Looking for clutch advice for my '91

It's time to replace the clutch on my '91 VFR with 70k. It slips under full throttle above about 8k. It gets touring miles, like 300 miles a day at some high speeds with some "passing opportunities" thrown in, so I would not mind a slightly upgraded clutch. I am planning on replacing the friction plates, the steels and the springs since it has quite a few miles.

Anyone have experience with either of the EBC clutch kits? If so, which kind (they sell two different kits)?

Or, any experience with Barnett Kevlar clutch kits?

OEM seems to be a safe bet, but more expensive than the other two options.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

I put a set of EBC friction discs plus their uprated springs in my 5G at 92000km; very very happy with the result. I definitely needed the discs, don't think the springs were really needed. My clutch went from being grabby and hard to modulate to smooth with a wide engagement point.

 

Which EBC kit did you get? They have the standard cork, the street racer and the sportbike race cluch kit.

 

I just ordered the kit on the Partzilla website and had no idea of the variations on offer. Looking back on my order it turns out I got the CK1206 which is cork-based.

 

One word OEM, get OEM Honda replacement steels/frictions/springs/gasket, and call it a day. My 91 had 70,000 miles on it, one owner, changed them out just out of a maintenance issue, never slipped at 8000 RPM though. Once installed, the bike seems to hold a little more at over 120 mph or so but the old clutch never slipped or the RPMs never went up at these speeds.

If you have something for over 20 years your get pretty tuned into it, I hazard to say, if this bike "farted" I would know. That being said, when I picked up an un-known 93 a while ago, I swapped out the steels, frictions, springs for fresh ones, also did a new clutch slave and a new braided steel line. This is just me, your results will vary.

My 91 is still a little faster on the the top end compared to the now 25,000 93; conversely the 93 feels different in the mid-range. You know, pictures are a good thing here We-or should I say "I" like looking at gen3 bikes :thumbsup:

 

You know ridevfr, I think I like your idea and the safety of sticking with OEM. However, I will go Terry Smith's route and use the EBC springs since they are only 10% stiffer than stock. I would be afraid of getting an incorrect stack height with aftermarket steels and frictions.

So, if you like pics of 3rd gens or VFRs in general, here are mine getting flogged in various ways. My 3rd gen was a rescue which had damaged fairings (mostly fixed), a dead cylinder (fixed with carb tickle and synch) and other niggling bits. Now runs so smoothly. Ahhhhhh......



Sorry that one pic is sideways. Just turn your head.

 

I put stock in my 3rd gen. First one lasted me 75K miles, so I am not worried about the cork based or the slight extra cost.

I just put a stock clutch in my 5th gen. I spent about $150 for plates, friction, and springs. Barnet kits with the same are out there, but they're not that much cheaper -- $20 difference or whatever. I somehow doubt 3rd gen aftermarket kits are going to be a better bargain.

I am sure you'll be happy with whatever you put in there. I chose the stock for my 5th based on the fact that I was ordering from a dealer anyway since I had to get a gasket for the case cover. But it is also a known quantity. I know the stock discs worked just fine, felt great, and I'm pretty sure the only reason they were bad on my 3rd gen when I changed them was that I let the bike sit for a couple of years and they dried out.

 

When I picked up my 3rd gen (since my 5th gen was lonely and needed a stablemate) it had lived a hard life with 70k on the clock. So after a valve adjust and carb makeover, I am not surprised that the clutch is starting to slip slightly (I also switched to synthetic oil which may have something to do with it).

But only under full throttle at around 8k and up. Which happens on most rides. It likes to be ridden like that. Or maybe I just like to ride it like that.

Burnouts. I suppose I should do less burnouts too. That might be hard on the clutch also.

But I do so like to make smoke! And the noise. And the mayhem.

 

The black one has the same pipe as you have, quieter than the Yoshimura slip-on that's on my 93. The new steel plates don't come with the stippled dots on them anymore, maybe a manufacturing cost factor? I noticed a difference with the new OEM springs on my older bike that had more miles on it, the clutch pull was slightly more pronounced, the 93 on the other hand; I really did not notice a difference. Both bikes have braided steel clutch lines btw, the 93 has steel lines on every corner (lucky bastard :loco really, the only reason the 93 has a rear braided line was that the rear caliper I got of the internet came with one. Other than that, its all good. Main thing is to change fluid every few years and keep those master cylinders clean. I have rebuilt many in the past. eace:

 

Ohhh,...all black stealth VFR. Nice.

 

Thanks! I had that bike for 22 years, (a record) I like it so much, I got a white one. The black is really blue in the light, "granite-blue" Stay kewel :thumbsup: