Vfr1200... I Did It My Way

Hey dudes,

I've had several V4 Honda sport-touring bikes ever since they were introduced in 1983. I recently picked up a 2010 VFR1200 manual-shift with 8300 miles and some low-speed (garage) tip over damage to the mirrors and side fairings. It was originally Candy Prominence Red/Silver but the paint was gonna take some work, because it was sun-faded too. The seat had some tears up near the tank, etc., etc.

I decided to order a set of aftermarket fairing panels in metallic silver from an ebay retailer. I have done this in the past and have been happily surprised with the quality and fit. Anyway, I got the parts, and ordered a nice Sargent seat recovering kit with new CF weave vinyl, and foam with gel inserts. CF front fender too for subtle, yet classy bling.

A few days later, it was done! I then decided to build my own custom exhaust cross-over pipe to hang a SS 'GP' style muffler on the opposite side, exposing that purty wheel and dumping about 15 lbs along with that flapper motor and cable. (needed another plug-in device to tell the ECU all was OK with the muffler)

I also ordered a Zero-Gravity smoked windscreen and then painted the OEM 'beak' above the headlight glossy black. I wet sanded it so it really shines and looks like part of the windscreen.

That area around the headlight-screen was way too busy visually (for me) with the clear plastic, black stuff behind it, red beak, silver fairing winglets, red main fairing.... whoa, too much stuff in one location. Also blacked out the passenger pegs and mirror fairings.... makes 'em just go away.

I removed the plastic frame covers near the swingarm pivot, and also a big black plastic cover on the final drive. They are just unnecessary, and visually just unsightly to my eye.

Next, I put in the Bazzazz 1-2 gear restriction eliminator, because the OEM power output in those gears was just pissing me off! Works much better. I installed two new Conti Motion ZR 17 tires because the original Pilots still looked good but had small cracks in the sidewalls and in the grooves.

Not yet installed is a unit from Denmark that will fool the ECU into thinking the air temp is a more constant thing, rather than what is measured in the airbox. It's called 'Booster Plug', and I got it on ebay. A friend has one on his bike and he's much happier with the way his EFI bike runs at all temps.

I will also disable the PAIR system to stop the ridiculous decel gurgling and 8-stroking at certain light throttle openings.

I think these visual cues all combine to make the large bike seem 100 lbs lighter visually. I think I have removed around 20 lbs with all the junk I have sitting in a pile.

Anyway, please enjoy the photos and let me know what you think!

I think it's the way HONDA should have done it in the 1st place! Turns out they didn't, so... like Sinatra, I did it 'My Wayyyyy"......

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Looks great in the silver...And the minimalist exhaust does show off the SSA and wheel.  How happy are you with the aftermarket tupperware?

Looks great, just the right amount of blacked out, clean and classy :fing02:

Looks great in the silver...And the minimalist exhaust does show off the SSA and wheel.  How happy are you with the aftermarket tupperware?

Thanks, the Chinese panels fit perfectly. You just need to remove the OEM hardware (spring clips, insert wedges) and transfer them to the new parts. They make these panels in various colors, including the Candy red/silver, black/silver and the dark blue/silver OEM colors.

I toyed with the idea of having them do a custom "Italian Red" like the older VFR's... no silver, all red.

Didn't do it this time.... the full-silver is just so classy looking IMHO. Looks like a little Lexus or Mercedes (Acura?!) sitting there.

All panels complete with shipping to USA for under $500 clams. Includes a new clear windscreen and front fender too. I'll be selling off all the body stuff I don't need on ebay, so if you need body parts check it out in the next few weeks.

Cheers,

BLIGHT

Terrific! Thanks for the write up AND Photos.

As it should be . . . make it your own.  Having people go their own way is what makes it interesting. 

Very nicely done.  It looks great.  This is the 1st 1200 I've seen with a left exit exhaust.  Nice custom touch.

Nice job. Well done.

