NC24 tires and suspension upgrades?

[bobbydebit]

Hello.

have any other nc24 owners out there found a creative way to get around the poor tire selection (swapping in a different front wheel maybe?)
And also the front suspension (ie; front fork swap from an f2/f3 or what have you)

I love my little vfr.
I just got back in the door from a ride through the twisties from Vancouver to whistler and back.
I was able to keep up with my friends on 1000's without any trouble, but I would be over the moon happy if I had more of a contact patch with the front rubber, and a more solid front suspension.

Thanks for any input :)

Cheers.

[Neosophist]

Hello.

have any other nc24 owners out there found a creative way to get around the poor tire selection (swapping in a different front wheel maybe?)
And also the front suspension (ie; front fork swap from an f2/f3 or what have you)

I love my little vfr.
I just got back in the door from a ride through the twisties from Vancouver to whistler and back.
I was able to keep up with my friends on 1000's without any trouble, but I would be over the moon happy if I had more of a contact patch with the front rubber, and a more solid front suspension.

Thanks for any input :)

Cheers.

Honestly, cheapest and easiest way would be to ditch the bike and get an NC30.

Same engine but with a 360 firing order so better sound and vastly superiour brakes and suspension and good choice of tyres.

I own all of the VFR400's now.

As for the NC24.

Well lets see.

Front End:

The NC24 has 37mm forks and they are very soft with 2piston sliding calipers.

The best thing to do would be to get some 41mm forks with 4 pot calipers, ALA NC30. However the NC30 forks are way to short, luckily the CBR400RR uses longer 41mm forks but the lower legs only take calipers that are 2 pots.. you can mash the two together (NC30 lower legs) and NC29 stantions to get the correct length stantions and good brakes.

CBR400RR (NC29) Fork Tubes (Stantions)
VFR400R (NC30) Fork Lowers (Legs)
VFR400R (NC30) Brake Calipers (4 pot fixed) - Super
CBR400RR (NC29) Front wheel, discs and spacers - Gives a 120/60/17 front wheel.
VFR400R (NC30) Mud-guard
CBR400RR (NC29) Yoke (Triple Clamps) - I think these will bolt straight onto the NC24 but might need a bit of shimming out.
CBR400RR (NC29) or VFR400R (NC30) - Clipons - The NC24 ones wont fit the bigger forks.

Exisitng brake lines might fit or you might need longer ones, if you still have the original rubber ditch them and get some braided ones made to measure.

The speedo for the NC29 and NC30 is driven from the gearbox sprocket but you can transplant your wheel based speedo drive into the NC29 wheel without problem.

Rear wheel

Difficult but not impossible.

The best option would be to get an NC35 (RVF400) or an NC30 wheel (VFR400R) and the HUB from the swining arm.

Remove your existing hub and you'll find the hub from the NC30/35 doesn't fit.. you need to machine a few mm from it, it can be done and i've seen NC24 swining arms with NC30/35 hubs in.

Then you can bolt the NC30/NC35 wheel straight on. It's a 4.5" rim so you won't have any chain clearance issues that you'll run into when trying to fit the RC36 (VFR750) 5" wheel.

This will allow you to use a 150/60/18 (NC30 rear wheel) or a 150/60/17 (NC35) Rear wheel.

Hope that helps.

[amorti]

Hello.

have any other nc24 owners out there found a creative way to get around the poor tire selection (swapping in a different front wheel maybe?)
And also the front suspension (ie; front fork swap from an f2/f3 or what have you)

I love my little vfr.
I just got back in the door from a ride through the twisties from Vancouver to whistler and back.
I was able to keep up with my friends on 1000's without any trouble, but I would be over the moon happy if I had more of a contact patch with the front rubber, and a more solid front suspension.

Thanks for any input :)

Cheers.

Honestly, cheapest and easiest way would be to ditch the bike and get an NC30.

Same engine but with a 360 firing order so better sound and vastly superiour brakes and suspension and good choice of tyres.

I own all of the VFR400's now.

As for the NC24.

Well lets see.

Front End:

The NC24 has 37mm forks and they are very soft with 2piston sliding calipers.

The best thing to do would be to get some 41mm forks with 4 pot calipers, ALA NC30. However the NC30 forks are way to short, luckily the CBR400RR uses longer 41mm forks but the lower legs only take calipers that are 2 pots.. you can mash the two together (NC30 lower legs) and NC29 stantions to get the correct length stantions and good brakes.

CBR400RR (NC29) Fork Tubes (Stantions)
VFR400R (NC30) Fork Lowers (Legs)
VFR400R (NC30) Brake Calipers (4 pot fixed) - Super
CBR400RR (NC29) Front wheel, discs and spacers - Gives a 120/60/17 front wheel.
VFR400R (NC30) Mud-guard
CBR400RR (NC29) Yoke (Triple Clamps) - I think these will bolt straight onto the NC24 but might need a bit of shimming out.
CBR400RR (NC29) or VFR400R (NC30) - Clipons - The NC24 ones wont fit the bigger forks.

Exisitng brake lines might fit or you might need longer ones, if you still have the original rubber ditch them and get some braided ones made to measure.

