#1 Thread starter
[image: Click for full size]
I'm an infrequent poster on this board, but I�ve been a long time lurker, so I�ve had the chance to follow the progress of numerous frankenviffer projects put together by VFRDers. It�s seemed to me that the 1st gen VFR�s were vastly underrepresented, so I thought I�d throw up a few pics of my current project.
This upgrade is relatively tame by the exceptional standards set by other Frankenvifferers on this board, but I was looking for a mostly bolt-on solution for my �87. As such, the plan was to fit a more modern front end to the bike while keeping the project manageable and doable by someone without access to a machine shop or even power tools. I�d have to get by with borrowed garage space and a comparatively limited collection of hand tools. Of course, I�d also armed myself with the factory shop manual and the collective knowledge offered by the many write-ups (and users) on this site. I figured that this, along with boundless enthusiasm and endless optimism, would allow me to overcome any other hurdles caused by the lack of skills and tools.
Goals for the project, as I saw them:
Be able to run modern radial tires. Allow me to fit suitably sticky track day rubber. (Hoping to do a track day this summer).
More modern, adjustable suspension. I�d like to be able to set-up the suspension for my lardy ass. The new units will have to be resprung to suit my weight range. A fork with adjustments would be fun to tinker with. (And by that I mean something beyond air preload and anti-dive adjustment!)
Satisfy my urge to tinker. Possibly the only reason that really counts. I�ve been garage-less and project bike-less for a couple of years now (damn urban living). I needed a wrench spinning fix. Also, it�d be a chance to personalize the bike.
Try not to go too overboard with the cost. I didn�t fool myself into thinking this would be cheap, but I�d like to keep a reign on cost. It is, after all, an 18 year old bike of limited resale value.
Maintain a low profile. Make it a sleeper. Another compromise for urban living. Make the bike feel more modern without compromising its balanced ergos, and trendy (I like to think) retro 80�s wide-body look. Update the looks of the front end, without going overboard. One of the unfortunate consequences of urban living is a lack of indoor storage space (no garage) and a ridiculously high crime rate. My baby has to live outside year round in an exposed environment and the last thing I need is a fancy �06 upside �down GSXR/ZX/CBR/RC front end poking out of the bottom of my bike cover catching the attention of undesirables. I own/ride an old bike because I can�t afford to own and insure a new one. I won�t own a new bike until I own a garage and a very large, protective and vicious dog. The old VFR looks delightfully undesireable (so far, at least) to the (organized) criminal element, and I�d like to keep it that way. But still be able to kick some ass when its time to play.
Now, what to choose? As they say, you can adapt just about any front end to any bike with enough time, money and skills. I had a the time component handled, but limited funds and next to no skills beyond what I�d acquired at the school of hard knocks (previous, mostly ill-fated bike projects) and equipment beyond hand tools I could fit in the back of my car.
A problem posed by grafting almost any modern front end onto an �80s bike is the length of the forks. The forks on the �87 are LONG, and almost all modern equivalents are WAY too short, causing problems with wheel clearance and giving you no hope of retaining anything near original geometry or ergonomics. By and large the most common upgrade for the early VFRs in a CBR F2/F3 front end � itself pretty straightforward and well documented on the web. The folks on the 1st gen VFR list helped me decide on, and source, a complete front end from a �97 onward Yamaha YZF600R. Less has been written about this conversion, but a couple of listers who�d managed to do it had raved about it. I lucked out, and managed to buy nearly everything I needed for the upgrade from somebody who�d done the same upgrade to his �86 VFR. I�d have the benefit of the lessons he�d learned in his own install, which I hoped would make this a relatively straightforward upgrade. The Yamaha front end features fully adjustable 41mm cartridge forks holding a 3 spoke 17inch front wheel. Considerably stiffer than the Hondas stock air(!) adjustable 37mm fork with TRAC anti-dive (ooh, fancy!). In addition, the monoblock calipers gripping fully floating 298mm rotors are, if not state-of-the-art, at least state-of-the-recent and have really only been significantly bettered by the latest radial mount systems.
