New 5th Gen owner with suspension questions

Hello everyone. I bought a '99 VFR in the summer and have been lurking around here reading everything I can about what to do with my rear suspension. The previous owner put Racetech springs (1.0 kg/mm) and Racetech gold valves in the front last year along with 5w fork oil. I'm 230 without gear and find the back end doesn't feel planted. I rode a buddies 6th gen back to back with mine and his gives me way more confidence in the corners, and I know it's stock front and back. I'd like to ride the way it is for the next month or two and do something about it once the snow starts to fly.

I'm not taking the bike to the track, mainly using it for commuting to work, bombing around weeknights and weekends and for weekend trips up to eight hours a day in the saddle. I've read so many different things that I have more questions than answers. At first I thought I'd pickup a 929 shock with a sized spring and drop it in. I saw tons of posts about Daugherty Motorsports rebuilding 929 shocks and thought that would be the way to go. Then I saw a bunch of posts with people saying the reservoir on the 929 shock heats up on longer rides and the shock loses it's advantages. 6th gen riders tend to go with F4i shocks instead. Is that a better option for 5th gens as well? I like the ability to move the reservoir away from the exhaust. I went into a local shop to price a chain and sprockets and the guy there suggested rebuilding the existing shock. I wouldn't have the settings for rebound and compression, but he figured most people would set it up and forget about it. If I can get my wife on the back, I can probably get away with just adding some air to the rear tire since I wouldn't be riding it very hard anyway.

I think it's running rich as well. Smells like gas more than I think it should (my buddy feels the same way after following my on our last ride) and burps/backfires when letting off the throttle. I don't know if the previous owner did the PAIR and flapper valve mod. Would that make it run rich? Would a power commander help? I plan to pull it apart over the winter to check the valves and see what's up inside.

I love the bike though. Coming from a V-Strom 650, it is so much more fun to ride. Reminds me of my first bike (YZF-600r) but with more power and more grins per mile.

Before anyway has a chance to say anything, here's a pick (if it worked) before I put helibars and BLS lowering blocks on. That combination is amazing. I thought I would like the helibars more, but I think the lowering blocks actually make more of a difference.

 

Hey Munster

I installed a 929 shock from Daugherty Motorsports earlier this year and have put about 9000 km's on it since doing the upgrade and the difference is amazing. The shock is installed with the remote reservoir pointing forward and to the left side of the bike and I have had no problems with it at all. I have frequently done more than 400 km's in a day with myself and my wife on the back and the rear suspension never feels worse no matter how long the ride. When my wife is on the back with me, all I do is increase the pre-load a couple of clicks (though sometimes I forget) and then turn it back down when we return. I weigh in at about 180 lbs and my wife is 135 lbs. The bike no longer has a mushy feeling and even my wife says that the bike seems far more planted and secure in the corners and more compliant on bumpier roads.

Just a little food for thought, Jamie at Daugherty Motorsports also suggested to me that he could rebuild and re-spring my existing shock, though I chose to go with the 929 shock instead. I would not hesitate at all to recommend Jamie and I would suggest either sending him a PM or emailing him directly and see what he suggests. Jamie is both very knowledgeable and, from my own personal experience, a great guy to deal with and very helpful.

 

Thanks zoom-zoom, that answers my questions. I'd been leaning towards the 929 rebuild from Daugherty Motorsports anyway, so I'll shoot Jamie an email. It makes more sense to me to get a shock with more adjustments rebuilt rather than the stock one.

What level of rebuilt 929 did you get? Stock CBR, mid-grade or premium. I doubt the premium is worth it for me. I guess Jamie can probably help me with the options too, but it's nice to hear what other people are using and how they find it.

Thanks,
Steve.

 

Hey Munster

I actually went with the premium upgrade and Jamie sourced and supplied the 929 rear shock for me. This was the most expensive option but I figured for the extra money, I would have a shock that not only I could adjust, but if I ever sold the bike (not very likely, but heh, anything is possible) the new owner would better be able to adjust the suspension to suit another rider. As I recall, Jamie had suggested the mid-grade option, but I decided to go all out on the off chance I ever sold the bike, so if you plan on keeping the bike I'm sure the mid-grade option would work just as well and cost a bit less. Even my son (5 years) likes the shock better, though I think it is more a visual thing for him LOL

I also installed the rear shock with the remote reservoir facing forward and to the left so it is away from the exhaust header collector on the right side of the bike. This does put the reservoir closer to the rear cylinder bank, but I have not noticed a difference of any kind with the shock after a day on the bike. My longest ride with my wife in one day was about 650 km's and at the time the ambient temp was around 35*C and the bike was running at mostly 99*C during the ride.

