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Different Ways To Lighten The Vfr800.


Mikesmini080877

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I would say try the F4 master and see what you think. Honda changed the piston sizes on those brake callipers quite a bit depending on model (even 929 and 954 had different callipers piston and master cylinder sizes). I am using a zx14 nissin radial master cylinder with my 954 brakes (I think they are 954 callipers, not 100% sure though…) and it works quite well. I think it's a 19mm bore… but have also heard 19mm radial master cylinders act more like a 14mm. Anyway… the F4 master might be a little small, but I guess time will tell.

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I'm running that exact same setup with calipers & master cylinder, though my calipers are from @ 929 so one pair of pistons is slightly larger if I recall correctly & the braking is excellent. Looking good.

Regarding the size of the master cylinder, larger = less lever travel & usually less pressure, so less brake. The F4 master is perfect, nice lever travel & as much power as you will ever need with a gentle squeeze.

I prefer that feel, but I always use a full hand to brake. Any stronger & you'd lose the feel & any harder to pull would be hard work when you really need finesse IMHO.

Oh and as this is a lightening thread, FYi I lost just over 4Kg off the front unsprung & 6.5Kg off the rear with my mods to date !

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yay, I have finally finished the brake delink/upgrade. I got hold of the new braided brake lines (venhill brand) and got around to fitting them today and bleeding. the venhill lines are great because you choose the length needed and then the fittings to suit which screw on so there is no chance of getting a kinked or coiled brake line due to the fittings not being crimped at exactly the right angle. brake lever is super firm after bleeding and leaving cable tied to the handgrips for half a day to get the last bit of air out. quick ride around the block and apart from the new factory brake pads being noisy as they bed in to the old discs (decided for now not to fit the chinese discs I bought for it) all seems well. im confident the bike could even do some sort of stoppie now (hehe).

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post-28768-0-24971300-1391408365.jpg

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Nice work! The motorbike shop down the road has the Venhill custom line kit, so I think I'll get them to make/fit new lines from the front master cylinder to the front calipers when I get them to replace the head stem bearings.

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Back to the weight loss topic, I've worked out that by the time I remove the centre stand tomorrow I would have removed 10kgs (22lbs) total off the bike between the exhaust, centre stand, brake delink, slightly lighter battery. I still wouldn't mind a set of non cat converter headers (98-99) if possible or delkevic if I can't find the early ones to rid the bike of a couple more kgs. Can't remove the rear foot peg brackets as the wife hops on the back now and again. Cheers for everyone's opinions.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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That swap is pure theory right now. Doesn't exist. With effort you could install just about any subframe and tail on there. I didn't weigh anything bit changing to an aluminum solo tail knocks major weight off. I did a modified CBR600F4 tail with bare bones parts but all parts had to be modified.

That swap is pure theory right now. Doesn't exist. With effort you could install just about any subframe and tail on there. I didn't weigh anything bit changing to an aluminum solo tail knocks major weight off. I did a modified CBR600F4 tail with bare bones parts but all parts had to be modified.

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Yeah the f4i might be a closer fit for your 5th gen, but what I am saying is that for the 6th gen, the 675 subframe looks to be the best starting point out there for us.

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Yup. I need a new shock and tune, also need to finish selling all my old front end/brake stuff first.

But I have bribed a closed friend of mine with beer, to let me come over and look at his 675 Daytona and get some comparable measurements.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Yup. I need a new shock and tune, also need to finish selling all my old front end/brake stuff first.

But I have bribed a closed friend of mine with beer, to let me come over and look at his 675 Daytona and get some comparable measurements.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found that there really wasn't much market for the front end parts when I took them off my 5th Gen. Didn't want them sitting around and wanted to roll cash back into the bike so sold them pretty cheap.

To be very frank, I don't think loosing a few pounds here and there really make a difference. What is the goal? To have it feel like a CBR...RR? Then that should be the second bike. Unless you go all out like Mohawk and alike, you wont even feel a difference. Start figuring dollar for each pound reduced and you are adding up to the second bike.

I do the work on the bike because I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the look of a stripped down bike. I also appreciate the ease that comes with servicing a bike that has been stripped down to minimalistic parts.

In the long run it all keeps us out of trouble and busy with something we enjoy.

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Yup. I need a new shock and tune, also need to finish selling all my old front end/brake stuff first.

But I have bribed a closed friend of mine with beer, to let me come over and look at his 675 Daytona and get some comparable measurements.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found that there really wasn't much market for the front end parts when I took them off my 5th Gen. Didn't want them sitting around and wanted to roll cash back into the bike so sold them pretty cheap.

