Hurricane Police Handlebar Kit. Fully Installed

I guess it's time for an update. I got the Hurricane Police bar kit installed, and just got back from a short, very short, test ride.
Everyone who said it completely changes the character of the bike, was spot on. You do lose the sportbike feel to a degree, but
you get to keep the handling, and engine sound. For an old git like me, it's worthwhile expenditure of dollars. So far I love it.

And thanks to vfrgiving for all his advice and motivation. I did end up having to order and install the longer choke cable. The
normal one just came up too short no matter how I routed it. The actual installation was very straight forward with basically
no gotcha's. I was even able to reuse the Vibranators. They slipped right in and tightened up.

All in all I'm a very, very happy camper. Hard to believe I was considering selling the VFR and finding a bike better suited to
my aged riding style. I'm so glad I'm came across this thread and spent a few bucks to make it happen. Cheers, all yawl.

 

I'm glad the install went smoothly. Being able to relax comfortably while that engine sings its song is nirvana. I've done 1,000 mile days with this Hurricane kit, no sweat.

 

Hello everyone,
I just found this very interesting topic.
I am about to install the Gilles Variobar Clip-Ons on my 6th gen VFR800. I would like to obtain something like this:

(http://www.cavturbo.com/blog/ModificationstoHelensVFR_13F5D/VFRVariobars01.jpg)



In order to extend the hydraulics and throttle cable, I was planning to

- Order a longer clutch line
- Order the original Honda ST1300 throttle cable, that is about 4’ / 100mm longer than the VFR stock one.
- For the brakes line, use some form of Hydraulic Line Extension (like this one https://www.helibars.com/comfort/ha...raulic-line-extension-5-1-8-inch-13cm-length/).

Do you think that connecting the extension to the master cylinder and to the stock cable would solve the problem, regardless what happens down towards the calipers (bleeding, splitting, and so on)?

What is your opinion about this solution?
Any hint would be much appreciated!
Andrea

 

I'm not too sure on 6th gen modifications, but hurricane offers two different Police kits for them. 06/07 with ABS, and a kit for 02-05 without ABS.

The same handlebar and longer throttle cables are included in both. You can see what hydraulic hoses they include on the catalog page.
https://img-webike-370429.c.cdn77.org/catalogue/11657/291.jpg

 

Headed back home after being out with the 5th wheel toyhauler for a couple months. The new bars and seating position take some getting used to when riding the curvy roads. Not bad, just different. I do like the "sit up and beg" riding positi0n a lot. As an old git, I spend more time looking around that trying to go faster in the corners, and the riding position is perfect for that. I am going to do some searching for a set of bars that have less of a pull-in at the grips. I like my grips to be more perpendicular to me so my wrists are less angled.

I will say, after so many years of low bars, the new ones do feel like a set of apes...almost.

 

Taller is one thing. But when they start becoming "tiller" bars too... not good.

The new VFR "Roto-Moto" bars from Mantis

 

My wrists aren't angled with the Police handlebar, well now anyway. It took me 2-3 rides to figure this out. That handlebar is all about the ice cream cone grip. You try to approach it with a straight fist that won't be comfortable for long.

 

Good Evening All,

I recently purchased a 2001 VFR800FI and have found it to be too hunched over for my liking, putting way too much pressure on my wrists and causing back pain within 20-30 minutes of riding.

In the interest of saving my back and wrists over the long term - I'd like to keep this bike and really make it my own - I am considering getting the Hurricane HBK607AS-01 kit mentioned throughout this post. After having a look at some of the videos and pictures provided (thanks to everyone in this thread for this) I really think it will do the job.

A couple of thoughts:

1. Self-installing the kit. I am not mechanically inclined in anyway and have not wrenched on bikes before aside from small maintenance items such as oil etc. (In the interest of not screwing up the motorcycle, I may get my local dealer / independent motorcycle mechanic to fit the handlebars for me). Do you think this is a job a complete newbie could do or is it better saved for a professional with my limited experience wrenching? (I have seen that the manual provided from WeBike is only in Japanese).

