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Hi all, 2003 VFR ABS, 14000 km on the odo, not much maintenance by previous owners, which I correct step by step. A couple months ago I've started adjusting the suspension to my weight and riding parameters. I am ~75 kg or 165 lbs in full gear. 1. I refilled the rear preload adjuster with hydraulic jack fluid, and it works great now, full 38-40 clicks. 2. The road surface quality around here leaves a lot to be desired, potholes, waves and bumps. I've noticed the forks with default preload were bottoming out regularly, so by test riding my favourite twisties and adjusting preload I've stopped at 25% rider sag front and back. This involved almost full-in on front adjusters and a number of clicks in the back in order to achieve a level bike. The rear rebound damping I've set at a half turn out from full in, again by test riding. I like the outcome, the front doesn't bottom out, the entire bike feels firm but well planted on good and not so good paved roads, also surprisingly good on gravel, which I ride quite a lot. I would have compared the suspension feel to a Subaru STI, that was my first thought when I was done with adjustments. 3. I'm generally happy with the suspension setup now, only that I feel a little more rebound damping in the forks would be beneficial. Rear damping is good and the front is more jumpy. I assume the simplest way to higher damping (compression AND rebound) would be with a heavier oil. 4. Honda recommends Pro Honda Suspension Fluid SS-8, what is the weight of this oil? And what heavier weight would you recommend for the fork for my weight in order to dampen their rebound? I will most likely buy Repsol fork oil. Again, I'm satisfied with the fork springs and the rear suspension in general. Thanks!

Got hit from behind & insurance is making you feel some kind of way? Buddy slam dunked your ride out of the parking lot and just perfectly bent your frame? Ship me your entire 8th Gen front end! 😆 I'm looking to convert my beloved 5th gen to a 6th gen triple clamp & 8th gen forks, brakes, wheel & splashguard. You too can partake in my never-ending desire to modify this bike from *barely* this century! Prefer pickup in Houston, TX. Will drive in a ~300 mile radius.

Hey, I've started converting my VFR to a naked bike and saw a front end from a 97' CBR900RR on the norwegian craigslist. I've ordered a top triple tree to convert to handlebars for a VFR800 (Moto-CNC) and so I wonder if those forks will fit the VFR triple tree or if there are minor differences? Any one had any experience with such a front end swap? Also need to relocate my oil cooler to another spot if anyone has done that before and know a neat way to do it. Thanks in advance!

Hello VFRD, Turning this one in a streetfighter, selling some of the stuff, working on adding pictures, prices do not include shipping. Make an offer if my prices are off. Pm me with questions or anything that you might need that I didn't list. You're welcome to pick up locally, Sandwich MA. Headlight, has 2 light scratches, not very visible - 200 Tailight - 100 Factory handle bars - 100 LSL handlebar adapters ST4 - 80 OEM seat cowl, has scuffs and light scratches, can be buffed out - SOLD Passenger handles, RH side has some rash near the hook - SOLD Front stainless braided brake lines - SOLD Vortex front brake lever - SOLD Front calipers - 40 Front master - 25 Front forks with triples, freshly rebuilt by GMD Computrack - 300 Front wheel very small bend on one side with rotors - 120 Saddle bags corbin with frame and working locks, have been painted, but need to be painted again - SOLD Radiator - RH like new aftermarket - 50 (Left side sold) Rear foot pegs - SOLD Helibars, RH slightly bent - SOLD Corbin seat, accepts back rest - SOLD New aftermarket front turn signals - 20 Factory seat, really good shape - SOLD Stock mirrors - 20

Hi, I red few posts about suspension upgrade on Vfr1200 and decide to ask as in new post; I am looking for best curving performance, solo street aggressive ride. What can I get as recommend from someone's experience? P.s. I could noticed that one of the best combination are ohlins shock and cartridge forks nix 30?