Alright, parts acquired, garage borrowed, shop manual in hand! Time to get started!
But first, a reference pic of the bike�s stock front end.
[image: IPB Image]
Lower fairing removed First step is to remove the lower fairings.
Another reference pic:
[image: IPB Image]
Cockpit view prior to disassembly
Back the to work at hand:
First you�ll want to make preliminary reference measurements to give yourself a baseline to work from when you get to setting up the new front end. You�ll also need a means of getting the front end in the air. I used a combination of a rear swing-arm stand and a basic scissor jack and board under the front header pipes. The stock header pipes are steel, and plenty stout enough to support the weight of the bike. Ofcourse, you�ll need to pull the lower fairings to do this. I also pulled the seat, side panels and tank to get them out of the way. You�ll also have to remove the upper fairing (to access the back of the instruments where the speedo connects) so you�ll need to pull the headlight plug, remove the mirrors and unscrew the remaining mounting screws before pulling the whole unit straight towards the front of the bike.
With all of the easily marred painted surfaces safely out of harms way, I then started to disassemble the front wheel. Disconnect the speedo cable from the drive gear and remove the RHS caliper. You can then pull the axle and front wheel.
[image: IPB Image]
Wheel removed Remove RHS brake caliper and hang by wire. Front wheel can then be removed.
Next, lose the front fender and tackle the LHS caliper. You'll want a high quality set of metric allen wrenches here - the LHS caliper mount bolts were a real b%tch to remove. Preferably an allen socket that you fit to a 3/8 or 1/2 ratchet so you can use leverage to your advantage. I got by with a pair of vice-grips gripping a basic L-shaped key, but I nearly broke the key off before the bolt gave. Not recommended.
[image: IPB Image]
Remove fender, brake calipers
Before pulling the forks, you�ll have to take apart the stock controls and remove the clip-ons. With these out of the way, you can then loosen the upper fork bridge pinch bolts, then the lower pinch bolts and slide the forks out.
Now would be a good time to unplug the horn and unbolt its mount bracket. This will give you easy access to the brake system junction block which is bolted to the lower triple clamp. With these bolts undone, it is now possible to remove the front brake system in it�s entirety, from the bike. You�ll want to use a bit of care here to avoid depressing the brake lever (wooden shims between the front brake pads to keep you from accidentally popping the pistons out of the calipers would be a good idea here), but the whole system can be manipulated off the bike by passing the brake lever and master cylinder down through the space now vacated by the forks.
Ta-da! One complete front brake system, sans VFR.
[image: IPB Image]
VFR Brake system Once forks are removed, gentle manipulation allows removal of entire brake system in one piece, fluid drain not required...
Note: In the event that you plan to disassemble to stock system, you�ll want to have drained the system while it was still attached to the bike (easier). I took the easy/lazy route instead.
Now it�s time to tackle removing the triple clamps. The upper fork bridge is pretty easy � you�ll want a big 30mm socket to undo the steering stem nut. (I daresay you may be able to get by with a big adjustable wrench here, but I didn�t have one, so I purchased a 30mm socket from my local Sears tool center). The locknut, lock washer and bearing adjustment nut can also be removed with an expensive steering stem socket tool, but I cheaped out and used the simple, available rubber mallet/drift combo to gently undo the nuts. Be ready to catch the lower triple/steering stem assembly once you�ve removed said nuts because it falls out with gentle downward persuasion.
There, your disassembly is basically complete.
The next phase involves fitting VFR tapered steering head bearings to the �97-onward YZF600R (not R6!) steering stem. Yes, that�s correct. The YZF steering stem/triples can be used with no major modifications or machining. (Heck, even the steering stops work!). You will likely want to employ the services of a machining shop to help press the lower bearing onto the YZF stem, but that�s up to you.
I�ll skip over a lot of the gory details at this point, since HS has put together a great write-up on this site about fitting tapered steering head bearings to his VFR, and all the basic steps are the same for this model VFR. Follow his write-up and you�ll be golden.
