1989 FJ1200 getting mods already; wheels, tires, mirrors, paint & who knows...

[blackboat]

Thanks to the information here, I've been able to come up with a plan to repair & peform some needed maintenance on my new-to-me FJ1200.

Some of my problems and concerns were in my introductory post here: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1688.0

Since I'm planning on keeping this one for awhile, and was needing a new rear tire and rotor anyway, it seemed to make sense to just pick up a YZF600 rim off of ebay. It has a decent rotor on it, and arrived today in all it's purple glory.  Yes, I still needed a new tire, and after 3 days of agonizing, went with the Dunlop Roadsmart in the 170/60-R17 size. I made tons of notes arriving at this and it makes sense to me. The one clear thing through all the threads on tires was that people were trying about everything. Dennis Kirk had the best price this week FWIW.

The front of the bike has a Pilot Power with some life left (1K, maybe 2K; I don't thrash things on the street). But since the bubble had already burst on my "ready to roll" bike with a nail in the rear, well, what's another $100 for an '87-'88 FZR1000 front with a supposedly usable tire on it? Turns it it cost the $100 BIN the seller had on it (big surprise there, huh?) and so it's on the way. Not needed certainly, but given that either front tire might not be around long, I figured I'd just get both rims as "optimized" as I'm willing to take them, and if I wind up painting them, two isn't much worse than one. I don't know what I'm going to do about colors yet; going to try some things with some photo editing software so I can see what I want to do.

In the end, I'll wind up with about $150 more spent than if I had just bought replacement tires in the stock sizes. One upside, though it may not be useful, is that I'll have the stock rims with rubber in store should damage occur and I need a backup for a few days.

I'm also experimenting with mirrors, both in the stock locations and bar end styles. Had some problems with the stock bar ends (rust) so I'm re-machining them for the bar end mirrors as prototypes for some new ones, as well as using them for a paint experiment.

And oh yeah, put some of that cool blue anodized looking wind screen trim on in place of the rotting factory black stuff, can't forget that; gotta be worth 2, maybe even 3 hp right?   Plus some used Oxford & Cortech soft luggage thanks to CL; now I can actually buy something bigger than a Coke at the grocery store.

Sorry about not having any pics yet, but I wanted to start this post as my jumping-off point that I can add mock-ups, real pictures and other comments to as I work through the bike so it becomes sort of a diary of what I'm doing with mine.

Be back with something to show at soon as I can,

Rob

[andyb]

Dennis Kirk had the best price this week FWIW.

DK will pricematch if you can find better.  I always get my tires there if they carry them, as they ship from the midwest and it takes two days to get to me instead of a week.


Sounds like fun work, you're doing the stuff that you really feel once you're on the road again.  Have fun with it.

[rktmanfj]

I'm also experimenting with mirrors, both in the stock locations and bar end styles. Had some problems with the stock bar ends (rust) so I'm re-machining them for the bar end mirrors as prototypes for some new ones, as well as using them for a paint experiment.

Rob

You could try some '86 mirrors on your '89, and get a view of something besides your shoulders.

Last time I checked, they were cheaper than the '89 parts, too (not to say they are at all cheap).

Thanks to Henry for the tip!

Randy T
Indy

[blackboat]

Actually I got the DK idea from here; I guess I think of them as mainly Harley & cruiser bolt-ons and would have never considered them except someone on this forum had mentioned them. Take them close to a week to get stuff to GA, but for $30 I'll wait a couple extra days.

When tire shopping I never found any one place that was cheaper on everything. On another tire I was considering, DK was highest and Cycle Gear the lowest. On the one I decided on, it was the reverse. Another recommendation from this site was SW Moto Tires; they were cheaper than a lot of places, but not the lowest on anything I wanted. But I'd say from last week's tire agonizing they were always at least middle to a bit lower. In a hurry, I wouldn't hesitate to use them and feel that I wasn't getting charged excessively. Just seems to depend on how much time you want to spend surfing and searching.

Unfortunately, no one local to me was close to competitive; prices would have been OK for an installed tire, but they were all talking tire only, install fees still to come. That clenched the decision to get some basic tire tools (already have a balance stand) and just do it myself. I know folks got to make a living, but with prices running as much as $60 higher than online, I can't stomach that.

Rob

[blackboat]

OK, after pounding ebay & websites for the past week or more I have finally arrived at the point I have enough parts to actually begin doing something.

First order of business is to get the wheels painted so I can mount the tires. Rear is the most important; I'll be doing some of the machine work while the paint dries. And a bit of a bonus: the FZR1000 front wheel and tire turned out to have an essentially brand new Michelin Macadam 90X on it; rubber nibs everywhere but the center.

And while I was waiting on all the stuff to get here, well, I just happened to stumble across a complete R1 blue dot front brake system on ebay. I made an offer; danged if they didn't accept it. At this point I'll be happy to have to find a home for the "urine cup" as a trade off for some feel and smoothness, plus the adjustable lever.

Getting to the point: I originally was thinking the purple YZF600 rear wheel might look kind of good, but after getting it here, it seems a little too pastel or light colored. Also, can't find any matching paint for the front (currently white) if I wanted to leave the rear as is and just match the front. Here are a couple of quick renditions of what I'm considering:

First, purple wheels:



Next choice, and sort of in the lead, is blue:



I also intend to run a 5mm piece of the blue reflective tape around whichever color I choose. The paint I've been playing with is the Metalcast from Dupli-Color. Here's their web page where the blue and purple I'm considering are shown (since my photo editing skills suck for getting the right color):

https://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalcast.html

I bought a can of blue to play with to redo the bar ends I'm re-machining and so far it seems OK to work with just spraying some sample scrap. I've also got the Cortech Sport Saddlebags in blue, and factor in the dark blue ("Shiny Black") body color, seems there a little less visual risk with the blue Metalcast. Also toying with the idea of painting the air inlets (well, the one I have on the left) the same color as the wheels.

