Modifications and Accessories

[zayanteman]

Rick,

I've ridden three bikes besides mine (not including dirt bikes):
Honda VFR800 Interceptor
Honda VTR1000 SuperHawk
Honda CB400

The Interceptor was very nice, with great handling and good electric-motor power.  The SuperHawk was twitchy and extremely torquey and responsive.  It went from 70 to over 100 in about one second (felt like), and wanted to wheelie anytime I gave it much gas.  It was FUN but not comfortable.  The CB400 was funny to ride, after having ridden my bike all day.  It made me want an air-cooled parallel twin, underpowered kiddie bike, just so I could laugh at everybody as I went by.

My brother-in-law has an SV650.  I don't really like it, because it seems too small and would take alot of effort to modify for distance use.  I've sat on it and don't like the ergos.

I've been looking at the new (2002 redesign) Interceptor and the ST1300.  The new Interceptor has a lot going for it, but seems a little extreme in the riding position category, while the ST13 is comfy for the long haul but too wide for lane-splitting and too heavy to pick up (although it doesn't feel very heavy, despite its 800lb. heft!)

I figure I could modify the Interceptor to my liking for about 5k more, which would put the cost of the bike to 15k!  On the other hand, I could get an 83 Vision, and swap over all my mods to the 83, ending up with a better freeway bike that stops and goes better too.  But it would be more work to fix up the 83, and then I'd have all the reliability/finnicky issues...

Well, for a grand I can have a bike I already know, or for 14 more I can have a new bike I don't know.  Since I'm kinda cheap on transportation, I'll be looking for an 83.  At least I can try it out for awhile and see.  

But the gearing's not any taller???  Damn.  That was the biggest draw, next to the fairing.

[Rick G]

Zay  The gearing drops the engine by 500 rpm (not much ) but  then this thing  has to turn up to generate horsepower  so it couldn't be geared much higher anyway. I agree on the SV 650 ergos the bike is low (not that I'm tall) and the foot pegs are high , so I feel scrunched up on it . It stops well , it handles well, and is somewhat quicker and faster than the V. I don't like the seat , with its step, I'd rather have  a 1 piece, flatish seat (like my V) The Aprilia Falco appeals to me, but not the price!  I'll stay where I am! Check Cycle Trader on Line I see visions pop up every now and again. Then , there is the for sale column here.

[Rick G]

As to the reliability /finicky issues, old bike are like that  (some new ones too)  But with a little effort a V can be reliable. Mine gets a thourgh going over every spring. and in 3 1/2 years it has not let me down.

[bikeseamus]

 Zay   This entry may be a little premature, but I will tell you that I measured a late 80s Virago rear end last year at my friend's bikeyard, and it seemed to match my vision. I picked it up, and plan on installing it. It will turn 5th gear into an overdrive, but that's what I'm looking for. It appears to be a straight bolt on conversion, but I haven't messed with it yet. Maybe you can beat me to it and let everyone know how you like it. AS for money and bikes, my feeling is that it's better to have ten one thousand dollar bikes than one ten thousand dollar bike, but keep in mind that I'm a compulsive bike builder. I have a few rock solid dependable pristine units, but I must admit that polishing and detailing are not my favorite things, and I can only stare at their beauty so long, and one of my projects cries out to me  " I need you".  I then respond by getting elbow deep in grease and focused on fixes and modifications, what fits what, what's better these days, what I can butcher to make it better, and away I go again. If I had a zillion dollars it wouldn't be much different, and if I had any more fun at it I would probably burst. Works for me. As for the wife thing, she knew what she was getting into when she married me, and has the wisdom to realize that the fastest way to lose a mate is try to separate them from something they love. She has her interests and I have mine. That works too.

[Kenny]

Hi,
   Just a quick note for  Zayanteman on fitting 83 carbs on an 82. I also found an interference fit between the aft upper engine mount and the rear carb. I took the mount off and removed the material with a grinder, repainted and installed the carbs.The effort and operation was worth it! I had no problem with vac. hoses.  
    This past summer I took a F.a.s.t. Riders course  put on by Michel Mercier (a former Canadian Champion) in Eastern Ont. at Shannonville Race track you had your choice of bikes YZF600,GSXR600 or a SV650  I rode the SV650 and found the performance super on the track and found the Hindle pipe would drownd out the 4cylds.
    I'm sure the SV would not fit my needs for longer rides but it was great on the Track
     If you look at my earlier Vision with the Hannigan Fairing I added Air Horns and mounted the compressor up were the stock coils had been installed.
                            Cheers  Ken S                              

[zayanteman]

Bikeseamus - when you say "late 80s Virago rear end," do you mean the swingarm with shaft drive?  How would that make 5th gear an overdrive, without making all the other gears higher as well?  Do you mean that the final drive is a higher ratio (at the turn from the shaft to the wheel)?

