What is it that attracted you to the FJ?

[mr blackstock]

Around 6 years ago a work mate said he had an old FJ in his shed that had'nt been ridden for years.  I was currently riding a very nice Yamaha XJ650.   I did a bit of research, and I loved two things about the FJ.  She was air cooled and looked sexy.  The work mate forwarded me a photo of the bike outside his shed and it was love at first sight.  The paint job was lovely dark red compared to the standard bright red.  I agreed to buy the bike then and there.  She was not even running.

The bike was in pretty good nick, but as the PO had never attempted any maintenance, she needed ALOT of TLC.  Such was the difficult relationship, I named her Lillith.  It seemed appropriate.

Anyway, after 6 years of tumultuous up's and down's, we have agreed to get on together.  Two things I love about the bike... air cooled and drop dead sexy! 

[gumby302ho]

For me it was seeing some of my richer friends just out of high school who picked up the FJ's, four buddies in total, 2 84's and 2 86's. out of the four one pal was a crazy mo-fo and the rest of us that could only dream got to see what an 84 FJ could do. They were scary machines and in our part of the country the FJ was known as a great powerful drag bike if need be. I asked Greg whats it like to ride that bike, he replied " its like being on a missile". My mouth would water whenever I seen the big red and white power house yamaha on the street, Its such a beautiful looking bike. The other 3 guys who had an FJ, one guy sold his 86 cause it scared the shit out of him, another died passing a couple vehicles at night time and when he swung back in after the pass behind a truck he ran into a trailer behind said truck that had zero running lights, the last guy I lost touch with, his name was Brent, I hope he still has it. Seeing the 1100 on the side cover was jaw dropping, seeing the 1200 side cover was like witnessing the avro arrow doing a fly by!! Too have that lost testosterone back, I just turned 49.

[rlucas]

Back in the mid-80s, I worked (very briefly) at a bike dealership in Cleveland. Dean Naramore (mst3kguy) knows the one I'm talkin' about. 

At the time, I was riding a '78 Suzuki GS550E done up cafe-style - GPz bikini fairing, flat bars, Dunstall rearsets. I lusted after the '84\'85 FJ when I first saw it. Then the '86 came out and it knocked me out; it just looked right. Years later, after a few more bikes, I found one in very good shape and for a very good price. And as others have said, it only got better when I got to meet some of the members here and attend a few Rallys.

[fudge12]

In the late 80s I was a teen and had just gotten my first bike.  I religiously went to the bike shop and grabbed every single data sheet and flyer they had, and pored over them.  The FJ was ridiculous.  120HP?  Who could possibly use that much?  Flat torque?  Didn't even know what it was, but I wanted it.  A lot.  I didn't understand much about bikes, but by simply looking at specs, the numbers were awesome.  5.9" of suspension?  That's almost dirtbike territory!  Big gas tank?  That's a touring bike!  Even after I grew, got newer and better bikes, that awe like a teenager who saw his first boobs, never left me.  Having/having had better bikes, I still enjoy the FJ because I don't ride it as a 40-something guy with injected, suspended, light, nearly maintenance free bikes.  I ride it as a 16 year old kid, amazed at the sheer audacity of Yamaha to release such a thing on public roads.  I ride it with the 30 years past mindset that this is literally the best thing ever to hit the road.  I love it!  My kid swiped my Versys so I took the FJ to work this morning.  I try to tell my kids, every bike is amazing and fun, just different.  That's why I need to have so many and swap them out so often.

[PaulG]

Was it the wonderful torquey engine?                         YES
Was it the timeless design?                                       YES
Was it the comfort of all day touring?                         YES
Was it the ease of working on and maintaining?            YES

The last two previous bikes I owned (of four) were both Beemers - '78 R80/7 air head & '97 R1100GS - so I was spoiled with extremely simple design and maintenance (in the R80), neverending reliability (in both), and endless touring capability (in the GS).

