New Guy

[Montreal]

Hey all.

New to the FJ1200.



Got it in April and got it licensed 10 days ago or so as everything was closed due to to Covid and couldn't plate it.

It has some upgrades and some neglects.

First day with plates I couldn't ride as when I put a hose to the rear tire the valve sheared right off.
The valve was identical to the one in the owner manual....So probably original.

While I had the wheel off I checked the brakes and all the pads are worn to nothing.
That's when I realized the front caliper were changed. The guy at the shop was able to identify them and sell me the correct pads for them. Whew.



The left and right masters were changed for some cute.....things....Ones.
they are cute but I am not quite sold on them yet. With the handlebar's angle they have to be very full so as not to uncover the....hole. Insert the proper words there.
Also there is some clutch drag. Makes finding neutral a real .....I will bleed and see if air is the issue. If the master doesn't have enough volume to actuate the clutch then they have to go.



The mirrors will have to go.



They are ugly as far as I am concerned and worse will not adjust. They have their own mind about things.

Today fought the Yoshimura exhaust.



One is off, one to go. There is no packing left inside (Well nearly so anyway).

What else is there to say?

Some crack in the plastics, one fairing bumper is missing. The seat looks good. Gas gauge jumps around. I saw a fix somewhere on this forum.
The lenses for the flashers are a bit....dark....
I sometime hear a chain rattle from the engine. So I have to research timing chains.

No show stopper so far.

Oh. I added a USB port in the "Toll booth Token Compartment.



Me? Been around for a while. Ben riding for a while. Here to learn stuff.

Thank

[andyoutandabout]

Welcome to the group Dan. You have arrived at a very special place, that will keep you entertained for the duration of ownership. These are the World's best bikes.
Yours looks tidy enough, so I predict the beginning of many long road adventures. Make sure you get yourself to a rally.
I think Montreal is an awesome city and I'm not really a city person. The cathedral in the center is spectacular.
Good times

[red]

Hey all.
The left and right masters were changed for some cute.....things....Ones.
they are cute but I am not quite sold on them yet. With the handlebar's angle they have to be very full so as not to uncover the....hole. Insert the proper words there.
Also there is some clutch drag. Makes finding neutral a real .....I will bleed and see if
Some crack in the plastics, one fairing bumper is missing. The seat looks good. Gas gauge jumps around. I saw a fix somewhere on this forum.
The lenses for the flashers are a bit....dark....
Me? Been around for a while. Ben riding for a while. Here to learn stuff.  Thank

Montreal,

Welcome to the forum!  Pull up a seat, and be among friends.

* I would not hesitate to change the handlebar hydraulics back to stock.  Some have adapted FJR master cylinders, but my stock FJ parts work fine, by me.
* There is a brass bushing in the clutch lever (NOT the lever pivot bolt) that may be worn or disasterized.   That bushing pushes the rod into the brake master cylinder.  If it looks good, lube it.  If not, RPM (see banner at top of this page) has them, without buying a rebuild kit.  
* Now you can get banjo bolts with brake bleeders in them, (~US$15-$20 each); they make it much easier to bleed the hoses at the master cylinders.  You can spend far more on those banjo bleeders, from the wrong shops.
* You can make a slurry of Lego blocks and some solvent (forgot which one) to repair and build up cracks. Plastic welding may be an option there.
* Somebody here is 3D-printing stuff like the fairing bumpers.  Somebody may chime in, on that.
*  Gas gauge bouncing is likely a bad ground, usually at the instrument panel, but maybe at the sensor on the tank.
* Your signal lenses may need cleaning.
* It's a great idea to replace the hydraulic hoses with braided stainless steel lines.  You can get custom kits (RPM, maybe, and other shops).  Any decent hydraulic hose shop can copy what you have now in braided stainless, with colored sheathing for style.  Get the hose ends that pivot, because those hoses do not like twists.  Ride cautiously at first, with these new hydraulic lines.
* Tire age: click the link and scroll down.  The FJ is too heavy and too strong to run on old tires.  After 5~8 years, get a new pair of tires.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11
*  First farkle, IMHO, might be a Tire Pressure Monitoring System.  Who checks their tire pressures, while they are out riding fast on the freeway?  TPMS riders.  Amazon has a bunch.
.

[Montreal]

Welcome to the group Dan. You have arrived at a very special place, that will keep you entertained for the duration of ownership. These are the World’s best bikes.
Yours looks tidy enough, so I predict the beginning of many long road adventures. Make sure you get yourself to a rally.
I think Montreal is an awesome city and I’m not really a city person. The cathedral in the center is spectacular.
Good times

Thanks andyoutanabout.

