Ghostrider

Wide enough to get stuff in, if that doesn't sound too flippant. I can easily get my DSLR in there, waterproofs, bottle of water/snacks. It really wouldn't be difficult to mod it to open wider...

It was really quite simple. The seat hump pivots on its locating tabs into the rear fairing and is still secured by the Frankenstein bolts. To allow entry, the slot that the seat hump locating tabs normally fit into, were elongated towards the tank. Another slot was cut into the rear of the fairing to allow a simple, generic lock to fix into.

Yep, Corbin Smuggler. Hideously expensive and as rare as unicorn tears. I made my own out of an old spare seat (albeit for a Gen4 but the principle's the same)... 🙂

Thanks for all the replies. I'll look into the R/R first, as that seems to be the first point of concern (again - thankyou Honda). Generally when I get a new bike the first thing I do is clean it. Gets me up close and personal with all the little defects that I missed first time. I know that there is a leak of one of the fork seals so I'll go around it with a seal-mate first. There is a notch in the headbearings (anyone know if the FiW shares headbearings with the FV as I have a set in the garage?). Thanks for the tip about Pau StuartB3502. Now that the reno is done I'll have more time to get out and play. But maybe the NC30 for that... ;o)

I'm sure that there is and had a quick scoot. I just hoped that the 54 pages of questions could be summarised a little 🙂 Charging Rec/Reg I'm sure is the same as the 750 so I'm already on that. Flapper/Pair/snorkel sounds like a good move too. Wondering if the s/s zorst of later models will bolt directly to the earlier ones? That would be handy to know...

Been a while since I've been on here - real life getting in the way (of everything!!) but finally find myself with some more time to myself... and a new bike. I've had my 1997 VFR750 for nearly 25yrs and I'm forever in love with it. But since buying it in the UK and having moved to France, the chances of me successfully registering it are slim to none. Basically because I've modified it (but more on that at another time) so I've had to find another bike - another VFR, infact, but this is a 98. Mssrs Honda seems to have stuck to the old adage of 'if it's not broke then change every single part of it until it behaves almost the same!' I don't know if the FV and FiW share anything but it doesn't look like it so I'm going to have to learn this bike all over again. If there is/are anything that any of you would like to tell me about the RC46 variant - any pearls of wisdom, do's or don'ts, must have's or just nice stories, I'd love to hear them. I've already downloaded the microfiche/owners manual/service manual on here so massive, massive thanks to those who took time to post them up. Equally; if anyone is touring SW France/Pyrenees then shoot me a PM and perhaps we can get a meet. Merci a tous. I'd love to know what the collective mind could bring over the last 24yrs. Pics to follow soon...

97 FV currently on 104,941 - hit the ton Aug 2016. Would normally post a pic but, y'know, photobucket...

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I've given up this evening. Time for a cup of tea and try again tomorrow...

I've got a 16oz 'camping' mallet that I was tapping all around the case with but didn't want to hit it too hard as it's cast alloy. I know that there are a couple of locating dowels in there too...

After 104k the clutch has finally started slipping on my 36/2 Doused the bolts in Plusgas and cracked them off, no problem. Ok, so does anyone know how to get a crankcase off, that has been sitting for 20yrs? I've tried rocking it, shaking it, tapping it and swearing at it - none have worked so far. Is there a technique that I or the Haynes don't know about? The manual says 'lift the crankcase away'... ha!

Nice. Prefer the look of the NC35 wheel as it kinda keeps it all OEM (or, at least, Honda)...

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of it I'm afraid. I think the front looks a bit flabby. The jowels of the the front fairing where the line should be nice and taught from headlamp to bellypan kind of.... sags IMHO - not helped by the side-mounted radiators I suppose. Nowhere near as bad as the Yammy Thunderace/cat but still. And once someone had described to me that the rear panels looked like a scooter, I never quite saw it in the same way again...

I think the truth is that there is no such thing as a bad VFR750/800 - every single one of them have their pro's and con's - so it is always going to come down to personal preference. I've always had a hankering for 3rd/4th gens, the 5th gen is generally regarded as a sportier version and the 6th even more so while the RC24's the purer choice. Some like CBS and FI, some like underseat exhausts.... don't hear so many people say they prefer VTEC but that engine has been around longer than GDC's now so it must be doing something right. If Honda could've done a 1000cc V4 GDC engine, USD forks, underseat exhausts, digi-dash and kept it under 200kg/450lbs we'd still be debating if it was the ultimate model or not...

Bollocks... 5th gens are fine - just de-link the brakes...

Early models of the 5th gen had an abrupt step onto VTEC that was described as 'unsettling'. In a straight line - not so much a problem. On a wet corner? - well, I wouldn't want it. Later models solved the problem so buy as late as you can IMHO...