zRoYz

As the OP originally ask what people think of their front end conversions & I’m probably the only one on the site that has ridden on the most VFR’s with conversions I thought I would try my best to explain differences. When this type of question is asked you read a lot of posts from those that state “I don’t ride hard & my standard front end works great” which unfortunately without wanting to upset anyone who feels that way is like a person living in a box & thinks it’s great because they have never lived anywhere else. Suspension for motorbikes evolves just like everything else & there is the other fact motorbikes are built for a target market to a price point by manufactures so you simply won’t always get great suspension standard with every bike, what you get is adequate suspension. The main purpose of suspension is to keep the tyre firmly planted on the road surface at all times nothing more, but to do so with so many variables is no easy task. Let’s take for example a high end shock the Ohlins TTX which is cutting edge, but since its release Ohlins have changed the internal design for the masses many times. That doesn’t even account for an individual having there suspension tuner do more modifications. The standard VFR suspension say for example the 6th gen has been the same design from factory from 2002-2012> the Ohlins TTX shock hasn't even been out that period & has had many internal revamps. My 6th gen to use as an example front end has had standard forks re valved, RC51 forks, R1 05 forks, CBR1000RR forks with 30mm Ohlins cartridges & now Ohlins FGRT forks with 25mm cartridges. All the fork swaps have had extensive re valving to dial in my preferred feel option. Each fork has worked the way I have wanted them for my preferred feel, but the main difference with all these upgrades has been safety. The difference between the R1 05 forks & the CBR/Ohlins forks is next to nothing & I would still have the R1 forks installed if I hadn’t have sold the bike & then bought it back 2 years later. But to put that into prospective the R1 forks had valving specially designed for me & the VFR setup, none of the valving inside forks was standard R1. The difference is like so, the standard forks have zero remote adjustment rebound/compression so the internal valving has to deal with so many variables you are making compromises by design. They also flex more than USD forks which isn’t major but the effect is noticed the most under hard braking. What is bad about the flex is the heat & wear it causes to internal parts, the more heat & wear the quicker your fork oil is contaminated. Contaminated oil slows response which is what suspension is all about, remember the standard forks have no rebound/compression remote adjustment so you can’t even compensate as the oil starts to get contaminated. This scenario is at its worst with 4th & 5th gens because there forks flex allot more having smaller diameter fork tubes & I have seen so many of these fork internals that bypass oil in a major way past the cartridge shaft seal due to wear from the flex. If your shaft seal leaks oil flow doesn’t flow through valving it squirts out the seal, outcome poor response. RC51 forks are great forks compared to the standard forks but there an old design & there is a trade off with rebound/compression with them. You can’t valve them to get both compression/rebound very close to perfect, the suspension tech will make a compromise between the 2 when valving. You can notice this effect yourself (well I did) one click more compression makes too much difference & until you find a happy medium you’re always going one click up or one click down. The reason this happens is the VFR doesn’t load the front end much at all so you set compression soft to help load the front yet you hit a big bump & there is too much fork travel. The brakes aren’t really any better than the standard VFR brakes as far as callipers & clamping force, the big improvement is fork compression valving. This with the higher rigidity of USD forks (less flex) is what improves braking over the standard forks. R1 forks are cutting edge for their price point & from 04 till 08 haven’t changed that much internally, there very easy to setup for the VFR & there remote rebound/compression adjustments are very precise. The major effect I notice changing to these forks was being able to change direction close to full lean angle mid corner without the bike becoming unsettled at all. That is a major safety improvement if there is a rock etc you didn’t see mid corner. The feel I obtain with these forks I couldn't with standard is the front end bobing up & down as it goes over bumps, but it's only the fork movement I'm feeling the front end stays more or less at the same height, the wheel is following the road surface sending great feed back through the bars. The other added advantage was the radial brakes which can be used to their full because the R1 forks compression is so good & the same rigidity as the RC51 forks. CBR1000RR forks are more or less the same as the R1 but I can only comment on the Ohlins cartridge aspect because I haven’t ridden a VFR with modified standard valving. As mentioned the direction Ohlins has gone with really only 30mm valving available now is sportbike tech which place extreme loads on the front end, which the VFR doesn’t. This type of valving design is high stability under brakes, unfortunately I found due to the VFR not loading the front end like a sportbike I couldn’t gain the feel I prefer form them & my suspension tech did try a number of modifications to try to attain the feel I like. The front end mid corner due to unloading to quickly felt flighty & didn’t matter what rebound remote adjustment I tried on the fly I just didn’t like that valving on the VFR. On my CBR1000RR is another storey there outstanding. The Ohlins (CBR1000RR) FGRT forks I have come with 25mm cartridges (the newer model now has 30mm) & these suit the VFR much better & I now feel there as good if not better than my old R1 setup. The bottom line is response time as you need your forks to keep that contact patch at all times which is a major ask with all the variable road conditions. Remote adjustment rebound/compression on the fly with forks that are more ridged so less heat & wear internal components is everything when the flow rate of fork oil is what creates the response you need to keep that front wheel planted at all times. Just think how your standard forks feel straight after an oil change & then think about keeping that oil in that condition for a longer period & having adjustment to prolong the response as the oil starts to contaminate. Since installing the first USD upgrade (RC51) I haven't had a front end slide, not once, yet with standard forks even with valving & correct springs addressed I had many a slide, that is not in gravel or very lose surface as no tyre can grip if what it's griping to moves. Just for the record my riding style is fast into a corner less throttle out due to lean angle so I need to trust the front end, it's not always the fastest way around a corner but it's what I enjoy the most. Hope I haven’t bored anybody with my speel.

