Dec. 2014 Bike of the Month

[FromMaine]

I don't know about you, but I get emotionally attached to some of my bikes. Some a bit more than others.

One of my favorites has been my 83 Interceptor. It was my first Interceptor and a revelation after riding my V45 and V65 Sabres. Not that my Sabres were bad bikes or fundamentally lacking, it was that the Interceptor was just that GOOD a bike. It set the bar for years in the Big Four sportsbike field.

Anyway, when I saw that someone was racing a First Gen. Interceptor as their bike of choice, well it was just a matter of time.

Congratulations Joep, Your VF750F is December 2014's Bike of the Month

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A link to Joeps post in the Gallery section.

http://v4hondabbs.com/index.php?topic=67445.0

Really, any of the photos posted there qualify in my mind for BOTM. I just chose one.

I'm going home for a bit in a few weeks and will bring back your trophy and post it from The UK when I return.

[Miecul]

I've never had the pleasure of sitting or riding one. I hope to change that someday. Love the bike. Congratulations!  :thumb :beer: :thumb

[chazglenn3]

Neither have I but bravo!   tenof10

[John Hilmer]

Another excellent choice by Michael.

Well deserved Joep and congratulations!  :thumb

John

[klopperg]

As John said.

Well done Joep :thumb

[The Dutchy]

If not mistaken, I took that shot at the Endurance Race of "Oss"  back in 2012... Still one of my favourite shots.. I have it on my wallpaper every now and then...

And yes as quoted:

Have to thank the Dutchy for the technical bits. Without him I would still be stuck at number 0 and wouldn't be riding a V4 anymore  ;D

OK, I did my share on the technical part on that VF... Engine rebuild an such... However.. I have to credit Joep on his thoughts to keep his VF's within the timeframe they were built... Allthough he changed a lot many times throughout his rebuilds from first gen through the last gen, it became a stronghold to revive it with parts being exactly correct for that era....

And that means going for the elusive parts.. And he did find them...

For me: I found a local lad fond of Honda V4's.. A sparring partner to bring details up to higher standard.. And a friend to share the same enthusiasm to keep these V4's alive..

Thanks..



Great stuff and congrats Joep..

Michael: Just to be sure.... That trophy... Do you have a rope about long and sturdy enough to drag it in sea water behind the boat for a week or two ??? Joep allways brags about "Patina".. To make it special, I think his trophy should also show the correct "Patina"when it arrives..  ;D

[FromMaine]

Great stuff and congrats Joep..

Michael: Just to be sure.... That trophy... Do you have a rope about long and sturdy enough to drag it in sea water behind the boat for a week or two ??? Joep allways brags about "Patina".. To make it special, I think his trophy should also show the correct "Patina"when it arrives..  ;D

Raymond:

The ships in drydock at the moment, so can't drag it behind. I can though strap it to the VFR for a weekend of riding around the hedgerows of Cornwall and Devon. That should give it plenty of character and patina. I spent the day yesterday riding the small roads to Lands End and the bike looks like it spent a month off road riding.

[Joep]

Hi guys,

What a great honour to have my bike('s) be elected BotM by Michael. Who would have thought that bikes with patina could ever be BotM ;D

I don't know what to do at this moment. Do a write-up on the bikes and what I've done to them? Please help me out here. Thanks.
What I can say is that I'm working on a fourth gen aajsjinkeracer. This time not a VF and I'm not going for periodcorrect. I just want to build a bike to race with non-expensive or rare or hard to find pieces.
CBR600F4 frontend and calipers
VFR rc36-2 frontrim
CBR600F@ rearrim
296mm brakedisks
Radial brakepump
Reworked CBR600F2 Öhlins shock
VFR race tail and just topfairing with a oilcatch underneath the engine
Laser 4-into-1 system with a big Laser carbon can on there to keep it beneath 102 db. Don't worry I also have a short old carbon one that has a nice bark  ;D
And keep the engine pretty much standard. the Dutchy told me using 700 cams brings some.
And try to keep it as light as possible, there the most ponies can be won  ;)
Something like that

[FromMaine]

Hi Joep:

Anything you care to write up about your bikes and mods to them would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure it will help or motivate someone further down the line.

Ah yes, Patina. Don't think in the 3 years I had my V45 Sabre on the road it ever met a wash mit. After a couple of years of riding my V65 Sabre some jerk on a Magna (my brother :) shamed me into washing it. I did wash it again about 15K miles later just in case. My current ride here in England arrived all shiny and clean from the PO. Ummmm its not that way now 2K Kilometers later. Trust me patina means you actually use your bike, which is a plus when it come to picking a BOTM.

4 Gens are just awesome bikes, they really are. The most forgiving bike I have ever ridden. I look forward to reading about your VFR build  :thumb

[Dutchy Jr.]

