First, thank you to everyone who helped me with suggestions and known issue regarding the infamous VFR R/R. I have a '97 4th Gen.
I got an R1 R/R off eBay total cost $79. You can do better, but I needed one now and give or take $20 didn't seem worth the wait.
The R/R I received is a model FH011AA and it has the tall heat sink fins. I had to trim off about a 1/4 inch of the fins so as not to have them touching the inside of the body work. This unit is considerably bigger and heftier than the original.
To mount it to the frame, I cut off the existing stud mount (the lower of the two) and used the existing upper mounting hole. I had to get a longer 6MM x 1 bolt (35mm length) to accommodate the thicker housing around the mounting hole in the R/R.
I drilled a lower mounting hole and tapped it for the other 6MM x 1 mounting bolt. Just to be sure, I put the original mounting flange nut on the excess bolt threads by reaching around the frame plate that serves as the mounting plate for the original R/R. It's a tight fit, but can be done.
Previously, I releases the wires from the R/R plug by inserting a screwdriver below each friction tab, then working the wire out of the plug. This kept the wires and friction connectors in tact. They fit exactly to the R1 R/R's respective tabs. My only concern is that although the wires are seated tight and deep within the new R/R, they are "exposed." Not like exposed and going to short out, but with the body work off, you can look up and in and see each wire and its relevant connection. I'm considering filling the two ports with silicon since I don't plan (really, please) to replace this unit again. Worse case, I should be able to x-acto knife the silicon out if I really needed to pull the wires free. (Note: I forgot to disconnect the battery while doing this. Bzzzz Zapppp, goodbye 30amp Main fuse.)
After install, wire tests at the connections on the R/R all read within spec.
Test results show the following:
Bike off: Battery 13.1v
At idle: 13.46-13.78v
at 5k RPM ~14.28v
I took the bike out for a quick test run and I swear it runs better. I swear it idles better. Is this just the placebo effect or does a properly operating R/R affect engine performance? Clearly a poorly operating one does as I got stuck miles from home (with no cell coverage) when the OEM unit failed.
If anyone finds themselves wanting to swap out an OEM R/R for an R1 model, please feel free to PM me if you have questions.
Bill
I got an R1 R/R off eBay total cost $79. You can do better, but I needed one now and give or take $20 didn't seem worth the wait.
The R/R I received is a model FH011AA and it has the tall heat sink fins. I had to trim off about a 1/4 inch of the fins so as not to have them touching the inside of the body work. This unit is considerably bigger and heftier than the original.
To mount it to the frame, I cut off the existing stud mount (the lower of the two) and used the existing upper mounting hole. I had to get a longer 6MM x 1 bolt (35mm length) to accommodate the thicker housing around the mounting hole in the R/R.
I drilled a lower mounting hole and tapped it for the other 6MM x 1 mounting bolt. Just to be sure, I put the original mounting flange nut on the excess bolt threads by reaching around the frame plate that serves as the mounting plate for the original R/R. It's a tight fit, but can be done.
Previously, I releases the wires from the R/R plug by inserting a screwdriver below each friction tab, then working the wire out of the plug. This kept the wires and friction connectors in tact. They fit exactly to the R1 R/R's respective tabs. My only concern is that although the wires are seated tight and deep within the new R/R, they are "exposed." Not like exposed and going to short out, but with the body work off, you can look up and in and see each wire and its relevant connection. I'm considering filling the two ports with silicon since I don't plan (really, please) to replace this unit again. Worse case, I should be able to x-acto knife the silicon out if I really needed to pull the wires free. (Note: I forgot to disconnect the battery while doing this. Bzzzz Zapppp, goodbye 30amp Main fuse.)
After install, wire tests at the connections on the R/R all read within spec.
Test results show the following:
Bike off: Battery 13.1v
At idle: 13.46-13.78v
at 5k RPM ~14.28v
I took the bike out for a quick test run and I swear it runs better. I swear it idles better. Is this just the placebo effect or does a properly operating R/R affect engine performance? Clearly a poorly operating one does as I got stuck miles from home (with no cell coverage) when the OEM unit failed.
If anyone finds themselves wanting to swap out an OEM R/R for an R1 model, please feel free to PM me if you have questions.
Bill