Owner for 22 years but Newbie here.

Thought I'd put up an intro thread to say Hello!!

Have had my VFR for 22 years and it's now got close to 70,000 miles, but it was put away for 15 years whilst I left it stored in a garage, suitably hibernated.
Last year I imported it to where I now live (Japan). I revived it and got it registered here. Was good to ride it again.



I lent the VFR to a pretty young girl who was interesting in having a VFR. Despite having ridden an SV650 for 8 years in Paris, she dropped it on her 2nd day of using it!



Fortunately she was a stand up girl and paid for all the damage. Not only that, but she liked the VFR so much, I helped her find a beautiful '99 VFR800 which she's very happy with and fortunately hasn't dropped!

Before this I'd already begun hoarding parts with the intention of creating something of an update.
I was luckily able to find replacement panels new, some in Japan, some in the UK and a couple in the US.





Also got a company in the UK (www.1jac.co.uk) to make the first adaptors available to lift a VFR 750 using this device (They should be able to supply for all models). It works perfectly.





Recently I've been fitting an RC51 front end off my other bike. Last year I fitted Ohlins forks and other upgrades to that one, so I kept the old to go on the Viffer.



It's been good not to waste stuff like this - I get benefits twice in the deal that way.






Almost finished the conversions...

Lots of pretty new titanium bolts & other stuff bought but not yet fitted.







Still working on getting rearsets to work and other details. The clip-ons I had won't work as they're too far forward & high. :grumpy:

So I have some convertibars on the way with longer cables, so I should be OK there.



Here's how she looks right now. I only put the new side panel on to test fit. All fasteners are new, by Probolt.





I prefer the grey colored front wheel, compared to Silver, so at first thought of color matching the rear, but I then went down the slippery slope of seeing how I can fit a single centre lock hub, like the VFR400's, RC30, 45, etc.



I think I will prefer not having a cush drive. If other more powerful V4's don't need them (Even the NR750 had no cush drive!) then I don't believe I do either.

So I've been doing some measuring and checking details. The plan is to fit a very similar hub to an RC30's, so I can keep the standard brake fittings if I want, or have the option to change to something more tasteful...
The purpose behind a single lock rear hub will be some Dymag CA5 carbon wheels, which have made a vast difference to the other bike...



I know the upgrade costs for the VFR will outweigh the value of the bike, especially with 70,000 miles it's probably got quite low value.
But the engine is 100% good still and it'll be fun to see it reach double that and be a better bike that it started out as I think.
Besides, I'll never sell it. Too many memories of sentimental value made in my earlier years riding this VFR. I always knew I'd regret it if I sold it so I didn't.

Once I have a solution worked out, I hope to be able to share some of what I learn about rear hub interchangeability between Pro Arm Hondas and the VFR750's (800's can be different, apparently - but not dissimilar). It'll probably take me some time to do, as I prefer to spend time getting all the parts together first and then working on the project intensively rather than bit by bit.

If what I have planned goes as I hope it will, then there should be some interesting changes possible that maybe other owners haven't thought of yet. I will be sharing what I find on here.

 

WOW! Get the wheels powdercaooted so they match & you will have a stunner! Excellent work.

 

Absolutely beautiful!

 

Holly Batman you Sir are the Man
That bike is stunning Wooooooooooooooow :hail:
:welcome: to the madness :wave:
Glad to have you and thanks for sharing your story
Where in Japan? Hope the people of Japan recover from the earthquake last week.

 

Wait take you over a year to come out
:thumbsup:

 

Thanks for the compliments. Much appreciated. No plans to powder coat the wheels. They'll be switched for something like these once I have the rear hub worked out (& the existing VFR wheel set & other previously used upgrades will be for sale):



Yeah, sorry - during the little free time I can find with family, work, etc. I've been concentrating another other bike and a friend's rebuild project (Another RC51) over the last year, so although I joined, I wasn't really too active on the VFR so I didn't post till now.

We live not far from Tokyo but unfortunately the greatest riding roads I know are some 200km away around Fuji, where we used to live before we moved here. I miss taking the long way home!

Earthquakes? They're like rain in Japan. Frequent (sometimes weekly) and just a part of life here. I don't mind them at all really. :tranquillity:

 

OMG
This is the nicest 3rd gen eeeeeeever
Me :love:
Don't stop please keep it coming :hump:

 

I remember reading about you on another page, matter of fact, you had an interesting picture of your bike palatized ready for the over seas trip. I have a 91 that I bought with 4000 miles in 1995 with almost 80,000 which runs better than my latest bike a 93 with 16,000 miles. These bikes will go for 200,000 easy if your decent to them. I am not afraid to throw some money at them for maintenance, but I don't stint on my vee-hickles either.

