Mods for my new VFR400..oh and hello

[philfingers]

RougeR
Are you from Inverness?

[Neosophist]

That bikes wearing chinese panels in that picture.

What are your reasons for being set on a big bore kit? What do you think it will do for you?

You only just got it right?

A set of spark plugs is nigh on 50 quid. A full service such as chains, sprockets, tyres, plugs, filters and oil is going to cost you a fair few hundred quid.

Its old and crashed / neglected so you dont know how reliable its going to be. I would keep some money back and ride it for at least 6 months - 1 year before you decide to spend major money on something.

Changing the gearing and improving most likely tired / knackered suspension will make you go far faster than a big bore kit will.

Its like putting a ferrari engine into a robin reliant.

[johnnie5]

Welcome.

The advice from me - leave it alone. it is a 400cc supersports bike, not a small tourer and never will be.
...

bah rubbish

you can tour on anything

my 1st nc30 i flew to melbourne and rode it back to sydney in a day 1000 kilometres the long twisty way :)

did 850k on a 916

i also did 1000k melb to syd on a cb250 up the highway so you can gather how stupid i am

[philfingers]

Best mods I made, Ohlins shock [£300- compare to a suitable rebuild and new spring on a stock unit will cost £180], Rick Oliver [NC30 specialist] fork kit [£100], proper decent Honda HH pads [£50] and setting the carbs up and balancing them. I later bought a stock 89 ‘k’ bike, and in comparison it was awful to ride on old tired suspension

[KennonNC29]

RougeR, i'm 20 myself and love the bike even in standard eittle they do need a fair bit spent just too keep them running right and good order, all the changes on mine that have been done and will be done have just been to get her running right and in good order, i've done over 200 miles in a day quite comfortably just the occasional left/right leg kick to the side to stretch abit tank bag stuffed and Givi 40L bag strapped on the back, power wise I can't complain learning its limits every time I ride. It'll happily cruise and get reasonable mileage then if you need to hussle it does it with no problems and its stable at higher speeds.

Kennon

[iDemonix]

What should you do with it?

Full service, fresh set of plugs, check the tyres, chain and sprockets.

In terms of upgrades, get a Rick Oliver front fork kit and see about getting the rear shock refurbished or replaced with a straight swap unit.

Don't put a big bore on it. There's no need. I really dislike people chopping and changing these bikes. They're a classic bike and becoming rarer by the day. If you want more displacement, get a 600.

Please don't ruin it.

[jo]

What should you do with it?

Full service, fresh set of plugs, check the tyres, chain and sprockets.

In terms of upgrades, get a Rick Oliver front fork kit and see about getting the rear shock refurbished or replaced with a straight swap unit.

Don't put a big bore on it. There's no need. I really dislike people chopping and changing these bikes. They're a classic bike and becoming rarer by the day. If you want more displacement, get a 600.

Please don't ruin it.

This is the best advice I've read so far on this thread. Leave it as it is. Original is best, they were designed like that for a reason.

[RougeR]

*patronising reply alert*

You have not even given the bike time and have no idea what it is like. You come from a Bandit (one of the most monumentally poorly built bikes ever) to one of the high points of Honda quality.

getting a big bore - for what would be the value of your bike again (so yes, buy another) will not make the bike some kind of wunderbike.
It is a 20+yrs old miniature supersports bike. It is designed for whizzing about in relatively short bursts, carrying corner speed, flying places.

All they ever need spending on is to make sure the suspension is refreshed and set up. Also that the standard fuelling setup is spot on and that the brakes are in good condition. More power (75 instead of 60) is not going to make the difference at all. If you spend on a big bore without making it handle then you are so very far off the mark with what this bike is about. it is a classic as it is so very well built, with a nigh on perfect combination of engine and handling that to mess with these ingredients and upset the balance does not a good bike make.

*this is the patronising, but well meant, bit*
You are 20 - you think you know it all and that your way is the right and only way. Taking advice and appreciating that using others knowledge and previous experience is something everyone learns too late.

e.g - your school days are best - @ 15 you say, fuck off, it is shit. @ 25 you kind of think, yeah, this job lark is bollocks, school was easy. @ 35 you know that all of the guidance you ignored when you were younger was all true and you are about to start handing it out yourself!