The speedo for the NC29 and NC30 is driven from the gearbox sprocket but you can transplant your wheel based speedo drive into the NC29 wheel without problem.

Rear wheel

Difficult but not impossible.

The best option would be to get an NC35 (RVF400) or an NC30 wheel (VFR400R) and the HUB from the swining arm.

Remove your existing hub and you'll find the hub from the NC30/35 doesn't fit.. you need to machine a few mm from it, it can be done and i've seen NC24 swining arms with NC30/35 hubs in.

Then you can bolt the NC30/NC35 wheel straight on. It's a 4.5" rim so you won't have any chain clearance issues that you'll run into when trying to fit the RC36 (VFR750) 5" wheel.

This will allow you to use a 150/60/18 (NC30 rear wheel) or a 150/60/17 (NC35) Rear wheel.

Hope that helps.

You could also use VTR1000f (I think you guys call it a super hawk?) forks as above and it has better brakes again. The forks may prove oversprung though, depends how heavy you are. Not sure what yokes, but if nc29 fits then they will also carry 41mm VTR forks just the same as nc29 forks, which are pretty rare to find in the States? You will find most honda yokes are the same fitment over a long period of time, I have '97 CBR900 forks in my '89 CB-1. Cross-reference bearing part numbers.

The wheel and discs on the CBR400 is the same as the CBR600f3, much easier to get in USA, and will fit the VTR forks. Or VTR wheel if you like 3-spokes.

In the end as far as front ends go, most anything will fit with a bit of creativity, but you will have to do the whole lot as 37mm forks aren't taking you anywhere newer.

[Neosophist]

Ah i'm glad somebody knows what parts are avaible in the States! I haven't a clue.

But yep.. Yokes / Mudguard / Forks / Wheel / Brakes / Clipons (I think the exising switchgear will still fit)

[duncan]

You do realise that there is a lot less space on an NC30 than on an NC24 and they are therefore a lot less comfortable.The best mod you could make in the handling department [that does not cost vast sums of money and involve a lot of dismantling]is to fit a better quality set of fork springs.Your original ones were designed for a lightweight oriental rider and are probably very tired by now anyway.I have Maxton springs in mine but I do not know if they export to North America.I also have a Hagon rear shock.I find Bridgestone BT45 tyres more than adequate for my road riding.

[Neosophist]

You do realise that there is a lot less space on an NC30 than on an NC24 and they are therefore a lot less comfortable.The best mod you could make in the handling department [that does not cost vast sums of money and involve a lot of dismantling]is to fit a better quality set of fork springs.Your original ones were designed for a lightweight oriental rider and are probably very tired by now anyway.I have Maxton springs in mine but I do not know if they export to North America.I also have a Hagon rear shock.I find Bridgestone BT45 tyres more than adequate for my road riding.

Maybe your bigger than I am?

You do realise I own both right and that i'm comfortable on either!

The NC30 is a little more bent forward than the NC24 but the NC24 is by no means a touring bike and your still bent over quite a bit on the 24.

The NC24 has a slightly longer wheelbase than the 30.

I suppose it all depends on what you want to do with the bike and where you want to ride. BT45's are ok for general road use and the maxton fork springs are ok too.

However the OP wanted better tyres.

The difference between BT90's and BT45's is like night and day. The radials heat up better, have oodles more grip etc etc.

If you want better rubber then while adapting the wheels it makes sense to upgrade the suspension and brakes at the sametime, whats the point in having more grip if the forks arn't on par.

Having covered many miles on both bikes and recently buying my own NC30 for the collection i'll be upgrading my NC24 forks soon enough.

After having ridden the ZXR and the 30 for so long now the NC24 feels like a pogo-stick in comparission. If your used to it then it's all dandy but if you switch then switch back it's verry 'eeek'

[bobbydebit]

Wow!

Thanks so much for all the useful info!

In response to your suggestion about swapping for an NC30 Neosophist,
I live in Canada, where we don't (but we frickin should) have a graduated licensing program in regards to displacement/bhp. The day you get your learners license, you can ride as big a displacement bike as you want (so needless to say the city's parts wreckers are over flowing with R1 parts), and this means that there is no real market for small displacement bikes, therefore, the dealers/manufactures, have never sold them here, I would LOVE, LOOOOOOOVE to get my hands on an NC30, but they are so rare (maybe like 4-5 in all of western Canada) that when you do find one, it will easily end up going for $6500.

I'm going to do my best to get the parts I need off eBay UK following the template you have layed out, with the back up plan being maybe an f2/f3 (i think they are called cbr 600f in the UK) or VTR front end if I can't get the needed 400 parts at a reasonable shipping cost.

Now god willing.......if I were able to get my hands on a cbr 250 front wheel, it would have a bigger contact patch than the NC24 front wheel FOR-SURE, but still be lighter than a 400rr wheel by comparison.
110/70-17 vs. 120/60-17....
Now do you suppose that this may help maintain some of the NC24's flick-ability, or would it at all matter?

It response to the VTR front end question about weight, I weigh 195lbs, so I guess that would make the front end sprung accordingly?