Just acquired a 96 4th gen. Possible replacement for a 91 3rd gen that I have been working on. Have some issues with the new one. Picked it up for a "bargain" as it is leaking gas on start up. Hoping to be simple o-ring or float? If this works out, will have VFR with fewer miles and plastics in excelent condition. Just getting a good first assessment before tearing into carbs. Tonight's question: What are these forks capped off with? Flush black plastic? No visible means to remove? My 3rd gen has hex nut caps, and is my understanding that 4th gen should have adjustable pre-load caps.

The 2014 standard VFR 800 does not have any shields for the fork seals. I just added the wrap-around neoprene sleeve protectors. Kind of hard to believe Honda did not provide the ubiquitous plastic shields that protect the 3 inches of exposed fork tube just above the seals? At any rate, I was helping my neighbor change the oil in his 2008 VFR and noticed his bike has the plastic fork seal protectors. Really annoyed Honda would eliminate such a useful and inexpensive part on the 'premium' VFR? It's like asking for problems.....

Hi all, I'm getting to that time of the year, when I get antsy and want to change something on the Viffer... I've had it go down in the trailer, en route to Alabama last February, and haven't gotten around to mending the cracked fairings... so I was thinking, while I'm at it - why not Switch out the forks, breaks etc. for something much better.. I've heard that the 200-2001 RC51 front clip is a good candidate, but has anyone actually done it? Does it require any completely custom fabricated pieces? What to look out for etc.. My forks are fine, but I was just curious if there were other upgrades on the suspension side of things. I was also curious if there are advantages and options to looking at a upgrade/more modern rear shock? Would a late 90's CBRR or early 00's VTR RC51 rear shocks fit? Any advantages? I'm more prone to spirited touring, than track, as far as the riding style goes.. Anyone out there have any first hand experience? much appreciated!

Like the topic states I just sent my order into Jamie for the fork cartridge kit and a 929 rear shock. I'm not worried about the rear shock but the forks will be a whole new adventure. A racer friend of mine will be helping me and he has done some fiddling with forks before so I'm not going in totally unarmed.

Hi, I've been reading the many fork threads for a few days now, but wasn't sure about necro reviving years old threads, so here's my question. I see a few people say the 07 and up CBR600RR is a straight boltup nothing more required, without much other info, like is the length ok? same offset as the vfr? Do you just use the 600 wheel and guard? Wondering as it seems too good to be true with complete fronts available. I am open to other suggestions, but obviously I like simplicity, so nothing too out there, R1 forks are good I hear, but i have no idea about the required parts for those. And yes, after years (literally) of debate, test riding many other bikes, I finally made the decision this will be my last bike, so its time to fix the stuffed front forks, and quite possibly fix or toss the triple clicker penske as well, as I have never been happy with it.

Has anyone tried using VFR1200 triples and forks for their Gen 3-6 front end conversion?Does anyone know of any significant reasons not to use VFR1200 forks and triples on earlier gen VFRs? JZH wisely observed "Most people would say that if no one has ever done a particular VFR mod, there's probably a reason. Oh. Yeah, that does make sense..."In searching and following numerous fork upgrade / fork conversion threads on this and several other websites, it strikes me as odd that no one has mentioned or posted a conversion of earlier Gen VFRs to 7th Gen USD triple clamps and forks. I did see one person [JZH, as quoted above] use VFR1200 triples on his Gen 3, though he did not specify whether he intends to use VFR1200 forks as well. JZH stated pros and cons of VFR triples pretty clearly:Pros:- sturdy upside down configuration- radial brakes- 35mm triple clamp offset [Closer to Gens 4-6 40mm offset than most sportbike USD triple clamp offsets which are 30mm]- Honda steering bearing compatibility- Usable steering stop tabs [With slight modification]Cons:- to use the VFR1200 triples on the RC36 Gen 3, the upper fairing bracket needs to be cut and modified- the lower VFR1200 clamp is an unusual 55mm diameter [Almost all other USD forks use a 54mm bottom clamp]- the upper VFR1200 triple clamp is not a true gull wing like the popular CBR929 upper clamp, so it does not provide extra space to mount handlebars above the triples when using forks shorter than stock.- it's not easy to find VFR1200 triple clampsAnd one more downside I've noticed:- Only the Deluxe Model VFR1200 forks have rebound adjustment