2. In terms of modifying the screen to fit the new handlebar height, I have pretty much come to terms with the fact that a new screen will be required to get this handlebar conversion to work, I may have missed it but is there a screen that can be used without the need for cutting holes /sections into it? I think there was a GIVI one mentioned in the thread but I was not able to find the model number for it.

3. For those that have done the conversion and can attest to the discomfort of the stock handlebars, does this really make a difference? Is the difficulty of fitting it all up and getting it working worth it? I'd be primarily using the motorcycle in town for short commutes and for touring in better weather (200-500 miles per day at most).

4. How is wind protection impacted by this kit? I imagine that has a bit to do with the screen in use and the height of the rider but for those who have the kit installed, does it make much of a difference to the wind protection, last thing I want is to get a great seating position but then get battered by the wind on the highway.

5. I also noted that a new set of pegs was mentioned throughout the thread, would anyone have specific recommendations for more upright pegs?

Thanks for your time, I look forward to reading the responses.

Cheers

 

A lot of folks seem to like that bar kit.

Are your wrists straight (levers aligned with your arms) or bant backward. This makes a huge difference. Most lever are aimed at the sky from the factory.

 

I have tried the Fortnine Positioning for my hands / wrists / arms on the bike, the lean angle itself appears to be the issue which is why a change of handlebars is being explored.

Are there any other specific modifications that need to be made to get this to work? At the moment it seems to be:

1. Handlebar Kit (SB Lines Included)
2. New Screen (Cut Included)
3. New Bar End Weights (For New Bar Diameter)

I don't think I have missed anything specific that would need to be bought in addition to the above? Perhaps a new seat, footpegs and a throttle lock of some description over time to further increase the comfort.

Cheers.

 

That should be it. Since you have a 2001 you don't need the long choke cable. You will need to make yourself an extension cable for the horn wiring. I don't know why you would need a new screen unless you just don't want to cut the one you have? I'm not aware of any available screen that would work with this kit without modification. You don't have to drill or modify mounting tabs, just lop the corners off. Hurricane has an illustration of this in their catalog for the kit.




For example, here is a brand new Givi D200S overlaying the D200S I cut down for one of my VFRs. You don't have to use a D200S, any windshield should work. I chopped a Zero Gravity for the VFR that's in the background. The D200S is one of the taller screens you can get though.



Another mod you will probably need to do is cut off the little hose stop nub on the brake master cylinder. People who have done Helibar installs should be very familiar with this. This will give room for the double banjo bolt and the two hoses.



Only you know your bike wrenching skills, but I can add I didn't need any instructions from Hurricane to do this. The only thing I got of value from the Hurricane stuff was the photos and hardware torque table. All of the core tasks are covered in the Honda VFR service manual. Throttle cable removal and install, brake and clutch fluid service (probably the most technical part of the install). If you choose to do this, or pay a shop to do it, make sure that the front circuit bleeders on the front calipers are identified and only they are touched, again look in the service manual. There is no reason to crack the bleeders on the front calipers that are for the rear circuit off the foot pedal or loosen rear circuit hoses going to the front calipers.

Shortest hose: brake master to right caliper.
Medium length hose: brake master to left caliper.
Longest hose is for the clutch.

I didn't find wind protection to change all that drastically from a VFR with normal clip ons. It will bring your head up a bit more into the airstream, but chest coverage should still be roughly the same. The comfort difference is night and day. It's a standard upright riding posture. I have ridden my VFR across the USA with this kit installed.

 

Vfrgiving pretty much covered it all. I installed the Hurricane kit, and it changes the riding position enormously. You're basically bolt upright
with the kit installed. Much more comfortable for us old gits. I already had a cut down windshield installed so I didn't have to do anything in
that respect. You'll likely get a bit more wind, and notice it more since you're sitting more upright, but not an issue for me. I had no issues with
bleeding the brakes after the installation, but I've done it before, and it's not like you have to bleed the whole front brake assembly.