Hey all.
The left and right masters were changed for some cute.....things....Ones.
they are cute but I am not quite sold on them yet. With the handlebar's angle they have to be very full so as not to uncover the....hole. Insert the proper words there.
Also there is some clutch drag. Makes finding neutral a real .....I will bleed and see if
Some crack in the plastics, one fairing bumper is missing. The seat looks good. Gas gauge jumps around. I saw a fix somewhere on this forum.
The lenses for the flashers are a bit....dark....
Me? Been around for a while. Ben riding for a while. Here to learn stuff.  Thank

Montreal,

Welcome to the forum!  Pull up a seat, and be among friends.

* I would not hesitate to change the handlebar hydraulics back to stock.  Some have adapted FJR master cylinders, but my stock FJ parts work fine, by me.
* There is a brass bushing in the clutch lever (NOT the lever pivot bolt) that may be worn or disasterized.   That bushing pushes the rod into the brake master cylinder.  If it looks good, lube it.  If not, RPM (see banner at top of this page) has them, without buying a rebuild kit. 
* Now you can get banjo bolts with brake bleeders in them, (~US$15-$20 each); they make it much easier to bleed the hoses at the master cylinders.  You can spend far more on those banjo bleeders, from the wrong shops.
* You can make a slurry of Lego blocks and some solvent (forgot which one) to repair and build up cracks. Plastic welding may be an option there.
* Somebody here is 3D-printing stuff like the fairing bumpers.  Somebody may chime in, on that.
*  Gas gauge bouncing is likely a bad ground, usually at the instrument panel, but maybe at the sensor on the tank.
* Your signal lenses may need cleaning.
* It's a great idea to replace the hydraulic hoses with braided stainless steel lines.  You can get custom kits (RPM, maybe, and other shops).  Any decent hydraulic hose shop can copy what you have now in braided stainless, with colored sheathing for style.  Get the hose ends that pivot, because those hoses do not like twists.  Ride cautiously at first, with these new hydraulic lines.
* Tire age: click the link and scroll down.  The FJ is too heavy and too strong to run on old tires.  After 5~8 years, get a new pair of tires.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11
*  First farkle, IMHO, might be a Tire Pressure Monitoring System.  Who checks their tire pressures, while they are out riding fast on the freeway?  TPMS riders.  Amazon has a bunch.
.

Check. The last owner past on to me the originals. Might need if nothing else some paint.
Check
Modern!
It's acetone. I have made slurry in the past for the GS1100GK. It's the only thing holding it together.
I saw that. I intend to write to him. (Evil world domination laugh)
I saw something about the needle being dampened by oil in a bulb on the back of the instrument. Said oil will evaporate in time....Must investigate further.
Check
The front lines have been changed. I believe the back are original.....We'll see where funds take me.
I checked the tires and they are both 4 years old. The rear valve was probably original. Sigh. The front one (Not an original) will be replace soon. Just because.
I have looked into that in the past. Will look again.

Thank you for all the comments.

What's that?
Oh. That's a Yoshimura calling for attention.

Off of the Web and into the garage I go (Sc... the lawn, another week won't matter)

[red]

That's a Yoshimura calling for attention.

Montreal,

If I was going to repack a muffler these days, I would use a stack of those steel-wire pot-scrubbers.  Each one looks like a balled-up wad of flattened stainless steel wires, with no loose ends.  I believe they would do the job, with sound levels depending on how many were used, and how much each one was expanded (using screwdrivers, not by hand) before installation.  The stainless steel wire is coarse, and should outlast the common steel or glass wool that becomes clogged easily.  They would not be quick to rust, either.

Just a thought . . .
.

[Montreal]

That's a Yoshimura calling for attention.

Montreal,

If I was going to repack a muffler these days, I would use a stack of those steel-wire pot-scrubbers.  Each one looks like a balled-up wad of flattened stainless steel wires, with no loose ends.  I believe they would do the job, with sound levels depending on how many were used, and how much each one was expanded (using screwdrivers, not by hand) before installation.  The stainless steel wire is coarse, and should outlast the common steel or glass wool that becomes clogged easily.  They would not be quick to rust, either.

Just a thought . . .
.

Hey Red.
Thank you for the Interesting idea.

One of my brother has this huge roll of....Stuff. Not sure what it is. Fibreglass, mineral something or other.
It is meant for exhausts. I will be wrapping it in a few layers around the baffle and wire it in place.

The Yoshi use a combination of bolts and rivets. When I am done it will be bolts only.
That will greatly help the next guy (Me) that as to do it again in a few years.

Talking of helping oneself.

I had to remove the tail pipes (So lucky nothing broke which is my normal) as one of the bolts on the left can was chewed up.
All bolts will be going back in with anti-seize.

Of course when I say all bolts I mean the new ones. Who in his right mind re-use a damaged bolt?

[aviationfred]

Welcome to the Forum 

Great looking 89


Fred

[Montreal]

Welcome to the Forum 

Great looking 89


Fred

Thank you, it needs a bit of affection but she is in a good place to start.