Hello all - After joining with Duc2V4 for a couple weekend rides, then chasing crazybrother, BrianF, tc339, St. Stephen, and RC1237V around the Sierras a couple weekends ago, I am finally facing the need for suspension upgrades to my Gen 5. I've enjoyed about as much research as I can handle, and I'm down to choosing either a Daugherty CBR929RR shock converted for my VFR [$420], or a new Penske or Elka correctly configured [$800-950]. The cost of a purpose-built shock may be justified, even though my VFR is more quality Henckel chef's knife than it is scalpel. Question 1 - does anyone know of a used Penske or Elka for sale? I'd be looking for one already configured for the Gen 5 VFR, knowing I'd still have to have it sprung and valved for my application [I'm 225 lbs all geared up]. It's easy to find used Penske and Elka shocks for other motorcycles, but I checked with Penske, and converting a ZX10R or GSXR shock to VFR spec adds up quickly: $162 for a shock body, $40 for a hose, $95 for an eyebolt, $150 for the service, $100 for a spring, and $45 for bushings = $592 plus the cost of a shock. A new Penske double adjustable shock with remote reservoir, valving, and spring to spec = $950. New Elka = $800. Question 2 - does anyone have contact info for the vfrd group purchase of Elka shocks that happened in the past? I'd like to contact the correct person at Elka to see if they might have remaining stock or would be willing to give me the group price. Anyone interested is welcome to join me in instigating a fresh 2016 vfrd group purchase from Elka. Regarding front suspension, I've reigned in the impulse to consider an R1 fork conversion, and have even managed to temper my desire for better brakes via F4i or VTR forks. I'm saving my sheckels for a pure track bike, so have decided against any front suspension for the VFR that requires triple clamps or more to implement. I emailed Jamie Daugherty asking if his revalve and spring service combined with his rebound upgrade was the equal of his complete cartridge package. On his website, the two approaches seem equivalent - for the revalve/spring/rebound, you send your forks to DMr, but for the cartridge package, he sends it to you, and you install it yourself. I look forward to his feedback. Thanks for any input.

