Differences Between an '85 and an '87

[FJ1100mjk]

Hello:

I just picked up an '87 FJ1200 tonight to go along with my '85 FJ1100 that I bought this past spring. Although the '87 hasn't run in the last three years, it has a lot of potential, and came with some good accessories (Corbin, V&H exhaust, nice bar-end mirrors...), and was hard to pass up for the price, even if it doesn't run right now.

While I contemplate my strategy on the '87's resurrection, I wonder if anyone can tell me the differences between the two model years, outside of the plastics.

Thanks.
Marty

[Arnie]

Well, aside from the head fairing and paint, the tank is slightly different and the fuel tank cap completely different.  There's also the decals that proclaim it to be a 1200 instead of 1100.
Oh yeah, there's also the item of it being a 1188cc engine instead of 1097cc.

Arnie

[Travis398]

3 bolt alternator 

[Pat Conlon]

I'm going by memory here....Starting in '86, didn't Yamaha replace those stupid grease bushings in the swing arm linkage, with proper needle bearings....?

[tqmx1]

The rear subframe, It was all changed in 86 to incorporate the latter hand rails. Lots of small changes (the fuel valve was not one of them) to improve the bike over the 1100s.

[FJmonkey]

Hello:

I just picked up an '87 FJ1200 tonight to go along with my '85 FJ1100 that I bought this past spring. Although the '87 hasn't run in the last three years, it has a lot of potential, and came with some good accessories (Corbin, V&H exhaust, nice bar-end mirrors...), and was hard to pass up for the price, even if it doesn't run right now.

While I contemplate my strategy on the '87's resurrection, I wonder if anyone can tell me the differences between the two model years, outside of the plastics.

Thanks.
Marty

The 86/87 was the best looking and performing years. The other years may be newer with some stock upgrades but Yamaha had to do something new each year even if they had a perfect bike...The others years are 86/87 hybrids....

[FJ1100mjk]

Guys:

Thanks for all of the feedback on the differences of the '87 vs. the '85.

I will post a pic of the '87 sometime after Wednesday when I get it home.

Marty

[FJmonkey]

I'm going by memory here....Starting in '86, didn't Yamaha replace those stupid grease bushings in the swing arm linkage, with proper needle bearings....?

Kind of late on this one. Pat, did you mean that 86' has the needle barrings? Cuz my stock 86' has them...fell a part when I took the swing arm off to upgrade to a 17".

[Pat Conlon]

I'm going by memory here....Starting in '86, didn't Yamaha replace those stupid grease bushings in the swing arm linkage, with proper needle bearings....?

Kind of late on this one. Pat, did you mean that 86' has the needle barrings? Cuz my stock 86' has them...fell a part when I took the swing arm off to upgrade to a 17".

Yep, that's what I meant when I said, "starting in '86...." IOW the 84/85's had the grease bushings, '86+ the needle bearings...

That would be one difference between a '85 and a '87 which was the OP's question...'

[FJ1100mjk]

I can attest to the '85 as having the bushings in the shock's linkage. I took that all apart and cleaned and lubed them.

Will be doing the same to the 87's needle bearings when I get that far on it.

Thanks again.

[FJmonkey]

I can attest to the '85 as having the bushings in the shock's linkage. I took that all apart and cleaned and lubed them.

Will be doing the same to the 87's needle bearings when I get that far on it.

Thanks again.

When you get to that point of taking things apart, have some spare bearings and a tool to push then in/out. Two of mine fell to bits when I took the swing arm and shock linkage assembly off. They are an UN-useual size so finding them took a week or more from my local bearing house. I have few extra of the larger and smaller bearings if anyone is interested.