pround new owner 92 fj1200

[motoman44]

Hi all,
So I decided to sell some of my bikes , GW,st1100,xs1100
I was looking to upgrade to a newer bike.

Then I came across the 92 fj1200
27,000 miles.

And that's it.
Bike fired up and runs smooth, clutch reservoir was low so dint ride it.
It needs maintenance but plastic is very nice.

I offered him 1,100 and loaded it up.

So now the fun starts,
To start I will  be looking to upgrade

Exhaust
Windscreen
luggage.

Any help with this would be appreciated.

[movenon]

Welcome motoman  . What part of the country are you in ? Nice bike. I think you got a good deal there. Were to start ? Lots of good information and help here on the forum.  You mentioned about the clutch fluid.  One of the weak points on the FJ is the hyd clutch. The slave down on the motor will leak after a period of time.  You can usually tell by the paint that has dissolved off in the area.  Given enough time it will dissolve to left side of your scoop back where it mounts.  Just something to look at.  Check out the files section and you might take a look at this WEB site http://www.rpmracingca.com/products.asp?cat=39. Randy at RPM is a member here and always willing to help.  The site will give you a clue as to some of the stuff that is available for the FJ.
Ask questions as you go, it is a lot easier and cheaper that way . The knowledge base here is excellent. Some have owned there FJ's since new and they sold the bike worldwide so someone is usually on 24/7  
George

[Tuneforkfreak]

Nice Bike man,You stole that thing. Welcome

[FJmonkey]

Welcome Motoman, now paint your FJ like an ambulance and the set up will be perfect.... Red power rangers leathers are also a must... Sounds like you got a really good deal on your FJ, we can help you keep it running well and help you find your Kookalooo...

[Zwartie]

Nice ride Motoman and what a bargain of a price! Now you've got some dollars left in the budget for "necessary" upgrades. Don't listen to the Monkey man either - I had an '86 ambulance for 11 years which was a great bike and then I upgraded to a '92 and never looked back (OK, maybe a few times...).

You'll get lots of great advice on this site.

Zwartie

[motoman44]

Thanks
Guys
I am  in WA state
Cleaned it up a little
flushed the clutch.
And went for a ride,
Runs nice.
One thing I noticed is a slight flat spot in acceleration.
The prior owner wasn't mechanical at all never noticed.
He purchased it from a guy who picked it up in Arizona, it had aftermarket exhaust and was rejected.

As the story goes he didn't want the aftermarket exhaust as they wanted to charge more with it on so he opted for the stock setup.
But never changed the jets.

Silly to me. Its at the higher rpm, probably upped the mains.
I want to upgrade HP?

I want a set of 4 into 2  aftermarket exhaust, anyone have some suggestions.

[Pat Conlon]

Welcome aboard.

Want a recommendation on a new exhaust system? http://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=RPMHeader

[Burns]

That's a beauty and WHAT A DEAL!

I'm shocked at the prices these things are going for. "Bang for the Buck" Kings they are.

Where in WA are you?  I'm in Lacey (Olympia) and take Route 12 to Spokane whenever I can (my Triumph riding son lives there)- great ride.

Looks like your front end is sitting a tad low. Both of the FJ's I bought had sacked-out front springs and I suspect yours are shot too.  Personally I'd freshen the front-end up before I did anything else.

The ST is a great bike too and I'd like your evaluation of the FJ in comparison.

Happy Trails!

[Pat Conlon]

Both of the FJ's I bought had sacked-out front springs and I suspect yours are shot too. 

Yep, the same on my '92...the oem spring rate at .475kg/mm was weak sauce the day it left the factory.
....and the back shock was not much better...
The '92 non abs is a great platform for mods.

[motoman44]

I noticed that and after riding it I  definitely need to upgrade suspension.
I plan on doing 2 up riding with my girl.

I think I need front springs and rear.

Can anyone recommend a good setup for this.


On another note.

I custom mounted some  cases today!

[motoman44]

I am in auburn,
Just took a trip to kettle falls  my parents live there.
Took 410-12-canyon road- soap lake -Hwy 2- Wilber-28 to kettle falls.
Sweet ride. Did this on GW.

Well the ST is a sweet touring ride handles great. Nice smooth power.
Better protection.

The FJ is more sport.

ST  had 130,000 on it. Ran excellent.
My plan was to buy another with lower miles.
I found one for 3,000 with 27,000 went to look at A TRIUMPH trophy -then FJ- then was going to look at ST1100
But the FJ was in excellent condition and well great price.

I am a little concerned that it wont be comfortable for 2 up. And wont have good protection though.

[Burns]

As you say it is "more sport" and wind protection is well down from more touring oriented mounts.  The aftermarket windscreens don't improve it much either.

I'm fitting a Windjammer to a "parts bike" that I'm making into a full-blown tourer. I'm keeping my other FJ pretty much stock but with beter brakes and suspension.

I was at Soap Lake a couple weeks ago (that camp site sucks BTW) on the day Summer abruptly left WA.  It was windy and cold coming over Stevens Pass and even with good gloves my hands were painfully cold since the "fairing" does not protect them at all.

The bike is extremely stable and it handles side-gusts admirably.  It's a good platform for a tourer.

As to suspension.  You will get an earfull here but my advice is to get fresh fork springs NOW and give the full upgrade some thought once you have a sense of the feel of the bike with its nose where it ought to be.

[Zwartie]

I am a little concerned that it wont be comfortable for 2 up. And wont have good protection though.

I ride 2-up on the '92 FJ with my wife regularly and although maybe not as comfy as an ST, she's good for about a 400 km day of riding. I have a Corbin Gunfighter & Lady seat and a Givi V46 top case with a backrest. She's even been known to nod-off on the back of the bike so it must be fairly comfortable for her. As far as wind protection goes, I have a laminar lip on the windscreen which pushes the air up and makes for cleaner air flow. Check out this link: http://www.laminarlip.com/fj12.php. That's my FJ at the top of the page.

Zwartie

[Tiger]

My '85 is set up with a Corbin Gunfighter & Lady seat, with back rest, Krauser top and side cases, handle bar risers from Randy at RPM, cruise crontrol...and foam grips

My wife and I, (both in our sixties), do a decent amount of two up riding and have toured Cape Breton twice in the past couple of years, (going back next year ). Like Zwartie's wife, my wife 'nod's off' now and again  

The only complaint my wife has, is the need to stop every couple of hours to stretch her legs, as her knees cause her some pain...nothing that a coffee break doesn't cure

The rest of the time I'm running solo with my brother and some of the guys. Last year, four of us toured around The Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, Moon Shiner, etc.

Are there many bikes more capable of giving you sport and or touring like the FJ Not many that will give you that long lasting smile

BTW...nice '92 you have there...enjoy

John.

[aviationfred]

even with good gloves my hands were painfully cold since the "fairing" does not protect them at all.

The 91'-93' fairings are the largest and give the best wind protection. Many members, including myself have installed the RPM handle bar risers. The obvious result is to give a more upright seating position.

On my 89' I have found a positive side effect that puts your hands a bit more out of the air stream. I can wear standard unlined gloves in temps down to the mid 40's.

http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=M%2FC%3AHandleBarRiser

Fred