Quote from: 1tinindian on February 08, 2014, 12:00:11 AM
And it's not hard for me to find something to polish, between rallies.
It boarders on being an art to me, and I just can't stop.
Leon
My bike recently developed a low speed (fast walk) wobble while on a trip, something akin to a bucked wheel, but not quite. I checked all the obvious and continued on as it was only noticeable at very low speed.
It turned out to be this.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/12378704164_76c91f67f6_c.jpg)
With a lot of luggage it was swaying ever so slightly at low speed. Being one of 4 mounting points it was not obvious to the eye as nothing had moved significantly.
I only mention this because the other side broke some years ago. Judging by the rust and burring, they crack progressively over time. Just a thought to cast an eye over them from time to time.
Anyway, for all you polishaholics out there, while it was in bits I machine polished the lenses. They come up very well.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7345/12378826943_0f8ba1be8a_c.jpg)
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3736/12379135054_7494f95406_c.jpg)
I know you still have some Winter ahead of you, this could fill in at least one evening, or, you could go back to arguing about the universe (roll on Spring - PLEASE!)
Noel
Nice find. Because of the age of these bikes it would probably be prudent to do at least one real good inspection of the frame for corrosion and cracks. There seems to be a couple of reoccurring areas to have a look at.
George
lol, hey noel how do you polish the plastic? i just use a bit of flannel rag and gentle cutting compound like maguires swirl remover, and only by hand, cheers ken
Noel, good tip on the fatigue cracking.
I have already done the lens polishing.
Matter of fact, when I installed the RPM integrated LED tail lamp circuit board into my OEM housing, I took the time to completely remove all of the raised letter from the lens and polished it smooth.
Yours look awesome, by the way! Nice work.
Leon
Not the best picture, but you get the idea.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/1tinindian/Motorcycles/100_6085.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/1tinindian/media/Motorcycles/100_6085.jpg.html)
Quote from: ribbert on February 08, 2014, 01:43:19 AM
It turned out to be this.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/12378704164_76c91f67f6_c.jpg)
With a lot of luggage it was swaying ever so slightly at low speed. Being one of 4 mounting points it was not obvious to the eye as nothing had moved significantly.
Noel
Nice catch Noel! :good2:
My Givi rack uses those same mount points. I mounted up the wingrack, filled up the hardcases with about 120lbs of camping gear, food, clothing, tools and water...Then did 17, 286 miles in just under three months. All seemed to be just fine. A few months after I got back, I low-sided my FJ and did a pretty thorough tear-down and inspection. Yep...that same mount point had broken off the frame. The other three mount points were holding it pretty much in place, so it was easy to re-weld.
Cap'n Ron. . .
Quote from: ken65 on February 08, 2014, 02:09:42 AM
lol, hey noel how do you polish the plastic? i just use a bit of flannel rag and gentle cutting compound like maguires swirl remover, and only by hand, cheers ken
Err, Ken, I feel a bit under qualified to offer advice on polishing with Leon and Pat looking over my shoulder, but I used a lambswool pad on an electric drill, not too fast, and car paint products, different grades of cutters and polishes. Don't get it too hot (ie too fast) you will melt the plastic. There is a middle ground though that will polish them up beautifully.
Noel
Quote from: 1tinindian on February 08, 2014, 03:04:05 AM
I have already done the lens polishing.
Leon
Leon, Why did I just know that was coming! :biggrin:
Noel
Noel, forgive me for saying, but F#$CK ME!
I have never thought of polishing the indicator lenses. Could you please bring a copy of your book, (Noels FJ Polishing Secrets 101) to the rally and give , I mean I'll buy a copy from you. Seriously, that is fantastic work, I need some inspiration, :good2:
Quote from: X-Ray on February 09, 2014, 06:43:50 AM
Noel, forgive me for saying, but F#$CK ME!
I have never thought of polishing the indicator lenses. Could you please bring a copy of your book, (Noels FJ Polishing Secrets 101) to the rally and give , I mean I'll buy a copy from you. Seriously, that is fantastic work, I need some inspiration, :good2:
Ha Ha, Ray, I may be giving the wrong impression here. My bike is no Pat or Leon machine.
I spend a lot of time getting it dirty and a lot of time getting it clean. I ride and enjoy unsealed roads, which at times can be mud, and I've never cancelled a ride because of rain. (although I have cancelled a lot lately with the heat)
However, if I am working on a part or remove parts for some reason, I can't help myself from detailing them before refitting them.
