First 100 miles on my 86 FJ1200

[ChrisB348]

It was a landmark day for my FJ1200. I clocked my first 100 miles and had a blast. After riding my 67 Shovelhead for so many years it was amazing to experience how smooth and responsive the FJ is. I have to admit I scared myself by grabbing too big a handful of throttle in first gear one time. Daaaammmnnnnnnnnnn...
I really like how easy it is to bend it around a corner. I am looking forward to going over to Nicolet National forest for a ride.
My only complaint is that the headlight is useless, even on high beam. That is going to get fixed shortly. There are too many deer and other critters around here to watch out for. Last night I encountered five deer and damn near ran over a baby raccoon. I don't know who was more startled, me or him.
Well its time for the first oil change and install the RPM Filter Adapter.

Have a great day and be safe out there!!

[FJmonkey]

Welcome Chris, happy to hear your first 100 miles were mostly safe. Wait till you get to an open road and hit 3rd gear and open her up. Between 5K and redline is the Kookaloo zone.  But there is no hurry, get to know your bike and gently get up to higher speeds to avoid any surprises. Properly set up the FJ is quite stable above 80 even in the corners. The stock headlamp leaves a lot to be desired. LED is making really good advances and some here are already using them. I run a HID and it is like the Sun shooting out front. The HID install is a bit involved and other higher wattage bulbs can melt the connector. So watch the wattage/amps. A relay will help your OEM work better by getting voltage direct from the battery. The LED is low wattage and seems to work well with out a relay. 

[ChrisB348]

Welcome Chris, happy to hear your first 100 miles were mostly safe. Wait till you get to an open road and hit 3rd gear and open her up. Between 5K and redline is the Kookaloo zone.  But there is no hurry, get to know your bike and gently get up to higher speeds to avoid any surprises. Properly set up the FJ is quite stable above 80 even in the corners. The stock headlamp leaves a lot to be desired. LED is making really good advances and some here are already using them. I run a HID and it is like the Sun shooting out front. The HID install is a bit involved and other higher wattage bulbs can melt the connector. So watch the wattage/amps. A relay will help your OEM work better by getting voltage direct from the battery. The LED is low wattage and seems to work well with out a relay. 

I also had concerns about using a higher wattage H4. I am thinking a good quality LED should do the trick.
I went out riding with a friend today, he has a 2004 1150 GS. We had a nice leisurely ride around the local area. We met up with a guy with a beautiful red 1198 Panigale. Temperature was in the mid 70's and hardly a cloud in the sky. It was the kind of day we all wish for. I took my son out this evening and we saw quite a few deer near the road. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Have fun and be safe out there!!

[ZOA NOM]

Welcome aboard!

Do the headlight relay mod and put whatever wattage bulb you like in there. I run an 80/100 watt bulb that works very well. I wired up a pair of LED driving lights mounted to the engine bars that come on with the high beam switch, and they turn night into day. I commute in the dark every day, and on two-lane backroads, so I worry about the critters too. I don't outrun these lights below 100 mph.

[ribbert]

Much money (I spent over $400 experimenting) has been wasted and much time has been spent by members here trying to turn the FJ headlight into something useable. It can be improved, it can be modded to make it easier to be seen but it's never going to provide serious light for night riding in the absence of street lighting.

I have auxiliary lights like Rick (they appear to be the same) and they are amazing, it is like riding in a ball of daylight, they throw light so far around corners, even when leaned way over you can scrape the pegs at night, and as Rick says, they're 100mph lights. Being a wide beam light the throw to the sides of the road is unbelievable. They even look pretty good mounted.







We have Kangaroos here, you need all the help you can can get spotting those bastards at night.

[Tuned forks]

I agree with monkey.  The first time I hit 5000 rpm with heavy throttle I was so startled I thought something bad happened to my clutch or engine.  It's definitely a Come to Jesus moment.

Chris, make sure it's pointed in a straight line the first time you grab a fist full of throttle.  I remember my first trip on the FJ, wonderful platform.

Ribbert, I like the way you tucked the road lights inside the cooling scoops.

[Charlie-brm]

Much money (I spent over $400 experimenting) has been wasted and much time has been spent by members here trying to turn the FJ headlight into something useable. It can be improved, it can be modded to make it easier to be seen but it's never going to provide serious light for night riding in the absence of street lighting.

I have auxiliary lights like Rick (they appear to be the same) and they are amazing, it is like riding in a ball of daylight, they throw light so far around corners, even when leaned way over you can scrape the pegs at night, and as Rick says, they're 100mph lights. Being a wide beam light the throw to the sides of the road is unbelievable. They even look pretty good mounted.







We have Kangaroos here, you need all the help you can can get spotting those bastards at night.

Those auxiliary lights look very familiar to ones I browsed last year on Aliexpress but there are so many variations out there. Any particular specs or supplier you can provide?

[Charlie-brm]

It was a landmark day for my FJ1200. I clocked my first 100 miles and had a blast. After riding my 67 Shovelhead for so many years it was amazing to experience how smooth and responsive the FJ is. I have to admit I scared myself by grabbing too big a handful of throttle in first gear one time. Daaaammmnnnnnnnnnn...
I really like how easy it is to bend it around a corner. I am looking forward to going over to Nicolet National forest for a ride.
My only complaint is that the headlight is useless, even on high beam. That is going to get fixed shortly. There are too many deer and other critters around here to watch out for. Last night I encountered five deer and damn near ran over a baby raccoon. I don't know who was more startled, me or him.
Well its time for the first oil change and install the RPM Filter Adapter.

Have a great day and be safe out there!!

The bike I started on was a 1979 Yamaha XS750 - 3 cylinder of about 60 horsepower and weighed the same as the 1984 FJ1100 I have now that's got almost twice the power.
Before finding an 1100 I borrowed an FJ1200 and took it for a spin. When I came back the owner didn't ask me if I liked it, he asked what I thought. I said "I think you better have a plan where you're going before you let out the clutch." They don't bite but they also don't suit doddling about at anything above idle like some bikes while you figure out what you're doing.

When I'm cruising at 80 to 100 kph, going totally off throttle is about this much of a drop in position of my grip on the throttle > | |  From 100 kph to "oops" is the same amount the other way.

Soft hands and safe riding on her.

[ryanschoebel]

I know i definitely had a come to Jesus moment on my first heavy acceleration. My brother just rode my 1100 for the first time the other night, and he was amazed at how little he had to twist the throttle to get really moving. I love these bikes