Review: Jamie Daugherty's 5th Gen Rear Shock Upgrade Kit

Introduction

As we all know the 5th gen VFR isn't exactly a hard-core sportbike and the rear shock, while competent doesn't do really well in high speed railing. As a compromise I set the rear shock to max stiffness but the downside is that the ride is very jarring not to mention it's a little squirelly at times with it's "boingy" effect.

There are existing commercial aftermarket rear shocks such as Penske, Elka, and the like HOWEVER the price on them isn't exactly cheap starting at $1,000. Unless I win the lottery tomorrow I'm not going to be able to afford that.

But my friend Matt1986VF500F (that really rolls of the tongue doesn't it?) told me that there's a guy on VFRWorld, JamieDaugherty, that sells a kit that will allow a Honda 929RR rear shock to fit into the 5th gen VFR. So I get ahold of him by sending him a PM and he offers a great deal for around $300. How can I say no to sportbike performance at a fraction of the cost?

So after a long wait, I get the rear shock kit in the mail:



Isn't she a beauty?

Installation

For the benefit of anyone wanting to buy this kit as well I've written up a mini howto for replacing the shock.

First, you put the bike on the centerstand (duh) and proceed to take the seat off.

Now take the gas tank off by unscrewing the two front and rear bolts.

A tip: put a pillow or something soft on the seat area so you can flip the gas tank over with the gas lines still attached. This will allow you to easily disconnect the gas lines without scratching the gas tank and leaking gas everywhere:







And get a second pillow or another soft surface for the gas tank to rest on:



With the gas tank off go ahead and take the rear wheel off and the rear plastics. I know it seems extreme taking all this crap off just for a rear shock but it will make the job much easier in that you'll have more room to work with.

Unbolt the three triangle bolts, they are located just below the rear shock:



They might be on very tight so get a hammer and give it some good whacks:



Now unbolt the top rear shock bolt.

Ok, now pull the rear shock out. This might take a little firm effort.

Now you gotta unbolt the connector from the old rear shock as follows:



With the old rear shock gone it's time to put the new one in. As a note, I couldn't slide the new shock in the same way the old one came out. The spring is just too wide to fit in and I ended up having to push it above the chain guard as follows:



Also I had to separate the connector thingy and connect it to the top shock bolt as follows:



Then put the top shock bolt in first and hook it up tight.

Then put in the new rear shock and line up the connector and bolt it up! Make sure the reservoir thingy is facing the front as follows:



Now, with the triangle, this is a little tricky and requires a jack or something to hold up the swingarm. First, bolt the long link and then the shock itself. With the remaining hole, it probably won't line up and that's where the jack comes in. You either prop it up or down to get the hole lined up and move the triangle as necessary.





With all that bolted up, doublecheck that every bolt is on tight you don't want to miss anything otherwise you'll have to take the gas tank off, seat off, tire off blah blah blah.

Now put the rear tire back on and the rear plastics as well. And reattach the gas tank lever attachment as well.

Then put a pillow on the seat again and rest the gas tank on it. Now reattach the gas lines and then flip it over. Hook up the 4 gas tank bolts and make sure everything lines up. Then put the seat on.

Now put the key in ignition put your gear on, start the bike it's time for a test ride!

Initial Impressions

After putting about 40 miles on the bike I have to say I'm really amazed at the difference. Hell, I could even tell a difference just sitting on the bike in the garage. The bike now feels more planted and solid instead of bouncing around. The steering even improves just from the fact it's on a more stable platform.

Also I notice that it raises the rear a tiny bit, I estimate a centimeter or two because when the bike's on the center stand the rear tire is barely off the ground. I have no doubt this helps with the steering as well!

Before the upgrade sometimes I would get anxious before entering a fast curve wondering if I'm gonna make it. You can think of it as a game show, "Will Joey make this curve? Stay tuned to find out!" Now, with the Jamie Daugherty kit I don't feel nervous with entering corners. Plus the bike is so responsive I'm almost having to learn how to ride this bike all over again. It's THAT different.

I'm very happy with this kit and I highly recommend this to anyone wanting better performance out of their 5th gen VFR!

If you would like this kit, you can either send a PM to View Profile: JamieDaugherty - VFRworld here on VFRWorld or drop an

email to jamie@daughertymotorsports.com

 

Nice write up Joey and thanks for sharing. Jamie D. offers some nice options for sure.

But now Joey, you need to start doing track days, even if only a couple per year. You won't regret it brother.