Hi everyone. Getting started with my mods. First up is Axxion AK-20 fork cartridges by Traxxion Dynamics. These "drop-ins" replace all the stock internals. Preload remains adjustable, rebound damping is adjustable (with their caps) and compression damping is set by them according to your weight and intended riding style. I posted lots of pics because I like them when I'm doing a project. Forks removed, cartridge/springs/caps in bin. Loosen, but don't remove the fork caps while the forks are on the bike Unscrew the cap and extend the cap/rod. Loosen the locknut Remove cap Pour out oil and spring/washers. Pump damper rod to help expel oil Remove bolt, crush washer from bottom of fork. One of these was easy, one was stubborn. I used a heat gun (didn't help), then struck it with a centerpunch to get it to move. I used a pipe to get leverage on this tiny wrench Remove the stock cartridge. Remove the dust seal and retaining ring. Separate the slider from the stanchion by banging the oil seal a few times as you pull them apart. It's installed in the slider and you're banging it against the top bushing/back-up ring to free it. Inspect the bushings. they should have a Teflon coating (little on no metal showing) on their sliding surfaces. The copper surface on the smaller bushing above is normal; the Teflon coating is on the inside. My crush washers looked pretty beat. I talked to Traxxion Dynamics and Mike said to replace them or heat until red hot and flatten them. I didn't have new ones around so I flattened them and flipped em over. (No leaks after assembly so far) The instructions say to "file four notches in oil-lock ring" . I thought they meant the silver OEM caps that honda calls "oil lock pieces", but they don't fit the Axxion cartridges. Another call to TD solved this. The oil-lock pieces don't fit because they aren't used. The oil-lock rings are inside the bottom of the forks. They're not removable and rattle around a bit inside. The notches are cut with a file "to improve oil flow". Clean everything and reassemble. Bushings, back up washer and (new) oil seal (I used a seal seating tool, some make one out of PVC pipe), retaining ring. Insert cartridge. Install bolt/crush washer from fork bottom, hand threading until you feel the threads engage smoothly, then wrench. The cartridge holding tool is a square pipe that fits into a square cut out on top of the cartridge. There is a hole at the top to insert a screwdriver to keep it from rotating. Tighten the bottom bolt ( I used the one they supplied) and crush washer. "The bolt is “tight” when it will not turn any more when firm force is applied." Don't use thread-lock. Fill fork with oil to the level spec'd by Traxxion Dynamics. Mine was 125mm. Level is measured with springs out/ fork collapsed. Prime the cartridge by working the tube and cartridge rod up and down. Drop in the supplied bottom washer/omni spring. Thread the lock nut all the way on. This picture was taken AFTER measuring the oil level and THEN inserting the spring/bottom washer. (Traxxion parts order: cartridge, spring, bottom washer, Omni buffer, top washer, preload spacer) The rod holding tool is in place. Place the omni buffer/top washer and preload spacer over this, using the cartridge rod holding tool (knurled outside/internally threaded) to keep the rod extended. Now you have to compress the buffer/washers/spring and get a notched shim tool between the omni buffer tube/top washer and the lock nut. The Traxxion compression tool and shim are quite handy here. I made one out of PVC pipe and two screw drivers for my only previous fork project, but TD's is much easier. You have to compress pretty hard. If you are reinstalling the OEM cartridge, you won't need this. This is what you end up with. Pre-set the cap -back it out all the way, then three turns in- and screw it on until snug. Tighten the lock washer to the cap. Remove the Compression tool/shim and check to see if you have about three turns of +/- adjustment, i.e. you didn't inadvertently turn the adjuster while assembling. Screw the fork cap into the fork tube. Torque it when you get it on the bike. Replace fork guards and dust seals if you haven't already. The Traxxion omni buffers are not really visible in these pictures. They look like black nylon tent stakes. They go inside the springs and below the preload spacers. The top of one with the top and bottom washers is seen here: Again, they do not go inside the preload spacers on the bike.(spring,washer,buffer pointing down into spring,washer,preload spacer,cap) Hope this is helpful. Let me know if I missed anything or something in here doesn't seem right. vfeistr

