Ryanme17

I thought the quickshifter was activated by using a pressure switch mounted inside the shift lever mechanism? Having to push a button to quickshift kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the quickshifter only works with the PCIII.

From the website:

Bundling with Power Commander

Each Dynojet Quick Shifter Kit includes instructions and software that activates your Quick Shifter through your Power Commander III USB.

http://www.powercommander.com/powercommander/products/quickshifter/powercommander_quick_shifter.aspx

Do you ever get the feeling that you are thread killer? It's like being the last one picked in a school yard ball game.

Mike,

This thread has died and been resurrected enough times that I'm not sure you've killed it. Each time it's resurrected I reflect back on it after however many months have passed. I am not yet convinced that you might not resurrect this thread yourself with tales of you out riding again. Even if it's only on a closed course at slower speeds.

Though I was uninjured (and therefore can't even begin to imagine what you've gone through these past few months), there were times I almost quit riding, but I am glad now that I stuck it out. I'm not ready to give up on you yet.

Hang in there. It's too soon to talk about riding now, but take it one step at a time. First the bathroom, then the world.

Another year later and I'm 10 times the rider that I used to be. It seems like a lifetime ago that I was so nervous and twitchy after the accident. I'm glad I had people's advice to take it slow and to work on technique. It was that working on technique that made me a better rider.

If I could go back and do it all over again, I would have done a track day sooner. I'm sure that would have made me a more confident (and less twitchy and therefore safer) rider. But hindsight is 20/20, and maybe I needed that time to work on technique before doing a track day. The Lee Parks Course, and going to another TMAC really made a big difference.

Quickshift may be a mod to look at as the bike sees a lot of track days. Is the PCIII not compatible?

Quickshift is PCIII USB compatible.

Sounds good. Question, though. I've been contemplating playing with the gearing a bit (probably a -1 up front). Will this be something that would affect the Power Commander at all? If so, would one be better than the other in handling this?

Mike

No, the Power Commander III changes the bike's fueling map by adding or subtracting fuel at a specific throttle position and RPM. So the gearing won't matter. This may affect the PCV's map by gear feature, however, this is something I am not sure on.

If you aren't going to add autotune, quickshift, or map by gear in the future, then there's really no advantage to paying to get a PCV. It adds a few more RPM positions and has a marginally quicker processor (if I recall correctly), but you should be just fine with the PCIII.

Olive,

In the future please state how long the job will take using 12 oz. beverages as the time unit (e.g - This appears to be a two-beer job )

Rollin

Nah, this is only a one-beer job--And that's assuming you drop at least one screw!

I wonder if I am at fault here, for often railing against how easy it is to drop those stupid screws I may have contributed to the perceived difficulty of this task.

I'm still gonna stand my ground and say a magnetic screwdriver and a little magnet on a stick are essential for this task!

Should we make this a mandatory read before asking an oil-related question?

Curious where you got the aluminum gauges. I have the blue LED backlighting on my 5th gen but the stock gauges.

Thanks,

Primo

I don't know where he got his, but I know that member Throttlepimp does fantastic work and could easily make these. Send him a pm!

+1000. Throttlepimp does a fantastic job for a very good price.

BLS (Larry), a forum member makes peg lowering blocks. They are much less $. Use the factory pegs (which I like), and are extremely well made.

Mine are awesome and I'd post a link if I could but I aint that savvy.

Did a quick edit of one of my photos but they look like this...

You have lowering blocks AND peg feelers?! You are a brave man.

Actually, the length of the bolts on the side fairing really doesn't matter--except the one that sticks up towards the little cowl pieces that cover the fusebox has to be short.

And the wider ones will only fit in the correct spots.

The reason PC's tend to hurt fuel mileage is that VFR's tend to run lean, so to make an improvement, you have to add more fuel.

If the engine was properly fueled there wouldn't be a lean miss, which requires more throttle to make the same power. Cut out some wrist twist, get mileage back. I'd believe in the lean running thing if this engine actually liked to run that way, and it obviously doesn't.

Sure, you CAN use less wrist when it's running properly, but who takes their suddenly smoother engine and responds by riding like a grandma?

And yes, FI VFR's, especially 2000+ models do tend to run on the lean side. They do not run so lean that they are missing, or requiring twice as much throttle to make the same power, but it does affect how smoothly the engine and throttle transitions feel.

I don't understand what you're saying, but now we're way .

PCV cannot, I believe, remove fuel. You're still working off of the factory map, just adding pulse width where it seems best. PCV is not a bad system but it's a rung below a full ECU, which a Megasquirt or Microsquirt is. Like a Micro can drive ignition parts as well as injectors, control fans, etc. It is somewhat limited as far as how many injector drivers it brings to the party but as long as your intake trumpets are synced and the injectors are all at flowing "the same" then it shouldn't be an issue.

What makes me think going to a 'squirt would be better than a PCV is how every story of PCIII or V install reduced fuel economy to get a bike to run right. It shouldn't be that way. I believe best mileage and performance would be found with a fully tune-able system like a 'squirt. I've yet to install one though so big grain of salt here.