As it should be . . . make it your own.  Having people go their own way is what makes it interesting. 

Very nicely done.  It looks great.  This is the 1st 1200 I've seen with a left exit exhaust.  Nice custom touch.

Thanks guys... I would have preferred to just buy a left exit pipe, but after an extensive search, zip... bupkus!

So, I ordered up some SS tubing and ells, and made my own crossover pipe. This is Version 1.0... I will likely do another one a little better tucked in.

I did the pipe in one afternoon so it would be ready for WSBK weekend just a few days ago, and it worked out perfectly. The 'GP' muffler is a little loud, so I'll be working on an alternate muffler or baffle to knock it down a few db, without sounding like a Trail 90.

BLIGHT 

One more thing, I sanded (heavily) the textured black rear tail-piece over the tail light and painted it "Universal Silver" to match the Chinese body parts. This was my final color choice.... did you know there are about 1000 different silvers?

I tried 3 or 4 different silvers to find the one that matched the closest... a lot of trial and mostly error. I eventually had to strip it to bare plastic again due to paint interactions and wrinkling   :wacko:

Anyway, it's a Dupli-Color rattle-can job with clear-coat and wet-sanding with 3000 grit to shine.... looks really good up close!

You would never have known if I hadn't told you!

BLIGHT

To my eye that is the best VFR12 I have seen yet, great job.  2 things in particular - the piece of fairing below the windscreen, where you painted it gloss black and wet sanded it, yes it looks absolutely beautiful and blends in with the windscreen.  Also exposing the rear wheel, what a great look.

Curious about the fuel tank - is it wearing an aftermarket fairing `cover` or did you have it painted?

Well done!

Great job.

Love the exhaust, pegs/mirrors & losing the plastic off the rear looks very good.

Nice.  :beer:

That is awesome!. You should produce that exhaust muffler for others to buy (maybe even a twin muffler setup!!!) or share how you did it because, selfishly I want that on my DCT. That is how Honda should have done the exhaust just as they did with the NC30/RC30.

Saves on disturbing the muffler joint or having to swing the muffler out of the way to change the rear tyre.

Also agree on removing the unnessary plastics which seem pointless. Please let us know where the fairing panels came from and how good they are as my 1200 was blown over by the wind and has minor damage to the front fairing as you described...

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Stunning!!!

Very nice. I really like the left exit exhaust and the way out shows off the wheel.

Wow. Well done.

That left-exit exhaust is the business.

I'm sold. Never have I wanted a VFR1200 like I do now... great work! "Clean" is definitely the word of the day. 

I'm interested in the Sargeant seat cover and gel inserts and how much difference it make in long distance comfort. What is your impression of this seat setup? Can you give some info on ordering and price? Thank you very much.

Stan

To my eye that is the best VFR12 I have seen yet, great job.  2 things in particular - the piece of fairing below the windscreen, where you painted it gloss black and wet sanded it, yes it looks absolutely beautiful and blends in with the windscreen.  Also exposing the rear wheel, what a great look.

Curious about the fuel tank - is it wearing an aftermarket fairing `cover` or did you have it painted?

Well done!

Thanks, the center portion of all VFR1200 tanks are painted gloss black as far as I know. The OEM paint is deep and very glossy.

I do however have a sweet CF cover for this area on it's way from an Australian manufacturer (Geelong CF)

Lovely!

I'm interested in the Sargeant seat cover and gel inserts and how much difference it make in long distance comfort. What is your impression of this seat setup? Can you give some info on ordering and price? Thank you very much.

Stan

The seat cover is from an ebay retailer.... or you can order directly from Sargent Seat too... about $160.

All you need is a stapler. It is tailored to fit the stock seat base perfectly... the best I've ever seen from an aftermarket provider.

I got a (complete) Sargent seat for my Harley XR1200 and love it, so this already came highly recommended in my mind.