Hello Everyone, Thought I would share my project with you and hope that you can benefit from some of the things I will be doing. I would also ask that if you have any input or suggestions please feel free to comment. I recently picked up a 1999 VFR800 with only 10,000km for $1400.00. Unfortunately the previous owner laid it down on the left side and then parked it for 9-10 years outside under a BBQ cover. It did start and ran a little rough, I am hoping that a new set of plugs and fuel injector cleaning will help. I was fortunate that a gentleman purchased this from the BBQ cover guy and spent some time going over the bike. He ordered some parts did some cleaning and then did not have time to complete the project. So...to start, the bike needs a lot of TLC: I have already started some of the work listed below and will post pictures following this intro. - The body will require some work, front fairing scraped left side, left signal light needs to be replaced, rear seat cowl cracked and damaged left side, left engine cover has a broken mount and the gas tank has a baseball sized dent. Some body filler, plastic weld, elbow grease and a fresh coat of paint will be needed...I have considered a new set although can't justify $700.00 for the set. - Front and Rear Brake calipers are stiff, so I will do a rebuild or at least strip them down, inspect and reassemble. The brake fluid is dark but not milky or clumpy, will flush all the fluid - The steering stem is a little rough so I will inspect and replace bearings if needed - Front and rear rims are oxidizing and will need to be stripped and powder coated - Front tire needs to be replaced, rear tire is questionable and may replace due to the age...no cracks visible and decent tread.. - Brake rotors do not have any grooves but are colored from pad wear...will try to sand them or use scotch brite pads to shine them up...any suggestions? - Forks have some spot rust on the chrome tubes but it doesn't look like any pitting, forks are not leaking but dust seals are cracked from age will need to be replaced, Fork bottoms are oxidized and need to be repainted - Gauge faces are cloudy from sitting for so long. Will try polishing with headlight restore kit - Radiator hose clamps are rusted - I will replace all of them ..just for looks :-), hoses look OK and just need a good cleaning - Radiator fluid is clean, although it's probably a good idea to flush the system..was considering to remove the water pump to inspect..still undecided - Rear axle and chain tensioner assembly have some corrosion so I will strip and clean the whole assembly while I have it apart Some Parts I already ordered..(wow!! Amazing how the dollars add up) - Mirrors L&R - Gas cap - Brake Pads - Brake and clutch levers - Standard Headlight bulbs - handle grips - full bolt kit for body panels - Zero Gravity double bubble wind screen - Front Wheel bearings and seals - Steering stem bearing and seal kit (All Balls) - Fork seal kit - Gas tank Seals - Battery - Front and Rear tires - Pirelli Diablo - Mightyvac Brake Bleeder - Plastifix (Plastic weld for fairings) - new brake and clutch master cylinders (incl new levers) - new chain - all new brake line seals and new bleeders - new wheel nuts - new nuts for rear sprocket - new axle nut and plastic plug - dust seals for swing arm, dog bone and rear shock - water pump seal - new cush drive rubbers - clutch slave seal kit - new start/stop and headlight / horn switches - new gas tank rubbers - new turn signal and brake bulbs - fork stop clips - fork protectors - all new dust seals for rear hub - new bolts for brake calipers - new spark plugs - complete new decal set for tank, fairings and rear cowl - new gear shift lever and rubber - new coolant reservoir - new clutch slave cylinder - new leather stitched seat cover - new upper front stay (oops, looked like it was bent) - crankcase gasket - new bar ends - new rubber for footpegs - new oil filter - new collars and pin bolts for foot pegs (sliders) - new rear brake switch and rear brake springs - If you have any suggestions or comments please share them

