First time FJ1100 owner from Illinois

[jdvorchak]

Hello all. I am not new to forums and since I either own or have owned a lot of different motorcycles I love the forums for information exchange. Today I brought home a non running 84 FJ1100 that I just "had to have". That brings me to a total of 7 motorcycles currently owned. 3 Kawasaki KZ's, a 71 CB350 with a side car attached and 2 Harley Davidsons and now this FJ1100.

It is mostly complete but has some issues. I buy a lot of old metric bikes and get them road worthy as a hobby. Usually I won't keep them long and use the profit to buy a few more. Since I retired almost 2 years ago I have kept busy buying and fixing these old bikes.

I found this one on cragslist and my youngest son expressed an interest. After a little research I decided it would be a great bike to buy, fix up and ride. He is currently riding my 83 KZ1100 and will probably grab this one up once I get it safe and reliable.

I just love working on these old metric bikes but as I think back I don't remember the last Yamaha I've owned. Was probably in the 60's when I used to ride and race dirt track. That was a YDS3C (as I remember but I'm getting old) 250 2 stroke.

I'll post questions in the appropriate forum when they come up.

Thank you for hosting this forum and I just hope that I can contribute when possible.
John

[FJmonkey]

Welcome John, happy to have you in the fold. The FJ is easy to work on and a lot fun to take past 8K in 3rd gear.

[jdvorchak]

https://flic.kr/p/W46wyG

[jdvorchak]

Can't seem to add a pic of the bike.

[FJmonkey]

The image is not set to "Share". The link works, decent looking '84.

[rlucas]

Welcome to a fellow Illinoisian (?). There aren't too many of us in Illinois; a few in the Chicago area, I'm near Princeton, and Tim Collings is in Rantoul. There's a Rally of sorts coming up in August up in southern Wisconsin, if you can make it.

rossi

[jdvorchak]

I hate flickr... Trying photobucket

[jdvorchak]

for some reason when I post the "preview" button  doesn't work.

[jdvorchak]

Welcome to a fellow Illinoisian (?). There aren't too many of us in Illinois; a few in the Chicago area, I'm near Princeton, and Tim Collings is in Rantoul. There's a Rally of sorts coming up in August up in southern Wisconsin, if you can make it.

rossi

I don't doubt it. This is the first FJ I've seen on Craigslist and I watch Craigslist almost daily. I'm down state in the metro St. Louis area and there are a lot of bikes, of all different types, for sale. I love to buy them not running and get them safe to ride. This one is going to be a challenge but nothing I'm not already familiar with. I did hear it run on all 4 with starting fluid and a jumper battery. All lights work. None of the brakes work. The clutch lever will pull to the grip but stays there!....So I see some hydraulic work in my future. Also the clutch crankcase cover has a crack. Looks like a PO dropped it on the right side and the brake pedal pad smacked it.  But the tank is clean and there are no dents in the tank!

I have the carbs out and started to un-gang them. Mikuni BS36(?) and I prefer to work on Mikuni BSxx over the TK or Keihins.

[aviationfred]

Welcome to the forum. Nice looking project. Looks like it has an aftermarket rear shock installed. If the shock is in good working order, it doesn't matter what brand it is, it will be better than the OEM shock.

Like Rock mentioned... The Central FJ Rally is coming to Wisconsin the 2nd weekend of August. With the FJ in project status, riding another bike to the rally would do. You would get to meet other members and see first hand close to a dozen or so FJ's varying from stock to extremely modified and ask questions in person.



Fred

[fjbiker84]

Another 84 resurrected!  Welcome to the forum.

[Pat Conlon]

Yep, something special about those '84's 

[charleygofast]

Yep, something special about those '84's 
Indeed!!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Charley