New To The Vfr

Hey all: Just got me a RWB and I am pumped. I have bad knees and have already ordered the Peg Lowering Blocks. Hopefully that will help. Should I consider a taller seat as well?

Some additional noobie questions: I want to point my levers lower, but it looks like they might hit the fairing (at the steering stops) if I rotate them down. Do I need new bars or something to pull that off?

If I want to take off the grab handles on rear of the seat, do you have to replace the rear fairing or is there some way to plug the holes cleanly?

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

Welcome!

If your bike is new, you should have received a seat cowl as well as two covers for the grab handle holes from the dealer. If yo ubought it used, check with the seller and see if he didn't "forget" to pass them on to you. Sometimes the dealer will tuck the covers under the seat, wrapped in foam.

[image: View Post]TankSlapper, on Jul 23 2009, 10:56 AM, said:

Hey all: Just got me a RWB and I am pumped. I have bad knees and have already ordered the Peg Lowering Blocks. Hopefully that will help. Should I consider a taller seat as well?

Some additional noobie questions: I want to point my levers lower, but it looks like they might hit the fairing (at the steering stops) if I rotate them down. Do I need new bars or something to pull that off?

If I want to take off the grab handles on rear of the seat, do you have to replace the rear fairing or is there some way to plug the holes cleanly?

Any recommendations would be appreciated!
Welcome to the world of VFR and the excellent VFRD forum!

Can't really answer the first 2 questions, but for the last the answer is: Yes, there are coverplastics for the grab handles.
Have a look at the picture of the rear cowl assembly: http://www.vfrdiscus...e.htm?frame=H03
Items no 4 and 5 are the ones you need. I got them when I bought my VFR new from the dealer.
(By the way, all parts are listed under VFRD INFO - VFRD PARTS FICHE in the top menu)

/Faceplant

Congrats on your VFR and welcome to the forum! :)

All you have to do to remove the grab handles is to pry off the top 'buttons' with a flat blade or screwdriver, then remove the allen bolts holding the grab handles on. (I think they're 6mm heads.) As the others said, you should have received the plastic tabs to cover the holes when the grab handles are off (plus the rear seat cowl). If not, contact your dealer or the previous owner.

As for the levers - yes, I think you'll hit the fairing if you rotate the levers downward too much. One option is bar risers, to move the stock clip-ons up an inch or so, then you can rotate the levers more. I think there are at least a couple brands of risers for the VFR, including Helibars and GenMar.


BTW, just so you know, there's an unofficial rule that without a pic of your bike it doesn't officially exist here. ;)

Thanks for the responses guys! I got the bike used, so I try and fine the hole covers for the grab handles. Just so I am official, here is my pic:

http://www.gerhardeng.com/images/lsr/vfr1.jpg

[image: View Post]TankSlapper, on Jul 23 2009, 08:40 PM, said:

Thanks for the responses guys! I got the bike used, so I try and fine the hole covers for the grab handles. Just so I am official, here is my pic:

http://www.gerhardeng.com/images/lsr/vfr1.jpg

That color scheme is still my favorite, nothing left to do but to enjoy it. :fing02:

[image: View Post]TankSlapper, on Jul 23 2009, 08:40 PM, said:

Thanks for the responses guys! I got the bike used, so I try and fine the hole covers for the grab handles. Just so I am official, here is my pic:

http://www.gerhardeng.com/images/lsr/vfr1.jpg

I hate to be a barrier of bad news, but the levers are limited in their movement, due to the pin/hole thingie, and a few other things that stop the movement, same with rotating the electrical thumb buttons. I haven't done it yet but at least with the electric buttons, the pins can be cut off and let the pinch bolts hold the housing. With the pressure that goes with the levers, I'm not willing to remove the stops.
Welcome to the group..... You're Avatar looks like someone that got laid off from work, and had a rough go of it after deciding to walk home. :rolleyes:

[image: View Post]TankSlapper, on Jul 23 2009, 08:40 PM, said:

Thanks for the responses guys! I got the bike used, so I try and fine the hole covers for the grab handles. Just so I am official, here is my pic:

I've got an extra set for a RWB. $1 + shipping and their yours. PM me if you're interested.

Welcome........................................nice color choice


They should all be this color.........................................Pft red.....hmph.

It'll be nice not having "another red VFR" around.

