RPM

[TexasDave]

Stopped by RPM on my way from Spokane to  Dallas last week and Randy worked on my newly acquired 84 Fj. He went  through it from front to back meticullously and fixed all the things on that 30 yr old to make  it better and safer to ride. Got  the badly needed front fork mod and shock mod--way better handling! Asked if I wanted  a fork brace I said i didn't think so. Randy showed me the one he  sells. Ooooooo-very nice. Looks like it should have been OEM. Put it on please.Other than weight handles as good as Yamahas corner carving RD350. Can't wait to install Randy's SS exhaust and  Lion battery and carve 50lbs off the old girl! Now if i could  carve 30lbs off me I would would have a 1100cc powered RD350.Randy's mods--worth every penny! Randy's FJ clinic--priceless. Thanks for the  highway pegs. Wouldn't have made it home without them. Spent 2 days at Randy's shop. Nice place. Met Randy's lovely wife. Met his father--very nice older gentlman. Met one of his sons--handsome,polite,well mannered. Even his dog was great. My question is what happened with Randy?

[movenon]

Excellent move on stopping by to see Randy and his family. Especially with a "new to you" bike. If there was any problem with the bike he could detect it in a heart beat.
If you change out the battery to one of the lithium ones give us a report !. Been giving some thought to doing the same next time I need a battery. The mighty FJ is a bit on the heavy side and lightening up the battery up on the top side would be a plus. The stock exhaust system is heavy. Nice and quiet but heavy.
A minor thing but Race Tech fork springs save a little weight in the forks and converting to blue dot front calipers takes a pound or two off the front wheel. Some if not all the newer wheels are lighter and is a plus for converting.

Glad you made it back home with no problems. If you can,  think about attending one of the rallies next year.
George

[Pat Conlon]

Welcome Dave, I hope you enjoy your '84 as much as I do mine....

Pretty cool to be able to stop in and get the personal attention of a FJ expert, huh?

Randy does spoil us. Good accessability, good advice, good parts, good prices, yea, we are spoiled.

[FeralRdr]

Welcome to the forum sir.  Sounds like Randy took good care of you.  If I might request, how about a little wright up on your FJ acquisition adventure.  You definitely chose to make your trip during an interesting time of year for the Pacific NW. 

[rktmanfj]

If you change out the battery to one of the lithium ones give us a report !. Been giving some thought to doing the same next time I need a battery. The mighty FJ is a bit on the heavy side and lightening up the battery up on the top side would be a plus.
George

George, I can testify to the quality of the lithium batteries... When 'giantkiller' Dan made it to Tellico last year, his '86 had an issue that required a lot of cranking, probably enough to drain a conventional battery three times over, and his li battery hadn't even begun to slow down.  Yeah, they're a bunch more money, but if Dan's is typical, the leap from AGM to Li is much greater than going from conventional to AGM, and you get the significant weight savings, to boot.

If it's in the budget, it's a no-brainer, IMO... YMMV   

[FJmonkey]

Welcome TexasDave, I would be interested in hearing about your voyage to bring your FJ1100 home.

[racerrad8]

Welcome TexasDave, I would be interested in hearing about your voyage to bring your FJ1100 home.

Here is the short version up to my place; http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=10665.msg103921#msg103921

Randy - RPM

[winddancer]

Excellent move on stopping by to see Randy and his family. Especially with a "new to you" bike. If there was any problem with the bike he could detect it in a heart beat.
If you change out the battery to one of the lithium ones give us a report !. Been giving some thought to doing the same next time I need a battery. The mighty FJ is a bit on the heavy side and lightening up the battery up on the top side would be a plus. The stock exhaust system is heavy. Nice and quiet but heavy.
A minor thing but Race Tech fork springs save a little weight in the forks and converting to blue dot front calipers takes a pound or two off the front wheel. Some if not all the newer wheels are lighter and is a plus for converting.

Glad you made it back home with no problems. If you can,  think about attending one of the rallies next year.
George

I have been using the lithium from Randy for over a year now no problems and it starts better.

[aviationfred]

Welcome Dave.  Great story on how you picked up your FJ. The central part of the country is gaining members. 

Fred

[Dan Filetti]

If you change out the battery to one of the lithium ones give us a report !. Been giving some thought to doing the same next time I need a battery. The mighty FJ is a bit on the heavy side and lightening up the battery up on the top side would be a plus.

This past spring, I bought one of them new-fangled lithium batteries for the Gixxer.  I did not buy the charger, although I was tempted, I read that they do not easily lose charge so I figured a 2014 purchase for the charger would be in order.  The bike has started well ever since, even maybe a bit faster spin than it did before with a lead-acid.

I can tell you that they are amazingly light.  I received the box from Randy and really did think the box was empty.  Install was easy, the batter was smaller than the standard battery for the Gixxer, so it came with a myriad of different foam blocks to fill the void.  Other than that, it was a no-brainer in terms of weight reduction.  Cost is another matter, it was probably 2 times the cost of a quality lead-acid battery.  As long as I get at least 2-3 seasons out of it, I'll be pleased.  Although I really hope to get more like 5 or 6, we'll see.

Dan 

[movenon]

I am OK with the cost if it works. I seen a small review on TV and was impressed with the design. The one tested and probably most of them had a control circuit board inside that will prevent the battery from going fully discharged, and if it senses the bike is not running it will auto shut off. In theory you can get off the bike leave the ignition on and go pass out under a tree and the bike will auto shut off before the battery gets below a functional level.
On the the charger I think I would go with one designed for the new LI battery's. Newer technology..

As you know us that live up North appreciate good battery's, cheaper in the long run. At present I have an AGM and is still in good shape but all things being equal it will fail in the next year or two at best. Heck it could be bad by spring.... Nice to see some real world reports. Less weight up high is good........ Including me     POWER to WEIGHT ratio
Geoege

[giantkiller]

You have to watch that you don't let them run dead. Which I did little after I bought it (left parking lights on duh). It isn't nearly as strong as it was before I did that.. But the incident that Randy is talking about was after I messed it up. So it's way better than a regular.

[giantkiller]

My shoraii? Doesn't have that but it's 3 years old

[movenon]

My shoraii? Doesn't have that but it's 3 years old

I found the review I seen on TV..  http://www.starkpower.com/spnews/
George

[fj1289]

I have an early model ballistic 12 cell on the drag bike. Bought in late 2009 or early 2010.  To say its had a rough life would be an understatement. 

It is small enough I have it strapped behind the steering head where the coils are on a stock FJ - and super light.  I've chronically undercharged it, used it to spin a modified high power starter cranking a high compression 1447cc engine in a total loss electrical system, and have since over charged it 3 times.  Still keeps kicking electrical butt.  And it had spent a year with no use.  I think any of those things would have a real chance of killing a "normal" battery.  And an engine like this usually requires a 24 volt starting system to crank reliably.

I am extremely impressed with these new tech batteries and will eventually have one in the streetbike too.