacing bits, it took me 5 days to get the new exhaust back on by myself, front on, rear falls off etc. - rear shock wasn't so bad - had to change the throttle bodies (sensor failure - ebay to the rescue), I have all new internals for the front forks. replaced the spark plug caps - could only get origninals -- 4 for 250 quid! but like you I got it cheap and with all the expense its still been cheaper than buying a second hand bike for a few grand; great series, great bike, keep the tips coming
I paid £1200 for my 98 6 years ago. Chain sprockets reg rec clutch & springs fork rebuild maxton rear valve clearances full exhaust rapid bike pro evo & a map, it's only my commuter bike...where do or how can you throw in the towel I've got thousands in the old lass ?
One of those jobs where you start off doing one thing and then the secret nightmares all start showing themselves, great entertainment watching you work through it.
I did all that a year ago fitting Maxton shock, I had already replaced the original exhaust system with Delkevic so getting the shock our was a lot easier. Did you realise if you take off the tank and the hinged holder there is a big nut under there that holds the top of the shock bracket on the bike. Release this and the entire thing drops out no need to struggle with the top of the shock under the bike. Plus you need a bike ramp badly, or better still a skylifter.
OMG! I was at full sympathy for most of this because I have vivid memories of all the frustrating "get the thingamajig out of the whatsit without shearing or sweeping up 3 pounds of corroded bits and bobs" moments. However, I did go into hysterical laughter when you said "Don't let that put you off". I'm still giggling and getting funny looks from my nearest and dearest. I blame the lateness of the hour. Admittedly, it can feel like even more of an accomplisment when you have put some Herculean effort in against all the odds, no matter how "simple" the job was supposed to be. So, well done!
@@bennettsbikesocial A get that with milage makes good content. Milage is always been a worrying talking point with bikes to the exstent the value of them drop out them at 20k 😂 a find that mental really
Love the maintenance vid waiting for the next. And yes working on the bike is really a pleasure, i do love doing the brake on my GSA, i find it really relaxing and at 95000+ Km have done it more then once... plus doing the tire... pull of the shocks to have them rebuild... i found that doing it i bond with the machine!
Wow! I'm always so impressed by the dedication people put into these wonderful bikes. Definitely goes to show that regular maintenance saves the balls from much later aches.
Great video and about a bike I always liked but never owned. Gives all of us that are a bit scared of doing anything but the most rudimentary mechanics encouragement* *At least it will if I can find a house I can afford with a garage - working on a bike outside and watching a nut roll away and fall down your neighbours drain, or rain starting when the tank is off and carbs are in pieces around you is a little too much fun!😄
Yeah, that would be bad! I used to work on my car in the local car park, but luckily Mum and Dad had a shed I could put the bike in. When we bought our house though, I had to sell my bike to pay the deposit. But at least it had a garage!
I've resisted the urge to comment until I watched the whole video... As a fellow 5th gen VFR owner I know all of this pain and more. Great bike, absolute b*stard to service. The link plate on mine also had groves from a seized needle roller bearing on the dog bone, I've had more header studs snap than I can count so again, I feel your pain completely. Just when you think the header pipes are going to be the worst bit, the VFR has a surprise in store for you haha. I also bought new gaskets from wemoto, mine also didn't fit! I also ended up crushing them then gave up and just ran the old ones I've actually got a shelf in my garage dedicated to all the parts/bolts/fasteners/broken things that I had to get creative with when trying to remove - I call it my trophy shelf! The only thing I also did was replace the swingarm pivot bearing while I was rebuilding mine as it's often neglected because it's such a pain to get to!
Thanks so much for this... glad it's not just me! I've got six of these videos backed up, but I promise to get more out in the next week or so. Cheers, John
I can completely sympathise with you. My project bike, an nc30 has the same problem. Literally got to the point of taking the rear subframe completely off in an attempt to remove the exhaust manifold from the engine before resorting to an angle grinder lol. They're so tightly packed! It's the thing that makes them great aswell as utter turds to work on 😆
Did you replace the collector box bracket bolt With an Oem one. Doing this job now what a massive pain to remove that bolt same as yours completely corroded have it our now as I'm fitting a full stainless exhaust and the centr stand is a pain aswell. Love your videos their making my job a bit easier to do , I'm goimg to replace the rear shock aswell .