I like it looking good and preserve the finish the best I can but never at the expense of not using it.
Noel
Couldn't resist...... :lol:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/1651_19_02_14_7_30_07.jpeg)
George
Sweet!!
I did that to mine but I was getting a glare from the sun....so back to satin black for me.... :cray:
Quote from: Pat Conlon on March 01, 2014, 02:26:56 PM
I did that to mine but I was getting a glare from the sun....so back to satin black for me.... :cray:
I see, you get a little glare and its back to black. What about the rest of us having to deal with the glare off the parts of your bike that blind us. Its not safe I tell you, riding with you in the day time is high risk, dangerous in fact... :ireful: Not sure if night time is safe either....
Quote from: FJmonkey on March 01, 2014, 02:51:02 PM
Quote from: Pat Conlon on March 01, 2014, 02:26:56 PM
I did that to mine but I was getting a glare from the sun....so back to satin black for me.... :cray:
I see, you get a little glare and its back to black. What about the rest of us having to deal with the glare off the parts of your bike that blind us. Its not safe I tell you, riding with you in the day time is high risk, dangerous in fact... :ireful: Not sure if night time is safe either....
Says the man whose headlight puts out the light of a thousand suns! :shok:
Cap'n Ron. . .
The lens looks some nice man. :good2:
Question for ya; Wax or polymer for my kind of climate?
I want to put something on my bike to protect it, but on the other hand, I want to be able to strip it off and touch up dings and stuff in the paint.
Quote from: Capn Ron on March 01, 2014, 03:04:17 PM
Quote from: FJmonkey on March 01, 2014, 02:51:02 PM
Quote from: Pat Conlon on March 01, 2014, 02:26:56 PM
I did that to mine but I was getting a glare from the sun....so back to satin black for me.... :cray:
I see, you get a little glare and its back to black. What about the rest of us having to deal with the glare off the parts of your bike that blind us. Its not safe I tell you, riding with you in the day time is high risk, dangerous in fact... :ireful: Not sure if night time is safe either....
Says the man whose headlight puts out the light of a thousand suns! :shok:
Cap'n Ron. . .
Mark you rascal, you ride soooo far out in front of me (radar bait) you need not worry about any glare.
Ron, just wait 'til the new generation LEDs come around. They will make Mark's HID seem like a candle.
Joe: 1 Word: Zanio. (When you can afford it) let your clear coat cure for a couple more weeks first.
Quote from: Pat Conlon on March 01, 2014, 03:53:39 PM
Mark you rascal, you ride soooo far out in front of me (radar bait) you need not worry about any glare.
Ron, just wait 'til the new generation LEDs come around. They will make Mark's HID seem like a candle.
Joe: 1 Word: Zanio. (When you can afford it) let your clear coat cure for a couple more weeks first.
Headlights:
I lead a 440-mile ride last weekend with Mark and Mike following in the standard staggered formation. They each have HID headlights and when the sun went down, I had one in each of my new CBR mirrors essentially killing my night vision. It was brutal for me to see anything but a giant shadow of my own bike on the freeway in front of me! :shok: I'll be looking forward to an LED solution!
Wax/Polish:
I think you meant to type "Zaino" for a polish solution/system. I've been using it for 13 years on the vehicles around here. Once you get the base layers done, the maintenance is dead-simple with a spray bottle of "gloss enhancer" and the results are quite amazing!
Zaino treatment on my Pathfinder:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/697_01_03_14_5_29_18_0.jpeg)
The hood of a buddy's BMW:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/697_01_03_14_5_29_18_1.jpeg)
Another friend's Durango:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/697_01_03_14_5_35_03.jpeg)
Good stuff!
Cap'n Ron. . .
Correct you are, Zaino is the word, not Zanio....thanks Ron.
Good stuff and if for whatever reason, you want to remove it, liquid Dawn dish soap and water will cut right through it, back down to the clear coat.
I like the fact that multiple coats of Zaino will not yellow, like other wax products do out here in the desert sun.
Thanks for the tip. I've been looking for it. It IS quite expensive, $25 for 6 oz. I'll get some this summer.
I have some turtle wax ice. I'll use it for now.
Quote from: Pat Conlon on March 01, 2014, 02:26:56 PM
I did that to mine but I was getting a glare from the sun....so back to satin black for me.... :cray:
Thanks for the tip Pat.. If you see any sunshine let me know... :lol: I will probably have to upgrade the masters as things progress. In the short term I am stuck with the stock units. Finally got the swing arm down to a 220 grit consistency... Slow process for sure.