Just remember this kit is your control of the bike, if you're not comfortable with your mechanical aptitude, have someone you trust to do the job.

 

I don't think that I'm (or maybe ever will be) a candidate for this kit, but I am curious. The seat/bar/pegs all work together for comfort and control. Moving the bars so significanly would seem to make a mess of the rest of it without other changes. Do you guys not find that other things need to be updated also? Thanks!

 

If anything it makes control easier for low speed mauevering. Just like any standard bike would have that advantage. Just go watch Japanese police trials where they are balancing the bike inside a box and doing incredibly low speed tight U-turns.

As far as sport riding, I didn't find the bars to impact my cornering once used to them. The lower foot pegs I installed is what I'm more wary of. The leg drop comfort is worth it though. I think it was a bike review on RevZilla where Zach Courts mentioned how the standard position should be adequate from which to safely push any bike on the street. I agree with that. If standard is holding someone back and they really need sport clip ons that style of riding should be on the track.

 

If you're in the UK, do you know anybody or maybe a dealer that has a VFR800X crossrunner laying around? From what I've seen on the cycle-ergo website the seating posture is nearly identical to a 5th generation with the police handlebar kit installed. I think the police kit may put the hands lower, but back, knees, and hip angles are basically the same. Go take a seat on a Crossrunner with the center stand deployed and see if that's the posture you want for your 2001.

 

And of course, should the bend of the kit handlebar not suit you, changing to another, including anything lower, is cheap and easy.
The installation of the kit takes care of the hard stuff such as brake line lengths. After that, it's all downhill.
My choice remains the now-obsolete Heli Multi-Tour Sport bars as previously mentioned, but there's quite a few good bends, cheap like Emgo, and expensive, like Renthal.
Apart from a Wing or two, it's hard for me to think of a bike I've had in the last fifty years I didn't alter the handlebar arrangement.
Even the Velocette in the avatar got a crude, early-days pipe bar conversion for a while.

 

I didn't feel anything else was necessary after the installation of the Hurricane kit. It would appear
the VFR is versatile enough to work however you set it up.

 

Good Evening All,

Thank you for all of the advice and tips so far! I’ve decided to go for the police handlebar kit, I’ll let you know how the install goes and I’ll share some photos once it’s all done as well as my experience buying this kit from the UK.

I would like to ask, for that Givi D200S screen that you cut VFRgiving, do you have the final measurements of the cut screen? Or alternatively, do you know how much you took off each side in order to make the screen fit without the handlebars hitting the screen at full lock?

Additionally, for the bar ends and weights, is there a specific model number that Hurricane offers that would fit the police handlebar kit or are there any alternative kits those who have completed this modification would recommend?

Cheers Everyone!

 

I would prefer not to give you any finite measurement values as this could change depending where you personally decide to set the handlebar and levers. I think the general method for the cut is more useful, see this video.


The bar ends aren't that critical. Any universal style bar end that has the rubber end that expands as you tighten *should work. If you want to go with bar end and balance weight pairs from Hurricane check here. https://japan.webike.net/bm/pl/Bar+Ends/1039/p.b=304/

Look for product descriptions mentioning for inner diameters of 18-19mm.

 

Thank you for all of the advice and guidance.

Having seen the screen cutting guide in the video, I can likely make the existing screen work, if not, I can always go down the GIVI D200S route as discussed in previous posts in this thread. I did try to contact some UK companies to have a custom screen made but did not get anywhere with that.

I really like these bar ends: https://japan.webike.net/products/24629226.html, measurements seem to be correct for the police handlebar kit. However, they state this inner weight: https://japan.webike.net/products/24629235.html goes with the bar ends, scrutinising the product description shows the inner weight is suitable for an inner diameter of 14-15mm compared to the 18-19mm inner diameter for the bar ends. I have found an additional inner weight with the correct inner diameter by Hurricane: https://japan.webike.net/products/24629237.html

Am I missing something with this? Do I even need the inner weights or are the bar ends by themselves sufficient?

Cheers