Convince me to keep my FJ!

[Millietant]

Here you go Dan, here a few photo's - I can get more if you need them

[captaudi]

Thanks Dean,

Looks like I only have the mounting hardware. I do not have the "hockey sticks", so off to eBay I will go. I would like to include the option of a K2 top box, do you remember if this was a separate bike specific kit? Or is it Krauser generic once the side case brackets are installed? Unfortunately K2 stuff is rare in the US. The funny thing is, if if I type in eBay.co.uk to look what might be available, it re-directs me to eBay.com. I don't know if this is a change, I used to buy 80's Audi parts from the UK all the time.

Are you willing when you have time to get a shot of the top case mounting? As always this is hugely appreciated. When I bring the bike and all of my other belongings to my new residence in a couple weeks it will be full steam ahead.

Thanks again,

Dan

[Millietant]

To be honest Dan, I'm not sure if the top box mounting hardware is FJ specific, but from the look of it, I'd say it's not, it's just a generic one-size-fits-all arrangement.

The underside of the rack has slots which mount to the arm link plates, so it's very adjustable for width. Perhaps for some bikes, the arm link plates may be taller, but the ones on my FJ are exactly the same size as the ones I got in the mounting kit for my wife's VF 750 F Interceptor.

I'll get some photo's as soon as I can and will post them up on here.

[Millietant]

Before you start trawling EBay Dan, I'll pop the panels off my bike and get some detail photos.

I didn't actually get the the long bar that's shown on the Krauser sheet (that might be what you're calling the hockey stick) in the kits for either of my FJ's that have had K2's on them.

Hopefully you'll be able to fit it with what parts you have.

[Millietant]

Here you go Dan, I hope these photo's help 

[Millietant]

and a couple more !

[captaudi]

All right everyone,

The Fj is home! Multiple parts ordered, more to order yet. The slave decided to puke its guts over the winter, bead blasting and paint is in order. I found the Krauser parts, I will attempt to post a picture this weekend. For the moment here she is. Not bad for 28 yrs old and 88,000 miles. If I screw up posting the picture, sorry first time I have posted a picture to this forum.

Dan

[captaudi]

Well, I had a slight oopsie. After 33 years and around 600k on bikes, I went down. No damage to me other than a seriously bruised ego, a weekend with a 4"buffer and if I can find it a replacement r/s air scoop with put it all right. I was riding home from work at 1:00 AM and I was cooking, came up to my normal right hander a little hotter than normal. When I went to bang down two gears I must not have unloaded the gearbox enough (I don't clutch), it just did not downshift. By the time I got on the binders I was probably 30-40 yards later than normal. I turned anyway (mistake I could have gone straight), the bike went wide. At the last second the front tire touched the shoulder I went onto grass. The tire dug in and I high sided at about 15MPH. I tucked and rolled and the bike landed on the grass. Lots of lessons to learn the biggest being LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO! I got frazzled and looked at the grass, so I went there. There is not a bought on my mind if I had looked to the inside I would have been fine. I submit one picture for your viewing pleasure.

A very much bruised ego, Dan

[Ted Schefelbein]

Coulda' been way worse. The bike didn't do anything wrong.

Get back on the horse that bucked you, brother. Let us know how it goes.

Ted

[Pat Conlon]

Welcome to the human race. Forgive yourself, learn a lesson, clean her up and keep riding. Shit happens.

Beware, the heebie jeebies are normal on your next couple of rides. Don't freak.

Cheers.   Pat

[fj1289]

Those that have and those that will (and most will again!)

Glad you are OK and the bike fared well

[Millietant]

It sounds like you have the right approach Dan, looking at how you acted/reacted to the situation and learning from it. 

Target fixation is all too common in crash situations - i found the best solution was track riding/instruction which helped me get over it for the most part, but riding at night, with headlights providing visibility, that makes it much harder to avoid just looking where the light shines and to look where you want to go.

Hopefully you get the bike repaired quickly and you get back out there to gain your confidence back.

But seriously, I'd advise all Road riders to get at least some track instruction, it helps you get used to things at higher speeds and gets you used to looking where you want to go, rather than fixating on what's in front of you 

[Motofun]

But seriously, I'd advise all Road riders to get at least some track instruction, it helps you get used to things at higher speeds and gets you used to looking where you want to go, rather than fixating on what's in front of you 

I second this.  I've been coaching with N2 for the last 6 years.  In addition to the many riding skills to be learned on the track another benefit to us speed junkies is that you get that out of your system in the relatively safe space of the track.  I don't often find the need to get silly on the street anymore. 

[captaudi]

Well, the heebie  jeebies are spot on. After a couple weeks I cleaned up the old girl and went for ride. Just felt "odd", I did bend the muffler bracket in slightly causing contact with the swingerarm under full compression, easy fix. I found a set of the Krauser "hockey sticks" on eBay.co.uk. The seller was fantastic, he had them listed individually. I messaged him and enquired about the pair and shipping to the US. He took down the adds and relisted as a single add with the shipping cost as it would have been for one. Even better, the buy it now was 1.5x the cost of one! The parts arrived and they are in near perfect condition for used parts. Turn signals are perfect and don't even have cut wires. I can not say enough about the seller "witneybikebreakers", best eBay experience to date.

Well, now the question is do I straighten the exhaust on the FJ? Or do I work on re-jetting the Weber's on my Porsche 914? Either way, looks like its going to be a good day.

Have a great day all, and ride safe.

Dan