Hurricane Police Handlebar Kit. Fully Installed

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by vfrgiving, Apr 2, 2021.

  1. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    Hello, I recently installed the Hurricane Police Kit HBK607AS-01 available from webike. They also have kits to do this on a 6th gen as well. I must preface this post with a warning that this kit will completely erase any hint of a sportbike riding posture and you will need to cut a windshield for clearance. This will effectively turn your VFR into a standard and you will be sitting upright.

    The links
    Product page for the kit on webike:
    https://japan.webike.net/products/2076729.html

    Extended choke cable required for 98/99 installation. (See post #68 on page 4 for possible alternative using stock cable):
    https://japan.webike.net/products/2073560.html

    The page for the kit on Hurricane's catalog page. There is a little more information here. Including illustration of approximate location for windshield cuts:
    https://www.hurricane-web.jp/product/?bikew=HBK607AS-01

    Webike was easy to deal with. The kit itself is of high quality and well packaged. My 2000 had Helibars installed, and the police bars replaced them. At the same time I installed Knight Design lowered footpegs for added legroom. The VFR really does feel like a completely different bike now. The windshield I cut was a Givi D200S as I already had it on the bike. It also fits the look of this kit as it is one of the higher windshields that was made available for the 98-01. Use a rotary tool with a cutting wheel for the chop. See post #99 in this thread for more details. I then installed black car door edging.

    FYI, the Honda bar ends do not fit properly in the Hurricane pipes. The guts of a Throttlemeister will also not fit. The OEM inner weights will fit, I used a bit of dish soap on the rubber to install. I then added some cheap universal bar ends I found locally. Hurricane does offer weight innards and bar ends available from webike if you decide to add them to your shopping cart when buying the kit.

    The stock mirrors are still usable, but I found my hands occupying the inner 1/3 of the view. I installed some cheap stick on blind-spot mirrors to compensate.

    00pov1 (1).jpg
    00side.jpg
    00front.jpg

    The install

    This is primarily a throttle cable replacement, front brake fluid service, and clutch fluid service. I highly recommend having a shop manual handy that covers those tasks. There is some documentation that comes in the kit, but it's in Japanese and I didn't utilize it. Take pictures of current hose and cable routing before you start. You may at some point decide to revert back to previous bars, and the photos are also a good reference for install of the police kit. Start by removing mirrors and windshield, side panels, lift the gas tank, remove the cowling around the gauges, remove the airbox if your bike is a 98-99 for access to the choke cable. I did not remove the airbox on the 2000 install.

    Just work in whatever order you please. Take care of the brake fluid and removal of lines, or start at the throttle cables. Once I had the controls split apart, I was able to pass them forward between the fork legs and frame head. The controls wiring is long enough, but you need to free the bundled slack from two zip ties up under the instrument cluster. That's why I recommended pulling the gauge cowling.

    The horn cable wiring will probably be too short on your bike. Don't hack apart the harness, instead make yourself an extension cable with crimp on terminals and some wiring:
    hornextension.jpg

    The throttle cables are pretty straight forward, it's just a replacement. There are three hoses in the kit. I ran them: longest from clutch master to slave, medium length from brake master to left caliper, shortest from brake master to right caliper. The double banjo bolt included in the kit I installed at the brake master.

    The included allen bolt I didn't use, but I suspect it's meant to be installed at the left slider where it's securing some rear brake circuit hose. Instead, I just removed the short bolt from the right slider after removing the OEM front brake line assembly. That hose+tubing assembly is shaped like a "h". The left slider was initially securing two blocks on the brake lines with a long bolt. After removal of the OEM front lines it just needs to secure one block. So installed the shorter bolt there.
    leftslider.jpg

    All in all it wasn't a bad job. It did take several hours, so dedicate a weekend day to this. Also, I would consider the decorative chrome plastic bolt caps they provide as one time use only. If you need to pry them up for handlebar adjustment, prepare to have the coating start splitting off. It's not a big deal, I picked up a ten pack from Amazon of some generic brand. They're sold as screw cover plugs for 8mm thread allen bolts, ie M6 allen key.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2023
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  2. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi that is just what I am looking for
    Thanks for the detailed install
    Speed
     
  3. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi

    Any chance of getting a picture of someone sitting on the bike please
     
  4. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    Sure. You can also go to https://cycle-ergo.com/ and pull up the VFR. Add in your measurements as well as modification changes. This will give you a rough idea of the seating position for anything you're considering. I used my height and inseam for the following, and changes to bar and peg height based on respective manufacturer's numbers. I made no changes to seat height, seat position left at center, and arm bend was left at 95% for all. I've personally ridden a VFR in these three configurations.

    vfrergo.JPG

    Actual posture will change depending where the bars are set. Taller riders may prefer to have the police bars almost inline with the rake of the fork. Shorter riders may swivel the bars further down.
    hurricanereal.jpg
     
  5. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Many thanks
    So I take it you find the police bars the most comfortable position of the three ?

