Orwell's Interceptors: Ep7 - VF500F Test Ride and Idle Thoughts

Testing out the VF500F's and a purple panda external goPro mic. I hate this goPro 5. Also, I think there's something wrong with my chain.

[@mattsawinski8398]

You the man! Can't wait to get back out there on the interceptors.

[@matttriestodothings]

Vroom vroom. Almost done. Hope you're ready to sweat. You're gonna learn what it's like to spoon on a tire! Actually these bias ply tires aren't too bad. Leave em to soften in the sun and heat em with hair dryer. RuGlyde lube. It'll be a hot, heavy, and slippery situation. Possibly sexual. You never know.

[@christopher7026]

Awesome to see the bikes riding around finally. These v4's sure make a lot of tapping and clicking noises when they warm up - I never get used to it! This Midwest weather has been quite sucky lately. Maybe it'll warm up more soon.

[@matttriestodothings]

I figured anybody following along with my silly little series probably wanted to actually see these things move instead of me just yelling at them in my basement, haha. And you're right, they sure do tick a lot! They're noticeably louder now that I have the valve clearances in spec. I have to tell myself that that's what they're supposed to sound like, but it's absolutely jarring at first. Once you get on the throttle though, they really do sing a beautiful song. We'll get the good weather soon. I hope!

[@kmilne1989]

Just got my 86 driveable after having to fish a valve tappet and lock nut out of the oil pan after only putting 100 miles on it after I bought it. I thought it was toast by the sound of it, but thankfully your series has actually helped me tremendously on my vf. Especially the valve adjustment vid that encouraged me to tear into it myself and try to save it. And it worked! It actually wasn't hard at all with the carbs still on it and just turning the engine with the rear wheel in 6th - the plugs. This thing rips now! My next venture is that dang rear shock. A guy in the fb group suggested draining the oil and refilling with 30w shock oil and it fixed his. Other than buying a used one potentially in the same condition on ebay, it seems like shock options are pretty slim unless you've come across a secret we don't know about yet? Lol, anyways, either cussing at the bike in the shop or riding them, I enjoy the heck out of your channel man and always look forward to the next episode. Keep it up!

[@matttriestodothings]

I'll respond with a more thorough answer soon--especially in regards to shock replacement. But I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words. Got a huge grin on my face. And yes. I think we've got three options for shocks. YSS, Hagon, and DMR. I'll get back to you.

[@matttriestodothings]

Also, what a hell of a journey you've already had! Lost locknut on a valve tappet? That might literally take me years to diagnose.

[@kmilne1989]

@@matttriestodothings p.o. or last tech that was into the valves must not have tightened it enough. It just started knocking horrendously out of nowhere one day. The lock nut backed off and then the tappet backed itself all the way out too! Feel pretty lucky there wasn't any damage from either going down the cylinder into the pan. Other than minor cosmetics, rear shock and forks needing a little work this things a solid runner. I feel like it'll be a completely different bike once those things get taken care of though.

[@matttriestodothings]

@@kmilne1989 That must have sounded pretty crazy with the lock nut backed off! I was so paranoid I was going to let that happen. Honestly, I'm still paranoid that it could happen--a locknut backing off. If I remember correctly, it doesn't say to actually torque those things down crazy tight... but think about how much those things are moving! Sounds like you've got a good bike on your hands now that you've got that little bugger sorted.

[@clone4211]

I had a similar issue with spongy front brakes on my '84 VF750F, bled the brakes so many times over 4 years with nothing to show for it. Just the other day I had the forks off for steering head bearing replacement, fork seal, wheel bearings and tires. While I was working on those I left the master cylinder sitting upside down on the front headlight assembly overnight. The next day I had the handlebar hanging with the end of the grip pointed straight down while I worked on the steering head bearings. Don'tcha know that when I put her back together the front brakes were nice and stiff and stayed that way. There must have been a small air bubble trapped in the banjo fitting or somewhere in the master cylinder piston bore. Still running the original rubber brake lines. Now I need to check the front cylinder valve clearances and chain tensioner again. I'm hearing a new intermittent clunking noise coming from the front cylinder valve cover when the bike is cold, goes away as the engine warms up.

[@matttriestodothings]

I'm guessing your 750 has the original 3-piece style brake lines as well--those things are just so tricky to try to get bled completely. That's a good call about hanging the master cylinder. I've hung calipers before to try to get the air to move to the top, but never the master. I'm hoping that by going to a 2-piece braided lines that it'll be a lot easier to get it bled properly. How was the head bearing replacement? I've never done one, but I can tell it's in my future.

