More Noise

One of the few complaints I've had, concerning my VTR250R, is the lack of exhaust "note". It is exceptionally quiet and I have a hard time hearing it even when I'm sitting at a stop light (disclaimer; in an effort to avoid further damage to my hearing, I used to race loud cars, I wear Hearos foam ear plugs). So, in an effort to increase the exhaust note without being obnoxious, I removed a portion of the end cap. A big thanks goes to the guys on VTR250.com forum boards. A few of them have already done this and it does not require any carburetor work (re-jetting, etc.). It's a 'simple' muffler modification.

Thanks to VTR250.com forum-mate John, here's a great image of what we're going to accomplish:

image courtesy of John Hilmer

The upper muffler is a stock unit. The lower muffler, which is actually attached to the exhaust system on John's bike, has been modified. If you look closely at the upper muffler, you'll see a distinct ridge (most noticeable at about 7 o'clock). That's a weld line and makes a perfect locator for the larger (2") hole saw.

Notes:

• A lot of torque is generated by the drill (I used a 1/2" drill but I think a 3/8" would work OK, too). It is not uncommon to have the bit catch and wrench the drill from your hand. Hold the drill securely.
• The muffler is round which makes it hard to clamp in a vice or other securing device. So, leave the muffler on the bike, for now.
• Most hole saws work best at lower RPM (200). You don't need to be at maximum RPM of the drill to get good results.
• Be sure to use some cutting lubricant (drain oil, WD-40, Marvel Mystery Oil, etc.).

1/2" drill with stabilizing handle and 2" hole saw

The above image shows the set-up I used for the hole saws. I happen to have a auxiliary handle for my drill. In my previous experience with holes saws, I find it useful to have the extra handle. If you don't have one, be sure to maintain a firm grip on the drill and use a lower RPM. That way, if the bit does catch in the work, it won't wrench the drill from your hand. Do Not use the trigger lock (for obvious reasons).

Above, I've started cutting using that previously described welding ridge as a guide. I'm not using a pilot bit because there's nothing for the bit to drill into. Use some newspaper or cardboard to catch the metal chips (there will be a lot) and the cutting oil drips (the oil may run down the underside of the muffler and drip, to the ground, near the swing arm pivot. Make sure you have enough coverage). Note: wear hearing protection. The saw, cutting through the steel, makes a lot of noise.

Here, I've completed the cut. Notice the amount of metal chips on the muffler. There's at least twice as much on the ground and maybe three times as much inside the muffler.

Now, make the second cut. You have a choice here; 1 - you can use a 1.125" ( 1 1/8") hole saw which as an inner diameter of 1". The inner diameter, of the hole saw, is the same size as the outer diameter of the tube that protrudes from the end cap. However, the tube that's hidden behind the end cap has a diameter of 1.125" (1 1/8") which is the same size as the hole saw.

If you look closely, you can see the outer diameter, of the protruding tube, is shiny and has had some material removed. However, as you cut through the end cap, you cut right into the tube on the opposite side  of the end cap, resulting in this:

If you would prefer not to cut into that inner tube, you could go with choice 2 and select the next larger size hole saw; 1.250" (1 1/4"). This will allow you to cut through the end cap and not cut into the hidden tube. However, you will not have anything to help you center the hole saw. If you're of steady hand, you should be able get the cut started, albeit slowly, and get the results as shown in the first image (provided by John). Note the amount of metal chips generated by the cut. There's more hiding inside the muffler can.

Here's the (small) piece that we removed. To complete the job, you're going to need to remove the muffler (unless you don't mind shooting metal chips out the back of your bike - actually, given the small amount of air coming from the motor, there may not be enough pressure to do that). Unbolt the muffler from the hanger and loosen the clamp.

view from ground level

If your VTR is anything like mine, it's going to take some wiggling of the muffler to loosen it from the sealing gasket. The bike is going to want to roll backwards. Resist the urge to use your left foot as a chock. If the muffler suddenly comes loose, it's going to hit the inside of your left knee. And, that's going to hurt, bad (I did it twice so I know).

Here I have the muffler removed. The red arrow indicates the sealing gasket. Hopefully yours is in as good a condition. I used a little Scotch-Brite to remove the surface rust. If yours is shot, you may want to consider replacing it. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some asbestos in that gasket. Use caution when dealing with it.

