VFR Purchased, some basic problems to fix

I just bought a 1998 VFR800(5th gen),

It came with the single seat conversion and also the 2 seater stock seat. So I came home to change it out the 2 seater saddle and noticed that the 3 slots in the tail section bodywork that would be coverd/occupied by the single seat cowl is now exposed. It looks like water could easily seep in especially the one closest to the tail lamp wiring, is that an issue that anyone has faced or should i should just tape over it?

2nd thing that's finicky are the 2 front turn signals that also act as DRL(daytime running lights), the both sides(left and right) work fine as turn signals but the left one doesn't stay lit as a DRL. I notice that the same bulb funcitons as a turn signals and DRL, just bright as a turn signal and dim when unused as a turn signal(becoming a DRL instead). So i'm assuming the bulb is fine since it lights up when turn on my left turn signal. Has anyone had this problem and can advice n how to proceed?

Finally, can anyone provide me accurate speed to rev correlations in top gear? I feel that the tach on my bike is reading higher, at 5k rpm its doing 74/75mph, can anyone confirm this?

Thanks again guys

 

Welcome Paulpah.

Firstly don't worry about water getting through the slots in the tail, there's plenty more ways for water to get in there, and the bike will be fine. Someone will be along shortly to put the fear of Dog into you about how bad VFR electrics are, but my bike has been fine (touches wood). As delivered, there are plugs for all those three slots, and you can buy them from an online source like Partzilla (I did anyway).

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-77220-MBG-000.html

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-77222-MBG-000.html

In your front blinkers you most likely have two-filament bulbs, a 5/21W combo, same as a brake light (my local market bike doesn't have running lights standard so I can't be sure). You most likely just need a new bulb because the 5W filament is kaputt. On the inside of the front wheel well there is a philips head screw that threads into the back of the blinker, unscrew that and the blinker can be worked free of the fairing, then you just unscrew the bulb holder to access the bulb.

I have a gearing calculator and according to that, at 5000 rpm in top gear with standard 17/43 final gearing and a 180/55 back tyre, you should be doing 72.6 mph, so your speedo sounds pretty good. Easiest thing would be to download a GPS speedo onto your smartphone and check with that.

 

First, congrats on your purchase, where's the photos? These are great bikes and getting harder to come by as time goes on. Do you have the factory passenger grab handles? if not that could be what you are referring too, if you don't yea that would leave a gap. Now on the bulbs, I'm pretty sure those are dual filament, I just had one off, didn't notice, the SM has it as dual rated 21w turn and 5w running. Now the Speed O & tach, yours sound about right, 5k is around 70 or so. LOL yea the speed O is around 10% off I think, like 70 you're actually doing 63 apox give or take, some get a speedo healer some just leave it as it is, 5th gens are all like this. I know this bugs me. but whats ya going to do. I've heard if you fix the speed O, the odometer get fubared. As it is, it's correct. Now where's to photos?

 

Welcome to the WORLD and as others have mentioned,congrats on the purchase. Not that any of us would be considered partial to any particular bike, naturally, but being a fellow 5th gen owner, you're gonna love the bike.

If you need to replace the front turn signal bulbs they should be a 7443 wedge bulb IIRC and I think the bulb type is also embossed on the back of the turn signal pod as to what kind of bulb is required. When you undo the screw as Cadbury mentions, it sometimes helps to gently push the turn signal pod toward the rear of bike. Then pop the front turn signal pod out enough that the screw attachment post clears the fairing, then pull turn signal pod toward the front of the bike to remove.