[@clone4211]

@@matttriestodothings I tried writing a detailed procedure on what I did but then I accidentally clicked off of the comment box and youtube deleted everything that was written, so a short summary will have to do. I had a handlebar shimmy problem above 40 mph that would appear if I so much as loosened my grip on the handlebars. Not a wiggle from them after replacing the bearings. First thing first, find some special invisible wheels and tires to support the bike. ibb.co/qy70qF9 Don't use a punch to drive off or to torque the castellated steering stem nut, buy the proper 4 pronged socket so you can accurately measure the torque on the bearing when re-assembling. Use a large socket and extension from the bottom to drive out the upper bearing race. Use a large screwdriver with the tip bent at a 30 degree angle and working around in 3 spots pry the lower race out by leveraging against another screwdriver or bar bridging across the bearing tube. Either use a diamond wheel in a dremel to grind the lower inner race off of the triple tree stem or use a map gas torch to expand the race and drive it off the shaft. If using the torch, after heating the race to a dull red heat take a small fine sharp chisel and gently hammer it in between the race and the lower triple casting working your way around the shaft to start wedging the bearing off the shaft. Once you got the bearing far enough up the shaft you can use screwdrivers to pry it further, culminating in using a long punch to drive the race off the shaft. Grease up the triple tree shaft good and slick and then use a 2.5 ton hydraulic press to press the new race onto the shaft. Drill a hole in steel plate large enough for the shaft to slip into but small enough to support the bearing race in the frame of the press. Be sure to remember the lower seal that goes on first before the bearing. Or just drill a hole in a wooden workbench and have at it with a sledgehammer, I don't judge. Grease up the bores the upper and lower bearing races slip into and drive the bearing races into the frame with appropriately sized sockets. You may as well just empty an entire tub of grease into the headstock bearing tube. My bearings were dry as a bone after 22k miles and 37 years. Reassemble the triple tree and don't be shy on the grease. Torque the bearing nut to 10 ft-lb with an accurate torque wrench or ratchet and fish scale. Don't mind the slight notchiness felt by rotating just the triple tree lock to lock, you won't feel any notchiness of the bearing after re-attaching the forks, handlebars, and wheel.

[@matttriestodothings]

@@clone4211 Thank you for this. I saved it to a Word document in my Honda maintenance folder. I anticipate I'll find some pretty bone dry components as well.

[@mmotorcycles9497]

Nice to see that bike go from not sure if it’s going to get fixed to going for a test drive.

[@matttriestodothings]

New front brake lines, tires, and frame paint--then this bad boy is going to it's forever home! Currently taping up the SV for Blackhawk on Wednesday. You just tell me when you're signing up, so you can show me how to get around!

[@mmotorcycles9497]

Lol little to far of a trip from Florida but man I love that little track. And the people up there are the best. Don’t forget to stop in south balioit at anna Maria’s to get a pizza it’s freaking awesome

[@matttriestodothings]

@@mmotorcycles9497 doh! I thought you were in the midwest. Tell you what, let's split the difference and hit up Barber instead :-P I've never heard of Anna Maria's. I come from a fairly Italian family and my grandma grew up in that area. I'm going to ask if it gets her stamp of approval, hah.

[@AICD1999]

Sold mine last weekend.

[@matttriestodothings]

You sold the most perfectly balanced VF500 carburetor ever? I'll look at this glass-half-full: hopefully somebody else has a big grin on their face with their new Interceptor! Were you just ready to move on from it?

[@AICD1999]

@@matttriestodothings I have been downsizing. Im at 2 bikes now from 6. Now just my Harley and my MT07. I am taking a long break from working on the Hondas.

[@AICD1999]

@@matttriestodothings a guy came from 2 hours away. He has one already but not as nice. He works on them as well. It has a good home.

[@matttriestodothings]

@@AICD1999 glad to hear it went to a good home. I just watched your video on the walk-around of your former VF--damn, you did a nice job with that. The seat looks fantastic-not sure why that stood out to me, but it looked really good. I understand the wanting to downsize. It does become a lot. Selling my CL350 was a big weight off my shoulders and honestly the Bandit is in the chopping block of it keeps giving me troubles. When you get the itch to restore another Interceptor though... Throw up some more vids 😁.

[@AICD1999]

Use gorilla tape method for the tires. Search Windy Urtinowski and watch his method. It works every time.

[@matttriestodothings]

Watching it now, and this guy is my new hero. I'm cracking up and just smiling listening to this guy. Thank you! "If your friend has a tire machine, buy him a pizza and have him do it." I'm impressed with how he got that bad boy on there.

[@matttriestodothings]

lmao, he really made his life more difficult with those pieces of wood he jammed between the brake pads. I love this guy's philosophy though--he wants to show all the struggling parts so that people seeing the video know that they aren't the only ones that are struggling. I appreciate that.

[@AICD1999]

@@matttriestodothings he is an excellent source of knowledge.

[@chicomaxima1]

Make a buyer's guide video

[@matttriestodothings]

Not sure I'm qualified to do an actual buyer's guide, but I'll try putting something together on my experience working with these two and what I'd be looking for if I was to be buying another.