+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Need help please...front end conversion

  1. #1
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Need help please...front end conversion

    ok, so I found a bike yesterday that was an 86 vfr700f that had a complete cbr f4i conversion. The entire front end was swapped and the rear wheel replaced with the f4i wheel.

    What all would be needed to do the front swap? What's needed with the rear wheel swap? I saw a post here where another guy had done this on his bike as well and said all that was needed to accommodate the rear wheel was spacer adjustments?

    Basically, I love my bike as is, and will keep it that way if a conversion is too hard, but I loved the look of his bike as it lowered the front end plus gave much better tire choices, and i'm just not too impressed with the tire choices in stock size...too tall of a sidewall so can't really lay the bike down as low as i'd like


  2. #2
    Uber Guru JamieDaugherty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Country
    My Ride
    2008 Ducati 1098 - 1998 VTR1000F - 3x 1984 VF500F - 1984 VF1000F - 1985 VF1000R - 1984 VF700F
    Posts
    1,418
    Thanks
    21
    Thanked 123 Times in 112 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    The front end swap is pretty straightforward - you just bolt in the whole assembly to the VFR700 steering head.

    The rear is a little more difficult. The F4 wheel is too wide to keep the chain in the original position. That's the tough part - getting the chain moved outward. A custom countershaft sprocket would be needed for sure. The rear brake is another issue. Plan on some custom fabrication to make that work. You also might want to check the swingarm clearance to be sure a 180 tire will fit in there. A 160 on an F2 or F3 wheel fits without any problems but I'm not sure about a 180.

  3. #3
    Mullet Aficionado

    TOE CUTTER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Sacramento
    Country
    My Ride
    2007 RWB 1990 RED 1986 750 DRZ 400
    View my
    Photo Gallery
    Posts
    1,717
    Thanks
    109
    Thanked 152 Times in 136 Posts

    Ride height

    The rear is the hard part to be sure. The rear will lose height in the conversion and it must be corrected. Fox shock is the best way to fix but hard to find.Just lowering the front is not enough and you will darg exhaust and lowers well before it is in check.
    "This shit's getting way too complicated for me" Barack Obama

  4. #4
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    ok, so an f2 would be the best bet then? Isn't the f2 front a direct bolt-in? I have a guy offering me an f2 rear with axle, custom spacers, correct cush drive/sprocket/brake rotor, new bearings, brand new Shenko tire 170/60-17, and all instructions for the brake arm and caliper mount along with the stock brake arm and caliper mount so that i don't have to ruin my stock setup in case I want to go back...all for $200. So then i'd just have to find the f2 front and be set.

  5. #5
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    Also wanted to say thanks for the input. Throw a ninja in front of me and i can figure about anything out...just new to the VFRs lol

  6. #6
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    Ooor, Jamie, How about the f4i front swap with the f2 rear wheel? How would that work out?

  7. #7
    Senior Member

    pokerplayer6989's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    missouri
    Country
    My Ride
    86 honda interceptor vfr 700f (died) 88 cbr 600 hurricane
    View my
    Photo Gallery
    Posts
    116
    Thanks
    17
    Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
    hey i saw that tire on ebay lolol i was going to snag it

  8. #8
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    lol...well it's mine, dangit!

  9. #9
    Uber Guru JamieDaugherty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Country
    My Ride
    2008 Ducati 1098 - 1998 VTR1000F - 3x 1984 VF500F - 1984 VF1000F - 1985 VF1000R - 1984 VF700F
    Posts
    1,418
    Thanks
    21
    Thanked 123 Times in 112 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    Quote Originally Posted by NWA_VFR700F View Post
    ok, so an f2 would be the best bet then? Isn't the f2 front a direct bolt-in? I have a guy offering me an f2 rear with axle, custom spacers, correct cush drive/sprocket/brake rotor, new bearings, brand new Shenko tire 170/60-17, and all instructions for the brake arm and caliper mount along with the stock brake arm and caliper mount so that i don't have to ruin my stock setup in case I want to go back...all for $200. So then i'd just have to find the f2 front and be set.
    The F2 rear wheel is certainly not a direct bolt-on. The parts you describe sound like what was outlined on the Hondavfr.org site, so you should be fine there.


    Quote Originally Posted by NWA_VFR700F View Post
    Ooor, Jamie, How about the f4i front swap with the f2 rear wheel? How would that work out?