To be very frank, I don't think loosing a few pounds here and there really make a difference. What is the goal? To have it feel like a CBR...RR? Then that should be the second bike. Unless you go all out like Mohawk and alike, you wont even feel a difference. Start figuring dollar for each pound reduced and you are adding up to the second bike.

I do the work on the bike because I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the look of a stripped down bike. I also appreciate the ease that comes with servicing a bike that has been stripped down to minimalistic parts.

In the long run it all keeps us out of trouble and busy with something we enjoy.

You would be surprised... Those "a few pounds here and there" actually do add up. I have dropped 60 pounds off of the bike so far and I still haven't even touched the subframe, fairings, lights, fuel tank or swing arm, rear wheel etc yet. Its amazing how much opposition I have been met with over the last 5 years of building this bike from people that think I am spending too much time or money on "just a VFR". You would think that on an actual VFR forum, I wouldn't receive any "just go buy a gixxer" comments. Maybe I just want the V-four sport bike that Honda should be making us right now. Maybe I do not want to ride on a cramped race replica. Maybe I have grown too attached to my VFR to part with it, but I still want better performance. Maybe I have already invested way too much in this bike and don't want to sell it at a huge lose, so I am just going to keep building it into the bike that I actually want.

In all honesty I, like most people on this forum, love my VFR, but could use a little more performance out of it. Also I am a mechanical engineering major, so this is what I am into. I like making things lighter/stronger/faster/better. It is just what I do. I honestly do not see the fun in, "just buying a faster bike", When I am more than capable of building a better sport bike than most manufactures can provide us with, One that is comfortable, has broad power band, large fuel tank with a long range, great wind/weather protection, stability, light weight, great braking and handling and most importantly, A V-FOUR HEART AND SOUND TRACK.

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Yup. I need a new shock and tune, also need to finish selling all my old front end/brake stuff first.

But I have bribed a closed friend of mine with beer, to let me come over and look at his 675 Daytona and get some comparable measurements.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found that there really wasn't much market for the front end parts when I took them off my 5th Gen. Didn't want them sitting around and wanted to roll cash back into the bike so sold them pretty cheap.

To be very frank, I don't think loosing a few pounds here and there really make a difference. What is the goal? To have it feel like a CBR...RR? Then that should be the second bike. Unless you go all out like Mohawk and alike, you wont even feel a difference. Start figuring dollar for each pound reduced and you are adding up to the second bike.

I do the work on the bike because I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the look of a stripped down bike. I also appreciate the ease that comes with servicing a bike that has been stripped down to minimalistic parts.

In the long run it all keeps us out of trouble and busy with something we enjoy.

You would be surprised... Those "a few pounds here and there" actually do add up. I have dropped 60 pounds off of the bike so far and I still haven't even touched the subframe, fairings, lights, fuel tank or swing arm, rear wheel etc yet. Its amazing how much opposition I have been met with over the last 5 years of building this bike from people that think I am spending too much time or money on "just a VFR". You would think that on an actual VFR forum, I wouldn't receive any "just go buy a gixxer" comments. Maybe I just want the V-four sport bike that Honda should be making us right now. Maybe I do not want to ride on a cramped race replica. Maybe I have grown too attached to my VFR to part with it, but I still want better performance. Maybe I have already invested way too much in this bike and don't want to sell it at a huge lose, so I am just going to keep building it into the bike that I actually want.

In all honesty I, like most people on this forum, love my VFR, but could use a little more performance out of it. Also I am a mechanical engineering major, so this is what I am into. I like making things lighter/stronger/faster/better. It is just what I do. I honestly do not see the fun in, "just buying a faster bike", When I am more than capable of building a better sport bike than most manufactures can provide us with, One that is comfortable, has broad power band, large fuel tank with a long range, great wind/weather protection, stability, light weight, great braking and handling and most importantly, A V-FOUR HEART AND SOUND TRACK.

Amazing results so far for sure!!!

Keep it up, you'll prove us all wrong and make us very jealous that our VFR's aren't as light as yours!!! :beer:

That is about equal to a 9 hp gain in weight savings. :cheerleader:

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Traded bikes with my Superhawk friend last Saturday. I will post pics, but they are of the highly squidded nature... lol

Anyways, he is 2003, plus 2 rear 520 sprocket kitted, kn filter, slip ons, jet kit and a race tech suspension etc, to say the least, its a very healthy Superhawk.
He was blown away!!! He said it was "way faster and more responsive, scary good brakes etc". Anyways he is currently trolling the forums for a plus 4 degrees ignition advance plate! lol Also said he has changed his next future bike from an f4i to a sixth gen vfr!