I’ve had my 99 VFR 800 since 2003, now with 45k on the clock. One regulator rectifier, one exhaust (replaced by high level custom s/s one), one headlight and one seat later (oh, and a FSH), and it’s as good as ever. Although if you could pop by and swap the shock I’d appreciate it… ;)
I just carried this out on my VFR without any of the problems encountered here. Mine is the same 5th gen with 55k miles. The exhaust is stainless steel, replaced by a previous owner and DID NOT require removing at all. The new Nitron shock was a larger diameter than the original but still went in relatively easily, I just needed to lift the rear wheel up a bit to get the clearance. Don’t be put off doing this work. I had the old shock out in less than an hour.
Annoyingly I'd deleted the bit where I said I hadn't need to do all that after all, but I did want to get thew linkage out completely to grease it, and in the end it was so seized I couldn't.
@@bennettsbikesocial yeah well with yours one of the nuts looked way more corroded than mine. It’s the one where the link meets the frame. I got a ring spanner on mine and it came off with some muscle. I think that whole linkage does have to come out anyway, to get the shock out. Really enjoyed your vids so far. Esp the one featuring John Mcpint.
Not just hi-milers. I bought a new V-Strom 650 last year and they employed a chimp to assemble it from the crate. Loose front spacer as axle bolt not torqued up, cockeyed chain alignment and zero grease on gear selector linkage. However, its satisfying & confidence building to fettle your own bike. Bolts on my cbr945rr are either in good nick or replaced :-)
I've got 4 older bikes, your description of the trials and tribulations as you work through it are very apt - but how good do you feel when you've conquered the problems ! Honda have this great reputation of finish, but hell do they make bad decisions in some areas - on my vfr750 I cracked off a piece of engine casing because a mild steel pipe support, case bolt and aluminium casing had utterly bonded together - used releasing agents, heat etc etc thought I'd loosened it, only for a piece of aluminium to break by the threaded case section
I feel your pain! But yeah, it is rewarding. I had to machine a part for the cam holder on my ZX-6R out of scrap aluminium and was well chuffed with that, especially after my mate who's a mechanic said the break meant it was knackered.
Don’t think I ever had to take the exh. off to get the shock out but I have broken a exh stud off. I made a wood ramp to keep the swing arm/wheel up. Grease the gaskets to keep them in place.
Superb real world vid. I loathe & despise that kind of bolt-access design, that they could so easily get around designing differently. I'm a bit surprised you went for an original replacement - I know you couldn't get a patent, but maybe some sort of rig-up of your own? That original looks like a poor thing. Anyway, well done!
VFR's are well known for their corroded exhausts.
Is there no aftermarket collector box? Delkevic do everything else you need.
:( I bought a Kawi Z400 a couple months ago and one of the first things I looked for was a haynes for it. Seems like they don't have anything past 2019 for Kawasaki, and didn't bother to make one in 2018 for either the Z400 or the Ninja 400
Sadly they've stopped making them. 😞 The one I have for my Grom, and the S1000XR I just sold were the most recent.
Always the same. Start one job end up doing half a dozen others. Nothing changes, glad you overcame your problems. Keep these videos coming.
Epic puffing and cussing in the garage when taken to the end of your tether with a b***ard of a job and in a tight space too. All been there. Loved the honesty of it. No rock music and clinical operating-theatre-like spannering: just a mallet, drilling out mashed up stuff, some top common sense problem solving and some elbow grease - the reality for all home mechanics. Top work. Tidy job. Love the V4, but the way Mr Honda shoehorned everything in, though brilliant, is an absolute ball ache to work on.
I see like my wife with my shoes, your wife wears your shoes for ease 😂
Ha, yep - it's all about the style!
Love the reality and honesty in these videos. Glad to see your wife is as happy as mine when I ask for help with maintenance! Been meaning to upgrade the 20yr old rear shock on my Fazer for a while now, you’ve given me the inspiration to bite the bullet.
that's nothing, i have to beg for a brew.
