1986 wheel modification

[sandspider]

Hi All
I have been searching thru all the info on the wheel mod for the blue dot ,fork lower replacement ( 4 or 5 hrs Whew)
I have a question and may have missed it (can't see the forest for the trees)

After you do the 89 fork lower the 87/88 FZR1000 wheel , 88-90 rotor , the blue dot caliper and master cyl  if that's all correct !
Can you still ride with the 16 " rear wheel for awhile , before you do the 17 " rear upgrade ?   Have to save up ,have 2 other bikes I'm working on but the 86 FJ is my main ride

Thanks in advance!!

Bill Egan
86 FJ
73 TX750
80 CB 650

[aviationfred]

Yes you can install the 89' forks and use the blue dot calipers with the 16" 86' wheel. You will need to use the 86' rotors while the 16" wheel is installed.

Here is a photo of my 89' that came with a 16" wheel when I purchased it. I installed the blue dots and they worked fine until I found a FZR wheel.




Fred

[rktmanfj]

Yup, that's what the later models had OEM.   

[sandspider]

Hi
That might work out better I already have the blue dots an M/C . I can get the fork lowers  and do the rest a little later  I just bought a new tire for the 16" front .

Everything line up good on the rotors with this setup ?
Bill

[sandspider]

 Hi
Not a Lib
Just to be clear the later FJ 90 and up had a  17 " front wheel and 16 " rear wheel  ?

Thanks
Bill

[rktmanfj]

Hi
Not a Lib
Just to be clear the later FJ 90 and up had a  17 " front wheel and 16 " rear wheel  ?

Thanks
Bill

Different spoke pattern, but yeah, same size r/w as the early ones.

'88 & '89 3CV and newer.

[sandspider]

I think the light bulb just came on !!!!!!!!!

   I looked up the spec's and see the later bikes had 150/80-V16  rear across the board but also the 17 " front wheel  I never noticed that in the 8 years I have been lurking around .

  I just figured nobody wanted 16 " tires all round. Now I see they have a lot of rear tires in 16" but not to much for front tires in 16 " live and learn the - 21 degree C  weather outside has frozen my brain . 
I did read somewhere that race bikes went back to 16 " tires from 17 "



Bill

[rktmanfj]

Lots better tire selection on the 17" rack if you do any sporty riding at all.

Swapping out the rear wheel also unloads a lot of unsprung weight too.

[Pat Conlon]

I did read somewhere that race bikes went back to 16 " tires from 17 "

I don't think so Bill.
Going by memory, I recall Ducati experimenting with a 16.5" front tire for awhile, but *I think* everyone else used the 17".
The narrow oem 16" rims and double vented rotors are heavy...very heavy.
You will save a significant amount of unsprung weight when the time comes that you upgrade to the 17" '87/88 FZR rim and single face rotors. Even if you can't find the 3.5" wide FZR rim and have to use the 3.0"wide '89+ FJ 17" rim, the advantages are real, and you will notice it.
The wide selection of modern 17" tires alone would be worth the cost of admission.  Cheers

[Alf]

I agree with Pat: the wide selection of modern tyres alone worth the cost of the conversion

But I ride habitually side by side an 86 16" front FJ and the handling is fantastic in tight roads. And with no adverse effects in very fast roads too. In fact to get the same geometry and flickability, my 89 fit 170/60/17 tyre and shorter dogbones. If there would be ConticlassicAttck radials to choice i.e., I would prefer the 16" rim

And if you use the 3" rim, use the correct 110/80/17 tyre size. The 120s are designed for a 3,5" rim size

[Bones]

After discussing the benefits of a 3.5 inch rim over a 3 inch in a previous post, and understanding the theories about less tyre pinch, more tread on the road etc.... with a 120/70/17 on a 3.5 than a 3 inch rim.... why then would Yamaha recommend a tyre size of 120/17 in their specs for the FJ.

You'd think that if they thought it necessary to fit a 3.5 inch rim for the 120 tyre they would have, after all the wider rims were available as fitted to other bikes in the yamaha range.

Or was it a case of sport bike gets the 3.5 inch rim because of better handling whereas touring bike gets the 3 inch rim because they tour, they don't need to handle as good.

                                                                     Tony.

[Alf]

The OE 120 front tyres were special made for the 3´rim. Only changing the front rim the difference is awesome in a std FJ

And for me its the same if you tour, ride like a tortoise or race your bike in closed tracks: better handling always mean safer riding. When you have to hard brake because that car have not seen you, you need the best

[Bones]

Thanks Alf, I didn't know they made a special 120 tyre to suit the 3inch rim. That's the thing with these forums, your learning things all the time.

                                     
                                               

[sandspider]

Hi guys

Thanks for the information and help !!!
 
I am on my way to the front end swap  . Inventory so far (1) -  blue dot calipers and master cyl  ( 2 )- 87 fzr1000 3.5 " front wheel ,( 3 )- 89 fj 1200 discs ( also have the fzr discs )  just looking now for a 1989 - and  up front fork set .

What will I do for the back wheel to match the  new front wheel ?  or just keep the 86 rim . I think I can get the fzr rear wheel . will that fit or to wide

Thanks again for all your help
Bill

[Pat Conlon]

Good for you Bill, sounds like you have the front end worked out.

The 3 spoke rim design, like the FZR rim you have, is a very common design used on many motorcycles.
Again, as pointed out, the goal is to get a 17" rim so you can use modern rubber.
For our use, 17" back rims come in 2 widths, a 5" wide and 5.5" wide rim, either will work on the FJ.

Check out the Suspension Files section where these conversions are detailed.
Most popular seem to be the GSXR rim and the YZF600 rim....both of which match the FZR 3 spoke design.

Hope this helps. Pat