Removing the metal debris, from within the muffler should be pretty simple. I just kept shaking the muffler until chips stopped falling out. However, due to the shape of the end cap, chips can get trapped. I have one of those small magnets on a (telescoping) handle. A few passes collected a lot of additional chips. I was surprised at how much more came out. I purchased a drum shaped grinding stone to help smooth the ragged edges from the hole saws. In retrospect, I should have purchased a cone shaped stone instead. I have a Roto-Zip tool and elected to buy the drum shaped stone from Dremel. However Vermont-American makes grinding stones that will work in a drill (they have a larger diameter arbor). V-A sells both drum and cone shaped stones. Again, choose the cone shape.

Results: Upon initial start up I was a little disappointed as the sound wasn't that much greater than the unmodified muffler. However, after the ride to work this morning, I'm pretty happy. The exhaust note can clearly be heard (over traffic and through my ear plugs). I seem to notice a "drone" right around 4500 RPM but it quickly dissipates above 5000 RPM. I also think I will try some muffler paint or BBQ grille paint before the exposed metal starts to rust.

Tools used:

• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 12mm socket
• 12mm open/box end wrench
• ball peen hammer
• drift
• 2" hole saw with arbor (Milwaukee brand)
• 1 1/8" (alt. 1 1/4") hole saw with arbor (Milwaukee brand)
• 1/2" drill with aux. handle
• Grinding stone (cone shaped - Vermont-American)
• Magnet on a telescoping handle

Heat Sinking the Regulator/Rectifier

One of the weak points of the 1988-90 Honda VTR250 is the regulator/rectifier.  The rectifier converts the AC current, created by the motorcycle’s alternator, into DC current to charge the battery. Additionally, the regulator ensures that the battery is not over charged by “dumping” extraneous voltage to ground. In the process of regulating and rectifying, the unit can get very hot. Having it mounted just aft of the rear cylinder, within the VTR’s bodywork, is not helpful either. When a regulator/rectifier fails, due to overheating, it usually causes the CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) unit to fail as well. Usually, there’s a distinct smell when these components fail (or “fry”) and there might even be some melted wiring.

As you can imagine, this is not an inexpensive issue to fix. It’s even more concerning on a VTR due to the fact that the regulator/rectifier is a rare object and commands a high price (whether new or used). So, in an effort to help the regulator/rectifier shed some of the heat it generates, attaching a heat sink would be beneficial. There are various ways in which this can be accomplished. The following details the steps I chose.

The image below illustrates the first dilemma. The image is oriented such that the valve cover, of the rear cylinder, is at the bottom of the picture. The red arrow indicates the location of the coils. The yellow arrow indicates the location of the regulator/rectifier. I estimated the distance between the two to be about ½” (0.5”). That’s not a lot of room in which to squeeze a heat sink (and have it be effective).

The second dilemma isn’t so obvious. If you look closely at the image above, you will notice that the side of the regulator/rectifier that faces the coils is the one where the circuitry is installed and sealed. This side of the unit will not be good at transferring heat. What’s the solution? “Flip the unit over and mount it the other way”, you say. Not so fast my friend. If you choose to do that, you’ll end up with the issue you see illustrated below. The yellow arrow indicates the gap, created by flipping the unit, between the mounting ears of the regulator/rectifier and the support bracket. Additionally, the mounting studs are now too short and there’s no room on which to thread the nut.

So, we need to figure out how to 1) secure the “flipped” regulator/rectifier to the support bracket, 2) secure a heat sink to the regulator/rectifier and 3) space the support bracket such that there’s room to accommodate the heat sink between the coils and the regulator/rectifier.

Reconfiguring the support bracket to accept the “flipped” regulator/rectifier

The first thing that needs to occur is to remove the existing studs that hold the regulator/rectifier to the support bracket. The studs are spot welded to the bracket. I used a hack saw to cut between the bracket and the base of the studs. The yellow arrows in the image below indicate the stud bases.

Once the studs have been removed, you can replace them with M6-1.0 x 25 button head screws (I initially used Allen head cap screws but that causes clearance issues with electrical connectors – so, use something with a low profile). Secure the screws to the support bracket with an M6-1.0 nut and M6 flat washer. The nut/washer combination acts as a spacer for the mounting ears on the regulator/rectifier (as indicated by the red arrow in the image below).

