I have been wondering this for the last 30 years. I have ventured away temporarily but keep coming back. I bought my first in 1989 and now have two. I know we are all avid collectors and riders of this masterpiece but I would like to know what attracted forum members to the FJ.
Was it the wonderful torquey engine?
Was it the timeless design?
Was it the comfort of all day touring?
Was it the ease of working on and maintaining?
Inquiring minds want to know. For me, it was the beautiful lines and the gorgeous looking and performing engine.
Dean
It was an incredible bike when it came out in 1984. It was beautiful and all the magazine reviews were raves.
In the era of the new Honda V4s, the mags were amazed that the somewhat "standard" specs of the FJ motor could produce that kind of performance.
I really wanted one but waited until they worked out all the bugs and pulled the trigger in '85.
(yanking Pat's chain)
Quote from: FJ_Hooligan on September 10, 2016, 08:40:14 PM
I really wanted one but waited until they worked out all the bugs and pulled the trigger in '85.
(yanking Pat's chain)
You should yank his ear, he seems to have found an extra one some time back. :sarcastic:
For me it was sort of economic/opportunistic. In 2014 I was after a project to play with ( was looking for a Cb 4/750) and.came across 2 FJ11's junkers, and made one good one out of the 2. I fell in love with it the first time i heard it run. And now I have 2 FJ's
Mark
Swear to God I can still smell it..... :bad:
I'm coming for you....you know who you are....and you know that I know....be afraid, be very afraid.
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Back in 1983 I had been reading some teasers about this new Yamaha...no pictures yet, just some press releases on the tech stuff.
Like, the new *narrow* DOHC 1100cc I4 engine from Yamaha. Hmmmm so they put the generator behind the cylinders and not on the side like my old Honda CB750?
Then came this wacky perimeter frame concept....hmmm, no backbone? How does that work?
Then the Pro Link single shock swing arm...hmmmm, only one shock? On a street bike? Are you sure? Aren't twin shocks better? More stable? All your eggs in one basket? What happens if the single shock fails? Do you crash?
What about this rear shock design? Voodoo magic? By twisting a knob, you can adjust spring preload, compression and rebound at the same time?
The hydraulic anti dive actuators on the front forks, hmmmm...I've seen that on racing bikes.
150/80-16 rear tire? That's huge!
A 16" front tire? Isn't that kinda small? That's weird.
V rated tires for speeds above 130mph? ABOVE 130 mph? WTF, are they selling street bikes now with racing tires on them? That's crazy stuff. How fast will this new bike go?
Vented brake rotors? Like I have on my car? Actual cooling vents between each face of the rotor?
Then....I saw my first picture of the 1984 FJ1100. The rectangular headlight, the compound curve of the windscreen. The chin fairing. The oil cooler. The tank, the seat, the aluminum side plates, even the little lip spoiler on the rear cowl.
oooooh.....The Stormy Red and Quartz Silver colors....
Wow, what a bitchen looking bike. I started (secretly) saving up for it. I bought the first bike in the SoCal region from Champion Motorcycles in Costa Mesa. They called me when the crate was delivered. I helped un pack the bike. I bought 4 pizzas as a bribe for the mechanics so they would let me hang around and watch while they put her together.
My first ride, up and down Newport Blvd, I knew the bike was special.
I was very glad I did not buy that Honda VFR500.
Nostalgia...
It was the bike my friends and I all wanted when we were young in the mid-80's.
A little more than a year ago, I finally bought one and have now pumped a lot of money in it and upgraded suspension, brakes, clutch, tires, exhaust, etc., etc...
It is a nice powerful bike, but having ridden my friends newer bikes (VFR800, FJR1300, CBR1000, FZ-07), I must say that the FJ really shows its age, it is a heavy old lump and handling/power is far from that of more modern bikes.
So, I like it for nostalgic reasons, but for the next season I will buy a new bike and the FJ will be my 2nd choice (when I get nostalgic..).
Quote from: Pat Conlon on September 11, 2016, 01:34:05 AM
I bought the first bike in the SoCal region from Champion Motorcycles in Costa Mesa.
I was very glad I did not buy that Honda VFR500.
Pat,
I did buy the VF500F Interceptor from Champion Motorcycles in Costa Mesa..... :rofl2: It was a couple of years later in 1986.
Two years later, I was in Jacksonville, NC and a used 1985 FJ1100 showed up for sale at a used bike and accessory shop. I immediately fell in love with it and told the store manager....