@@MrWhothefoxthat Ive been meaning to replace the 52 year old wench as well..
Wives are just jealous of our relationships with bikes. They can be nasty about it. So cook her a nice meal to make it up to her.
I have always had Low price higher mileage bikes 30,000mi+. your not buying for economy and know your going to be replacing/ maintaining it to YOUR standard....
Yes absolutely an uneconomical task but the fun lies in making it YOURS to be enjoyed in your way, where Purity isn't such a factor in putting you off REALLY enjoying your machine
Makes me glad I own an old air-cooled GS 500 twin to work on... I'll pay someone else to work on my 2011 yamaha xj6....
Plusgas is one of the best release sprays 👌
the VFR major flaw is the mild steel exhaust system. if you take it off you pretty much need to do the stainless replacement because you don't want to take it off again
Strange, I've had the rear shock off and on my 2001 VFR800Fi a couple of times (replaced with a Nitron unit) and not needed to remove the exhaust. I did have to remove that collector bolt when replacing the engine but managed to undo it without the need to drill it out.
I was trying to check and grease the linkage too - I do have a feeling that I could have had the shock out without all this faffery! After all that, The final linkage bolt was seized in place anyway! Fortunately it all rotates fine. For now. Cheers, John
We’ve all been there 😂😂😂😂😂
Great video, makes me want an old VFR! I remember those downpipe gaskets on my SP1 OE silencers. I found a bit of copper grease and opening them up slightly with the neck of a small bottle helped a lot.
I hate asking my wife for help but when I do, she reacts just like yours. Lol
Wow, I just enjoy the riding. Anyway, ride safe, god bless u.
Can't ride it if it's broken!
I suppose when you are ready to replace the exhaust system it will come apart easy love my vfrs have 3 of them and yes do all my own repairs myself a hgv mechanic . Honda vfrs are a well made bike if you look after it will run ever both of my 750 models i replaced the exhaust system i replaced the shockers like you did top tip grease the the linkage every 2 years . my other vfr is 1200f love that as well that v4 motor is a beauty.
Why didn't you change out the manifold for a stainless steel one while it was half way off?
Just cost, but considering it
Good effort, we’ve all been there. That annoying half hour job that turns into an 8 hr job 🙄
Ouch ... that looked slightly frustrating ... anyway all done for a long time now.
9:25 If you were a gentleman, you might have done the heavy lifting whilst you wife pushed the bolt in. And if you were an engineer and aspiring contortionist, you would have used a simple wedge or lever system to lift the back wheel as you aligned the bolt yourself. 🧐😎😜🏴 VFRs are great value aren’t they?
Peace
I'm neither!
I feel you … have just removed nuts and studs from my latest project bike. Fist bump on sorting it 👌
It's all good fun! Cheers, John
What if I told you there is no need to remove the exhaust to change the shock?
I was also trying to get the full linkage out to check the bearings - sadly it has to all come out for that. But yeah, once I'd got the whole thing off I realised!
Loved this video. I remember working on a vfr400 20 odd years ago doing the front valve shims. they were a pain with the limited tools I had. They were right on the limit. I was getting so stressed. I will always remember my dad who designed industrial electric motors coming along and saying to me " remember, every limit has a tolerance". That always stuck with me. 🤣
Excellent! I'll remember that! Cheers, John
John, I did this exact job on my 2000 VFR800Fi... With a Nitron shock. It was nowhere near this bad... I can't really remember that well, I did it in 2019 but I vaguely remember that linkage nut being a touch difficult, having to use a bunch of tools connected together to get at it, but I didn't remove the exhaust at all. I did the job in half a day.
Yeah, I think this was made a lot worse by the seized bits. Cheers, John
You're a very patient man. All credit ro you.
Black widow full high level (get the rear wheel straight off) stainless steel all gasket & a fitting kit £400 it literally fell on. No collector box bollocks.
Tempting! Been looking at the Delkevic pipes too.
Never worked on a VFR... but i've worked on some other Hondas... and the intro is 100% true! Like you have to do a ritual at the right planetary conjunction to be able to do what you want to do...
Honestly, it's put me off having a V4 ever again. It's a lot easier to work on an inline four (and a boxer is a dream!).