The molded Sargent foam is thicker than OEM, and has more padding in the passenger area as well, without the little raised pyramid in the center. I've only ridden about 70 miles so far in one stint and the comfort is excellent.

I can't tell where the gel is in the foam because it's molded inside, but it does conform to your arse and just feels nice.

I like the CF patttern too.... happy as a clam with the seat kit.

BLIGHT

That is awesome!. You should produce that exhaust muffler for others to buy (maybe even a twin muffler setup!!!) or share how you did it because, selfishly I want that on my DCT. That is how Honda should have done the exhaust just as they did with the NC30/RC30.

Saves on disturbing the muffler joint or having to swing the muffler out of the way to change the rear tyre.

Also agree on removing the unnessary plastics which seem pointless. Please let us know where the fairing panels came from and how good they are as my 1200 was blown over by the wind and has minor damage to the front fairing as you described...

Hello, and thanks.... I got the fairing panels on ebay, and rather than post an actual link (which will soon be outdated) the seller was auctmarts.... here is their seller page link though:

http://www.ebay.com/...872.m2749.l2754

The parts were well-packed and arrived air-express in about 10 days.

There were a couple of obscure small runs in the clearcoat at some corners, but what paint-job is 100% perfect?

I lightly wet-sanded them with 2000 and 3000 grit and buffed them out.

The biggest thing I was worrying about is the complex fitting tabs and fastener arrangement (Honda really hid the fasteners from view) and there is a sequence for panel removal and refitting. Thankfully, these aftermarket panels are engineered as well as the OEM stuff from what I could tell, with all attaching points in perfect alignment.

Just take your time and read the shop manual... it clearly tells you how to remove/replace all of the Tupperware.

Hope this helps,

BLIGHT 

Blight
Outstanding job on your VFR1200,one of the best I have seen. When you make V2 of the left side exhaust. I want a copy of the new mid pipe. When I put on my slip on,I flipped the mid pipe 180 degrees for a left side exit,but it had the center stand tab welded on and that looked hideous. You will get plenty of orders for a version 2 left hand exit mid pipe. The overall look of your VFR is stunning. Can you show a close up view of the mid pipe mounting bracket connection,on the left passenger foot peg?

Blight
Outstanding job on your VFR1200,one of the best I have seen. When you make V2 of the left side exhaust. I want a copy of the new mid pipe. When I put on my slip on,I flipped the mid pipe 180 degrees for a left side exit,but it had the center stand tab welded on and that looked hideous. You will get plenty of orders for a version 2 left hand exit mid pipe. The overall look of your VFR is stunning. Can you show a close up view of the mid pipe mounting bracket connection,on the left passenger foot peg?

Hello... thanks for your nice words, and also from all the other forum members!

Can you post a pic or two of your left-side exhaust? I can't quite picture in my mind what you did there.

Sounds like you chucked the whole OEM muff in favor of a new mid-pipe and right-side slip-on.

Then you tried to flip it to the other side? The exit from the OEM cat-con is skewed towards the right side of the bike.

Your flipped mid-pipe seems like it would point in some weird direction, so that's why it would be good to see how it looks.

The biggest problem in putting a muffler on the left (opposite) side is the clearance with the bulky single-sided swingarm.

That's the reason I chose the slim, tapered pipe over a canister muffler.... purely to gain some swingarm clearance about midway along the muffler where it almost touches the casting.

Otherwise, if you were to use a round or oval canister muff, it would need to be offset or angled outwardly at an unattractive angle. Let's see some pics, eh?!

Oh, and yes... I will make a better shaped pipe and get it measured for easy production if someone wants to buy them.

Again... no round, fat mufflers will work here, unless a triangular shape could fit right up against the swingarm.

The custom mid-pipe can be chromed or polished SS for some extra bling!

By the way, this (rather loud) SS muffler I used was purchased on AliExpress for under $60! delivered....