You can't keep the link brakes with F4i forks because the LHS 6th gen caliper mount has the link brake mastercylinder for rear brake & the mount on that fork leg for that system is completely different, you can't really use the 6th gen lower with the F4i because of the compression adjustment adjuster is on the lower F4i fork leg & the reason to upgrade the 6th gen forks with F4i is to gain remote rebound/compression adjustment they have & the 6th gen doesn't. To keep the link brakes & improve the standard forks there are kits aval to add rebound remote adjustment but honestly if you get your 6th gen forks valving & sring rate set up well the only real worth while upgrade is USD forks. Bellow is my 6th gen with CBR1000RR forks, I have sice installed my Ohlins CBR1000RR forks because the 25mm valving they have suits it better than the 30mm Ohlins cartridge kit in the forks in picture (the forks in picture are now installed on my CBR1000RR as the 30mm cartridges suit that bike better). The difference they make with handling & braking is like drinking your fav beer ice cold to the standard forks drinking it boiling hot. These are Ohlins forks on my CBR that are now on above & above now on CBR, the reason for swap is the 30mm valving is for heavy braking & high front end loading, the VFR doesn't load the front end anywhere near as much as a sportbike.

Bellow is my old track bike 4th gen with 6th gen front end, I only used them because I had them from my 6th gen when it was upgraded to USD forks. Due to the LHS fork leg needs the link brake mastercylinder setup there not a good swap, I just filled the master cylinder & sealed it off. Your better off using F4i forks which have the bonus of rebound/compression adjustment. The difference from the standard forks & brakes was worth the change 100 times over & needed it for the track. Bellow is F4i front end I fitted to friends bike, parts were: F4i forks, F4i calipers, F4i master cylinder, F4i guard, 6th gen triple clamps, 6th gen clipons, 6th gen wheel, 6th gen rotors, 6th gen axle.

It was a request I made that Kal is responding to. Yes I know (and imagine Kal does as well) that a range of companies offer kits, but I have access to braided steel hose (and fittings) to measure at a local parts shop and it will probably cost me half as much as a ready made kit... Why pay more?? Your lucky enough to be able to make your own, Seb does too, but in Australia your not allowed to for brake lines as they need what is called ADR certification. If we get pulled over by law enforcement that understands what there looking at you will be defected.

You do know Hel do the kits. http://helperformance.com.au/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=vfr800&x=0&y=0

My steering lock is also alined so works on my gen6 but to use it you really are pushing against the radiator hose needing to squash it & with mine I like the bars more forward so that does limit the forward clearance which just misses dash when triple touches radiator hose. It is less of a problem as have hiss fitted to Australian bikes so a little harder to ride away.

I don't no about the gen5 as haven't bothered looking into it but on a gen6 I wouldn't even bother with steering stops because the radiator hose does that for you more or less as that is what hits at limit of travel & when bike running it is as hard as a rock due to pressure. You can't really use the ignition lock anymore anyway, you can really jam the steering over trying to squash radiator hose to use steering lock but only really works when bike cold. You want to lock your bike carry a rotor lock. Bottom line you crash your bike the same damage will happen with or without steering stops. Gen4 you just drill & tape frame each side of steering stem & use bolt to adjust stop location on the stops already cast into replacement triple (Gen4 you don't remove cast lags on triple).

Oubaa there is a very simple explanation, you change engine oil regularly because of heat & contaminants, fork oil needs to be changed for the same reason. Fork oil heats up & is contaminated in two ways very fine dust particles can pass through the seals & the internal components like the brass alinement bushes & valve stem which are continually under side loading from flex & up/down movement wear. This is why you can find major amounts of sludge within a fork tube.

I more likely to agree it's just cam chain noise, did you do an oil change after swap. Also simply winding the adjusters back & letting them release again works wonders. Also because bike has been sitting awhile before you bought it might just need a good run so everything gets nice & hot & remove any carbon build up etc.

Nah I got it, just been too sick to respond. How does $80 plus shipping sound? Done send me pm with bank details & shipping cost to 2223. Also if you have a rear brake lever in good condition I take that too.

Sent you pm about duct tail, might have been lost with forum update the other day.

Gah, nobody has any link pins in stock. Looks like the swingarm's coming off again. If an x-ring or o-ring you can buy any brand chain link that is that type to replace & even if they order your looking 3 days max so can be the last thing you do as I'm sure there is enough stuff to do until then. But as you have had swing arm off it would be easy to remove again.

What would really set that off would be to get the clutch bolts chromed so they really show up spinning.