George
Sunshine today !!!!!!!!!!!! Took some pictures of the new MRA touring windscreen.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/1651_04_03_14_5_45_43.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/1651_04_03_14_5_50_53.jpeg)
George
Thats really nice. Does the wind slip up over?
Quote from: Joe Sull on March 05, 2014, 05:53:12 AM
Thats really nice. Does the wind slip up over?
I don't know, it is not rideable yet. I have to finish the wiring project and get the side scoops and fender painted. Plus some misc. stuff.
That said no windscreen is perfect, the FJ isn't a full up touring machine. I have had a couple touring machines and again no perfect windscreen.
"Avationfred" might be of more help to your question as he has owned and tested a few of them on the FJ's. Depends a lot on how tall you are from the waste up, riding position, the helmet you are using, and mother nature.... A local FJ owner has one and is very pleased with it.
I was happy with the stock screen, but it was damaged and needed to be replaced. I also like the one Leon has. It is an MRA with an adjustable wing on it. It is a little more expensive and as I have a lot to fix on my bike the budget is a concern.
Here is the only picture I have of Leon's.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/1651_09_06_13_9_48_57.jpeg)
This why mine needed to be replaced. http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/1651_01_07_13_5_45_37.jpeg (http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/1651_01_07_13_5_45_37.jpeg)
George
Looks good George :good2:
Very similar to the Powerbronze in size and shape
Scott
That's an interesting windscreen. When I got my license, I had a little TS90 Suzuki. My dad never bought a bike bigger than a 350cc and the Honda cb 350 is the way he rolled at the time. He had a full windscreen on the little bike. Came up to the top of his head and down around the headlight. It looked just plan dorky. He would let me take the bike and I felt very uncomfortable.
The bike and the driver would buffet in the wind and the faster you went the stronger the buffeting. No wind at all, just that buffet from the sides. On a hot day I would swelter with no relief from the wind but when it was raining it was wonderful.
I have a little phobia "the fear of looking dorky behind an over sized windscreen" (in case you didn't know what that word meant) and I'd rather take the full force of the wind and rain at any speed that take the risk of being seen behind such an impervious shield.
As I said, this one you have looks good to me and I am interested in if they actually work. If the wind hit at eye level, that would be good. In the rain, just slightly ducking would keep the rain off the helmet shield and still allow some air on hot days.
Quote from: movenon on March 04, 2014, 09:42:01 PM
Sunshine today !!!!!!!!!!!! Took some pictures of the new MRA touring windscreen.
C'mon, sunshine, green grass and not a flake of snow in sight, lucky bastard. BTW, screen looks great. Shipped from Germany? How much post.
Thanks, Rick
Still haven't gotten a handle on the nuances of this system. Did't separate my post from quote. What was total cost of shield including shipping. What tint in pic?
Thanks, Rick
Hey Rick, when you reply with a quote, look for this: [/quote] at the end of the quote.
Type your message after this [/quote] or your message will be commingled with the original quote.
Cheers
Quote from: RD56 on March 05, 2014, 11:56:19 AM
Still haven't gotten a handle on the nuances of this system. Did't separate my post from quote. What was total cost of shield including shipping. What tint in pic?
Thanks, Rick
Rick
The screen is "smoke". The full price from Twisted Throttle was around 125.00. http://www.twistedthrottle.ca/mra-touringscreen-windshield-for-yamaha-fj1200-88-90 (http://www.twistedthrottle.ca/mra-touringscreen-windshield-for-yamaha-fj1200-88-90).. It is for an 88-90.
Scott
Yes it is similar to the Powerbronze. Hard to beat Powerbronze's price ! One of the local FJ riders (only 4 of us that I know of) has a MRA touring screen and I have always liked it. So I decided to give it try. I have seen pictures of a stock looking screen with a little flip, like the MRA just slightly shorter on the 88-90 bikes but was unable to locate one. I am under the impression that it was a optional Yamaha screen in the day.
Joe
I know what you mean about "dorky". When you find yourself cold and shaking, numb and wet, function leads form... You, most of all know that...
I found the original screen OK I just needed a new one. I rode for two days in the rain with the stock screen with no real problem. Yea, its water, wear a good water resistant touring jacket and I pack a pair of slip on rain pants (no windscreen works there). Good gloves and riding boots.
