How many FJs were made?

[Troyskie]

G'day all, I was wondering if anyone knows how many FJs were built by Yamaha? My '84 1100 is number 687 (i.e. 50K000687). I've searched the forum, and general web search, checked with the local dealer and rang Yamaha (Australia) with (obviously) no success, not even a ball park. Given mine is an 1100, I'm particularly interested in these as they only made them from 83-85 (I believe). The oldest number I've found was, I think, 148, from this forum. Cheers, Troy.

[Urban_Legend]

G'day all, I was wondering if anyone knows how many FJs were built by Yamaha? My '84 1100 is number 687 (i.e. 50K000687). I've searched the forum, and general web search, checked with the local dealer and rang Yamaha (Australia) with (obviously) no success, not even a ball park. Given mine is an 1100, I'm particularly interested in these as they only made them from 83-85 (I believe). The oldest number I've found was, I think, 148, from this forum. Cheers, Troy.

Hey Troy

Our bikes are close relations. mine is 50K000691

Mark

[TexasDave]

My 84 is number 50K002266 mfg 4/84. Probably close to the end of this production run before they started the 85's. What is the lowest 85 number here?  Dave

[Pat Conlon]

Mine is #303...

The production numbering started at #101
Legend has it that the first 50 FJ's were factory blueprinted production racers, the second 50 were part of the world wide promotion fleet.

[Harvy]

Mine is #303...

The production numbering started at #101
Legend has it that the first 50 FJ's were factory blueprinted production racers, the second 50 were part of the world wide promotion fleet.

This is a little yarn from Tony (TeeCee)who had one of those first 50.......

Thought i'd share my "Kookaloo" moment from long ago.......................



7.30am Sunday........Here it is, finally. The corner I had been searching for all morning appeared out of the distance, among the gum trees on the other side of the looming, dilapidated timber bridge. I was hard on the brakes now, trying to wash off the extra 100 klicks I was carrying before I had to negotiate the loose rickety timbers of the old bridge.

My bike had been on song all morning and was responding brilliantly to my carb overhaul. She started life as an '84 FJ1100 and was by now repainted in a gorgeous metallic red and white. My weight pitched forward as I grabbed the front brake lever with even more pressure, forcing the four spots to work hard and I found myself caressing the bars to correct a little shimmy. The rear tyre danced and bounced all over the old country road as it was almost weightless under the brutal deceleration.

Kicking the gear lever back to second I lined up a long weaving plank on the bridge and opened the taps on the heavy throttle. Four butterfly valves snapped open in four carburettors and fed a bucket load of fuel and air to a very healthy motor. The big FJ violently wrenched me forward in a relentless, overwhelming surge of raw unadulterated power as the tacho needle ripped around the dial way past the stock 9500 rpm redline to bury its nose in 11,000 rpm territory. My teeth clenched, my body tense, I am revelling in the sheer intoxicating power and trying to hold her in a straight line as the rear tyre claws for traction all the way from 40 to 100 kmh.

The bridge is gone in an instant and I ram home third gear. Again the rear end snakes around under wheelspin but it is easier to control this time as my road speed is sufficiently high to offer a modicum of stability in a straight line. My chest is right over the tank now and I'm hunched low, waiting .....................

A mere two seconds pass and with the tacho needle buried in the red again I lock home fourth at 160 and peel off into the fast sweeping right hander that is sign posted at 100. I become gentle with the throttle now, rolling it to wide open in a controlled movement as my right boot grinds the tar in a graceful dance. Heeled right over I hold a perfect line through the long corner and the front end gets really light as I stand her back up under full power at 190.

Directly in front of me is my goal. A four kilometre long, slightly undulating country straight with a pretty mountain backdrop. I had spent the last few months waiting for this moment.

The bike feels good .............. Check.
No other vehicles ................. Check.
No obstructions on the road ..... Check.

The big FJ is screaming under me as I wring every last hundred revolutions out of her in fourth and lay almost prone across the tank. A trickle of sweat rolls down my spine under the leathers even though I don't feel hot.

Fifth rams home at 235. things really start to get a little weird now. Tunnel vision creeps in and the edges of the road cease to exist. I can't blink. I dare not risk a look at the instruments as I will cover too much ground when I take my eyes off the road. With my heart in my mouth I look anyway...........255.

An eternity passes and I chew up another 1000 meters before I risk another glance ........... 265 and the speedo needle is rapidly approaching its end.

The wind noise is deafening. It assaults my ears like demented demons screaming in pain right next to me. It is so loud in fact that it is drowning out the big 1100 mill that is wailing away right under me at 10,000+ rpm.

Time has meaning now. I can see the end of the straight around 2000 meters away coming at me fast. Every muscle, every fibre of my body a piece of hardened steel, I wait................
the vibration is amazing now and has reached a level that makes focusing quite difficult.

1500 meters.

All the hair on the back of my neck are standing up.

1000 meters.

Foolishly I glance at the instruments and it takes an eternity to focus on the dials. The speedo needle is past 270 and the tacho reads off at just over 11,000 rpm.

400 meters ....... OH FUCK.

Instantly I button off the throttle and I am pitched forward into the big mushy pillow of air.

300 meters.

Hard on the brakes now, so hard in fact that I dare not squeeze any harder.

200 meters.
Fuck, I'm not going to stop in time. I sit bolt upright at 200 and not protected by the tiny FJ fairing I turn into a human parachute with such violence that it almost tears my hands from the bars.

100 meters.

Down to 170 kmh now and still hard on the brakes. This is going to be close, the tight left-hander is only posted at 80.