This is going to be mine, do not sell it (the manager and I were close friends). My Honda was paid for and all I needed to do was sell it so I had some cash for the 1100. The parts and sales girl at the store heard all of this and told me she would buy my Honda.
Over the span of a week, the Honda was sold, and I got a very small loan to cover the difference that the cash from the Honda sale didn't cover, and suddenly, at 22 years old, I was an FJ owner.
To answer the post, The big horse power of the engine was a given, but for me, coming from the 500 was 2 things.
1. The bike was greatly more comfortable than the 500, I felt like I could ride all day.
2. The FJ had more range than the 500. I regularly made a 300 mile ride from Jacksonville, NC., to Beaufort, SC. On the FJ, I could do it on 1 stop in Charleston, SC for gas.
Fred
My car experiences have been MG Midget and VW Air-Cooled.
Really, really fresh to riding in `93, the FJ was my second bike, quickly following an XS-400. A good deal from a co-worker put me on a `90 FJ set up for touring, hard bags and all.
Living in Germany at the time, the FJ test ride was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Wide open autobahn, and not a speed limit for MILES! (well, technically kilometers...)
Been hooked ever since.
Still have an air-cooled VW camper, and an MG Midget for daily driving.
Old, cheap, utilitarian, and parts are plentiful.
The FJ is a two-wheeled version along that theme. Heavy hauler. One or two up. Luggage or not. Fast (enough) and fun!
Did we mention the OTHER fans of these bikes? EXCELLENT group of people.
What more could you ask for?
Smiles for miles...
Steve
I was in the market for a "large displacement bike" when I moved to the country where all the speed limits are over 55mph. I was considering all makes & models but knew a friend had an '84 FJ as part of his collection that wasn't being used. I sold my own collection (Two RD400s, Montesa, Bultaco... 13 bikes in all) and bought the FJ, that was about 20 years ago. I didn't really have an appreciation for it until I owned it and realized what it was capable of.
I've been on street bikes since getting a "motor driven cycle" license at 14. I traded my first car for a still new 1982 Yamaha 650 Seca my senior year in high school in 1985. LOVED that bike - stepped up from a 1970 Honda CB450. The thought of a bigger and better version of that bike had me lusting after FJs. I didn't end up with an FJ until early 2000 (maybe 2001?). Bought a "rolling basket case" '89 for $800. Had a host of electrical ills I eventually sorted out. That's been it ever since. Daily driver, drag racer, lots of mods, setup for Bonneville, and has been idle now for over a year while the focus (and some parts!) have been on the race bike. Time to get it back on the street where it belongs!
It has to be that big lump of an air cooled engine that keeps me hooked on FJs - that and they respond well to simple modifications - engine and chassis - that they make you feel like you helped create the machine you're riding - like you are a part of it -- instead of just being some fashion accessory you buy, play with for a while, and then move on when you get bored.
Quote from: fj1289 on September 11, 2016, 01:17:38 PM
I've been on street bikes since getting a "motor driven cycle" license at 14. I traded my first car for a still new 1982 Yamaha 650 Seca my senior year in high school in 1985. LOVED that bike - stepped up from a 1970 Honda CB450. The thought of a bigger and better version of that bike had me lusting after FJs. I didn't end up with an FJ until early 2000 (maybe 2001?). Bought a "rolling basket case" '89 for $800. Had a host of electrical ills I eventually sorted out. That's been it ever since. Daily driver, drag racer, lots of mods, setup for Bonneville, and has been idle now for over a year while the focus (and some parts!) have been on the race bike. Time to get it back on the street where it belongs!
It has to be that big lump of an air cooled engine that keeps me hooked on FJs - that and they respond well to simple modifications - engine and chassis - that they make you feel like you helped create the machine you're riding - like you are a part of it -- instead of just being some fashion accessory you buy, play with for a while, and then move on when you get bored.
Chris, I could not have said it better myself. Just AWESOME! This encapsulates everything I see in the FJ. The FJ has withstood the test of time. It is sure not high tech by any means but it definitely stirs the soul. Every other motorcycle I try is "meh" and indifferent. Many have little to offer that would make me part with my FJ's. This rolling piece of art is not "some fashion accessory you buy, play with for a while, and then move on when you get bored."
What is it that attracted me to the FJ?
- Articles like this (http://charles.robinsontwins.org/fj/cycle_89.html) dangled the hook
- Sitting inside an ice cream parlor on a bright sunny day, and noticing the very nicely kept '86 parked right out front got me to bite
- But, it was getting a test ride on one and just cracking lid on the kookaloo box a little bit that set the hook
I soon had a nice two year old '89, and have had it ever since (well, at least the parts of it I still have).