I thought I would share my findings on tinkering with my 5th gen suspension. I bought the bike in well-maintained but totally stock form back in April this year. I fitted a DMr-modified CBR929 shock in May, and then in September I installed new fork springs and compression valve from DMr, plus modified the rebound shims. I'll admit to being a total do-it-yourselfer with this, as I have been messing around with bike suspension since 1983 when I used a number of 20 cent coins to pre-load the fork springs in my CB400N, thus making it the only time in recorded history when one of those bikes increased in value... I had the shock in my VF750F rebuilt by a former racer, and when I got my second VFR700 I really went to town, with a Fox Twin-Clicker, PS springs and newly-invented Catridge Emulators for the forks. I blame Motorcyclist magazine for that, they ran an article on transforming the VF750 that way, so how could I resist? I kept my Suzuki RF900 bone stock for a while but the modification bug was nibbling, and I ended up swapping my stock shock plus cash for a second-hand Ohlins shock from another forum member in Singapore, and then adding 0.95kg/mm springs and Gold Valves. I was ridiculously trusting, mailing my perfectly good shock to a far distant land in the hope that a stranger would send something back, but it worked out well. I had a local suspension expert rebuild the Ohlins (it had been very well used) and it was wonderful. The RF was always a pretty decent handler, but properly set up it was a demon on back roads, always a bit heavy steering but super-stable. So the VFR was a bit of a blank canvas, but there was plenty I liked about it, with great fit and finish, comfy for me in the way the Suzuki wasn't, and in spite of leaping around on tired, stock suspension, a certain "rightness" about the way it handled. The CBR shock has been a good improvement, to the point where when riding the back end works just fades from your awareness. I gave the bearings a good check over and as a credit to PO's they were like new, apart from that I have left the spring set where it came from Jamie on the 3rd position, and have the compression damping set at 1.5 turns out and rebound likewise at 1.5 turns out. The forks have been a different story. The 0.9kg/mm springs are dead-on, I get just the right amount of sag and no bottoming, but I have not been entirely happy with the shim stack as supplied, and hence I have been fiddling (or wasting more time on that bloody bike as my wife might see it...). I've been looking for suspension nirvana where the bike soaks up every bump (even the big beastly ones) without getting kicked up, while maintaining steady composure, and so far I have rebuilt the forks seven times. The good news is that I have the process down to 80 minutes, including cleaning up! For anyone who is interested in these things, here is what I have learned. Firstly, the 5th gen fork uses very similar but not identical damper parts to earlier VFR's, and also to the 6th gen. Although the 6th gen fork is 43mm, it uses the same 20mm damping cartridge size as the 5th gen. Thus the combinations of shims and valve bodies that works well in one model will work just the same in another. This has become apparent as I have worked through changes to the VFR, because the same combination did the same job in my Suzuki RF900 (had I known this I would have swapped them over directly). Similar sized parts are also used in USD forks like the CBR954, so your humble 5th gen forks can damp just as well as fancy upside down forks, albeit without some of their other benefits of stiffness and external adjustability. Secondly, there is a nearly infinite combination of compression and rebound shims that you could use, but in practice if you veer too far away from a "middle-of-the-road" set-up, they don't work nearly as well. The shim selection chart that RaceTech provide (available in the downloads section http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/files/file/219-fork-gold-valve-installation/) is pretty much spot-on when using a high-flow compression valve body such as a Gold Valve. I doubt that you could get similar results from the stock valve body as it is very restrictive to flow, so buying a new part is good value. Thirdly, the compression, rebound and spring rate need to work together. If you use less compression damping, then rebound control becomes more critical, and dive and bottoming are more likely, so you can't really make these changes in isolation. And if you fit stiffer springs, you might need less compression damping and more rebound. As well as the shim stack, there is a fixed orifice in each valve body that provides low-speed damping control and bypasses the shim stack. The 5th and 6th gen rebound pistons flow oil from a small port drilled through the damper rod just above the valve that drains out through the hollow of the shaft. When an adjuster from a VTR or similar is added, the end of the needle is acting on this circuit and allowing fine tuning of the low-speed rebound damping force. The 6th gen looks to have the same setup in the through the hollow shaft of the compression body, but the 5th gen does not, so any aftermarket part needs to have a single small hole (1.3mm) drilled through the wall of the valve body. What the shim selection chart doesn't really convey is how the changes feel to the rider, and what the trade-offs are when you change shims, especially in the compression stack.If you add compression shims, you increase the high speed damping force. This means the fork does not travel as far on a bump, so more of the bump energy is passed through to the chassis. Less work is done by the rebound circuit as it has less spring energy to control. This does provide better feedback and stability, and provides a feeling of "control", but the trade-off is a loss of plushness as there are more jolts felt by the rider. Be careful what you wish for though, because if you use less compression shims you lose high speed compression damping force, which means the wheel travels further through its stroke, and the rebound has more work to do. At an extreme, this is felt as a vagueness or looseness, and a sense of less control, and goes along with more fork dive and reduced stability under brakes. For me the happy medium is to use 2 x 0.15 x 17mm shims in the compression stack, one shim was too loose, and three was too harsh. For the rebound circuit, I ultimately followed the RaceTech set-up as I found the DMr stack as supplied was too light when lighter compression valving was used. So my rebound shim stack on the standard piston now uses 6 x 0.15 x 17 mm shims. I have tried both 5W and 10W oil, and found that the 10W was a bit too firm but provides the best feeling of feedback; on a track I think this would be great, less so on the street. I have also stuck with an oil level of 120mm from the top of the legs, fully compressed with springs out, on the grounds that you don't want to make too many changes at once! So have I found suspension nirvana? Not quite, but having experimented a lot I think I have a better understanding of the gains and losses for each set-up, and I have found what I consider to be the optimum for the VFR. Looking ahead the only other change I could see being useful to a road rider would be to move to a low-friction oil seal, and If the parts could be had cheaply, adding an external rebound adjuster off a CBR or VTR. If I was focussed on track riding (and the VFR might not be the best bike for that) then a switch to a stiffer USD fork and brakes would make sense. Sorry about the lack of photos; I always seem to have a liberal coating of fork oil on my hands when I do these changes.