    Speed
     
  6. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    Absolutely. A standard riding position means no leaning over and putting weight on your wrists. It wasn't an exaggeration to say it feels like a completely different bike. This upright posture is found on bikes in Honda's Adventure category.

    hondacompare.jpg
     
  7. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    Leaving the stock pegs and just doing the handlebar kit would essentially give you the seating position found on the VFR800X Crossrunner.

    5thcross.jpg
     
  8. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi
    Ordered the kit yesterday
    I have lower pegs on already and a set of VF1000F bars . The VF1000F bars did make a difference but now need a more upright position as getting older

    speed
     
  9. Seriesman

    Seriesman New Member

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    Thanks for posting this. Being old with a ruined back it looks like ill be doing this myself!
     
  10. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    Unfortunately, it sounds like there will be a delay getting orders out. I was browsing Hurricane's catalog when I noticed a statement dated April 3rd on the main page. They've temporarily closed operations due to a COVID outbreak among staff. Shipments were suspended April 2nd.

    Partial google translation of relevant bits:
    Operation will be suspended from April 1st, and shipments will be suspended from April 2nd.
    It is closed.
    In the future, we will cooperate with related organizations such as the local health center to ensure the safety of employees and their families.
    With the highest priority, we will do our utmost to prevent the spread of infection inside and outside the company. To everyone
    We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

    I wouldn't be too discouraged. I actually placed the order for the kit pictured last year around the same time, right at the onset of COVID impact in Japan. Hurricane got my order out the door within three days, but it sat in a Tokyo post office for a month and a half. Hopefully everyone gets well and maybe they'll start processing the backlog of orders later in the month. I just placed another spring sale order through webike for a Hurricane kit, so I'll be waiting too.
     
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  11. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi
    Sure it`ll be worth the wait :)
     
  12. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    I cooked up my own solution using a spare upper triple, and low Superbar. For me it feels just right. Pressure is off my wrists, but still has a sporty enough lean and position.

    However, that kit is a great buy! You get all the extra bits and pieces (braided SS brake lines to boot), and you can easily try on different bars if the police bend is too high. For changing bar position, this is the best, most complete single solution anyone has posted up so far.

    Jose
     
  13. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    You could try experimenting with shorter bars, but I would be concerned with excessive throttle cable and hose slack if you stray too far. This kit is far beyond any handlebar swap the stock lines provide. I think the shortest hose in the kit is 90 cm. If you take your VFR to track days, you're probably not going to want this handlebar on there. Seating posture is more Schwinn Cruiser than sportbike.
     
  14. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi I see the Webike site has a picture of your bike on it.Maybe the picture of you sitting on it could be added as this shows the kit perfectly
     
  15. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    I only saw it possible to upload 1 photo on their review submission form, but I made the upright position known in the review. That just means you need to submit your own review with photo showing you sitting on your bike after install. They will give you up to 1000 points towards a future purchase if they use it. That translated to around $10 off. I see they also posted my review to the more expensive top triple clamp version, the HBK604AS-01. The 604 is for 02-05 RC46 (Without ABS), not the 98-01 VFRs.

    I received an email update from them saying to expect shipment around May 1st.
     
  16. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi just received an email saying the kit has been posted ....:pass:
     
  17. vfrgiving

    vfrgiving New Member

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    I noticed how the factory lines had an extra layer of shielding where they passed by points of contact. I'm not sure how necessary this is, but for piece of mind I added 1/4" marine grade spiral wrap in areas where hose and throttle cables were making contact with the motorcycle in the normal turning of the front wheel. Spiral wrap is cheap, and more importantly it can be added after all connections have already been made.

    wrap.jpg
     
  18. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi thanks for that ... will order something similar

    speed
     
  19. speed-

    speed- New Member

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    Hi so the kit arrived today looks great quality and really well packaged
    the instructions are in japanese the torque settings are there 21 nm for the fork top brackets if I am reading correctly

    regards Speed
     
  20. VFRIRL

    VFRIRL New Member

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