A picture a day...biker banter (Vol 5)
Discussion
MY RVF400. One of the last made, which I bought a couple of years ago as Xmas present to myself, knowing these would rise in value (no plans to ever sell it). Drove a 1,000km round trip to collect it, here in Japan.
As I had them sitting around in boxes, I added a pair of Dymag Carbon rims (5.5" rear with some hub modification, to fit), carbon Magical Racing wide-angle mirrors, Tyga triple top mount and hugger and some titanium fasteners, plus an RCS19 Brembo master cylinder and 4-Piston calipers with Braketech discs of ductile Iron.
The bike came with an HRC igniter (for higher rev limit of 13,500 & no speed limiter) and the exhaust, as well as the original parts - and aside from a few bodywork blemishes that I repaired at home, it was just about perfect. Only 60 bhp, but a plenty capable little bike that makes you feel like a racer, when keeping it pinned (on an HRC quick-throttle).
Great fun and is one of the most beautiful little bikes. ..I seem to have a thing for gear-driven cam Hondas.
For higher speed, or longer distance riding fun, I use my modified VTR SP2, Husky SMR450 motard and several other modern classic 2-stroke bikes of the 90's, etc.
As I had them sitting around in boxes, I added a pair of Dymag Carbon rims (5.5" rear with some hub modification, to fit), carbon Magical Racing wide-angle mirrors, Tyga triple top mount and hugger and some titanium fasteners, plus an RCS19 Brembo master cylinder and 4-Piston calipers with Braketech discs of ductile Iron.
The bike came with an HRC igniter (for higher rev limit of 13,500 & no speed limiter) and the exhaust, as well as the original parts - and aside from a few bodywork blemishes that I repaired at home, it was just about perfect. Only 60 bhp, but a plenty capable little bike that makes you feel like a racer, when keeping it pinned (on an HRC quick-throttle).
Great fun and is one of the most beautiful little bikes. ..I seem to have a thing for gear-driven cam Hondas.
For higher speed, or longer distance riding fun, I use my modified VTR SP2, Husky SMR450 motard and several other modern classic 2-stroke bikes of the 90's, etc.
Edited by Petrolism on Tuesday 21st July 09:23
V1nce Fox said:
Stone Cold said:
What’s his plans BN, rally or just a road/track toy? I’d love a Mk1 or 2 as I’m of a certain age
had a Mk1 Mexico back in the day, if only I knew then what I know now I'll post updates on it as the build moves along
Petrolism said:
MY RVF400. One of the last made, which I bought a couple of years ago as Xmas present to myself, knowing these would rise in value (no plans to ever sell it). Drove a 1,000km round trip to collect it, here in Japan.
As I had them sitting around in boxes, I added a pair of Dymag Carbon rims (5.5" rear with some hub modification, to fit), carbon Magical Racing wide-angle mirrors, Tyga triple top mount and hugger and some titanium fasteners, plus an RCS19 Brembo master cylinder and 4-Piston calipers with Braketech discs of ductile Iron.
The bike came with an HRC igniter (for higher rev limit of 13,500 & no speed limiter) and the exhaust, as well as the original parts - and aside from a few bodywork blemishes that I repaired at home, it was just about perfect. Only 60 bhp, but a plenty capable little bike that makes you feel like a racer, when keeping it pinned (on an HRC quick-throttle).
Great fun and is one of the most beautiful little bikes. ..I seem to have a thing for gear-driven cam Hondas.
For higher speed, or longer distance riding fun, I use my modified VTR SP2, Husky SMR450 motard and several other modern classic 2-stroke bikes of the 90's, etc.
Thats lovely, just looked on eBay and can still be had reasonably, Surely a future classic...As I had them sitting around in boxes, I added a pair of Dymag Carbon rims (5.5" rear with some hub modification, to fit), carbon Magical Racing wide-angle mirrors, Tyga triple top mount and hugger and some titanium fasteners, plus an RCS19 Brembo master cylinder and 4-Piston calipers with Braketech discs of ductile Iron.