Here's the link: NESBA : Northeast Sports Bike Association

BZ

 

That is on my wish list, only problem is the dough. I hope that sometime next year when I get all my debt paid off that I'll be able to splurge a little for track days.

 

Get the debt paid off for sure.

I can see it now though. You'll do your first day and will be kciking yourself for not having done one sooner. I think CMP is close to you. NESBA has it up on their site as a track they ride.

As a fellow 'cheapie' you can do a fair number of days 'on the cheap' if you plan ahead. Taking your own food, buying a track suit at discount (Meaning color of the suit doesn't matter to you).

Multiple ways to do do it. There is a whole subsection of us cheap bastages who scrounge to get out and ride! The one thing I wouldn't go cheap on is tires. You can get them at good prices through NESBA, but what I mean is just because they may pass tech inspection, barely, you should replace them before they are that bad.

When the time comes, let me know brother.

Peace,

BZ

 

Thanks for the write-up Joey! I'm glad to hear that you are happy with the results.

 

That's a very cool option, I installed a CBR9xx (?) shock that I picked up off ebay along with almost 2" of spacers and a longer bolt on my '99. It was a fairly painless mod and I have to say the difference was amazing, I totally agree that the bike immediately felt more stable in the corners and overall it's just much nicer to ride.

I really like this kit a lot, my only reservation is that the shock cost me $20 (looked like it was brand new) and the adapter bits were another $10, so $300 is a little steep for me. I may still hit him up to see if he sells just the parts to adapt the shock itself.

 

well the main reason for the higher cost is that Jamie CNC machines parts so that there's no need for spacers and long bolts. Plus he replaces the stock spring with a beefier aftermarket spring and even sets up the shock for your weight and riding style. IMO it's worth it because I'm not a suspension guru and he sets it all up perfectly for your needs so you don't need to tinker with it.

 

I totally get the cost involved in the CNC machining, I see some value in that. The spring is interesting, the original thread I followed for my swap said that the spring rate for the CBR9xx was exactly the same as the 5th gen VFR800 so it was a good direct swap, I find it great, but I'm no expert.

 

I assume the answer is no, but I've gotta ask: are there any issues with the shock reservoir being that close to the exhaust? Does the shock's performance change/degrade as it gets hot?

 

No, the performance does not degrade and I've even taken this bike on all-day rides with no issues!

 

+1 the thread I did mine from also said that there are no problems with temperature and I have not experienced any myself.

 

How long did it take you to get the part back? I sent him my front forks begging of March and was told it would be 3-4 weeks turn around. I am still waiting now. I do not mean to complain just seeing how long you had to wait.

 

Took me 3 months, delay was due to the CNC machine, Jamie said that they had to order another part. But at least he gave me a break on the price for taking so long; he doesn't do this for a living so take that into account.

 

That was very abnormal. In fact, because Joey mentioned that there was no hurry so I used that to help out some guys who needed faster turn around because of scheduled rides they had coming up. His shock took about 8-9 weeks and my standard lead time on shock conversions is 3-4 weeks.

That is true, the stock 929 spring is the same as the stock VFR800 part. If you are 12lb then that's perfect for you! Needless to say anyone who is larger than a newborn infant can really benefit form a higher rate part.

Sorry, since the shock itself must be machined I cannot sell just "parts only" kits. Another point to make is that the new upper mount is not required to be removed during the installation. The reason Joey had to do this is because of the way he was installing it. Removing the battery and some of the plastic parts really helps a lot. It might seem like extra work but in the long run it actually saves time.

 

Thanks for the reply, but for the love of God would you please give that dog a cupcake? Thanks.

 

Interesting, I'm 200 lbs and the new setup feels great for day-to-day riding where the stock one didn't.

Ahh, I didn't realize that you machined the shock too. I think that if my VFR800 was my primary ride that I might be able to justify the cost, but for now the VFR800 gets fixed with what's left after tweaking the Blackbird and Hayabusa.

 

Interesting, I'm 200 lbs and the new setup feels great for day-to-day riding where the stock one didn't.

Ahh, I didn't realize that you machined the shock too. I think that if my VFR800 was my primary ride that I might be able to justify the cost, but for now the VFR800 gets fixed with what's left after tweaking the Blackbird and Hayabusa.

 

This sounds like a great solution for me. Do I need to source the shock and ship it, or is that part of the $300?

 

The $300 cost would include a shock, if you supply the shock the total would be $270. I do not always have donor shocks so you would need to contact me when you are ready just to be sure that I have one available.

 

Jamie,

Is there a kit available for the 4th gen?

Also...anybody mechanically gifted with tools want to install for me in the Seattle area for cash?