what did you do to your vfr today?

New fuel pump. $195 just about killed me, but $26 for a cheapie was not an option. 10 minute install and voila, good to go.

 

YEP spot on.

 

Dammit- I'm in Texas today where the weathers perfect to ride but I-ain't-got-no-motorsickle!

 

Took the red scooter for a 220km ride through the country side.
She went perfectly as always.

 

Made replacement straps for the side cases. Only one strap came with the bike, and it was unraveled on one end.

Used 550 paracord with RWB beads, color matched to bike, for visibility if dropped on the ground.

 

Changed the oil on Friday in the VFR and the VF750 last week, Amsoil pure synthetic. Removed the wind screen on the VFR to clean backside, that was fun.

 

I bit the bullet finally, and performed a brake delink operation over the weekend. I've been accumulating the parts (VTR1000F lowers, CBR600F4i master and front calipers, CBR600F rear master) and while my VFR was off the road it was time to get cracking.

I had already installed VTR1000F fork caps for rebound adjustment, along with damper and spring mods, so swapping the fork legs and fork cartridges over was easy enough, and I re-used the fork seals and bushings as there are all nearly new. I modified the lower brake mounts with a hand file to accept the CBR600F4i calipers, again that was easy enough as I had done the same thing to my VTR1000F; I am using washers between the caliper and fork to space out the calipers to better centre on the discs. The finished fork (VTR lower, VFR cartridge tube and fork tube) ends up 5mm longer than the VFR part.



I would have bought some made-up spacers to fit the VFR mudguard to the VTR forks but that was not available, so I made my own out of aluminium bar, a hacksaw, file and drill. Not pretty, but they worked out well and very solid.



The hardest part of the operation was pulling out the long brake tubes between the steering stem and the rear delay valve. I presume these are factory fitted before the rear subframe, they took a lot of bending and yanking to extract. I have followed the lead of others and kept two brake lines to the back caliper, and bolted these to the CBR600F master cylinder using the double banjo bolt that was on the VFR master. I'm waiting on a new footpeg mount to arrive from Partzilla (bent mine when I crashed on oil recently) so have not yet installed the CBR master and bled the back system up yet.

My CBR600 front brakes came with braided hoses that split at the master, and I was able to install these parts without breaking the lines. I borrowed a couple of brake hose clamps off the VFR system to secure the hoses to the lower leg. The right hose is just long enough but I will be lowering the triples down the leg by 10mm (I had the VFR legs lower by 5mm, and the modified fork is 5mm longer than stock) so that will introduce a little more slack into the brake line.

The picture below shows the new arrangement as I was test fitting the parts before I took the old brakes off.



Some may wonder why I did all of this. Part of it is "because I can" (I have the tinkering affliction) but mainly it is because I have become used to the much superior front brake power on my VTR, which has CBR954 master and calipers and is very well braked. I also have a dislike for the complicated cats-cradle of hoses, secondary MC and delay valves that the standard LBS system has, and can't help wondering about the effect of all that extra unsprung weight on the front end.

I'm looking forward to getting the VFR back on the road and testing the new arrangement!

 

@Cadbury64
Well done I will be doing this next year after we move back to NZ

Just going to go with the Jaws de-linking kit slightly modified for now so I can keep riding due to a proportional valve and a secondary master cylinder full of black rubbery type goop locking the back brake on and a lack of funds for all the parts to do it properly right now

I grew up riding without complicated DCBS and I much prefer un-linked brakes

 

Because I am a fellow cheapskate, I haven't dropped a lot of cash into the de-link; I do love eBay. The CBR6 front brakes came without a lever (but I had a spare off my VTR1000F) but with braided lines and near new OEM pads and were just USD90. I'd have struggled to buy either new pads, or braided lines for that price! The rear master was only USD27. I already had the VTR lowers as I bought a pair of lightly bent forks to extract the rebound adjusters.

 

I am not one of those guys wondering why you did it. High five on building a better bike than the one Honda sold us.

 

I rode it to the premier of Hitting The Apex. Very very good movie. Mark did a great job with this one, as well as his others. Any MotoGP Gaga need to see this. And any Marco Simoncelli fans definitely need to see this. Mark Heals did right by him, BIG TIME!

There are so many good things about this movie. Lots of humor, drama. Excellent photography, great sound. I got lucky being able to see it at AMC Universal Studios theater. Definitely a good cinema!

 

Did you say hi to Duccmann?! :wink: I got a sneak preview of the movie a while back and definitely a must see for any racing fan.

 

No, Duccmonkey is going to a different showing next month.

 

No, I meant being that you went to Universal...

 

Cleaned the rims and changed wheel bearings on my 84 1000R.

 

Weather was great today, took the old girl out and got a lot of positive comments!

 

I was fortunate to get out for a little jaunt today...

 

Got to take em when you can.

 

Replaced worn out turn signal switch on the '07 after 98,700 miles. Of all the maintenance issues I have had (aside from normal wear items) with my VFR, they have all been electrical. I guess commuting along PCH in SoCal does not help, but really Honda... Your mechanical items are amazing, electrical systems, not so much :confusion:

 

Allyance, I know what you mean. Whenever I took my 1984 VF750F out for a spin I would get positive comments. Once a guy in a Ford pickup followed me home to gush that he had one just like it "back in the day."

Too bad it was such a PITA to maintain - cam chains, leaky clutch pushrod seal, fork seals, you name it. Sigh . . .