At what point does one jump ship?

[Easterntide]

I just got a 91 fj1200 a couple of months ago. Was loved but not really well cared for and not modernized.
Purchased for 2250 $ cdn. Spent 200 for an internal tank coating/another 600ish so far from RPM (fork springs/emulators/spin on/etc), have 150 into a GL1800 shock that is enroute.
Likely a full repaint over the dark season.

Here's my q?
At what point does one say ... Oh hell I should just sell it and get a _______ and not have to keep updating it? Or does that happen?
What is a competitor to it now and why are you still riding an old bike when a newer now will be as good or better?

Its a super community on here, tons of help and sincere replies...is that a factor?

Cheers.
Don

[FJmonkey]

I have ridden a few other bikes in my past. But since the FJ, I know will keep and ride it as long as I can. I may get another bike, but the FJ is a keeper. So I don't have any issues putting money in to her that I would never recover if sold. I am doing it to make me happy every time ride.... Not everyone will feel the same way, but it is how I feel..

[Mark Olson]

never give up , never surrender .

[Capn Ron]

Here's my q?
At what point does one say ... Oh hell I should just sell it and get a _______ and not have to keep updating it? Or does that happen?
What is a competitor to it now and why are you still riding an old bike when a newer now will be as good or better?

Its a super community on here, tons of help and sincere replies...is that a factor?

Cheers.
Don

There aren't many bikes out there that match the FJ.  Contrary to popular moditus wisdom, you can actually find a stopping point with the upgrades.  I'm on a '92 ABS and did a few of the common mods (front and rear suspension, relays, oil cooler, SS brake lines).  At the risk of getting tarred and feathered, I'm still running the factory oil filter setup...factory airbox......stock seat...and stock wheel/tire combo!  I'm quite happy with them all.  Short of the few obvious things, I think Yamaha got it quite right with this bike.  It'd sure be difficult to find something as simple, durable and comfortable with this much torque and that perfect balance between "sport" and "touring."

About the only other bike I've considered is the new FJR1300.  During my rebuild, there were more than a few nights in the garage where I thought it would be just easier to write a check and forget all those Ziplock bags full of parts.  I pushed on with a deadline of getting ready for a cross-country trip.  Rebuilding the FJ was a lot of work, but I now know every nut, bolt, bearing, seal and wire on this well thought out, but simple bike.  I managed to finish it all in time and left on the trip.  There were times on long haul days in the southwest where I would have liked a proper cruise control the FJR has.  Having to adjust the (cheap) chain every two days had me wishing for shaft drive.  Going up over 10,000 feet in Wyoming made me wish for fuel injection.  Riding 22 days across Canada had me wanting for heated grips.  Those were all things I *didn't* have on my FJ.  The things I *did* have:  dead-simple to troubleshoot and work on, a bike that handles like the best of the sport-touring crowd, a motorcycle that would almost always start a conversation at a fuel stop, a bike that I wanted to get on every morning and put in another 500 miles and most of all, a bike that always put a giant smile on my face every time I twisted the throttle!!  Even with my heated-grip-envy, by the end of the trip, I had the right bike...made the right choice...and became even more fond of this classic.

[FJmonkey]

The humble bastard forgot to add a link to his epic trip. http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=10252.msg98799#msg98799

You are welcome, see you in a few days for another good FJ ride to the FJ Rally.

[roverfj1200]

I would say when you stop loving the FJ it is time to pass it on to someone who will.

It's not about money, time or anything like that. I ride a pretty stock bike and have clocked up some big miles and just love riding it. If you loose the passion then it's time to sell.


Cheers

[fj johnnie]

  First of all welcome. What an interesting question. I currently have five bikes. 1985 FZ 750, 1991 FZR 1000, 84 FJ1100, ( I started a thread 84 restomodification on it ) 86 FJ 1200 and a 1990 FJ1200.
The only bike I am currently riding is the 90 FJ 1200. It has an 02 FZ1 swing arm, wheel, brakes etc. Penske shock, 3.5 inch FZR front wheel, blue dot calipers, race tech gold emulators , corbin lady and gunfighter seats. I am so happy with the suspension, brakes, power, comfort that all the other bikes never get ridden so I took them off the road. ( They aren't for sale though)
Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to test ride a 2014 FJR 1300. The one with the fancy electronically adjustable suspension. I was impressed with the smooth ride, power, comfort etc. The bike really is awesome. A few people laughed at me and said after the ride I would buy one. When leaving the dealership I went for a nice ride on my FJ. I can tell you that my opinion is that the FJR is not better by 14,000 dollars. I enjoy sport riding in comfort, sometimes riding 900 plus kilometers in a day. The FJ never leaves me wanting.
The other point is, does it really have to make sense? Do you really like the bike?  Most of us have always liked FJ's. I bought my first one at age 22.  So there is a nostalgia/ love affair that also comes into play. From  a purely financial stand point it makes no sense to spend money on these bikes. They are almost worthless. The idea for me is that I am having a blast. I don't care if someone else thinks I am a stupid dork. I ride an FJ because it makes me smile.
If you don't think it's worth spending time or money on then you are doing it for the wrong reason. Hobbies are expensive and  fun.