Now as for the rear wheel, I have read several comments on things in the past about "shoehorning" an EXTRA-WIDE tire on the rear wheel, and how bad it is for the handling, which makes sense, but would fitting a slightly wider 140, or 150 tire on a 130 wide rear wheel effect the handling in a negative way?

Lastly, the rear suspension options are super limited, the hagon rear looks the best option, BUT....... after currency exchange, shipping and duty, it will be expensive!!!
there is someone on this site that posted a mod for a 600rr rear shock swap, which requires some hacking and mickey-mousing, so if that looks like a no-go, I suppose i'll have to save up for the Hagon, but even with the hagon, I would still like to give the back end a bit of a lift.
Now it has been brought to my attention that in the UK there are "dog-bone / jack up kits" available?
if this is so some inside info would be fantastic!

Thanks again for taking the time to read my questions, and throwing your knowledge my way :)

Bob.

[Neosophist]

The Jackup kits are made for the NC30 / NC35.. Off the top of my head i'm not sure if they'll fit the NC24 as the 24 has it's rear shock in the centre so perhaps the dogbone is different too.

The NC24 turns very fast becuase it has an 18" rear, 16" front and a Caster / Trail of: Caster angle, 26-deg 10'

The NC30 has an 18" rear but a 17" front and a Caster / Trail of: Caster angle, 25-deg 20'. Trail, 96mm (3.8 in.)

Both are very flickable, I think the NC24 turns in slightly faster but it doesn't feel as well planted as the NC30 does.

You can fit a 140/70/18 on the rear but it doesn't help in terms of tyre selection, i've ran a 140 before and it was no better than a 130.

Theres plenty of parts on Yahoo Auction Japan, might be worth looking there, if you find anything contact Moriwaki man and he'll be able to get and send you some a lot cheaper than many of the 'deputy' services will, plus he also makes sure the parts are good and inspects them first :)

http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/

[BigDonk]

Hello.

As for the NC24.

Well lets see.

Front End:

The NC24 has 37mm forks and they are very soft with 2piston sliding calipers.

The best thing to do would be to get some 41mm forks with 4 pot calipers, ALA NC30. However the NC30 forks are way to short, luckily the CBR400RR uses longer 41mm forks but the lower legs only take calipers that are 2 pots.. you can mash the two together (NC30 lower legs) and NC29 stantions to get the correct length stantions and good brakes.

CBR400RR (NC29) Fork Tubes (Stantions)
VFR400R (NC30) Fork Lowers (Legs)
VFR400R (NC30) Brake Calipers (4 pot fixed) - Super
CBR400RR (NC29) Front wheel, discs and spacers - Gives a 120/60/17 front wheel.
VFR400R (NC30) Mud-guard
CBR400RR (NC29) Yoke (Triple Clamps) - I think these will bolt straight onto the NC24 but might need a bit of shimming out.
CBR400RR (NC29) or VFR400R (NC30) - Clipons - The NC24 ones wont fit the bigger forks.

Exisitng brake lines might fit or you might need longer ones, if you still have the original rubber ditch them and get some braided ones made to measure.

The speedo for the NC29 and NC30 is driven from the gearbox sprocket but you can transplant your wheel based speedo drive into the NC29 wheel without problem.

Rear wheel

Difficult but not impossible.

The best option would be to get an NC35 (RVF400) or an NC30 wheel (VFR400R) and the HUB from the swining arm.

Remove your existing hub and you'll find the hub from the NC30/35 doesn't fit.. you need to machine a few mm from it, it can be done and i've seen NC24 swining arms with NC30/35 hubs in.

Then you can bolt the NC30/NC35 wheel straight on. It's a 4.5" rim so you won't have any chain clearance issues that you'll run into when trying to fit the RC36 (VFR750) 5" wheel.

This will allow you to use a 150/60/18 (NC30 rear wheel) or a 150/60/17 (NC35) Rear wheel.

Hope that helps.

Daft Questions
Front end

VFR400R (NC30) Brake Calipers (4 pot fixed) - Super
CBR400RR (NC29) Front wheel, discs and spacers - Gives a 120/60/17 front wheel.
VFR400R (NC30) Mud-guard

Are these mods Straight swaps?

Rear end

The best option would be to get an NC35 (RVF400) or an NC30 wheel (VFR400R) and the HUB from the swining arm.

Remove your existing hub and you'll find the hub from the NC30/35 doesn't fit.. you need to machine a few mm from it, it can be done and i've seen NC24 swining arms with NC30/35 hubs in

Is the machining to be done pretty obvious when you offer either of the hubs up, I take it that either nc30 and nc35 wheels will fit no matter what hub you fit to the nc24 swinging arm?

[Neosophist]

Yes both wheels will fit, a member on here machined one down maybe 1 or 2 years ago? He did post up pictures of the work.

I can't remember who it was though!

And you cut bits of my post out.

You need everything in that front-end list

VFR400R (NC30) Brake Calipers (4 pot fixed) - Requires the NC30 lower fork legs and the CBR400 Stantions
CBR400RR (NC29) Front wheel, discs and spacers - As above, fork legs required.
VFR400R (NC30) Mud-guard - As above