Eighth Gen Modathon (Round One)

There isn't much available for the new VFR yet, but I picked up a few items over the last week.  Family and work got in the way for a couple of days, but I blocked off some time to install everything last night.  I haven't gotten the service manual I ordered yet, but figured it wouldn't be that different from the 6th Gen as far as dis-assembly goes..... wrong :)  It's not that bad, but they worked hard at hiding screws and plastic rivets, which makes removing the fairing hardware a bit of an Easter-egg hunt.

Good news for all the K&N fans... filters fit just fine (not really a surprise, but I hadn't seen anyone discuss or confirm yet.)

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I really like the new rear cowl design.  It comes off in three major pieces, so minor changes don't require pulling the whole tail like the 6th gen.  

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Oddly enough, the grab handles attach to the side cowl pieces.  There is also a funky little vent that has a tab that hangs on for dear life during removal.  I just pulled until it gave up, but there is probably a better way to remove it.

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The end cap just slides backwards after you remove the screws.  The tail light is led for the brake light and regular bulbs for the blinkers.  They remove with a twist

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I opted for the Rowe Electronics PDM60 over a fuse block/relay setup.  I have been using these for a while now and really like them.  They are rugged and sealed and require no fuses.  As long as the problem or short has been resolved, you simply power the bike down and start it back up to reset the circuit.  You get 6 feeds and you can program them to whatever amperage you need (not to exceed 60 amps for the unit.)  You can also turn off feeds you are not using.  The specs are here:  PDM60  I bought mine at Waytek

You can initiate power-on with ground or ignition triggers, I chose ignition and tapped the brown wire on my taillight with a positap and connected to the gray wire on the PDM60 to accomplish this.  I left the extra wire in place and secured with a strip of Velcro to make future programming of the unit easier as the connector is on the back.

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The unit is quite small and tucks nicely in the back of the tail... I secured with sticky-back Velcro to keep it from jumping around or rattling. 

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Next up was a Shorai lithium ion battery.  It's much lighter than the stock battery and seems to hold a charge better.  I have used these in Honda's and Ducati's with great success.  I let my 848 sit for over a month and a half and it cranked up within two seconds with the Shorai (I have previously done the same with the lead-acid battery and it almost didn't start.)  You can find a compatible model here.  The battery for the 8th gen is LFX19A4-BS12, look around for a good deal on the net.  You will need to either use the included foam to raise the battery high enough or fabricate a new retainer strap to hold it in place.  The foam works fine on the bottom and takes seconds to install.  This battery only weighs 2.31 pounds.... awesome!

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Since I can turn off power leads I am not using, I ordered a harness from Eastern Beaver and cross-connected all the leads.  I routed the harness to the front of the bike and turned off the unused leads.  Now if I add anything, I simply need to attach the power and ground at the front of the bike.  Eastern Beaver will build anything you need and is great to work with.

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Look at all the stuff they added in this area!  Not sure what all this is (the black box near the tank might be the fuel injection.)  This used to be a great space to stash wires or components on the 6th gen.

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Next I installed the Techmount stem mount and extension piece and secured the Adaptiv mount plate and detector.  I have used the Ram stem mounts, but the Techmount stays in place better and seems more stable.  I used the 10105-B with the 3-62030 extension and attached their top plate to the Adaptive included quick release.  Make sure to wet the stem before you install.  I used hairspray as it dries and adds a bit of adhesive.  The articulation of the mount worked great to move the detector forward, leaving plenty of room for the GPS.

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At this point my wife wandered into the garage and just shook her head.  I asked her what was up and she said she couldn't believe the bike didn't last a week before I took it apart.  You guys know why.... don't you ;)

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When you get ready to raise the tank, be sure to remove the trim at the bottom of the tank.  If you don't, it will remove itself with a loud pop and shoot sideways :)

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To remove the trim, pull the screws and pull towards the rear of the bike.  It should pop right off.

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Here are the tabs that hold it on the tank

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I am a bit suprised at how much space this bike has in the tail.  With the cowl cover, you actually have a lot of room for items.  The pillion seat cuts this back a bit, but there is still much more space than the 6th gen.

