My Journey Into the Heart of The VTR
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 834
From: Nooksack WA
I rode it up the road, about 5 miles to get my state inspection so I can get my tags. I threw an old tag on it just to keep from being stooped.
First Impressions of the 2005 VTR1000 Honda Superhawk
• Fast!
• Handles like it is on rails
• Pulls HARD!
• Engine still sounds tappy
• Idle increased about 500rpm after ride
• It gets all the gears
• Engine sounds like a sewing machine (not what I expected.)
• Fast!
• I saw and indicated 90mph and wasn’t pushing it.
• Lots of torque right off idle
• It likes my dirt road better than my VFR
• The riding position kind of hurts my neck but I think I am not used to it.
First Impressions of the 2005 VTR1000 Honda Superhawk
• Fast!
• Handles like it is on rails
• Pulls HARD!
• Engine still sounds tappy
• Idle increased about 500rpm after ride
• It gets all the gears
• Engine sounds like a sewing machine (not what I expected.)
• Fast!
• I saw and indicated 90mph and wasn’t pushing it.
• Lots of torque right off idle
• It likes my dirt road better than my VFR
• The riding position kind of hurts my neck but I think I am not used to it.
European Member
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 194
From: Netherlands
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
I finally got my tag this afternoon. Then the power went out. This is not unusual at times here in rural Texas. I took that as a sign from God that I was to go ride and not sit behind a desk. I pulled the bike out and immediately discovered that the rear view mirrors were not tight. This is a result of my son and my fax-son-in-law “helping” me install the fairing. (It is much easier the second time around.) I got that taken care of and headed out. It was nice. The temperature was perfect but it was a little blustery. The biggest trouble was the POS roads we have around here. They delight in awarding road construction to the low bidder and it shows.
As with all shakedown rides it was not without incident. I noticed it stumbling at idle and it lacked a crisp throttle response. I had to keep the revs up, like an old Norton with Mag trouble. It turns out the one of my handy dandy auxiliary vacuum lines I installed, to aid in carb balance, lost its cap. I had one side at a loss for vacuum at low revs and I am pretty sure it was the side that drives the vacuum petcock. The ticking is still there but it is not so pronounced with my helmet on.
All in all it was a very fun ride. The bike itself and the riding position make you want to ride faster than you intend. I will probably change the oil and filter now.
Proof http://youtu.be/tJoTzZZXaO8
As with all shakedown rides it was not without incident. I noticed it stumbling at idle and it lacked a crisp throttle response. I had to keep the revs up, like an old Norton with Mag trouble. It turns out the one of my handy dandy auxiliary vacuum lines I installed, to aid in carb balance, lost its cap. I had one side at a loss for vacuum at low revs and I am pretty sure it was the side that drives the vacuum petcock. The ticking is still there but it is not so pronounced with my helmet on.
All in all it was a very fun ride. The bike itself and the riding position make you want to ride faster than you intend. I will probably change the oil and filter now.
Proof http://youtu.be/tJoTzZZXaO8
Last edited by Big_Jim59; Mar 25, 2015 at 07:54 PM.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,544
From: New South Wales Australia
Good to see your on it and going.
Now the next hurdle will be not to catch the deadly OCMD.
Many on here have it and at it's worst it can destroy relationships.
My friends are astounded at how much time I put into my VTR and how much I ride it.
Have a look at the carb setup thread by Hawk, it's a beauty.
Now the next hurdle will be not to catch the deadly OCMD.
Many on here have it and at it's worst it can destroy relationships.
My friends are astounded at how much time I put into my VTR and how much I ride it.
Have a look at the carb setup thread by Hawk, it's a beauty.
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
Congratulations on getting her out on your first real ride! It's wierd, hey? After I put mine together, I was very hesitant to do anything with it. But now after thousands of miles since the build, I flog the crap out of it and she is always ready for more. Very reliable bike.
As for the "sewing machine" sound, doing a bafflectomy really drowns that out.
Also, for seating position and your neck, back starting to hurt, like others said, you can get different clipons or even get superbike bars that come in all different heights and widths. You can also get a different seat or go DIY and make your own comfortable seat. You can also get aftermarket rearsets to move your foot position, but a lot of the aftermarket reasets move your feet up and back.
Seat DIY ~$30-$60 Aftermarket used ~$220 and up
Clipons VFR $50-$90 Aftermarket $180-$400+
Superbike bars with risers used ~$120 New ~$200-$275+
Rearsets $220 and up
As for the "sewing machine" sound, doing a bafflectomy really drowns that out.
Also, for seating position and your neck, back starting to hurt, like others said, you can get different clipons or even get superbike bars that come in all different heights and widths. You can also get a different seat or go DIY and make your own comfortable seat. You can also get aftermarket rearsets to move your foot position, but a lot of the aftermarket reasets move your feet up and back.
Seat DIY ~$30-$60 Aftermarket used ~$220 and up
Clipons VFR $50-$90 Aftermarket $180-$400+
Superbike bars with risers used ~$120 New ~$200-$275+
Rearsets $220 and up
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
I took it out today for a good run. I have a predetermined route for test rides and I did about 50 mile running between 65 and 80. The bike was running good but It was acting like the carbs were out of balance at low RPMs. I went back to the house and set the carb balance again. it was better. I rode up to Randolf and then took it up 121 to Trenton. I was keeping up with traffic and noticed I needed some gas. (I hate to fill the tank when I might have to take it off later.) I hit the exit and just as I slowed I heard a little tingling rattle and then it quit. I could get it started but only on the back cylinder. I had the wife and my strong son come and pick me and the bike up in the truck. A compression test shows no compression on the front cylinder. My timing shows to be spot on. Bear in mind I did not strip the heads but just installed them thinking them fine.