20 meters.

The rear end is chattering like a maniac and wandering around like a drunk as I desperately wash off speed. My wrists have a horrible ache. 140 kmh.
I tip her in from way out wide and sweep right down as far I as dare to lean the big girl over. The tyres are on the limit now. I pass the apex and feed in some throttle in third to keep her steady on the way out.

MADE IT !

Pull over.
Light cigarette.................................then another.
It's 20 minutes until I stop shaking.


"Kookaloo" will do that to you !


TeeCee (Memories from 2005)

P.S. - who remembers these:



Still trying to find where that bike has got to....... last I heard it was in Lismore.

[The General]

Shit Harvy....now I`m shaken...might even have a cigarette meself! (thanks Teecee) 

[Bryce]

Mine is #303...

The production numbering started at #101
Legend has it that the first 50 FJ's were factory blueprinted production racers, the second 50 were part of the world wide promotion fleet.

Sure hope the legends are true...FJ #171 here...anyone know if the J at the start means anything?

http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/Bryce747/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150220_222035671_zps8vevcnrm.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[Firehawk068]

Harvy, that is some excellent reading right there..........Awesome stuff!
I need a bourbon after that. 

[Troyskie]

Holy hecking bat shite Harvy! I'm on my second beer just re reading.

[Troyskie]

Mine is #303...

The production numbering started at #101
Legend has it that the first 50 FJ's were factory blueprinted production racers, the second 50 were part of the world wide promotion fleet.

Sure hope the legends are true...FJ #171 here...anyone know if the J at the start means anything?

http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/Bryce747/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150220_222035671_zps8vevcnrm.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

My Guess (really in the dark here) is that if yours is a 'J' from '83, and mine is a 'K' from 84, i'd say they are following the alphabet. Are there any 'L's from 85? I've had a look on the 'FJ registry' and from '85 onwards the serials change to more like a standard VIN.

[Troyskie]

G'day all, I was wondering if anyone knows how many FJs were built by Yamaha? My '84 1100 is number 687 (i.e. 50K000687). I've searched the forum, and general web search, checked with the local dealer and rang Yamaha (Australia) with (obviously) no success, not even a ball park. Given mine is an 1100, I'm particularly interested in these as they only made them from 83-85 (I believe). The oldest number I've found was, I think, 148, from this forum. Cheers, Troy.

Hey Troy

Our bikes are close relations. mine is 50K000691

Mark

Strewth mate, they must have been on the same part of the production line, same boat to Aussie, & possibly have had a shared history till first owners. My one lived in QLD most of its' life until the PO picked it up as a 'project' bike after the 2nd owner's son highsided. As far as I can tell there have been three owners, original, then parked up in '93, then 2nd owner (2002) used it for a bit under a year before the smash, and parked up since I picked it up a few weeks ago. A lot of this is pure conjecture and PO's tales, but valves etc. seem to indicate the 64K it has are original, so this one has been sleeping for most of its life (and growing gunge on some important working parts!!!). Troy

[Troyskie]

Just left a message for Yamaha Oz to call back, fingers crossed I'll get an answer......

[Troyskie]

WOW, just had a rapid reply from Duilio (not sure I got the name right) at Yamaha. Said he had no idea, and the Oz connection only has records back to 86 & only relates to Oz sales not global. He asked me to send an email to the 'customer service' address, which I've done & he said he'd forward on to Japan. He has tried this before with no reply (perhaps Head Office is not interested in 30 y.o. products, which I kind of understand). Perhaps as a group we can contact our respective Yamaha motor country reps and ask them to forward the question to Japan, including the 'legend has it part' with the first 50, second 50, make numbers etc? I checked the location map and unfortunately we have no members in Japan, so it seems like local assistance is out. Troy

[andyoutandabout]

Hey, I kinda got all interested in this origins themed thread. I found a vin number decoder that gave all sorts to info on what the letters and numbers mean. The most relevant to this thread I suppose is the factory code A designation, that's indicates that my ( and probably all Fjs ) was made in the original yam HQ in Iwata. If you look at the Yamaha global website there's a proper factory postal address as well as pictures of the board of directors. However, there's no e-mail address to be seen in the "contact us" section.
Alas here the trail of this evenings research goes cold. I'm ysure that some enteyrprising Fjer can push the right web search button and hey presto, we'll be hooked in to the direct line.
If not there's always the letter option, but without a name on the front I guess it would be too easy to lose in the corporate system that is now Yamaha.
Andy

[Troyskie]

Nice one Andy, I'll try a few different search engines to see if anything shows up.
If anyone wants to take up the torch I've copied the body of the email I sent to the Oz Yamaha rep.

'To whom it may concern,

As an Australian member of the FJOwners.com forum I am requesting information as to the number of Yamaha FJ1100 and FJ1200 motorcycles produced.

As a group we strongly support not only our FJ series Yamaha products but also the new machines available currently (such as the XJR1300, FJR1300, and many more).

It would be greatly appreciated if we could determine the total numbers of these old FJ series machines, and if possible make/year numbers, and the country delivered to. A simple total would also suffice.

The majority of members of this owners group is in the United States, but with many other countries represented, such as Australia, UK, France & even Russia.

As mentioned, we do strongly support the Yamaha brand, and many of us have done so for over 30 years.

I await your reply.

Kind Regards'

As I mentioned earlier, even the local rep thought it was a long shot, so if anyone outside Oz wants to try it might work. BTW the email address I was asked to send to was cr@yamaha-motor.com.au perhaps the different countries use a similar format.