The Phantom

This made me laugh out loud - for real. Of course, I'm on a train home from the city, so everyone around me was a bit startled. So did you find the issue, Eeen?

1999-2002 R6 tail can be used, you need to cut a bit out of the four subframe legs that bolt to the frame, and re-weld the lugs back on in a slightly different location. The seat fits against the 4th Gen tank as though it was made for it.

Yep the VFR400 wheel is a single nut fitment (like Ducs and Triumphs) and is only 4.5" wide. Your VFRs current rear rim is 5.5" wide, so is the 8-spoker. Good luck with your search!

Nicked = stole

The triangular black panel between the frame and the tank cover, is my guess.

Alan Cathcart tested the Castrol Honda RC45 and the Repsol NSR500 at the end of one season and said it was hard to pick which one was fastest! (from the seat of the pants dyno). Pretty sure they were getting 190 ponies out of the 750 around then. For all their 2-stroke success, HRC were/are undoubtedly the masters of 4-stroke performance.

My 8yo son uses one when racing BMX, he's not enthusiastic about it but understands that it might be a lifesaver... or at least help prevent him having problems later in life caused by childhood injuries. He gets good air - 3-6' from the ground at times - so hitting the deck from that height is not a trivial matter. I've never worn one but surely road bike riding is the one two-wheeled discipline where it would be least noticable? (unlike dirt bikes and bicycles). I'd say the physical side of it is probably more of a barrier to people than the cost? I remember when helmets for skiing and snowboarding appeared, there was a lot of resistance to take-up. I was one who found it hard to justify. Now I wouldn't snowboard without one...

Maybe steering head bearings out of adjustment or worn out?

The bike is looking good. What you do is find the clutch cover on Ebay Motors (i.e. US-based ebay), have it sent directly to Seb, and Bob's your Uncle

Now there's a man who appreciates a good V4.

I used to think the 4th Gen would become 'the' collectable VFR, but I actually agree with the article regarding the 1st/2nd Gen. Personally I'd go 2nd Gen for the 17" wheels, but the thing with collectibles is that it's not always about outright performance. For anyone who owns a 1st/2nd Gen - start tracking down the original bits now if you've got aftermarket kit on it. Collectors will always pay a premium for the bike that is totally original, or at least has the original bits in a box accompanying the bike (same goes for cars).

Looks like stock kit to me.

Looking good Andreas!

Agreed, Stoner started in 2006 on the LCR Honda, and in rookie year on a second tier bike he took a pole and very nearly a win. Had he started on the Repsol Honda in 2006, with - for purposes of equalisation - someone like Valentino Rossi working behind the scenes as a test rider, and Rossi's old crew working for Stoner - how many titles and records might he now hold? All due respect to Marquez, but it's certainly a combination of talents both on and off the bike that have seen him do what he has done.

I think this is a labour of love :) The rear hub may need to come out of the swingarm - even VFRs that haven't gone into rivers can have corrosion problems here. If your footpegs are going to be very difficult to restore, you could replace them - 1996 and earier CBR900RR footpegs bolt on, as do 2007-2008 R1 footpegs.

Bumped, for CornerCarver and Mohawk. You're welcome

Great job!

Just a typical Dutch dyno graph... you can even see flying elephants if you look at it long enough.

Well put. And to add to that - Abraham, Hayden, Laverty, and Miller will all be on more or less the same machinery. So we'll see who is actually a fast guy out of that lot. I'd expect Abraham and Hayden to run closer to the top ten than they have, and Laverty and Miller to be well in the top ten. Hayden may surprise if he is physically 100%, I'm a bit worried about that and would hate to see him retire due to past injuries. It was hard to see Spies and Vermeulen depart for that reason. I am most interested in seeing how Loris Baz goes on the Forward Yamaha (basically what the Tech3 team will be running), and his team mate Bradl might also go well on the same bike. I've been a Baz fan for a few years now and I think he's just starting to hit his stride as a racer.

Aww I like Karel... he seems to be the sort of guy who can smile no matter how bad a day he's had. Of course we'd all be like that if we never had to wonder about where our next meal was coming from... (but really I do like him, he is fast enough to be there, albeit as a backmarker)

On a 4th Gen I have had good success in reaching the rear downpipe bolts at the head with a bunch of 1/4" drive extensions and one uni-joint. I've also removed swingarms without special tools - I made a large hex-head key by finding a bolt that fit the hex, and bending it at 90 degrees, and I used a hammer and large screwdriver to undo the castellated locknut (which I removed without damaging it). Once I had the locknut off it was easy to take an old socket and cut it up with an anglegrinder to make a tool for re-fitting it.

I posted to OzVFR, no bites yet. Coming up to $Xmas could be a problem for some. There is a very good candidate 5th Gen clutch cover on ebay motors at the moment... about as cheap as they come.

No worries. Given what he's done to one of his 5th Gens, I daresay you and he will get along fine

VFRD member Luigi is in Italy.

Hi Brad, sorry to hear about the dooring but sounds like it worked out as well as it could have. Great review. This VFR is interesting me a lot more than any others have since 1998...