Hello everybody

[Znort]

Hello! I'm new to this wonderful forum.I live in Madrid, Spain, and I've recently bought an '87 FJ1200, after several months looking for a bike. I already own an '84 XJ650, and an '79 BMW R80/7, and I wasn't sure about the bike that I wanted, but after reading a lot of good feedbacks about the FJ, I decided to buy one. The one I got was not very well mantained by his owner, as he already had 22! more bikes, and he kept the FJ in his garage without using it. But the engine sounds fine, and I hope that after some mechanic work the bike will be OK. I'm already using it to go to work, and next week I think I'll be able to change fork seals, engine oil and filter, check carburation etc.
It seems to me that this bike will offer me lots of joy in the next years, and I hope I'll share them with you. Thank you for all your help!
Cheers!

[Pat Conlon]

Welcome Znort!

Alf is one of our valued members and is located close to you. Here is his most excellent website: http://www.fj1200.info/

Let us know how we can help you.

Pat

[Znort]

Yeah, Alf and his wonderful website have been the main inspiration to make me decide to buy the Fj... :-)

[Znort]

By the way, I've got an issue with the oil level indicator. It's usually off when I'm running, but sometimes it starts lighting and suddendly stops again.
I've read that this is a common issue and the oil level seems to be Ok, maybe there is even too much oil as I can see trough the window. Can this excess of oil cause the indicator flashing?
Apologize my poor English... 

[FJmonkey]

Accelerating up hill tends to slosh the oil back and away from the sensor. So will come on and then go off as the oil levels out. You should not need to fill your oil above the site glass. That is where I top my oil to. Some call this light a Kookaloo indicator, but any that have felt Kookaloo, don't need a light. 

[aviationfred]

Welcome to the forum 

As mentioned, you have a fellow member who, at least on occasion, is on the mainland of Spain. Alf is a great wealth of knowledge.


A positive note on the oil level warning light. You know the oil level sender is functioning and the light bulb is not burnt out. 


Fred

[Znort]

Well. After changing the oil and filter, and putting mineral 20/50, the "oil level" indicator does not light when I'm running. So maybe that a better oil solves this particular problem...
I'm very happy with this bike, indeed... runs nice :-)

[fjbiker84]

My 84 will have the low oil level light come on when accelerating hard in the lower gears even while the oil level is within the sight window.  I've heard that this is normal for the earlier models but not sure about your bike.  I found that adding just a tiny amount of oil to make the level go just beyond the sight window would stop this from happening.  But that was years ago in a different region of the country when I rode with other riders who were very aggressive.  I ride at a much more leasurely pace out here in California and I don't think my low oil light has ever come on.     

[Flynt]

My 84 will have the low oil level light come on when accelerating hard in the lower gears even while the oil level is within the sight window.     

Indicates a decent running FJ...  once you get the clutch to slip, you're getting close to full power from the stock unit.  As long as you know the level is fine, ignore the Oil light and focus on getting the clutch to slip...

Frank

[Flynt]

...once you get the clutch to slip, you're getting close to full power from the stock unit. 

This was a not-so-obvious poke at a certain gentleman who (correctly in my opinion) believes the FJ clutch was designed to handle full power from the stock engine...  I don't have proof otherwise and I believe the engineers at Yamaha did their job designing a great product.  Still, a slipping stock clutch appears to be a pretty common outcome of tuning the FJ beyond stock power levels.

I have experienced 2 FJ's (my '90 and Wiz before the 1350) slipping after adding pods, timing advance, and jetting to get max power (both already had 4-1 pipes).  I added the second spring and they were fixed.  Even Wizard is on an older stock clutch with the second spring and doesn't slip when I'm pulling the front end up in 3rd with Diane onboard (a typical freeway entrance).  I also added the second spring to my '84, but did it before the clutch slipped...  I do like a relatively heavy clutch.

Hopefully your clutch never slips, but I stand by the idea that trying to make it slip is a reasonable goal when working to get the most power out of your FJ with relatively simple mods and tuning.  It is a goal many have achieved...

Frank

[Alf]

Welcome!, and thank you to Pat and Fred for the references 

This is the best site in the world about our bike. And there are a lot of fantastic people and knowledge around. Enjoy it!

Send me  PM or a mail if you want to be in our FJ whatsupp group. There are people all over Spain

Welcome again!