VFR78

I use to be 5’7” but at 72, I’m a fair bit shorter😳. If I had an Africa Twin or KTM Adventure, I’m reasonably sure it would fall over, a lot. RC79 with the low seat is all I can handle, but I do get sore knees and neck. My Viffer now has 115,000kms on it, so maybe I need to find something new.

Doesn’t raising the rear shorten trail.

Surely dropping the rear back to standard would give the effect you’re chasing.

I have predominantly used Dunlop Roadsmart 3s and 4s for the last 100,000 kms on my RC79. I’ve used them on track and for cross continent tours. They are very good and last for about 18,000km, without much shape change. I tried Pirelli Angel GT11s once and was not happy with the way they squared off early. To be honest, I think Michelin, Pirelli, Metzeler, Dunlop, Avon etc. all make good tyres and, for most of us, the difference is marginal.

The Lextek site notes that their headers will not fit, if there is a centre stand on the bike.

I may be wrong, but that looks like a build up of chain lube. If you are using the tacky spray on chain lubes, and don’t regularly degrease in there, it can get pretty nasty. I have never seen it that bad before, and never around the clutch slave cylinder. Clean it all up first, before looking at mucking about with the seals.

Skids, I had a hell of a time undoing that nut. A Ryobi rattle gun did nothing. In the end it was a f$&king long breaker bar, with two of my mates holding the bike steady. I replaced the nut with titanium but, given the two different metals and high torque, it might lead to galling and another problem.

Mine was dry when I took it out. No sign of lubricant. I don’t live in an extreme climate (Sydney) and have never had an issue with chain adjustment. I would leave it clean and dry.

He’d be wide awake, just a bit chilly!

Mine is an RC79 with 105,000 kms. I have to say it is the best bike I have owned.

That sounds like my RC79, before I replaced the CCT. I really could not tell the difference between the old and new tensioner, when out of the bike, but the noise went away after I put the new one in.

I would try a new load of ethanol free fuel first. If the bike was running ok before the last fill, it seems to point to the fuel.

I have the same risers on my bike. The forks are set at oem spec and look the same as yours IE flush.

I think it was simply binding, because most of the oil had drained out and maybe it was bare metal to metal. I managed to get the new one to do the same, before I installed it, but a little bit of a shake freed it up. I replaced the stopper bolt and ran the motor for a few seconds. That freed up the the CCT and it retracted normally. The CCTs don’t seem to have very fine tolerances, so a slight misalignment may have been the issue. The ticking from the rear cylinder bank has now disappeared, but I can’t say that the original CCT had failed. It has similar spring strength to the new one. My guess is it would probably have been OK for another 100,000 kms, just a bit noisy. Just completed a 100km test ride and the red rocket is back to its best.

Sorted!