Should I or Shouldn't I ?

[YUS2B1400]

Hi guys,
I am not an FJ owner but I'm considering buying one. Thought this might be a good place to get some advise.
I sold my 1400 intruder a few years ago(bought a boat) and now I'm looking for a bike to do some light touring & commuting to from work . In my search I found a 1989 FJ1200 with 49000 Klm's on it. Being mainly a cruiser rider for years, I really never knew much about the FJ's. The bike is in immaculate condition with only a few paint bubbles on the tank. The engine sounds strong but seems a little cold hearted on startup. A bit of chain/valve noise from it at low idle.Smooths out after a few minutes with full choke though. Sort of reminds me of my old 82 CB750. I haven't driven it yet but the owner assures me it will get up and go every time. The fact that it's 20 years old does bother me a bit. I think I can get it for around $2500. So this is what I need to know.
Does this sound like a good deal?
How hard is it to find parts for this bike?
Does this machine need a valve adjustment soon??
Any info you guys can provide will be greatly appreciated. Let me know soon.

Thanks.................keep the rubber side down...........

[Harvy]

Hi there mate.......what's the name?

where are you? If your in Aus, grab it.......

Depends on what parts you are after..... many are still available......especially engine parts..... FJ and XJR are essentially the same.... Legends race cars use these engines, so there are usually frames to be had.

A few folks on this list can supply parts, and the group receives favourable prices from both Mondak and Zanottis in the USA.

Welcome to the group.

Harvy

[Ratchet_72]

They're all pretty cold blooded...just something ya gotta deal with.  Mileage isnt too bad so don't worry about that, she's still a baby. Buy it but try and get a better deal.  I don't know where you are so I'm not sure what $2500 means. Aussie perhaps.  Hong Kong?  Intro yourself, we wont' bite.  Unless of course you're into etched windshields or wanna talk about motor oil, then we WILL bite.

[Big Blue]

I've owned my FJ for the last 4 years and bought it for a similar price.  It's immaculate and I've put a few bucks into it because I like everything to be perfect and have put about 15,000 worry-free miles on it.  In my opinion, you can't go wrong with an FJ because they are fast, comfortable (if you want to cruise comfortably, you're covered-and if you want to tuck and do some twisties-you're covered).  Few bikes that I can think of will do that, and certainly nothing in that price point.  To me, the rarity and individuality of riding an FJ is part of the charm as well (besides the fact that the chances that you will be out riding it rather than having it in the shop since they are simple and relatively bullet-proof).  At bike events and on the street, I often have guys come up and tell me that they used to have one and wished they never sold it (in fact, both of the previous owners of mine want to buy it back).  I've never regretted buying it and have never heard or read a bad thing about FJs. 

To your point, it's not a new bike and will never be- the best that you can hope for is that it will not ride like a bike that feels old and broken down.  Only your test ride will help with that, but there are plenty of good ones out there.   My experience so far has been that normal parts like brake pads and oil filters are normally priced, but pieces for the fairing, OEM windshields, etc can be kind of pricey because of the age, but I'm sure that other people on this forum can give you better feedback on major parts.

Additionally, the FJ has a strong following and this forum and the people on it have always been cool and helpful to me whenever I've needed advice.

Best of luck with your decision, it's a good dilemma to have...

[YUS2B1400]

Thanks for the advise and info guys. Unfortunately, that FJ1200 is no longer up for sale.  Owner said he decided to keep her for another season. Good news is I've found another  1990 FJ1200 with less mileage and about a $1000 Canadian cheaper. Oh yeah...........I live on the East coast of Canada........My name is Paul...........and I can't recall ever talking about motor oil.  Who needs windshields? I just got the itch again. Can't wait to feel the wind on my face and get my ass out of the cage for a while.

Keep on rollin everyone, wherever you may be. Love the site