Appreciate this was "just" the shock, but would it be fair to say that all V engines are a pain to work on, and the more cylinders the greater the pain? 🤔
Hmmm, tricky. This is a particular pain as it's so crammed in. I wouldn't say more cylinders are more awkward as my 4-pot ZX-6R wasn't as bad, but that's only done 18,000 miles and it's an inline four. Yeah, Vs can be tricky I think, depending how they're put together. More heavily worn bikes seem harder as more things fail when you take them off. It does come down to design too though. Really, you can't generalise I reckon; it's the bike itself and the state it's in. Cheers, John
Ohh John, I feel your frustrations mate, I've been spannering on my own bikes (and cars) since I was 17 so a looong time, and I've also had times when I wanted to burn the things, when confronted by poor design and poor workmanship by previous owners... well done for sticking with it, I look forward to further installments on the Viffer 👍
Cheers! Fire may still be an option...
A great example of why you should lash everything under the covers on a VFR with old engine oil then it wont end up a corroded mess like this one . Engine/shock/stand/oil pipes and copper slip your exhaust nuts .:)
Well done fella, you deserve a beer!! I could feel the frustration through the screen
That moment in the garage (on your knees in more ways than one) is unfortunately quite familiar to me! My mate has a 2015 facelift Crossrunner 800 and was considering swapping the standard shock out for something newer / better. I told him it was a great idea, but although his bike looks a lot cleaner / less corroded than your VFR, I'm now wondering if the exhaust system on it is just as fiendish as this frustrating setup?!
We’ve all the the wife in’t shed, to hold, lift or help, and like your wife. They all have the same reaction! Leg it as soon as done. There’s a glass of wine with their name on it😂
I literally just fitted a Hagon shock to my Firestorm. Very impressed and fitted perfectly and didn't take long either! (Sorry!)
Ha! Rub it in why don't you?!
Oh did I laugh and cry…I thought it was just my ineptitude when restoring mine. It’s a challenge in every way. I have several vfr800fi how too’s to help others through the pain but what a great bike..great delivery 👍
Thanks! I'll check them out. Cheers, John
You can save a lot of money on jobs like this by shopping around and researching on eBay. For example, generic stainless bolts and nuts solve the rust issues, especially with exposed exhausts etc. And it’s easy to improvise rubber parts from multipacks available from DIY stores, Aldi or Lidl etc.
Adapt and improvise.
Totally agree
Christ knows why you had to take the front pipes and collector box off.
I've had my 800 from new in '98.
Changed out the shock after 35k for a fully adjustable Nitron, it's been jn and out a few times for servicing. I have slso swopped out rear shocks on a few other 800s with no problems and have never had to remove anything but the rear wheel and the end can.
9:20....yea...she was happy.
God blessed you with an awesome wife.
I swear ,the entire deal looked like a nightmare.
Thanks for not doing the RUclips magic install video.
Having owned many singles, twins and inline fours, I once owned a VF750F, and soon became enamoured with it (till some dimwit cager pulled out on me me), so yeas, I WOULD have a VFR (particularly love the early 3rd gen in red, or the 4th in 'NR' colouring/styling..), HOWEVER.. It's this particular nightmare that makes me think, yes -
IF I had a large garage
AND
IF I had a ramp
AND
IF I had a good sized work bench
AND
IF I had a vast tool setup
THEN
YES I WOULD get one hahahaha
Otherwise I'll happily stick with my Front garden, the tools I have, and an aircooled or liquid cooled 4... As sadly, not everyone even has a basic garage, but, I've done alright so far 👍😉🤞 😎🇬🇧
Ahh nothing like having a whinge at design engineers that made something as wonderful and robust as these VRF's. A 150xxxkm bike that's been averagely maintained, is rusty as hell and has an exhaust system as flogged as that should have been better cared for long ago; it's an outcome of poor maintenace you're dealing with not poor design, if the cheap hardwarewas replaced before it got to this state there'd have been no issues lol? So funny, you Euro/UK guys have a very different tolerance for rust than we do in Aus, in Australia a conciencious owner/quality mechanic would have tossed those flogged headers, flanges, studs, shock bolts and replaced them all a decade ago looking like that; and cetainly wouldn't have refitted them in that state... when Delkavic make the whole system for 250pound/$480AUD. Also those rear shocks ARE rebuildable by a shop that knows what they're doing, I've had multiple stock sealed OE shocks (inc. a Husky TR650 & my VFR800) rebuilt, pistons machined and revalved in the past. Loads of shops in Aus, and I'm sure in the UK, that can do this. Obviously the full replacement is a nice option but also cost me ~180pound/$350 AUD for my last sealed unit rebuild & revalve and this replacement cost $1000AUD so better to do at least rebuild of the stock unit than nothing for those on a budget.