I was off the road for several years due to being hit by a car on my GS (write off) and saving for a house. Once that was taken care of I was looking for  something different yet encompassing those attributes that my Beeemers had.  During that period I was always searching what was out there and researched the backgrounds of several types of bikes.  The FJ was one of the few that kept surfacing during my searches.  I even trolled this forum for quite a while before I bought it.

So on a cold late winter day I drove two hrs away, had a good look at a 92 ABS, but no test ride.  The owner had the sales package that you can get from the transport ministry that gave the history of previous ownerships and/or accidents (none), and the deal was done.  That was 9 1/2 yrs ago and I have never regretted it.  I've owned it longer than any car or bike, and put more km on it than any of them too.

The wife bitches at me cuz "I spend too much time working on it" (it just seems that way only cuz I'm a slow "mechanic").  I constantly remind her that it's only time and not much money - considering payments on a new bike (like the K1200LT she liked of course), would far surpass any monies I have invested into the FJ.

How long will I own it?  No idea.  The prohibitive cost of insurance in Ontario is about the only thing that could end it - being nearly 50% of the value of the bike! Buncha Mother@#$%^'s     But considering all the help and knowledge here, I could conceivably ride this beauty until I am no longer physically capable - which (knock on wood  ) - won't be for another 10... 15... or 20 more years?  Maybe by then fossil fueled engines will be banned, and it will sit in my living room - regardless of what the wife thinks.   

"Long Live The New Flesh"   

[JPaganel]

I was looking for a larger bike to replace my XS400. It was a fine ride, but on highway commute it was a bit lacking. I thought I was looking for something along the lines of a cruiser or a standard.

I stopped by Sportwheel, which is a used bike dealer/junkyard around here. They had two FJs - an 1100 and a 1200. I sat on them, and something just clicked. The fact that they did layaway cinched it.

[Dads_FJ]

I was looking for a larger bike to replace my XS400. It was a fine ride, but on highway commute it was a bit lacking. I thought I was looking for something along the lines of a cruiser or a standard.

I stopped by Sportwheel, which is a used bike dealer/junkyard around here. They had two FJs - an 1100 and a 1200. I sat on them, and something just clicked. The fact that they did layaway cinched it.

I remember seeing these two at Sportwheels back in 2012.


among many bikes.


small world perhaps?

Our Sportwheels trip via Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/james.simonette/media_set?set=a.3472592257825.2132145.1361728437&type=3

[JPaganel]

I remember seeing these two at Sportwheels back in 2012.

small world perhaps?

Yep, the one on the left, with the goofy bar end mirrors, wound up going home with me.

Can't see your FB link - I'm guessing it's friends-only.

[fjbiker84]

I got my FJ kinda by accident ten years ago.  While on a trip back to my hometown and sitting around a friend's house one winter drinking beer the conversation turned to "what ever happened to that old FJ you used to have."  It's down in the basement - been there for 7 years - just never got around to putting it back together after having some engine work done. "Well, if we can get it running, I'll buy it."  And it's been a love affair ever since.  I don't put a lot of miles on it but every ride puts a smile on my face and changes what may have been a bad day into a good one.

[TexasDave]

Did not intend to buy a FJ. I was looking for an older bigger displacement bike I could fly and ride back to Texas. I was going to enjoy the ride home and then sell the bike. Because my first bike was a Yamaha and my second was a Yamaha and my third was a Yam......I was on Ebay in the Yamaha section. I was hoping to find a rideable XS1100 but the prices they wanted for them were ridiculous. Just then a 1984 FJ1100 with 18,600 miles, new battery and rear tire and buy it now for $1650 appeared. Located in Spokane, WA. Got on the net to educate myself and discovered it was the first year. Might have seen one but never paid attention and it was good looking bike. The add said ready to ride so I pulled the trigger. Figured at that price I could ride it home, sell it and even make a little money. Called the owner and he graciously offered to pick me up at the airport. Bike was just as good as the pictures and although 18 degrees in his garage fired right up. Traveling south on HWY 395 in Oregon at about 70mph I opened the throttle. It seemed like a couple seconds later I was over 120. That's when I knew I was going to keep it. Now have invested more in it than paid for it. That's when you know you are hooked on FJ's.    Dave

