Greetings from sunny Portugal! (via cloudly Ireland)

[FJ_Hooligan]

Here's a picture of my 1985 FJ1100 with 60,000 miles on it.



How many "upgrades" can you spot?  Do they detract from the bike's look?

The modifications that you can see in this picture make the FJ an infinitely better performing bike over the stock components.  

The mods you cannot see make it even better still.

[FJmonkey]

Lets let Carlos answer first on this.

[vitorino]

hi, FJ_Hooligan

for my "FJ-newbie" eyes your FJ 1100 looks very "clean"/"stock"/original :-)

your "modding" is my kind of style to be honest - the only thing I personally perhaps wouldn't do would be the painted wheels (red) and brake (rotors?) (blue) as they both don't look "stock"/"period" enough - other than that it's fantastic - congratulations! I wish my FJ 1100 will be like yours when it "grows up" :-)

I also see you have the facilities (garage) and most likely enough know-how to upgrade your bike to better performant parts; which I unfortunately don't have (neither); also, my funds aren't exactly unlimited

regards

[FJ_Hooligan]

Start small and do what you can afford.

What you can see, starting from the front:

17 inch Michelin Pilot Power tire on a 1989 FJ 17 inch front wheel
!989 FJ brake rotors, painted black instead of the stock gold color
1989 FJ fork sliders (powdercoated)
No anti-dive valves (more of a deletion but still an improvement mod)
Yamaha monoblock brake calipers
Russell stainless steel brake lines
Triumph fork protectors
RPM oil cooler
Rentec engine bars
Stainless steel allen-head engine bolts
Corbin Gunfighter and Lady seat
17 inch Michelin Road 5 tire on a YZF 600 rear wheel
Hyperlites.  Flashing LED brake lights

What you can't see, again starting from the front:

RPM fork valves
Straight rate fork springs
Headlight relay mod
Dyna ignition, coils and plug wires
Wiseco 1188cc piston kit
Falicon slotted cam sprockets (to degree the cams)
Kibblewhite stainless steel valves
RPM ND solid state voltage regulator
DynoJet carb kit
UNI stock replacement air filter
Power distribution panel
Ground block
Penske Sport Shock
Petcock safety wired (check yours NOW)
Alternator "red" connector replaced (check yours NOW)

As for the powdercoated wheels.  I don't care for preserving a "period look" as I think the FJ has a timeless beauty that rivals any "modern" bike.

You appear to have found a gem of an FJ.  Good luck with it and don't hesitate to ask these guys for help.

[Pat Conlon]

.....I think the FJ has a timeless beauty that rivals any "modern" bike.....

Very true!

[X-Ray]

Beautiful 1100 Carlos, you will enjoy this bike.

I finally got a nice 1100 from a mate here in Australia, has had all the bodywork painted, although I have to paint the frame/engine/swingarm/wheels etc. Will be keeping this one original apart from putting on the braided lines that came with the bike. Actually you reminded me I have not put up any details of this bike on the forum yet, will have to do that. 

[Waiex191]

.....I think the FJ has a timeless beauty that rivals any "modern" bike.....

Very true!

I don't care for the looks of the modern bikes.  And though I like my '89, I like the look of the old red and white FJ1100s better.  I tend to like to keep my bikes (and cars) stock, but I can see the appeal of upgrading an old 1100 with '89 an front end.  And I love the new blue spots I've got. 

All you guys putting on USD forks and bigger wheels, that's cool and all but for myself I don't see the need.  Especially here in Illinois where we don't have corners.

[vitorino]

hi, X-Ray

thanks

yours looks pretty cool too - they're probably in better shape "down there" because of the dry weather

in Portugal - in my coastal area, however it's very humid and the the air has the "sea salt in it", sort to speak - so rust is a public enemy here

Waiex191: I agree with you, although I would define a clear line between "show-off"/all-out modding and "hidden"/mechanical modding - I of course, respect everyone and beauty is subjective, as we all know

for example, taking the original decals and paint off a Ducati 900 SS and applying the decals and paint of a Ducati Panigale V4 R

or putting a BMW R1200GS headlight into a BMW R80 GS Paris Dakar

or taking a vintage bike and transforming it into a so-called "cafe racer"

that doesn't fit into my personal taste, but each to their own

regards

[rlucas]

  Especially here in Illinois where we don't have corners.

You're not looking hard enough. Come downstate a couple miles - I'm just south of Princeton. Plenty of curves if you know where to look.

Of course, the road surfaces suck, but you can't have everything (at least, not around here...)


rossi

[Waiex191]

  Especially here in Illinois where we don't have corners.

