Texas FJ1200

[SpiderFJ1200]

Robert,

If you do not have metal valve stems, I would recommend them strongly.  Old rubber valve stems can crack, and maybe let the air out only when riding.

Even if you have metal valve stems, now that I have a TPMS, I consider that item as required safety equipment.  Whether internal or external (valve cap sensors), they can report tire temperatures and pressures.  You can set the alarm limits as you see fit.  I have the valve cap sensors; I also have T-valve stems, so I can add air without removing the sensor-cap.  You want an indicator at the handlebars which you can read in sunlight, with an audio alarm that you can hear when riding.  Make sure the sensors have batteries that you can replace; don't buy the throw-away sensors.  It's great to inflate tires while watching the air pressure increase at the TPMS display.

I mean, who routinely checks their tire pressures when riding on the freeway, and before leaving any driveway?  TPMS riders.

I didn't even know those things existed for motorcycles. I'll have to invest in one. Thanks for all the tips. I normally do check tire pressure periodically, like every other stop or so. The compressor does have a gauge on it, but it was in the trunk of my roommate's car, and she got home from work while I was out, so I lacked that option when I left. I'm really sore today, but its a good kind of pain. Torn muscles repair back stronger.

[Flynt]

Wow

++

If those things are so hard you can ride on them with no air pressure, I'd take them off before riding on them again...  I had some Bridgestones that almost kept shape when flat, but you sure couldn't ride on them.  Your tires must be made of marble... meaning they won't stay under you reliably.  I'd get new or newer tires on there asap...  just putting air in those rocks is probably only making them worse.

Frank

[SpiderFJ1200]

Something else interesting about this bike. It's VIN number isn't recognized by Yamaha. That scared me at first, thinking maybe the bike was stolen and then reworked. But numbers seem to match across the board. The title, VIN tag on the front under the triple tree, the stamp on the front right frame brace, and motor # all match. None of it looks newly stamped or placed. Nor have I run into any issues with the inspection and registration. Starts JYA3SKE07LA...

[SpiderFJ1200]

Wow

++

If those things are so hard you can ride on them with no air pressure, I'd take them off before riding on them again...  I had some Bridgestones that almost kept shape when flat, but you sure couldn't ride on them.  Your tires must be made of marble... meaning they won't stay under you reliably.  I'd get new or newer tires on there asap...  just putting air in those rocks is probably only making them worse.

Frank

Yeah, I was scratching my head about that one too. Pirelli Demon on the front, Dunlop D401 (Harley Davidson) on the rear. I detest Dunlop tires because of H-D. Had a mechanic call a bike with 23k miles on it "high mileage". My Ducati had over 100k and you could still see cross threading on the cylinder walls. The fellow in Austin my brother bought it from put that on it. I bought it from my brother a year later. Was a bit much bike for him being a new rider.

[red]

If those things are so hard you can ride on them with no air pressure, I'd take them off before riding on them again...  I had some Bridgestones that almost kept shape when flat, but you sure couldn't ride on them.  Your tires must be made of marble... meaning they won't stay under you reliably.  I'd get new or newer tires on there asap...  just putting air in those rocks is probably only making them worse.
Frank

SpiderFJ1200,

As tires get old, they get hard.  They can crack and split.  I believe that for a strong heavy bike like the FJ, tires are DONE after five to seven years, no matter about any remaining tread.  If your tires are old, replace them before they damage you.

Tire age decoder (click the link and scroll down)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?te

[SpiderFJ1200]

If those things are so hard you can ride on them with no air pressure, I'd take them off before riding on them again...  I had some Bridgestones that almost kept shape when flat, but you sure couldn't ride on them.  Your tires must be made of marble... meaning they won't stay under you reliably.  I'd get new or newer tires on there asap...  just putting air in those rocks is probably only making them worse.
Frank

SpiderFJ1200,

As tires get old, they get hard.  They can crack and split.  I believe that for a strong heavy bike like the FJ, tires are DONE after five to seven years, no matter about any remaining tread.  If your tires are old, replace them before they damage you.

Tire age decoder (click the link and scroll down)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?te

This potentially saved my life. I have put stupid amounts of mileage on many a tire, usually no less than 36k a year, so it never crossed my mind that the tires could be past their "best by" date. I don't intend to get back on the FJ until I have new tires. They were front/rear 3214 and 3614 respectively.

[ribbert]

Robert,

If you do not have metal valve stems, I would recommend them strongly.  Old rubber valve stems can crack, and maybe let the air out only when riding.

Even if you have metal valve stems, now that I have a TPMS, I consider that item as required safety equipment.  Whether internal or external (valve cap sensors), they can report tire temperatures and pressures.  You can set the alarm limits as you see fit.  I have the valve cap sensors; I also have T-valve stems, so I can add air without removing the sensor-cap.  You want an indicator at the handlebars which you can read in sunlight, with an audio alarm that you can hear when riding.  

At the time this photo was taken I was going through 2 sets of tyres a year and replacing the valve stem each time. I only used the valve for adding air, not checking pressures, and always supported it from the back when doing so. Even if the tyre guy forgot last tyre change, this would still make it only 9 mths old. He imports them from Italy himself and pays twice as much as the Chinese ones. I suspect the tyre fitter has picked up a discarded valve in error. Anyway, my TPMS alert started flashing as I was about to enter a sweeper at 140 kph, by the time I pulled up it was dead flat, there is no way I could have made that bend at the rate the tyre deflated.

