RossR

Just came across this on ebay. I thought that I would post it in case anyone is looking for one. They are hard to find in good condition and the price is reasonable. https://www.ebay.com/itm/295073004108

Yea! Yea! Mite! Used to visit annually. Not so much now.

Ah! Ha! Good Sir! I have been educated! Some more good Blighty slang to add to my lexicon when I next cross the Pond to mingle with my South London mates. 😃

Click the little black arrow on the right hand side of the Quote and it will take you to "Wot he said".

You summed it up in one statement. Everything else in your post is also very good advice. 👍 As long as people keep on thinking about PULL and LIFT, they will never get it (unless built like the guy in the video that I posted 😄). Once you get the technique it's just a smooth "roll" with the centrestand as the pivot.

I needed to replace a the black band that goes around the case and is held on in the front by the two reflectors. There is no problem removing the reflectors as they are held on by two screws each, and the band that I want to remove is loose on the sides and corner of the case but I am stumped as to how to remove it from the back. E-360 cases have a screw on the inside that hold this band on at the back but the E-52 has no such screws anywhere. Is there anybody who has removed this band who could give me some advice?

My ballroom dance partner is constantly telling me that I have two left feet, so using my left foot to lift the bike is a no-brainer for me 🤪

You have probably heard the joke about how you get to Carnegie Hall. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Absolutely no such thing as a dumb question. Most of us on this forum are happy to help if we can, and forum searches don't always work too good. No, you do not have to lift weights because centrestand technique is precisely that - a technique. I have a 5th gen so I do not know exactly where your lifting handle is. I started riding in the seventies and came back to riding after a decades long hiatus. The first thing that I noticed is that there is too much fashion over function with many modern bikes and I was nervous when using the centrestand despite having heavier bikes in the past. The modern centrestands do not seem to be not as wide as my old CB750 and GS1000E stands ( I could be wrong here as it was a long time ago), and that gives you that 'nervous' feeling when you first bring the stand down. The most important thing is to have the right hand foot of the stand touch the ground before you start lifting the bike. Have a friend stand on the other side to give you confidence in case you feel that the bike is going to topple. At this point the bike should feel very stable. Now reduce the weight on your left foot while holding the lifting handle and put all your weight on your right foot on the stand. If you are a heavy person the bike will almost go back on its own as it pivots on the stand. Do not pull on the handlebars. Your left hand is there only to keep the bars straight. As you apply all your bodyweight to you right foot, pull back on the lifting handle while the bike pivots on the stand and moves backwards with momentum. It is just a light guiding pull, not a Herculean one. To get the bike off the stand I straddle it and push or rock it as I am tall. If you do this a dozen times with a friend on the opposite side you will learn the technique pretty fast. It goes without saying that you have to be on level ground to use the centrestand. Sorry that this is so long winded but without showing you in person the explanation is long. A few videos to help you out' The last video is Max from Traxxion Dynamics suspension...... a Goldwing. Observe how wide the stand is on that bike. That's what makes it very stable. That's what I was referring to in my opening comments. My CBR1100XX has the worst centrestand that I have ever seen....very narrow, on a top heavy bike, yet the lady in the second video has no problem lifting it. It's all about the pivoting technique. One of my favourite youtube channels, and there are tons of other videos on you tube showing you how to put a heavy bike on the centrestand. Hope this helps

They still exist, SERIOUSLY!

I meant that I would be interested in the Convertibars if they do not work for you, not the lines.

Yes, Helibars are a stupid price for what they are. Good marketing, just like Corbin seats. Let as know what your riding experience is with those risers. I had put them into my Watch List on ebay. Better to buy adjustable Convertibars if one is going down that route. I have not seen a single person who regretted buying Convertibars. Can't say the same for Helibars. The only thing is that your outlay is high up front as you do need to change all lines to get the best benefit. They are adjustable 4" up (possibly higher) and 4" back and the angle of clip on is adjustable too. https://www.convertibars.com/product-p/honda-vfr-800-98-99.htm AND, you can adjust the parameters in a few minutes with an Allen key when on the road so you 'tour' or 'track'. Not sure if these have been mentioned before on this thread. Apex clip ons are similar but their clamp is not as good as Convertibars. This was pointed out by a competitive cyclist on another forum who knew something about seat clamps. I think he said that Apex thread into the metal and will eventually fail, whereas Convertibars don't. I can't offer any opinion on that. https://www.apexmfg.com/all-products/apex-clip-ons/apex-3-riser-clip-on-set Windshield trimming may be required with both these.