She's never failed to get me home.
I had a $5000 budget (2008), it had to be Japanese and it had to big capacity. The more I searched and read the more the FJ firmed as the favourite.
The first one I looked at had just over 30k (km's) on it, never dropped, perfect paint, lived indoors and only dealer servicing. I had to ride 5 kms down a heavily cambered gravel (slippery) road to find some bitumen for a test ride, I didn't want to take it back and almost got my wish, getting a bit cocky on the gravel on the way back.
The front brake lever was bent beyond reach from a stationary fall over. I asked him about it and he said it had been like that for years but it didn't matter. He then leaned in towards me to get my attention and said "Son, never use the front brake on a motorbike, especially in an emergency" WTF? How was this guy still alive?
I've put about 125,000 km on it since and loved every single one of them, what a machine.
It was a great choice.
Noel
I have had too many bikes to count now...5 being FJ's , and the only ones i can ride all day (8-9 hours) and not feel beat up. The reach to the pegs and to the h/bars fits me perfectly. The seats are pretty good too...First one,i fell into a deal at the bike shop i was working at part-time...customer didnt want to spent the cash to fix the head issues on his 84 had and i got it for 800...it had a nice straight supper-trapp on it and paint was good. The order...= 84,91,87,84,89.
One day a number of years ago my son brought home an 83 Yamaha 400 DOHC. Not running and no airbox, and a few other bits missing. While chasing parts I stumbled upon two exact same bikes that were disassembled. Ended up buying them both....Got the first one running; took it for a ride and decided I too needed a motorcycle. Built a second 400 out of the parts bikes and my other son started off on it.
Did a bunch of research and the FJ kept coming up as the best value, by far. Relatively plentiful, simple, bullet proof, and of course they look great. I was able to by an 84 in very good condition (only 43,000 KM) for only $1500 CDN....then a 92 for only $1300. Of course moditis immediately set in: the 84 got 89 wheels and forks and blue spots.
The next summer my oldest son bought the 84 and still rides it. My younger son ended up with a 90 1200. I now have two modded (suspension and wheels) 92s, and a 91 parts bike (and a bunch of collected spare parts). My brother has an 89 1200. And a very good friend of mine has two 89s and his son also has an 84. We all love the these bikes.
This forum has added a great dimension to ownership and thanks again to everyone for all their help!
Around 6 years ago a work mate said he had an old FJ in his shed that had'nt been ridden for years. I was currently riding a very nice Yamaha XJ650. I did a bit of research, and I loved two things about the FJ. She was air cooled and looked sexy. The work mate forwarded me a photo of the bike outside his shed and it was love at first sight. The paint job was lovely dark red compared to the standard bright red. I agreed to buy the bike then and there. She was not even running.
The bike was in pretty good nick, but as the PO had never attempted any maintenance, she needed ALOT of TLC. Such was the difficult relationship, I named her Lillith. It seemed appropriate.
Anyway, after 6 years of tumultuous up's and down's, we have agreed to get on together. Two things I love about the bike... air cooled and drop dead sexy!
For me it was seeing some of my richer friends just out of high school who picked up the FJ's, four buddies in total, 2 84's and 2 86's. out of the four one pal was a crazy mo-fo and the rest of us that could only dream got to see what an 84 FJ could do. They were scary machines and in our part of the country the FJ was known as a great powerful drag bike if need be. I asked Greg whats it like to ride that bike, he replied " its like being on a missile". My mouth would water whenever I seen the big red and white power house yamaha on the street, Its such a beautiful looking bike. The other 3 guys who had an FJ, one guy sold his 86 cause it scared the shit out of him, another died passing a couple vehicles at night time and when he swung back in after the pass behind a truck he ran into a trailer behind said truck that had zero running lights, the last guy I lost touch with, his name was Brent, I hope he still has it. Seeing the 1100 on the side cover was jaw dropping, seeing the 1200 side cover was like witnessing the avro arrow doing a fly by!! Too have that lost testosterone back, I just turned 49.
Back in the mid-80s, I worked (very briefly) at a bike dealership in Cleveland. Dean Naramore (mst3kguy) knows the one I'm talkin' about. :dash2:
At the time, I was riding a '78 Suzuki GS550E done up cafe-style - GPz bikini fairing, flat bars, Dunstall rearsets. I lusted after the '84\'85 FJ when I first saw it. Then the '86 came out and it knocked me out; it just looked right. Years later, after a few more bikes, I found one in very good shape and for a very good price. And as others have said, it only got better when I got to meet some of the members here and attend a few Rallys.