[image: View Post]Monk, on Jul 23 2009, 09:07 PM, said:

I hate to be a barrier of bad news, but the levers are limited in their movement, due to the pin/hole thingie, and a few other things that stop the movement, same with rotating the electrical thumb buttons. I haven't done it yet but at least with the electric buttons, the pins can be cut off and let the pinch bolts hold the housing. With the pressure that goes with the levers, I'm not willing to remove the stops.
Welcome to the group..... You're Avatar looks like someone that got laid off from work, and had a rough go of it after deciding to walk home. :rolleyes:

The brake and clutch reservoirs do not have locating pins, only the switch pods do.

While the 2 piece clamp of the reservoir mount does a good job of clamping, the pair of Philips screws in each pod don't clamp so well. If one were inclined to rotate the switches, one should drill new holes in the bar after determining the new location of the switch & locating pin.

I currently have this issue on my '83 restoration, the 98 VFR left switch pod is missing the locating pin, and so it moves when I apply the choke lever or push on the signal kill switch. I'm going to attempt to fix it by drilling a blind hole where the pin was, then glueing in a small piece of an old broken drill to act as a new pin.

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on Jul 24 2009, 08:39 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Monk, on Jul 23 2009, 09:07 PM, said:

I hate to be a barrier of bad news, but the levers are limited in their movement, due to the pin/hole thingie, and a few other things that stop the movement, same with rotating the electrical thumb buttons. I haven't done it yet but at least with the electric buttons, the pins can be cut off and let the pinch bolts hold the housing. With the pressure that goes with the levers, I'm not willing to remove the stops.
Welcome to the group..... You're Avatar looks like someone that got laid off from work, and had a rough go of it after deciding to walk home. :rolleyes:

The brake and clutch reservoirs do not have locating pins, only the switch pods do.

While the 2 piece clamp of the reservoir mount does a good job of clamping, the pair of Philips screws in each pod don't clamp so well. If one were inclined to rotate the switches, one should drill new holes in the bar after determining the new location of the switch & locating pin.

I currently have this issue on my '83 restoration, the 98 VFR left switch pod is missing the locating pin, and so it moves when I apply the choke lever or push on the signal kill switch. I'm going to attempt to fix it by drilling a blind hole where the pin was, then glueing in a small piece of an old broken drill to act as a new pin.
Thx, Seb........ Didn't mean to mislead..... I knew I couldn't rotate the levers as low as I wanted( the fact that they could move at all should have told me "no pins").

shes a good lookin bike. I just hope "falling down" as your avatar isnt bad luck.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Jul 24 2009, 09:20 AM, said:

shes a good lookin bike. I just hope "falling down" as your avatar isnt bad luck.
Great movie though!

[image: View Post]Monk, on Jul 24 2009, 07:15 AM, said:

Great movie though!

Yep, one of my favs.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Jul 24 2009, 06:20 AM, said:

shes a good lookin bike. I just hope "falling down" as your avatar isnt bad luck.

Wow: I didn't think of that... n'ah, I ain't superstitious (haha, you will notice the picture is gone).

Thanks everyone for the help. I'll hopefully get a chance to do some wrenching this weekend.

I'll hit up my dealer for the grab handle covers, it looks like they are only about $7.00 each, but thanks for the offer ryanme17, that was very cool of you!

I received the lowering blocks from BLM on Saturday. Dayum that was quick! Quality pieces that just bolted on, no problems. This made such a difference. My blown up knees are now happy on the bike. Thank you so much Larry!

This is what I came up with to to keep the sidestand from hitting the lowered pegs. I didn't want to do any bending or grinding on the sidestand. I took a little "U" shaped piece of sheetmetal (the size of the piece is exaggerated in the pic) and epoxy'ed it (used J-B Weld) to the sidestand mount where the stand rests on the bracket in the up position. I put the bike on the centerstand and used the sidestand to hold the piece in place while the expoy cured. If the epxoy doesn't hold up, I figure I can drill and tap a small hole and screw it down.

http://gerhardeng.com/images/lsr/sidestand_spacer.jpg

This keeps the stand sitting just a tad lower in the stowed position and keeps it from hitting the peg. I'll put some pictures of the actual piece mounted on the bike when I get a chance.

I played with the levers and as you guys have said, the perches run into the switch pods (which are not moveable). I'll have to wait until I can look into some new bars to fine tune the position of my controls....

I also took off the silly rear fender and re-attached the stock license plate bracket and light. There is actually a second set of holes on the bracket that moves the plate up notch as well. I did have to roll the top corners of the plate to keep from hitting the pipes, but not much. Pictures to follow.

Thanks for the help!