First off, thanks for this great forum! For those that may recall really old postings from "redshed", I was on a "No VFR" diet, and shooting to get under 200#. Well... I'm still here, mostly lurking, and I have accepted that I am going to ride more often at ~225# than at 190#, so I had better get the bike adjusted to my [ahem] profile.. The bike: 99 VFR with 5,250 miles (garage queen). Stock suspension, No bags, and never ride 2up. My Riding style: Never on the track, I ride for fun, mostly follow the speed limits, and don't push the bike to its limits. I do enjoy spirited riding on rare occasion. I plan trailer the bike to NC this spring, so I will get to see some twisty roads. The problem that I want to solve: At ~240# with gear, the suspension is SOFT and the front dives even under light braking At 15 years old, the suspension needs a refresh, and I want to "do it right" before the NC trip The approach - big bang Since the suspension is 100% untouched and needs to be gone through based on age alone, I figured it is time to do a blitz and rework it all at once. (thanks to BR who's posts educated me that doing front springs alone will leave you unbalanced). I want to catch the mythical beast of correct free sag AND correct rider sag. The plan below was developed based on reading tons of great real world posts from experts here (BaileyRock, Pete McCrary, etc), and reading books. Suggestions / questions welcome. The parts: Rear = picked up a Penske 8983 shock with an 1100# spring. It is used, so l plan to send to Penske for "refresh" Front = Picked up an all balls taper bearing kit for the steering stem (no issue, but while I am "at it" might as well do it all. Not ordered - advice welcome .95 front fork springs (I have no brand loyalty. racetech seems common use, but I'm open to alternatives) Fork re-valve - Race tech type 1 compression - (FMGV S2040) Factory fork seals redline 10wt fork oil While I am at it, I am going to replace the dunlops with the PP2, PR2 combo so loved on this site. If this setup looks good, feel free to add my weight / use case to the "wow" thread as another reference point.

Just had my first ride with the new Jamie Daugherty setup... I bought his CBR600F4 w/mount for the rear, and the fully adjustable front cartridge kit for the forks. I did not want to learn fork internals, so I shipped him my OEM units for him to install the cartridge kit in (plug and play for me). I am very satisfied with the pricing, service, and shipping - I would absolutely recommend his work to anyone. Install notes: FRONT: Get Jamie to install the cartridge kit in your forks, drink beer. Bolt forks back into place - use your service manual! I raised my forks 10mm in the triples REAR: You WILL need to take off the exhaust and undertail tray. Get over it. I didn't want to, and I ended up with a scratched up shock and then had to remove that stuff anyway. Leave the top mount loose so you can angle it as you push the shock into position, then torque mount bolt once its standing in its new home. I trimmed the undertail tray front left corner ahead of the clip, to allow the remote reservoir hose to sit comfortably. I drilled 3 holes through the battery tray to zip-tie the remote reservoir. Works great 1-up, 2-up it is slightly rubbing so I will continue to tweak. Ride report: Wow! It seems that everyone who has upgraded their suspension says it is the best money you can spend - but having only ridden my VFR and Ninja 500, I don't have the experience to know what a good suspension feels like. Now I understand - the ride is slightly more stiff, but you can feel the suspension working to absorb all imperfections on the road and keep the bike planted, and going into corners you have 100% confidence and control. VERY happy so far, it truly feels like a new bike, and more importantly it feels like how the bike should have come from the factory. Update: This install worked fine for 1-up, but for 2-up riding the remote reservoir was juuuust slightly contacting the brake line/chainguard bracket. It probably wasn't a big deal, but a brake line isn't something I want to play around with. I decided to tear down the rear again, take out the undertail tray, and trim the area above where the res was currently mounted so it could sit up higher. If you look closely at the right side of the bracket, you can just see where the res was contacting. Tore down the rear: Undertail tray with the initial cut outline: (I did the whole cut with a Dremel and then cleaned up with a utility knife) Cutting has begun: Cutting complete: Reinstalled and mounted: Removed the front zip tie for a cleaner look, and sealed the strap hole with RTV Complete! Happy to have the install fully completed to my satisfaction - and the bike feels better than ever!