But if I were going to the effort of swapping harnesses and ECU's, I'd replace it with something that would let me actually tune the thing, otherwise I'd go PCV and possibly the autotune.

A Power Commander can delete fuel. It adds or deletes a percentage from the factory map.

The reason PC's tend to hurt fuel mileage is that VFR's tend to run lean, so to make an improvement, you have to add more fuel.

1) I know the seat debate rages on continuously, but I'm looking for a seat that's slightly shorter than the stock and that I can ride all day on (I'm getting sick of 10 hour days on the stock seat). I also would like to be able to have a passenger backrest, but that is not completely necessary. I know this all points me towards a Corbin, but I've heard some bad things about Corbins, and was wondering if there are any alternatives.

3) What's the benefit of having a Power Commander? I have a Two Bro's slip on now, but I'm not able to tell if I'm running lean (as opposed to all my carborated bikes which made it rather clear they weren't happy)

4) Are the post '99 mirrors a huge improvement?

I'm a 6th gen guy, so forgive me if my answers are terrible.

1. If you want to buy a new aftermarket seat people generally prefer Sargent seats. This of course depends on your butt, though. Sargent

You can also have your seat re-worked for much less money. Something like this: Spencer

3. The PC also helps with throttle smoothness and transitions. FI bikes just are more touchy when they are too lean, but it is still just as bad on the engine to run lean.

4. The newer mirrors look better to most.

Yeah it is map by gear, but as for how different each gear's map is? Anyone's guess really.

But yeah, I already have the PCV speed sensor rigged up and have previously toyed with different maps and Autotune AFR tables per gear. So I'm all set on that front.

Wouldn't this make it easier to set up map-by-gear on a PCV? Since there is already a speed sensor rigged up?

Isn't the 2006+ ECU also map-by-gear? Or did you already do this with your PCV by rigging up a speed sensor?

Thanks guys, this is great!

P.S. Either you need to set your bike clock, Kaldek, or you make VFR videos WAY too early in the morning! :)

So let's see:

$4 O-ring

$ O-Ring

$8 in gas.

You're $16 in for a throttle lock that doesn't work, and at best will require a lot to roll on and off.

NEP or Vista Cruise cost $20.

Just saying.

The taller gearing will help extend service life of the 520 chain.

Enjoy.

Definitely. As will the fact that you aren't drag racing it, no power wheelies, etc. A 520 won't make your bike explode into a fiery fire ball of fire as soon as you turn the key over. It just won't last as long.

Isn't the stock gearing on 5th gens 17/43? Nothing wrong with lowering a few RPM's at cruise, either.

If all you want is remote preload, I'm sure you can find a used shock off of an ABS bike for cheap.

Having an 800A I can say that remote preload is super nice for riding two up.

I can't believe you were riding around with a headlight that was that hazed. Somebody buy this man a 7th gen!

I've cleared headlights on our last Subaru that looked like that. All I used was a 3M car cleaner wax/paste ($9) and an old shirt.

I've detailed cars for a looong time and I'm rather amazed that people haven't discovered what I have found a number of years before this little kit came out....

You can do this by hand, or with a automotive buffer. Anyone know what this stuff on your headlight is? It's basically oxidation. What do you do when a car has oxidized paint? BUFF it. That's all this kit does is provide a very expensive means to the same end. You can accomplish the very same thing here by hand with a cleaner type wax, a terry cloth and some elbow grease and save the money for something else.

I just did my buddies GS430's lights when he said he wanted this kit...It took me ~2 mins with my buffer, then looked at him and jokingly said "that'll be $20" Just an fyi, give it a go

Buffing works well when there is only a thin layer of haze. For dull headlights you really need to start by removing the outer layer of gunk. It is just fa easier to do this with successive grades of sandpaper finalized by a polishing or rubbing compound.

I am wondering if this my best/lowest cost solution under $500? I know that stock shocks suck. I gave my KLR Showa away and had a custom shock done by Cogent Dynamics. But, since the VFR isn't going offroad, I am hoping that a properly sprung and valved Showa might be OK for my purposes.

Soliciting comments.

This is the most common way to upgrade forks, but because it's so easy to change a shock I don't know of anyone who has done this.

Not sure I would trust a MTB shock builder to do a motorcycle shock. Air shocks are different.

throttlepimp made me both speedo and tach in brushed aluminum for under $40 they look great.

P.S. Anyone recognize the font?

Why don't you just use a tach face from a 2006 model onwards. I mean, they're white!

Because buying a tach face fro mThrottlepimp is way, way easier. And way, way cheaper too!! Throttlepimp's made a bunch of stuff for me over the last few years, and every time I've been more than happy with the work and the price. He cut some decals for my rear window in my truck and they still look brand new 3 years later!

Not only is all white cooler, but you can also get yours customized however you want it!

Sorry about the crappy image quality, I took these with my cell phone for Pacificman.

Throttlepimp made me a white custom tach face for my VFR. It is a very high quality product, the numbers match exactly.

Would you like some pictures?

He is also quite reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend going through him.