2007 VFR Noob in need of Recommendations

So I'm getting an 07 RWB fairly soon and I would like to make a decent amount of changes over the following year. I'm getting a list together of everything I'd like to do and I'm looking for advice on products from riders that have actually used them (thats you guys).

So far on the list I have (Basically in order of priority):

K&N
Fender Eliminator
Frame Sliders
Bags (probably going OEM)
Debating between Full System/Slip on
Power commander (If I go full system)
Smoke screen?
Open to additional recommendations... Over the course of next winter I would like to add some horse power to the bike, but not sure exactly where to start on the VFR....It's not priority for the coming summer, but it's something to keep in mind.

**For example I don't want to settle with a cheaper slip on now only to want a full system a couple months down the road.

Any personal reviews would be greatly appreciated!

 

You aren't going to get much more HP out of the bike than with the mods you've already listed and even those won't add much. The v4 is distinct and rock solid but not great for modding. You can do sprockets and most seem to think +2 in the rear is a good boost without killing highway use.

One thing you left out is tires, stocks suck. I'm picking up some roadsmarts soon. There are plenty of tire reviews floating around here.

Most of all, upgrade the rider first!

Good luck!

 

Welcome and good luck with the upcoming purchase. I just got my RWB in November '08, and have loved every mile (just passed 2200 yesterday, and that is riding through the Denver winter season).

One quick note from my experience...I initially purchased the Fender Eliminator and the Saddlebags, but then quickly realized that to install the Bags, you must have the hardware for the fender still on the bike. I was able to remove the plastic mud flap, and have been happy with the results.

Frame Sliders are another upgrade I looked into, but this is more complicated than I first expected so I have held off for now. There are several great threads on VFRWorld on that subject, so look those up.

Also, I am considering gutting the exhaust instead of the expensive slip-on upgrades. Might be an option for you to look into, but I don't know what impact that would have on HP. Again, several great threads on this subject are available.

 

Gutting exhaust seems to be no more than a 1%-2% loss in HP without tuning. Definitely worth it considering the sound and that slight weight drop without the packing imo.

:thumbsup:

 

I've done most of the above (no frame sliders) not a lot of what your talking about does as much for horsepower as it does for just getting the bike to generally run better, breath easier, and shed some pounds, still very worth it IMO. Going minus 1 front or plus 2 rear won't add horsepower, it will simply redistribute some of it to lower rpm's. You lose some top speed and 5th and 6th gear acceleration, but also worth it IMO.

On the exhaust, if you mod it, whether it be full or a slip on, definately consider the PCIII. In fact do all of the modifications you think you'll be doing, then as the last step, do the PCIII with a dyno to kind of "tie everything togather"

Best of luck!!

 

Whenever I get a new bike I like to ride it at least a couple thousand miles in stock form to help me decide a priority list for modifications. For me, the first I did was a PowerCommander to get rid of the snatchy throttle, surging and harsh VTEC engagement. Next were better tires and R&G frame sliders. Initially, I really thought I'd go exhaust first but getting the PCIII on there was the way to go for me.

 

Certainally one could do the PCIII first, and it's understandable if you're looking to nix that off idle jumpiness. The problem is that if you do the PCIII first, map it so on and so forth, then pipe it, add airfilters etc., most of the effort you've put into the power commander was for not untill you redo the mapping. This point is probabily more important for those considering a dyno.

 

Congrats on the future purchase. First off if you plan on doing any distance riding then a Sargent seat is a must. This goes a long way into the total comfort of the bike. The PCIII is a good choice but you need to do a few other things in conjunction with this mod. Also add the o2 eliminator and the PAIR valve block off plates with the PCIII to do the most benefit.

Aftermarket is the best choice for the exhaust. Slip ons are a good choice but for the complete package a full system would be preferable if you have the $$$. I have the Leo Vince Carbon slip ons and would never take them off (baffles OUT!!!), they sound incredible and they drop a lot of weight off the rear of the bike. As for the hard bag installation someone on this site installed the bag bracket with a fender elim with a slight modification. Do a search to find it as I'm too lazy to look it up right now.

Tires are a must. depending on your style of riding there are several good choices. The only way to know which is good for you is the use the butt test.

The screen choice for me was the Zero Gravity Double Bubble. Its good for taller riders (I'm 6'0) and it keeps most of the wind off of you at speed.

With slider you will need to cut the fairing to install them. DO NOT install the sliders that go in front of the radiators or the ones that install just in front of your knees. The radiator units will push right into your radiator and completely disable the bike $$$. The units that install in front of your knee would act like a pivot point to drive the front end of the bike into the ground. Plus i think it limits the leg room of a taller rider. Once again threads for all of these are on the site... The R&G slider seem to be the most popular.

Whatever decisions you make please post up pictures so others can benefit from your experiences. Good luck and :welcome: to the site!

 

Your point is valid if you're talking about a professional custom map, just keep in mind the Dynojet website has several free maps and it takes seconds to download and install to the PCIII.

I'd hope common sense would prevail for most, don't drop $300+ on a custom map if you haven't done any further modifications but plan to. :crazy:

 

Yes but the free (or paid) maps are not VFR specific with the different types of exhausts and modifications we are doing to our bikes. Wasn't there just a thread on this subject? :unsure::biggrin:

With the PCIII you need to take it to get dyno'ed once all mods are complete.

 

Huh? While the variety isn't great, their free maps offer a few that are very specific:

Power Commander Downloads and Product Purchases, Maps, Installation Guides, Accessories

I'm running a slightly modified version of M126-003, pretty darn specific to my set-up. I might get better results with a professional map, but bang for the buck comes into play and I have no complaints with the free one.

 

I figure you just sove me some bucks and some frustrations :biggrin: thanks for that.

and back to the post...I'd like to toss a few things to the mod list... heli bars, good rubber, alarm, pazo levers, led signal mirrors.. I know, its mostly cosmetic but it all makes for a nice package.

 

Nice, thanks for all the info everyone.

Aress, yeah I forgot to add that I am thinking about the Heli Bars, and i'm sure i'll do a couple quick cosmetic upgrades.

As for the power commander, I'm one to add it at the end of all the other mods. That way, I really only have to full around with it once, and if I want to get it dynotuned, I can just do it once.

Reg71, thanks for all the info, and yes I know its not a gsxr. I bought the bike mainly for comfort on longer rides, along with some decent power, but I know its not a text book "crotch rocket", nor is that what i'm looking for.

Mmm can't wait to burn a nice hole in my wallet*.