Securing the heat sink to the regulator/rectifier

I was able to find a heat sink out of an old personal computer. If you have an old PC lying around, it might have what you’re looking for. You could always check with a work station services tech at your place of business or ask the neighborhood ‘geek’ if he/she has an old computer you could pillage. Computers are very recyclable and most municipalities have recycling centers. I highly doubt they would mind if you pilfered a couple of machines for parts. The last resource is the internet. Lots of companies sell heat sinks. Depending on the material, they’re pretty cheap. You’re looking for one that’s about 1.75” (W) x 2.5” (L) x 1” (H). The key dimensions are the height and width. There’s not enough room for a heat sink with more than one inch of height. Additionally, the width must be less than two inches or it may interfere with the mounting screws. I had to cut mine down so it was 1.75” wide and less than one inch high.

Heat sinks are manufactured to be attached to computer chips so they’re already lapped (very smooth/flat) on the mounting surface. If you have to cut one down to size, be sure to keep the mounting surface free from gouges and burrs. I used some electrical contact cleaner and a piece of Scotch-Brite to clean the mounting surface of the regulator/rectifier. There’s more dirt there than you think. I chose to use Arctic Silver Alumina Thermal Adhesive (part # AATA-5G from NewEgg.com, ~$8). It’s a two-part ceramic epoxy specifically formulated to bond heat sinks. Even though it comes in small quantities, you don’t need much. After scrubbing the regulator/rectifier, I cleaned the mounting surface with rubbing alcohol (per the Arctic Silver directions).

I wiped down the mounting surface of the heat sink with rubbing alcohol as well. I then mixed the epoxy per the manufacturer’s instructions.

The amount I used, total, had to be about the size of a penny (diameter and thickness). Arctic Silver recommends that the adhesive be the thickness of two sheets of paper (that’s not much) between the components. Since the heat sink is lapped, I applied the adhesive to that surface. The “pot” time (amount of time you have to apply the adhesive once it’s mixed) is only 3-4 minutes (very short), so work quickly. I put the heat sink and the regulator/rectifier together and, with a very slight twisting motion of the heat sink, made sure that the two parts had made good contact. I used one of those Vice-Grip Quik-Clamps to hold the parts together while the adhesive cured (initial cure is sixty minutes, total cure is about four hours). Now is a good time to go grab some lunch, do some laundry, check the scores, whatever.

After the initial cure, the adhesive has set enough so that you may put the regulator/rectifier back on the support bracket and install the bracket on the bike. You can reuse the Honda flare nuts to secure the regulator/rectifier to the support bracket.

To provide additional space, between the coils and the heat sink, I used longer hex head cap screws (M6 – 1.0 x 35) and a 1/4” x 3/8” x 1/2” steel spacer.

Here you can see the lower fastener with the spacer between the support bracket and the mounting tab on the frame. Note: the upper fastener captures a grounding lug from the wiring harness. Be sure that the lug is between the spacer and the mounting tab on the frame.

 Here’s everything in-place before the electrical connections were re-attached.

Now that the upper mount, of the support bracket, is spaced away from the frame mounting tab, make sure the wiring harness is not pinched between the support bracket and the frame. I simply pulled the harness out, away from the frame, so that it rests outward of the bracket. Here, everything has been re-attached.

The heat sink is indicated by the yellow arrow.

I estimate there is about .25” clearance between the heat sink and  the coil support bracket.  There appears to be about .5” clearance, after re-installing the side cover (bodywork), between it and the support bracket. Even if I push inward on the bodywork, it does not contact the support bracket. Problem solved (hopefully)!

Parts List:
2 - M6-1.0 x 25 button head cap screws
2 - M6-1.0 x 35 hex head cap screws
2 - M6-1.0 nuts 
4 - M6 flat washers
2 - 1/4" x 3/8" x 1/2" steel spacers
1 - Arctic Silver Alumina Ceramic Epoxy
1 - Heat Sink (approx. 1.75" x 2.5" x 1.0")