Haha ... the dreaded 2000/2001 5th Gen 800fi Cat mount bolt ... Yes Mr Honda engineer, will be pissing himself laughing, this fuck up alone is one good reason to not buy a 2000/2001 5th Gen 800fi ... 1998/1999 has no Cat, hence exhaust is easier to remove... You keep banging on about this being a £500 bike, it's not tho is it, you've thrown hundreds at it to make it a usable bike ... so in reality, you could have just bought a 40/50K bike, that wasn't shagged & saved a lot of grief, for probly less money than you've chucked at this old banger.... funny vlog tho ... keep up the humorous content bro👍
Im the owner of a 1984 VF750F with 50000km on it....I have often thought of upgrading to a VFR800 1999 to 2003 gear driven model but every time I see anyone working on one the complexity seems 10 times more than my old bike...so I have not pulled the trigger to upgrade...but darn do I like the look of the 800....If the 800 is anything like the VF750 Im expecting the bike to fit my 6foot 4 size very well.
Loving this series. Painful (on your part) but hugely satisfying!
😃👍
Thanks! Three more shot, I just need to get on with editing them! Then there'll be more after those too...
I had to chuckle watching this again, we've all been there, shiny sockets and spanners and a Haynes manual, what could possibly go wrong ?. Three hours later, bleeding knuckles, face covered in grease and contemplating phoning the scrap man.
I replaced my VFR800 shock with a YSS unit last week and struggled to get the old shock out at first, I had to drop the top mount as far as it could go then unbolt it from the shock, the shock then fell on the floor, fitting the new shock was the reverse.
Wow these bikes look like they had been submerged into the North Sea for a couple of years. Soo crusty and rusted up it's incredible..
I bought two of these VFRs 99' models. Rust free but both failed with electronics.
Recertifiers two times.
Both at 130 000kms.
One was a dedicated track bike.
No lights, mirrors, etc. Straight piped, no collector. Sounded awesome just like MotoGP.😊
When the rectifier failed i just finished the sixth session of the day, so it stopped at the end of the event but it nearly burnt down.
The battery got such a load that it expanded into the frame and had to prie it out with tire irons and screwdrivers, when the whole thing cooled down. It was a mess.
Oh well it was fun until it lasted.😅
Great vid mate 👍, But it did look rather challenging. I bet the swear box more than paid for all the parts, and a few well earned beers afterwards 😉 Haha.
I've had my vfr 2000 year since new, replaced the rear shock earlier this year. With the exhaust can wheel heatsheild and lineages off , tank lifted and battery box removed and the rear tank bracket we managed to wriggle the shock out. Then wriggle the new back in. It was a case of this is in the way lets remove it but apart from the can the rest stayed put. I bought a hyperpro shock as that's what my local m/c dealer sold and what a difference best mod ever. But at 22 years old and nearly 50 thousand miles, I'm not looking forward to replacing the exhaust headers.
Yeah - I reckon I could have done it but I was also trying to get the linkage out to check and grease it all. In the end that final bolt was seized in and going nowhere! Fortunately the linkage moves fine.
I hope you've got a decent sized swear jar😜🤣
Fuck yeah!
Great and honest video! Is there a playlist for all the VFR videos?
No, but I will make one, ta!
I don't remember removing the headers and collector box to change my shock? I used a Nitron. You are right about the exhaust though, my motorcycling mate helped and it went much smoother. I had spent weeks prepping the bolts with penetrating agent though.
