Rear Hugger - Harris vs. Powerbronze

can someone please offer some insight as to what makes the harris so good that i should pay twice as much as the powerbronze?  both come with chain guards and are bolt-ons and from the pics on the internet, they don't look much different.  if anyone has seen them in-person, please give me some feedback.

Quality,quality,quality.Remember You get what you pay for.I bought and installed a powerbronze  on my bike for one season.It worked well on keeping dirt from getting to the shock ext. but it was all flimsy.I ended up selling it.

My tought on the powerbronze,save up longer and buy the Harris. :thumbsup:

I have a Powerbronze now - anyone want to trade for a good used bag of hockey pucks?  Way too flimsy. I'd liek to get something more ridgid, Like CREW said - save up and get a good one to begin with.

so do you think that harris is the best out there?

does anyone have any pictures? i'd like to see what they look like on the vfr. i put a competition werkes fender eliminator kit on my vfr and that really cleaned up the rear end...just wondering what the hugger adds to it.

thanks

Anyone know how the Redfox hugger compares to these?

Dunno about Harris or Powerbronze, but I do know about Red Fox. I organised a group buy of 7 Red-Fox Huggers for OzVFR.  Got 10% off the price and off the shipping.

They are very good quality and easy to fit, good and sturdy. They fit over the top of the chain guard and hide the pipe work that runs across the top of the guard.

i agree the red fox ones are good, if you want to keep your stock chain guard.  i want a rear hugger with a chain guard though to give it more of a custom look and it seems like harris is the only way to go.

.02, stay away from plastic. A nice rigid fiberglass, is the only way to go.

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Harris hugger

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On the Parkway
Few pics of Harris hugger.

Thanks Criminal, your bike looks great....

Anyone know who is selling Harris products in the states now? I guess EMA is done importing them now as someone else has started.... They told me that the new company will be able to get the Hugger but couldn't say who it was, or didn't want to maybe.... Anyone?

Anyone have pics of a 5th gen with a harris hugger?

I just picked one up and it looks awesome - but, there is strip of metal rivoted to the hugger with a hole in it presumably as a mounting hole. But - I can't figure out how or where it goes. It looks like *maybe* it lines up with one of the bolts for the rear bottom shock mount under the swingarm.

To make things even more interesting, that strip of metal is preventing me from installing it without removing the wheel...unless I want to scratch the nice shiny gel coat.  :joystick:

Any thoughts?

Thanks

The 6th gen pics look sweet

I love the harris, I tried to buy the hugger from EMA 3 months ago and they werent having any of it!! :blink:

-Dustin

I WANT! LET ME KNOW HOW TO GET THIS HUGGER!!!   :blink:

The only problem I have with the Harris hugger is the fit, it's off center. The left side of the hugger almost rubs on the tire. Other than that, it has held up nicely.

NWS C/F hugger made in the UK is the only way to go (in my biased opinion).  Forget plastic.  

Don't put very much torque on the supplied bolts - Blue Locktite will prevent cracking from that extra inch/pound you thought it needed.

And yes, I have found that some tire profiles requires a bit of fitting at the leading (forward) edge for proper clearance (Metzeler Rennsports were one example).  Other tires have fit without any fuss.

One nice feature (probably common to most), is the left extension that covers the brake lines.  Crap, now that I installed a complete Galfer set, maybe I don't want to hide them?

John
San Jose, California

cleverlysmartdog, on May 18 2006, 06:30 PM, said:

Anyone have pics of a 5th gen with a harris hugger?

I just picked one up and it looks awesome - but, there is strip of metal rivoted to the hugger with a hole in it presumably as a mounting hole. But - I can't figure out how or where it goes. It looks like *maybe* it lines up with one of the bolts for the rear bottom shock mount under the swingarm.

To make things even more interesting, that strip of metal is preventing me from installing it without removing the wheel...unless I want to scratch the nice shiny gel coat.  :joystick:

Any thoughts?

Thanks

The 6th gen pics look sweet
Hi,

On the '98 to '01 there is absolutely no hole or mounting point that you could affix that metal strap to.  The nearest fastener is quite a ways forward for the chain guide.  It appears from the photo Harris posted that you would need to drill and tap a hole in the swingarm - no big deal really (I would go with a 5 mm).  

Maybe they intend the hole as a "pass-through" for a large and strong Zip Tie(s) - but I seriously doubt it as even the strongest would quickly be cut through.  Perhaps Safety Wire?  It too would fail , though at a slower rate and would look like crap - not "fitting" for such a nice product.

And I would plan on removing your rear tire prior to installation in any event.  Good time to clean-up the rear suspension.  Maybe even service the lower shock mount - if your bike has more than 10k miles on it - I would strongly suggest it.  

Lube the bearing surfaces with a good auto bearing grease.  Check out your Service Manual for torque values and plan on using Blue Locktite since you will be re-using the locking type OEM nuts (there are three).  If you have a catalyst equipped version - the fit of the sideplates can be very tight - but no real problem.

All the best,

John
San Jose, California

Hobie1dog, on Nov 1 2006, 10:55 PM, said:

You may be fourth in the fifth line. :goofy:

Fourth.... http://www.vfrdiscus...ers-t26508.html

Quote

After a mass amount of termoil, this is where the situation stands.

