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Don't make a simple task complicated, the best thing about tapered roller bearings is they can have more play than standard roller bearings & not overly move due to the seating tapered profile. It's due to this you should only ever hand tighten the top locking rings & only torque the triple clamp nut. What is most important is to remove top triple & re tighten lower locking rings after a few rides just in case the bearing shells you installed had some extra movement to seat correctly. Also don't spare the grease work it into those tapered rollers before install.

All that time to make the lazer (my fav vfr 6th gen exhaust) piping all polished yet few decent rides especially in rain will be covered in grit again. The only hope to try keep clean is also fit a hugger, I gave up trying to keep headers connecting pipes clean after polishing like you have & then also tried jet hot coating that I was told was easier to keep clean, nope.

I'm not going to enter into a flame war so if you read this it's solely my opinion if you don't agree that's fine, but you need to have ridden a VFR with lighter wheels to have an opinion.

OP I would use your standard VFR wheel/rotors with the F4i/vtr forks as it will save allot of $$, swamping to the lighter RC51 wheel or even lighter front forged wheel the effects are so negligible on the VFR it is a total waste of time/money.

My 6th gen was fitted with CBR1000RR Ohlins FGRT forks with modified RC51 front wheel, the RC51 wheel was later replaced with a OZ racing forged wheel which was much lighter. There were zero & I mean zero difference in performance with lighter front wheel on the VFR that I could notice. This is due to bikes overall weight & frame set up, in fact the heavier front wheel supplied better rider front end feel as far as I was concerned & I'm a front end feel rider. Yes there is a gain in power to weight & suspension with lighter unsprung weight, etc but what I'm saying is focusing on the VFR the gain is so unnoticeable the money to spend to achieve it is wasted.  Others may feel differently but I felt fitting a lighter wheel front end was a total waste of time on my 6th gen.

I however just sold my VFR because I purchased BMW S1000RR which I bought with forged lighter wheels & I do notice a major difference between it & the stock wheels same bike but that is a sports bike with totally different frame/geomatry that is based on major loading front end unlike the VFR which is very neutral.

stryker with rearset linkage having each linkage at 90deg to each other is optimal but should work even with less angle. You say even with current pic setup it's not shifting some gears, well to me that gear shaft spline linkage doesn't have enough leverage & also looks weak so your probably getting allot of FLEX with next to no leverage. For example know brands like vortex that use same linkage system lever but on piece billet which would create more leverage so more movement. Vortex sell parts separately & there gear spline linkage for say the CBR1000RR will fit your setup & probably fix the problem you have & it also suits the knuckle you have on the shaft as same as what they use.

This is link to pic of vortex rearsets & you will see the shaft spline linkage https://www.google.com.au/search?q=VORTEX+CBR1000RR+REARSETS+PIC&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&imgil=lBZPWdd-_jjzCM%3A%3BBbAch__9c16UlM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.revzilla.com%252Fproduct%252Fvortex-adjustable-rearsets-honda-cbr1000rr-2008-2015&source=iu&pf=m&fir=lBZPWdd-_jjzCM%3A%2CBbAch__9c16UlM%2C_&usg=__VhBYQ7C2Qhd5H1GJZPzdz55u-Zc%3D&biw=1548&bih=843&ved=0ahUKEwifq96NyPDNAhUGp5QKHRYkA2AQyjcINg&ei=b0SGV9-3A4bO0gSWyIyABg#imgrc=lBZPWdd-_jjzCM%3A

Just maintenance which was overdue but was kicked off when my stator failed, you expect a stator failure at some point & mine lasted 95000kms 12 years so no complaints.

So replaced stator & also R/R, there was nothing wrong with current R/R but didn't have molex plug as wires were straight soldered & had new spare stator & R/R ready for when required, will purchase another set when our $$ better as there are a consumable part on any bike it's always just a matter of time & I'm never going to sell the VFR.

That kicked off me doing valves which I haven't looked at in 60000kms, only exhaust were out & I removed the APE manual cam chain tenioners because there a pathetic design & leak oil, went back to standard. While I was there had injectors cleaned & flow tested not because there were playing up but just for peace of mind with age & 100000kms on the clock & starter valve balance.

While apart cleaned every electrical connection & applied dielectric grease, which I try to do yearly but hadn't done in about 3 years, also changed my geometry a little to test out as want a little more front loading. Then there is new chain & sprockets, old chain still fine but is developing a tight spot so thought why not replace them because the last thing I ever want is to be away & have issues. In the time I have owned my 04 not once have I been riding & it let me down except for the odd puncher so would like to keep it that way.

I would like to do more day rides weekends as most I normally ride with don't do them just the trips away which are to few & far between, but there is the week away PI in november we do & there is also a 2 week trip to TAS in 2017 late feb to early march.

