Just got an '01, ??? about bolt-ons

I just purchased my '01 VFR800, it appears to be 100% stock, although I haven't checked the R/R to see if it's been replaced. Judging by the age of the bike and the known problems it's had, it probably has been done already. However, I'm looking for suggestions on your favorite brands, or at least the most popular slip on exhausts, seats, saddlebags, etc. specifically for this bike. This is my first motorcycle and I'm not yet familiar with working on it, but I have worked on Honda cars before and I have friends that can help me in the garage. Any suggestions and comments welcome! Thanks!

 

:welcome: You will find tons of info here and lots of good people. Go with a Sargeant seat, they are the best hands down. I love mine, MUCH better than the stock seat, stock would give me the monkey butt inside 50 miles. If the stock bars aren't your thing, look into a set of Heli-Bars. I have had stock, Gen-Mar bar risers and now these Heli-Bars, which I like the best. It all depends on your riding style which you go with there. Zero Gravity makes good screens. I have the ST (sport touring) Several here have gone with the double bubble.

 

Hey Hondaguy

First off, welcome to the site and if you haven't posted any pics of your ride yet it would be best to do so. Without pics, we never really know, you could be a spy. LOL

On the question of mods. There are a number of aftermarket parts available in some things and fewer in others. I have a 2000 VFR which is the same bike as yours for the most part. If you have a mulitmeter it would be a good idea to check the charging system just to make sure. There are some threads on the site that walk you through checking the system. Here is one such link.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/5th-gene...how-fix-common-regulator-stator-failures.html

I personally purchased a new 18" slip-on exhaust from DelkevicUSA and was very happy with it. Delkevic offers a wide variety of materials (aluminum, carbon fiber and titanium) and they also offer a stubby 13" shorty slip-on. I think the shorty would generally be considered louder than the 18" length. The cost of the Delkevic is hard to beat (likely less than $200 to your door) depending on which model you choose. Delkevic makes a nice quality product and they were great to deal with IMO. If money was no object, I personally think that Staintune winds hands down in the overall sound department. Any slip-on will make a great addtion as far as exhaust note goes and the stock exhaust is brutally heavy (think I shaved about 10 lbs off the bike when I replaced mine)

If you want hard luggage (saddlebags) then about your only choice would be Givi or SW Mototech I believe. I recently purchased a Givi top case mount (they also sell side case only mounts I think) and the fit and finish was really good and all the bolts lined up really well, making installation quite straight forward. Givi has a wide variety of cases so you should be able to find something that works. They sometimes come up on eBay for a bit less than new but overall even the new stuff is not that expensive. If you want soft case saddlebags I'm sure there are huge amounts available to fit your bike.

When it comes to aftermarket seats there are also a few choices. You can take your stock seat to a company that does custom work to motorcycle seats and possibly get your seat custom fitted to your needs. Sergent and Corbin also makes quality aftermarket seats that are direct replacements as well. If I were to choose one of the two, I personally would go for the Sergent seat as I have tried both and find the Sergent seat fits me better. To each his own there.

There are also a myriad of options when it comes to windscreens. The best thing here would be to do a web search and find one you like. Depending on taste, riding style, height etc, everyone will find a particular windscreen is different.

Depending on the mileage of the bike and whether or not you will ride alone or with a passenger you may wnat to consider replacing the rear shock. I think it would be commonly considered that the VFR is fairly softly sprung and if you are going to ride with a passenger you may need, well, more support. Jamie at Daugherty Motorsports is a member of this site and his company offers a few options for rear shock upgrades. I went with his CBR929 upgrade and man, what a difference. My wife and I enjoy riding together and the stiffer shock (also more adjustable than the stock unit) makes the bike handle far better than the stock unit. Just my 2 cents.

Other than that, gas her up, get on the road and ride, and don't forget to keep her shiny side up.

All the best

 

Hey Y2K

The yellow piping on the bike in the front sure adds to the overall look. Nice. I realize that the yellow VFR's are faster (at least so I have been led to believe by certain site members, LOL) but did you really need two 5th gens. I could offer to help you get rid of the spare. Yellow was the color of choice when I went to get a 5th gen but alas I had to settle for the RED.

 

:welcome: to the nuts house. Congratulation
+1 to the above