NEW (to me) 1998 VFR

Hi folks, this is my first post.

I just bought a 1998 vfr800fi with 14.5K miles on it. Everything seems tight and the bike rides really nice. I just made a 300 mile trip with it and I noticed that the right fork seal is leaking. Does anyone know how big of a job this is to change? Also, half of my trip was in the rain. I was on dirt for about 5 miles too. When I got on the bike again yesterday, it was really crusty with sand and road grime. I just just hear the dirt moving through the brakes and such. Is there a good way to get the crud out?

And finally, I am looking or some good riding gear. Most of my time will be spent tooling around town with a few longer juants thrown in there for good measure. Can anyone reccomend some good gear that won't break the bank?

Thanks a bunch,
Steve

 

Welcome to the board, Striven! There are lots of guys here that can tell you about the fork seals, I would but I have a man to do that dirty work for me.

We have a pretty good section for riding gear, I suggest that you check out that area of the board for reviews. The most recent addition to my gear is Cortech Accelerator 2 gloves - they were around 60 dollars before my discount, and well worth it IMO.

 

Just rinse the bike off with lots of water before you take the sponge to it. That will get most of the grit off & prevent scratching. I lived on a dirt road for 18 month in SC & this necessitated a wash every 3rd day. It's worth it to keep your bike looking it's best.

The fork needs to come off the bike to replace the seal so you might as well get some better springs & gold valves since the OEM Honda parts are not the best performing ones out there. If you're handy with tools, this should be a pretty easy thing for you to do. If not, let a pro do it.

As far as riding gear, check out:
Apparel Reviews - VFRworld
I've reveiwed just about every piece of riding gear I own.

I'm not trying to ignore your question but to answer your question, I must ask you several questions first.
1) Where do you live? Your climate has a large impact on which gear is correct for you.
2) What kind of riding do you intend to do? I have gear for EVERYTHING I could possibly do on my VFR. The only thing I'm missing are full on race boots.
3) How much are you willing to spend? $100? $500? $1500?
4) What's your build? Short & fat? Tall & skinny?
5) What do you have now?
6) How much gear do you want? Are you happy in a jacket & normal jeans or do you want to be armored from head to toe?

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Thanks for the advice on the front end.
I am 5'9, about 170.

Most of my riding will be pretty casual, but i do want some protection. i am not a speed demon. i already have an agv bolt helmet and agv sport kevlar/leather gloves. i'll be in the market for a new helmet next year. i live in MN, so the weather varies widely from day to day. i need something that can keep me warm and dry for the most part. I'd rather be too hot than too cold. i was looking at the icon textile merc team stage 3 jacket but i'm not sure how much wind/cold protection it would offer. I also liked the
JR Rasp jacket. The AGV Pulsar and Torino jackets are my favorites, though a little more pricey than i would like.

 

MN can get pretty cold... have you checked out the offerings from tour master / cortech?

Tour Master / Cortech

 

Check out the First Gear TPG system. Seems to be a good choice for your climate. It is VERY pricey but good stuff usually is.

TPG System Explanation

I also like & am very satisfied with my Tourmaster Transition Jacket & Caliber Pants.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2: