I discovered the other day that my front fork has a slight bend in it. I had been running this way for a while.. bike is new to me and had been dropped..

when I was looking for a fork upper to replace the bent one, I found a new pair in hong kong for $100 but it says fits 97-2000.

I know there was some changes between gen 1 and gen 2 but did they change the fork leg (stentches) or just the springs and damper rods?

Does anyone know?

Thanks

 

IIRC Shouldn't be any difference, but check the part no.s here between different years for any differences.

Ronayers.com Microfiche Honda>Motorcycle>1999>VTR1000F

This Honda PDF from 2001 shows the differences to >2001 model

http://www.burniemorgan.com/firestor...tr1000f01e.pdf

 

PERFECT!! yes I looked up both the 99 and the 01 and they show the same part number!

Any one see any resone why this wouldn't work?

FOR HONDA VTR 1000 F VTR1000F VTR1000 F 1997 98 99 2000 MBB FORK TUBES | eBay

Thanks again

 

Certainly looks like they should work and the price is right even with shipping. My only concern would be the actual manufacturing tolerances and finish. Of course you won't know that until you see them.

 

I just looked a little deeper into the springs.. seems they have been replaced.. with 990 so that's perfect for my weight!
race tech also says that they sell stenches, at fractions of the price of oem.. well that's the claim..

I fond prices.. eek!

BLACK FORK TUBES COVERED IN TITANIUM
$400.85
FORK TUBES LIKE ORIGINAL
CHROMED $258.25
GOLDEN FORK TUBES COVERED IN TITANIUM
$397.75

hong kong, looking good!

 

Here's a little news.. according to the dealer.. 97-2000, 03 up all have the same stench..

however 2001-2002 are differenct part numbers.. damn!!

 

Well, as the forks have been completely unchanged all the model years of the bike, except for looks, I'd say never mind the dealers partno, and get them anyway...

After a little more digging... About 30 seconds worth, I can safely say that the dealer is wrong... The same stanchions where used for all years... So, get used ones, or the cheap one's, the years isn't an issue...

 

Caffeine, the forks on these bikes are all the same from 98 to 05. You do not need to take my word for it, here is my link for your own reference if you wish. www.bikebandit.com

As for the Chinese stuff, personally, I wouldn't trust my front end to them. I would continue shopping for originals even used, then new from some Hong Kong company you don't know, or have reference from. This in my opinion, is one item you get what you pay for.
On a motorcycle, we only have a few inches of rubber keeping us on the road, and I want to be sure every component is made by someone qualified for the job.

Some people on this forum will probably not agree with me, as I said, that is just my opinion. I would sned the dough for originals, or, from people like Jamie Daugherty, who is on this forum.

 

where are you located by the way? and how much do you weigh?

Ill be pulling my used originals off in the coming weeks, my SH was in a slow speed accident recently, hit the fairings and scraped the bar end but didnt hit the wheel or forks to my knowledge.

I will be pulling my forks and checking them with a straight edge. if they are straight I can take pictures of their condition and I also have .85kg racetech springs(hence the weight question) and oem fork seals brand new waiting to be put in.

if your considering used let me know so I can get on that

 

if your curious just bought a set of cbr1000rr forks, thats why im selling these

 

I called a seconed canadian dealer and called a US dealer.. the US dealer assurmed me there were no differences between the years.. the second Canadian dealer confirmed that yes the PART NUMBER IS DIFFERENT! and then continued to say that, that dosn't mean it won't work.. so I don't know what to think.. they were sold as firestorms here in canada.. Do you think there is a chance the canadain ver and american ver were different?

 

No not at all. They are all the same as previously mentioned. You can safely purchase from any model year, and this if your in Canada or the US.

If I were you, and looking for a deal, I would consider Scottiemann's offer.

 

ended up ordering the cheap Hong Kong stuff.. I hope it's ok.. hard to say after all the bike came from that area of the continent so how bad can it be...
well we will see.. $130 for a pair shipped to the door.. can't beat that price..

 

The problem with the China stuff, or India or Mexico, is they don't throw away parts, out of tolerance or not. At least that is they experience i have over the years at my jobs when parts were sourced outside the USA. They know you aren't going to send the parts back.

 

Jack, I agree 100%
There is a HUGE difference in stuff made in China and stuff made in Japan. Good luck bro...

 

I fear this might be coming a bit late, but I'll offer it up anyway. If you have been able to ride the bike with that fork it probably can be straightened. I offer this service for $50+shipping. If nothing else maybe it's something to keep in mind just in case.

 

Quick update. I've been trying to do my homework.. it seems there have been many changes to the front forks over the years. the
01 upgraded internals.
03 they moved to a HMAS cartridge and travel went from 4.3" to 4.7"

My dealer got back to me after speaking with Honda and told me ONLY the 01 tubes were going to work.. well too late I ordered. so I will make it work.

Can't find anything online saying the tubes are different.. everything just refers to internals changing.. OD. Has to be 41mm or triple trees and handle bars wouldn’t mount, if I see a difference I will post a pic.

Looking at another site - each listing is different part number..
http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/honda/
Honda
VTR 1000 F1 Firestorm - SC36 01
VTR 1000 F2 Firestorm - SC36 02
VTR 1000 F3/F4 Firestorm - SC36 03-04
VTR 1000 F5 Firestorm - SC36 05
VTR 1000 F6 Firestorm - SC36 06
VTR 1000 FV/FW/FX Firestorm - SC36 97-99
VTR 1000 FY Firestorm - SC36 00

 

All years had the HMAS valving - FYI. That was introduced in 1996 for all Hondas. I am not aware of travel change, I will have to check some of the forks we have here to see if I can measure a difference. I think they are all the same.

99% sure all years of fork tube are the same, so you should be ok.

 

Each listing is what? If you are talking about your list above, it's dead easy to explain... SC36 is the factory designation for the VTR, and FV to F6 is the yearcode... Not a part no at all... There are no part no listed on that site at all in fact... But you can search the OEM numbers...

And as Jamie said, they ALL have HMAS, from 97 to 06... They all have the same travel, all years... The "upgraded" internals are infact less crappy valving as far as best guesses, but the difference is so small it's not really noticable, and regardless, the parts interchange just fine... I have had apart new and old forks, and so far I haven't seen a noticable difference... And a bike I helped repair have my leftover 97 stanchions on an otherwise untouched 05 fork, so I can say with 100% certainity that those parts work fine together...

Going on your dealers word is a good way to be sorely dissapointed... I can spend 5 minutes listing the posts on this site where people have gotten complete crap info from their dealers that we could debunk without even making much of an effort... And I could easily make another list of posts with people having to inform their dealer that "just swapping" the CCT's means the engine breaks... And no, not all are dealers, some are just "shop's", but yea... The dealers get that wrong too...

 

Here is the link discussing difference over the years but far from conclusive evidence.. it's very scattered info
Honda VTR1000F - CycleChaos

I found a nice video on tearing down forks.. and for some reason thought it was VTR.. and looked nothing like my innards.. but it's not a VTR.. still a nice video on how to tear down a fork though.

Other link
http://www.motorera.com/honda/h1000/VTR1000F.htm

 

From the Ron Ayers parts fiche link (see post no. 2) for fork leg

1999: 51410-MBB-003

2003: 51410-MBB-003

And confirmed in the reverse part look up

Where Used Tool

 

not gonna lie this seems like this has turned into a argument between a newer hawk owner and people that have been there anddone that ... all the info is there on more then one account take it or leave it if you still have problems come back and ask great people here will answer any and all questions you have .................................................. .....or maybe im readin this all wrong

 

There's even a huge difference in stuff made in China and stuff made in China.

 

+1

I don't think they're trying to be ignorant, they just have to cover their tracks. If they order the part for your exact year and your exact model of bike, there's a far smaller chance they can get that wrong without doing much research. Because if they do order a different year part for your bike and it happens to not fit, it's on them. Not that that makes it OK, it just seems to be the best way of dealing with customers holding them overly accountable.

I've even had freggin junkyard people giving me the runaround.

I go in and say, "can I see your pulled gauge clusters for Honda CBR's?"
"What year would you like?"
"Doesn't matter. I'd like to see all of them"
"It does matter. They aren't interchangeable. What year bike do you have"
"A superhawk"
"Uh... the gauges won't work with that"
"Well I want to try to make them work"
"The plugs are different"

Here's where I had a civil explanation of what I was doing but what I wanted to say was:

"DUDE! I'm at a junkyard! I'm clearly already in the realm of DIY mechanics by being here. There is NO WAY I'm the first person to try custom setups with their bike! Did really think I came here saying I wanted CBR gauge clusters naively not realizing that I owned a different bike? Like what I meant to say was VTR clusters but just totally slipped my mind? Do I need your permission to buy bike parts from a junkyard?"

What the whole thing really made me realize, though, is that he probably had to make sure I was OK to look at electronics because they have run into enough problems in the past to merit it. I want to know who caused them problems, cause that was probably a funny conversation...

 

Ahaha ...

I'm sorry the conversation made me giggle... sorry but if I worked for a junkyard and someone came to me asking to see my cbr clusters I would pull them... for all I care you could be putting them in a homemade dune buggy...

I work at a dealership in the parts department and have worked at an autozone for 3+ years... its very easy to tell the difference between someone that wants a factory replacement bolt on for a broken part, and someone that is retrofitting a cheaper solution or a DIY project...

 

Update.. as I have been waiting for 4.5 weeks now for my forks to arrive at my door from china, I received an email saying "shipped" so now I'll be waiting another 4-6 weeks.. ahh.. well it's nearing 0°C outside so nothing but time.. but I have to find a way to move the bike to get the car in garage for winter with no front end.. as both forks are tore down and sitting in my basement right now..

 

Skate board.

 

If you've got a front stand with a post that fits into the bottom of the steering stem, a rear stand, positive thoughts and a buddy, it shouldn't be too much trouble.

 

forks came early! but there NOT 100% the same.. so are they 100% the same as the 97-00 as stated in the ad.. or are they simple different then everything? well I'll never have anything to compare except for my 01 fork tubes and in the end I think there going to work just fine.. even if there not oem!

so what's different.. well the top grove that holds the "C"clamps and keeps the handle bars from flying off even if they come lose, well it's not there.. ( but I'll toss them in the lathe and put that grove into the new forks pretty easily I think) 2nd.. there are 4 holes in the base not 2 and there lower then the 2 in mine.. this I don't understand.. should perform the same basic operation but I'm not 100% why they didn't put the holes in the same place..

 

Dude those tubes don't seem to even be the same diameter ie 41mm and even if they are I would not use them. Return them if you can and contact Scottieman for his or Jamie to straighten your. Believe it or not we did it all the time back in the day.