Slight Misshap

[Urban_Legend]

Hey all

My dream of owning the perfect FJ11 took a bit of a backward step last weekend after a mishap on a charity ride.

To set the scene, imagine 50+ bikes me riding 2 up with my son on the back, pissing down rain and the rider in front of me making a late braking and turning decision. I grabbed a handful of brake and though I had averted disaster, when all of a sudden my son and I are sliding down the road on our arses. We escaped injury for the most part (usual bumps and bruises for a low speed get off) but the poor bike coped some nasty gravel rash.

At least we weren't injured and the bike can be repaired (lucky the painter still has some colour left).

Lesson learned here. Be extra careful in the wet guys. and definitely, All the Gear All The Time (ATGATT)

Mark

[FJmonkey]

Happy to hear you are both safe, the bike and gear can be fixed or replaced... The wet does add a challenge....

[ken65]

Glad your ok,   I got caught last Saturday in a storm. Wasnt to worried about the rain
but lots of close lightning made me feel like i had a lightning rod stuck to my helmey..

[oldktmdude]

   Mark, glad to hear you and your son are ok. Shame about the damage to your bike. I know how much time and effort you invested in it, not to mention money. It may be time to think about 17" tyres front and rear. Modern tyre technology can be a great help in the wet. Food for thought.
   Thanks again for leading us on the ride up the mountain on Rally Saturday.  Regards, Pete.

[movenon]

Glad to here you and your son are OK.  Now your FJ is "personalized"
George

[Urban_Legend]

   Mark, glad to hear you and your son are ok. Shame about the damage to your bike. I know how much time and effort you invested in it, not to mention money. It may be time to think about 17" tyres front and rear. Modern tyre technology can be a great help in the wet. Food for thought.
   Thanks again for leading us on the ride up the mountain on Rally Saturday.  Regards, Pete.

Thanks Pete. Was my pleasure.
With the 17" front, Richard keeps telling me he has an FZR frontend in his shed that I could have (he wouldn't tell me price).

How do the FJ's handle with a 17" front and 16" rear?

Mark

[oldktmdude]

   Mark, glad to hear you and your son are ok. Shame about the damage to your bike. I know how much time and effort you invested in it, not to mention money. It may be time to think about 17" tyres front and rear. Modern tyre technology can be a great help in the wet. Food for thought.
   Thanks again for leading us on the ride up the mountain on Rally Saturday.  Regards, Pete.

Thanks Pete. Was my pleasure.
With the 17" front, Richard keeps telling me he has an FZR frontend in his shed that I could have (he wouldn't tell me price).

How do the FJ's handle with a 17" front and 16" rear?

Mark

Mark, can't really comment on the handling of 17" front and 16" rear as mine is FZR 17" both ends. Major improvement over 16" both ends. One of the later model owners will chime in about 17" front and 16" rear. What I can tell you is that 17" tyres are streaks ahead of anything available for 16" wheels.
Not sure which model FZR front end Richard is offering you but from the '89 onwards are not plug and play. '89 and '90 43mm diameter and '91 onwards USD forks. Apparently the USD are chick magnets so you may want to avoid these if you aim to stay with your current partner .  Regards, Pete.

[ribbert]

How do the FJ's handle with a 17" front and 16" rear?

Mark

Just fine. No nasty habits to catch you out, predictable, forgiving etc. They are after all within a bee's dick of the same outside diameter as a 17" with a lower profile tyre, just a bit narrower.

The biggest shortcoming is the stickiness of the tyres available in that size, particularly wet weather performance. An area of development that seems not to have been invested in for those tyres, I imagine because the most common application for them these days is Harleys and cruisers.

I had the 16" rear for a long time while running all sorts of popular radials on the front, no problems except for just one combination of F&R that didn't like each other and bike was near un rideable, scary.

It's very easy to get caught up in mod world here on the forum, but the fact is you can ride the wheels off a bone stock FJ with a 17" front with the only limiting factor being the traction of the back wheel.

Some of the boldest riding I've ever done was on the MotoGP track at Philip Island - with a 16" rear!

Yeah, mods are good, but this one is not a night and day improvement, just better grip and a bit lighter and they look reeeaaalllly cool.

Noel

[Bones]

Ouch... It's never good to hear of someone going down, glad you and the young fella are ok. Damage doesn't look too bad, obviously low speed, lucky the brake pedal didn't go through the clutch cover, mine fell over coming off the double stand one time and the pedal put a fair mark on the case, fitted engine bars to stop it happening again.

When you replace the front brake lever put the old one on eBay, it'll match one that was on there a little while ago.

                                                         Tony.

[X-Ray]

Yeah, mods are good, but this one is not a night and day improvement, just better grip and a bit lighter and they look reeeaaalllly cool.
Noel

Funnily enough, the main reason I got the 5.5" Suzuki rim was for looks! That damn 150 tyre is just too anemic looking for my taste with that big FJ bodywork/frame all around it. Now with a 180 series tyre, it looks just fine, all in proportion. Your reasons for doing/not doing the aforementioned mod of course will vary.  

Having said that, the Project '92 will be keeping its std wheel/tyre combo, 

[novaraptor]

Good to hear no serious harm done.. Definately a lesson to watch out for the other guy, especially if you are riding with riders that you do not know/haven't ridden with before. Give 'em a lot of room.. Watch em as closely as you would a semi in crosswinds..

[yamaha fj rider]

Sorry to read about the mishap. Good that it was not worse and most important both of you are ok.
 

Kurt

[Pat Conlon]

Mark, whew...I cringe when I open posts like this....I'm glad you and your son are ok...most important.

The damage to the bike looks light. No bent footpegs or rash on the engine side case.

It will be better than new in no time! Let us know if you need anything...I have a bunch of parts.

Forgive yourself. Heal well.

Pat

[Urban_Legend]

Bike update.
So after my little misadventure on Sunday, I put the bike into the local Suzuki (lack of options in a small country town) guy here in Grafton. they gave her a tune up, fix the sump plug oil leak issue, new plugs, new brake lever and a general go over. She now has a clean bill of health (apart from some gravel rash) and is all set for the Hardarse Ride (2000km in 48 hours)on the weekend. Happy times 

Pat Conlon, I would love to go through your list of spares, however postage from the states and our exchange rates are a real killer at the moment.

Ta

Mark

[Steve_in_Florida]

Mark,
Yes, going down on a bike SUXXX, but you seem to have pulled it off well. Mostly just pride damage, and a little rash.

The paint blemish is hard to see at speed, so don't let it dampen your spirits!

Good luck on the HardArse ride. Fun and brutal at the same time.

Steve