After a break I went back to work and I am pretty sure I have found the source of the annoying ticking sound and possibly the source of the engine meltdown. I pulled the cams and the intake cam popped up. It seems that the valve spring keeper, or what was left of it, finally let go. I was only able to find a small piece of it. I think I got lucky as the valve didn't drop into the cylinder. We shall see what the piston looks like with the head off.
After a break I went back to work and I am pretty sure I have found the source of the annoying ticking sound and possibly the source of the engine meltdown. I pulled the cams and the intake cam popped up. It seems that the valve spring keeper, or what was left of it, finally let go. I was only able to find a small piece of it. I think I got lucky as the valve didn't drop into the cylinder. We shall see what the piston looks like with the head off.
Last edited by Big_Jim59; Mar 28, 2015 at 05:42 PM.
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
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MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,402
From: Kempner, TX
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
I would like to but I am running out of funds for this adventure. I got the head off this morning and yes the valve was bent. There was no visible damage to the piston crown and I hope the rod was not bent. I did find two more pieces of valve spring keeper and they all look round and worn like this had been going on for some time. I am going to put it back together and hope for the best. If It fails again I will probably look at used engines.
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
There has been quite a few guys that have had the stock CCT failure where the valves were bent with very little to no damage to the piston let alone the connecting rod. They just put on a good head and kept on riding.
Really sucks that you have to tear into her again.
Really sucks that you have to tear into her again.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
You know, I does suck but I now know what that tapping noise was and I would have been forever worried about it. Now I can fix it and I'll lay money that the engine is nice and quite after this.
Last edited by Big_Jim59; Mar 29, 2015 at 12:59 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
The head is back together with its new intake valve, keepers and springs. I installed new seals, lapped all the valves checking the seats. They all look fantastic. I checked the valve clearance with the head on the bench. I screwed up the clearances when I disassembled the head. All but one of the valves needs shimming. I have a few shims but, as always, they are the wrong sizes. I will go by the dealership next week and get the shims I need.
There needs to be a shim clearing house/library. Mail in your old shims and get shims of the correct thickness back for a fee.
There needs to be a shim clearing house/library. Mail in your old shims and get shims of the correct thickness back for a fee.
Last edited by Big_Jim59; Apr 5, 2015 at 08:43 PM.
Retired- but not tired!
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,481
From: Pittsburgh
For having owned your 'Hawk such a short period of time, I would venture to say few of us are so intimately acquainted with the engines on these bikes!
Hope it runs long and smooth for you from here on out. I have really enjoyed reading all your exploits with this bike.
Hope it runs long and smooth for you from here on out. I have really enjoyed reading all your exploits with this bike.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
For having owned your 'Hawk such a short period of time, I would venture to say few of us are so intimately acquainted with the engines on these bikes!
Hope it runs long and smooth for you from here on out. I have really enjoyed reading all your exploits with this bike.
Hope it runs long and smooth for you from here on out. I have really enjoyed reading all your exploits with this bike.
It's a pretty simple modifation but I split the vacuum line to the petcock and added a junction. This way there is one less hose I have to grapple with. It also allows me to easily hook up my hand vacuum pump so that I can pull a vacuum on the petcock assuring a good supply of gas in the carbs for start up. I have already added a T junction in the line so that the carbs can be synced with ease.
Last edited by Big_Jim59; Apr 10, 2015 at 11:19 AM.
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 283
From: Dallas, TX
It is all back together again. I checked as much of it as I could and it does sound better. I was able to sync the carbs this time so that proves I have a stable vacuum on both cylinders. A sticking valve really screws up the vacuum. I made a video show it running.
http://youtu.be/0aw8oCzA6nY
I did ride it down the road (no helmet) so I could hear what it sounds like under load. It is a lot nicer than before. If you can hear it in the video the clutch side makes a "luck, luck, luck" sound but it definitely comes from the clutch side.
http://youtu.be/0aw8oCzA6nY
I did ride it down the road (no helmet) so I could hear what it sounds like under load. It is a lot nicer than before. If you can hear it in the video the clutch side makes a "luck, luck, luck" sound but it definitely comes from the clutch side.
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
I agree with Wolverine. It still sounds...off. Like it has a clunking. Very similar to what I was dealing with, but mine was more of a solid "ticking" noise, which was a clutch that destroyed itself (click here).
It honestly sounds like a large part, like a wrist pin, or a connecting rod.
It honestly sounds like a large part, like a wrist pin, or a connecting rod.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,510
Jim's sounds about like mine... Oh and did i mention i love the color?
The "whir" is crazy. Definitely doesn't sound normal. If you told me your mccts were too tight i wouldn't be surprised... No offense intended, just sounds odd
James
The "whir" is crazy. Definitely doesn't sound normal. If you told me your mccts were too tight i wouldn't be surprised... No offense intended, just sounds odd
James