In the late 80s I was a teen and had just gotten my first bike. I religiously went to the bike shop and grabbed every single data sheet and flyer they had, and pored over them. The FJ was ridiculous. 120HP? Who could possibly use that much? Flat torque? Didn't even know what it was, but I wanted it. A lot. I didn't understand much about bikes, but by simply looking at specs, the numbers were awesome. 5.9" of suspension? That's almost dirtbike territory! Big gas tank? That's a touring bike! Even after I grew, got newer and better bikes, that awe like a teenager who saw his first boobs, never left me. Having/having had better bikes, I still enjoy the FJ because I don't ride it as a 40-something guy with injected, suspended, light, nearly maintenance free bikes. I ride it as a 16 year old kid, amazed at the sheer audacity of Yamaha to release such a thing on public roads. I ride it with the 30 years past mindset that this is literally the best thing ever to hit the road. I love it! My kid swiped my Versys so I took the FJ to work this morning. I try to tell my kids, every bike is amazing and fun, just different. That's why I need to have so many and swap them out so often.
Quote from: Tor-King on September 10, 2016, 08:10:48 PM
Was it the wonderful torquey engine? YES
Was it the timeless design? YES
Was it the comfort of all day touring? YES
Was it the ease of working on and maintaining? YES
The last two previous bikes I owned (of four) were both Beemers - '78 R80/7 air head & '97 R1100GS - so I was spoiled with extremely simple design and maintenance (in the R80), neverending reliability (in both), and endless touring capability (in the GS).
I was off the road for several years due to being hit by a car on my GS (write off) and saving for a house. Once that was taken care of I was looking for something different yet encompassing those attributes that my Beeemers had. During that period I was always searching what was out there and researched the backgrounds of several types of bikes. The FJ was one of the few that kept surfacing during my searches. I even trolled this forum for quite a while before I bought it.
So on a cold late winter day I drove two hrs away, had a good look at a 92 ABS, but no test ride. The owner had the sales package that you can get from the transport ministry that gave the history of previous ownerships and/or accidents (none), and the deal was done. That was 9 1/2 yrs ago and I have never regretted it. I've owned it longer than any car or bike, and put more km on it than any of them too.
The wife bitches at me cuz "I spend too much time working on it" (it just seems that way only cuz I'm a slow "mechanic"). I constantly remind her that it's only time and not much money - considering payments on a new bike (like the K1200LT she liked of course), would far surpass any monies I have invested into the FJ.
How long will I own it? No idea. The prohibitive cost of insurance in Ontario is about the only thing that could end it - being nearly 50% of the value of the bike! Buncha Mother@#$%^'s :ireful: But considering all the help and knowledge here, I could conceivably ride this beauty until I am no longer physically capable - which (knock on wood :wacko2:) - won't be for another 10... 15... or 20 more years? Maybe by then fossil fueled engines will be banned, and it will sit in my living room - regardless of what the wife thinks. :sarcastic:
"Long Live The New Flesh" :good:
I was looking for a larger bike to replace my XS400. It was a fine ride, but on highway commute it was a bit lacking. I thought I was looking for something along the lines of a cruiser or a standard.
I stopped by Sportwheel, which is a used bike dealer/junkyard around here. They had two FJs - an 1100 and a 1200. I sat on them, and something just clicked. The fact that they did layaway cinched it.
Quote from: JPaganel on September 13, 2016, 11:11:47 AM
I was looking for a larger bike to replace my XS400. It was a fine ride, but on highway commute it was a bit lacking. I thought I was looking for something along the lines of a cruiser or a standard.
I stopped by Sportwheel, which is a used bike dealer/junkyard around here. They had two FJs - an 1100 and a 1200. I sat on them, and something just clicked. The fact that they did layaway cinched it.
I remember seeing these two at Sportwheels back in 2012.
(http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/campsimonette/sportwheels_ii_zps6i8lw3s0.jpg) (http://s208.photobucket.com/user/campsimonette/media/sportwheels_ii_zps6i8lw3s0.jpg.html)
among many bikes.
(http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/campsimonette/sportwheels_i_zpsozwdfdy5.jpg) (http://s208.photobucket.com/user/campsimonette/media/sportwheels_i_zpsozwdfdy5.jpg.html)
small world perhaps?