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Yup. I need a new shock and tune, also need to finish selling all my old front end/brake stuff first.

But I have bribed a closed friend of mine with beer, to let me come over and look at his 675 Daytona and get some comparable measurements.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found that there really wasn't much market for the front end parts when I took them off my 5th Gen. Didn't want them sitting around and wanted to roll cash back into the bike so sold them pretty cheap.

To be very frank, I don't think loosing a few pounds here and there really make a difference. What is the goal? To have it feel like a CBR...RR? Then that should be the second bike. Unless you go all out like Mohawk and alike, you wont even feel a difference. Start figuring dollar for each pound reduced and you are adding up to the second bike.

I do the work on the bike because I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the look of a stripped down bike. I also appreciate the ease that comes with servicing a bike that has been stripped down to minimalistic parts.

In the long run it all keeps us out of trouble and busy with something we enjoy.

You would be surprised... Those "a few pounds here and there" actually do add up. I have dropped 60 pounds off of the bike so far and I still haven't even touched the subframe, fairings, lights, fuel tank or swing arm, rear wheel etc yet. Its amazing how much opposition I have been met with over the last 5 years of building this bike from people that think I am spending too much time or money on "just a VFR". You would think that on an actual VFR forum, I wouldn't receive any "just go buy a gixxer" comments. Maybe I just want the V-four sport bike that Honda should be making us right now. Maybe I do not want to ride on a cramped race replica. Maybe I have grown too attached to my VFR to part with it, but I still want better performance. Maybe I have already invested way too much in this bike and don't want to sell it at a huge lose, so I am just going to keep building it into the bike that I actually want.

In all honesty I, like most people on this forum, love my VFR, but could use a little more performance out of it. Also I am a mechanical engineering major, so this is what I am into. I like making things lighter/stronger/faster/better. It is just what I do. I honestly do not see the fun in, "just buying a faster bike", When I am more than capable of building a better sport bike than most manufactures can provide us with, One that is comfortable, has broad power band, large fuel tank with a long range, great wind/weather protection, stability, light weight, great braking and handling and most importantly, A V-FOUR HEART AND SOUND TRACK.

I get we're your coming from and appreciate it. We'll stated.

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  • 1 year later...

...

The subframe is not heavy @ circa 3.5Kg & you might save 1.5-2Kg with an alloy replacement, but only good for racing. If you carry a passenger, don't bother.

I can't agree with that Mr Mohawk as Honda use Al on many bikes that carry pillion. Maybe not so good for full-on touring, 2 up with luggage, but that sort of rider is unlikely to be after saving weight. If designed well, an Al subframe should be fine.

Having said that, the VFR1200 is designed for carrying a fair bit of weight (passenger and luggage I mean) and that has an Al subframe. Just sayin'.

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C

I'd like to correct the impression that VFR800FI linked brakes are inferior. MCN publishes top ten statistics for several measurements. For 60 > 0 mph stopping distances, VFR800FIs are in the top 10 at ~ 108.x ft. Most mc magazines consider numbers around 120 ft. to be great. There have been several instances when I thought I'd be eating the bumper of the emergency-braking vehicle in front of me when I subsequently found that I had several feet to spare.

While these numbers are achieved by experts and I'm positive I'd never achieve them, relatively speaking, I have much confidence in the brakes of my '01 s.

That said this is the latest copy of the MCN tests I could find http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/2012JanPerfIndx.pdf it shows the VFR800Fi as joint 6th ! In the all time braking stakes up to early 2012 ! Go figure.

And living proof that Radial brakes are just fashion items ! :)

I get a good chuckle when I look at that report... 'cause you know the bike that came in 4th? My fat ass 700 pound Valkyrie. Nothing special about the tech on the brakes on that one. The front are classic two pot pin sliders and same for the rear brake. Completely separate system.

I know this thread's a bit old, but I have to agree, the Valkyrie's brakes are certainly not the best. I replaced the calipers on mine with some from an RRW/X FireBlade (same as SP-1 but in silver) which match great to the Valk's 14mm master cylinder and they are now much better, but as standard, that's a surprise. Although...

Long bikes stop in shorter distances. A sports bike's braking distance is limited by its tendency to flip forward. A stoppie may be an impressive stunt, but it limits just how much braking force is possible. Make a bike longer and you can apply much greater braking force as there is far less tendency to tip forward. I'm guessing this is why the Valk rates so highly.

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