RPM Parts Update

[The General]

errr... Randy (Mate, Buddy, Pal)  . You do realise that downunder is a totally different environment. Apart from lush forests, painfull twisting roads, particularly in our Alpine country, a little rain and a few bushfires in tha middle of summer... we also ride on the left hand side of the road most of tha time. We have black soil country where the roads kinda waver over time. We have Red soil country with moving bumps..some with long tails! Have you run the shock upside down?...NO! ...I think you really need tha finished product (preferably 2) to be thoroughly tested here in Oz. ...to be fair, I would put it to the previous Rally committee for deliberation on who should do the testing. 

Great idea Doug. Randy, if you haven't already shipped the 4 pilot jets that I've ordered, you could slip a new R.P.M shock ( to suit an '85 thanks) into the package and I'd be more than happy to test it for you. If you could get it here before the middle of May I could fit it just in time for my trip out to Broken Hill. Some really good testing conditions out that way. Good mix of sealed and dirt roads. More than happy to help you out.  Regards, Pete.   

Wow!... that would take in the ocean twisties at Pacific water levels. Then up over your mountainous high country with all those twisties of the Alpine Way, (Yep the Great Snowy Mountains) then...wayyyyy out back to dry, Hot, "BROKEN everything HILL"....and BACK AGAIN!!.... I don`t know any shock that would satisfy all those variables.   

[oldktmdude]

errr... Randy (Mate, Buddy, Pal)  . You do realise that downunder is a totally different environment. Apart from lush forests, painfull twisting roads, particularly in our Alpine country, a little rain and a few bushfires in tha middle of summer... we also ride on the left hand side of the road most of tha time. We have black soil country where the roads kinda waver over time. We have Red soil country with moving bumps..some with long tails! Have you run the shock upside down?...NO! ...I think you really need tha finished product (preferably 2) to be thoroughly tested here in Oz. ...to be fair, I would put it to the previous Rally committee for deliberation on who should do the testing. 

Great idea Doug. Randy, if you haven't already shipped the 4 pilot jets that I've ordered, you could slip a new R.P.M shock ( to suit an '85 thanks) into the package and I'd be more than happy to test it for you. If you could get it here before the middle of May I could fit it just in time for my trip out to Broken Hill. Some really good testing conditions out that way. Good mix of sealed and dirt roads. More than happy to help you out.  Regards, Pete.   

Wow!... that would take in the ocean twisties at Pacific water levels. Then up over your mountainous high country with all those twisties of the Alpine Way, (Yep the Great Snowy Mountains) then...wayyyyy out back to dry, Hot, "BROKEN everything HILL"....and BACK AGAIN!!.... I don`t know any shock that would satisfy all those variables.   

I like the way you think Doug.

[racerrad8]

General wondering...the opening for the fork tubes looks...elliptical/oval?!? Is that just the picture or is there a reason for this?  The previous brace looked rounder if memory serves.

Well,

the first production run of the fork brace as well as reported issues with other brands of fork braces I addressed the clamping portion in the redesign. The lower fork sliders are not a machined surface where the clamp mounts, they are sanded on a belt sander. This means they are anything but round or consistent is the outside diameter.

So, a few of the original fork braces were returned by customers as when they were mounted they would crimp the upper bushing and cause binding. So, we looked and several different mountings to allow for effective clamping and eliminate the crimping.

We found the biggest pressure point of the clamping force was found at the two parting lines. So, we opened up that portion of the brace to spread the clamping load over more of the slider and eliminate the pinching. The hole is not oval, it is only clearanced at the parting lines of the brace.

It is just another evolution of design that I needed to look at to have the best product on the market and to allow every FJ owner to bolt it on without having to do any modifications.

Randy - RPM

[nurse]

And now I know!  Cheers Randy!

[aviationfred]

Received the Gen II Fork Brace today. Thank You Randy, It looks GREAT. Hopefully I will have the bike back very soon to install it. 

Fred

[racerrad8]

A couple of parts updates from my convalescence bed...

Evan from Racetech Electronics is having supply issues for the FJ regulator, so after several months of discussion we determined it would be the best for the time being that I buy the Electrosport regulator. They are now back into the stock. Evan is working with suppliers trying to nail down the IC chip used for the regulator as the one previously used has been discontinued by the manufacture.

So, they are back in stock and I was able to work out a 10% discount on the them but I had to add the shipping cost into each one. So instead of the ES list price of $86.00 I am selling them for $78.99.

FJ Voltage Regulator

The oil filter adapters have also had a couple of small changes. First, the machine shop I have been using for almost 20 years closed there doors on 4/1. I have found a new machine shop for them and they are now back in stock. I have been able to hold the price of the adapter for the last 5-6 years, but the price has gone up by $3.00.

