Aussie 1100's new life

[Troyskie]

Right, once home I'll camp-up & get on it...thanks Monkey.

[X-Ray]

Ahhhh, love the progress photos, looks great! Reminds me to chase up the whereabouts of the carby kits I ordered!

[Flynt]

Righto, lets put the forks back on...

They work like screen doors on submarines....  

That's my queue...

OK, so I just bought my first set of AD units (on the '84) and they actually work IMHO.  I brake pretty aggressively and the stock '84 does have the feature of keeping the geometry nice heading into a corner under hard braking.  I've only put a few hundred miles on an AD bike, so I'm not an expert by any means.  I have given the whole bike the benefit of the doubt.  Let me explain...

In "84 the FJ was Yamaha's race bike of the street.  Eventually that became the FZR (or YZF), but the FJ was "the shit" of the day.  AD was on contemporary race bikes and did help loft Yamaha onto the podium.  The technology is simple and the purpose clear, keep steering geometry closer to design while keeping the compliance and resulting traction optimized off braking.  This problem has been solved more cheaply (and better no doubt) by more cleaver designs, but the AD solution worked and was race proven, so it went into the FJ.  

Now to my new bike.  The system appears to work as advertised and I can stop the bike nicely with 1 finger.  my conclusion is this...  the AD system and brakes overall worked pretty good from the factory.  The AD especially is prone to degradation from neglect and the brakes suffered from shitty pads and rubber lines.  My bike has 3 mods...  EBC HH pads, SS brake lines, and stiffer front springs.  These combined with great maintenance (fully GYSM compliant+) has delivered a bike that performs as originally advertised by Yamaha...  "Complete except for the number plate".  I'm astonished actually....

Wiz is all about how much you can get out of an FJ, but the original '84 design was nearly spot on.  Whenever race technology makes it to a street bike, the maintenance and attention required to keep it working is usually the reason it fails.  I now believe the AD units would be appreciated much more if they got routine maintenance and were working in accordance with their design intent.  

Just my newly informed opinion...

Frank

[Troyskie]

Righteo then, looks like I'll have some fun trying some 'with' and 'without' tests. Good point on the maintenance side Flynt, they were a mess when we pulled them apart, and I do wonder how well they worked, or worked at all, with the amount of gunge in system. It looked like it had never, ever, been pulled apart or cleaned up. But, from my early days on FJ's when they were new I was not a fan of the AD. I preferred to shim-up the forks, and/or change over to progressive springs, (this was actually my brothers work so can't take credit for that). However, and I mean a big...HOWEVER, the bike has always had more performance than I've had ability, with or without the AD.
So Monkey & Flynt, as I mention above, I'll do the test, AD on AD off, I'll attempt this on the same day, same road, same bike, same rider, same fluid bla bla. That will be another post once I've got the bike on the road. I'm still waiting on those mufflers from F1 

[Flynt]

I spent a couple hours dicking around with the suspension and AD adjustments on Boulder Creek Rd and Hwy 9 today.  Found a decent setup that works well with no bad behavior...  3/3 (preload/dampening) on front, 4.5/4.5 on rear, and 2 turns out on AD.  The AD keeps the bike noticeably more neutral under braking as you crank it up, but it does eventually prove too stiff on bumpy corner entries if you get past 3 turns out and brake hard through turn-in.  Never scary, but at the edge of where I like to ride.  The suspension feels much better than it did Saturday when I was riding with some of the fast boys from NoCal...  but it is no Wizard.  

Anyway, do try with and without AD.  Be sure to give yourself some time to adjust "with AD" in full turn increments starting all the way in.  If you're not feeling a difference, the AD isn't working right.

Frank

[FJmonkey]

Talk about a perfect storm... A near factory fresh '84 FJ with AD units and a rider that can scare his tires to being sticker than they should...

I am interested in seeing where this goes. My old AD units might be POS due to lack of proper maintenance. I never felt that they worked in the 17 years I owned them...

Keep it coming Frank...

[Mark Olson]

Frank , you should try a panic braking right hand turn with a reducing radius at rally speed .

I double dog dare you.




P.S. Please wear your gear and carry fresh underwear. 

[Troyskie]

Ok fellas! Minutes to go....The F1 exhausts are nowhere to be found & F1 are not returning calls. They've moved and had a work injury so I'll play nice for a while longer and be patient. Gary at the workshop suggested we put the old 4:1 back on & I can have Effie for the Easter long weekend. Just got back from a very wet QLD, snuck back from Sydney ahead of the holiday traffic, 4,30 in the arvo & I drop the old system in at Glenns. Quick bit of spanner work & Glenn is off for the test run...more to follow...

[Troyskie]

Thanks Glenn & Gary!!!!!! No chance for more than the run home from the workshop, too short for any sort of shakedown, but Kookaloo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Troyskie]

Thought I'd brave the Easter Monday holiday traffic for a quick shakedown run while the kids are occupied.....KOOKALOO!!!!!!!! I've never had a machine with the proper 4:2, so the run with the old 4:1 is really quite fitting.
From the shakedown there are a few things that need fixing.
Instruments vibrate quite noisily at low speed, and the aluminium frame plate on LHS is bent (from the PO highside where the pillion peg copped the impact), & I think I need to replace it. It was bent in enough that the swingarm bumps the nut from the foot peg. I managed to pull it back, but now don't trust the aluminium casting being sound. Any suggestions?
Also, I've re-adjusted the gearsack rack but think I'll remove it completely as it will be my to-work ride & a little backpack will likely suit. My days of the FJ being my sole means of transport & thus requiring luggage capability are past, but, what do you think fellas? Drop it (for the 'original' look) or keep it?

[Mark Olson]

looks fine to me , Ride it. 

[roverfj1200]

looks fine to me , Ride it. 

[Urban_Legend]

Hey Troyskie

For the aluminium side plate try contacting this guy (Robert Kiss at North Coast Motorcycle Dismantlers - 66617903). He has my old parts bike and there were still decent condition plates on it.

As for the gear rack. I personally would leave it on. You will miss it if you remove it as a back pack does get a bit uncomfortable after a while on the long trips and when you duck down to the shops for milk.

Mark

[Bones]

Keep the rack, cut the front bar off and mount a top box on there. Mine is I think a 35 litre but big enough to fit a full face helmet in when parked, very handy to carry things in when on a ride, while being lockable, secure, and totally waterproof unlike a bag.

[ken65]

Good looking bike bones, But i didn't realize the big box on the back (aerodynamics)  could cost 25 to 30 % acceleration loss, although my figures could be a fraction out, .

A bit like dragging a parachute. Did another accidental power wheely today.  For safety sake i might re register the R1, lol.. see ya soon up at your joint,   ken