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General Category => Maintenance => Topic started by: Tron on February 16, 2012, 06:32:22 PM

Title: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Tron on February 16, 2012, 06:32:22 PM
G'day all,
I've just bought an 86' FJ1200 with 16,000kms on the clock.
As I was riding to work a small red light just below the speedo came on. It stayed on for a few mins then went out. It continued to come on then go off. The bike is starting and running fine but I've stopped riding it til I work this out. I dont have the owners handbook and 2 people I've asked dont know what the light is (prev owner and mechanic). There are separate oil level and low fuel lights at the top of the instrument cluster so I know it's not that.
I'm guessing there's a simple answer but any help would be much appreciated?
Thanks for your time.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: flips on February 16, 2012, 07:04:04 PM
Hi Tron :hi:

I also have an 86 (Australian or uk 1tx).Mine doesnt have any kind of indicator light below the speedo.

(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/1645_23_01_12_12_32_10_1.jpeg)

Is it actually in the cluster or on the cowling?...does it come on at certain rpm?....maybe a shift light from a dyna ignition?

Dont know mate :scratch_one-s_head:

Cheers :drinks:

Jeff P
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Dads_FJ on February 16, 2012, 07:26:29 PM
Sounds like something aftermarket, alarm perhaps? Take a pic of it can you?  Or maybe it was a red siren from the police officer behind you reflecting off your dash.  Kid with a laser pointer messing with you?   :nea:

okay I'll stop.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Tron on February 16, 2012, 07:47:42 PM
I'm in Australia but the bike is a Japanese import - originally sold new in Japan then shipped to Oz before 10,000kms.(that's why the kms are so low).
Dont know if that makes a diffrence re dash?
Light is in the black plastic below the speedo. It's very small, about the size of a tic-tac - if they made round tic-tacs that is.
Not sure if it was linked to rpm/speed. It just came on very slowly, stayed on a few mins then went off slowly. (bit like my love life - married).
I was wondering if it was a warning light linked to the electrics etc? The FJ's a pretty simple beast so if it's not oil or fuel then what else?
Maybe it's the 'saki time' light? NOS button? Ejector seat button?
Nice one re police/laser pointer - thanks for the laugh!
I took a pic of the dash this morn with my i.phone but I'm not sure if I can upload it to this post?
Cheers, Wayne.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Tron on February 16, 2012, 07:52:26 PM
I tell a lie. It's actually within the speedo just under the trip meter.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Tron on February 17, 2012, 02:36:24 AM
Anyone else out there with a Red light under their speedo? Any Japanese members maybe? Def a factory fitted thing as its sealed under same plastic as speedo.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Harvy on February 17, 2012, 03:00:31 AM
Tron, I have a '91 Jap Domestic model.......no red light.

Harvy
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Tron on February 17, 2012, 03:08:45 AM
Thanks Harvy.
Anyone with an 86' model Jap import or an idea of what light's for?
I'm paranoid about riding it til I know. Red lights on the dash of a bike or car usually = problem.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: yampug on February 18, 2012, 08:20:56 AM
i was intrigued what the light is for that you've mentioned had a google and came up with this from an old fj forum - http://lists.teamrc17.net/pipermail/teamrc17/2011-November/003306.html (http://lists.teamrc17.net/pipermail/teamrc17/2011-November/003306.html)

The red light is for markets (primarily the Japanese) where an 80 kph
> limit
> applies. A sensor on the Japanese-market model turns it on at that speed,
> but your bike  (unless it is a restricted import) won't have the sensor.
> Your speed, torque and power output will not change.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Pat Conlon on February 18, 2012, 10:42:53 AM
Quote from: yampug on February 18, 2012, 08:20:56 AM
i was intrigued what the light is for that you've mentioned had a google and came up with this from an old fj forum - http://lists.teamrc17.net/pipermail/teamrc17/2011-November/003306.html (http://lists.teamrc17.net/pipermail/teamrc17/2011-November/003306.html)

A very very nice piece of detective work Yampug! What a cool first post... Kudos laddie

My kind of guy...Roll up your sleeves and get right to work solving the mystery.

In all my years with FJ's,  I never knew that the JDM FJ's had that little red light . How annoying, a red light that comes on when you go over 49mph....Kinda silly on a bike that can do 3X that speed..... Learn something every day.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: racerman_27410 on February 18, 2012, 07:02:57 PM
 i would take that speedo apart and replace that red light with a green one...... green for GO FASTER!

just sayin.    :hi:


KOokaloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! :good2:

Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Pat Conlon on February 18, 2012, 08:35:52 PM
Quote from: yampug on February 18, 2012, 08:20:56 AM
The red light is for markets (primarily the Japanese) where an 80 kph limit applies. A sensor on the Japanese-market model turns it on at that speed.......

I wonder which Japanese bureaucrat thought of this one.... I now understand the meaning of the term "Idiot Light"
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Tron on February 18, 2012, 10:22:24 PM
A thousand thankyous Yampug. I was up to my 3rd bike shop (including Yamaha dealer) and no one could tell me.
Your bloods worth bottling my friend.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: ELIMINATOR on February 18, 2012, 11:03:20 PM
yampug! Small world. LOL I've ridden a few Jap imports with the 50mph 80KPH idiot light.
Title: Re: Small red light on 86' dash?
Post by: Dads_FJ on February 19, 2012, 09:05:09 AM
Now we just need to find a better use of the light.  Shift light - RPM red line?