Lesson on Day Off After MotoGP

It is a miracle we are alive.

 Last night on the return trip home after the 2012 MotoGP weekend in Monterey, it was foggy and the roads wet. So, you have a mist on your visor in the dark and then you get into slow traffic on 101. Nervous riding. Had a bad feeling so i signal Chuck to exit on Leavesley and we ride Monterey Road into Morgan Hill. Then dryer conditions take over. Got home stressed and tired and get up late and decide to take the bike out to breakfast.

When i merge onto 85 traffic is fairly light. I look to my left and decide to get over to the commuter lane and it looks clear. But, i do the stupid thing of jumping two lanes at once between cars. As i do i see a SJPD patrol car slow suddenly in my mirrors. I just cut him off and he avoided running into me. So, needless to say. The lights come on and i pull off the the freeway exiting Santa Theresa and pulling into the light rail parking lot. I shut off the bike and get off. He pulls up next to me and rolls down the passenger side window. We look at each other and i know we both look like our eyes are bugging out. He says "Hey- i almost squished you." Then shakes his head. I say " I'm sorry, so, sorry.... i looked over and thought it was clear...."

Cop: "Oh, yeah it was clear but, if at that same moment i thought of speeding up - you would not live through that!" 

Cop: Thank the Lord - that did not happen! I do not want to squish anyone today! Man, i used to ride and you are not riding crazy and speeding and doing wheelies down 85. But, you got to take one lane at a time and be more careful!

Me: I know; i know. I'm sorry - stupid move. 

Cop: I am not going to write you a ticket today. You just have to be more careful.

Me: Thank you, I'm just going to get breakfast and go home and put the bike away.

Cop: Good idea. Be safe. Have a nice day.

I thank God i am alive and breathing today.

Commute to Work

Garage to the office.

This is just a quick res down video shot on the quick cam. 640x480 then exported to iphone settings. Will edit it in with other video shot in the past couple days and add the new soundtrack Scott Rolf just sent up for July. This gives a real time door to door on a monday morning.

@ Beach Racing

 Went to the shop to have some minor adjustments done.

 This is Ray and his Turbo V-Twin. Having some prep work done. Next month he will be on the Bonneville Salt Flats going for 200+ mph record in two classes.

Ray

MotoGP Laguna Seca 2012

Only one week away - riding around Monterey and Highway 1. Tons of bikes and watching the best riders in the world. Ducati Island. The Corkscrew. Cannery Row.

Bonny Doon Road

Met Chuck in Saratoga at Starbucks on Big Basin Way. Headed up 9 and over the Santa Cruz mountains to Bonny Doon Road. After a couple wrong turns we get back on the right path to the coast. Running between the redwoods on some steep two and one lane roads we curve our way out of the 90 degree heat to the cool sunny coast near Davenport just north of Santa Cruz. Late lunch at Safeway and buzz thru west cliff drive and back over 17 into Campbell for a mocha shake at coffee society. Everybody home safe. Good ride.

Corbin Event Hollister 2012

Met Gerry at the office saturday morning 8:20 - he was taking the CV bagger down to display. The event was bigger than last year. Lots more people rode in and all kinds of bikes. Dogs on trikes, WW2 style bagger, rat bikes, sport bikes and drag bikes.

 Windvest laser etched windsheilds.

 Digital controlled stitching.

2012 VFR
I like the blue and silver better than the red and silver. Some of the improvements i understand - others i do not. Engine size increase from 800 to 1200. But then putting a smaller gas tank on to cut the range even more on a sport tourer? Shaft drive and smoother transmission with optional automatic... who is in the target demographic? Lazy old guys who want to make more stops for gas and sit around drinking lattes? Side fairing design plays off CBR but the Gold Wing front headlight transformer thing i don't like. The VFR can't seem to make up its mind what it is. Too heavy to be sport bike or sport tourer. For the money and design i would go to BMW or Ducati. VFR almost on target - near miss.

 Nice day - not as hot as last year - more people. Left around 1:30 just as the wind picked up.

Lots of bikes in line having a seat made and fitted.

