New member and repeat FJ owner

[FJ12Rider]

Hello from the Pacific Northwest.

My first FJ was a 1985 purchased new. The sales guy at the Glendale, AZ Yamaha dealer was threatening to force me to buy it before I wore it out, because I was in the dealer sitting on and drooling all over it so often. I finally gave in and never regretted it.

Before my 85' FJ I owned a 1984 Honda Goldwing that I toured Western Canada and the Rocky Mountain states on for several months and prior to that I had an 82' Suzuki GS1100e. Before that I was a dirt rider (Yamaha...of course, Penton (KTM??) and Husky) and only experienced a few street bikes my friends owned (Yam RD350...wow!, Hon CB750's and some early DP bikes).

My current ride is a 1991 FJ12 rat bike that brings me back to riding after a 25 year hiatus. I bought it a few summers ago as cheap/reliable transportation after it had been wrecked on the freeway and poorly pieced back together by the previous owner. It was bad and I don't think any external part came out of it unscathed. Despite its sad, prior history I ride it regularly (was a daily commuter in the Seattle liquid sunshine for nearly a year) and  true to FJ form, it is reliable and has never let me down. I am ever so slowly piecing her back together as funding allows. I'm hoping to get the upper fairing replaced as soon as possible, but the plastic ain't cheap. This week's project is a Barnett clutch kit that should take care of the slipping issue.

It's taken me a while to get registered, but I'm glad I finally did. I'm looking forward to swapping info and stories with other FJ owners.

[rktmanfj]

Nice intro...

I hope you're only using the Barnett pressure plate with stock frictions, otherwise you may not be very happy with it.

Randy T
Indy

[FJ12Rider]

Thanks.

Thanks for the reply and sorry for the confusion. I'll actually be installing the Barnett Conversion Spring Kit to convert the diaphragm spring to six coil springs, not an actual clutch kit. My bad.

[racerman_27410]

Welcome to the group !


nice introduction and we're here for ya!



I had the barnett conversion and TBH i prefer the doubled up stock spring... dont use the barnett kevlar plates..... neutral will be lost forever.


KOokaloo!   

[FJ12Rider]

Howdy racerman and thanks. I heard about the doubled-up spring but thought the Barnett replacement springs might have been a better option. Maybe I shoulda' gone the "cheaper" route. I'll respond with the results as soon as its installed. What were your issues with the barnett solution that made you go to the double springs?

I'm also planning on using only stock pressure/friction plates. Any concerns going that direction?

Also, what oil do you find works best. I've been using Castrol GTX 20/50 as I did in my 85' and it seems to work well.

[racerman_27410]

both the doubled up spring and the barnett conversion lock up the clutch good n tight ...... seems to me the doubled up spring has slightly better engagement (smoother ?)

i still have the barnett in one engine  and brutus is running the doubled up spring.


definitely stay with the stock frictions and steels.


Kookaloo!


Frank

[Dan Filetti]

Ragarding oil, I used GTX in my Gixxer for exactly 1 ride.  I got back from that ride and drained the GTX and put in, and have been using exclusively since; Shell Rotella T 5W40 full synthetic.  They just changed the branding to, I think it's "T6" now.  Still the gear shifting was literally terrible in the gixxer with the GTX, and 100% better with the Rotella.  The nice thing is it can be bought at everyone's favorite local Walmart [Wally World] for $19 per gallon.

In other bikes, I had used GTX with decent luck, but the Gixxer does not like the stuff at all.

Dan

[racerrad8]

Howdy racerman and thanks. I heard about the doubled-up spring but thought the Barnett replacement springs might have been a better option. Maybe I shoulda' gone the "cheaper" route. I'll respond with the results as soon as its installed. What were your issues with the barnett solution that made you go to the double springs?

I'm also planning on using only stock pressure/friction plates. Any concerns going that direction?

Also, what oil do you find works best. I've been using Castrol GTX 20/50 as I did in my 85' and it seems to work well.

Here is some good reading on clutches in the "Files" section;  http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?board=51.0

Randy - RPM

[FJ12Rider]

Thanks everyone for the info. It's good to hear from and read about so many with the same FJ Fever I've had since 1985.    Now if I could just figure out how to get a pristine 85' to park nxt to my rat bike......

[SlowOldGuy]

Now if I could just figure out how to get a pristine 85' to park nxt to my rat bike......

I have one, but it's not for sale.  :-)

DavidR.

[FJ12Rider]

LOL, nice. Loved my 85'