just picked up my first interceptor yesterday (its an 04) and was looking for some info on it... like its there anything to watch for problems? also was interested to see what popular mods or upgrades are. Its an all stock bike so far and came with the factory hard bags. so any input or info would be highly appreciated and welcomed
Congratulation and welcome to the VFR nuthouse!!! Just so that you know, you aren't really going to be getting alot more horsepower out of these bikes regardless of what you do to them. These bikes are heavy and were not designed for speed. Most mods for this bike will focus on increasing comfort and/or handling. Before spending big $$$ on mods I would recommend putting your money toward full riding gear if you don't already own some. If you have any money left over you can consider some of the following popular mods. Aftermarket seat - Sargent or Corbin depending on your taste. Your ass will thank you after a couple full day rides. Bar Risers - This will move your stock handles up and back relieving pressure from your wrists. If you like to ride long distances this can really increase your comfort over long periods of time. Throttle Lock / Cruise Control - You can spend around $20 for a simple nylon throttle lock or spend several hundred on a full blown electronic cruise control. I have a cheapo NEP throttle lock ($20) that comes in very handy on full day rides and can be engaged with a simple flick of the thumb. Aftermarket Windscreen - If you are over 6 foot tall you might want to consider and aftermarket touring screen to help with wind resistance and aerodynamics. I have a Zero Gravity double bubble on my bike and it feels much smoother with less wind buffeting. Aftermarket exhaust - Just listen to one of these V4's growling through a set of Staintunes and you'll understand without further explantion. A power commander combined with an O2 sensor eliminators will help smooth the VTEC transition. If spending $700 to $1000 is not in your budget for new pipes you might want to consider a partial or full gut job on your stock cans. I've heard a full gut and thought it sounded amazing. You can do the mod yourself with a few simple tools (drill, dremel, etc.) in a couple of hours. If your pockets are deep you can also spring for some catless headers from a 5th Gen VFR. New Tires - If the bike has stock tires consider putting on a good pair of Michelin, Pirellis, Continentals, Avons, etc. The bike will feel much lighter and will drop into turns much easier. Fender Eliminator - Gives the rear a much cleaner look. The downside to this is that your pipes and rear light will accumulatre much more road grime. You can always compromise and chop the rear fender a bit a get a cleaner look than stock while leaving some protection. If you want to get better acceleration off the line I would recommend changing out your stock sprockets. Either 1 tooth down on the front or 2 teeth up on the rear. Just realize that when changing sprockets in this manner you will be losing speed off the top end and will notice higher RPM's at highway speeds. Your speedometer will also be thrown off even more than it already is which is around 4-7 mph. I've also added DC power outlets on both my bikes. I find them essential for powering my electronic goodies such as phone charger, GPS, camera, etc. I would recommend a weatherproof unit that can be purchased at most marine supply stores and can mounted where you find it most convenient. How about posting some pics of your new girl? Regards, Rollin
that was a huge help. i was looking more to the touring side of the bike instead of the speed (but it is faster than my old hurricane) i like to take out for longer rides so i will have to look into the seat and risers right away along with the new windscreen. what is the mod to the stock cans i was looking on the forum and i must have missed the part about modifying the stock exhaust i would be interested in trying that to tailor the sound a bit more to my taste.. i hope to get some pics of it on soon(need to clean it up from previous owner) so far i have logged 200miles and i am loving how the bike rides. looking forward to many more with it and seeing more states then my home state with it.. thx for the feed back
Welcome to the group. Some things to look out for, 1) VTEC does not engage if eng temp is lower than 150F. 2) VTEC transistions smoother at eng temp above 180F. 3) Don't worry this bike is known to run hot. That is its legacy 4) Prepare to get in trouble with your better half, this bike is addictive. Have fun be safe.
Here is a thread with some useful info on doing a partial gut job on the VFR exhaust. CLICK HERE Here is another CLICK HERE Interested in a full gut? CLICK HERE Regards, Rollin
+1 on the throttle lock, I use Throttlemeisters, you can't see it and they work great, not the cheapest though, around $140. Also be cautious if you want new exhaust cans, some units will not fit with your hard bags, I know for sure my Scorpions DON'T.
well heres a pic of the new ride if the file is not too big to upload if this works i will upload some more pics
She's a beauty! Make sure to take good care of her and she should last you a long long time. The only other problems I can think of that are associated with the VFR are marital problems. Just last weekend my wife yelled "Where the Hell have you been all day" after getting back from an all day ride that was supposed to only last 3 hours. It's just so easy to lose track of time and distance from home when you are having fun on the ole' Viffer. I'm sure you can imagine how pleased she was with me when I came pulling into the driveway with a second VFR on my trailer LOL!!! Regards, Rollin
LOL i got that one covered...... she has an 04 kawi ninja she goes along with so hopefully i dont have any marital probs with that.. the only marital prob i might have is that her GTP in the background of the pic now sits outside to make room for the VFR!!!!