Next up: Installing the YZF triples and doing a test fit of the forks and wheel to check for clearances�..
Now that everything is torn apart, time for some pics of the new hardware:
New wheel and brakes
[image: IPB Image]
Fancy new (canyon) dancing shoes... YZF wheel left: Larger, fully floating rotors and modern 17 inch radial tire! (mmmm, Rennsport, yum!)
VFR wheel right: Fixed rotors and 16 inch bias-ply tire
New triple clamps
[image: IPB Image]
YZF upper triple top; VFR upper triple bottom Note change in offset between two triples.
New forks
[image: IPB Image]
YZF fork top, VFR fork bottom Note the YZF fork (41mm) has a slightly shorter free length than the VFR fork leg (37mm). It's also a cartridge fork with full adjustability. Racetec springs have been fitted to suit my weight/riding style.
Now that you�ve managed to fit the new bearing races to the VFR steering head, you can slide the YZF stem into place. Yamaha uses a slightly different strategy with its steering head retaining nuts than Honda. Here�s the rundown:
You�ll fit the dust seal over top of the upper bearing then the stem adjustment nut. Yamaha then fits a rubber washer, then the stem locknut. Finally, a retaining washer (w/tabs that fit into the �grooves� of the nuts) sits over top of the whole assembly. You can then Fit the Upper fork bridge, another washer and the stem nut to top it all off.
In my case, when the lower bearing was pressed onto the YZF stem, the machine shop wasn�t able to get it to bottom out completely on the stem, meaning its sitting maybe 1/8� higher on the stem then it should ideally be. As a result, I had to do without the rubber washer in the stem retaining assembly, and the washer just below the stem nut so that I could get the stem nut to thread onto the stem. As it stands now, the stem nut threads onto the stem fine, and I don�t expect the elimination of the two washers to cause any major problems. If you have better luck fitting the lower bearing to the YZF stem, you�ll likely have room for the washers.
[image: IPB Image]
Sorry about the blurry image!
And here a photo of it assembled for a test fit.
[image: IPB Image]
Test fit of new wheel and fork
[image: IPB Image]
handlebar mockup New view from the cockpit
[image: IPB Image]
Stem nut closeup Here you can see the stem nut and lock nut. The rubber washer that is normally sits between the two on the stock YZF has been removed in this application. You can also see the tight clearance between the VFR steering lock bracketing and the ignition barrel mount on the YZF upper. An alternative mounting point for the ignition barrell is required for this swap.
I�ve installed all the controls and pods back onto the Yamaha bars.
A note about the Handle bars: I�m using YZF600R Heli-bars. The stock YZF handlebars will have you pinching your finders against the tank before you hit the steering stops. With the Heli-bars, the clearance is still tight, but it�s enough to make a difference.
[image: IPB Image]
Heli bars versus stock It ain't much, but its enough to avoid crushed fingers at full lock
Since the locating holes on the Heli-bars are set up for the YZF controls, you either have to drill new locating holes in the bars to suit the Honda throttle assembly and left bar switch pod, or modify the locating pins. I chose to bend/file off the mounting pins, since it was quick and easy. This does give you the advantage to being able position to the pods to suit, but there�s now the chance of the throttle assembly rotating on the bar unless you have the screws well cinched down.
[image: IPB Image]
Controls and grips reinstalled
Once the controls were mounted I did some clearance checking.
Doh! Both the clutch lever and brake levers make contact with the edges of the instrument cluster before full lock. Hmm. May have to play around a bit with this. I have yet to finalize the control positioning, so I�m not sure yet if I can work around it. As it stands, it doesn�t limit steering lock much, but I won�t know how much of a pain it will be until test riding time.
Note: This likely wouldn�t be a problem if you were making this mod to a track only bike (since you wouldn�t have the instrument cluster).
I�ve noticed that if you play around with the clip-on height, you can improve the clearance situation idea3.gif . If you move the clip-ons up � inch (ie drop the triples) you gain clearance. Maybe some spacers, or bar risers are in order? I�ll let you know what I find out.
