Terry

The clutch is for some reason the worst thing to bleed, and any sponginess is definitely introduced air. Now that you are a dab hand at removing the slave cylinder, you could try compressing that fully (e.g. using a g-clamp) to push fluid back up to the master. My manual bleed method is to compress the lever fully then release the bleed screw; the clutch springs should then drive piston back and the fluid out. Then close the bleed screw and pump pressure back up with the lever and repeat.

So that is what the storage bins in my ST1300 fairing are for. Plenty of heat to keep snacks warm...

I visited the breaker today; waaay out in the countryside, pretty sure I could hear banjos in the hills... Turns out my old 99 VFR800 (which I sold in 2019) had made its way to a final resting ground there but I was able to track down and acquire the DMr shock and the CBR600F4 forks which hold a set of Gold Valves and proper set of springs, which I had fitted way back when along with a brake delink. They cleaned up nicely and don't appear to have been abused, as did the 8-spoke wheel. I picked up all these bits for US$350... Now I have a dilemma (but a good one). My current 99 has a nice Nitron R3 shock which I think (to be confirmed) will swap over nicely to the 09 and the DMr shock can drop back into the 99; pretty sure the DMr is no bueno for the 09 as there is no room for the fixed reservoir there. I think I will then transfer the springs, cartridge and rebound adjuster from the CBR forks into the 09. I actually like the 09s brakes so while I do also have a spare set of 4-piston callipers and matching master I don't feel an urge to delink. What fun!

The breaker here also has a set of front and rear rims from the VFR800X Crossdresser but moving to the 5-stud rear mount seems a step to far for me.

An 8-spoke just showed up at a local breakers; actually looks just like the rim that was on my old 99 when I sold that a few years back; I bought it for a relatively low sum and will collect it in a few days. I am hoping the rest of the bike might be there, as there were some nice Racetech bits in the fork... Might just get it powder-coated gold to go on my 6th gen...gave that a good run today in the autumn sunshine.

I always replace my ducks when they become excessively sarcastic.

I think other engine interesting configurations have spoilt me, I test rode a GT but it had too much in-line rasp for my tastes, but a decent handler and nice ride position. I have also ridden the NT1100 but that felt a bit vanilla and I was happier when I jumped back onto my ST1300. I am hard to please. I wish Yamaha would do a proper GT version of the MT-10; that engine is magical, smooth, FAST, sounds great, and in spite of reports does not use more fuel than a VFR unless you engage the afterburners frequently. The 17L tank is a limitation as realistically the low fuel light is on at 13L used, compared to the VFR at more like 17L, but the ride position and leg room encourage you to keep going.

I will be taking a close look at the Tiger Sport 800 when they have a demo available locally. I have a few bikes that are 'additional" to my two VFR800s. A Yamaha MT10SP which has a banzai motor, upright ergos and an amazing chassis, but really needs a bigger tank, and you pay the price for the handling with a fairly jarring ride at times. I also have an ageing 2005 ST1300 which is big and heavy but dances well in corners and has all-day ergonomics and a fuel tank to encourage that. The rising price of bike registration here is making me reconsider my many-bikes approach. Hence the interest in the Tiger Sport.

Sounds like you need those heated grips NOW! -8C is a bit serious.

Do you even need to take the throttle tube off? I have installed Oxford Hotgrips on a few bikes and you just wrestle the old grip off, clean the tube, add some adhesive and wrestle the new grip on. If you have to take the throttle tube out, I would loosen the cable adjusters that are on the cables near the grip end, then remove the clamp screws holding the switch pod to the bar. Remove the end weight, remove the brake master clamp then undo the handlebar and lift it off the fork tube and then slip the loose bar out of the throttle assembly. That ought to give enough slack at the throttle. Note there is an internal "peg" inside the switch pod that aligns with a drilling in the bar, and you need enough clearance to wiggle that out first. The other option is to leave the throttle cables as they are at the throttle body but undo the two screws that hold the cable bracket on; with the bracket free, its easy to get the cables off the drum at the TB.

I may be wrong but believe the pulse generator is a single device on the clutch cover i.e. it services all 4 cylinders, so I think you'd rule that out. You've eliminated the ignition so yes that leaves fuel, which you showed to fix the issue. I believe you can get a plug-in test light that is in series with the injector and would show if there is a pulse below 2800 rpm, someone with an osciliscope can probably check that more easily and determine if the injector pulse is generated by the ECU. A bit of dodgy wiring certainly sounds plausible. Good luck.

There's also a dedicated suspension site (not specific to Honda or VFRs). https://45537.activeboard.com/t2540311/honda-shimming/

That looks very nifty! Good news that the holes are just a little too small, much harder to make a too-large hole smaller...

Such a shame; I had a set of XBR pegs on my RF900 some years back and it was a great improvement and I have had thoughts of doing the same on my VFR but have never found a decently priced set.

If you needed it, the masters for the VTR1000SP2, CBR954 and CBR600RR are all 17.46mm diameter. And the VFR800 6th gen also uses the 14mm master. The stock area ratio (slave pistons/master piston) for the 5G front (master to 4 piston) is 16.0, if you connect all 6 pistons that rises to 19.1. A 14mm master brings it back to 18.2 and a 17.46mm master makes it 11.7. A higher ratio value gives more leverage over the pistons and makes them grabbier, or a lower ratio makes for a more wooden feel to the brake but less grabby. Based on these numbers a 14mm master is probably the best compromise to drive all 6 front pistons. For reference the 6th gen VFR front drives 5 pistons (just the left middle is from the rear brake).