Our Sportwheels trip via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.simonette/media_set?set=a.3472592257825.2132145.1361728437&type=3 (https://www.facebook.com/james.simonette/media_set?set=a.3472592257825.2132145.1361728437&type=3)
Quote from: Dads_FJ on September 13, 2016, 11:54:34 AM
I remember seeing these two at Sportwheels back in 2012.
small world perhaps?
Yep, the one on the left, with the goofy bar end mirrors, wound up going home with me.
Can't see your FB link - I'm guessing it's friends-only.
I got my FJ kinda by accident ten years ago. While on a trip back to my hometown and sitting around a friend's house one winter drinking beer the conversation turned to "what ever happened to that old FJ you used to have." It's down in the basement - been there for 7 years - just never got around to putting it back together after having some engine work done. "Well, if we can get it running, I'll buy it." And it's been a love affair ever since. I don't put a lot of miles on it but every ride puts a smile on my face and changes what may have been a bad day into a good one.
Did not intend to buy a FJ. I was looking for an older bigger displacement bike I could fly and ride back to Texas. I was going to enjoy the ride home and then sell the bike. Because my first bike was a Yamaha and my second was a Yamaha and my third was a Yam......I was on Ebay in the Yamaha section. I was hoping to find a rideable XS1100 but the prices they wanted for them were ridiculous. Just then a 1984 FJ1100 with 18,600 miles, new battery and rear tire and buy it now for $1650 appeared. Located in Spokane, WA. Got on the net to educate myself and discovered it was the first year. Might have seen one but never paid attention and it was good looking bike. The add said ready to ride so I pulled the trigger. Figured at that price I could ride it home, sell it and even make a little money. Called the owner and he graciously offered to pick me up at the airport. Bike was just as good as the pictures and although 18 degrees in his garage fired right up. Traveling south on HWY 395 in Oregon at about 70mph I opened the throttle. It seemed like a couple seconds later I was over 120. That's when I knew I was going to keep it. Now have invested more in it than paid for it. That's when you know you are hooked on FJ's. Dave
A push factor from a Honda.
Ten years ago I touched down stateside and knew I'd found biking gold in NorCal.
Since I'd owned and toured Europe on a VFR750, a went about looking for one of those feeling I knew something about them. Craigslist revealed a specimen close by in Vacaville, so I rang and organized a viewing the following morning. The advert next to the VFR was also in Vacaville. The owner of this machine wanted the same price as the owner of the VFR. It seemed sense to give it a look see, just as a back up like.
The Vffifer wasn't in as good a condition as the one I'd sold the week previous week before leaving England. Said to the seller, here's the thing, it's an ok example, but you'd have to drop the price because I have standards and this rough edged thing needs work to get it up to snuff. Obviously he didn't understand a word and refused to budge much on price. I was on my way to the next neighborhood.
That's when I met the FJ. It was somewhat unloved out on the back porch. Initially it didn't grab me. Then I got a bit more interested as I studied the set up. Hmmm, looks way easier to work on than the Honda. I like seeing the engine. It's roomier. Actually it's nicely put together having been designed without a fairing to hide everything. Interested soared when the price started dropping. He really just wanted it gone.
It's been mine ever since.
And they lived happily ever after
I'm really enjoying these "love stories"!
For me it started back when the FJ1100 came out. I had a poster of one in my room along with another one for the GPZ900. I remember sitting on and FJ in the local dealership showroom and just thinking that it would be a great sport-touring machine. I'm not even sure if sport-touring was a commonly used term back in those days (mid '80's). At that time I had an '81 Seca 750. I got rid of the Seca in 1989 and aside from putting the final signatures in place I was ready to buy a new-in-the-showroom 1988 Katana 1100. I held off on that and bought a house the following spring instead. In the fall of 1990 I bought an '84 V45 Sabre and only because I couldn't afford an FJ at that time. My buddy Gary was riding a Shadow 500 at the time and looking to get something bigger. I sold him on the virtues of the FJ and he bought an FJ1100 a couple years later. He let me take it for a spin and I remember thinking how "leaned-over" I felt on it compared to the Sabre. In '94 I finally bought an '86 FJ with 16,000 km on it. I rode it until 2005. It had 80,000 km by then and I sold it to Al Beaton who is/was a member of the Yahoo forum. I had already purchased my current ride, the '92 FJ1200 (1314) which has been my trusty steed ever since. I've seen and ridden many other bikes since then and every so often get the itch to move on to something else but whenever I'm riding the "Blue Bunny" it just feels so right! The perfect balance of power, comfort and maneuverability - for me anyway. And of course I've always liked the look of the FJ. I think it holds up well to the newer bikes.