If you want to see what a real high speed chase with reckless riding is, watch this one by the legendary and infamous Ghost Rider aka Patrik Fürstenhoff.

Thanks. So if they are powder coated definitely not a good idea to use metal polish unless one wants to do it on a very regular basis as it will most likely damage the powder coating/

Very strange behavior indeed.

Here is one more company for you. You can search the forum to see if anybody has used them. https://www.nicecycle.com/Honda-VFR-800-Fairings-s/97.htm This what they claim under the FAQ tab at the bottom All About Quality: We sell and stock only the best motorcycle parts! We use only the highest grade ABS plastic available! Our fairings are individually inspected before shipment, our quality control is unsurpassed. Our fairings are painted by skilled professionals with years of experience. Side by side with OEM you cannot tell them apart. NiceCycle Fairings offer superb fitment; the best in the aftermarket fairing industry. Heatshield insulation is included with all fairings that require it. We do NOT guarantee a direct color match with factory OEM bodywork.

I hope that I never need any assistance from a U.S. cop! Minute 28 on the video, the Fox chopper media moron says "Officers helping the gentleman to comply" It's more like 'Officers attacking him from behind'. I think the bike is a KLR650. I guess the rider has a different concept of adventure than the rest of us.

Hi Terry, Nothing wrong with caring for what you own. Meticulous about caring for your bikes is what I would call it rather than an addiction. I have had exactly the same attitude since childhood. If any part of the bike doesn't look pristine I have to deal with it if possible. It's always such a pleasure to see well cared for items. That's probably why I was so struck by how good looking your bike was. I feel it's even more important then ever now to keep things in good shape, with limited natural resources on their way out. May I ask what you used on the Red VFR's 'natural' rims? I have always been unsure if they have any coating from the factory that I would damage. Just this week a guy at the Honda parts counter recommended a product called Nevr-Dull® for metal. You actually have to use gloves when using it so it probably polishes by a chemical reaction rather than an abrasive one. I acquired a well maintained CBR1100XX last year that needs some cosmetic TLC.

Does your bike live in a showroom. Wow! You really keep it nice looking. The frame, rims and muffler look like new. My Yellow '99 has black wheels and I am almost tempted to strip the paint and polish them when I look at yours. Aftermarket fairings are always going to be a compromise one way or another. That's why I am always on the lookout for used undamaged fairings in my area at a reasonable price.

Ughandhi, Just by chance, I came across this post on the cbrxx.com forum (I have an XX as well as the VFR). Adeyren, the poster is a very friendly and prolific poster on this site as well as he owns a VFR too. Gives you an idea of Auctmarts fairings. https://www.cbrxx.com/threads/auctmart-fairing-install-experience.28103/ You are based in San Diego, so I guess you are in the Navy.

Makes me happy if helps you. We are all kindred spirits.

Many people on this forum have been happy with auctmarts on ebay. They do not have 5th Gen in stock but probably have the moulds for it in China as they used to sell them. They will custom paint for you. https://www.vfrdiscussion.com/index.php?%2Fprofile%2F30461-thebigtea%2F= https://www.ebay.ca/itm/303754167804?amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA0GXNUQg3R4kLFpo%2FdtxSvRDvH3Bkwv%2FcjzeX846uxN%2FYbBaQ1L98G2j%2ByBo7i8L6DGTWMtonyTZ827bIfUjvXgN960a5TOI9yKdgarfmUpZReUU09CkQYU%2BFO8VDzBTq1N01GN6qnbmI9SsTTmLjpHMpxxOhzQWrxh%2BekRraDf5SelD%2FLtZIHDhdhuDx9eHM%2BAb7CoM0IRGDvt7c2nxJ1nyBN3AkIek6rkowbW%2BtaH9qYFkvL5YYvaH0%2BnbsLMkEL69P6V9M1iBuR17mtqkGEfs%3D|tkp%3ABFBM6P_wtrBg&vxp=mtr https://shop.auctmarts.com/ OR If you are willing to spend $$$ a USA company in your home State. they are very open to phone calls. https://www.airtech-streamlining.com/honda-fairings-seats-fenders-parts/VFR8001998-01.htm It all depends on what your riding and your 5th gen is worth to you! I have seen some really crappy ABS fairings from China. AuctMarts and Monster are the only companies that I would trust, based on other peoples reviews. Ebay prices for damaged fairings are just daft! Hope this helps.

