Front calipers not available anymore

[_Sheffjs_]

Removing the pistons with the proper piston pliers left some scratches in the back inner part of the caliper from the crud on the pistons. The pistons cleaned up nicely and I feel it should be fine but just for fun I looked on Honda and Partzilla and no longer available?   

[Bagger John - #3785]

It would appear so (just checked).

Hate to start a run on eBay, but...those of us with more than one 1500 Valkyrie and the desire to keep them on the road for a while might seriously look into buying a used pair, plus the rear caliper. Then get a spare piston set and enough seals to rebuild all the used ones plus what's on your bikes at the moment.

I knew this day would come when I bought my first F6 (2000 Tourer). Just didn't think it would arrive so soon. 

[_Sheffjs_]

I also see no timing covers 

[Bagger John - #3785]

I also see no timing covers 

Or one of the I/S rear shocks (though the other side is available). I have a set of these on my Tourer, which also wears an I/S trunk and other long-haul accessories. Methinks the lower bushing is the only difference between the two, and that swapping the bushing would allow one side to be used on the other.

Those of us who like the I/S shock look-and-feel might think about getting a pair while they're still listed. Otherwise, I see 440HDs in our futures.

As far as the timing cover goes...luckily I managed to get a candidate suitable for powdercoating and pulled the chromed one off my I/S when I swapped them. Hopefully I'll never need that 'spare'.

Other parts...Blondie bought a U-joint for me "just because" when we were first together. I have it and some other NOS OEM parts in my stash and I see I'll be adding to that collection.

[Paladin528]

Pick up a hone and hone the scratches out of the bore.  They are easily repairable.

[Bagger John - #3785]

A somewhat off-model but on-brand segue:

Prior to purchasing my first F6, I rode a number of Honda GL offerings. The bike which really hit home with me, though, was the '83 Aspencade. (Of course, I had to dress the thing to the nines...).

I had two of that model in Candy Wineberry. When I sold the last of the lot to a buddy of mine in the early 2000s, we noticed that lots of its parts - chassis and driveline specific stuff - were vanishing from the Fiches.

Should Honda make parts for that particular model in perpetuum, I'd probably be riding a third one - albeit in charcoal gray and silver - today. The F6 - particularly, the I/S - is a better touring motorcycle in lots of ways but that 1100-A was no slouch.

When I bought my Valkyries I joked to a few of my cohorts that I'd ride them until I couldn't ride any longer. Though there are a couple newer arrivals in the garage now (and an adventure tourer will likely find its way there in the next several years), as far as cruisers go: These are it. Simply not interested in a V-Twin or someone's PlasticBike.

Hopefully, this organization will get creative with keeping the bikes on the road as Honda gradually curtails the availability of service spares for them.

[mello dude]

 as far as cruisers go: These are it. Simply not interested in a V-Twin or someone's PlasticBike.

I couldnt agree more.  I have riden several V-Twins and they leave me uninspired. The Valk as cruiser, low and slow, flat six humming away, sans windshield on a hot day with sun out and canopy of trees is king. None better.   

[98valk]

Removing the pistons with the proper piston pliers left some scratches in the back inner part of the caliper from the crud on the pistons. The pistons cleaned up nicely and I feel it should be fine but just for fun I looked on Honda and Partzilla and no longer available?   

manual requires pistons to be removed with air pressure. that was how I removed them.

[SCain]

Removing the pistons with the proper piston pliers left some scratches in the back inner part of the caliper from the crud on the pistons. The pistons cleaned up nicely and I feel it should be fine but just for fun I looked on Honda and Partzilla and no longer available?   

manual requires pistons to be removed with air pressure. that was how I removed them.

Same here, put the caliper in a vise, put in a set of old brake pads and hit it with a small bursts of air, works like a charm.

[Paladin528]

I just held the caliper over a drip tray before I disconnected the hose and squeezed the brake lever a few times.  out came the pistons.  Worked like a charm.  I had to flush the brake lines anyway.

[hubcapsc]

I just held the caliper over a drip tray before I disconnected the hose and squeezed the brake lever a few times.  out came the pistons.  Worked like a charm.  I had to flush the brake lines anyway.

If one piston comes out, then the pressure is released and the other one can
remain stuck... I've jambed a thin board in there when I did mine (I used
air pressure instead of hydraulic pressure) and when one piston
came out first the system remained pressurized and soon the other
piston popped too.



-Mike "I like the hydraulic pressure idea..."

[bikerboy1951]

Make sure your fingers are out of the way. When my pistons let loose they did so with force and probably would have done major damage to my fingers.

Brad

[RWhitehouse]

Short of extreme physical damage there's really no reason you'd need to replace a caliper body. I've had some truly crap looking ones- rusty, gunky, long since seized that after a good bath (ultrasonic cleaners work great on these also, lightly honing the bore, new pistons if they are pitted, and new seals, they functioned like brand new.

I rebuilt all three of the calipers on my '98 with the kits from Brakecrafters. They also have replacement pistons available, but all of mine cleaned up just fine. No pitting or reason to replace. My front ones were VERY sticky and even 150psi shop air wouldn't even budge the pistons. Ended up having to hook it back up, re-bleed it, and use the master cylinder to force the pistons most of the way out. Once mostly out I just used a pair of channellocks with a glob of hot snot on the jaws as a cushion/grip and they wriggled out with zero damage.

Cleaned up the seal grooves with a brass wire wheel on a dremel, sonic cleaned, lightly scotch-brited the bores and pistons, new seals, and the new ones went in about 400x easier than the old ones came out. With new EBC HH pads and stainless lines all around, this bike has absolutely phenomenal brakes even by today's standards.

[Paladin528]

Yep I rebuilt mine last year.  Cleaned thoroughly, honed the bores, cleaned the pistons and installed new seals and backup rings.  Good as new.  I cannot imagine why anyone would need to replace one.  As I have said before.  Send me the old ones instead of binning them.