Some thoughts on changing oil

So, I took the opportunity to do an oil change on the VTR. Now that I know the drill, I'll be able to better document it the next time I do one (I'm guessing some time in the mid-Summer). If you need immediate data, refer to the Lubrication (Chapter 2) section of the Shop Manual on the Resources page. The directions are straight-forward and accurate. Thought #1: use a shallow drain pan with plenty of under engine clearance. I used one of those "self-contained" pans that have a big screw-off lid. Under that lid was a drain grate. It was too close to the bottom of the motor to easily get the oil filter out. Thought #2: have three quarts of motor oil. Even though the manual says "2.11 US quarts at oil filter change", it's more like 2.5 US quarts. Thought #3: ensure that the washer, between the spring and the filter, is retained. It appears that the previous owner did not notice that the washer was stuck to the old filter (and it was discarded with that filter). They're only a couple of bucks from Honda but now I have to remember to order one before the next oil change (while I'm at it, I'll get a filter support o-ring, too). Thought #4: ensure the the crush washer, on the drain plug, is good. Even though my VTR has only 5600 miles, it's seen at least three or four oil changes (hopefully more). The crush washer on the drain plug wasn't in very good condition. I replaced it with a copper spark plug indexing washer. Thought #5: be sure that the bike is vertical (to level ground) when checking the oil level in the site glass. Even when the sump is full, the site glass is empty when the bike is on it's side stand.

63

Hey, not bad. That number represents the miles per gallon I achieved on my first tank of gas. Granted, I didn't go as far as I could have (I filled up around 160 miles showing on the trip odometer) but it was far enough to get a pretty accurate reading on fuel economy. I will say this; I used a relatively low (6000 rpm) shift point for each up-shift and rarely accelerated heavily.The VTR is easily capable of keeping up with traffic, whether it be accelerating away from a stop or cruising with the flow, and I sometimes wonder how the NX125 I had did so well. Earlier today I was thinking about commuting, in general, on a motorcycle and came to the conclusion that for a (sub)urban environment, 200cc is almost the minimum displacement. This provides the ability to stay with traffic or extricate yourself from "situations". 250cc seems to be just "that much" better. While I obviously used a 125cc for the 2011 riding season, there were several times where I felt I could be in serious trouble if things didn't work out for me. I have yet to feel that way about the VTR. Of course, the trade-off with an increase in engine displacement is usually a decrease in fuel economy. So, the 200-250cc range should provide plenty of power and still return good-to-great fuel economy (depending on the number of cylinders, the engine's state of tune and the rider's ability to use the throttle with restraint). I need to check a couple of things, still, on the VTR to ensure it's running as it should; spark plugs, oil change & air filter change. The oil in the site glass still looks pretty clean. But, it's been in the sump an unknown (to me) amount of time based on statements made by the previous owner. I can fix that this weekend. I going to guess the spark plugs that are in the motor are the originals. While they still seem to be working properly, it sure couldn't hurt to check their status. The air filter is something I've wanted to experiment with. I use "experiment" lightly in this context. It would seem that the stock air filter is pretty expensive and only available from Honda. Some have used a 1996-2000 Honda Civic air filter (1.6 liter motor) to replace the filter media in the VTR. I'll have to look into this and will post my findings. Up until now though, the VTR has been spot on.

Edit: The second tank was even better; 70 mpg. I hit reserve @ 170 miles on the odometer. I've since changed the oil and am aiming to do the air filter asap. We'll see how things go from here.

Allow me to introduce: Park

I haven't owned that may bikes in  my lifetime. I started out on a 1986 Honda Reflex (TLR200) that a good friend was kind enough to purchase for me. I think the selling price was $400 and, as far as I was concerned, the perfect starter bike. I dropped the counter-shaft sprocket one or two teeth, to make it even more trials oriented, and then headed out to ride the power lines, in Massachusetts, near my friend's home. I even recall flipping it and watching the rear fender break in half. My friend was kind enough to fabricate a "break-away" rear fender out of some MX after-market front fender. He mounted it with rubber grommets and the mounting holes were open on the bottom. It popped off very easily and I never broke another body piece on that bike. If you haven't guessed, my friend is an engineer. Some years later, when I rode the Reflex on the road for a short time, I bought a new rear fender from Honda. It wasn't cheap and I regretted braking the original.

I digress. Every bike I've owned, with the exception of the VTR and my wife's scooter, has been a street-legal version of an off-road bike; 1986 Honda Reflex, 1997 Suzuki DR350SE, 1999 Suzuki DR350SE, 1992 Suzuki DR250SE, 2002 Honda Reflex (scooter), 1989 Honda TransAlp, 1988 Honda NX125 and now 1989 Honda VTR250. The only bike that comes with a "park" position on the ignition switch is the VTR. However, this feature is apparently prevalent on other street bikes. If you're still not sure of which I speak, here's the ignition switch itself:

From the top, going in counter-clockwise direction, is On, Off, P and Lock. The switch is in the Lock position in the image above. What I did not know was that if you leave the ignition switch in the P position, the  taillight is left on (to warn other motorist's of your presence, at night). Well, if you're unaware of this feature, or by some chance leave the ignition switch in this position and don't notice the taillight on, you're going to have a rude awakening several hours later; a dead battery.