Congratulations joep i like this shot  :bike:

[Joep]

Hi Joep:

Anything you care to write up about your bikes and mods to them would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure it will help or motivate someone further down the line.

4 Gens are just awesome bikes, they really are. The most forgiving bike I have ever ridden. I look forward to reading about your VFR build  :thumb

I'll do a write up tomorrow. Already did a little one with the gallery pics.

FYI
My next build is not a 4th generation VFR but a 4th generation 'aajsjinkeracer'. I'll try and explain that to  ;)

[FromMaine]

Understood Joep. I'll still look forward to pics and posts :)

[Joep]

I said tomorrow........ :rolleyes: ;D
Well one day extra does little harm.... I think.....  :beer: ;D

Let's first explain 'aajsjinkeracer'
It's a nickname I got from a friend. Translated into English it means 'old ham racer'
'Why?' you might be thinking.
Easy one...
We had a group of some 10 guys and on the weekends we would ride together. Up at first light, suit up and take the bikes for a spin before all those pescky cyclist, horsebackriders, naturlovers, etc got out on the road. Lets say we had quit an up tempo driving style  :lol8: and all the guys rode GSXR R1's Ducati 1098, etc and then there was me. With the Honda VF750F.... Eventually we all started doing trackdays and off course I did them on my good ol' VF. So the following phrase was heard on the paddock 'Hey look guys, Joep with the aajsjinkeracer also made it to the track'. I guess to really understand and appreciate it, you should've been there :lol:

I hope the name 'aajsjinkeracer' now has some more meaning for everybody. And as long as I'm not in a 'professional' race team, a fun/weird name like this is no biggy  ;D

For now I just copied my post from the Gallery. I hope to give some more info the up coming days. Depends how busy I'll be with other stuff that needs my attention.


It all started with this one

Pretty much standard. Stainless brakelines, Bitubo rearshock, stiffer frontsprings and a pair of Laser silencers on the standard collector.

After that day I was hooked on trackdays but the VF had some points that needed to be addressed. So I bought an other one and started to build. CBR600 front- and rearend, full Sebring exhaust, scrapped as much weight without going for expensive parts, etc. You could say this was the first generation aajsjinkeracer


But I wasn't pleased with the looks. So searched a bit and got a white-blue fairing set with some patina. The tank was painted black, so cleaned it up which rags soaked in gasoline. Et voila. The second aajsjinkeracer was almost born.

Still wasn't satisfied with the CBR600 parts on there, I wanted it to be more period correct. So swap the frontend for what turned out to be the frontend of the Enduranceracer of Johan vd Wal. PVM rims, etc, etc


And then I came across a original HRC fork. Well, what to do. I had some bits lying around. Enough to build a second one and I wanted to to try and fit some bigger carbs, port the heads, 4-into-2 exhaust, oilcooler, etc. It still toke some time to get everything together, but I'm pretty pleased with the end result. And that makes number 3



And of course, new plans are already being made. The VF is a bit heavy and underpowered. And also bits are getting more and more rare. So I started building a VFR rc24, GSXR '88 frontend, VFR rc36-2 front rim, CBR600 pc25 rear rim, Laser full-exhaust (or Motad, I'm not sure yet). Biggest thing it needs right now is a rearshock. Not easy to find a secondhand one that is adjustable, so I will probably have to order one. And that would be number 4

Have to thank the Dutchy for the technical bits. Without him I would still be stuck at number 0 and wouldn't be riding a V4 anymore  ;D

[Miecul]

Thanks for the post Joep. Pictures are worth a thousand words.  :thumb

[klopperg]

That looks like so much fun.
Thanks for sharing. :thumb

It will be interesting to hear how much of your laptimes were shaved off with the mods?

[Joep]

I'm still to busy to do a write up.... But I haven't forgotten about it  ;)

It will be interesting to hear how much of your laptimes were shaved off with the mods?

I have no idea. The bike does feel stronger. At Spa Francorchamps I have been quicker. Some 15 seconds. Took it down from 3:45 to 3:30, still not fast but with the BikersClassics that isn't really the objective. Next year with the VFR I hope to be a whole lot quicker. First race will probably be Assen. I rode there this year and had a 2:24.013, next year I want that to be a 2:00 - 2:05. So I have my work cut out for me hahaha

[John Hilmer]

Joep,

Thanks for the explanations, this really adds to the understanding for me.

John

[Joep]

Still no time for an extra write-up..... :angry:

Joep,

Thanks for the explanations, this really adds to the understanding for me.

John

The understanding of what?
The number of generations? The name 'aajsjinkeracer'? What I've done to the bikes?

[John Hilmer]

Joep,

Yes, all of that.

John

[Hopit88]

Love it. I get all tingly when I see these bikes at speed. Awesome Joep! :thumb

[CruisingRam]

I have got to remember to  check in more often. This bike rocks!