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Next I added a tank protector.  I tried the TechSpec model, but it was just too thick and looked out of place.  I found the Honda 08P61-MFJ-100A which is for the CBR 600, but seems to work just fine for me.  This was by far my toughest mod to date ;)

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I really meant to include pics of the wiring, but it was getting late and I forgot to take any.  I'll get a few next time I pull the fairings.  The GPS mount is the same old Ram setup that everyone else has used (RAM-B-231ZU & RAM-B-201.)  At any rate, here are some shots of the installed electronics .... (I forgot to clean the lens before I took these, sorry)

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You can see how close the mounts sit in relation to one another and the tank, but they work and don't rub

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I also added the Adaptiv Laser Jammer.  Not sure how effective these are yet, but I hear good things.  You can see it under the headlights in this shot:

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Notice how bright the LED headlights are at night.  They really make a difference in my morning commute to work at 5AM!

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Shot of the back end.

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All buttoned up and ready to ride.  I ran it for 15 min to make sure nothing melted or shorted out :)

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Man, that is fantastic! Thanks for all the pictures with her clothes off. :goofy:

No  pic's  of  the  air  box   ?

Great work.

What does that Adaptiv-thingy do?

Laser Jammers are illegal over here, as are radar detectors but I doubt you'll get lost and find yourself in sunny England, especially with all those gadgets.

At this point my wife wandered into the garage and just shook her head.  I asked her what was up and she said she couldn't believe the bike didn't last a week before I took it apart.  You guys know why.... don't you ;)

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Of course we know Will.  :wink:    She is lucky it wasn't torn apart the first day!  Glad to see you still around.

Will glad your back what did you do with the fine piece of machinery you let me ride on the Cherehola? Trade it?

Will glad your back what did you do with the fine piece of machinery you let me ride on the Cherehola? Trade it?

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Look  close   Miguel  !!!

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The  plastic  cover  is  going  to  beat  the  paint  off  ?

Nice write up.  I'd sure love to run out and buy one these, but I'm sure like many it's hard to justify if you own a low(ish) mile 6th gen.    If you have a 6th gen with ABS, the upper area under the left cowl is also very crowded with the ABS pump and solenoids.   Now that all of them are ABS, everyone will live with that.   It looks like the US gets "Interceptor" badging as in this thread - looking at vtwindr's thread with photos of his black one in the UK - the side badging says "VFR" .  I believe that carries over from 6th gen hard luggage emblems - I got mine from the UK and it says "VFR" whereas all of the ones I've seen in the states say "Interceptor". 

Nice looking bike!

Thanks for sharing the details and pics...

A Persian carpet in the garage to park your bike on?  :unsure:

@switchblade - I can take some pics of the airbox when I get back next week

@skids - The adaptiv parts are a radar detector and laser jammer

@HS - Still have the 6th gen... will bring it to TMAC next year for you to flog!

@switchblade (again) - If you look really close, there is a white protective strip to stop the plastic cover from marring the paint.  Those that have dropped the seat lower noticed it as it will show on their bikes.

@dutchy - the wife didn't want it in the house, so I use it to crawl under the bikes if I need to :)

The Pazzo levers showed up today and fit perfectly!  You just order the same levers as the 6th gen!

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Does  the  air box  on  the  8th gen   look  like the  air box  on  the 6th gen ?

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Why are they hiding so much of that gorgeous sub-frame with the plastic side pannels..... Man-o-Man... powder coat that to match the wheels and it'd be sweet!

Just ordered the FactoryPro Shift kit.  Marc (and I) believe that it will fit/work.  This kit made a massive difference in shifts on my 6th gen.  I don't think I have missed a shift since I installed their kit.  You can find them here:  http://www.factorypro.com/

Stay tuned...

I'd hate you if you weren't such a nice guy. It's looking good!

The  connectors  appear  to  be  upgraded  .....

Just got an email from Chris at Dynojet.... the anticipate being ready to ship a PowerCommander V for the new VFR in six months or so.  He stated he would email me once it's ready.  Having raised the tank, I didn't see the same connectors that the 6th Gen has.  Not sure if the installation will be easier or more difficult.

Just ordered the FactoryPro Shift kit.  Marc (and I) believe that it will fit/work.  This kit made a massive difference in shifts on my 6th gen.  I don't think I have missed a shift since I installed their kit.  You can find them here:  http://www.factorypro.com/

Stay tuned...

Why not install the quick shifter that Honda has as an official option? The reviews from europe have been great.

quickshifters rock. Had one on my S1000RR, sounded like a gp bike.

