Snow madness

[wildfire]

Ok so I walk by my FJ in my garage every day now and cant wait until the snow and ice  is gone and I can ride again. I spend some time most days on the internet just reading about the FJ.

So I read in a couple of places that it was once supposed to be the fastest production bike on the market when it was introduced. I am curious if that is fact.

When i was growing up and the FJ was around for a while but  I always heard of the speed and acceleration of the Suzuki GSX R but not so much the  Fj.

Opinions and experience anyone?

[aviationfred]

So I read in a couple of places that it was once supposed to be the fastest production bike on the market when it was introduced. I am curious if that is fact.


Opinions and experience anyone?

Right on the cover.......http://www.ebay.com/itm/CYCLE-GUIDE-Magazine-June-1984-FJ1100-CR500R-YZ490-vs-CR500R-Vintage-Motocross-/261728326116?pt=Magazines&hash=item3cf03951e4


This is a photo of me way back in 1988......



Fred

[TexasDave]

According to more than one of the bike mags in 1984 the FJ was king of the drag strip that year but lacked 1 or 2 mph behind the Kawasaki on top speed. With the arrival of Yamaha's VMax the next year its reign was over.  Dave

[wildfire]

So I read in a couple of places that it was once supposed to be the fastest production bike on the market when it was introduced. I am curious if that is fact.


Opinions and experience anyone?

Right on the cover.......http://www.ebay.com/itm/CYCLE-GUIDE-Magazine-June-1984-FJ1100-CR500R-YZ490-vs-CR500R-Vintage-Motocross-/261728326116?pt=Magazines&hash=item3cf03951e4


This is a photo of me way back in 1988......



Fred

Fred, I bet that jacket and  those jeans from 88 still fit you just like mine do not..I mean just like mine do.

[airheadPete]

way back in 1988......



What is that? The prototype PowerRanger®?

[FJmonkey]

What is that? The prototype PowerRanger®?

Clearly an early version and under (Jeans?) geared Power Ranger...

[Pat Conlon]

Very cool picture Fred....Question: Did you get paid for all those stickers on your bike?

[aviationfred]

Very cool picture Fred....Question: Did you get paid for all those stickers on your bike?

I was 20 years old and thought it would look good, like the GP bikes  . 

The one on the fender had to be there. Military base sticker. 

Fred

[jscgdunn]

Hi Fred,
I expect there is good story on the fate of the 1100...do tell.


Jeff

[novaraptor]

I keep in mind that comparing 3 similar bikes (or anything else) is much like comparing similar pixel resolution. Most people will never see the difference or feel the difference, but there is always the consumer who has to have the one that has the highest specs listed.. I had a friend who was totally obsessed over how many bars he had on his cell phone, vs how many everyone around him had. Funny at times, irritating at others.. And of course, ride tests are performed on stock machines. Throw enough money at it, and you can make a rock fly. Ask a jet jockey..

[magge52]

How I survived a really long winter, date stamp on the file is April 2001. We got 3 feet of the stuff over the last week, perfect for skiers and such but not for me...  

[aviationfred]

Hi Fred,
I expect there is good story on the fate of the 1100...do tell.


Jeff

The story is a very sad story . The year was 1990, Memorial Day weekend. I was riding with a group of friends in FJmonkey's back yard. Angeles Crest Highway. In a curve, I hit a patch of sand. Not much of a patch, but enough to have me over correct, brake too much and stand the bike up. Ended up off the pavement and in the gravel, when the front wheel found it's way into a hole. End results were, front wheel broken in 3 places, forks bent and twisted, with one fork leg nearly touching the head pipes. The rest was minor cosmetic and engine case damage. The exhaust was mangled.

By today's standards, the FJ could have easily been resurrected. Internet, eBay, Bike Forums, etc.etc.. Back then, the only source of spare major bike components was the wrecker yards. Even those were still expensive. The FJ ended up at one of the wrecker yards in Orange County.

I was also broken in a few places. Spent 3 weeks in the Hospital and 2 years total recovery.

Fred

[jscgdunn]

Sounds like a bad one......I am sure all of us can remember times when, between the ages of 15 and 25, we did things that only that only Divine Providence allows us to recount.

Thanks for the tale,

Jeff

[gumby302ho]

Ok so I walk by my FJ in my garage every day now and cant wait until the snow and ice  is gone and I can ride again. I spend some time most days on the internet just reading about the FJ.

So I read in a couple of places that it was once supposed to be the fastest production bike on the market when it was introduced. I am curious if that is fact.

When i was growing up and the FJ was around for a while but  I always heard of the speed and acceleration of the Suzuki GSX R but not so much the  Fj.

Opinions and experience anyone?
1984 Ninja ZX900 was the fastest production class machine of that year, it placed 1st&2nd in the Isle of Man production TT and the FJ was 4th I believe, fast being top speed, the FJ was a faster bike with all its low speed torque and would clean up on the 1/4 mile. When I was growing up in my area the FJ was known as a drag bike, out of the hole lets rock & roll. I love my FJ but my other woman and garage queen is an 84 ZX900, and she is a looker, no pervs allowed!!

[PaulG]

Ok so I walk by my FJ in my garage every day now and cant wait until the snow and ice  is gone and I can ride again.....

Funny, just last week I actually had a dream I was riding mine.  Don't know where or why, but somehow it ended up that I was in a cave trying to start a giant Tesla coil to vapourize some marauding horde of thousands outside.  Hope I was succesful 'cuz I don't remember anything after that.

And theres two months still to go before it's initial start-up.  Probably a subconcious reaction to my insurance renewal.