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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 12:47:33 PM

Title: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 12:47:33 PM
I recently bought a 1991 FJ 1200 which was a imported from Italy years back and I am wondering is there any restrictions fitted to it due to European regulations. I'm very new to all this so I hope i have posted this is the right place and I wasn't able to find any information else where on the Net.

So any help would be appreciated.

Cheers Paul
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: FJmonkey on May 04, 2015, 01:02:58 PM
Paul, I know others will post on this as well but I think only the Japanese bikes were restricted. Once properly dialed in your FJ will pull like a rocket and make your eyes suck in from the G-Force. We call it Kookaloo...
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 01:05:50 PM
Quote from: FJmonkey on May 04, 2015, 01:02:58 PM
Paul, I know others will post on this as well but I think only the Japanese bikes were restricted. Once properly dialed in your FJ will pull like a rocket and make your eyes suck in from the G-Force. We call it Kookaloo...

Thanks FJmonkey glad to here i have the full power of the auld FJ at my disposal :drinks:
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 01:33:45 PM
The reason for me asking was that the speedo on the bike read's only to 200 KPH with sticker put on read up to 110 mph; but I'm near sure that bike is able to do 140+ or am I wrong.
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: FJmonkey on May 04, 2015, 02:27:03 PM
Quote from: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 01:33:45 PM
The reason for me asking was that the speedo on the bike read's only to 200 KPH with sticker put on read up to 110 mph; but I'm near sure that bike is able to do 140+ or am I wrong.

According to a GPS top speed reading I saw once, I know that 131 MPH is possible.....  :blush:
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 02:54:35 PM
Quote from: FJmonkey on May 04, 2015, 02:27:03 PM
Quote from: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 01:33:45 PM
The reason for me asking was that the speedo on the bike read's only to 200 KPH with sticker put on read up to 110 mph; but I'm near sure that bike is able to do 140+ or am I wrong.

According to a GPS top speed reading I saw once, I know that 131 MPH is possible.....  :blush:

Nice if that's the case i may look for decent speedo clock replacement as the sticker for the MPH looks tacky as hell on the KPH speedo
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Harvy on May 04, 2015, 03:07:47 PM
Quote from: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 12:47:33 PM
I recently bought a 1991 FJ 1200 which was a imported from Italy years back and I am wondering is there any restrictions fitted to it due to European regulations. I'm very new to all this so I hope i have posted this is the right place and I wasn't able to find any information else where on the Net.

So any help would be appreciated.

Cheers Paul

Paul, the simplest way to tell if you have a restricted FJ is the speedo. It will be reading in KPH and only read to 180 KPH.......If that's the case with your bike, then yes, there is a possibility it is still restricted.....
I concur with Monkey Mark; to my knowledge it is only Japanese domestic bikes that have restriction.

Harvy
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Alf on May 04, 2015, 04:16:05 PM
Italy applied no restrictions. Restrictions on horsepower only apply in Germany, Austria and France (100 CV) and Swiss (65 cv) and you know if it is restricted for the chassis number. Whats yours?
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 04:36:31 PM
I'm in work at the minute so wont be able to check chassis number until tomorrow as I'm on the late shift. As for the speedo if i remember right it goes to 200 KPH.
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: moparman70 on May 05, 2015, 11:13:25 AM
I wouldn't really call it an import but my Canadian bike shows 260KPH -- with additional marking to 265.  So if your just has 200 as the top it most likely is restricted as a normal FJ will do that easily.

sc2
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 05, 2015, 01:17:04 PM
Okay thanks for all the advice guy's if it is restricted it's not much of a loss still a tonne power to play around with plus I wont be going over 100 mph much anyway  :good2:
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: scotiafj on May 05, 2015, 01:54:55 PM
Quote from: MrGreenGiant on May 04, 2015, 04:36:31 PM
I'm in work at the minute so wont be able to check chassis number until tomorrow as I'm on the late shift. As for the speedo if i remember right it goes to 200 KPH.

howdo if i remember correctly M&P do speedo converters that either screw onto the wheel speedo drive or where the speedo cable connects to the speedo clock .. :)
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Bearly Flying on May 06, 2015, 12:34:36 AM
Actually the 84 and 85 US bikes were restricted as I remember. The Canadian spec FJ1100's were rated at 125 hp and I seem to recall the US version was rated at 100 hp.

Same with the Canadian spec RZ 500 was rated at higher horsepower

The FZ 750 was also only released in the US as the FZ 700 during the same time period.

I believe AMF had convinced the US Government to restrict the Japanese imports because AMF owned Harley at the time and were having difficulty competing then
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Arnie on May 06, 2015, 10:21:37 AM
Quote from: Bearly Flying on May 06, 2015, 12:34:36 AM

Actually the 84 and 85 US bikes were restricted as I remember. The Canadian spec FJ1100's were rated at 125 hp and I seem to recall the US version was rated at 100 hp.

That sounds like the Canadians used "crank" Hp, while the Americans quoted Hp at the rear wheel.

Same with the Canadian spec RZ 500 was rated at higher horsepower

No RZ500s or RG 500s were officially imported into the US for retail sale and street use.
All the RZ and RG 500s in the US were privately imported (and frequently used some 'dodgy' methods to be registered.

The FZ 750 was also only released in the US as the FZ 700 during the same time period.