I did a write up on the install if you want to take a look. Here is the link and let me know if you have any questions.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/mechanic...br929-jamie-daugherty-rear-shock-upgrade.html

 

Thanks again zoom-zoom. Just from my reading and browsing Jamie's website, I was thinking the mid-grade option makes the most sense for me too. But it's only $60 more for the premium setup, so I kind of feel the same way. If I'm spending that much, why not put the extra $60 in and never have any regrets about being cheap down the road. Although my reasoning was more that I could put the stock shock back on to sell the bike and either move the 929 to something else or sell it separately. I'm pretty sure I'm keeping this bike for a long time though. I've bought and sold four bikes in the last four years and nothing has been remotely close to the VFR for my needs. My wife of course doesn't believe me, but this is the first bike I've started modifying because I want to keep it. The others just didn't have the appeal that the VFR does.

I read your write-up a few weeks ago and it was one of the things that kind of pushed me towards Jamie. It's a bit similar to my situation. My wife and I always wanted to ride, so we finally decided to get our licenses about 7 years ago. Almost immediately she got pregnant and had to put off her riding plans. We've now got 4 and 6 year old daughters who both really like the VFR and can't wait to be old enough to ride with me. Unfortunately my wife wrecked our first bike and her collarbone the second year she was riding. She was out for her first ride of the season trying to decide if the bike was too heavy for her. We had a Yamaha YZF-600r for three years and I loved the bike, but it was heavy for her. I said to try it out for one short ride at the start of her second season and if it was too big, we'd sell it and get a 250. With little kids, two bikes makes no sense and I didn't mind the idea of riding a 250 for a couple of years if it meant getting her riding more. After about 20 minutes she came by the house while I was standing in the driveway, turned the corner in front of me, went too wide and clipped the curb sending her over the top and luckily onto the grass. The impact broke her collarbone though. I fixed the bike up, sold it and grabbed a 250 hoping to get her back on so she wasn't spooked for the rest of her life. Didn't have any luck though. Bought a V-Strom, didn't like it and got what I should have bought instead, the VFR. I still haven't got her on the back of it though, but I think I'm finally wearing her down. I know she wants to go, she just can't get over the mental part. Her arm still goes numb when she holds it out in front of her (like when she would be riding), so she has a constant reminder of the accident. I just have to get her over the fear of making the kids orphans. You can't think like that or you'll never do anything.

Thanks for the feedback and the write-up.
Steve.

 

Hey Steve

Really sorry to hear about your wife's mishap, and I can certainly say that I have suffered the same feeling. I got forced off the road by a kid in a Honda Accord a number of years ago. Kid crossed the center line in a series of corners and I had to dive to the ditch to avoid a head on with. Made it past him, just barely, but was unable to lean the bike fast enough to avoid the sandy gravel on the edge of the road and down I went. Over the bars, face first into a cliff face. Broke 4 ribs in the process. To this day, I still get a little nervous when I see cars crossing the center lane, though I think it's more because I fear for what might happen to the person coming the other way and hoping no one else suffers the same fate. I didn't want to give up on riding though, so I soldiered on and feel better about riding and honestly think that I am that much more aware.

When my wife became pregnant with my son, I decided to sell my beloved VFR (a 97) as I was sure that I would not get much riding in once the baby was born. I can not say I regretted the decision, as I had an immediate buyer and the last thing I wanted was to leave the bike unused and collecting dust in the corner of the garage. Bikes, like cars, are meant to be used I think, and I thought that the next guy would enjoy the bike as much as I did.

About three years ago I came across a 2000 VFR800 in great condition at a local car dealer and they made me an offer I could not refuse, so after discussing it with my wife, I brought the new bike home. Liam, my son, would probably never forgive me at this point if I were to sell the bike so........ My son is now 5 and he absolutely loves going for short rides on the bike with me. He has full gear, and we generally go back and forth to places like the park in town near where we live. He really loves his "Daddy and Me Time", as he calls it, and when he outgrows his gear, it will just in time for his sister to want to give biking a try. My wife used to ride as well but has a problem with her right wrist going numb when she rides (carpal tunnel maybe) so she usually stays home while my son and I get to have all the fun. My wife is always joking about "What happens when our daughter is old enough to ride and she wants to go as well?" Well, that will be a bridge to cross when we get there. Hmmmm, wonder if you could get a side car for the VFR.............. On second thought, mmmmm, NO, that would just look ridiculous. My wife would apparently be happy with a Canam Spyder RT, since she tried riding one at a demo day once and said she really liked it because there was next to no pressure on her wrist and it was really comfortable.

 

Can-Am's are pretty cool, but this might work for you too..

First home build Honda VFR RC36 Sidecar Rig - YouTube

 

Hey vfrcapn

Ok, I admit it. That does look pretty cool. Still not sure if I would want a sidecar but I bet my three year old daughter would definitely be willing to give that a try. She would do just about anything at this point to go for a ride with my son and I, and one of these would definitely give her a seat. Think my wife would still prefer the Canam though.

 

That customization to attach the sidecar looks pretty complicated, especially the front wheel??