VTR1000.ORG

Choke sounds normal, there's no click or detent.
There's entry of vacuum to open the tap and let fuel flow. Even if you start with two empty carbs the rear on fills after a couple of seconds and the engine starts on that one then the second one chimes in a second or two later.
Is starts long before the battery is exhausted.

IanB wrote: ↑Sat Jul 10, 2021 3:44 pm Just a couple of quick questions:

The bike shop I visited had 2 Firestorms in stock. I'd seen someone saying that they could only pull the choke knob out about 1/4". I tried both bikes, the knobs felt sort of mushy (I'd expected a nice click), travel was maybe 10mm. Is this normal? Or is it a sign of a common problem? Knowing the bikes have huge carbs, I was expecting a far longer travel.

While it is called a "choke" whay you actually have is an "enrichment" circuit. What is happening is the cable lifts a needle off of its seat. So 10mm of travel is fine.

IanB wrote: ↑Sat Jul 10, 2021 3:44 pmThe fuel valve (petcock). Now, I'm used to little levers you turn for off, main and reserve. These seem to have been replaced by vacuum units. I can see the appeal of that, but if the carb bowls are empty, how do you fill them? Keep cranking, hope that this gives enough vacuum to open the petcock and let enough fuel dribble through, or is there a manual override to open the petcock? Does the bike have a reserve setting, and how do I activate this?

Sorry for the dumb questions, but bikes have changed somewhat since I last owned them...

With dry float bowls you can crank it over until the bowls fill or remove the vacuum line and supply vacuum to the line ot open the petcock. There is no manual over ride or any other switches or levers. On the first gen bikes (without the clock) you have the RLOD or red light of death to tell you that you are in what used to be called "reserve" on the later bikes the bars on the fuel gauge start to flash for the same reason. Though when it stops running you are out of fuel.

Thanks for the answers, it makes things really clear. I had visions of the 'choke' operating a butterfly valve like a small frisbee - the enrichment circuit makes a lot more sense.

That also makes sense on the petcock. So now we rely on a float switch and a warning light, either of which can have a latent failure, without having a fuel gauge (1999 model). I can see paranoia settings in!

The empty fuel bowl shouldn't happen often, except when you run out. Maybe I just shouldn't worry about it and trust Japanese reliability...

I used to top mine up with fuel at around 100 miles.Me being over 70 yrs old I was ready for a rest by then.

Hi Alan,
Good to hear I'm not the only older one! I'm 7 years behind you. I can also see me taking regular breaks for an ibuprofen sandwich, so in reality, it probably won't be an issue.

Did you do anything to the handlebars to take weight off your wrists?

Had some Two Brothers Racing multi adjustable clip ons on it.I had a Ducati 916 front end on it though and they don't make them for the VTR.

IanB wrote: ↑Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:30 pm Hi Alan,

Did you do anything to the handlebars to take weight off your wrists?

Ride faster. The wind on your chest takes the weight off your wrists.
And the blue light paranoia distracts you from the pain.

tony.mon wrote: ↑Sat Jul 10, 2021 11:34 pm

IanB wrote: ↑Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:30 pm Hi Alan,

Did you do anything to the handlebars to take weight off your wrists?

Ride faster. The wind on your chest takes the weight off your wrists.
And the blue light paranoia distracts you from the pain.

Blue light paranoia is one of the reasons i gave up bikes.9 points,and if i lost my bike licence,i also lose my car licence.Which all seems a bit unfair to me.

That is one of the benefits of living in Holland. The cloggie plod don't take your license for speeding (unless you are exceptionally naughty), they just send you a bill. Taking your license would be killing the goose that lays golden eggs. This accounts for the speed traps hidden behind trees on dead straight roads in daylight - nothing to do with safety, all about cash collection.

Ian

Well, I bought it, off to pay & bring it home.

The bike looks close to perfect - 20,000Km, 1999, doesn't look like it's ever been dropped or had the pegs down. Original Honda exhausts, just had a new battery & regulator fitted.

The bars feel a bit low, so I'll be looking for a way to move them.

Only slight thing is a weep from the right hand fork seal; the seller threw a pair of seals in. Is it much of a job to change the seal? Obviously a front end strip down, do the forks need to come out or can I just get the sliders off?

The fork legs need to come out.
If you have a headstock stand you can pull the legs out one at a time, just unbolt calipers, mudguard and wheel, then loosen the top and bottom clamp bolts.
You can do the same if you remove the bellypan and block it up under the sump, but it has the potential to fall off the blocks.

IanB wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 11:09 am Well, I bought it, off to pay & bring it home.

The bike looks close to perfect - 20,000Km, 1999, doesn't look like it's ever been dropped or had the pegs down. Original Honda exhausts, just had a new battery & regulator fitted.

The bars feel a bit low, so I'll be looking for a way to move them.

Only slight thing is a weep from the right hand fork seal; the seller threw a pair of seals in. Is it much of a job to change the seal? Obviously a front end strip down, do the forks need to come out or can I just get the sliders off?

Chris.

I haven't seen a headstock stand before - does it somehow clamp to the headstock area of the frame? I was thinking about putting nylon strops around the headstock & yokes, lifting these with my Chinese engine crane. First clamp a beam across the rear swinging arm and support the ends in axle stands. This way I have 3 point suspension, which should be stable enough.

The seals are probably held in by a circlip. Does anyone have a favourite method of removing the seal one the circlip is out?

Just on first impressions of the bike; it has more power than I'm ever likely to want, lots of torque across the entire range. Makes overtaking a breeze.

I was a bit surprise about the steering - the bike seems to need some persuasion to corner. Is this why people drop the yokes down the forks, to make the castor angle steeper? If so, I can see why.

Front brakes are ok - they take more force on the lever than I'd expected, but I'm sure it's simply a matter of hydraulic advantage, not of the brake discs & calipers not being up to it.

IanB wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:51 am I haven't seen a headstock stand before - does it somehow clamp to the headstock area of the frame? I was thinking about putting nylon strops around the headstock & yokes, lifting these with my Chinese engine crane. First clamp a beam across the rear swinging arm and support the ends in axle stands. This way I have 3 point suspension, which should be stable enough.

The seals are probably held in by a circlip. Does anyone have a favourite method of removing the seal one the circlip is out?

A headstock stand has a pin that inserts into the hollow steering stem underneath the lower yoke, just Google it to see pictures.
Your method will work fine.
The best way to separate the two fork halves after removing the circlip and removing the top and spring (and oil) is to pull them smartly apart. I can't recall whether you also need to undo the Allen screw under the fork leg- you'll see it when turning the leg upside down.