[novaraptor]

When do you jump ship? When it stops being fun. jmho

[Country Joe]

I second fj johnnie's take on the discussion. I ride a FJ because it makes me grin. Will it run with a ZX 14R? No. Is it as comfortable as a Goldwing? Not really. But it will do just about anything that you ask of it in a very competent manner. But, honestly, there are a lot of great motorcycles available today. If a FJ doesn't push your buttons, its time to start test riding bikes that have caught your eye.
Joe

[Burns]

IMHO there is nothing that can touch the FJs' "bang for the buck"  For 5 grand or less (with upgrades) you are a cunt-hair away in real-world performance from stuff in the neighborhood 15K, and you are riding an acknowledged classic.

[motogp52]

Doing my own maintenance and repairs and riding my FJ's is really a fun passion and hobby for me.  I have owned six of them to date and still currently have three. If having an up to date bike is your thing then I would move on to something else.  I know on this website modifications is a popular thing, however, I personally think the FJ is a great bike stock just the way it came from the factory and I appreciate it for what it is. - Barry

[Vsekvsek]

 I rode my friends 2009 concours 1400 fully expecting to be awed. Honestly, I couldn't wait to get back on my fj. its hard to explain. the fj is just sweet spot times 10. The motor is amazing. Plus you get tons of people coming up to you in utter respect looking at the fj. I can totally afford a new bike but refrain, not %100 sure why. Just love that simple old school tech

[aviationfred]

From  a purely financial stand point it makes no sense to spend money on these bikes. They are almost worthless. The idea for me is that I am having a blast. I don't care if someone else thinks I am a stupid dork. I ride an FJ because it makes me smile.
If you don't think it's worth spending time or money on then you are doing it for the wrong reason. Hobbies are expensive and  fun.

I agree with the above statement. I got my first FJ at the age of 21. I rode it for 2 years and had a serious accident on it. Later I got a 84' Interceptor 1000 and rode it for 7 years. After my accident, I was still young and was happy just to be riding again. I took a 15 year hiatus from riding and found my current FJ by accident. During the test ride I instantly remembered why I loved my 1st FJ so much. I have caught the moditus disease in a bad way. I won't list all the mods, a few are, Oil filter adaptor, FZR front wheel, GSXR rear wheel, RPM fork valves, BMW K1200RS rear shock, VFR800 Master cylinders.

There are some great quotes I can use from earlier posts,
I may get another bike, but the FJ is a keeper
dead-simple to troubleshoot and work on
a bike that handles like the best of the sport-touring crowd,
a motorcycle that would almost always start a conversation at a fuel stop
a bike that always put a giant smile on my face every time I twisted the throttle!!
I ride a FJ because it makes me grin
it will do just about anything that you ask of it in a very competent manner.
Doing my own maintenance and repairs and riding my FJ is really a fun passion and hobby for me

IMO, I think the FJ is one of the best motorcycles ever designed. Mine was a turd when I purchased it. Thanks to this forum and the many great members, I now have a bike that that gets noticed and for many who have no idea what it is, they are often amazed when I tell them that they are looking at a 25 year old motorcycle. Moditus is not required, Like Capn Ron and roverfj1200 mention, they have pretty close to stock FJ's and are happy with them. Many of us are not original owners and our FJ's may have changed hands many times before we find them. There are all levels of neglect that we find after we purchase our FJ's. Through this forum every glitch, snag, hiccup and problem has been encountered. If a person has enough patience and commitment, they can have a extremely reliable 20+ year old classic. Stick with the direction you are going and you will have a great riding FJ.

Fred

[Flynt]

why are you still riding an old bike when a newer now will be as good or better?

Admittedly I am in the deep end of the mod pool, but my bike is as capable as the K1300S BMW I had at the time I built it...  Wizard is more capable for me actually since it is built to my spec... and the k13s a benchmark bike in the super sport touring category.  What you will love about an FJ is how you can make it yours...  mod to taste, ride it like you stole it, and it will keep coming back for more.

Frank

[Capn Ron]

The humble bastard forgot to add a link to his epic trip. http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=10252.msg98799#msg98799

Hey...wait just a darned minute...  I am NOT humble!