Loved looking at those spare parts, totally wild. When I was in Japan in the ninties, the hot chit bikes were those Rothmans VFR400 and 250s and the police were using second gen Viffers with hard bags and a hard tail trunk.

Can you hook a brother up with a slip-on pipe from Japan for these bikes?

 

Thanks again for the compliments Scubalong.

ridervfr - It was probably this picture you saw before... that was the first view I had of it inside the shared container at Yokohama port when it arrived here.
The pallet was apparently one that had been used for years to transport Ducati's around the world. That's what my friend who sourced it was told by the dealer anyways.
I gave it to the truck driver who brought it to my place as scrap. It weighed a lot.

At about 60,000 miles (In the UK) it had a set of Dynojets fitted, a decent exhaust, etc. and when tested was making more a bit power than it should have (Told 109 bhp, but dynos can tell lies). Anyways, it's always had synthetic oil running through it's veins and seems perfectly healthy. If I ever break it I'll get a cheap low mileage engine here. They pop up from time to time.

Although the carbs & fuel system was pretty gummed up (Even though I'd drained them & properly hibernated the bike - so I thought; I guess there was residual fuel still left inside ) it now runs perfectly. Aside from a minor leak in the carbon muffler, but that will be switched for a replacement titanium one soon.



Those Police VFR's are collectable now. They can fetch the equivalent of $8,000 - $15,000 from nutty wannabes. I don't get it.
The Police here still ride 5th Gen VFR800i's of the same description.

 

Unfortunately there are no slip on pipes that I know of worth buying for the VFR here in Japan. Not a lot of 750's were sold here, due to the tough licencing laws for over 400cc riders and the fact 750's & 800's here are officially only supposed to make 75-80 bhp and be restricted to 180km/h (112 mph).

I got the link pipe from Predator in the UK (Expensive and heavy, but not much choice out there for 90-93 VFR's if we want high-level).
I got the titanium silencer (weights about 1kg) and sleeve from Simon at http://www.moto-works.jp/ - for a bit over $200.
He's a great contact for stuff like this; good guy to get parts in Japan from & very knowledgeable too.

As it is - I'll be an expensive way of doing it, but I decided not to chase a TBR left exit exhaust.
I had the chance to buy one last year before the owner put it on Ebay, but decided I like the center stand, the color coded lower metal covers and having passenger pegs.

This is a sports touring bike after all... I already have a single seat sports bike, I don't really want to make another one. The VFR is such a great bike for carrying passengers, long distance even - so to lose that would be a mistake for me. I hope to do some touring on this bike in the future. Perhaps if I can get my wife on the back we can take off for weekends away on it if we can find a good babysitter. That's the plan in my mind for the future anyways.

I wish Dekevic would make a set of stainless headers for the 750 model with a high link pipe. That would probably sound a lot better without the silenced collector box than just a slip on...
Perhaps they'll decide to make a kit someday....

 

Did a little more work on a public holiday last Monday and thought I'd post here to document the changes for anybody that may be interested in doing similar modifications to their's.

Difficult to find a high-level link pipe for the VFR, but I managed to get one from Predator in the UK (not the greatest quality or fit & very poor customer service, but after a bit of cutting & bending - it worked).
I was able to fit a full titanium silencer (at 1kg it weighs a fraction of what the link pipe does) made by Trickstar in Japan. Fortunately no modification to the silencer was needed at all.
Just waiting on a badge from them. I used some spare Akrapovic springs and clamp to secure the silencer to the mid pipe. I used a heat gun to bend the rear fender inward and a dremmel to cut a small section of the underside of the side panel. There's no interference at all and the silencer is well secured now.



I got some CBR900RR rear sets from Ebay. They fit with a standard RC51 heel plate used to space a CRF250 rear master cylinder far enough that it clears the frame and is in the right position for the pivot pin.
I needed to find a suitable eye bolt & do a little cutting & drilling, but it all works fine now. Still awaiting a pressure switch / banjo bolt so I can remove the old master cylinder and fit the brake hose.



Right side rear set also fitted without much drama. Just needed to make a suitable spacer to bring the rod out from the sprined shaft's pivot and also to allow the side stand cover to be retained (With just a little trimming off the top).
I will be putting flanged M6 nuts either side of the splined pivot to prevent twisting, but this is working fine now.
As a contingency plan I could still use the original shift lever if this doesn't last well - but would prefer the adjustability there is now. I have a couple of spare pivots in case this solution doesn't last well.
Also missing a left threaded lock nut, which I borrowed for a friend's RC51, but will source one from Honda.