Zwartie
Oooh! Oooh! My turn! :good2:
I was given the loan of a nice 1992 for a few days and put maybe 400 to 500 kilometers on it. At the time I was riding a 1979 XS750 triple which was my first bike from 2005 to 2012. Really nice growl from the triple and enough grunt to make up for the occasional poor selection of which gear to be in. It always felt heavy and definitely not peppy off the line. Also a carburetted, air cooled engine withe simple electrics. If someone was strong enough to man handle it, it would be an OK first bike that wouldn't bite back.
The first time I took the loaner FJ for a quick fill up just around the corner to get the feel of it for the ride home, I returned and commented on the difference, "You better have a plan where you're going when you let out the clutch on this thing."
Definitely not a motorcycle to screw with or not be on top of things. There is another friend whom I didn't offer a test ride to for at least a year once I got my own FJ because he's a tad absent minded even with power tools and when I observed him riding in the past he doesn't have in general what pilots used to call "good hands." i.e. feel your way around the controls, not jerk them and correct roughly for your mistakes after the fact.
Right off the bat I loved the roll on from about 80 km/h (Ontario's posted limit outside cities, on all but the major highways) to where ever you want to take it on the dial. I don't downshift ever to pass on county 2 lanes. I get a clear line of sight, roll on what feels like just thinking about moving the throttle a smidgin that you can't even observe and I'm accelerating out on the other lane past car #1, zipping past car #2 and dropping the throttle before I'm even to car #3 and pulling back in to my lane, checking the speed and it's coming down from 140 or 160 km/h sometimes, no drama. Passing done and back to posted speeds. To me that's sports touring. Getting into my own clear road space without being a nuisance.
I got my '84 for $900 in 2012 and in short order had new tires and turn signals on it. Since then I'm dealing with issues and replacement parts as they come up but not doing much in the way of modifications or swapping in parts from newer models. It got me through 5,500 km in one week's trip to Cape Breton and other spots in Nova Scotia this July, running with no issues. Tough to beat for the money.
These stories are great! I would also mention that in addition to all the mechanical attributes, my FJ is just plain beautiful. I'm always taking pictures of it in various locations and putting them on my computer wallpaper. Maybe one of the best compliments I've ever received - and I do get frequent complements as I'm sure we all do - because the bike is vintage - came from a relative. After buying my bike and getting it on the road, I had to store it at my cousin's house because at the time my family was located overseas. My cousin, who is an avid biker and owns a vintage Triumph Speed Triple, once said to me that he would pour a big glass of wine, go down to the garage, pull up a chair, and just sit and stare at my FJ. In his words, "That has to be the most seductive lines I've ever seen on a motorcycle." I tend to agree.
I came from a family that was into muscle cars. Mostly Buick's. Started with my dad's wildcat nailhead dual quads,4 stage1s, couple 455 rivs, 68 GS 400, 1 69 GS 400 stage 1. All my dad's and my 2 brothers. Buick's the ultimate sleepers. Then came my turn. Bought my dad's mint slightly warmed over 69 GS 350. Paid it off before I got my license. It had been running hot so I took the thermostat out to see if it helped. My dad was out of town. So I thought I'll just take it for a spin...to see if it gets hot. Topped a hill doing a little over 80. Met a cop going the other way. He spun It around. Just over the next hill In the valley was a dirt road lots of tree's so I cut down the road lost control went into the ditch hitting a tree dead center of the hood. This ditch was actually a steep bank about 15' down too a small mostly dry Creek. Car slid side ways down to the Creek. Cop didn't turn down the road. Don't think he could have seen the car anyway. Called my brother (dispatcher for the local police) he got a tow truck operator that owed him. To pull it out and haul it home and not report it. Next day my dad came home from his trip. Because it was my 16th birthday. Looked at the GS and said "don't know what to say. It's your car" and walked away.
I fixed it cheaply with skylark parts. 2 weeks before my 17th birthday. Was at the bar came out got. In my GS and saw 2 girl's on the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Decided to impress them. Lit it up from the parallel parking. Smoked the tires. Drifting It into the side road coming in from the other side of the street. Was perfect... except for the Car coming from the other direction on the side road. Over corrected. And proceeded to slide the other direction into a telephone pole. Put the lights out in the small town of Oakfield. Long story but that's why I decided to try bikes instead.
Went to the Yamaha dealer walked in and saw. A brand new 86 fj1200. Looked at that huge back tire. And signed the paperwork. Got it for $4400. They said it was the second one In state.