You're not looking hard enough. Come downstate a couple miles - I'm just south of Princeton. Plenty of curves if you know where to look.

Of course, the road surfaces suck, but you can't have everything (at least, not around here...)


rossi

Interesting!  I grew up in Connecticut where the roads were designed by livestock, and then paved over later.  When a road is designated north, south, east, or west it is just an indication of the general direction over a hundred miles or so - even the highways.

[Millietant]

I've been spending around 3-4 months of each year in Connecticut and must admit that I think the roads around there are generally superb.......as long as they're not wet !!!!

Lots of twisty bits and hills and valleys 

[Millietant]

hi, X-Ray

thanks

yours looks pretty cool too - they're probably in better shape "down there" because of the dry weather

in Portugal - in my coastal area, however it's very humid and the the air has the "sea salt in it", sort to speak - so rust is a public enemy here

Waiex191: I agree with you, although I would define a clear line between "show-off"/all-out modding and "hidden"/mechanical modding - I of course, respect everyone and beauty is subjective, as we all know

for example, taking the original decals and paint off a Ducati 900 SS and applying the decals and paint of a Ducati Panigale V4 R

or putting a BMW R1200GS headlight into a BMW R80 GS Paris Dakar

or taking a vintage bike and transforming it into a so-called "cafe racer"

that doesn't fit into my personal taste, but each to their own

regards

I agree in general Carlos.........It pleases me no end that mostr people don't even notice that it's been modified.....if they think it looks like it came from the factory that way, then I'm happy.

[vitorino]

Millietant: here, here :-)
your FJ 1200 looks amazing btw

in Portugal there's at least 2 private institutions (https://fiva.org/en/ members) that are Government-sanctioned to certify historical/classical cars and motorcycles

you contact them, pay their fee ($69) and they'll schedule a full inspection to your classical car or motorcycle, certifying its originality and state of conservation - the perks being a proper Certificate and an certification plate (valid between 4 and 10 years, depending on the age of the vehicle), as well as being exempt from Government yearly inspections (bikes are exempt anyway) and being able to drive/ride in city center areas which are "hands-off" for cars/bikes over a certain age (anti-pollution laws)

I think on such certification inspections, depending on the strictness of the technicians, they could easily "flunk" your bike if it clearly has parts that shouldn't belong (those guys aren't regular Joes but rather true Connoisseurs)

I don't intend to do that certification because I don't see any real benefits for me, so I'm good to upgrade "hidden" mechanical parts with non-OEM if it needs to be :-)

regards

[Millietant]

Thanks Carlos - she's not perfect (the photo makes her look better than she is), with a few signs of 30 years and 80,000 miles (130,000 kms) of use......but I do love her 

We have annual Govt Safety tests and inspections every year here for bikes once they are over 3 years old. They're mandatory, we can't choose not to have them. Every tester has noted the changes I've made to the bike and every one of them has commented on the improvement over standard (especially the brakes) - and as required by our laws, I've notified and had approval for all of my modifications from my insurance company before they issued cover. There's no sense in taking unnecessary risks 

[vitorino]

Millietant: when it's the law, it's the law :-)

I remember back in the day when I was part of a local motorcycle club - when we went out on group rides some guys would put a Portuguese flag on the back, to cover some numbers of the license plate; others would bend the license plate in half (upwards) to completely cover the numbers; while one "Mr. Gadget" had a power system made with a windshield wiper motor on the license plate to which at a push of a button on the handlebar the license plate would go up (and then down if the cops were in the proximity)

all of that to be able to speed on the highway beyond the speed limit (75 mph)... some 161+ mph; and also not to pay the highway toll (we have special gateless corridors on tolls so you don't have to stop, but you need to have an electronic transponder that's connected to your debit card, so everytime you make a pass it automatically deducts the toll fee on your card; nevertheless you need to reduce your speed to 37 mph, while they passed the corridor at 124+ mph...)

I was never like that nor liked to be an "outlaw"... I was always one of the last guys in the group ride, always abidding by the speed limits and cruising in a relaxed way; always paid my tolls and my license plate was fully visible

our Government has been threatning to introduce mandatory yearly inspections for motorcycles since 2016, but so far it hasn't made into law yet, as the test centers (the same ones that cars go) aren't yet prepared for bikes... but I think sooner or later they will make it mandatory for bikes, not for the safety but for the extra income €€€€

so right now for bikes you only need:

- your driver's license
- bike registration
- mandatory 3rd-party insurance
- road tax (bikes pre-1991 are exempt)

regards