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5Th Gen Reverse ("gp") Shifter


checksix

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I've been looking for a way to convert my '98 VFR to reverse shift so it would be compatible with my other bike (CBR 600) and spotted this on ebay.

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From the picture it looked like someone took a standard 5th gen rearset and drilled it to accept a shifter and linkage from another bike. For $45 I figured I'd give it a try and see how well it worked.

Installation was pretty easy. With the bike on its centerstand and a block of wood under the rear tire, I popped off the plastic covers on the swingarm ends, unscrewed the nut, and tapped out the pivot bolt using a rubber mallet and two foot length of 5/8" pvc pipe.

I was worried the swingarm would move out of alignment when the bolt was removed and cause trouble when reinstalling, hence the pvc pipe, but nothing moved. I slipped on the new rearset, reinstalled the pivot bolt by using it to push the pvc pipe back out, and torqued the nut to spec. The only fiddly bit was getting the shifter linkage adjusted. There's very little clearance between the ends of the shift rod, the fairing (to the left) , the kickstand nut (below), and the footpeg (to the right). I had to bend the shift rod into a slight "bow" shape, but everything seems to fit.

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So now I can ride both bikes without worrying about shifting the "wrong" way on the "wrong" bike.

I'm curious if anyone recognizes what parts were used here, or if this is the handiwork of someone on this forum?

I would have paid 2x or 3x the price of the ebay item if someone produced this as a product.

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  • Member Contributer

Looks similar to the parts on a VTR1000F. I've been tempted to do something similar, not for the reverse shift but just to get some adjustability to the gear shift position.

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Press down to change to higher gear. Pull up to change to lower gear.

It's "backwards" from the normal street bike shift pattern, but common on track bikes.

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Press down to change to higher gear. Pull up to change to lower gear.

It's "backwards" from the normal street bike shift pattern, but common on track bikes.

Thanks :)

That would confuse me so much. Now i understand why the op wanted to change

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  • Member Contributer

Hey Checksix,

I saw that on ebay. Im glad someone on the forum picked it up! Having just purchased VTR parts I am pretty confident in saying that those are not VTR parts, at least the lever isn't. Very similar, but the VTR lever is aluminum not steel which I think is what yours looks like it's made of. I did a 6 gen rearset conversion a couple years ago so am working on a similar idea. Can't wait to stomp on the lever!

Enjoy the great deal, those are the sweetest!

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