I wasn't sure where to post this. Any forum members from Romania? https://kickasstrips.com/2017/03/nordkapp-a-northbound-motorcycle-touring-adventure-by-honda-roadtrip/

Thanks for the input. It seems like the consensus is that it is a practical solution. I had never seen it mentioned on any forum and I am at Pre-School level with regard to this topic, that's why I asked. It seemed like an easy, elegant solution to have an easily reversible situation. especially if one already has steel braided lines on their bike. I watched a novice install these on a Goldwing in under 5 minutes for each side. - Fully in agreement with you. The purpose of new handlebars is to make the bike comfortable, so minor aesthetic changes are unimportant to me. - If there is a hydraulic line shop in your area you do not even have to order online. Addressing your second statement, I don't see any reason why one could not add the extension to the caliper end, but then full bleeding would be required at the caliper. Attaching it to the master cylinder together with the bleeder banjo bolt. virtually eliminates full bleeding at the caliper. It's surprising how many people are intimidated by brake bleeding. I will add to the conversation. Helibars also sells sells extension adapters that bolt on to the master cylinder to give a 40mm extension without adding any extension line. I looked up the company that makes these adapters, and in fact they have a range of nice riser and brake products. These are adapters that can go on to either end to give 30mm-40mm of extra length which is ideal if you are adding the clipon Helibars or just a flat bar. It's not clear to me why one would choose the black CNC milled one over the conventional one other than for looks. The introductory spiel on the webpage is in German so here is the Google Translation: [ Which adapter to use? Universal radial adapter 3cm: This adapter can be used almost anywhere (independent of vehicle manufacturers) and extends the hose by approx. 3cm. It is attached to the master cylinder, distributor or brake caliper with the original banjo bolt with a thread pitch M10x1.0, M10x1.25 or 3/8". The original brake or clutch hose is then attached to the adapter with the enclosed banjo bolt. The slim design is an advantage for radial hand brake cylinders. Overall, this adapter is less conspicuous than the universal adapter. Universal adapter 4cm: This adapter can almost always be used (all vehicle manufacturers) and extends the hose by approx. 4cm. It is attached to the master cylinder, distributor or brake caliper with the original banjo bolt with a thread pitch M10x1.0, M10x1.25 or 3/8". The original brake or clutch hose is then attached to the adapter with the enclosed banjo bolt. Note on radial hand brake cylinders: In the case of the 90° variant, a collision with the tank may occur at maximum steering angle. Rod adapter 3cm: These can be used in many places to extend brake hoses. A thread pitch of M10x1.0 or M10x1.25 is required. Common applications are master brake cylinders with lateral outlet, master cylinder, distributor, transitions between brake hose and steel tube (also in ABS systems), on control units and directly on brake calipers. Special BMW brake and clutch adapters 3cm: Some BMW motorcycles have special fittings made of plastic alloys and with special types of gaskets. There are special adapters for this. Use has only been verified on listed vehicles. The hose outlet is optimized by the 15° outlet angle, so these are technically optimal and can be used quite unobtrusively. In the case of the universal and rod adapters in particular, it must be checked on site which adapter makes the most sense. This is very different due to the different routing of hydraulic lines. If you are unsure about this, we would be happy to receive a photo by e-mail.] Shipped from Germany, the cost is actually less than buying from Helibars (to Canada). As a safety item they have to meet TUV standards so quality is guaranteed. The website. https://voigt-mt.de/Extension-adaptors

Helibars sells an adjustable handlebar kit for many bikes that have tubular bars. They do not recommend removing and replacing OEM lines with longer ones. Instead, they supply a 13cm Line extension with a Bleeder banjo bolt to attach to the master cylinder. They say that little to no bleeding is required with this method. It makes sense to me and would be a lot cheaper and less time consuming than replacing entire lines. Also, this way one can easily revert to OEM setup if wanted. I wondered what you guys with extensive hydraulic hose experience think about this. https://www.helibars.com/comfort/handlebar-risers-adaptors/hydraulic-line-extension-5-1-8-inch-13cm-length/ This is the kind of Helibar that they supply it with. ST1100 that has LBS. https://www.helibars.com/honda/helibars-horizon-multi-axis-adjustable-handlebars-for-honda-st1100/