On the other hand, the Purple Metalcast should blend well also, and purple was my original "Why the hell not...??" reaction.

One thing to keep in mind is that I have fairing repair to do also, which I'll match as well as I can to the current body color. In a year or two I'd like to paint the whole thing right once everything has settled out, so the paint stuff I'm doing now is sort of temporary and for fun.

Welcome any comments, thoughts, ideas; who knows what will send me off with a "better" idea....

Thanks,
Rob

[andyb]

NO NO NO NO NO NO.

Got it?  NO.

NO PURPLE.

NO BLUE.

No offense but... ok.  As much offense as I can give, that looks like the wheels were stolen from an FZR in horrible late 80's colors.  Just don't.  Stoppit.

Might I suggest an alternative?  gold would be nice on a black bike.  So would black with polished lips.  (I realize the latter is a horrible example of the breed...)  But please, no horrible 80's reject stuff.

[blackboat]

No offense taken. Although if you follow the duplicolor link the colors I'm talking about are darker than my lousy photo editing. I agree the old FZ/YZF colors were some I don't care for; I'm aiming for deeper, darker metallic or slightly metal flaked colors.

The gold available looks too "pimped" for me, but there is a copper I'm going to try next (and see if I can't get it to look right this time). Give me a little bit and we'll see what I can do.

[pdxfj]

Have the wheels powder coated.  More colors than you can shake a stick at, and it's very hard to damage.

You'll need new wheel bearings, but never hurts to replace them on used wheels.

[RichBaker]

And while I was waiting on all the stuff to get here, well, I just happened to stumble across a complete R1 blue dot front brake system on ebay. I made an offer; danged if they didn't accept it. At this point I'll be happy to have to find a home for the "urine cup" as a trade off for some feel and smoothness, plus the adjustable lever.
Thanks,
Rob

Contact Jon Cain, he makes a very nice mount for the urine cup..... he just came on the board this week.

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1739.0

[blackboat]

Have the wheels powder coated.  More colors than you can shake a stick at, and it's very hard to damage.

You'll need new wheel bearings, but never hurts to replace them on used wheels.

I like the idea, but I'm dealing with both cost & time, mainly time. With a currently damaged rear tire getting the new wheels & tires under it are sort of top priority right now. I do have new wheel bearings FWIW.

I do need the spacer dimensions for the YZF600; I have dims for the factory stepped spacer, but does anyone know what the size is for the other one (guessing it goes on the brake side)?

Anyway, I'm trying to get this done since I have a long weekend. Powder coating has been in my mind for the frame, and maybe other parts, but the total redo is 1-2 years off right now. Currently just doing a little spray bomb goof off stuff while I put it all together.


Latest version, with the copper the wife liked (may need to consider this one, for the sake of appeasement):



Dammit, just can't get the metallic color to come through in these; looks better on my monitor; looks too much like orange here. Again, reference duplicolor link for what I'm actually trying to show.

Having fun at least; time to go pull the old wheel bearings,

Rob


PS  My sprocket carrier & cush drive came with a 64 tooth sprocket. What the heck could that be for? (Available unless someone can tell me why I need it).

[RichBaker]

The big sprocket makes it easier to do wheelies.....

[rktmanfj]

And while I was waiting on all the stuff to get here, well, I just happened to stumble across a complete R1 blue dot front brake system on ebay. I made an offer; danged if they didn't accept it. At this point I'll be happy to have to find a home for the "urine cup" as a trade off for some feel and smoothness, plus the adjustable lever.
Thanks,
Rob

Contact Jon Cain, he makes a very nice mount for the urine cup...

If you use DOT5, it doesn't look like a urine cup.   

Randy T
Indy

[blackboat]

The big sprocket makes it easier to do wheelies.....

Aahhh, of course.....though I wonder at that point which actually rotates - the wheel or the bike???


In other news, wheels have been slathered in duplicolor; hopefully some pics soon, but from what I read they need to dry another couple of days before I attempt tire mounting.

Also re-machined the bar ends to clean up pipe wrench damage (downhill side was rusted in the threads badly; ugly removal), machined the ends to accept bar end mirrors, and painted in the selected mystery color to match the wheels. Will use a strap wrench (and anti-seize) to reinstall since I just machined the hex socket away (rusted one stripped anyway). Figure the bar end mirrors will act as warning flags if the bar ends try to unscrew themselves. FWIW, I've ridden it a couple of times with the bar end removed on one side. While that side did vibrate more, it wasn't as dramatic a difference as I was expecting.

Didn't get it all done this weekend as hoped (not a real big surprise), so will spend the next couple of evenings doing the rear wheel conversion machine work and making the new spacers.

Do feel sort of over the hump having the wheels in color, and successfully removed the tire from the new FZR1000 front wheel; had been kind of worried whether I could get the tire off with tire irons. Went better than expected, so right now I feel pretty good knowing I can do the work myself on bigger tires than I've attempted in the past. Besides saving the money paying someone else to do it, also avoid the hassle of having to ferry parts around.

Rob

[blackboat]

More bits getting paint because, well, I've got some paint left.

Major interruption today when I discovered the chain is toast, and I'm having trouble figuring out what to order as a replacement.

Separate post about that here:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1812.0