Yeah, I wanted the linkage out to service that too
Im interested in getting into working on my bike. But don’t know how to start. Any tips for someone who knows next to zero mechanics, e.g. should I do a mechanics course or something else?
Make sure you can get a Haynes manual for your bike, then start on the basics. If you're in the UK, do this: rewards.bennetts.co.uk/rewards/diy-motorcycle-maintenance-voucher-discount-code
@@bennettsbikesocial thanks 🙏🏼
I feel your pain
A perfect opportunity to replace that filthy heavy header with a stainless aftermarket system. I got 10 more hp out of my old '99 VFR by doing that.
Im watching your pain and feeling it. I have a 1997 GSXR1100 and its a pain in ass {38.000 miles}. I had to buy a new bike because i cant rely on it to take me anywhere. I only ride where there is cell phone reception within a small radius of home in case it shits out again again.
Bugger! That's not even that high a mileage!
Er.. electrics by any chance?! Had a slabby 1100 and more modern 1000s and Suzuki always had a poor reputation for their electrics in the eighties - frikkin' rightly - and if they don't still, they should: as the 1000s are no better.
Connectors' quality shite, weak regulator/rectifiers (and on the slabby, weak coils)...
@@villiamo3861 Yes all the connections/ relays/ switches etc . Apart from that its an awesome bike. My 80s Katana 750 was the same. Its a 1997 1100 so i will sell it or if i cant get decent money leave it in the back of the garage to rot. Maybe i could start a bonfire on guy fawkes night with it lol
Great video! 😂
Over the years I have upgraded five bikes with new shocks from Hagon. Excellent service, excellent products, excellent value for money. Such an upgrade changes the ride so much.
Theres one of these for sale in california right now with 136,000 miles on it and is claimed to still run amazing hahaha
Richie Vida has one of those bikes and paid a company a small company mom and Pop to redo his bike and it came out phenomenally well. You should check that out. I wouldn’t be afraid to sink a lot of money into a bike like that if you are able to get the parts to make it like new or aftermarket parts to make it better than new . Odds are That bike would have a whole new lifespan ahead of it as the engines rarely give you any problem
I have to say that i gave up working on my knees years ago. Now i sport a proper Bike and ATV Lift to do my work. You need to do the same or your knees will pay the price.
Interesting video but I steer well clear of high mileage, abused rust buckets. There are plenty of clean, low mileage, well looked after bikes that cost little more in the long run.
Have almost new stock shock, a twin clicked from Fox, oem headers good shape.
The VFR 750 and 800 hundred are a rust bucket. So stay away from them.
Keep em coming on the vfr because I'm nursing a 80k 98 model on the daily commute. How did the overheating go mine doesn't like traffic or hot days fan on over time in the high 90s
Not good... I think the thermostat has had it, but it's a sod to get to
@@bennettsbikesocial it certainly is and not cheap. I ended up changing the intake rubbers not cheap either🏍️👍
Had my VFR for 11 years now, been slowly replacing bits, it took me 5 days to get the new exhaust back on by myself, front on, rear falls off etc. - rear shock wasn't so bad - had to change the throttle bodies (sensor failure - ebay to the rescue), I have all new internals for the front forks. replaced the spark plug caps - could only get origninals -- 4 for 250 quid! but like you I got it cheap and with all the expense its still been cheaper than buying a second hand bike for a few grand; great series, great bike, keep the tips coming
I paid £1200 for my 98 6 years ago. Chain sprockets reg rec clutch & springs fork rebuild maxton rear valve clearances full exhaust rapid bike pro evo & a map, it's only my commuter bike...where do or how can you throw in the towel I've got thousands in the old lass ?
You’ve got more patience than me! I’d have torched the bloody thing! 😂
I did consider it!
Great video and great bike even if it does end up costing you a couple of grand it’ll do the same mileage again!
Hope so! Cheers, John
@4:50 Cadwell , my favourite track in the UK bar none 🙂
As for needing my wife to hold anything, I’ve used tie straps.
@bennetts any chance we can get radiator coolant reviews. Love to see to what the after effects are with leading manufacturers..?
One of those jobs where you start off doing one thing and then the secret nightmares all start showing themselves, great entertainment watching you work through it.
