Thoughts on an FJ600

[jmt476]

Hey guys,

I just came across a seemingly good deal on a 1985 FJ600 with about 22000 miles. It has no title, but I can
get one fairly cheap, needs a battery and a carb clean, and they want $350obo. It has some minor cosmetic issues too, but nothing that can't be cleaned up. I know VERY little about the 600. What do you all think of them?

[FJmonkey]

Hey guys,

I just came across a seemingly good deal on a 1985 FJ600 with about 22000 miles. It has no title, but I can
get one fairly cheap, needs a battery and a carb clean, and they wants $350obo. It has some minor cosmetic issues too, but nothing that can't be cleaned up. I know VERY little about the 600. What do you all think of them?

You need 2 of them equal an FJ1200.....

[jmt476]

I'm sure its not near as quick, but is it a decent bike?

[racerman_27410]

its like most bikes of that era.... spindly forks, barely brakes and hinge in the middle frame....now without a title it aint worth the rubber its rolling on..... JMO of course.

of course you could always buy another one with a title and make one from two....  I've never ridden one so i dont know if it would be worth that trouble or not.


KOokaloo! 

[jmt476]

I use a title service who can re title the bike...it costs like $150 to do, but I figure if I get the bike cheap enough and put a little elbow grease into it, I can have everything done for less than $500. I'm just curious as to the reliability, performance, etc of the model.

[andyb]

Depends on why you want it.  If you wanted one when they were new but you were 17 and your dad said no, then go for it (assuming it's the right color and such to match your dreams).  If you want a cheap commuter, there's probably better options.  If you want just to flip it for more money, well... gluck?

They made maybe 50hp when new, at the tire was in the 40's.  The suspension is likely jacked, and wasn't much cop to start with.  The motor is anemic, and that's when it's running properly, etc etc.  I'd have some fear of a weak gearbox as well, seeing as it was pretty common for yamaha's to end up with rounded dogs in the trans around this era.

Reliablilty otherwise is specific to the machine, in any case of something this old.  Give me a brand new Honda Civic, and in 20 years it'll be a hilariously unreliable hulk (because I will beat it as it so richly deserves)... yet I'd imagine that you could give my mother some godawful russian car that had a tendancy to set it self on fire, and it'd look showroom new in 20 years.  Initial and overall build quality mean less than current condition, when we're talking about anything this old!

So, it really comes down to the question of what you want to do with it.  Personally, I'd offer maybe half what he's asking, and try to build a dirtbike!  Screw titles!  But that's because I live in IL, and the laws are..ugly, to say the least, when it comes to salvaged and lost titles here.

[rktmanfj]

 Screw titles!  But that's because I live in IL, and the laws are..ugly, to say the least, when it comes to salvaged and lost titles here.

It's pretty easy just across the state line on something with a low book value.   

[jmt476]

I'm really just looking for a deal. I have no real need for it....I have two bikes, and I sell Honda's for a living, so I have plenty of bikes at my disposal....I guess it'd just be an around town "rideable project." I'd probably use it to teach my girl how to ride also.

[craigo]

I really enjoyed my FJ600. They were the box stock kings at Willow Springs in the day till the FZ600 was introduced and Honda started building the Hurricane. Handled better than the 1st gen Ninja 600s but were not as fast in the straights. Mine had about 40k miles on it when I sold it. I get nostalgic thinking about it.

But in the end, it is an old 8 valve air cooled 600cc motorcycle. I would say it would be a good bike to teach your wife/girlfriend to ride. That way, your not our much if she throws it on the ground.
BTW, they do not break that easily when they fall over.

CraigO

[dbelch]

I'm really just looking for a deal. I have no real need for it....I have two bikes, and I sell Honda's for a living, so I have plenty of bikes at my disposal....I guess it'd just be an around town "rideable project." I'd probably use it to teach my girl how to ride also.

Just a quick question...if you sell Honda's for a living, then how come there are none listed in your collection at the end of your posts?

[jmt476]

Thanks for the insight craigo. I buy and sell bikes a lot, it just so happens that I don't currently have one. I'm actually keeping an eye out for the right vtx1800 to get traded in.

[craigo]

http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=12319

They were competitive in the day, take a look that this website.

CraigO

[Mark Olson]

Well years ago I was looking to buy one for my wife so we could ride together and the colors would match and it would be precious . 

what I found was a ugly looking bike with no power and crap handling so I abandoned the idea cause it was stupid.

of course this is my opinion and YMMV ( your mileage may vary) .

[moparman70]

I always wanted an FJ600 even before I bought or was ready for the FJ1200.  When I was ready for a bigger bike from my 400 twin ...the FJ 600 was the one I wanted.  But I ended up with a GS 550E .... which I enjoyed.   If I remember right my  84 GS had 4 valves per as opposed to Fj600 2 so probably a better motor.

I still love the look of the FJ6

I think if you can get it for the price it would be a cool bike to have for the short runs...just for fun.

[neo297]

I loved my fj600. It would run with any of the 500/550 600's of its day. yes you had to let it move around a bit when pushing it hard but with a set of kerkers a jet kit and pods it would run. My biggest issue wasn't the gear box but valve guides even new it would suck and spit oil when hard off and on the gas. The guys in my sport bike club would laugh at me cause I would carry oil with me out on our long rides cause I would inevitably need to add some. The guys on their hurricanes would bitch that they got oil on their windscreens when behind me i would tell them all they had to do was get around me. If you ever saw kevin Schwantz on a fj 600 you would realize what they could do in the hands of a talented rider. It did not hurt that I got a set of cams out of one of kevin's fj 600 race bikes from a friend of mine who worked at hurst yamaha in Houston no one wanted any thing fj after the Hurricane came out so I got them for a pittance.
http://www.kevinschwantz.com/book-pages/roadracing7.htm
I think it also was a good looking bike I have ridden mine from Houston to New york in 2 days with a stop in Chatanooga Tenn. I have ridden it straight through from Houston to Des Moines, Ia.and many a 300-400 mile Saturday ride.They are easy to work on and the motors are about bullet proof. So over all if you like the looks it can be a comfortable tourer or commuter that can be thrown around for fun just don't ask it to be an r6 or a big fj.