I have a custom 03' xx and want to do something trick with my swingarm!
Has anyone ever heard of mod. a vfr single sided swingarm for a blackbird? I know I can buy one overseas for 3k that will bold right up... but am not ready to spend that kind of cash! I might just extend my stock one 4-6 ins and call it a day! any help??? Stu

You may be able to go a lot cheaper, maintain the Honda parts availability, and still come out looking trick. I have seen that one of the 900RR or 954 Fireblade mods is to install the VFR Honda SS arm in place of the stock piece. It comes off as a rather simple bolt on, with (checking the memory banks here) only a small shim required to space the arm correctly centered in the frame rails. Note this is for the 900 Honda sport bike. I've often wondered if the same might be true of the XX,..a bolt on SS arm install? I believe that it is. I think I've even seen a picture of one posted somewhere here on the site.

Some what related: I'm currently attempting the 1997 VFR SS arm install to the dated 1983 CB-1100F frame (picture attached). In this install the pivot point is much wider on the F frame at 9 5/8's inches, and the swing arm pivot to axle nominal center dimension is increased from the stock F bike's 20"inches to approx 22" inches (testing the memory banks here) on the VFR arm. I believe the newer Mk VFR's had a change in geometery which caused a shorter swing arm pivot to axle center distance...but I do not know what that number is? The late Mk' VFR's mount the swing arm to bosses located on the engine case (I think?) not on the frame rails.

Anyway,..about cost?...I picked up a complete 1997 VFR arm, brakes, wheel,shock, pivot bolt, brake line etc., for about $700.00. I've seen the arms without wheels go for much less then that on the E-bay. There are also two wheel styles to choose from. The 1997 ran a five spoke wheel that's 5.5 inches wide. The earlier 1990's model year VFR's (again check my facts here?) ran a eight spoke 6 inch wide wheel, which I think has a nicer look. To complete the change you might even change out the front wheel to match with a six spoke VFR or CBR 600 style wheel. Depending on year of wheel you pick, the stock XX 310mm rotors should bolt up. The caliper spacing is similar also I believe...or very close.

Some pictures attached of the conversion I'm attempting. Sad to say but life and a rather new to me XX have gotten in the way of this project bike. I may be able to provide more info given enough time and some better weather. The garage is not heated and the bulk of the parts are not all that accessible at the moment. I do have both the VFR SS arm and a stock XX arm and so can do a direct comparison of the two...that has not happened as yet.

FWIW,

Tony

Good info Tony but I'm pretty sure the VFR's had a 4.5" rim to go with the 170 rr tire.

Nope,.. 5.5 and 6 inch for the 1990's version. Note: we are not talking about the 18" diameter RC-30 Uni-nut rims here...these are 17" diameter wheels. Yes. the RC-30 NC-30, and a couple of the Euro version had 4.5 inch wheels, but to my knowledge,..and I do not know all of course,..the later VFR non-race spec (as in RC-30, RC-45 etc) all had 17's in either 5.5 or 6 inch widths. The eight spoke in praticular is a somewhat sought after piece for those that wish to do the arm conversion as bigger rubber can be run. Although extremely rare, Honda HRC did a set of Magnesium wheels for the race/edurance bikes they campaigned...I forget who did the casting for them.... Marchesini perhaps? These were of the uni-bolt design for quick wheel changes. There was a rear for sale on E-bay last year which included in a second auction the single nut hub required to run the wheel. They went for big bucks, as most of the HRC stuff does. I'll check my wheels (I've got the ones pictured in the attachements above) but I believe that I'm correct on the width's.

Tony

Thank you tony for your help! I found a salvage yard who has a complete swing arm from the frame back for $1000. bucks! it is off a 2000 vfr and has the 5 spoke wheel with a 180 tire. I still need to kick this around as I have a shop here who sells chrome everything for the blackbirds and I might go chrome on the swingarm and wheel/hub and I can then use my 200 tire.
I prob. should just ride the bird the way it is...... thanks again!!!!

Just to re-state a word of warning: Do the homework and check my facts before you commit the money to the conversion. I'll search around and see if I can find that 900RR conversion site...it was well photographed as I remember. If I had more time and access to my project bike I could give up good hard data on dimension and size diffs betwee the XX arm and VFR piece I have currently mocked up on my F frame. If there is no panic on your part I will attempt to do this...but it may take some time. I'll also double check the wheel dimensions because I can do that rather easy enough, but I'm rather sure the 1990 VFR eight spoke wheels were 17 x 6 inches. Also note when your looking at Millenium VFR pieces (2000 and beyond) they ran a five spoke wheel also,..17 x 5.5 I believe,..but the spoke shape changed to a flat more angular look,..I think the front wheel follow'd suit,...but I'm, again, not sure. I do know the rears are of a flat spoke config where as the 1997 version is of five spokes and a rounded spoke config as you see in my attachements above.


http://www.cbrxx.com/attachments/bod...mvc462s3wv.jpg


Tony

Hold up there. A swingarm from a VFR800 will NOT work. It's too wide to fit inside the XX frame. The only one worth using is from a '93-'97. The '90-'92 will fit inside the frame, but the shock linkage is so different from the XX that it's not worth messing with.

I'm in the process of doing this conversion on the XX myself and it would be a simple bolt on affair if it weren't for the shock location being different between the VFR and the XX. The VFR shock is located off center whereas the XX is right down the middle. This means that you either have to cut off and relocate the shock mounts or come up with another option.
What I've decided to do is make a dogbone with a dogleg in it and a custom upper shock mount. I would just cut and relocate the shock mounts, but I like to have the option to go back to stock if I should choose. Besides, once I have all of the parts completed, I plan on making a few extras so that someone else can simply bolt on a VFR swingarm without too much fuss.

As for wheels, there are no 6" wide VFR wheels. You can use a 5.5" 5-spoke wheel from the 800, but it will require some simple modifications. Your other options are the 5" wide 5-spoke wheel from the '93-'97 or the 5.5" wide (I think) 8-spoke wheel from the '90-'92. I'm not 100% sure on the width on the 8-spoke wheel since I didn't consider it for my bike. IMO, it just looks too dated.

O.k...I stand corrected. I was out by a 1/2 inch. 5" and 5.5" on the wheel widths,..just checked my wheels also and they agree with those numbers. I also concure..the VFR shock mount of 1997 vintage is offset not centered in the frame. I can only imagine that the 900RR runs a similar set up. Well so much for my reported "bolt in". Sorry for getting your hopes up.

Tony

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Hi,
I have recently completed a vfr750 single sided singing arm conversion on my Blackbird. Next i am going to fit a Suzuki upside down front end with 6 pot calipers. (delinking the brakes) Have recently come across a article in a streetfighter magazine where sombody had fitted a vfr arm to his fireblade but had used a Konig car wheel with a offset spacer so that he can now run a 200 section rear tyre which i am going to look into for my blackbird. Wheels for cars are a lot cheaper.

Will put some pics together when i finish the front end