[image: IPB Image]
Clearance issue!
I then moved on to the brakes. Master cylinder mounted up and calipers on? Check. Brake lines? I decided to go the Goodridge Stainless steel route (two-line set-up). Did a test fitting and�.what�s this? Banjo fittings on the calipers won�t clear the upper caliper mount on the fork leg? Eh? Argghh! pissed.gif My local powersports dealer went and sold me the brake line kit for an R6, even though I made them double check the part numbers to make sure they didn�t! The R6 and YZF600 calipers are both the monobloc variety, but the R6 has the banjo mounting on the side of the caliper, while the YZF has its banjo mounting on the top of the caliper. Thus, the angles on the banjo fittings are different (R6 uses straight banjos, YZF uses angled), and the brake line kits are NOT interchangeable! (I think the line lengths may be slightly different too).
With progress on the brakes halted pending arrival of the proper lines, I decided to tackle the eyesore of a sticker on the fork tube. Sure enough, a razor blade scraper made quick work of the sticker, and some Acetone cleaned up the remaining glue residue! Thanks for the suggestions guys! fing02.gif
I also played around a bit with where I intended to mount the ignition barrel, since the Honda barrel wont bolt up to the Yamaha upper triple. (The bolt spacing, and depth is all wrong). I've heard that you can machine down the barrel mount, re-tap and make it work, but at this point of the project, I'm looking for a simpler solution. I pretty much figured I�d have to give up the steering lock with this swap, so I just needed a place to mount the ignition barrel that was reasonable accessible and didn�t interfere with the steering. I�ve tentatively settled on this location.
[image: IPB Image]
Ignition mount view from left
[image: IPB Image]
Ignition mounting - close-up
[image: IPB Image]
Ignition mount - zip tied to the traingulated fairing bracke
We�ll see how it all works once the upper fairing is remounted and the brake lines are run. I�ll note that there won�t be much room for big key fobs here��not a big issue for me. Not as easily accessible as the stock location, but there is enough room for you to easily get your hand in there.
So here�s how it stands at the moment:
[image: IPB Image]
Controls and calipers mounted; brake lines to come.....
After much difficulty and delay in getting the proper Goodridge lines (thanks to my local stealership), I finally did what I should have done in the first place: buy a brake line kit off of E-pay and be done with it. I ended up getting a Galfer kit, which I am pleased with. I had originally intended to go Galfer, since they still list a clutch line for the �86-�87 VFRs which will allow me to eventually match the clutch line to the new brake lines. (I was told I�d have to go custom if I went through Goodridge). Not really a big deal, but it makes my life easier�.
With brake lines in hand, the brake system went together with no real surprises. Bleeding the system was another matter entirely. I used a miti-vac system to help pull fluid through the new system, but eventually resorted to the old pump lever/crack bleeder method to remove the last of the air bubbles. I�ll save anyone who does this a lot of time and frustration: Be sure to bleed the banjo connections at the master cylinder first, then the banjos at the calipers, then finally the bleed nipples themselves. With the banjos bled, I finally had lever feel, and torqued everything down to spec.
In an earlier post I eluded to some slight clearance issues at full lock between the brake and clutch levers and the VFRs instrument pod. After some thought, and considerable time spent aimlessly wandering around the aisles of my local Lowes (a pastime I enjoy only slightly less than motorcycling) I managed to scrounge together about $6 of hardware to put together my own homemade set of handlebar risers. All there really is to it are a couple of longer than stock allen head bolts (the ones that bolt the clip ons to the upper triple), and a couple of �� spacers. The spacers are simply placed under the longer than stock clip-on hold down bolt, giving you a �� rise in the bars. The astute will already have noticed in the picture that I have the fork caps dropped slightly below the top of the clip-ons about ��. I have yet to settle on the height of the forks in the triples, so in the event I decide to drop the front end another ��, it will bring the tubes flush with the top of the clip-ons. It might currently look a touch ghetto, but it has solved the clearance problems, and it cost considerably less than a set of Genmar risers.