Naturally, I managed to engage the P position on the first day I rode the VTR to the office. So, leaving for home that evening involved a lot of frustrated flailing as I removed all of the bodywork in an effort to diagnose the issue. I even called the former owner in an effort to gain some insight. It wasn't until I posted for help on the VTR250 forums, as well as on Adventure Rider, that I was alerted to the "night park" position of the ignition switch. I had to call my wife for a ride home, hook up the trailer, drive back to the office, load the bike, drive home, unload the bike and put the trailer away. That was a lot of work for an evening that should have been pretty quiet. I did hook the battery up to my Battery Tender Jr. in the hopes that it would be fully charged the next morning. When it wasn't, I was pretty sure I was going to have to source a new battery. Fortunately, a Batteries Plus store had one in stock  and that BP store was in the strip mall next to my wife's store. However, when I returned home that evening, the battery was fully charged and has been OK since.

A fellow VTR owner suggested pulling the fuse, which is located behind the ignition cover switch, in an effort to keep from unintentionally discharging the battery in the future. A stupendous idea, in my opinion. And, in case I do get stranded someplace and need the taillight to warn other motorists, there's a spare fuse that I can put back in the appropriate slot, to activate the taillight. What's ironic is that there's hardly anything in the shop manual regarding this. Basically, just a way to test for continuity, of the P position, in the ignition switch. It's the owner's manual that has the real information. Unfortunately, I didn't read through that before riding  That's a hard way to learn about a cool(?) feature. C'est la vie.

Brake Bleeding

While I was cleaning the VTR, I also took the opportunity to bleed the (front) brake. I observed that the brake fluid, in the reservoir site glass, was the color of maple syrup. That color usually indicates old fluid and old fluid usually has a higher water content than is recommended. Chapter 15 - Hydraulic Brake (on the Resources page) outlines the brake fluid replacement procedure as well as the air bleeding procedure. If you have a power bleeder, the instructions are on page 15-3 (and you won't need to even bother reading this). If you do not have a power bleeder and will be bleeding "old school", I base this procedure on the instructions under AIR BLEEDING which are found on page 15-4. Note: I would suggest reading through the procedure, first, to become familiar with it and tools/supplies needed.

Tools/Supplies needed:

• Fresh DOT4 brake fluid
• Brake Cleaning fluid
• Paper towel or rags
• Rubber band or long twist-tie or long zip-tie
• Medical syringe (without needle) or paper towel/rags/old sponge
• 8mm box end (bleeder) wrench
• 12" (approx.) of clear 1/8" I.D. hose
• Container for old brake fluid - small glass juice bottle or used oil container
• Phillips head screwdriver

(btw, I totally forgot to take any pictures - sorry).

There's no sense in bleeding all of the old fluid through the brake line and the caliper. So, we'll remove it instead. Note: you'll want to ensure that the brake lever is not moved while draining the reservoir. If necessary, place something between the lever and the grip to keep the lever from moving.