The bike came with an HRC igniter (for higher rev limit of 13,500 & no speed limiter) and the exhaust, as well as the original parts - and aside from a few bodywork blemishes that I repaired at home, it was just about perfect. Only 60 bhp, but a plenty capable little bike that makes you feel like a racer, when keeping it pinned (on an HRC quick-throttle).
Great fun and is one of the most beautiful little bikes. ..I seem to have a thing for gear-driven cam Hondas.
For higher speed, or longer distance riding fun, I use my modified VTR SP2, Husky SMR450 motard and several other modern classic 2-stroke bikes of the 90's, etc.
Edited by Petrolism on Tuesday 21st July 09:23
D1on said:
Thats lovely, just looked on eBay and can still be had reasonably, Surely a future classic...
.Thanks. They've certainly gone up, here in Japan, the last few years, as have used parts.
There's a cult following for 2 & 4-stroke race replicas, also as smaller track day bikes & even upgrade performance parts made in the U.K.
Being JDM model only, these are bound to keep rising as the most technical engine of all 400cc class bikes and the most desirable 400cc race replica.
Same engine as the baby RC30 (NC30), originally designed in the late 80's, Japanese financial bubble, which was originally imported into the U.K. in small numbers, due to high price.
Janluke said:
Classic day for me today
Looks great - always a soft spot for the big air-cooled Kawasaki’s. Non-standard front callipers and exhaust though - lose marks at the old concours 
As if you care I guess. Good to see older bikes out and about and not stuck on plinths in collections or sitting in front rooms drained of fluids. tvrolet said:
Looks great - always a soft spot for the big air-cooled Kawasaki’s. Non-standard front callipers and exhaust though - lose marks at the old concours As if you care I guess. Good to see older bikes out and about and not stuck on plinths in collections or sitting in front rooms drained of fluids.
Don't forget the allen screws on the engine cases :-) That seems to get the "rivet counters" twitching too As if you care I guess. Good to see older bikes out and about and not stuck on plinths in collections or sitting in front rooms drained of fluids. I'm not quite old enough to remember them with the 4 into 4 exhaust. In 1981 when I was whizzing around on my Kawasaki AE50 all the big boys had Zeds and GSs, nearly all had 4 into 1s the standard exhausts having long since rotted away. Nostalgia its a funny thing
Janluke said:
tvrolet said:
Looks great - always a soft spot for the big air-cooled Kawasaki’s. Non-standard front callipers and exhaust though - lose marks at the old concours As if you care I guess. Good to see older bikes out and about and not stuck on plinths in collections or sitting in front rooms drained of fluids.
Don't forget the allen screws on the engine cases :-) That seems to get the "rivet counters" twitching too As if you care I guess. Good to see older bikes out and about and not stuck on plinths in collections or sitting in front rooms drained of fluids. I'm not quite old enough to remember them with the 4 into 4 exhaust. In 1981 when I was whizzing around on my Kawasaki AE50 all the big boys had Zeds and GSs, nearly all had 4 into 1s the standard exhausts having long since rotted away. Nostalgia its a funny thing
Bloody youngsters. This was me with my new Z900 in 1976 with it's 4 in to 4 exhausts (and hair, and flares). In fairness I did put on a Yoshimura 4-1 a few years later though, as well as taking off that awful UK-only huge rear mudguard. Christ I look young there...probably because I was... I've still got that jacket, but it appears to have shrunk as I can't zip it up anymore.
tvrolet said:
Bloody youngsters. This was me with my new Z900 in 1976 with it's 4 in to 4 exhausts (and hair, and flares). In fairness I did put on a Yoshimura 4-1 a few years later though, as well as taking off that awful UK-only huge rear mudguard. Christ I look young there...probably because I was... I've still got that jacket, but it appears to have shrunk as I can't zip it up anymore.