[image: IPB Image]
Ghetto bar risers: 1/2 inch spacers under clip on hold down
I'm an infrequent poster on this board, but I�ve been a long time lurker, so I�ve had the chance to follow the progress of numerous frankenviffer projects put together by VFRDers. It�s seemed to me that the 1st gen VFR�s were vastly underrepresented, so I thought I�d throw up a few pics of my current project.
This upgrade is relatively tame by the exceptional standards set by other Frankenvifferers on this board, but I was looking for a mostly bolt-on solution for my �87. As such, the plan was to fit a more modern front end to the bike while keeping the project manageable and doable by someone without access to a machine shop or even power tools. I�d have to get by with borrowed garage space and a comparatively limited collection of hand tools. Of course, I�d also armed myself with the factory shop manual and the collective knowledge offered by the many write-ups (and users) on this site. I figured that this, along with boundless enthusiasm and endless optimism, would allow me to overcome any other hurdles caused by the lack of skills and tools.
Goals for the project, as I saw them:
Be able to run modern radial tires. Allow me to fit suitably sticky track day rubber. (Hoping to do a track day this summer).
More modern, adjustable suspension. I�d like to be able to set-up the suspension for my lardy ass. The new units will have to be resprung to suit my weight range. A fork with adjustments would be fun to tinker with. (And by that I mean something beyond air preload and anti-dive adjustment!)
Satisfy my urge to tinker. Possibly the only reason that really counts. I�ve been garage-less and project bike-less for a couple of years now (damn urban living). I needed a wrench spinning fix. Also, it�d be a chance to personalize the bike.
Try not to go too overboard with the cost. I didn�t fool myself into thinking this would be cheap, but I�d like to keep a reign on cost. It is, after all, an 18 year old bike of limited resale value.
Maintain a low profile. Make it a sleeper. Another compromise for urban living. Make the bike feel more modern without compromising its balanced ergos, and trendy (I like to think) retro 80�s wide-body look. Update the looks of the front end, without going overboard. One of the unfortunate consequences of urban living is a lack of indoor storage space (no garage) and a ridiculously high crime rate. My baby has to live outside year round in an exposed environment and the last thing I need is a fancy �06 upside �down GSXR/ZX/CBR/RC front end poking out of the bottom of my bike cover catching the attention of undesirables. I own/ride an old bike because I can�t afford to own and insure a new one. I won�t own a new bike until I own a garage and a very large, protective and vicious dog. The old VFR looks delightfully undesireable (so far, at least) to the (organized) criminal element, and I�d like to keep it that way. But still be able to kick some ass when its time to play.
Now, what to choose? As they say, you can adapt just about any front end to any bike with enough time, money and skills. I had a the time component handled, but limited funds and next to no skills beyond what I�d acquired at the school of hard knocks (previous, mostly ill-fated bike projects) and equipment beyond hand tools I could fit in the back of my car.
A problem posed by grafting almost any modern front end onto an �80s bike is the length of the forks. The forks on the �87 are LONG, and almost all modern equivalents are WAY too short, causing problems with wheel clearance and giving you no hope of retaining anything near original geometry or ergonomics. By and large the most common upgrade for the early VFRs in a CBR F2/F3 front end � itself pretty straightforward and well documented on the web. The folks on the 1st gen VFR list helped me decide on, and source, a complete front end from a �97 onward Yamaha YZF600R. Less has been written about this conversion, but a couple of listers who�d managed to do it had raved about it. I lucked out, and managed to buy nearly everything I needed for the upgrade from somebody who�d done the same upgrade to his �86 VFR. I�d have the benefit of the lessons he�d learned in his own install, which I hoped would make this a relatively straightforward upgrade. The Yamaha front end features fully adjustable 41mm cartridge forks holding a 3 spoke 17inch front wheel. Considerably stiffer than the Hondas stock air(!) adjustable 37mm fork with TRAC anti-dive (ooh, fancy!). In addition, the monoblock calipers gripping fully floating 298mm rotors are, if not state-of-the-art, at least state-of-the-recent and have really only been significantly bettered by the latest radial mount systems.
