VTR Down Under

[Twitchy]

I have been away for a while. Funny how you look back at things and what you wish you knew at the time. My last post was at 0955hrs on Friday 22nd July. An hour and a half after submitting that post, I got a frantic call from my wife telling me to come home. My mum lives next door, and I knew she was crook. In the 25 minutes it took to get home, the ambulance was there, and they were sorry to inform me my mother had passed away.

In my last post I talked about starting the bike on the previous Sunday, and it not going well. That Sunday morning I had taken some soup over to Mum and she asked me to come in. 'Sorry Mum, gotta fix my bike. On a mission'. And fobbed her off. Well when the bike sounded like a dry clutch Ducati, I shut it off, shut the shed and texted Mum to put the kettle on. I went next door and had a cuppa with her while we watched the footy (Aussie Rules), and had a random chat for nearly 2 hours. That was the last time I spoke to Mum, and the first time in my life, I am so effing glad things in the shed didn't go so well. If that bike didn't make a racket, then I would have spent Sunday arvo tuning and testing, and I would be spending the rest of my life regretting fobbing her off that Sunday to go fix my bike.

Things happen for a reason, and while we (especially me) get caught up in our little shed projects, my message to you guys is remember what is important, and when it comes to family, take time out occasionally and go do something with them, you never know when they wont be there.

RIP Mum.

[Twitchy]

Now considering my last post, it has taken a long time to get back into a head space where I can work on the bike. So this weekend just gone, I removed the clutch etc, tensioned the sub gear and today filled the fluids up and kicked her in the guts. YAY! Nice and quiet again. But I think I have the front SE valve stuck because I cannot get the front cylinder to lift its vacuum up anywhere near the rear cylinder. Wildy out of balance and cranking the balance heaps either way has zero effect. Tomorrow I will get the airbox off and see what I can do without pulling the carbs.

[Kev L]

Sorry to hear about your mum mate, you're right we don't know how long we have got with anyone in our lives, so value them all.
Best of luck with the bike.

[AMCQ46]

So sorry to hear about your mum....

When I started reading your last post I had already assumed the ending was going to be guilt from not visiting your mom, but I am so glad I was wrong. It's bad enough losing your mom, but to have missed those few hrs chatting would have haunted any of us.

Rip

[tony.mon]

Might be a carb diaphragm split.
IIRC you can pull the top off the rear carb but not the front one in situ, but they're easy to pull off- leave all the pipes connected but it's easier to remove the throttle cables.
Put some rag over the frame side rails as it's easy to scratch them.

[VTRDark]

Twitchy I am sorry for you loss, I hate reading things like that as it always difficult to know what to say but if ever you need to have a rant, rave or just talk we are all here for you. Hold onto the memories and know that her spirit will be with you forever. If you are religious then in the physical sense and if you not then in the spiritual sense within you or is that the other way around. You know what I mean.

As for the bike it will be a good thing to take the mind elsewhere for some peace.

[Twitchy]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, appreciate it.
Yesterday when I had it running, the choke knob pulled out really easy. There is zero tension or restriction for the first 1/2" or so. It basically slides out, and then it feels more normal. This is why I think the SE valves might be jammed up. I did manage to get the rear SE boot off the fitting, and pull it against the spring, it feels ok. Can't get to the front one as it's in near the head frame. But I don't think that would cause almost zero vacuum from the front cylinder. Today I will pull the airbox off and try to pop out the front SE valve, and have a good look around for any possible signs.

Oh, and I got myself a headlamp to wear when working on the bike. My shed lighting is a bit average, and while I feel like a bit if a d!ck wearing it, it makes everything so much easier. Recommended OCMD for the noggin!

[Twitchy]

So this arvo I got the airbox off, checked the operation of the SE cable/valves - seems ok. Checked TPS, bit out but see how we go. Airbox back on, kick 'er in the guts. Still no vacuum at the gauge.