That would be nice on the freeway, to save gas when cruising along at 70 or 80, but what about when going up a steep hill in a tall 1st gear?  

Also, did you have to buy the rear wheel from the Virago, or was the receiving pattern the same as on our Vision swingarms?  In other words, will the New Wave wheel fit nicely into the setup?  Maybe Yamaha was building the Virago out of the Vision parts box?

I'm very intrigued... (but I don't know of any local junkyards).

[Rick G]

AS far as I understand  the ring and pinion gears  on all the 80's Yamahas are the same . I believe the part numbers are the same .The european V's had a different  reduction gear on the FRONT of the front of the shaft ( the one that turns the motion 90 deg.) This has been hashed out on the old forum . sorry I don't believe ther is any way to gear a  V higher, short of  getting some one in europe,  to go to a "breakers" and get you the right parts. Kenny Roberts built a Vision racer  with CHAIN drive  , too much work for me

[bikeseamus]

Zay  I've done this before. If you dont like the gear ratio on your shaftie yamaha, change the "pumpkin", a hot rod term. I swapped out an 1100 Maxim for an XS 850, and it went right on. The Maxim was geared to beat up big Kawasakis in the quarter, which it did, but the bike had the steam to pull the higher gears (that would be a lower number,like in cars). I switched it out and lowered the tach about 1200 RPM in 5th. Rick is right on the splines, they all slide right in. If you switch to the virago rear wheel, if it fits, you will lose some agility. Fat rear wheels may look cool to some peoples eyes, but they don't handle as quickly. Of course a switch of the pumpkin will raise your overall gearing, but will have no effect on your ratios, which are determined by your transmission set up. I seriously doubt if your vision will then be too tall in first to climb a hill. What I was saying is that you will lose accelleration in 5th, requiring a downshift or two to pass. It will make your gears "longer", again to use a hot rod term. Now for the interchange. Early Viragos had a phenomenally strong and functional triangulated swingarm, which they changed after market research. They changed to a regular double sided swingarm with exposed rear shocks,which was functionally inferior but looked cooler to many eyes. The weaker double swingarm Virago appears to interchange with the vision, and has a lower final drive number. That's where it stands so far. My friend actually melts down yamaha differentials for recycling, because no one ever needs one. That's how good they are. About any bikeyard would love to sell you as many as you want for very little. Shop around. When you do research, look at final drive numbers, then do the math to figure out your gains. This number is on all yamaha dealers computers. You keep me posted, I'll answer what I can. OK Buddy

[zay]

So you guys are saying that I can find a Virago with the weaker double-sided swingarm setup (which has the differential I want to make the gears taller), and can pull out the differential gearing from inside the shaft housing / final drive, and can swap them into my stock Vision?

Am I understanding this correctly?

[bikeseamus]

Zay   It's much easier than that. Leave the housing alone. Just bolt it on. What I'm saying is that the housing appears identical, but I think the virago gearing is taller, and makes a more pleasant highway cruiser. Keep in mind that the vision was quick in its day, and would outpull a gpz 550 kawasaki in top gear roll ons. Switch it out and it probably wouldn't, you would have to downshift. No one uses overdrive for accelleration, it's for laid back low rpm cruising and gas mileage. I think the virago I used was an 85 750. Let us know how it goes. If not, I'll write about it someday. OK Buddy.

[zayanteman]

Today I upgraded the instrument cluster lights (tiny bulbs) to something brighter, so I could actually see the speedo/tach at night, instead of just pretending to see them.  Big difference.

I used the same 12V5W type bulbs, only found a high-intensity bulb that is bright white (instead of weak yellow).  I upgraded all four bulbs (the two on top and the two signal indicator bulbs as well).

Total cost was 22.