Alright, parts acquired, garage borrowed, shop manual in hand! Time to get started!
But first, a reference pic of the bike�s stock front end.
[image: IPB Image]
Lower fairing removed First step is to remove the lower fairings.
Another reference pic:
[image: IPB Image]
Cockpit view prior to disassembly
Back the to work at hand:
First you�ll want to make preliminary reference measurements to give yourself a baseline to work from when you get to setting up the new front end. You�ll also need a means of getting the front end in the air. I used a combination of a rear swing-arm stand and a basic scissor jack and board under the front header pipes. The stock header pipes are steel, and plenty stout enough to support the weight of the bike. Ofcourse, you�ll need to pull the lower fairings to do this. I also pulled the seat, side panels and tank to get them out of the way. You�ll also have to remove the upper fairing (to access the back of the instruments where the speedo connects) so you�ll need to pull the headlight plug, remove the mirrors and unscrew the remaining mounting screws before pulling the whole unit straight towards the front of the bike.
With all of the easily marred painted surfaces safely out of harms way, I then started to disassemble the front wheel. Disconnect the speedo cable from the drive gear and remove the RHS caliper. You can then pull the axle and front wheel.
[image: IPB Image]
Wheel removed Remove RHS brake caliper and hang by wire. Front wheel can then be removed.
Next, lose the front fender and tackle the LHS caliper. You'll want a high quality set of metric allen wrenches here - the LHS caliper mount bolts were a real b%tch to remove. Preferably an allen socket that you fit to a 3/8 or 1/2 ratchet so you can use leverage to your advantage. I got by with a pair of vice-grips gripping a basic L-shaped key, but I nearly broke the key off before the bolt gave. Not recommended.
[image: IPB Image]
Remove fender, brake calipers
Before pulling the forks, you�ll have to take apart the stock controls and remove the clip-ons. With these out of the way, you can then loosen the upper fork bridge pinch bolts, then the lower pinch bolts and slide the forks out.
Now would be a good time to unplug the horn and unbolt its mount bracket. This will give you easy access to the brake system junction block which is bolted to the lower triple clamp. With these bolts undone, it is now possible to remove the front brake system in it�s entirety, from the bike. You�ll want to use a bit of care here to avoid depressing the brake lever (wooden shims between the front brake pads to keep you from accidentally popping the pistons out of the calipers would be a good idea here), but the whole system can be manipulated off the bike by passing the brake lever and master cylinder down through the space now vacated by the forks.
Ta-da! One complete front brake system, sans VFR.
[image: IPB Image]
VFR Brake system Once forks are removed, gentle manipulation allows removal of entire brake system in one piece, fluid drain not required...
Note: In the event that you plan to disassemble to stock system, you�ll want to have drained the system while it was still attached to the bike (easier). I took the easy/lazy route instead.
Now it�s time to tackle removing the triple clamps. The upper fork bridge is pretty easy � you�ll want a big 30mm socket to undo the steering stem nut. (I daresay you may be able to get by with a big adjustable wrench here, but I didn�t have one, so I purchased a 30mm socket from my local Sears tool center). The locknut, lock washer and bearing adjustment nut can also be removed with an expensive steering stem socket tool, but I cheaped out and used the simple, available rubber mallet/drift combo to gently undo the nuts. Be ready to catch the lower triple/steering stem assembly once you�ve removed said nuts because it falls out with gentle downward persuasion.
There, your disassembly is basically complete.
The next phase involves fitting VFR tapered steering head bearings to the �97-onward YZF600R (not R6!) steering stem. Yes, that�s correct. The YZF steering stem/triples can be used with no major modifications or machining. (Heck, even the steering stops work!). You will likely want to employ the services of a machining shop to help press the lower bearing onto the YZF stem, but that�s up to you.
I�ll skip over a lot of the gory details at this point, since HS has put together a great write-up on this site about fitting tapered steering head bearings to his VFR, and all the basic steps are the same for this model VFR. Follow his write-up and you�ll be golden.