*For those who came in late - I have been donated a set of 4 SMC Pneumatics gauges a guy at work used for his CB750. This setup has flow control valves on each gauge to reduce the bouncing needle*.

As I only use/need 2 gauges, swapped the lines to different gauges. Still nothing. Swapped valves over, BINGO! faulty valve. So, balance done at 1250+ rpm and left a that idle point, TPS on 493ohm. Tomorrow I might get to put the fairing back on aaaaand.......... ride the bloody thing! Last time on the bike was April so could an easy trip.

[VTRDark]

Having a think about this and I am not sure if there is any kind of valve down there inside the carb. I can't remember but I have a feeling it's a lot more basic than that and could work on the same principle as the fuel mixture screw. A simple channel that when opened up more allows more air through or as in this case more fuel through. As long as the choke cable operates and the end at the carb moves freely in and out under the tension of the spring it should be good. Saying that though you may want to blow out the channels inside the carb down there to clear out any blockages that may be causing an obstruction. You can control the tension on the choke cable where it attaches to the frame. It has a plastic screw on nut at the rear which puts pressure on the front rubber and twisty bit which in turn tightens up and hold the choke out.

[sirch345]

I have been away for a while. Funny how you look back at things and what you wish you knew at the time. My last post was at 0955hrs on Friday 22nd July. An hour and a half after submitting that post, I got a frantic call from my wife telling me to come home. My mum lives next door, and I knew she was crook. In the 25 minutes it took to get home, the ambulance was there, and they were sorry to inform me my mother had passed away.

In my last post I talked about starting the bike on the previous Sunday, and it not going well. That Sunday morning I had taken some soup over to Mum and she asked me to come in. 'Sorry Mum, gotta fix my bike. On a mission'. And fobbed her off. Well when the bike sounded like a dry clutch Ducati, I shut it off, shut the shed and texted Mum to put the kettle on. I went next door and had a cuppa with her while we watched the footy (Aussie Rules), and had a random chat for nearly 2 hours. That was the last time I spoke to Mum, and the first time in my life, I am so effing glad things in the shed didn't go so well. If that bike didn't make a racket, then I would have spent Sunday arvo tuning and testing, and I would be spending the rest of my life regretting fobbing her off that Sunday to go fix my bike.

Things happen for a reason, and while we (especially me) get caught up in our little shed projects, my message to you guys is remember what is important, and when it comes to family, take time out occasionally and go do something with them, you never know when they wont be there.

RIP Mum.

Too true Twitchy, well said

I'm sorry to hear of your loss, but pleased you got to have that time with your Mum when you did,

Chris.

[tony.mon]

Having a think about this and I am not sure if there is any kind of valve down there inside the carb. I can't remember but I have a feeling it's a lot more basic than that and could work on the same principle as the fuel mixture screw. A simple channel that when opened up more allows more air through or as in this case more fuel through. As long as the choke cable operates and the end at the carb moves freely in and out under the tension of the spring it should be good. Saying that though you may want to blow out the channels inside the carb down there to clear out any blockages that may be causing an obstruction. You can control the tension on the choke cable where it attaches to the frame. It has a plastic screw on nut at the rear which puts pressure on the front rubber and twisty bit which in turn tightens up and hold the choke out.

No, Carl, I think he meant the flow restrictor valve on his gauges was faulty on one of the set of four.
Seems to be sorted now.

[VTRDark]

I misread that one. I need more beer...that's grog to you Twichy

[Twitchy]

Well finally an update for you guys. Let me first say thanks for your comments. In this exceedingly difficult time, it has been wonderful having a little bit of support and understanding from a bunch of guys on the other side of the world.
So today I rode for the first time since May 10. Thats nearly 24 weeks. Thats nearly 6 months. HOLY SH1T! No wonder I was apprehensive throwing a leg over today! I have still got some tuning to do, but the exhaust leak I tried to fix is not fixed, maybe worse. The join inside the swingarm, yeah, the one that is a pain in the rectum to get to.

