Upgraded Fuse Kit installed on 84' VR

[DonnyRudeDude]

I'd like to thank @skydoc_17 for sending me the upgraded fuse kit last year. This was finally installed but not by me. I met @Marcarl at one of the southern Ontario gettogethers this past summer. Also, Carl was the first guy to reach out to me when I joined the club in 2019, He pointed out that my bike was leaking some oil. Since owning it from new, an 84' purchased in spring 1985, amazingly it had never leaked oil. I had progressive springs installed the previous fall as well as having the rear brake line replaced with braided. I said yup, I need to take it back in, in the off season. There was a small leak in the front forks as well as one from the rear, maybe brake fluid. He mentioned there was a shop just up the road that does good work.  I thought I new of all the shops in the area but apparently not this one. Well, guess who's shop? Something he said stuck with me, in that, if he found something that needed replacing or fixing, he would replace of fix it. That's quite different from the motorcycle shops I had previously visited as they typically only fix what you point out needs fixing, as well, many shops in our area have told me that they won't work on bikes of our vintage any longer. I can appreciate their concerns in the sense that parts are hard to come by and our plastic is getting brittle with age so its easier to say no. So...thanks to Earl and Carl.

Mark

[skydoc_17]

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the kind words! And Thank You Marcarl for installing that Fuse Box Upgrade Kit for Mark! 

When I first joined VR.ORG some 14 years ago, I had chatted with a few members on the forum and was going to meet them in Gettysburg Pa. for a "Meet and Greet". I live close to Pittsburgh and this was going to be a pretty long ride on my newly acquired 87'VR. about half way there, I went across a set of railroad tracks, and my old style glass fuse box just fell apart. I was stranded on Rt.30, miles from home, with few tools on a bike I had just purchased! I never made it to the meet, and had to call my brother with a trailer to come pick me up. When I got home, I decided this was NEVER going to happen to another VR.ORG member, ever again! I created the Fuse Box Upgrade Kit, installed it on my bike, (and my 89'VR as well) and have offered it to hundreds of members over the years. This was one of the first "Kits" I had ever put together, and the rest, as they say is history. Every kit that I offer is "Battle Tested" before I offer it to the forum members. The fact that I can contribute to keeping these wonderful machines on the road has been a passion for me all these years. It has been my mission to give the forum members the courage to work on their bikes to keep them running with replacement parts and upgrades that have kept MY bikes running for so long. 

When I hear stories like this, knowing that this could have been the end for such a beautiful motorcycle, and it being the original owner to boot, it makes me smile. Thank you Mark for sharing this story with me, and the other forum members. This is what drives my passion, and it is a victory for EVERY First Gen. owner, knowing that they too can repair their bikes, and continue riding these amazing machines. As my Dad would often say, "It's not the destination Son, it's the Journey"!

Earl

[ginblueearth]

I just wanted to let everyone know. That I also bought Earl's fuse box kit. And I'm a very happy customer. It was a very complete kit. Everything you needed to do the job. Straightforward instructions. Easy to follow. Step by step. Told you exactly what you needed to do. Even included his phone number if you got lost and didn't understand. Something but there was really no need for that. Like I said, the kit. Included everything you needed, plus extra parts. I took his tip on tanning. The wires. I wished I could figure out how to post pictures. I did take some. Of the finished product. But I'm not smart enough to do that. Earl also gave me some pointers on rebuilding the rear brake caliper. Which came in handy when I did that? He's an all around great guy. I saw somewhere on the forum here to just buy parts for the fuse box, Let me tell you this. Don't do that buy Earl's kit. It's all top quality stuff. It'll save you a lot of headaches. Is instructions are great? It's a complete kit. You get everything you need, plus more. It'll save you a lot of time. And a lot of headaches. And a lot of money .  Glen Murra

[DonnyRudeDude]

👍

[skydoc_17]

When talking with both Mark and Glen, I could tell that both of these owners were concerned about the "Future" of their bikes! In many cases, this would have been the "End of the Line" for these First Gens. When it happened to me, I was "Kicking Myself" for spending good money on a bike that turned out to have a major electrical problem. My own 87'VR almost became a parts bike as a result of the Fuse Box Issue. As luck would have it, I didn't give up on the Old Girl, and neither did Mark or Glen. As I have said MANY Times, I applaud ANY member that has the courage to keep their bike on the road, and I try to help everyone that has that courage. My hat is off to Mark, Glen, and of course Marcarl for his generous help in keeping these wonderful machines on the road! 

There are very few places on the internet, (Or in real life actually) where a group of people from all walks of life come together as a "Family" to share their stories and their "Fixes" to keep their bikes running. I am sincerely Proud to be a part of this Family, and am Honored to share my knowledge of these bikes with the other Forum Members. I have NEVER been much of a "Joiner" when it comes to being a part of a group. The "Magic" that Don Nelson has woven here has transcended my ability to resist the temptation to be a part of this group! Believe me when I say that I have tried to NOT click on the Forum every single day to get my "Fix" of the latest updates on who went where, who repaired what, and even what other bikes the Forum Members are buying and riding. As it is with my own "Family", I want to KNOW that everyone is safe, happy and able continue this passion that we all share, THE RIDING OF OUR MOTORCYCLES! No matter what you ride! 

Thank you again Mark and Glen, for reminding ME of just how lucky I am! To be able to be part of something MUCH greater than any single one of us! I wish that EVERYONE had a group of people that they could count on as much as I have been able to count on the members of this group! That remains to be my hope for the future. Even my wife Jean said "Great Job"! She was VERY impressed that you saved your bikes Mark and Glen! (Yep!, She's a keeper!)

Earl.