Next up: Installing the YZF triples and doing a test fit of the forks and wheel to check for clearances�..
Now that everything is torn apart, time for some pics of the new hardware:
New wheel and brakes
[image: IPB Image]
Fancy new (canyon) dancing shoes... YZF wheel left: Larger, fully floating rotors and modern 17 inch radial tire! (mmmm, Rennsport, yum!)
VFR wheel right: Fixed rotors and 16 inch bias-ply tire
New triple clamps
[image: IPB Image]
YZF upper triple top; VFR upper triple bottom Note change in offset between two triples.
New forks
[image: IPB Image]
YZF fork top, VFR fork bottom Note the YZF fork (41mm) has a slightly shorter free length than the VFR fork leg (37mm). It's also a cartridge fork with full adjustability. Racetec springs have been fitted to suit my weight/riding style.
Now that you�ve managed to fit the new bearing races to the VFR steering head, you can slide the YZF stem into place. Yamaha uses a slightly different strategy with its steering head retaining nuts than Honda. Here�s the rundown:
You�ll fit the dust seal over top of the upper bearing then the stem adjustment nut. Yamaha then fits a rubber washer, then the stem locknut. Finally, a retaining washer (w/tabs that fit into the �grooves� of the nuts) sits over top of the whole assembly. You can then Fit the Upper fork bridge, another washer and the stem nut to top it all off.
In my case, when the lower bearing was pressed onto the YZF stem, the machine shop wasn�t able to get it to bottom out completely on the stem, meaning its sitting maybe 1/8� higher on the stem then it should ideally be. As a result, I had to do without the rubber washer in the stem retaining assembly, and the washer just below the stem nut so that I could get the stem nut to thread onto the stem. As it stands now, the stem nut threads onto the stem fine, and I don�t expect the elimination of the two washers to cause any major problems. If you have better luck fitting the lower bearing to the YZF stem, you�ll likely have room for the washers.
[image: IPB Image]
Sorry about the blurry image!
And here a photo of it assembled for a test fit.
[image: IPB Image]
Test fit of new wheel and fork
[image: IPB Image]
handlebar mockup New view from the cockpit
[image: IPB Image]
Stem nut closeup Here you can see the stem nut and lock nut. The rubber washer that is normally sits between the two on the stock YZF has been removed in this application. You can also see the tight clearance between the VFR steering lock bracketing and the ignition barrel mount on the YZF upper. An alternative mounting point for the ignition barrell is required for this swap.
I�ve installed all the controls and pods back onto the Yamaha bars.
A note about the Handle bars: I�m using YZF600R Heli-bars. The stock YZF handlebars will have you pinching your finders against the tank before you hit the steering stops. With the Heli-bars, the clearance is still tight, but it�s enough to make a difference.
[image: IPB Image]
Heli bars versus stock It ain't much, but its enough to avoid crushed fingers at full lock
Since the locating holes on the Heli-bars are set up for the YZF controls, you either have to drill new locating holes in the bars to suit the Honda throttle assembly and left bar switch pod, or modify the locating pins. I chose to bend/file off the mounting pins, since it was quick and easy. This does give you the advantage to being able position to the pods to suit, but there�s now the chance of the throttle assembly rotating on the bar unless you have the screws well cinched down.
[image: IPB Image]
Controls and grips reinstalled
Once the controls were mounted I did some clearance checking.
Doh! Both the clutch lever and brake levers make contact with the edges of the instrument cluster before full lock. Hmm. May have to play around a bit with this. I have yet to finalize the control positioning, so I�m not sure yet if I can work around it. As it stands, it doesn�t limit steering lock much, but I won�t know how much of a pain it will be until test riding time.
Note: This likely wouldn�t be a problem if you were making this mod to a track only bike (since you wouldn�t have the instrument cluster).
I�ve noticed that if you play around with the clip-on height, you can improve the clearance situation idea3.gif . If you move the clip-ons up � inch (ie drop the triples) you gain clearance. Maybe some spacers, or bar risers are in order? I�ll let you know what I find out.