    There is nothing 'wrong' with that, but keep in mind that the F2 and F4 wheels look different.

  10. #10
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Country
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by NWA_VFR700F View Post
    Also wanted to say thanks for the input. Throw a ninja in front of me and i can figure about anything out...just new to the VFRs lol
    I hear ya on the ninja....I am the same. i have built so many of those its crazy. This v4 honda stuff is making my brain hurt. They (honda) do some weird shit. It works though. I will learn..lots of reading. I will finish the service manual this weekend.

  11. #11
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Country
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by JamieDaugherty View Post
    The F2 rear wheel is certainly not a direct bolt-on. The parts you describe sound like what was outlined on the Hondavfr.org site, so you should be fine there.





    There is nothing 'wrong' with that, but keep in mind that the F2 and F4 wheels look different.

    Damn...another site to study.....Hey Jamie, looks like I will be spending some dollars with you soon. I am interhested in a f2/3 front swap..

  12. #12
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    ok, I've decided to go a different route, mainly because it'll be free

    I've acquired a Hurricane 600 front and rear wheel sets. I know that the front wheel is a direct swap, no modification needed. Perfect! Has anyone tried the matching 17" hurricane rear wheel? I'm hoping it'll be a direct swap, too, that way I can have 17s front and back, and matching wheels, and less work

  13. #13
    Uber Guru JamieDaugherty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Country
    My Ride
    2008 Ducati 1098 - 1998 VTR1000F - 3x 1984 VF500F - 1984 VF1000F - 1985 VF1000R - 1984 VF700F
    Posts
    1,418
    Thanks
    21
    Thanked 123 Times in 112 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    Quote Originally Posted by NWA_VFR700F View Post
    ok, I've decided to go a different route, mainly because it'll be free

    I've acquired a Hurricane 600 front and rear wheel sets. I know that the front wheel is a direct swap, no modification needed. Perfect! Has anyone tried the matching 17" hurricane rear wheel? I'm hoping it'll be a direct swap, too, that way I can have 17s front and back, and matching wheels, and less work

    Just a comment - the Hurricane wheels are a goofy width and therefore you can't really get good tires for them anymore. I think the net result would not have much gain.

  14. #14
    Member NWA_VFR700F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Siloam Springs, Arkansas
    Country
    My Ride
    1986 Honda VFR700F, 1989 Suzuki GSX750F Katana
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    blah...guess i'll just stick with stock for now and try to find some decent tires with short sidewalls and nice rolled contact patches

    well, that or put the hurricane wheel on front with a Bridgestone BT-016 since it has a really short sidewall and rolled contact patch, then run a Battlax 140/60zr18 on back for the same reason.

  15. #15
    Member jamey2466's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Country
    View my
    Photo Gallery
    Posts
    36
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
    my 86 vfr700f has a 2001 f4i rear rim and a 180 tire it was not hard to put it on

  16. #16
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Country
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by jamey2466 View Post
    my 86 vfr700f has a 2001 f4i rear rim and a 180 tire it was not hard to put it on
    Please...do tell.......

  17. #17
    Uber Guru JamieDaugherty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Country
    My Ride
    2008 Ducati 1098 - 1998 VTR1000F - 3x 1984 VF500F - 1984 VF1000F - 1985 VF1000R - 1984 VF700F
    Posts
    1,418
    Thanks
    21
    Thanked 123 Times in 112 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    I contacted the original owner of HondaVFR.org and he put it back up in a temporary location. It can be found here: The 1986-7 VFR700F Page

    Lots of good 86-87 info, check it out! I'm going to post this in a few places just to make sure the 86-87 folks see it.


+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Conversion
    By falcon186 in forum General VFR Discussions
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 10-31-2009, 04:09 PM
  2. 2nd Gen f2 conversion
    By supertex in forum 1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 05-29-2009, 02:44 PM
  3. F2 Conversion
    By fatso1277 in forum 1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-18-2008, 02:58 PM
  4. Info on "Upsidedown" front end Conversion?
    By Painkiller in forum Mechanics Garage
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 04-05-2008, 08:08 PM
  5. conversion to 520
    By Motomaj in forum General VFR Discussions
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-16-2006, 07:59 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.5.0 RC1 PL1