Final Prep

Start Up with Gut Check

Brad was bleeding the brakes and clutch. The old fluid after 4 years was pretty groady. Note: change brake fluid once a year. Everytime you put a new set of tires on. Stopping is important. The rear and front sprockets replaced and a new chain on. All the fairing plastic bits took a most of the evening. All the fasteners and plastic clips. Looks like new. Did not replace the right side fairing. small minor scratches. front fender scratch - but ok. Gas tank ding left side but paint ok. Might change it later. 

The Gut Job

Best part of this whole project. Sure it was overdue for the major tune and valve adjustment. Repairs to all plastic and damage control. But even after 4 years of covering and keeping the bike garaged and mostly out of the rain and washing it - Brad showed me that a deep thorough clean has to be done to really check the condition of every part. 

Back to the muffler gut. The stock sound is so quiet it is as if the engine generated more sound than the exhaust. The V 4 has a low growl now. Not so loud that it would bother my neighbors. Listen to the video at the bottom. At idle it sounds perfect to me. There is that distinct pattern of a growl. The best part is the sound but, also at a quick glance the stock design is kept. There are different ways to gut the cans. The ends of the last exit baffle pipes were cut. The outer tail pipes had to be removed to access those inner pipes and cut. Then we had the tail pipes welded back on. The other guys on the discussion boards used hole saws to remove the tail pipes and did not weld them back in place. I think this extra step is a cleaner solution. It helps carry the exhaust out past the polished end caps. The sound is exactly what i wanted. 

Crank up the volume Bob Varsha.

6-17-12 First Start Up

Valves Tuned, coolant in, tank on

VFR  has the valves tuned and the top bits re-attached. Brad is detailed in cleaning and preparing all electrical connectors and coating tubes and covers with silicone. Looks showroom brand new and happy shiny all over. June 17 - Radiators and fresh coolant. Previously on L.A. Law the brakes and hydraulics were refreshed and bled. Front-end tuned up, all checked to spec and new fork oil. Bearings lubed. 

OEM Honda Coolant

Video of First Start-Up Since the Tune-Up Began

Stock muffler sound prior to the project gut. After the mufflers are removed - we start it up to hear just the headers feeding thru the cat converter. Nice! But, too loud for street use. It does sound like 2011 MotoGP - 800cc V4 Honda power.

Tail Section Fairing, Lights, Saddlebag Frames Removed

Note stainless heat shields and and polished end caps that give the distinctive VFR tail design. I think it looks good and is well designed but is a lot of weight to hang off the back end. The sound is pleasant enough - but the V4 engine has a distinct growl when the exhaust is altered slightly or when you buy an expensive set of mufflers. The problem with a nice sounding aftermarket muffler they do not fill the space the way the stock cans do. I want the bike to breathe easier and tune the sound up a bit - - but not be annoying.

Not a full gut as some would do. I don't want something that harsh. Found details on a discussion board of how this one guy tried just cutting the exit pipes to access the final baffle pipes that can be seen inside the outer exit pipes. Then use a dremel cutting wheel to lop off the final baffle pipes. The exhaust takes a couple of 180 degree turns thru the muffler and removing these final baffle pipes short cuts a turn back into the main chamber.

 Next post should have the gutted sound we are looking for. The exit pipe sections will be welded back on to complete the stock look. Then the plastic bits will be bolted back on - after the sprockets and new chain are hung in place. June 18 is ride to work day. Sorry i missed it but, i will be riding most of the days left in this summer and fall. No long trips planned. But, finally will be back on the road after parking these two wheels for over 6 months. There was a spider living between the mufflers. Evicted.

VTEC Valves Adjusted

VFR VTEC adjustments back to spec

The Service Manual arrived earlier in the week and so the precise adjustments can be done. 

 

Look at the size of the cam gears and that little chain. Engineered like watch parts. 

Could be assembled this week and riding.

 

Forgot to add these shots below from the phone.

 Without the skin, tank and seat the VFR looks like a wet dog.

 The engineering and careful design put into every part by Honda is more evident the deeper you dig. Things exist in a precise position and is protected from the elements.