Bugger need a ride to make sure all the work I have just completed on my ride has no problems, but alas just this morning I agreed to go to a bbq with the misses Sunday. I also don't look at this forum as much as I used to so join the ozvfr fb group if you havent already & post rides there, I'm more likely to see them.

Firstly you answered your own question when you expressed everything fine when you give your bike a good thrashing & everything then seems normal. To much putting around commuting under vtec is building up carbon deposits, ride the thing more in vtec even if you stay lower gears in built up areas. More motors have problems because people hardly rev them so bores glaze & carbon builds up. Don't worry about cam chain noise at idle, you will get some clatter even with brand new adjusters at idle, the clutch will also make noise. My vtec has traveled 100000kms & just did valve inspection only exhaust valves were out, the inlet valves were perfect, I wouldn't have even bothered but just felt the need while had bike apart doing other stuff. Also I thrash my bike mercilessly as really never out of vtec due it is my weekend fun I don't commute on it at all, so that is 100000kms of high rpm low gears most of the time in the twisties. My advise is do a cheap tune up go out & thrash your bike for a whole day, it will thank you for it :-)

I'm not a chemical engineer which is about the only person who I would listen to but that person specialty would have to be petroleum products. I have never used an injector cleaning product, mainly because a long time ago a chemical engineer expressed the view there pointless & so many of them actually do nothing & a very small number do more harm than good but that was along time ago. The companies selling them will always express there worth because they wish to sell there products but the simplest solution is run tanks of high end fuel like most 98ron mainly because most have cleaning agents added. But again beware some high end fuel can also do more harm than good. The only sure way to clean injectors for piece of mind is have them ultrasonically cleaned & also include a flow, spray pattern test. The injectors actually have little filter buckets so any real grit should stop there but to much will restrict injector, I just had my injectors done but lucky for me a friend was able to do them so zero cost except for new seals (old seals were fine but replaced them for peace of mind). My injectors were fine before clean so in the end didn't require a clean but bike has 100000kms so thought why not. Unless your bike starts showing symptoms due to fuel delivery I wouldn't bother doing anything.

I use the K&N filter mainly for the ease of the front nut install but I don't torque the filter down just do it up to a resistance I'm happy with, but I have had one leak from o-ring over time & heat cycles. After reading this thread I'm not using them anymore, it is better to be safe than sorry, thanks for posting op.

Trev if lower triple is out of round be very careful as they could dent fork tubes, they may have just been clamped without a fork tube inserted so carefully open them you will prob need to use a large screw driver as a wedge & tape a few times. The F4i axle is from memory about 10mm longer than the vfr axle your trying to use. Fork length with F4i just works again from memory think you want min 500mm from bottom of frame steering head bearing location to center axle.

the vtec valves shims are built into the buckets & there are only a limited number of sizes, unlike the normal valves that just use shims which you can buy more or less any size. the vtec bucket/shim also cost a lot more so if within spec don't touch them.

Joneill, first off, hope you make a speedy recovery. ...couldn't repeat what you said any better after loosing Father, Sister and Son with epilepsy, ALWAYS TELL YOUR FAMILY YOU LOVE THEM. ....live life, and have plenty of both insurances.

nothing more frustrating in this world than losing loved ones to medical problems, duccmann thanks for sharing & may the rest of your family live long life's.

I have replaced my hub assembly, I noticed movement when removing wheel for new tyre. A good check is when bike on center stand grab wheel & try to wiggle you can feel movement if bearings bad, just don't mistake the small amount of movement in shock linkages is the hub. I have a press so removed bearings from hub but due to reason tyre was being changed for trip away I was time limited to fix before trip & couldn't get replacement bearings in time. But lucky for me a mate had a new hub assembly for his 5th gen which is a different part number to the 6th gen but fits the same. There isn't much cost difference buying complete hub & buying the bearings, if you add the time etc to fit bearings the hub replacement is the way to go.

It was an effort to remove hub from bike & axle from hub because of build up of dirt corrosion, the worn bearings had little grease (I added extra grease to replacement hub). It is recommended you also replace the hub nut when replacing mainly due to locking collar you punch down into slot once nut at torque.

Rant engaged................if I had my way every so called professional that sprouts this & that is wrong should be shoot. I'm in my 50's & growing up we didn't need pushbike helmets, we made ball bearing billy carts, we climbed trees, etc & kids weren't dying left right & center. I live in NSW Australia & it is known as the nanny state because we have so many laws idiots have made to protect yourself your lucky your allowed to walk on the streets. The world has changed so much with the insanity of terrorism that no one is really safe so people need to live there life's the way the see fit, not the way authorities tell us to live them because they still haven't worked out they can't protect us from the insanity in the world.