• Orient the bike so that the bake fluid reservoir is level. You may be able to do this by rotating the handlebars in a certain way or you may have to use a chock or lean the bike against a wall.
• To prepare the reservoir for bleeding, I fold up a piece of paper towel, length-wise, so that it's about 1" - 2" wide. I wrap this around the reservoir and hold it in place with a rubber band. Place the paper towel wrap so that it's just under the lid. This "wrap" will hopefully prevent any brake fluid from running down the side of the reservoir and dripping on the controls or on the bike's paint (fyi - brake fluid will remove paint very quickly).
• Remove the lid from the reservoir. You'll need a Phillips head screwdriver. In addition to the lid, there will be a plastic backer and then the rubber seal. There will most likely be brake fluid on all three parts. Place them on a rag or piece of paper towel yet keep them handy (as we'll need them in a moment).
• I use a medical syringe to remove as much of the old fluid as I can (fyi - syringes, without needles, are usually available at any drug store or medical supply store - if you cannot source a syringe, you can use paper towel or an old sponge). Brake fluid is considered hazardous waste. I place the used fluid into a glass container (juice bottle) but a used oil container would work, too. Since most brake fluid reservoirs have a low spot, it's inevitable that there will be some fluid left. I then use a piece of paper towel to absorb the remainder.
• At this point, fill the reservoir with fresh DOT4 brake fluid (the shop manual will recommend that the can be new/sealed).  There's a fill line cast into the inside of the reservoir. Replace the rubber seal, backer and lid. Secure the lid with the two screws.
• Remove the bleed screw cap/cover. Place the bleeder wrench over the bleed nipple on the caliper. Place the clear bleed hose on the bleed nipple. Route the open end of the hose into the container with the old fluid. Place the container so that it's close to but lower than the caliper (we want the fluid to drain into the container).
• Kneeling in front of the front wheel, use your left hand to reach up and apply pressure to the brake lever. Hold the lever to maintain pressure. With your right hand, crack the bleeder screw open (a quarter turn is usually enough). Old fluid should appear in the hose and the lever should move toward and impact the grip. Hold the lever in place (at the grip) and tighten the bleeder screw. Release the brake lever. You have now pushed old fluid out of the brake line/caliper and sucked in new fluid (from the reservoir). Repeat this step until the fluid coming out of the bleed nipple is clean/clear. Note: you will probably need to repeat this step between five and ten times. However, the reservoir may not have the capacity to bleed the line and the caliper without a refill. Keep an eye on the site glass after every bleed step to ensure you do not run the reservoir dry (if you do, you'll suck air into the line and/or caliper and that's not good). When you see the brake fluid level in the site glass, refill the reservoir.
• When the brake fluid coming out of the bleed nipple is clean/clear, tighten the bleed screw, remove the bleed hose and remove the bleed wrench. Use paper towel to absorb any fluid on/around the bleed screw (a shot of brake cleaning fluid will do the same thing). Replace the rubber bleed screw cap/cover.
• Top off the reservoir (to the fill line cast into the inside of the reservoir) but do not overfill. Replace the rubber seal, backer and lid. Secure with the two screws. Wipe away any excess brake fluid with paper towel and/or brake cleaning fluid. Ensure that you have good pressure when squeezing the brake lever.

Depending on your use of the bike, you should be good for the next riding season or two.

A Good Cleaning

As promised, I stripped the VTR of its bodywork and gave it a wash. Here's the VTR, sans bodywork, ready for soap and water:

The engine got an application of foaming engine cleaner while I paid particular attention to the area near the counter-shaft sprocket. It appears that years of accumulated chain lube and dirt have made their mark:

That's the inside of the counter-shaft sprocket cover. I started out with a putty knife and then graduated to a toothbrush and Simple Green. Fortunately, the grime was still pretty soft and came off easily. Here's the corresponding picture showing the location of the counter-shaft sprocket cover:

If you look closely, you can see that the heat of the engine has caused the grime to creep downward from the counter-shaft sprocket towards the protrusion in the case for the shift shaft. This is what lead me to believe that the shift shaft seal was leaking. The chain guide, on the swing arm, (just visible to the right of the counter-shaft sprocket and partially obscured by the frame) was also quite messy. It's going to take a couple of clean-ups to get everything free of that greasy paste.

In an effort to keep wiring, and other items that don't enjoy a thorough soaking, mostly dry, I used a small sponge and a bucket of hot water (with car wash soap). That kept pools of water to a minimum and still enabled me to wash/rinse away years of accumulated dust and dirt. I used a direct application of Simple Green and a wheel brush on the wheels and tires. I've found that Simple Green does a nice job of cleaning road grime and brake dust. I also try to shy away from harsh chemicals because the run-off drains directly into a retention pond.

After allowing the VTR to drip-dry, for the most part, I used compressed air to finish the job. I'm glad I did because even though I tried very hard not to soak wiring and electrical connectors, I noticed that the junction point, for the tail light and rear turn signals, was very wet. Several blasts of air, from the compressor, resolved that. Here's the VTR after being dried off and having the bodywork re-hung. I also took the opportunity to give it a quick polish (I'm partial to Zymol but that's because I've had a bottle for years):

Afterwards, I took it for an extended cruise around my township. I did this mostly to become familiar with the bike as well as to ensure that I hadn't caused problems from the wash/soak. I'm glad I did because I discovered that the throttle cable adjuster was loose at the carburetors. It actually slipped out of the bracket. This caused a lot of slack at the throttle grip but I was able to ride home and fix it. VTR250: Reporting for commuter duty!