Hello guys, I had a recent post about the front suspension on my 2002 VFR. Even after I had changed the fork springs rate to my 240lb body, the suspension is still not set up right. Every time I go over a bump or a pothole, I am able to feel it. I feel like my front springs are not absorbing the bumps, but they are deflecting. So I am feeling every single bump out there on the road. I also have the preload to 35mm, but for some reason, I had to turn the preload rings al the way out to achieve that. ( I can see all the rings on the adjuster to have 35mm of sag). Also, there is a strange knock that happens every time my front forks has to take a big bump. So, I would like you guys to give me some advice on it. Maybe I didn't put the spacer correctly? I also haven't changed my fork oil as well. But it just seems unusual that my front suspension is deflecting , not absorbing the bumps.

2004 ABS, 40K. All stock, suspension never serviced. Ordered a CBR600 shock from DMs and also want to upgrade the front. Going to order Racetech front springs - I'm 170 no gear and ride aggressive street (shitty streets of Atlanta). In a perfect world I'd get .925 rate but they only offer .90 or .95. Should I go with the stiffer .95s and run 5 weight Maxxima oil? Will probably try raising the rear a little as well. Also this is my first time servicing the front...can someone confirm I have the parts needed and right amounts in my Bike Bandit cart - I've attached pic. Thanks to the instructions on this site I yanked my snorkel, PAIR crap and did the flapper mod today. Sounds beefier. Do I need to use resistors in the 02 sensors now that I've done that or does it not matter? Down the line I'm planning on getting a PCV w/ autotune so from what I've read I'll need to get catless headers from a 98/99 right? And then of course some slip ons. Also going to switch the rear sprocket to a 45. Also attached an interesting pic - one of my low beams was out so I went to replace it and the socket connector looked like this... Thanks for the help in advance-

So I am replacing fork seals and changing out the springs on my 97 VFR, right fork comes apart no problem. Left fork however, is turning into a nightmare. I used an impact wrench with a 6mm hex head bit and managed to strip the head out and the bolt wont budge. I've read that some people need to drill the head off and when you pull the fork apart the the remainder of the bolt should just unscrew from the damper. So those who have done this. What size drill bit? Did you use a hand drill or drill press? Should I just take it to a machine shop? Thanks, Gary

Hello guys, I have combed the threads and read all what I could find regarding swapping the OEM springs for RaceTech fork springs. I am about 180lbs without gear and my ride style isn't aggressive, just plain ol' fun rides (at least, so far), so I got the .90kg/mm spring rated forks. I am only interested in swapping the springs and fork seals at the moment. Now, I am trying to swap the stock springs out but I am really not sure how to go about installing the shorted RaceTech springs. I have read in most places that I need to cut the aluminum pipe that came with the springs to compensate for the deficiency in length, but I do not know exactly how I need to measure it. I found this somewhere on the Web, "So basically I have to measure from top of the spring to the top of the fork tube and subtract that by the fork cap thread length and add 10mm spacer." This bit of info is helpful but not very clear. Can anyone point me in the direction where to find the information needed - unambiguous info - that is. I appreciate it all. Thanks.

I'm rebuilding my suspension both front & rear. My front fork sliders are beat up pretty bad from the road & I'd like to get them refinished. I'm probably going with Lindeman for the fork & shock rebuild, but any ideas on the refinishing? TIA

I've been collecting parts for my suspension and brake upgrade for a few months now and I nearly have everything. Just need some 2" longer SS brake lines but I'm holding off for those since I found out last week I'll be leaving Jan. 18th for another deployment to return August 15th. Love the Navy!! I have my new JDM shock to install also. 2005 Yamaha R1 front end w/ 1k Racetech springs and JDM shock I figure I'd rather spend my last few weeks/days riding than wrenching so it's all going on the shelf until I return. Sucks but what ya gonna do. Until then I squint at my bike and try to vizualized the purdy new front end.