I have 4 incomplete parts. They are already spoken for, in this order,...

-WheaslePHD- If they fit a 5th gen. (Not look'n too promising). "Dude", I'll let you know.
-2003vtechrider-
-NVR2L8-
-WirelessWill-
Don't want to lose my place :huh:

Bumping old topic for another thread that's running now.


As for ordering Harris products, I just order directly from the UK from Harris themselves.

Note, that in North America, you do NOT have to pay the 17.5% VAT (Value Added Tax) that the UK imposes on goods.

And I LOVE my 5th gen Harris. Sooooo hot. Want to touch the heinie!   :biggrin:

I just bought a Red-Fox (SimpsonDetour) and with shipping from the UK to USA, it was $149. Love the look and it installed in less than 5 minutes. Put about 400 miles on my VFR since the install with no issues. Here are a couple of pics from their site:

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This is my bike...kinda hard to see but the hugger is there:

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is your bike an VFR 800 with ABS?

I noticed that some huggers weren't for the 800A.

You feel that you got good quality out of that RedFox?  i just bought a 2004 800A and am looking for a low-cost-but-good hugger.

EDIT:  Ordered one from England.  $147 for gloss black, with current exchange rate.

BoulderGeek, on 14 June 2011 - 02:08 PM, said:

is your bike an VFR 800 with ABS?

I noticed that some huggers weren't for the 800A.

You feel that you got good quality out of that RedFox?  i just bought a 2004 800A and am looking for a low-cost-but-good hugger.

EDIT:  Ordered one from England.  $147 for gloss black, with current exchange rate.

No ABS on that one, you can tell by the black brake caliper, ABS ones are gold in color and there is no speed sensor ring on the front tire....

Whats the website, you guys are ording from? $147 sounds like a deal...

NorthernVFRDave, on 15 June 2011 - 12:15 PM, said:

BoulderGeek, on 14 June 2011 - 02:08 PM, said:

is your bike an VFR 800 with ABS?

I noticed that some huggers weren't for the 800A.

You feel that you got good quality out of that RedFox?  i just bought a 2004 800A and am looking for a low-cost-but-good hugger.

EDIT:  Ordered one from England.  $147 for gloss black, with current exchange rate.

No ABS on that one, you can tell by the black brake caliper, ABS ones are gold in color and there is no speed sensor ring on the front tire....

Whats the website, you guys are ording from? $147 sounds like a deal...


eeuuhh  google search?   :laughing6-hehe:

here ya go!

http://www.simpson-detour.co.uk/

NorthernVFRDave, on 15 June 2011 - 12:15 PM, said:

BoulderGeek, on 14 June 2011 - 02:08 PM, said:

is your bike an VFR 800 with ABS?

I noticed that some huggers weren't for the 800A.

You feel that you got good quality out of that RedFox?  i just bought a 2004 800A and am looking for a low-cost-but-good hugger.

EDIT:  Ordered one from England.  $147 for gloss black, with current exchange rate.

No ABS on that one, you can tell by the black brake caliper, ABS ones are gold in color and there is no speed sensor ring on the front tire....

Whats the website, you guys are ording from? $147 sounds like a deal...

http://www.simpson-d...VFR800__02.page

Anyone spend time for hugger DIY? I think I need to make one for my VFR.

Yes one of our members here was building his own huggers and selling a few. Rivcyko was his username. Travis I believe.

http://www.vfrdiscus...r/2922-rivcyko/

But I haven't seen him around here in quite some time:

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Last Active Oct 25 2011 04:06 PM

excuse my ignorance, but what is the point/function of a tire hugger?

Mostly, to keep the road grime and crap off the shock. Really it comes into focus if you have invested into an upgrade or aftermarket shock. (I have a Penske.)

 mello dude, on 09 May 2012 - 12:44 AM, said:

Mostly, to keep the road grime and crap off the shock. Really it comes into focus if you have invested into an upgrade or aftermarket shock. (I have a Penske.)

Yeah, you right. However for me, it doesn't matter aftermarket shock or OEM, cleaning bike after riding on wet road or under rain will be much easier if you have the mud hugger.

 cbxfixer, on 05 July 2006 - 11:19 AM, said:

NWS C/F hugger made in the UK is the only way to go (in my biased opinion).  Forget plastic.  

Don't put very much torque on the supplied bolts - Blue Locktite will prevent cracking from that extra inch/pound you thought it needed.

And yes, I have found that some tire profiles requires a bit of fitting at the leading (forward) edge for proper clearance (Metzeler Rennsports were one example).  Other tires have fit without any fuss.

One nice feature (probably common to most), is the left extension that covers the brake lines.  Crap, now that I installed a complete Galfer set, maybe I don't want to hide them?

John
San Jose, California

Poobronze, (maybe not the correct spelling but certainly a more accurate assessment of their quality), are not very good, I have the NWS CF on my bike, been on for 8 years and looks as good as new. The other advantage of this one is that it extends below the swinging arm at the front, thereby protecting the bottom shock linkages.