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Clearance issue!
I then moved on to the brakes. Master cylinder mounted up and calipers on? Check. Brake lines? I decided to go the Goodridge Stainless steel route (two-line set-up). Did a test fitting and�.what�s this? Banjo fittings on the calipers won�t clear the upper caliper mount on the fork leg? Eh? Argghh! pissed.gif My local powersports dealer went and sold me the brake line kit for an R6, even though I made them double check the part numbers to make sure they didn�t! The R6 and YZF600 calipers are both the monobloc variety, but the R6 has the banjo mounting on the side of the caliper, while the YZF has its banjo mounting on the top of the caliper. Thus, the angles on the banjo fittings are different (R6 uses straight banjos, YZF uses angled), and the brake line kits are NOT interchangeable! (I think the line lengths may be slightly different too).
With progress on the brakes halted pending arrival of the proper lines, I decided to tackle the eyesore of a sticker on the fork tube. Sure enough, a razor blade scraper made quick work of the sticker, and some Acetone cleaned up the remaining glue residue! Thanks for the suggestions guys! fing02.gif
I also played around a bit with where I intended to mount the ignition barrel, since the Honda barrel wont bolt up to the Yamaha upper triple. (The bolt spacing, and depth is all wrong). I've heard that you can machine down the barrel mount, re-tap and make it work, but at this point of the project, I'm looking for a simpler solution. I pretty much figured I�d have to give up the steering lock with this swap, so I just needed a place to mount the ignition barrel that was reasonable accessible and didn�t interfere with the steering. I�ve tentatively settled on this location.
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Ignition mount view from left
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Ignition mounting - close-up
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Ignition mount - zip tied to the traingulated fairing bracke
We�ll see how it all works once the upper fairing is remounted and the brake lines are run. I�ll note that there won�t be much room for big key fobs here��not a big issue for me. Not as easily accessible as the stock location, but there is enough room for you to easily get your hand in there.
So here�s how it stands at the moment:
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Controls and calipers mounted; brake lines to come.....
After much difficulty and delay in getting the proper Goodridge lines (thanks to my local stealership), I finally did what I should have done in the first place: buy a brake line kit off of E-pay and be done with it. I ended up getting a Galfer kit, which I am pleased with. I had originally intended to go Galfer, since they still list a clutch line for the �86-�87 VFRs which will allow me to eventually match the clutch line to the new brake lines. (I was told I�d have to go custom if I went through Goodridge). Not really a big deal, but it makes my life easier�.
With brake lines in hand, the brake system went together with no real surprises. Bleeding the system was another matter entirely. I used a miti-vac system to help pull fluid through the new system, but eventually resorted to the old pump lever/crack bleeder method to remove the last of the air bubbles. I�ll save anyone who does this a lot of time and frustration: Be sure to bleed the banjo connections at the master cylinder first, then the banjos at the calipers, then finally the bleed nipples themselves. With the banjos bled, I finally had lever feel, and torqued everything down to spec.
In an earlier post I eluded to some slight clearance issues at full lock between the brake and clutch levers and the VFRs instrument pod. After some thought, and considerable time spent aimlessly wandering around the aisles of my local Lowes (a pastime I enjoy only slightly less than motorcycling) I managed to scrounge together about $6 of hardware to put together my own homemade set of handlebar risers. All there really is to it are a couple of longer than stock allen head bolts (the ones that bolt the clip ons to the upper triple), and a couple of �� spacers. The spacers are simply placed under the longer than stock clip-on hold down bolt, giving you a �� rise in the bars. The astute will already have noticed in the picture that I have the fork caps dropped slightly below the top of the clip-ons about ��. I have yet to settle on the height of the forks in the triples, so in the event I decide to drop the front end another ��, it will bring the tubes flush with the top of the clip-ons. It might currently look a touch ghetto, but it has solved the clearance problems, and it cost considerably less than a set of Genmar risers.
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Ghetto bar risers: 1/2 inch spacers under clip on hold down