Cross-Atlantic update

[mik_str]

Greetings fellow Stormers

I just picked up the bike from my dealer where I had the valves adjusted (after having finally decided to put off the rebuild with my OS JE pistons until Fall of 2011, the rebuild not being in my budget right now, besides the bike is running really well, remarkable considering it has well over 120,000 km). While it was in the shop, I had the mechanic install manual CCTs (peace of mind; picked them up from a Superhawk forum member) and replace the original clutch (which is still in awesome shape btw, I am not an abuser) with new OEM fibre plates and the aluminum Hyperplates I picked early in the summer. I also had Barnett spring installed, along with a Factory Pro detent arm.

I just rode it home today (about 25 km) so it's a bit early to tell but everything feels good so far, no slipping that I can tell. The shifting does seem a bit stiffer but that is to be expected with new plates. I'll have to wait how everything works once it loosens up a little but expect everythign to be ok.

On another note, I recently dropped off my cast mag PVM wheels at a metallurgist to have them inspected (X-rayed and anything else he deems necessary) as I am told cast mag does not have an unlimited shelf life and I certanly don't want them to shatter while riding on our lovely Quebec roads (sometimes referred to as paved over cow trails). I hope it all checks out so I can slip them back on (handling is noticeably lighter and sharper with them on). If all is ok, I may pick up some hybrid ceramic bearings to throw in too.

I hope to get one more ride in (supposed to be nice Monday, if so, I'll cash in some of my accumulated overtime) before storing it for the winter (I live in a snowy part of Canada, so winter riding is impossible; of course , it does make for great snowmobiling though ). Once she's mothballed, I will remove the Akra exhaust and get it ceramic coated (to better protect it, reduce the radiant heating effect on the engine, and improve scavenging).

cheers

[tony.mon]

Now you know how much damage you can do to a finely tuned engine by leaving it standing, so assuming you don't want to ship it over to England for the winter, where I can guarantee it'll be kept in regular running condition, why not drop the engine in a snowmobile?:wink2

Anyway, with that spec, how can you keep off it???

[sirch345]

Cheers for the update Micky

You'll have to tell us all about it when you get chance to try it out properly next season.

Chris.

[mik_str]

Nice to hear from you too Chris

Got a couple of short rides in over the weekend and yesterday (totalling about 300 miles) and everything is loosening up nicely in the tranny, the clutch plates have worn in I guess. Shifting is lighter now and feels crisper than before. The Factory Pro arm, CNC machined shift lever (made and sold by Jamie Daugherty, a member of the Superhawk forum; I had mine machined to accept a needle bearing) and heim joints in the linkage have totally transformed the shifting. There is no longer any sloppiness at all.

I have to add as well that it sure is nice to be able to compression brake without having to worry that the CCT will let go and cause engine damage (as this is said to be when it mostly occurs).

Al in all the bike is running so damn well, hate to put it away but Old Man Winter will soon be upon here in the Great White North so I`ll keep you folks posted on any additional updates next Spring.

cheers

[sirch345]

Hi Micky,

You did better than you hoped by getting two rides in before the fall, well done

Interesting to hear that the transmission is crisper now with the different mod's carried out on it. Well worth doing then, you must be pleased with the results.

I saw that CNC machined shift lever that Jamie Daugherty makes on the Superhawk site a while back. I thought it was a nice mod, and must be even better with the needle roller bearing that you had fitted to it, a really good idea that.

I don't know what sort of joints Honda supplied originally to the Superhawk gear shift linkage (may be they are different than what we had supplied here in the UK for the Firestorm), but the ones on my bike don't seem to suffer with play in them, unless of course I've not done enough miles yet The Firestorm linkage joints have little rubber boots covering the orifice of each one, keeping the dirt out.

I know what you mean about not having to worry about the CCT's anymore, I felt the same when I modified mine into fail safe tensioner's.

Do keep us posted in the spring.

Cheers,

Chris.

[mik_str]

Hi Chris,

my VTR (a Canadian model) is a Firestorm, and not a Superhawk (most VTR imported into Canada were Storms although the last models, 2005, were badged as Superhawks). The stock shift linkage joints are not terrible, but the ones I replaced them with are top-shelf stuff, and noticebly tighter. I replaced the protective boots on them in order to protect them from road grime.

I may luck out and get one (or more?) ride in as we are going through a relative mild spell at the moment. If so, great, if not, it means that the snow will soon be here which in turn means I get to go snowmbiling (a win-win proposition, lol).

cheers

[sirch345]

Hi Micky,

It slipped my mind that you did get the Firestorm in Canada and not the Superhawk.

I see what you mean about the linkage joints, we're not talking huge amounts of play here, more like thousands of an inch, in which case those Heim joints could well be worth looking into.

All we get down here in this part of the UK is rain and wind for the winter. If we do get snow it only last a day or so. I shouldn't complain should I

Cheers,

Chris.

[mik_str]

snow can be, and is, your friend if you have a snowmobile.

FYI, I remember getting a bit of snow when I was finishing my university in Bradford back in the fall of 93. There was only an accumulation of 1-2" but I remember everyone just going nuts (snowball fights and the like). Needless to say, being Canadian, I found the whole situation quite amusing (we get many, many, many times that in a low snow winter, lol). If any of you guys ever get a chance to head this way and rent a snowmobile, I encourage you to try it, it is as good, or better, than bikes.....

cheers