Hello you lot!!!

[SWAGGER]

So why am I here? It's a big suprise for me. I hadn't intended to own another Honda so soon but I needed something to play with and I find Hondas perfect for fettlin' and messin' with generally. I wanted a rat bike for my daily commute through the winter. I came across this fine specimen of a VTR1000 Firestorm. It's on a 2000 plate, Jerez blue, 25,000miles. It has a pair of Remus titanium road pipes on and and a bunch of that carbon crap stuff. That'll be coming off and replaced with OEM parts. I want the bike to look very much standard but I'll keep the zorsts as is. I'm having it fitted out with R&G crash protection. I've replaced the drive train with Renthal kit. Just ordered a full stainless steel bolt kit to winterise the beast. I have great pride in any bike that I own and this will be no exception ... hence the level of quality that will be afforded it.

I'm going to need indicators as the previous owner swapped the originals with cheap sh*t ... I may go the LED route but would like to see what you guys n gals do. I need a good headlight as the current one is discoloured internally ... looks as if it may have had moisture in it.

Too much to say no time to say it ... I'll post my progress on this project.

I love V twins .... they're really what floats my boat. I've recently sold the love of my life ... an MT-01. Replaced it with something else a bit special.

Looking forward to this ... nice to be here

[AMCQ46]

welcome to the Forum, sounds like you have started doing all the right things to get the bike looking good. make sure you have a read in the workshop section regarding the Cam Chain Tensioners [CCT's]. They are fragile, and if the fail you end up bending the valves. There is an easy mod to make them failsafe, and then you can ride in through the winter with no fear of the long push home or an expensive repair.

Cant help with indicators, mine still stock honda ones........

[SWAGGER]

Whoa CCT's heh ... sounds like an interesting problem. I've had a look-see around the forum. Seems like you got it covered. Any recommendations on timing of the mod? Mines done 25K miles. Are the OEM replacement parts the way to go Where's the best place to get the parts ... Silvers?

[tony.mon]

Well, re replacing with OEM's, that was my first choice, but my experience was that the replacement ones lasted eighteen months before one went, bending valves.

So I did the stopper mod, but now have manuals in both engines- can't fail when there's nowt but a bolt.

Trouble is you can't tell how long the "new" ones have been on a stockist's shelf, the colour codes don't help, and they're stored fully retracted, which puts the spring under more tension than it should in normal use.
You can't predict when they will let go, and more often than not it means bent exhaust valves at least.

Mind you, as long as the valve head doesn't snap off it's a fairly easy rebuild, two or all four new valves, grind 'em in, head back on, re-time.
About a day and a hundred and thirty quid all in, including gaskets, if you do it properly.
Annoyingly it's mostly the front head that needs work, and that's the more difficult one to get at.

TIP: always go in from above, rather than from behind the forks- it's easier.
Just pull the carbs off and the plastic heat shield and there you are.

Re LEDs, easy conversions except the headlight, as you can get replacements for all the standard fittings, and you don't have to worry about bulbs blowing. Try UltraLeds.

Lastly, list any of those unwanted bits on here, someone will buy them or swap for standard parts...

[sirch345]

Welcome aboard Swagger

It looks like most things have been covered here, although the rectifier is a weak point too. Check yours out (if you've not already), if it has cooling fins on it then it has been upgraded. Earlier Firestorm rectifiers (16ltr fuel tank models) didn't have any cooling fins on them, so consequently most had a short life.

Regarding indicators. I fitted the LED type to the rear of my bike, they were not a cheap Chinese version, but were a well known make. They looked great compared to the bulky originals and appeared nice and bright too.

It was only when a fellow biker friend almost went into the back of my bike, because he didn't see the LED indicator indicating that I realised they were not very visible from behind.

IMHO the problem was the LED's are quite directional, so that means if you're looking at the indicators slightly side- on you won't see the full brightness of the LED's. You need to be looking at them almost at 90 degrees when following behind to get the full brightness from them.

There may be better alternatives out there now. The LED's they use in the indicators could well be less directional and are ultra bright ones perhaps someone else can speak up if there is

But for me that was a bit too close for comfort, so I've now re-fitted the original rear indicators.

Chris.

[SWAGGER]

Thank you for that all. Point taken on the LED indicators. My first thought was to revert to originals ... I still think they suit the bikes style. The chap that had mine put some nasty fairing mounted indicators on it and has therefore put screws through the plastics .... Rather than try a fill a and paint job I may just open the holes up a little and put a couple of small head, high quality fasteners through them to make it look like an intended fairing fitment .... to the uninitiated that is. Don't know what do you think?

[Twinpotter]

Welcome.
I'm with Chris on the indicators. I noticed that on my mate's CBR LED's and went back to standards.
Function before fashion every time.

[Jbrebel]

Welcome to the forum

[marravtr]

welcome to the forum bud

[SWAGGER]

Quick pic of the Storm .... it's comin' on. Re-wired the alarm today.



Oh yeah and here's a couple of me Storms m8s. Had them all out today