BUT.... can I say, the Factory Pro Shift Star Kit is abso-bloody-lutely brilliant! WOW! Like a new machine. The Jamie Daugherty lever is (Ace Ventura voice) "like a glove", and the SP2 calipers/ZX14 radial master/HEL lines??????? Well mate, so much better than the factory stuff. With the used pads that came with the calipers it had sooooo much bite and just felt so good I had to keep speeding up just to feel the bite again! The ZX14 radial clutch feels nice and crisp, and a shade heavier than factory, but still feels good. The CRG RC2 levers are so sublime I want to ride without gloves just to feel them better, and I have not done too much yet to see how the 6mm rear spacer feels, and as I was taking it easy I didn't yet get to feel the HRC throttle tube make much effect, althouh there is way to much free play in the throttle.

So my task list now is to fix the exhaust leak, have a crack at the idle drop procedure to get the screws set correct, get the play out of the throttle, and I am considering getting the Cyclops Adventuresports LED headlight conversion. OCMD anyone???!!!

[sirch345]

Good to hear from you again Twitchy, I hope things are getting a little easier for you now you've had sometime to get your head around things.
Thanks for the virtual drinks, here's a couple for you

Nice to know you felt up to getting back on the bike again. Also good to hear the mod's you carried out on your bike have been rewarding

Chris.

[Twitchy]

Its been a while but starting to get my life back together after a busy and stressful period sorting out an estate and business, which is just great when I am not listed as authorised contact for any suppliers/creditors. The amount of hurdles is abso frickin lutely ridiculous. Anyhoo, my time is now available to play with mechanical stuff!!!

But firstly a brief update; sold my beloved 2005 Landcruiser (Amazon for the Brits!), which I had spent a shedload of cash on to take a 4.2 litre turbo diesel from a factory 143 kW & 430nm at the flywheel to 285 kW & 879nm engine corrected (from memory it was 233 kW & 804 nm at the rear wheels) all on 33" tyres. You can imagine how 38 pound of boost kicking in at 2200 rpm felt. Changing in to 4th gear at about 90 km/h on a wet road she would have traction issues till about 130!!!! That car took our little family for 9000 kms across Oz at an average 12.9 l/100, but with the delivery of a company car as part of my promotion, it sat and I couldn't bear to see that. The pain of selling the Cruiser was eased by this;


Yes Marc and Mav can co-exist!! 2014 Yamaha MT-09 (FZ-09) owned from new by the service manager of a Yamaha dealer, he threw a lot of extra bits at it, and I got it for a steal. Apparently 130 hp (dyno yet to confirm) which puts it 32 hp more and 15kgs lighter than VTRDU. It goes like f^ck!! Power delivery is ultra smooth and deceptively rapid, and surprisingly good on fuel compared to the VTR. Then again the QE2 is probably better on fuel than the Honda!!!

And in very recent history, Cyclops LED headlight went in - schools still out on that, 45 pilots out, 48s in, actually got the idle drop procedure to work (which makes me think the fuelling was too far our before for this to work), and now have 2.5 front and 2.75 rear, balanced and 503 ohms. But now I have a fuel leak which is not showing itself. Pungent aroma predominantly left side, more at diaphragm area than carb area. Zero telltale moisture marks, so waiting for new hoses to try to rectify this little issue.

So I bought another bike for 1 main reason, to ride while I play with the Honda, then I'll sell it.... Well according to her anyway

I am starting to scour fleabay for goodies, and read and reread threads here and on SH. I have already sourced an SP2 swingarm complete with linkages, bolts, spacers & bearings, I have my eye on SP1 forks and wheels, and checking out CBR954RR triples. I think you see where I am going with this. I also have done some homework on another mod which I want to do but that ones a secret for now.

Stay tuned for the next episode of OCMD Down Under....