Mod stock vfr700 fork?

Oh my heavens yes. The emulators are just that - they "emulate" the action of cartridges. Compared to actual cartridges they don't really work very well at all. I've done quite a few full cartrdige conversions and the results have always been really good. It's pretty amazing what you can do with those old girls. One of my VF1000F's has full carts in the forks and a revalved 900RR shock. For a 600lb pig that bike can carve a corner pretty decent. It kind of surprises me sometimes!

 

Do some of the cartridge forks split the damping directions in different sides? I guess really all the dampers rod forks do is provide symmetric damping, right? which is why it's so underwhelming.

 

Thanks for the post. I haven't seen aftermarket cartridge conversion kits for the 500. Is this something you have developed in-house?

Actual cartridges look to be a much better option.

On a side note, how is the TRAC system modified if going to full cartridges, i.e. do you remove this, adjustment dial and all?

 

Now yall have peaked my curiosity. Is there a cartridge fork conversion for the 2nd gen VFR's as well? If so, where can it be found?

 

You want a single rate spring for an emulator, that is what they are designed for.

Works Shocks are currently being made, I think Hagon still makes shocks for these bikes.
Ohlins might be able to modify a newer series VFR shock if you asked them to.

 

You bet, I do full cartridge conversions for the 2nd Gen VFR700/750 forks. I also build custom shocks as well. Shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in a quote for either of those!

 

hah, i actually DID shoot you an email this past friday asking about the rear shock. If you do a full on cartridge conversion, we really need to discuss things here.

ALSO, i'm going to be looking to do an F2 wheel swap on the old girl. JD, i really think you and I need to talk business here pretty soon.

 

If my understanding of the TRAC mechanism is correct, all you would need to do is add a metal spacer around the rod that gets pushed into the fork. That way the TRAC never thinks your braking even though you are. Wouldn't that work?

 

Yeah, I suppose you could do that. The TRAC system isn't the biggest issue with the fork, it's the valving (or lack there of). If you address that the TRAC system will be "taken care of", in the Godfather sense of the phrase, at the same time.

 

I tried all the settings, switching from 1-4, 2-3, 1-3 and honestly saw no difference in brake dive. I've only had my bike a couple weeks, I plan to check fork fluid levels, replace the fluid and make new longer preload spacers. All budget stuff and see how it responds.

My biggest gripe is the rear shock. It undulates at anything less than full preload. But full preload will lift me off the seat on a bump and probably hurts your handling. and there are no cheap fixes I know of.

 

Maybe no cheap fixes, but there are certainly ways to do things expensive and other ways that are more cost effective!