That dramatic exhaust! I know what it is. Terrible.
I did all that a year ago fitting Maxton shock, I had already replaced the original exhaust system with Delkevic so getting the shock our was a lot easier. Did you realise if you take off the tank and the hinged holder there is a big nut under there that holds the top of the shock bracket on the bike. Release this and the entire thing drops out no need to struggle with the top of the shock under the bike. Plus you need a bike ramp badly, or better still a skylifter.
Ha... I did once I got there! I was trying to get the linkage out to service too though.
I can confirm, the vfr is the most complicated bike I ever own
OMG! I was at full sympathy for most of this because I have vivid memories of all the frustrating "get the thingamajig out of the whatsit without shearing or sweeping up 3 pounds of corroded bits and bobs" moments. However, I did go into hysterical laughter when you said "Don't let that put you off". I'm still giggling and getting funny looks from my nearest and dearest. I blame the lateness of the hour. Admittedly, it can feel like even more of an accomplisment when you have put some Herculean effort in against all the odds, no matter how "simple" the job was supposed to be. So, well done!
Thanks! There was a lot to sweep up!
I love a good high mileage bike. Love the series so far.
Thanks! Cheers, John
Lol 😅 the best bit was your wife chucking the gloves!
Oh the joys of working on older well used bikes
And she stole my shoes!
Worst bike a have ever ridden how could go from a kawak to one of these is a step down
Totally different bikes really... definitely not the worst I've ridden, even at nearly 100,000 miles!
@@bennettsbikesocial A get that with milage makes good content. Milage is always been a worrying talking point with bikes to the exstent the value of them drop out them at 20k 😂 a find that mental really
Tools! I have 10lb lump hammer and dodgy pair of mole-grips, so I'm unstoppable.
That and gaffa tape is all you need!
I changed my rear shock, didn't have to remove anything 🤷
Love the maintenance vid waiting for the next. And yes working on the bike is really a pleasure, i do love doing the brake on my GSA, i find it really relaxing and at 95000+ Km have done it more then once... plus doing the tire... pull of the shocks to have them rebuild... i found that doing it i bond with the machine!
I don't do tyres any more - I did the on my CBR6 years ago, and my Dominator a while later and hated them. Luckily my mate has a tyre machine!
Love watching this guy, honest and real, just subscribed
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
I need to remove my headers to get to an oil filter on my 1980 GSX1100. Whoever designed that... I'd kick him in the wobly bits if I could.
That's proper bad design!
Wow! I'm always so impressed by the dedication people put into these wonderful bikes. Definitely goes to show that regular maintenance saves the balls from much later aches.
A good way to put it! I'm using that! Cheers, John
Still, machines like these make it too easy to take it easy.
Maybe blind idiots lol
Great video and about a bike I always liked but never owned. Gives all of us that are a bit scared of doing anything but the most rudimentary mechanics encouragement*
*At least it will if I can find a house I can afford with a garage - working on a bike outside and watching a nut roll away and fall down your neighbours drain, or rain starting when the tank is off and carbs are in pieces around you is a little too much fun!😄
Yeah, that would be bad! I used to work on my car in the local car park, but luckily Mum and Dad had a shed I could put the bike in. When we bought our house though, I had to sell my bike to pay the deposit. But at least it had a garage!
My 91 vfr750 is easier to work on than that.
I've resisted the urge to comment until I watched the whole video... As a fellow 5th gen VFR owner I know all of this pain and more. Great bike, absolute b*stard to service. The link plate on mine also had groves from a seized needle roller bearing on the dog bone, I've had more header studs snap than I can count so again, I feel your pain completely. Just when you think the header pipes are going to be the worst bit, the VFR has a surprise in store for you haha. I also bought new gaskets from wemoto, mine also didn't fit! I also ended up crushing them then gave up and just ran the old ones
I've actually got a shelf in my garage dedicated to all the parts/bolts/fasteners/broken things that I had to get creative with when trying to remove - I call it my trophy shelf! The only thing I also did was replace the swingarm pivot bearing while I was rebuilding mine as it's often neglected because it's such a pain to get to!