I also made some changes to the adapter regarding the fitment of the small K&N filters. The outer holes were moved closer to the center by .030" for a combined .060" to make sure there is no issue sealing the gasket. There was never a problem with any of the close to 1000 of these I have sold over the years, but since the new machine shop was making them I made the change to eliminate the worries of some purchasers.

RPM Spin-on Oil Filter Conversion

I hope to have some good news on the exhaust and rear shock once I get back to the shop in a couple weeks. Believe me, with all of this "extra" time I have recovering from surgery there will be many phone calls and emails getting these products to the market.

Randy - RPM

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

I have recovering from surgery .

Randy - RPM

I missed something.. what surgery?
Mike

[Pat Conlon]

Knee surgery.... Look at Randy's 'Bump in the Road' post.

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Thanks Pat. I was hoping vasectomy or some other enhancement. I will check that post, glad it was not something more serious.
Mike

[racerrad8]

Well, spring has sprung here is the US...but as I say that is it raining here at the shop in northern California at the moment.

There is progress on the rear shock and the first round is on the bench being built. Hopefully sometime in the next week or so they will be headed to me. I do not have the final price nailed down yet as they need to get hem built to determine the time frame they need. They told me after they get a few built he will have the price ready for me.



The newest version of the RPM shirt is now online as well.
RPM T-Shirt

I just got off of the phone with the exhaust company and the process is still in the works. Now we are trying to figure out several other details. I will have demo systems at the WCR.

Things are coming in daily, new ideas are being looked at and some parts are being made since they are no longer available from Yamaha.

Keep in mind and I have been noticing more & more of this. I put an item in stock, I then sell it. I reorder and the part is now no longer available. For instance I have been buying the dark violet fender now for a year and sold 6 of them, I order another yesterday and they are no longer available. The right fairing protector for the 86-88 is also no longer available either, I ordered sold them all.

The parts from Yamaha specifically for the FJ are going out of stock as I buy them and just because I have this one week doesn't mean there will be another, it could be the last one. And for those who have not learned yet, websites like Boats.net, Partzilla and others that show parts in stock usually do not have them. Once you order the part they order it, they then advise you it is a obsolete part after that.

I work a little differently, if you can click the link in my website that means I have it to ship to you. If when I go to re-order it becomes obsolete I then remove it from inventory.

Thank you as always for your support.

Randy - RPM

[keand3]

Excellent Randy! This is great news.

I can't wait until the rear shock and exhaust is nailed down the price set

Hmm, since the right fairing protector for the 86-88 is no longer available, that explains why the PO on my bike have put the right side protectors backwards..... 

I might skip them all together when the new fairing will be installed.

Looking forward to more updates! Keep up the good work, we are all depending on you.

Cheers
Ken

[fintip]

Anyone who wants to get rid of any fairing protectors, let me know, I'd love a complete set. I'm a firm believer in them, and like the way they look. I would even be interested in having extras. I know some people voluntarily take them off.

[movenon]

This winter while working on my bike I could see that some of the parts were going to dry up (when a dealer/wholesaler puts OEM parts on sale he is trying to get them out of the system IMO). Unfortunately its normal for older bike/auto parts to be phased out. On the flip side if there is a  demand it creates an opportunity for small business's to pick up the slack. It would seem if you are going to restore one now is probably as good as it going to get. The sky isn't falling, it's just clouds on the horizon.... Seen this before with classic cars.

Hey, thanks for the quick delivery of the clutch parts ! It worked great. The clutch lever feels like new now ! I stacked the pressure plates but thought it was to firm for normal riding so I just went with the single FJR pressure plate. Replaced the narrow disk in the rear with a wide one, deleted the cushion spring, plate and the fine wire retainer. All the clutch disks were over 3mm thick. So all is good, not that it was bad to begin with. Just upgrading and inspecting.
George

[RichBaker]

Anyone who wants to get rid of any fairing protectors, let me know, I'd love a complete set. I'm a firm believer in them, and like the way they look. I would even be interested in having extras. I know some people voluntarily take them off.

They rattle.... And, they DON'T "protect" anything, all they do is cover the screws.  Learned that the "hard way"...

[ribbert]

Anyone who wants to get rid of any fairing protectors, let me know, I'd love a complete set. I'm a firm believer in them, and like the way they look. I would even be interested in having extras. I know some people voluntarily take them off.

They rattle.... And, they DON'T "protect" anything, all they do is cover the screws.  Learned that the "hard way"...

After losing and replacing one, got lucky on ebay after about 6 mths, I now have velcro dots on them, can't fall off.

Noel