Here's a pic of the mount to the rear passenger peg as you requested... it's just a simple L-shaped steel bracket I made in 5 minutes:

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And one more shot from the rear showing muffler offset and swingarm clearance (photo shot before I painted the black tail-piece silver, and passenger pegs black):

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Looks great - nice job and looks really well executed.

Quick question - are you feeling any imbalance with the shaft and exhaust both on the left side? I assume the shaft on the left is the only reason Honda put the exhaust on the right...

Just curious. Beautifully done.

 -Dan

Nice work! Very ingenious and tasteful.

I was planning to have Sargent refoam my seat.  I didn't know that you could order that particular stitching design.  Really complements the bike's unique design.

Looks great - nice job and looks really well executed.

Quick question - are you feeling any imbalance with the shaft and exhaust both on the left side? I assume the shaft on the left is the only reason Honda put the exhaust on the right...

Just curious. Beautifully done.

 -Dan

Hi Dan,

The new muff is about 2 lbs... the OEM one is about 16 lbs with the motor and cable.

The important thing is reducing weight on this behemoth! The small weight shift to the left is too small to notice.

Remember, Honda has produced several SSA VFR's with a left-exit muffler on their V4 sport bikes:

RC30

NC30

RC45

NR750

Also, Ducati has always put the muffler on the 'proper side' or under the seat to showcase their 'naked' bolt-on wheel.

I honestly think Honda put the muff on the right side as a safety issue.

Probably staff-lawyer advice to keep the passenger's leg away from the rotating, unprotected wheel using the gigantic muffler as a 'guard'.

Left-exit muffler on a VFR is not a new thing... I installed a Two-Bros full system (left side muff) on my 1991 VFR750... 24 years ago!!

Cheers,

BLIGHT

Nice work! Very ingenious and tasteful.

I was planning to have Sargent refoam my seat.  I didn't know that you could order that particular stitching design.  Really complements the bike's unique design.

Thanks... the VFR1200 Sargent cover and new foam is an ebay purchase... check it out!

That is awesome!. You should produce that exhaust muffler for others to buy (maybe even a twin muffler setup!!!) or share how you did it because, selfishly I want that on my DCT. That is how Honda should have done the exhaust just as they did with the NC30/RC30.

Saves on disturbing the muffler joint or having to swing the muffler out of the way to change the rear tyre.

Also agree on removing the unnessary plastics which seem pointless. Please let us know where the fairing panels came from and how good they are as my 1200 was blown over by the wind and has minor damage to the front fairing as you described...

[image: CIMG7818_zpsb7d3fbed.jpg]

Nice bike.... they never offered the VFR12 here in the USA in metallic grey and silver.... very nice.

I don't think this pipe (Version 1.0) would work with the center-stand necessarily.

I don't currently have a center-stand, but would like to get one someday... I could build a pipe to work with it though.

BLIGHT

cool bike mate.

Excellent work!
Any chance of getting a video or sound clip of the exhaust?

Looks great - nice job and looks really well executed.

Quick question - are you feeling any imbalance with the shaft and exhaust both on the left side? I assume the shaft on the left is the only reason Honda put the exhaust on the right...

Just curious. Beautifully done.

 -Dan

Hi Dan,

The new muff is about 2 lbs... the OEM one is about 16 lbs with the motor and cable.

The important thing is reducing weight on this behemoth! The small weight shift to the left is too small to notice.

Remember, Honda has produced several SSA VFR's with a left-exit muffler on their V4 sport bikes:

RC30

NC30

RC45

NR750

Also, Ducati has always put the muffler on the 'proper side' or under the seat to showcase their 'naked' bolt-on wheel.

I honestly think Honda put the muff on the right side as a safety issue.

Probably staff-lawyer advice to keep the passenger's leg away from the rotating, unprotected wheel using the gigantic muffler as a 'guard'.

Left-exit muffler on a VFR is not a new thing... I installed a Two-Bros full system (left side muff) on my 1991 VFR750... 24 years ago!!