I believe AMF had convinced the US Government to restrict the Japanese imports because AMF owned Harley at the time and were having difficulty competing then

Sort of.  All the imported bikes over 700 cc were charged a huge additional import duty.
Interestingly the German, English, and Italian bikes were exempted from this measure.
This was supposed to be in effect for 5years IIRC, but Harley asked for its removal a couple years early since their sales had improved.

Arnie

Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 06, 2015, 01:50:08 PM
Ok so after a bit of searching I found something weird with the chassis number of the FJ i bought it says the origin of the bike is the states and i was lead to believe it was from Italy so I'm rather confused now. (chassis number: 4CC000147)
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Alf on May 06, 2015, 02:06:44 PM
No, it is not from Italy according the workshop manual. Maybe it could be from Japan, hence the 200 kph speedo
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: MrGreenGiant on May 06, 2015, 02:30:11 PM
Ok thanks Alf just wanted to figure out why the speedo clock was so low in KPH but it's so weird that I was told it was a Italian import, but some of searches said it was American and now it's Japanese. Regardless it's low mileage and very very little wear all round on the bike so I shouldn't worry to much.

Thanks again guys  :drinks:
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Harvy on May 06, 2015, 03:32:01 PM
Quote from: MrGreenGiant on May 06, 2015, 02:30:11 PM
I was told it was a Italian import, but some of searches said it was American and now it's Japanese.


So if it is restricted, the main restriction is the throat size of the inlet manifolds between the carbys and head........ restricted manifolds are 28mm diameter while unrestricted are from memory either 32 or 33 mm.
The carbys MAY be jetted differently (mine weren't) also.

My FJ was a Jap domestic import. I bought unrestricted manifolds from an eBay guy called Georgefix in the US.

Harvy
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Alf on May 06, 2015, 03:38:53 PM
36Y code manifolds, fitted from 84-96 on free hp versions, work
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Simon_W on July 26, 2017, 03:36:47 AM
Apologies for Resurrecting an old thread.

I have a 1991 1200ABS and it was a french import restricted to 100HP. After doing some research it appears that the Ignition unit and inlet rubbers are the restrictors, the ignition unit was changed before I got the bike but the 28mm rubbers are still in place.

I have some 36Y items ready to fit. I was expecting an easy swap with CHA screws, but can,t work out what these fasteners are. I assume that it is some kind of tamperproof fixing to stop home mechanics like me de-restricting the bike.

Out of interest the bike pulls very well and the smaller inlets may indeed assist low rpm with more torque while limiting ultimate high RPM output.

Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Pat Conlon on July 26, 2017, 12:16:27 PM
Hi Simon, welcome aboard.

I have not seen those before. Looks like France did not want anyone changing the intake manifold rubbers out (or servicing the O rings).
The manifold fasteners on all my FJ's have been allen head bolts.

Could these be tamper caps peened on to the allen heads?

Take a chisel and (carefully) give them a wack and see if they don't pop off. Other than that, it's time for a left hand drill and easy out.
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: FJmonkey on July 26, 2017, 06:42:26 PM
They may be obround/oval heads. Oval Head (https://www.google.com/search?q=tamper+resistant+oval+head&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS725US725&tbm=isch&imgil=mq-75H_wzGeT3M%253A%253BWpRHrcpkoy11cM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.newelectronx.com%25252Fproddetail.php%25253Fprod%2525253Doval-pan-head&source=iu&pf=m&fir=mq-75H_wzGeT3M%253A%252CWpRHrcpkoy11cM%252C_&usg=__MWk7fSQL5A_Idj_vSBdqWwWHLUc%3D&biw=1535&bih=799&ved=0ahUKEwicyMbWj6jVAhWrilQKHWhEBfcQyjcIqAE&ei=iSh5WdzfNKuV0gLoiJW4Dw#imgrc=mq-75H_wzGeT3M:)
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: racerrad8 on July 26, 2017, 06:51:43 PM
Quote from: Simon_W on July 26, 2017, 03:36:47 AM
I assume that it is some kind of tamperproof fixing to stop home mechanics like me de-restricting the bike.

Exactly. The easiest way would be to grind a slot into the head and use a straight blade screw driver to remove the tamper proof screws.

If you think it pull good now, wait until you get the 36Y's installed and the carbs rejetted...

Then you will know all about Kookaloo (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5015.0).

Randy - RPM


Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Simon_W on July 27, 2017, 04:38:58 AM
Thanks for the advice, will undertake some exploratory surgery after a ride out on Sunday.

It is difficult too tell from visual examination and i won,t know until I have the first out. initially I thought it may be some sort of nut. after further consideration and a bit of research I feel it is probably a shear bolt- see image.

Option 1: attempt to disk cut a slot to tale a screwdriver blade, with luck this will remove the fastener complete

Option 2: Grind the fasteners head off and remove the remaining stud with 2 nuts, vice grips, or extractor

When its out I will post a picture of the remains LOL!
Title: Re: Question about any restrictions fitted to European imported FJ's
Post by: Simon_W on August 04, 2017, 03:06:30 AM
Finally swapped my inlet manifolds from 100hp restricted French jobbies to standard 36y, hopefully I will be able to feel the difference on the road.

Removed ones 29m bore with drillings to prevent them being opened up. 36Y are 32mm

The tamper proof fixings were a real pita to remove,  security type shear bolts, attempted a screwdriver slot, no joy, ended up cutting in half and knocking them around with a punch. It went fairly well apart from one shearing in the head which turned it into a 6 hour job! :Facepalm:

Not checked out the jetting, it was very rich at the top end evidenced by petrol fumes consumed by those following.  Where/how can I establish if the jets need adjusting?