VFR750/Storm crossbreed race bike project.

[popkat]

Malc where ya gonna race it?

Hoping to have it ready to test for a Classic bike track day at Donington in early May, then race it Donington in August, Angelsey in September and Brands Hatch in October. A long way off but it's a slow build due to time and money..

To anyone interested.
This is the track day event which combines a show and a 4hour endurance race over the same weekend, if anyone reads MCN this is where the very rule stretching Katana Suzuki are building will be racing.. Track day does up to 1995 bikes (road or race) but they will let a Firestorm in as long as it's a road bike with road bodywork, you just need to ask them before booking but they will allow them.

All details here - http://www.endurancelegends.co.uk/

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I like the look of that. I contacted them about my track 'storm but they won't accept it. I thought this reply from my email thread might interest a couple of folks on here though:

Hi Nick,

Now interestingly a Moriwaki rep would get you our thumbs up, but arguably that would still be rather collectable!!

At present I'm really sorry to say it doesn't fit as you've already guessed. We hate saying 'no', but hope you understand . . . and if you decide to go all Moriwaki on it, please let us know!!

Thanks for the comments about the event too - it's coming together very nicely and we're working hard to make it's as good as everyone hope's it will be! We hope you'll be able to attend too.

Mine would be a sad mutton dressed as lamb fake, but...

Update - just hadn't email from Darin at Endurance Legends suggesting we might want to come along as a club.

I've started a thread to see if there's interest


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[bigtwinthing]

I read that in MCN today, 145bhp at the rear wheel will be good. I may pop up for that. All the best for getting your bike ready.

[popkat]

Progress report
a bit slow but I've been waiting on some money.
I've fitted my Nitron shock but it needs a heavier spring and to be a bit longer so it will be coming off and going back to Nitron for modifying. I got some CBR600F4 brake calipers but when bled up they feel a bit spongy so although the master cylinder is 5/8th and correct for the calipers I may need to change it, it could be that the VFR master cylinder has a different pivot point ? I'm not sure but I will need something better, maybe a 19mm will do it ?.
I have a firestorm rear caliper and master cylinder (thanks Mac) and will be trimming the carrier and hanging it underneath with a short torque arm, as Mark did with his.
I've ordered the race seat unit and fairing but unfortunately they won't be here until February, I have a spare wiring loom coming which will be stripped down to the bare minimum everything that isn't needed will be gone. I will be ordering some rearsets as soon as I can get hold of the guy who makes them, I was going to make some myself but don't really have the time and the ones I'll buy are basic but fairly cheap. Also I will be ordering a Tsubaki 520 race chain with renthal sprockets the front being an RC30 fitment as it's offset by about 4mm to help with chain alignment.
I'm also getting a dynojet kit.
Looks like I'll be doing some late nights in Feb/March I won't have much time as work gets busy from spring, this is the hard bit as working on bikes all day to then do the same in the evening doesn't fill me with much joy but it will need to be done.
Once it's all basically there and stuff is fitted up I'll pull it apart again and get the footrest lug that's broken ally welded along with a torque arm lug and paddock stand mounts on the swingarm, then last job will be to take it to an exhaust fabricator to make up the y piece and link pipe, when all that's done a short road test then off to the dyno for fine tuning..
Good job I'm not doing a full season as it wouldn't be ready for March, I need to have it ready for dyno time by mid April.



This is how it sits now, the rear is raised by 26mm but looking to get it to 40mm, shock length is currently 291mm up from 285, I'm looking for 195mm with a +/- 5mm.
It is starting to look good though.
One other thing I may do is a tem swap to fit Firestome yokes, these will give me less offset which will quicken the steering and shorten wheelbase slightly, not sure if it's doable as the VFR has a thick alloy yoke with a pressed in stem and the storm has a steel one with stem welded in, I have some spare VFR yokes coming so can give it a go.


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[Watty]

Coming on nicely Malc! Watching this closely for obvious reasons ( I have a Viffer ). Love the planned colour scheme and was thinking of having this one myself

[lloydie]

I take it that the Vtr yokes don't fit ?
I know many hondas use the same size stem so if you haven't checked the bearing sizes ,it may be a option .

[artee]

The rc24 stem is unusually long compared to other Honda.
But popkat will know that.
Here is a stem bearing conversion chart.
http://www.allballsracing.com/index.php/forkconversion

Roger

[popkat]

Roger's right the VFR stem is longer, it's not by much (less than an inch I think) hence I'm waiting on a spare set of yokes so I can compare side by side with the VTR yokes I have. Then I'll make the decision on what to do.
Bearings are the same for both bikes.

I'm getting spare VFR yokes for 2 reasons, 1. I won't have to have the bike propped up with no front end while working it out and 2. If it goes wrong I've still got a good set of yokes.


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[fabiostar]

looking well sir . question for you, would a vfr top yoke fit on a set of storm forks?

[artee]

looking well sir . question for you, would a vfr top yoke fit on a set of storm forks?

I think the offset is different.

Roger

[popkat]

Yes different offset, Storm has about 5mm less than VFR.


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[fabiostar]

Happy days boys cheers.

[artee]

I believe an early fireblade stem is just a fit.

Kevin Irish Ago Murphy at the classic TT 2015.
I think Robert Wittey has the bike now.

Roger

[popkat]

I believe an early fireblade stem is just a fit.

Kevin Irish Ago Murphy at the classic TT 2015.
I think Robert Wittey has the bike now.

Roger

Interesting as fireblade front end has been transplanted to firestorm, maybe there a chance the storm yokes will fit ?

Good picture Who knows what Robs got lurking about, lol. I asked him if he'll be out on a vfr and he's racing a couple of other bikes this year but said he if he gets time he might.

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[popkat]

Sorry no pictures at the moment but I will try to butt about with photobucket and get some on here before long.

Work had to stop on the bike due to a family health issue, I was ready to leave it altogether but now the issue is clear so it's getting back on track again.
I had planned to enter the track sessions at the endurance legends weekend to test the bike but by the time I was able to they were all booked so I'm on the reserve list. I'll be going anyway so will still aim to get the bike ready for early May.


I got a complete race single seat unit that has been a nightmare to fit, I've had to make a pan up for underneath it as there's a void, it's still not quite there and I must have spent 2 full days so far. I have the race fairing but not fitted it yet.

The stem has been swapped from the vfr yokes to the storm one and it's ready to fit the front end any day now, I'll be putting in new fork seals and some K tech springs.
I though the VFR front master cylinder was 5/8th and when I put the CBR600 calipers on the lever was spongy and could be pulled back to the bar. had a look and it's a 1/2 inch master cylinder so I've picked up a CBR600 on that's 5/8th, it will be going on this week to check it all works and feels ok.

I got some rearsets but they aren't great, one side is lower than the other and the gear linkage is far too short, I'll sort that myself and probably live with wonky pegs.

When I put my Nitron shock on there was way too much sag but Nitron said it should be right. Turns out it's for the early model VFR only, they altered the suspension after the first year.. I bought a rear suspension linkage for the early one and fitted that yesterday, it's raised the rear by 30mm which is good and seems the sag is much better, still got to measure but I'm hopeful.

That's it for now but I'm hoping over the next few weeks it'll start coming together.

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[lloydie]

Keep at it and you'll get there