[andyoutandabout]

A push factor from a Honda.
Ten years ago I touched down stateside and knew I'd found biking gold in NorCal.
Since I'd owned and toured Europe on a VFR750, a went about looking for one of those feeling I knew something about them. Craigslist revealed a specimen close by in Vacaville, so I rang and organized a viewing the following morning. The advert next to the VFR was also in Vacaville. The owner of this machine wanted the same price as the owner of the VFR. It seemed sense to give it a look see, just as a back up like.
The Vffifer wasn't in as good a condition as the one I'd sold the week previous week before leaving England. Said to the seller, here's the thing, it's an ok example, but you'd have to drop the price because I have standards and this rough edged thing needs work to get it up to snuff. Obviously he didn't understand a word and refused to budge much on price. I was on my way to the next neighborhood.
That's when I met the FJ. It was somewhat unloved out on the back porch. Initially it didn't grab me. Then I got a bit more interested as I studied the set up. Hmmm, looks way easier to work on than the Honda. I like seeing the engine. It's roomier. Actually it's nicely put together having been designed without a fairing to hide everything. Interested soared when the price started dropping. He really just wanted it gone.
It's been mine ever since.
And they lived happily ever after

[Zwartie]

I'm really enjoying these "love stories"!

For me it started back when the FJ1100 came out. I had a poster of one in my room along with another one for the GPZ900. I remember sitting on and FJ in the local dealership showroom and just thinking that it would be a great sport-touring machine. I'm not even sure if sport-touring was a commonly used term back in those days (mid '80's). At that time I had an '81 Seca 750. I got rid of the Seca in 1989 and aside from putting the final signatures in place I was ready to buy a new-in-the-showroom 1988 Katana 1100. I held off on that and bought a house the following spring instead. In the fall of 1990 I bought an '84 V45 Sabre and only because I couldn't afford an FJ at that time. My buddy Gary was riding a Shadow 500 at the time and looking to get something bigger. I sold him on the virtues of the FJ and he bought an FJ1100 a couple years later. He let me take it for a spin and I remember thinking how "leaned-over" I felt on it compared to the Sabre. In '94 I finally bought an '86 FJ with 16,000 km on it. I rode it until 2005. It had 80,000 km by then and I sold it to Al Beaton who is/was a member of the Yahoo forum. I had already purchased my current ride, the '92 FJ1200 (1314) which has been my trusty steed ever since. I've seen and ridden many other bikes since then and every so often get the itch to move on to something else but whenever I'm riding the "Blue Bunny" it just feels so right! The perfect balance of power, comfort and maneuverability - for me anyway. And of course I've always liked the look of the FJ. I think it holds up well to the newer bikes.

Zwartie

[Charlie-brm]

Oooh! Oooh! My turn!  

I was given the loan of a nice 1992 for a few days and put maybe 400 to 500 kilometers on it. At the time I was riding a 1979 XS750 triple which was my first bike from 2005 to 2012. Really nice growl from the triple and enough grunt to make up for the occasional poor selection of which gear to be in. It always felt heavy and definitely not peppy off the line. Also a carburetted, air cooled engine withe simple electrics. If someone was strong enough to man handle it, it would be an OK first bike that wouldn't bite back.

The first time I took the loaner FJ for a quick fill up just around the corner to get the feel of it for the ride home, I returned and commented on the difference, "You better have a plan where you're going when you let out the clutch on this thing."
Definitely not a motorcycle to screw with or not be on top of things. There is another friend whom I didn't offer a test ride to for at least a year once I got my own FJ because he's a tad absent minded even with power tools and when I observed him riding in the past he doesn't have in general what pilots used to call "good hands." i.e. feel your way around the controls, not jerk them and correct roughly for your mistakes after the fact.

