Just signed up

[Capn Ron]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

FJ monkey, I am unfamiliar with the term ambulance rider, can you elaborate??

Grilldemon...

Here's hoping you don't, but if you EVER do a low-side on a twisty mountain road...you'll be happy that your riding buddy pulls right up on an FJ that is painted like an ambulance.  Don't ask me how I know...I just know.   

[Capn Ron]

2nd, get your ass to a rally sometime, as soon as your ride is up and running, you'll never regret it!

I feel I have some of my greatest friendship in my life with the bunch of lunatics, but the strange thing is, I only get to see some of them only once a year.
Leon

Make that once every TWO years ya bastaaaad!  

Yep...highly encourage anyone here to show up at a rally.  I missed the 2012 Boone rally by a few days.  I now know what I missed out on after attending the west coast rallys.  Great rides, great campfire stories and friendships to last a lifetime!  

[Grilldemon]

CApnRon, some pics for you. Here is what I am starting with. I have a fair bit of work to do. Also included is a pic of mama's XS400J, which is 3/4 done. I have to finish that first, or I will be in big trouble with mama. The last one is Stella, my Interceptor. I have pretty much rebuilt it from the ground up also. (Need to do cams this winter, I have a spare engine for it).

[Mark Olson]

Nice group of projects, 

As long as you have the major pieces its all good to go . You have a bit of wrench time ahead of you. 

[FJmonkey]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

FJ monkey, I am unfamiliar with the term ambulance rider, can you elaborate??

Grilldemon...

Here's hoping you don't, but if you EVER do a low-side on a twisty mountain road...you'll be happy that your riding buddy pulls right up on an FJ that is painted like an ambulance.  Don't ask me how I know...I just know.   

Too bad I did not get a video of that, clearing the blind corner and suddenly I had two objects to avoid. an FJ on its side and it's owner just getting vertical. I split the difference and went between them (it was the biggest gap). 

[1tinindian]

2nd, get your ass to a rally sometime, as soon as your ride is up and running, you'll never regret it!

I feel I have some of my greatest friendship in my life with the bunch of lunatics, but the strange thing is, I only get to see some of them only once a year.
Leon

Make that once every TWO years ya bastaaaad!   

Well, to be specific, I have been to "AT LEAST", (A) rally, once a years since 2011.
The only repeat visit that I have done, is the ECFR this past year so my son could tame the Dragon, which he did quite well,  I must say.

My next repeat would have to be a WCR, sometime in the future. (I loved being near the ocean)!

But, I have made a pact with myself to make at least 1 rally per year, and I have been lucky enough to have done that , so far.

It sucks I don't have more time off to do the things that make me happy!

Leon

[jscgdunn]

Interesting pics....my boys each started off with those same 400's.  Great little bikes...bullet proof power train.  We assembled one of them from two parts bikes, and it was my intro and rite of passage to rebuilding CV carbs,

My oldest son (who was 18 at the time)  got his license on April 15th of that year.  We got the bike running about a week later, and on May 1 he rode it to Tofino and back. 


Jeff   

[red]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.
FJ monkey, I am unfamiliar with the term ambulance rider, can you elaborate??

Grilldemon,

The red-and-white FJs are often called "ambulances," only due to the color scheme. 
It is not any reference to the safety or reliability of the bike, or to the skills of the rider.
I like mine, just fine as it is.  I think it stands out as a "collector's item" in the biker world
(meaning that some parts may be hard to find, these days).  So, I'm a proud 'n' happy "ambulance rider."
Welcome to the fray.        

Cheers,
Red

[fjfool]

Griddlemon, welcome
i must admit, i was undressing your girl (the interceptor) with my eyes
i feel they are one of the most beautiful bikes ever built
i have yet to own one , or ride one for that matter,  honestly working on that bike seems a bit daunting -i see that v-design getting very tight in the frame and making things like valve adjustments tough
nonetheless, its just beautiful!
a rich friend of mine got a 500 when we were 16, i really liked him but, i woulda stuck a knife in his back for that bike

[Grilldemon]

Griddlemon, welcome
i have yet to own one , or ride one for that matter,  honestly working on that bike seems a bit daunting -i see that v-design getting very tight in the frame and making things like valve adjustments tough

Ya, she's a bitch to work on. Good thing is, you don't have to do it that often.

[sebwiers]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.
FJ monkey, I am unfamiliar with the term ambulance rider, can you elaborate??

Grilldemon,

The red-and-white FJs are often called "ambulances," only due to the color scheme.

Huh, I figured it was for whizzing by traffic at high speed.   

Joke, that's the rider, but I have noticed people are more likely to give the FJ room than, say, my old black GL.  I haven't changed up my riding gear any (hi viz on both).  I think something about the combo of hi viz and red / white bike triggers police / emergency vehicle identification circuits in the brain, fooling them for long enough to give me some extra passing space.  I find I use my horn WAY less often.

[FJmonkey]

I find I use my horn WAY less often.

Don't cheap out on a horn, loud as you can afford. With a quick stab of your thumb you can become very visible...