CBR1000rr tail swap

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by I0seb, Jun 15, 2017.

  1. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    It is interesting how you mentioned in one of your posts that working on one kind of bike , in your case Honda VFR 800, makes it so familiar and over time easier to work on since you get to know little minute things about the bike and any soft spots of the vehicle. That is why I am stuck with Honda VFR 800 for a while since the platform is solid to build on. That would be really nice to have a fork swap database for sure!!! As for the 1200 engine in a car chassis I believe I have seen it someone already done it with a motorcycle engine but it definitely be interesting what YOU will come up with. Not sure if I missed it but it would be nice to know what newer rear shocks we can swap into Gen 5 that will be beneficial for the ride, I was thinking 2014 rear shock from VFR800. I have found threads with CBR and F4I shocks but they seem to be dated earliest to 2006 and feel like that would be marginal upgrade correct me if I am wrong.
     
  2. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    In my experience the biggest consideration with shock swaps is the spring rate. The stock shock is way to soft as are the common CBR929/954 swaps. I did see a thread which used a 2017+ ZX10R shock which I'll definitely give a shot when i can find one for sale. The bikes are still pretty new so it's hard to find cheap used bits.

    Your best bet is probably to get a CBR929/954 shock and have it resprung and revalved, should come out much cheaper than a fancy aftermarket one and be about as good with all the adjustment you could need. I picked my shock up for ~$80 and was quoted $300 to have it rebuilt and resprung, never actually ended up going through with it as I want to try the ZX10R swap. I can confirm that in it's current state the CBR929 shock I have is way too soft.
     
  3. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    That was exactly my point that all the dated shocks can be had cheap but then revalving and rebuilding them does not make financial sense and that is why I am looking towards fresher more up to date tech wise shock that can be a good fit for gen5. I did not know 2017+ ZX10R shock is a viable option, could be tha answer to my dilemma spring rate is close to stock vfr?

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  4. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    * Correction it's the 2016+ ZX10R shock that fits*

    Stock spring rate for the VFR is 15.3kg/mm, I can't find a number for the 2016+ ZX10R but it's likely similar to the previous generation which is 9.7kg/mm. Seems counter intuitive that the ZX shock is softer but it is mounted on a steep angle rather than directly vertical which would increase its stiffness. It would likely need to be resprung for use in a VFR but it's a nice modern piece of kit so more 'worth it' I suppose.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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  6. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    Since we did tail end swaps of our rear ends compared to stock they are lighter I would guess by 30-50 lbs. So I would think that softer 9.7kg zx 10r shock might work good as is with a rider under 200 lbs all geared up. Or it doesn't apply ?

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  7. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    It would probably help but the spring rate has more to do with the geometry of the bike and the riding style of the owner. The stock shock is fine for cruising, it's when you start to demand more performance from it that it falls flat.
     
  8. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    so I found the thread where guy installed zx10r shock on his 5th Gen VFR and he is very happy with the outcome. But this guy JamieDaughterty who makes his own springs said following " Since we provide upgrades for all makes and models of motorcycles we have testing data on our suspension dynamometer (dyno) for the stock units. I can then compare that to the calculated ideal. This is usually done to give customers an idea of how bad their stock parts are compared to what they should be. In this case, I can compare how a stock ZX10 rear shock performs and apply that to the needs of the VFR. What I can tell you is the ZX10 shock produces a fraction of the damping you need just to get into a safe zone on the VFR, let alone be considered an upgrade. This is a safety issue IMHO.

    I know how tempting it is to think there is a magic wand solution out there. Unfortunately the reality of the world is this just isn't the case. I hope this helps!"
    I would like to hear your thought on this, if you dont mind.
     
  9. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    Wish I had access to the damping numbers but even if I did, suspension is not my area of expertise. What Jamie said echos what I've heard from other suspension gurus in relation to shock swaps. The guy I chatted to was of the opinion that any shock swap is unlikely to be a perfect fit 'out of the box' and will need work done to it to suit the bike. He also noted that the CBR929/954 shock is a great unit once it's been tuned correctly so I would say that is still the best option for the price.
     
  10. MxW

    MxW New Member

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    I am really liking this look! What is that subframe off of? or is it custom fabbed?
     
  11. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    I should really come on here to check my messages more often, sorry!

    The tail is half of a ducati monster frame which I cut up and welded new mounts on to. I recently repainted it, added some carbon fiber fairings and wrapped my tank in carbon fiber to match.

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    Sweet looking bike!!! I see 2 radiators on this build and I cant really tell if it has a fan on any of them, is that sufficient for cooling? Unlike on the notorious BLUE MEANIE :) single radiator with a fan. I remember you mentioned you were going to do something with a VFR1200 engine, anything in the works?
     
  13. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    There is a fan behind the lower radiator between the exhaust headers, same setup as on the 8th gen VFR, works a treat :)

    Sadly the VFR1200 engine I was eyeing was bought before I was ready to start a new project, I do still hope to do something with one in future.
     
  14. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    That looks pretty cool!!! Is there much difference in cooling between the two different set ups? ( one radiator vs 2 radiators) I tried to fit cbr1000rr radiator but the steering forks were hitting the upper part of radiator since it is curved. Went with Blue Meanie radiator set up for now. As for 1200 engine I am pretty sure you are busy as it is I bet it could be good project for the upcoming winter :)
     
  15. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    The dual radiators cool quite well when stationary or in traffic, about as well as my R1. When moving they are ridiculous, I rarely see coolant temps over 65c. I'm almost thinking I should increase the compression ratio to take advantage.

    Here's a pic of the bike that shows the rads a bit better
    [​IMG]
     
  16. ottablue

    ottablue New Member

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    Seems I will be doing 2 radiators mod soon ofcourse if you will share what radiators those are? :) since I get in traffic here and there in the city so keeping it as cool as possible brings piece of mind. I happen to have the same headers installed, thanks to your intell as well!!! As always great job and wealth of knowledge, Thank you.

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  17. I0seb

    I0seb New Member

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    I used radiators for a VFR 400 from china, you could also get a used set from a VFR400 or probably an 8th gen VFR800.
     
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