Fitted a set of convertibars and now there's no interference with the fairings at all. Positioning is pretty much same as original with wider bars. I'll adjust more later.
For now I've opted to keep the RC51's clutch master and a Brembo RCS 19 brake master. Still on the fence about fitting RC51 kill switch & starter with race style throttle, or leaving with original right side switch gear.
If I change, I'd lose the ability to switch lights on and off. Not something I use usually but if the battery gets flat this is useful. I suppose I could always pull a fuse for the lights in case of emergency.



Still haven't fitted brake lines for the front. I wanted to get the handlebars sorted first, so I can decide on exact routing and line lengths, then buy the components to make them...
That should come soon.
I've used the original cables which just fit. Longer ones I received from convertibars are of the wrong dimensions & lengths and could never work on a VFR, maybe there's something they can do.



I've also bought an NSR250 MC28 swing arm assembly for $200. The eccentric assembly is of same dimensions as the VFR and the brake rotor mounts are same too. Some research shows that the sprocket carrier size is same as an RC30's; in fact pretty much everything is of same dimensions as RC30, except the spacer, which is same as NC30/35, etc. As it's the same sprocket carrier size as the RC30's - this means getting 530 sprockets shouldn't be too difficult, even off the shelf here in Japan. I'm keen to lose the ugly cush drive housing. As RC30, RC45 & NR750 didn't have a cush drive, the VFR doesn't really need it either...



I've also possibly located an underslung kit from Tyga which I can use with parts from the MC28 assembly, in combination with the original VFR750 swing arm &some minor modification. Assuming I'm right, then I'll be able to replace the rear caliper with a muhc prettier gold Brembo 84mm P4 unit.

So once this assembly arrives and I find some time, I'll do some tinkering to see if it will all work in harmony.

I've also been in touch with Dymag and they can make wheels to fit the MC28 hub, so a set of these CA5's will be on the cards in a few months.





Assuming this all comes together, I'll be asking a machinist friend to make me a few small parts including a titanium spacer & shaft lock nuts for the MC28 hub.

 

Nice write up, had to remove the rear caliper on mine, along with the rear hub as I wanted/needed a new rotor. It's typical Honda engineering, pretty cool :thumbsup: I was able to nab a nice donor with a steel line attached, I ended up using the line and the pistons.

Both my Viffers are tip top and running sweet, main thing for me is to ride them more than once a week.

 

Like the way you did the rear sets and the shifter side. Funny, I can see where the old shift lever hit the frame, I have a few of those too, I lengthened my shift lever as I am a fussy person.

 

At 70,000 hard ridden miles, she's been down a couple of times over her life - but the more she ages, the better she gets. I don't mind the scratches on the frame. Not much I can do about them aside from covering with carbon overlay, etc. which I don't want as it'll scratch, etc. :black_eyed:

 

Ditto here, Mine is way better than when I got it 20 years ago too. :thumbsup:

 

noooooooooooooooice :thumbsup:
op2:

 

Question: What's this (highlighted in pic)? Its been years since I've seen a 3rd gen person.



That top clamp is a work of art!

 

Good question. There were jokes back in the day that it was a cup holder. I am curious why its black, mine are colour matched to the bike. Have seen some where they isntalled a volt meter.

 

Thanks guys. The black circular thing is the fuel tap (Which works fine, but I will try not to use it as the tabs eventually break off since they're weak by design).
The top clamp is available for RC51's from Tyga Performance. Since I was fitting RC51 forks, I figured I may as well.... Now both my Hondas have the same triple design (Black on the RC51, Silver on the RC36).
I found out this evening the RC51's triples have less trial than the RC36 originals and bring the wheel back around 10mm.
That figures... Steering should be a little quicker than before!
I don't mind if it shimmies a bit under hard acceleration, as the RC51 does that but is hardly a handful and doesn't need a steering damper either. A little shimmy of the bars is just communication that the front is getting a bit light, is all. I'm looking forward to riding it once all the modifications are completed, but no rush - it's gotta be done right.

On another note, I found out today that an RC30 tank and tail will fit quite easily on the VFR and an RC45 fairing goes on quite easily too!
I won't be doing any such conversions, but it was interesting anyways... If I see an RC30 tank at some point, I might just snap it up.
Would be cool to make an RC30 replica someday, perhaps from a different bike.

 

It's a European model, so perhaps the fuel taps were all black there?

Hmm, you're giving me ideas now... http://www.aemelectronics.com/products/gauges/serial-datastream-gauge

I think I'll leave it as is for now though. :eek-new: