THE GOOD BUCK

I’ve had a good 24 hours.

I was stressing for a few days as I’d lost all power on the Harley. It had most of the electrics working before I stripped it. When I was putting it back together I had a bit of a mix up with the battery cables. The one that comes from the left of the battery actually fits to the right of it. And they are both black cables with nothing to distinguish positive from negative. I had a moment and fitted the cables the wrong way around then had nothing when I tried hotwiring the ignition again. I was stressed out thinking I’d blown all the fuses. I did some research, it doesn’t have fuses, it has breaker relays. I’ve no idea about that, I’ve never come across them before. I reread my electrics for idiots book and was going to try and track down how far the power went. I fitted a new ignition last night and in doing so noticed a third wire. It’s been apart for weeks, I’d forgotten.

I HAVE ELECTRICS!

The old VFR has sold. I only got the minimum bid for it, but that was £700. I should be able to get £200 for the stainless exhaust system. I only paid £1,100 for the new VFR so that more or less pays for it.

I changed the head bearings, spark plugs, chain and sprocket set, and endcan (back to stock) and it feels like a different bike. It’s running so well I’m starting to wonder about the Harley. The VFR750 genuinely is the perfect all rounder. Great handling, bulletproof engine, and a delicious split personality. Rev it up to about 5,000rpm and it’s a great commuter, get over that and it suddenly turns into an eager screamer. It’s a relative thing, it’s no Fireblade or whatever, but it’s quick enough without feeling like it’s pointless overkill.

Now I’m concerned I’ve poured all this money and obsession into the Harley and I’m not going to love it. Once you get past the appeal of the brand it’s still agricultural, under-powered, has no weather protection, with poor handling and barely adequate brakes. It’s already cost a fortune and if I want to finish it (cosmetically) it will cost the same again. We’ll see. I’m about through with spending on it now. Today I undid the clutch side, loosened off the clutch nut and transmission nut and properly tightened them with my new digital torque. That should be a proper job. I’ve rebuilt the clutch side properly now. Once I reconnect the clutch cable to the handle bars (and fill with oil) that side is done.

Just a quick update.

I took my new VFR for an MOT yesterday, the first time I had ridden it. I went over a bump and the front end moved backwards and forwards. I thought the head bearings must be shot. The MOT confirmed it. The most immediate concern was cracking to the front tyre valve. I had a new tyre fitted yesterday, so that’s done. The head bearings are indeed knackered and the rear sprocket is worn. I’ve ordered a chain and sprocket set and a head bearing and seal set. I’ll fit them on Sunday and that’s my bike sorted for another year.

I think I’ll give it a decent service as well. I’ve already changed the air filter and oil and filter, but given the state of the air filter, I think I’d better do everything else as well. Flush the radiator, the back brake, the clutch fluid, change the spark plugs and the petrol filter. I could do with stripping, cleaning and rejetting the carbs. I might just get a standard endcan instead. The hi-level looks cooler but it’s causing it to run poorly and it sounds too loud. I think I’ll swap it over tomorrow and see how it runs. Maybe sell the sports endcan with the other VFR.

It’s all been a bit crazed with the motorbikes.

When the piston rings finally arrived they were the wrong size, so they’ve gone back. I’ve bought a bunch more kit to try to make myself self sufficient in motorbiking. Little of it has worked. I had the genius idea to buy 3 foot tyre levers and new tyres for the Harley and change them myself. I remember me and Keith Thackery changing the tyre by hand on my Sportster in the 80s. God knows how. Even with massive tyre levers I couldn’t break the tyre seal. I looked online and they said you need a tyre bead breaker. It’s just a flat plate dangling down off a long lever. The plate sits on the tyre near the rim, then you literally jump up and down on the lever until it breaks the tyre seal. Even after I’d done that I was still sweating, and it took me ages to get the tyre off. Obviously bending a three foot long lever over the wheel rim doesn’t do your wheel any good. The chrome on my wheels is shot so I wasn’t that bothered about scratching the rims this time. Then I tried to fit the new tyre, figuring I must have been struggling because it was a 20 year old tyre that had set into position. Nope. I couldn’t get the new tyre on. I give up. One good thing though, I found out where Bromley Tyres went when it closed, still in Warrington. I rang them up, yes they bought Bromley Tyres, but then they closed it. They don’t do motorbike tyres. *sigh* They said to try a place in Leigh. I rang and they do it! Huzzah! So that was a world of struggle for nothing. Thinking about it, I’ll struggle some more and get the front tyre off as well. I have new tyres and inner tubes, but the back wheel was all rusty inside. I’ve cleaned it all up with a wire brush and sandpaper. I don’t want them to fit new kit and the rust to puncture my inner tube.

Another fail was that short circuit on the VFR750. I gave up and rang a “mobile” bike mechanics. They said for that they’d need the bike in the garage. They said collection and fault finding would be £280. It was steep, but they were literally the only game in town. I couldn’t find any other sparkies who dealt with motorbikes. I checked the bank and they’d then stuck on VAT (I think) and taken £320, without asking me. I was already annoyed. They rang me after one working day and said they’d looked at the bike but were going to have to do a full day’s fault finding and that would be another £500. No. Just no on principle. £830 to find a short circuit. Possibly more if they casually added fees again. And any work they then needed to do. Just no. I was fuming. I rented a van and picked the bike up. I bought a book on motorbike electrics fault finding, which recommended a cheap tester. You’re supposed to plug it in, run a scanner over the wires and where the beeping stops, that’s your short. It didn’t work for me. I did some more testing. Found on circuit that was showing power or resistance or something when it shouldn’t have been. It was the circuit for the clocks. I have already changed the whole wiring harness and I refuse to believe two of them have the same fault so I ordered second hand clocks. Nope still shorting. I give up. Again. I’ve changed the exhaust back to standard, and I’m going to sell it as a project. If I sell the exhaust separately I should get most of my money back.

I’ve been tinkering every morning and on my one day off today I’ve battered some jobs on the Harley.

I managed to get the engine out and split today. The great news is that apart from some staining and sticky bits of oil, there doesn’t seem to be any damage. After seeing the sludge and metal shavings on the sump plug I was expecting at some point to come across a pile of smashed metal and gunge.

I’m happy with that. I gave it a clean, scraped all the gasket off, sandpapered and cleaned it again, then started the rebuild. Once I had the cases back together I got carried away and continued, I fitted the oil pump, the cam gears, a new gasket, a new set of allen bolts and the cam side casing. That was a huge relief as that had the one bolt I’d had to drill out and I was scared it was going to strip when I tried to tighten it.