I have been spruiking the benefits of TPMS here for years, it has saved me time after time. It has on many occasions alerted me to a rapidly deflating tyre thus giving me the option to pull over somewhere more suited to safely and comfortably  carry out a repair, rather than right where you happen to pull up after it's gone flat. It has let me continue riding (slowly) to a township with proper facilities on a tyre too damaged to repair roadside by monitoring pressure and re inflating at appropriate intervals, such as 7 plugs and still leaking, a stick through my tyre too big to plug ( I left the stick in, cut the end off, poured glue around it and rode slowly) and the valve stem pictured above. On one occasion it gave me the chance to return to the town I'd just left and fix my tyre at a service station, under cover on a concrete apron rather than in the mud on the side of the road in the pouring rain, a totally different experience. As Red said, you can check your tyre pressures before each ride, and, hundreds of times throughout the ride. It's also confidence inspiring knowing your tyre pressures are right.

You can lose a lot of air while travelling straight before it becomes obvious but try throwing it into a corner with a half flat tyre!

As for type, many of the choices have cool looking displays with all sorts of info, stylised bikes and other graphics, small or fine readout and all have the same problem, difficult to read at a glance on the road, at speed or in full sun. A few even have to be toggled between front and rear and I believe the Garmin GPS system isn't a constant display, you have to change pages to see tyre pressures but the alarm will override the display.

Simple, bold, uncluttered and permanent display is what you want.

TPMS has saved my arse so many times I have it on both bikes and would never own another bike with it.

Highly recommended by me, and y'all know how much weight that carries around here. 

Noel

PS: Don't forget the compressor. I have just upgraded and down sized mine, these are widely used and recommended by the adventure bike groups, heaps of first hand reviews. Beware though, most small compressors are rubbish.

[red]

As tires get old, they get hard.  They can crack and split.  I believe that for a strong heavy bike like the FJ, tires are DONE after five to seven years, no matter about any remaining tread.  If your tires are old, replace them before they damage you.
Tire age decoder (click the link and scroll down)
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?te

This potentially saved my life. I have put stupid amounts of mileage on many a tire, usually no less than 36k a year, so it never crossed my mind that the tires could be past their "best by" date. I don't intend to get back on the FJ until I have new tires. They were front/rear 3214 and 3614 respectively.

Robert,
Happy to hear that, and happy to help.  It was the experienced riders who have kept me in one piece, so far.    Just paying it forward, here.

As for valve stems, rubber/metal valve stems are no improvement.  The rubber still gets old; then they crack and leak.  See pix.
You can get all-metal valve stems: straight, angled, and T-shaped, with no rubber involved (except the sealing ring gasket).  Pick the metal valve stems which use common O-rings as sealing gaskets, not the special shaped gaskets that you can not replace at the auto parts store.

[SpiderFJ1200]

So, I've replaced the tires and done some other little things to my FJ1200 3CV. Right now I'm looking for new brake pads. My question though, is I know the calipers are not stock, and I don't know what they came off of, so I don't know what kind of pads I need. Anyone able to identify those gold/blue calipers and have a recommendation for brake pads? Thanks all.

[aviationfred]

So, I've replaced the tires and done some other little things to my FJ1200 3CV. Right now I'm looking for new brake pads. My question though, is I know the calipers are not stock, and I don't know what they came off of, so I don't know what kind of pads I need. Anyone able to identify those gold/blue calipers and have a recommendation for brake pads? Thanks all.

These pads should work very well for you.

http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=M%2FC%3AFA252HH&cat=39


Fred

[Millietant]

So, I've replaced the tires and done some other little things to my FJ1200 3CV. Right now I'm looking for new brake pads. My question though, is I know the calipers are not stock, and I don't know what they came off of, so I don't know what kind of pads I need. Anyone able to identify those gold/blue calipers and have a recommendation for brake pads? Thanks all.

These pads should work very well for you.

http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=M%2FC%3AFA252HH&cat=39

Fred

[SpiderFJ1200]

So, I've replaced the tires and done some other little things to my FJ1200 3CV. Right now I'm looking for new brake pads. My question though, is I know the calipers are not stock, and I don't know what they came off of, so I don't know what kind of pads I need. Anyone able to identify those gold/blue calipers and have a recommendation for brake pads? Thanks all.

These pads should work very well for you.

http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=M%2FC%3AFA252HH&cat=39


Fred

Cool. Thank you. I've read that I shouldn't use sintered pads with the stock rotors. Have any information in that regard?

[SpiderFJ1200]

https://ibb.co/PrXHD2v
Image isn't loading for me, but...

I'm looking for a replacement part. Looks like a cover for the timing / distributor.

[RPM - Robert]

Here you go

Timing cover

Timing cover gasket

[SpiderFJ1200]

So, I've replaced the tires and done some other little things to my FJ1200 3CV. Right now I'm looking for new brake pads. My question though, is I know the calipers are not stock, and I don't know what they came off of, so I don't know what kind of pads I need. Anyone able to identify those gold/blue calipers and have a recommendation for brake pads? Thanks all.

These pads should work very well for you.

http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=M%2FC%3AFA252HH&cat=39

I need some details, please. These pads are for the front? The rear pistons are gold, the front are blue. I need pads for both front and rear, but I don't know what brake calipers are on my bike. I'll be doing pads this month of July.


Fred