Right off the bat I loved the roll on from about 80 km/h (Ontario's posted limit outside cities, on all but the major highways) to where ever you want to take it on the dial. I don't downshift ever to pass on county 2 lanes. I get a clear line of sight, roll on what feels like just thinking about moving the throttle a smidgin that you can't even observe and I'm accelerating out on the other lane past car #1, zipping past car #2 and dropping the throttle before I'm even to car #3 and pulling back in to my lane, checking the speed and it's coming down from 140 or 160 km/h sometimes, no drama. Passing done and back to posted speeds. To me that's sports touring. Getting into my own clear road space without being a nuisance.

I got my '84 for $900 in 2012 and in short order had new tires and turn signals on it. Since then I'm dealing with issues and replacement parts as they come up but not doing much in the way of modifications or swapping in parts from newer models. It got me through 5,500 km in one week's trip to Cape Breton and other spots in Nova Scotia this July, running with no issues. Tough to beat for the money.

[fjbiker84]

These stories are great!  I would also mention that in addition to all the mechanical attributes, my FJ is just plain beautiful.  I'm always taking pictures of it in various locations and putting them on my computer wallpaper.  Maybe one of the best compliments I've ever received - and I do get frequent complements as I'm sure we all do - because the bike is vintage - came from a relative.  After buying my bike and getting it on the road, I had to store it at my cousin's house because at the time my family was located overseas.  My cousin, who is an avid biker and owns a vintage Triumph Speed Triple, once said to me that he would pour a big glass of wine, go down to the garage, pull up a chair, and just sit and stare at my FJ. In his words, "That has to be the most seductive lines I've ever seen on a motorcycle." I tend to agree.  

[giantkiller]

I came from a family that was into muscle cars. Mostly Buick's. Started with my dad's wildcat nailhead dual quads,4 stage1s, couple 455 rivs, 68 GS 400, 1 69 GS 400 stage 1.  All my dad's and my 2 brothers. Buick's the ultimate sleepers. Then came my turn. Bought my dad's mint slightly warmed over 69 GS 350. Paid it off before I got my license. It had been running hot so I took the thermostat out to see if it helped. My dad was out of town. So I thought I'll just take it for a spin...to see if it gets hot. Topped a hill doing a little over 80. Met a cop going the other way. He spun It around. Just over the next hill In the valley was a dirt road lots of tree's so I cut down the road lost control went into the ditch hitting a tree dead center of the hood. This ditch was actually a steep bank about 15' down too a small mostly dry Creek. Car slid side ways down to the Creek. Cop didn't turn down the road. Don't think he could have seen the car anyway. Called my brother (dispatcher for the local police) he got a tow truck operator that owed him. To pull it out and haul it home and not report it. Next day my dad came home from his trip. Because it was my 16th birthday. Looked at the GS and said "don't know what to say. It's your car" and walked away.
I fixed it cheaply with skylark parts. 2 weeks before my 17th birthday. Was at the bar came out got. In my GS and saw 2 girl's on the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Decided to impress them. Lit it up from the parallel parking. Smoked the tires. Drifting It into the side road coming in from the other side of the street. Was perfect... except for the Car coming from the other direction on the side road. Over corrected. And proceeded to slide the other direction into a telephone pole. Put the lights out in the small town of Oakfield. Long story but that's why I decided to try bikes instead.

Went to the Yamaha dealer walked in and saw. A brand new 86 fj1200. Looked at that huge back tire. And signed the paperwork. Got it for $4400. They said it was the second one In state.
Owned it for 2 1/2 months, put 14,000 miles on it. And totalled it out. When a guy on a CB 1100 (that I was about to pass) crashed in front of me going into a corner(he feaked out and locked up the back brake). Last time I looked at the speedo it was coming up on 135. Then I bought an 87 fzr1000. Crashed and fixed it. Then had the motor built. Car pulled out in front of me.  Was dead at the scene. Or so the paramedics thought. Was In the hospital for 2 1/2 months. Didn't ride for a while. Built the chopper. Then my friend said he would sell Me the Fj he bought because he had ridden mine. Before I crashed it. It had been in heated storage for 13 years. And only had 10,600 miles on it. And it came with the crashed 87 with 865 miles on it for spare parts. For $600. That's the Fj1350r now. And now I have 5 fjs all together.