Now as to the op question, you have kids that's great but your still an individual & you need your release from the mundane & if that release is riding a motorbike then if you have a loving family they should understand that. There are zero guarantee's you won't chock on a chicken bone eating a family meal, but on saying that there is a thing called self assessment. I was young when I had my first child (wasn't planned) & at the time I road everywhere like it was a race & I new my will power to curb that was pathetic. I sold my bike & didn't ride for about 10 years until both my kids were old enough to understand dad was doing something he enjoyed, the added bonus was I was also older & the race mentality had changed to thinking about when to really open the throttle, not like my young brain the only throttle position was full bore.

Life these days is a risk, it's just the times we live in, live your life because you only get one go at it.

the only rearsets I know of that you can still buy for 6th gen are sato

VFROZ that is exactly what I said my very first post as lower rad has inlet & outlet fitted to one side tank the flow from that inlet will short cycle mostly missing cooling effect lower rad. I would also think there would be more flow from the circuit with less cooling as water always takes the shortest route even under pressure. Operating temps will tell the story, if better than standard then we can all shut up :-)

HighSideNZ just to be clear I only pointed out the flaw because I know your a perfectionist & I do follow everything you do on your outstanding VFR.

Do a quick look that your temp on dash board is working & reading correct temp, if you have dislodged the temp sensor plug & not reading ecu won't kick in vtec until above 65C

It maybe different but the radiators are side flow so a tank each side, one side inlet, one side outlet normally. Looking at your setup you have a side radiator outlet feed into one side of bottom radiator & that same side also has the outlet back to pump. So wouldn't the flow from this radiator bypass bottom radiator cooling as the tank other side only has one feed from other side mount radiator.

With that set up isn't the flow from clutch side radiator just going to sort cycle aux lower radiator with it's inlet same side as outlet to pump?

Bikes there always something more or new that we think about. If me I would try real hard to find someone with a VFR with upgrade suspension that is close to your weight & if poss test ride, then test ride the other bikes on your list. Go home think about the differences & then you yourself can make an informed decision.

The 5/6th gen wheel is correct due to bearing size as the 4th gen wheel uses a smaller bearing, the 5/6th gen rotors work fine or any rotor that matches there profile. Helibars if you want them again 5/6th gen work or any really with same tube clamping diameter. Brake callipers you can use F4i, RC51, CBR929, CBR 954 there all the same & there would be others as well so plenty of them around, you want a F4i master cylinder mainly to suit the clutch master already on the bike. Axle you want F4i & F4i spacers, the 5/6th gen will work but from memory the F4i axle is just a little longer but can't 100% remember but there dia is same

Will this drama go on...?

http://www.sportal.co.nz/motorsport/news/marc-marquez-fans-to-skip-mugello-due-to-safety-concerns/71fd0e436y6g1vwjzfmp15u5b

I can't believe VR hasn't come to his senses & defused the tension, no flame war so not going to state who's the most to blame, it would be good for the sport if they both sucked some eggs & did what is good for the sport not themselves. I was hoping VR would spit the dummy more & leave motogp as I'm sick of his & his fans crap.

As I'm AUS Stoner has my loyalty & honestly sick of reading about people complaining he isn't a PR machine, his livelihood was racing bikes, not making people happy because he can act like a clown off the bike. He was not impressed with Honda because they wouldn't let him fill in for botboy when injured & felt they didn't utilize him enough at testing, again honesty not PR propaganda. Like everybody who wants to watch racing it would be great for him to come back & there is a good chance he will do some races with duc (if they let him) if he was keen to do some with Honda when botboy injured.

It will be an interesting season with the changes happening.

When I had my CBR1000RR at first I didn't want to fit a rack so bought Kriega back pack which are made for use on bikes, I hated it on my back when riding. I would use a tank bag or tail bag before a back pack, I use the Bagster tank cover with there tank bag that just clips onto tank cover, I like the comfort/protection the tank cover offers & I don't have to worry about marking tank. Friends who use the magnetic tank bags always use a light cloth between tank bag & tank which for me is just another hassle.

The other problem with back pack is if you have leather jacket with built in hump or will ever upgrade to one, it gets in the way of back pack.

'08 Hayabusa with a K6 gsxr 750 fender ;) 4 pot Tokico's.

trying to figure out what to do with the oil cooler - it kisses the front guard under heavy braking - suggesitons?

You shouldn't be bottoming out under heavy braking so you have some set up problems. I have done so many 6th gen fork swaps I can say you require a length of about 510mm from axle centre to bottom lower head stem bearing. Rider sag should be about 35-40mm & oil cooler moved forward about 10mm from standard mounting position. If your forks have been set up for weight etc & bottoming out with above ball park set up then add some compression forks as much as you can increase without effecting handling to much.

Bottom line you need full travel forks with no hard parts touching when that travel required because there will always be a time forks will bottom out like that pot hole you didn't see.

Trev just remember to factor in F4i fork rebuild to suit you & VFR before install, also unknown age seais/oil best to start new service record.