canuck

Well everybody, I finally ordered and received a brand new pair of VFR bars for the bird. Pretty excited about getting them installed. Hopefully will be able to do this weekend.

Grutok

Got to ask....what did they cost?

(I'm just curious to see how much more they cost in this country....)

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Bring on the twisty bits!!

canuck

I paid $109 for one side ( I forget which side) and $132 for the other side. That is in CAD funds. On top of that is 13% sales tax.

Grutok

Sorry I asked now

I'd pay at least double, triple if I go to Honda........

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Bring on the twisty bits!!

canuck

That seems rather absurd doesn't it?

According to the Bank of Canada Exchange Calculator, $233 CAD converts to $260.00 Australian Dollars. You Aussies must be paying a lot of intermediate charges and taxes.

One bar came from Vancouver, which is on the other side of the country and the other came from California. Even with all that transport I paid what I paid.

shewie

Umm, I think you better gear up and get ready for a beating. Grutok, I believe, is Irish.

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Where are we going and what am I doing in this handbasket?!

canuck

Right you are Shewi. My apologies Grutok.

Got my geography a little mixed up there!

Grutok

That's ok, I can tolerate being called Aussie.
Hell, there's enough of us down there already.

I've been accused of being British before,
I still send flowers to his widow!!

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Bring on the twisty bits!!

mikedevine

Nice!

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"It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything" - Tyler Durden

canuck

I finally got around to installing my bars. I am very pleased with the results. The bike is a bit more manageable around town and riding in general is more comfortable. The angle of the bars is quite different than stock and easier on my wrsts. Being just a bit more upright in the wind has no adverse effects as I am still bent into the wind enough that the blast helps support my torso. I am 5' 9" and did not experience any buffeting of consequence at speeds of up to 140km/hr (86mph). Along with the peg lowering kit which I installed last year, so far I am very pleased with how the bird is coming along. Next up is heated grips for fall.

I have attached a very poorly edited movie file of the install. A movie producer I will never be

Attached Files

VFR Bar Installation.wmv (15.13 MB, 161 views)

birdfarmer

i put vfr bars and bar risers from jaws on my bird...wayyy more comfortable...did a 1500 km trip 2 weekends ago, not a problem.

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Ain't no bird like a blackbird.

canuck

Ya, I wanted to see your set up before I went into the hospital. Today was my first ride in nearly two months. As good as the improvement is, a little more height or pull back would be even better. How much extra do you gain with the risers?

birdfarmer

the risers gave me another inch. i had to remove a front brakeline from a bracket just above the fender. i have a ful set of steel brakelines yet to be installed with the front lines being 1 inch longer so i can put them back into the bracket again.

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Ain't no bird like a blackbird.

canuck

I think I will do the same. Like I said, so far what I have done is good, a bit more would be better.

If you don't mind me asking where did you get the risers and the brake lines and how much did they cost?

Uglystick

Well you may have had Grutock's nationality wrong but your werent wrong when it came to the price in Australia.

I checked with my local honda dealer when I ordered the fairing and I was quoted $250 per side, at which time I mumbled various obcentities and told him the price was too high.

I ordered them through
Ohio, Florida, Honda, Parts, Accessories, dealer, Honda Direct LIne

PRODUCT INFORMATION:
Mfg Product Number: 53100-MCW-D00
Description: HANDLEBAR, R. for 2004 HONDA VFR800
Order Quantity: 1
Unit Price: $124.06
Total Cost: $124.06

Mfg Product Number: 53150-MCW-D00
Description: HANDLEBAR, L. for 2004 HONDA VFR800
Order Quantity: 1
Unit Price: $116.69
Total Cost: $116.69

ORDER TOTALS:

Item Total: $240.75
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $0.00
Order Total: $240.75

Exchange rate is 20% so add $50. (I cant work out whats going on about shipping so ill see) but it shouldnt be more than $350.00 at my door.

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Laying in bed and crying "Oh God!" does not constitute going to church

birdfarmer

got the riders from jaws, Jaws Motorcycles and Motorcycle parts supplys for the Blackbird , got the brake lines from hel-usa and they were like $380 US. i got the risers with pre-load adjusters, but i could have done without them probably. i guess they weren't all that much more.
when i let go of the left grip and turn my shoulders to the left a little bit, i can sit just about straight up. now that's comfort for ya...

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Ain't no bird like a blackbird.

X1rider

Any pictures of your bike with the VFR bars and riser kit installed?

Backonthebike

Dear Mr Stick, or can I call you Ugly?
Have your Viffer bars turned up from Ohio yet? I am interested to see how much the postage was.
Thanks for the link BTW; prices are still current.
I have just been checking Acumen Gear Position Indicators, and one crowd in the US is quoting $29 US ($35 AUD) to mail a tiny thing like that.
The postage can make a fair bit of difference I've found.
Cheers
Tim

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Better get a lawyer son, better get a REAL good one............

Uglystick

Yes the bars have shown up and the amount taken from my bank account was AU $300.86. I looked on the box and I cant find the actual cost of postage. So it was either really cheap (AU $15) or someone stuffed up..

The company is really slow on the communications side of things but the parts did arrive so all good in the end..

And as for the cost of postage from the states.. I have a local friend (american) that complains bitterly about how the yanks jack up the price of shipping to australia. He now gets stuff shipped to his sisters and then she forwards on to him at a fraction of the price..

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Laying in bed and crying "Oh God!" does not constitute going to church

Backonthebike

Sounds like you might have lucked in. That's a good price.
The idea of getting them delivered in the US (or in the UK for that matter) sounds like the way to go though. I have wasted a whole afternoon at work looking at all the lovely bits that are available worldwide (not really wasted then, is it?). Would be nice if freight wasn't so exxy.
Is the general concensus that the VFR bars have a similar effect to the Jaws risers? The reason I ask is that I now see that Jaws now have adjustable preload risers, which might be the go.
Tim

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Better get a lawyer son, better get a REAL good one............