Hey house, next time you have your bike in bits can you take some photos of the rear shock mounts, and mabe some measurments of it? Inquiring minds want to know if the Ohlins on a 5th gen will fit the 8th....

A Persian carpet in the garage to park your bike on?  :unsure:

Well if you have the money for a 8th gen why not park it on a fancy rug. :P

quickshifters rock. Had one on my S1000RR, sounded like a gp bike.

Hey house, next time you have your bike in bits can you take some photos of the rear shock mounts, and mabe some measurments of it? Inquiring minds want to know if the Ohlins on a 5th gen will fit the 8th....

Sure, planning to head to Traxxion next week and will ask them as well.  Switchblade wants pics of the airbox, so I will try to get both next week.

I like using my clutch, so not sure I need a quick-shifter.  The kit from FactoryPro just changes the travel and engagement of the indent arm, so I would think that it would help even with a quick-shift kit

And  Traxxion  suspension ...   Wow    !!

Sure, planning to head to Traxxion next week and will ask them as well.

Doing AK-20's?

I really don't like the factory tag mount, and CW doesn't have one for this bike yet, so I ordered the mount for the 1200 VFR to see if it would work.  It's not overly pretty, and there is only one bolt holding the whole thing together, but it will do for now.  I just used the bolt that is attached to the reflector and mounted it where the factory windsail went.  Added reflectors to cover the holes and for safety (keeps the wife happy too.)

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Here is the single bolt... may need some blue loctite :)

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The factory hugger showed up as well.   It's not near as nice as one Travis would make, but it will do for now and I don't know that I could con him into making a hugger for this bike.  The mount bolts are a bear to reach!

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Givi has not answered me after a week of nagging them for a date on the mount for this bike, so I sacrificed the rear seat to build my own.  Planning on a Corbin or Sargent at any rate, so I didn't mind tearing up the stock seat.  This one didn't turn out near as difficult (or as pretty) as the one I built for the Ducati 848, but it works great and wasn't too time consuming.  I considered building it with the rear cowl, but the plastic didn't look near as sturdy as the seat plastic.  I would have had to construct some sort of support under the cowl to be sure it wouldn't be an issue.  It is really simple.... just grab a few washers and 4 or 5" screws.  I would recommend 5" for the front screws, but Lowe's didn't have any, so I used 4" all around and just compressed the front of the seat to get the nuts on.  Another option would be to remove the staples on the cover, remove all the foam, drill and check clearances, add bushings or spacers, and replace the seat cover with some filling to keep it taught, then bolt it all together.  This is what I did on the Ducati and it worked great (but took a lot longer.)  It's not incredibly pretty, but I got tired of wearing a backpack to work in the 90 degree GA heat

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With the bag attached....

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Plenty of clearance even with the grab handles still mounted.

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Shots of the mount

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Looking good Will.

Thanks... of course the day AFTER I tear up my seat, I find this (which should work with the Givi plate.)

http://shop.sw-motec...typid=149388854

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Oh well, when you are on the bleeding edge of modifications they can't all be winners. :wink:

 Don't ask me how I know.

Nice work as always Will .

I decided I might be able to get the tag mount looking a little better and a little higher, so I grabbed the Dremel and went to work.  It didn't take too long to take the top tab off...

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I turned out pretty good and mount is more secure as I used two reflectors to secure it as opposed to one bolt.

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You can see the original mount earlier in this post

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Here is a comparison of the CW mount on the 6th gen vs. the modified VFR 1200 CW kit on the 8th gen

If anyone wants a VFR 1200 Competition Werks mount (un-dremeled), let me know

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A Persian carpet in the garage to park your bike on?  :unsure:

Well if you have the money for a 8th gen why not park it on a fancy rug. :P

I park my VFR on a bed of bald eagle feathers and cover it with a sumatra tiger fur blanket.  ; )

Time to send the pcv back and order a rapid bike.

Hi

How do I get the fairings off. Most of the retainers have been removed and I cannot work out getting it off around the headlamp area. Any assistance appreciated.

Hi AussieFox.

I have attached a PDF which shows details of fairing removal. The removal of the upper cowl (Page 2-9) seems to require you to remove the middle cowl first which is the black center piece around the headlights. I haven't done what you are trying to do so I can't offer any other assistance, hope the info provided helps.

Cheers.

Grum

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