Hi from Wales, UK

[Ponty]

Hi folks, I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm an exile Highlander living in South Wales, UK. I own a FJ1200 3CV I've had for a year or so - I don't cover many miles but there's nice roads round here for when I do. I'm a bit over 60 and have been fixing and riding bikes since 1970 on and off. I've owned - I've just added them up - about 20 bikes over the years, all Japanese apart from a BSA Bantam I found on a dump and an Armstrong I bought and sold in boxes. I tend to say I used to have classic bikes, now I just have old ones. Currently I've got the FJ and a recently-acquired and rebuilt YB100, both 1989, so I've got the biggest and about the smallest Yamaha for that era! I like the FJ - it's quite light and manouverable compared with the last behemoth I owned which was a Kawasaki GPZ1000 RX - frighteningly fast and so heavy and awkward that when it fell over in the barn once I had to use a block and tackle to pick it up again. The FJ is in good condition for its 65,000 miles and this winter I'm just checking through everything - thanks for the advice on forks etc and I daresay I'll be looking for some more soon. Best bike I've ever owned? Probably the Honda CB175 I had in 1978 to 1980 - had a lot of fun on it. Cheers, And.

[Mark Olson]

Welcome to the group 

The 89 is a great year FJ and with 65k miles it is still in great shape.

1st step is loose the old rubber brake lines and go with braided steel .

Among the rest of the check-over maint be sure to regrease the swing arm brgs and the steering head brgs. The weather takes its toll on these parts.

[movenon]

Welcome to the group. With all the bikes you have owned you will be right at home here. I am partial to the 89 as I own a 1990. Like a lot of us, I have owned different of bikes over the years but find the FJ the best "all around bike" that I have owned. Hope you will find her the same. When you get a chance check out the files section and the gallery has lots of pictures. 67 here so don't let that slow you down . 
George

[charleygofast]

Welcome Ponty! Yes I agree with George the FJ is a great all around ( road bike ) its become my favorite. They can be a handfull if you do drop em though  trust me on that one!                                                                                                                                                                       Cheers!    Charley.

[wildfire]

Hi Ponty and welcome to the forum. There are great fellas on here that are only too willing to offer help and  advice. You will enjoy it

Tom

[FJmonkey]

Welcome Ponty, the FJ is easy to work on and a pleasure to ride when you can...

[Ponty]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm working my way through it slowly. It's been well looked after - including having braided lines fitted so there's no major issues. i've just been through all the back end including fitting a new hagan shock and greasing up everything - all been done quite recently I think though the dog bones bolts were a bit loose which made the back end a bit twitchy. Steering head next, then the caliphers. The only other thing I've done is new points in the fuel pump, change the screen for a standard one, and fit mirrors off I think a CBR and a bar end mirror. Why do all eighties bikes have such crap mirrors, or is it I'm just so fat I can't see round myself?

[scotiafj]

  I'm from Ayr Scotland..

[Flying Scotsman]

 :good2:Welcome.............

[Ponty]

never been to Ayr but I used to know a lassie from Troon. If everyone was all like her the world would be a better place...

[Ponty]

About mirrors - I've discovered the ones I'd replaced the originals with were off a VFR. They fitted ok with a bit of filing to bring the fixing holes a little closer together. However they stuck up in the air a bit, like asses ears. So I bent them in a vice down to level... Recently I was ruminating about them and thought ' if I bend them a bit more, they'll give an even better view behind'. So of course I broke the stem of one of them. I wasn't that happy with them anyway so searching the forum suggested I try Honda CBR 250/1000 mirrors instead. However CBR mirrors have 40mm c/c fixings, whereas the 3CV needs around 50mm - I think it's actually about 48mm c/cs. I bought a pair anyway - £25 from Ebay for pattern ones - and dug out some billet aluminium from behind the workbench to make spacer/adapters - essentially bolt the mirror to the spacer then the spacer to the bike. However I've discovered the CBR mirrors bolt nicely to the old VFR mirror bases that fix to the bike - I keyed the bases and sprayed them matt black and it all looks quite neat and gives a great view behind. I'll road test them when the weather is more clement!

[FJmonkey]

Many here that have used the CBR mirrors took the CBR bases off and used the FJ bases. The important part is, you found a good solution and shared it with the group. Thanks.