That jacket/helmet/flares combo is golden Janluke said:
That jacket/helmet/flares combo is golden
Ah that jacket - I'd painted my Norton Commando white and blue...because I liked blue and white. When I got the pennies together to buy my first black leather jacket (I'd been wearing a nylon jacket to that point) I went up to Ernie Page's motorcycle shop in Edinburgh...and there hanging in the window was this blue and white jacket. Ideas of black just went out the window to get the matching jacket/bike combo! But it remained my bike jacket long after the Commando had gone. I noticed one of the guys on 'The Bike Show' on satellite had the same jacket on - maybe it's a collectors item now!Matching bike and jacket...and flares, from '75.
tvrolet said:
Janluke said:
That jacket/helmet/flares combo is golden
Ah that jacket - I'd painted my Norton Commando white and blue...because I liked blue and white. When I got the pennies together to buy my first black leather jacket (I'd been wearing a nylon jacket to that point) I went up to Ernie Page's motorcycle shop in Edinburgh...and there hanging in the window was this blue and white jacket. Ideas of black just went out the window to get the matching jacket/bike combo! But it remained my bike jacket long after the Commando had gone. I noticed one of the guys on 'The Bike Show' on satellite had the same jacket on - maybe it's a collectors item now!Matching bike and jacket...and flares,and neighbour's bedford van from '75.
talksthetorque said:
tvrolet said:
Janluke said:
That jacket/helmet/flares combo is golden
Ah that jacket - I'd painted my Norton Commando white and blue...because I liked blue and white. When I got the pennies together to buy my first black leather jacket (I'd been wearing a nylon jacket to that point) I went up to Ernie Page's motorcycle shop in Edinburgh...and there hanging in the window was this blue and white jacket. Ideas of black just went out the window to get the matching jacket/bike combo! But it remained my bike jacket long after the Commando had gone. I noticed one of the guys on 'The Bike Show' on satellite had the same jacket on - maybe it's a collectors item now!Matching bike and jacket...and flares,and neighbour's bedford van from '75.
tvrolet said:
Bloody youngsters. This was me with my new Z900 in 1976 with it's 4 in to 4 exhausts (and hair, and flares). In fairness I did put on a Yoshimura 4-1 a few years later though, as well as taking off that awful UK-only huge rear mudguard. Christ I look young there...probably because I was... I've still got that jacket, but it appears to have shrunk as I can't zip it up anymore.
NS400R said:
tvrolet said:
Bloody youngsters. This was me with my new Z900 in 1976 with it's 4 in to 4 exhausts (and hair, and flares). In fairness I did put on a Yoshimura 4-1 a few years later though, as well as taking off that awful UK-only huge rear mudguard. Christ I look young there...probably because I was... I've still got that jacket, but it appears to have shrunk as I can't zip it up anymore.
Janluke said:
Don't forget the allen screws on the engine cases :-) That seems to get the "rivet counters" twitching too
I'm not quite old enough to remember them with the 4 into 4 exhaust. In 1981 when I was whizzing around on my Kawasaki AE50 all the big boys had Zeds and GSs, nearly all had 4 into 1s the standard exhausts having long since rotted away. Nostalgia its a funny thing
You must be my age then, it was a fizzy I was flying around on.I'm not quite old enough to remember them with the 4 into 4 exhaust. In 1981 when I was whizzing around on my Kawasaki AE50 all the big boys had Zeds and GSs, nearly all had 4 into 1s the standard exhausts having long since rotted away. Nostalgia its a funny thing
Biker's Nemesis said:
Janluke said:
Don't forget the allen screws on the engine cases :-) That seems to get the "rivet counters" twitching too
I'm not quite old enough to remember them with the 4 into 4 exhaust. In 1981 when I was whizzing around on my Kawasaki AE50 all the big boys had Zeds and GSs, nearly all had 4 into 1s the standard exhausts having long since rotted away. Nostalgia its a funny thing
You must be my age then, it was a fizzy I was flying around on.I'm not quite old enough to remember them with the 4 into 4 exhaust. In 1981 when I was whizzing around on my Kawasaki AE50 all the big boys had Zeds and GSs, nearly all had 4 into 1s the standard exhausts having long since rotted away. Nostalgia its a funny thing
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