Owned it for 2 1/2 months, put 14,000 miles on it. And totalled it out. When a guy on a CB 1100 (that I was about to pass) crashed in front of me going into a corner(he feaked out and locked up the back brake). Last time I looked at the speedo it was coming up on 135. Then I bought an 87 fzr1000. Crashed and fixed it. Then had the motor built. Car pulled out in front of me. Was dead at the scene. Or so the paramedics thought. Was In the hospital for 2 1/2 months. Didn't ride for a while. Built the chopper. Then my friend said he would sell Me the Fj he bought because he had ridden mine. Before I crashed it. It had been in heated storage for 13 years. And only had 10,600 miles on it. And it came with the crashed 87 with 865 miles on it for spare parts. For $600. That's the Fj1350r now. And now I have 5 fjs all together. :wacko3: :dash2: :wacko2:
In 1986 I owned the Suzuki Katana 1100. In Spain the import of Japanese bikes was restricted then , so when I parked the bike on any street, always I found a crowd of people surrounded the bike when I came back. Nice bike!!... but nothing else. Monster motor with bicycle wheels and clay made chassis and no brakes.
Then I went to Britain to live for 1 year and I tested a 2nd hand FJ 1100... WOW!, I will never forget that experience!. It was like riding a ultra-fast, ultra-stable and ultra-sure footed and planted armchair. The difference was amazing with my Katana. I bought it immediately
After this, I rode toghether 165.000 kms. in 5 years, closed tracks incursions included.
After the 1100 I bought a brand new 1200 3cv. Sorry, but the bike was slower, with more vibrations and worst handling. I sold it in 2 years with 44.000 kms
After this disappointment, I owned another bikes. But I always missed my FJ 1100. And after a big crash in 2.002 I decided go back to FJs and I bought my present 1200. I have owned another 3CV and a 3XW, and now I own another couple of bikes
But nothing like my present FJ 1200... or the FJ 1100 that I plan to buy in the near future :good2:
Quote from: giantkiller on September 16, 2016, 12:23:05 AM
I came from a family that was into muscle cars. Mostly Buick's. Started with my dad's wildcat nailhead dual quads,4 stage1s, couple 455 rivs, 68 GS 400, 1 69 GS 400 stage 1. All my dad's and my 2 brothers. Buick's the ultimate sleepers. Then came my turn. Bought my dad's mint slightly warmed over 69 GS 350. Paid it off before I got my license. It had been running hot so I took the thermostat out to see if it helped. My dad was out of town. So I thought I'll just take it for a spin...to see if it gets hot. Topped a hill doing a little over 80. Met a cop going the other way. He spun It around. Just over the next hill In the valley was a dirt road lots of tree's so I cut down the road lost control went into the ditch hitting a tree dead center of the hood. This ditch was actually a steep bank about 15' down too a small mostly dry Creek. Car slid side ways down to the Creek. Cop didn't turn down the road. Don't think he could have seen the car anyway. Called my brother (dispatcher for the local police) he got a tow truck operator that owed him. To pull it out and haul it home and not report it. Next day my dad came home from his trip. Because it was my 16th birthday. Looked at the GS and said "don't know what to say. It's your car" and walked away.
I fixed it cheaply with skylark parts. 2 weeks before my 17th birthday. Was at the bar came out got. In my GS and saw 2 girl's on the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Decided to impress them. Lit it up from the parallel parking. Smoked the tires. Drifting It into the side road coming in from the other side of the street. Was perfect... except for the Car coming from the other direction on the side road. Over corrected. And proceeded to slide the other direction into a telephone pole. Put the lights out in the small town of Oakfield. Long story but that's why I decided to try bikes instead.
Went to the Yamaha dealer walked in and saw. A brand new 86 fj1200. Looked at that huge back tire. And signed the paperwork. Got it for $4400. They said it was the second one In state.
Owned it for 2 1/2 months, put 14,000 miles on it. And totalled it out. When a guy on a CB 1100 (that I was about to pass) crashed in front of me going into a corner(he feaked out and locked up the back brake). Last time I looked at the speedo it was coming up on 135. Then I bought an 87 fzr1000. Crashed and fixed it. Then had the motor built. Car pulled out in front of me. Was dead at the scene. Or so the paramedics thought. Was In the hospital for 2 1/2 months. Didn't ride for a while. Built the chopper. Then my friend said he would sell Me the Fj he bought because he had ridden mine. Before I crashed it. It had been in heated storage for 13 years. And only had 10,600 miles on it. And it came with the crashed 87 with 865 miles on it for spare parts. For $600. That's the Fj1350r now. And now I have 5 fjs all together. :wacko3: :dash2: :wacko2:
PLEASE DO NOT TRY SKYDIVING!!!!!