Although I am still in search of good gloves for riding in the wet/cold weather. Lots of gloves work great until the cold wind sets in. Got to stop the wind. In the rebuild I installed heated grips which will help.
I think "avationfred" had the same screen and he indicated it was good with one brand of helmet then he changed to a different helmet and felt it was buffeting pretty hard. Fred can elaborate on that. Lots of variables with riding position, mother nature etc.. I like Leon's adjustable lip to deal with some of the variables. Just for information measuring in the center of the screen from the bottom edge to the top edge it is 17 3/4 " (450.85mm) long.
Now If Zero Gravity would make a tinted double bubble screen I would buy that ! But they don't. I mocked one up one time using I think an old Honda double bubble a it looked damn good. Don't know how it would work but it looked good..... Then I cut it to fit, trimmed it and redrilled the mounting holes. On the last hole to be drilled it cracked............... Some not so nice words, beer and trash can was involved after that... Life it that way sometimes...
George
Polishing about done.... Trying to stay with self imposed time line on the repair... Not an easy or quick job to do. If I spent another month at it then it might be close to Pat's or Leon's standards. My hat is off to you guy's !!
The arm is going to replace the one scoured up by the muffler. And yes I will polish the brake stay :dash2:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/7/1651_18_03_14_5_24_08.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/7/1651_18_03_14_5_25_02.jpeg)
George
Hey George,
Susan has some silverware here in need of polishing. Looks great. Pretty soon it will be way to nice to go down the road.
Jeff
Quote from: jscgdunn on March 18, 2014, 06:51:42 PM
Hey George,
Susan has some silverware here in need of polishing. Looks great. Pretty soon it will be way to nice to go down the road.
Jeff
The problem is how do you keep it looking reasonable....? "If it don't go then at least it should show"..... I sure like you FJ "R" ! Damn that' s good looking.
George
George, that is just beautiful. Cutting through that silver anodizing layer was a bitch huh? I will never do another swing arm. Too much work.
I ran out of gas on my swingarm(s) and just did the top face and side face. I left the inner faces and pivot area silver anodized for easier clean up.
Never again.
Quote from: Pat Conlon on March 18, 2014, 08:58:05 PM
George, that is just beautiful. Cutting through that silver anodizing layer was a bitch huh? I will never do another swing arm. Too much work.
I ran out of gas on my swingarm(s) and just did the top face and side face. I left the inner faces and pivot area silver anodized for easier clean up.
Never again.
You are spot on about it being a bitch.. That merit badge is a hard one. I polished the inside but not as well as the "TV" side... The coating is very hard and the Aluminium is a hard grade also. Not soft... I am with you on not wanting to do another one.
George
Looks great George.
Damn right, it takes some effort to get there, doesn't it?
I'd say about the only thing I did differently, was that I blended the welds.
I polished the whole swing arm, and it is a challenge to keep looking nice, but, you just don't see that very often, and like my 91, they were steel originally, so anybody that knows about the FJ will scratch their head, wondering how I did that!
It's all in good fun!
You'll notice I removed the lip on the top and bottom of the extrusion, too, to aid in the polishing.
Leon
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/1tinindian/Motorcycles/100_6230.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/1tinindian/media/Motorcycles/100_6230.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/1tinindian/Motorcycles/100_6228.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/1tinindian/media/Motorcycles/100_6228.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/1tinindian/Motorcycles/100_6206.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/1tinindian/media/Motorcycles/100_6206.jpg.html)
Yours looks better than mine for sure. I just decided to move on to the next step. I could probably polish on that for another few weeks. I decided to leave the webbing and welds. It didn't speed the project up any..... That aluminum is a hard grade, it's not the run of the mill soft motorcycle stuff.... I sanded and sanded on that coating, finally I took it over to the local powder coater and had him run a blaster over it. Then sanded and sanded and sanded, then more sanding......The picture I posted is just off the polisher, I wiped it down with acetone to clean off the compound. I will hit it with some semi chrome after it gets mounted.
On another note I took the black inside dash panels off and cleaned them up with rubbing compound when they were smooth enough I dressed them down with Mother's "Back To Black". Gooped that stuff on liberally and let them sit over night. The next day I used some micro fiber cloth and polished them up and they look pretty good now. Did the same with the instrument cluster cover. Nice and shinny now.
Thanks for the inspiration Pat and Leon. :drinks:
George
The 3M headlight restore kit is AMAZING, of course same melting at high speed rules apply:-)