I also found a computer fan that I'm thinking of mounting on the RR to keep it cooler.  Not sure about this one yet.

[Blake]

I dont think the computer fan would work very well...well..for too long as i should have said.  I mounted on onto my CB amplifier that sits in my car, and as soon as it got quite chilly in the morning and warmed up in the afternoon, the fan was short circuited and died from the condensation.  hasnt worked sense.  Also you have to thing that when it rains, theres going to be a lot of water back there, so if you can find a weather proof fan that might work.  But what i've always wondered if there is some was you could vent that litle enclosed area there.  I mean, all of those important electrics are literally inches from the exhaust header which can get to a few hundred degrees F at times.  But then also, the air that does enter in there has no place to escape to...the back of that section is blocked off for the fender.  If by some chance we could open up the back section while also protecting it from flying debris and mud from the rotating rear tire, i think it would help out quite a bit...  fender elimination / rear hugger?  HA.  there would be a project..a quite cool looking one, but would require some planning.   hmm..interesting..

My two cents of electronics knowledge

Blake

[greener]

my 82 vision:
-old man geezer rack that goes over brake light to hold nap-sack or what be
-jetted carb
-homemade stainless steel pipe... sounds lound... nice bark
-put on front fairing to make it look more areo-dynamic
-this kick ass things that go on your spark plugs that light up when your engine is running - babe magnet
- flush mounted the signal lights -- makes you go faster!
- - in the future i want to rig up some of those neon lights that you can buy at canadian tire and hang them under the bike so it glows... not to sure how bright they will be, does anyone know?

[Cdnlouie]

I agree on the vision hot spot theory and talked about it a while back.  I think the simplest and primary solution here is to start with a heat shield to interupt the radiant heat from the rear cylinder.  Probably a window on the rear fender with screening (cut and epoxy) would increase air flow and then maybe a bit of air ram ductwork to feed in cooler air.  Then again the boys in Europe who move the R/R to the front of the bike are pretty cool dudes.

Louie  :-/

[Blake]

hey louie..

moving the R/R actually wouldnt be all that hard, just would involve a little wiring harness modification.  not like it couldn't use it in the first place.  I'm heading back home this weekend (at college now) for a doc appointment, but i wanted to bring back the wiring harness so i could see what, if anything, i could do to help it out some...change out all the wires if possible, and see if i can't replace most, if not all of the connectors.  I have a spare harness lying around from my parts bike thats been gone for a while so it could come in handy.  But anyway back to the original intent of this post (man i can drag things out)

Like i said, moving the R/R wouldnt actually be all that hard.  simply splicing in more wire and moving it to a place that has more air circulation.  Moving it to the front would be an ideal place, but then again, we dont have any frame rails to mount it to up front unless you put it up close to the headlight some.  I don't know.  It's been quite a while since i've even seen my vision so im not quite too sure where all the little parts and pieces are.  but i definately think air circulation is the trick.



Blake

[Rick G]

The  RR on the V is mounted in a rotten spot  Its VERY hot in that location and using a fan for move super heatedair around will not help, Many bike have the RR mounted on the rear foot peg brack  or down by the swing arm.  I like the suggestion  from the German Vision list , move it up front , under the T stem  , into the air stream . Its not that hard to do  and it reminds me of the Zener diode on the old Triumph's, which was right under the head light. ::)

[Blake]

Hey guys,


I have a question for anyone and everyone out there.  Does anyone know of any places that supply good automotive wire connectors?  also, what about the connectors on the wire that is in the plugs to such things as relay boxes or the TCI?  i would definately like to replace those.  and most importantly.  does anyone know of a place that sells many multi colored wires?  (just a wire supply, i dont want a harness kit)  I would LIKE to get as many colors as the original harness has in order to make tracing a problem much easier, but so far at most ive only been able to find about 5 or 6 different colors available.  is it possible for the public to get wire thats striped like they use in factory harnesses???

I've spent the past 2 hours looking for this stuff and have come up with nothing.  for some reason its really bothering me..hehe...oh well.  any help?


thanks,

Blakea

[bikeseamus]

 Blake NAPA has the best catalog of electrical stuff I've seen. It's THICK with gizmos of every description. Cheapest 100 watt headlight bulbs too. Check it out. The local NAPA guy just gives me a new catalog every year, your guy might do the same. Hope so.