You as in the general "you", not you personally..if you get me!


Please don;t take me wrong, it is your bike, your money - but take it from me (and I am going to assume most of the other long timers) - don't rush into it and don't expect that you can make the bike something it is not.



Stick about - do some proepr research into what is needed and what things cost - read this webiste for inspiration about how much effort it will be to buy, build and run a bike with the big bore (440 max)
http://mngforce.typepad.com/

heya, ive been very busy with work recently, but got a day off so thought id post an update and reply.

Think ive finally shifted the bandit, got a guy whos just sorting out insurance etc so should have the vfr by the end of next week :)

I appreciate everything you've said here, and have read it a few times, i think you are right about me being a bit of a hotshot at 20 and thinking i know it all, so im going to give it a while...get to know this fantastic bike, get to know it mechanically and go from there. If in 3-6 months I feel a big bore might be the way to go, then I will revisit the idea.

I am familiar with the fantastic honda build quality, having owned a varadero 125 and a hornet 600...all i did in 2 years of combined ownership was a fork seal change and servicing...this is one of the main reasons im getting the vfr, i got offered a kwak zxr400 for much less...but i just love my hondas. the bandit was a rushed buy as i needed something tbh, shes still been very good to me and ill be sad to see her go.

for the bike itself, its recently had the forks redone and a full service; clean bill of health by a mechanic i trust and several hundred miles touring in france afterwards by the seller, so she should be in decent working order

as for the other replies, I can see the consensus is to leave her alone and focus on perhaps doing a bit of modernising; i.e suspension, making sure she is running sweet etc. Im currently living in the channel islands,jersey....40mph speed limit...not that i follow it ever. Joining the army this time next year after some touring, guna keep the bike for when im on leave, cant see myself parting with her. more bikes yes? sell her NOOOO, had another ride on the vfr this morning...im hooked.
also im not a weekend warrior persay...this is my only transport, its going to be used for eveyrthing; from getting to work, going to the pub, to touring up to Norway.

[RougeR]

Welcome.

The advice from me - leave it alone. it is a 400cc supersports bike, not a small tourer and never will be.
...

bah rubbish

you can tour on anything

my 1st nc30 i flew to melbourne and rode it back to sydney in a day 1000 kilometres the long twisty way :)

did 850k on a 916

i also did 1000k melb to syd on a cb250 up the highway so you can gather how [strike]stupid[/strike]Adventurous i am

FTFY, doing something crazy on something totally unsuitable is where adventures begin!
Im doing the mongol rally on a c90 or 110 next year guna be amazing!

got a few k stashed away already just need to get the planning and a team together. anyone here fancy it?

http://mongolia.charityrallies.org/

[RougeR]

That bikes wearing chinese panels in that picture.

What are your reasons for being set on a big bore kit? What do you think it will do for you?

You only just got it right?

A set of spark plugs is nigh on 50 quid. A full service such as chains, sprockets, tyres, plugs, filters and oil is going to cost you a fair few hundred quid.

Its old and crashed / neglected so you dont know how reliable its going to be. I would keep some money back and ride it for at least 6 months - 1 year before you decide to spend major money on something.

Changing the gearing and improving most likely tired / knackered suspension will make you go far faster than a big bore kit will.

Its like putting a ferrari engine into a robin reliant.

i didnt know on the panels, think i got a bit confused...hands up. Anyway yeah i plan on a down gear as my very first thing...60 in first is silly especially with the speed limits here, also how does this affect fuel economy?

It may have been abused earlier in life but i know that the guy im buying it off has sunk a lot of cash getting it looking good and has babied it while he has had it.

while im here few more questions.
what are the stock headlights like? steetlights are few and far between here and im often riding in the pitchblack...got a HID kit for the old bike as the ones it had on were unsafe and useless.
As for the SV650 bars, anyone done this? i think it would be something good to do for long distances especially.

finally wheres the best site for aftermarket parts?