Thanks so much for this... glad it's not just me! I've got six of these videos backed up, but I promise to get more out in the next week or so. Cheers, John
Anymore VFR videos coming?
Made I laugh! Done many a job just like that!
I can completely sympathise with you. My project bike, an nc30 has the same problem. Literally got to the point of taking the rear subframe completely off in an attempt to remove the exhaust manifold from the engine before resorting to an angle grinder lol. They're so tightly packed! It's the thing that makes them great aswell as utter turds to work on 😆
Beautiful bike that'll be worth the effort!
Did you replace the collector box bracket bolt
With an Oem one. Doing this job now what a massive pain to remove that bolt same as yours completely corroded have it our now as I'm fitting a full stainless exhaust and the centr stand is a pain aswell. Love your videos their making my job a bit easier to do , I'm goimg to replace the rear shock aswell .
Yes, and it was bloody expensive! Cheers, John
Hi mate I put a nitron r1 shock on my vfr750 ,it was a job I did with no problems, must have been lucky
I think I made it harder than it needed to be by trying to strip the linkage to fully service it! Cheers, John
I'm currently being thwarted by a 2000 GSXR-600 SRAD.
Stick with it! Cheers, John
I’ve had my 99 VFR 800 since 2003, now with 45k on the clock. One regulator rectifier, one exhaust (replaced by high level custom s/s one), one headlight and one seat later (oh, and a FSH), and it’s as good as ever. Although if you could pop by and swap the shock I’d appreciate it… ;)
I just carried this out on my VFR without any of the problems encountered here.
Mine is the same 5th gen with 55k miles.
The exhaust is stainless steel, replaced by a previous owner and DID NOT require removing at all.
The new Nitron shock was a larger diameter than the original but still went in relatively easily, I just needed to lift the rear wheel up a bit to get the clearance.
Don’t be put off doing this work. I had the old shock out in less than an hour.
Annoyingly I'd deleted the bit where I said I hadn't need to do all that after all, but I did want to get thew linkage out completely to grease it, and in the end it was so seized I couldn't.
@@bennettsbikesocial yeah well with yours one of the nuts looked way more corroded than mine. It’s the one where the link meets the frame. I got a ring spanner on mine and it came off with some muscle. I think that whole linkage does have to come out anyway, to get the shock out.
Really enjoyed your vids so far. Esp the one featuring John Mcpint.
Ive got a 5th gen vfr and i agree working on them is a nightmare 😂
Not just hi-milers. I bought a new V-Strom 650 last year and they employed a chimp to assemble it from the crate. Loose front spacer as axle bolt not torqued up, cockeyed chain alignment and zero grease on gear selector linkage. However, its satisfying & confidence building to fettle your own bike. Bolts on my cbr945rr are either in good nick or replaced :-)
I've got 4 older bikes, your description of the trials and tribulations as you work through it are very apt - but how good do you feel when you've conquered the problems ! Honda have this great reputation of finish, but hell do they make bad decisions in some areas - on my vfr750 I cracked off a piece of engine casing because a mild steel pipe support, case bolt and aluminium casing had utterly bonded together - used releasing agents, heat etc etc thought I'd loosened it, only for a piece of aluminium to break by the threaded case section
The V4s are mostly very good, but the hard to get to bits aren't designed to be easy to work on after a few years !!
I feel your pain! But yeah, it is rewarding. I had to machine a part for the cam holder on my ZX-6R out of scrap aluminium and was well chuffed with that, especially after my mate who's a mechanic said the break meant it was knackered.
Don’t think I ever had to take the exh. off to get the shock out but I have broken a exh stud off. I made a wood ramp to keep the swing arm/wheel up. Grease the gaskets to keep them in place.
Yeah - looks like I could have got away without taking it off, but I wanted to get all of the linkage out to grease it. Cheers, John
Superb real world vid. I loathe & despise that kind of bolt-access design, that they could so easily get around designing differently. I'm a bit surprised you went for an original replacement - I know you couldn't get a patent, but maybe some sort of rig-up of your own? That original looks like a poor thing. Anyway, well done!
Good video, came up on my yt suggestions. I've got a 2000 vfr800 50k miles and I was thinking of doing this job..you've put me off 😄