Cheers,

BLIGHT

Nice work! Very ingenious and tasteful.

I was planning to have Sargent refoam my seat.  I didn't know that you could order that particular stitching design.  Really complements the bike's unique design.

Thanks... the VFR1200 Sargent cover and new foam is an ebay purchase... check it out!

Can you point us in the direction of this listing on eBay???n I can not seem to find it. Thanks.

How'd you perform the tail bob?

It looks great. 

Excellent work!
Any chance of getting a video or sound clip of the exhaust?

Thank you.... I'll try to remember to shoot one and put it on YouTube

BLIGHT

How'd you perform the tail bob?

It looks great. 

I just unscrewed the section below the plate lamp and removed it. 

Drilled one hole in the plastic below the plate lamp...

Made an angled piece of aluminum 1/8" thick just smaller than the plate with a 4" wide tab above...bent about 45 deg.

Drilled the new mount bracket and mounted it to the rear fender drilled hole... one bolt.

I then applied a bunch of clear RTV silicone to the back of the plate and clamped it to the bracket overnight to set.

Painted the backside flat black, and the edge all the way around the plate with flat black (makes plate appear smaller)

Then cut out 4 little circles of 3M reflector white to stick over the 4 plate drilled holes.... no screws!!!!

Very clean, and pretty easy to do if you can work with metal.

BLIGHT

Looks great - nice job and looks really well executed.

Quick question - are you feeling any imbalance with the shaft and exhaust both on the left side? I assume the shaft on the left is the only reason Honda put the exhaust on the right...

Just curious. Beautifully done.

 -Dan

Hi Dan,

The new muff is about 2 lbs... the OEM one is about 16 lbs with the motor and cable.

The important thing is reducing weight on this behemoth! The small weight shift to the left is too small to notice.

Remember, Honda has produced several SSA VFR's with a left-exit muffler on their V4 sport bikes:

RC30

NC30

RC45

NR750

Also, Ducati has always put the muffler on the 'proper side' or under the seat to showcase their 'naked' bolt-on wheel.

I honestly think Honda put the muff on the right side as a safety issue.

Probably staff-lawyer advice to keep the passenger's leg away from the rotating, unprotected wheel using the gigantic muffler as a 'guard'.

Left-exit muffler on a VFR is not a new thing... I installed a Two-Bros full system (left side muff) on my 1991 VFR750... 24 years ago!!

Cheers,

BLIGHT

Nice work! Very ingenious and tasteful.

I was planning to have Sargent refoam my seat.  I didn't know that you could order that particular stitching design.  Really complements the bike's unique design.

Thanks... the VFR1200 Sargent cover and new foam is an ebay purchase... check it out!

Can you point us in the direction of this listing on eBay???n I can not seem to find it. Thanks.

Here is today's link... it won't last forever if the seller re-lists or drops it later:

http://www.ebay.com/...=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Ah, that is a Saddlemen cover, not a Sargent. That is why no one could find it. I have seen a couple Saddlemen covers and they look good when done properly. I also like their seats that have a channel built into them.

Ah, that is a Saddlemen cover, not a Sargent. That is why no one could find it. I have seen a couple Saddlemen covers and they look good when done properly. I also like their seats that have a channel built into them.

Sorry.. I knew it started with an 'S'!!

Excellent work!
Any chance of getting a video or sound clip of the exhaust?

Hello, I shot a quick clip of the bike today with my phone so you can hear the left-side muffler... turn up your volume on your phone or PC, because it's really pretty loud in person. Sounds nasty.... :goofy:

[video: https://youtube.com/embed/7b7GOqW-grE?html5=1&fs=1]

I'll work on a quieter muffler in the future... but with earplugs while riding, this one is OK for now.

My next mid-pipe will tuck in a lot better and will also move the muffler forward a few inches too.

BLIGHT

Great job, wow!! [image: emoji106.png] [image: emoji106.png] [image: emoji106.png]

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

I like the sound!

Very cool