Ha ha skydiving. been there done that. At the drop zone in Omro. Their landing strip at the time was some gravel thrown down. In the corn field wasn't even flat. Second time I was there for my second jump. The regular divers go up before the students. Well one of them had a malfunction and had to cut loose and go to the secondary. He landed OK. But the pilot was in a hurry to see if he was OK . And flipped the plane up on its nose. And came running up. As soon as he found out that the guy was OK. He and 2 other guys walked back to the plane, flipped it back. Pilot got in started It back up. Taxied up to where we were waiting. Threw the door up and said who's next.
The next time I went it was kinda windy. Pilot was debating whether we should jump. Decided I should go. The wind was blowing me around enough that the chute would dump air and I would drop and then it would catch.and I would swing and dump air again. It was the weirdest thing. Kinda like a pendulum. Hit really hard that time. He didn't let anyone else out they got to land in that POS airplane they used.
Dan that's pretty funny. Unfortunately very true. Years ago there was a Cessna 180 jump plane that was well known to all the jumpers in the Dallas Ft Worth area. Its name was "Duct Tape". That's because it was literally held together with duct tape. I was on the next to last flight where it barely got off the runway and barely made it back for a safe landing. It never got enough altitude to jump out. The next fight purposely landed on a country road with the owner and a pilot who intentionally burned it for the insurance.
The absolutely funniest skydiving sequence is in the movie "The Last Fandango" with a very young Kevin Costner. It is funniest to skydivers because it is very true. Very much like your experience.
Dave
Skydivers: Good to the last drop........or as they said at Ft Benning Ga. where I went thru jump school, "Only 2 things fall out of the sky, bird shit and fools..."
Statistically more skydivers have been killed by malfunctioning aircraft than from any other cause.
Ironic huh?
Fully equipped, trained skydivers killed before the plane can get to altitude.
Dan, maybe you should change your name from "Giant killer" to " Death Cheater"
Noel
Quote from: ribbert on September 17, 2016, 05:17:23 AM
Dan, maybe you should change your name from "Giant killer" to " Death Cheater"
Noel
I have used up more than my 9 lives. So I must not be a cat. I have 37 broken bones so I've set a goal of 40. Because I never seem to achieve my goals.
I am truly blessed. God seems to want me here. For some reason. I just hope I don't miss it.
Well my FJ story is simple . We all know the saying when letting someone else ride you bike " you break it ,you bought it " well there you go.
The rest of the story is only told around the campfire at a Rally.
Thank you everyone-- I am enjoying reading all your responses! It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! It is so neat to see what everyone on this site has in common and the varying reasons for the attraction to the FJ!
Dean
I guess my attraction to FJs is probably rooted in the fact that the majority of motorcycles that I have owned have been Yamahas. My first motorcycle with a gear box was a Yamaha Mini-Enduro, I had a 1976 YZ 80, with a Steen Bonanza between those two. The first new street bike that I ever bought was a 1986 Radian. After it was stolen, I bought a 1983 Seca 550. I just have a real fondness for air cooled Yamahas, they have been virtually bulletproof for me in every respect. Once I decided to get back on a street bike, a Yamaha was the only brand that I was seriously considering owning.
When I found my 1990 FJ on Craigslist and test rode it, I knew that I had come home. I just don't know of another all around competent street bike with the attributes and following that the FJ enjoys.
Everyone has said what I would have, except that, back in the 80's the FJ1100 was more bike than I was rider.
They are still more bike than I am rider.
Long live the MIGHT FJ! :good:
Hi everyone.
Back in 96 I had a lower back injury that made riding the RZ500 I had at the time no fun at all.
While driving around for work I kept seeing a lonely and slightly rough looking 86 parked out front of a local bike shop.
The look of it caught my eye.
When I realised that I was intentionally driving past just to see it I went into the shop.
They wanted $3500 for the FJ,and would offer $2000 for the RZ.
I took the FJ for a test ride and my back liked the riding position and I liked the torque.
I wasn't overly impressed with the slipping clutch,acceleration,or the handling but decided to negotiate.
I offered them the RZ500 for the FJ if they would fix the slipping clutch, and no extra money.
The owner of the shop did not like this deal at all until he took the RZ for a ride.
Man that RZ500 was fun!
I have come to realize over the years that the FJ is more fun!
Cheers :drinks:
Jeff P