First long distance trip

[Medi]

So I finally took the bike for what was suppose to be a 4 day ride to Maine. After riding to work everyday I was still a bit nervous but the bike did great! I was actually the one who "broke down" - back pain.. and had to leave my company and go back to new york on day two.
We did take a lot of local roads and scenic routes in Mass. and Maine however there was quite a bit of traffic getting there. The bike starts smoking from the front of the engine when we are traffic
My guess is it's leaking oil which starts to burn when the bike gets very hot.

All in all it was a great ride, did about 900 miles, with about 400 straight from Maine - a 7 hour ride, including many stops. In Conn. I found a nice BMW Li and we were going steady 75 - 85 for about an hour with a peak of 115 in a few spots )))

Here are some pics - excuse my ghetto tail bag lol

[roverfj1200]

It sure opens up the world as you get used to longer rides. You get to travel roads most only dream of.. Keep up the good work..

Cheers.

[Pat Conlon]

Kudos Alex!

FYI, When the FJ motor gets hot, oil will leak from old hard valve cover grommets, so here's what you need:
http://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Head%3AFJGrommet&cat=39

No more smokey smokey at the stop lights....Cheers!

[Medi]

Thanks Pat! I'm technically challenged with motorcycles but I do have a good friend who is much better at this stuff. Hopefully I'll get it fixed before the cold air gets here.

[cyclenutk75]

I'm technically challenged....

Get a Haynes or a Clymer manual and give it a shot.  I just replaced the gromets on mine for the exact same reason - Pat is dead nuts on this one.  Fixed it right up. It's a one-evening fix if you have all the stuff you need on hand.  I replaced the valve cover gasket while I had it apart.  Figured if the rubber gromets were dry, the rubber gasket would be, too.  I've never considered myself mechanically inclined, but in 1975 I replaced a shift fork in my '73 XS650 using nothing more than a service and repair manual and my dad's tools. That was a pull the engine, remove the jugs, split the cases job.  You'll be surprised how much easier it gets the more you do yourself.  And you'll save major bucks.  I've found the FJ to be fairly user friendly when it comes to repairs, especially compared to the over-engineered beemers I used to ride (but had to sell cause I have two kids in college).  Good luck with the fix.  BTW, I prefer the lean forward riding position of the FJ over a straight up posture or a leaning back (cruiser) posture.  However, I keep my back slightly arched.  Seems to help.  I have more trouble with my throttle wrist than anything else.  A cheap throttle lock "cruise control" eases that pain.  I have found that long distance riding is like sleep deprivation.  If you stay awake long enough, it actually gets harder to go to sleep - at least for me.  If you ride long enough to get in the zone, you feel like you could go on forever.  I'm not suggesting you ride if you're tired, though!  Oh, and thanks for the pics. Always makes for a better read.  Looking back at them I'm thinking maybe the over-sized tail bag may have contributed to your back issues.  I've found that hauling my wife around makes me sit different and gets me in the back.  When I pack the bike, I use dry bags and strap them down such that they don't hit me in the lower back.

[Dan Filetti]

Kudos on the trip and the grommets are fairly easy job, if you have the tools, motivation and patience, it should be within your skills set.

I could not help notice in your pic the helmet hanging from the handle bar.  An MSF instructor gave me good advice one time, I'll pass it on, take it or leave it.

Most damage helmets comes from accidentally falling.  Multiple things can knock a helmet off a handlebar, wind, jolts, etc. which in turn can really mar-up, and worse, make unsafe a shiny helmet.

The next thing he said really stuck with me, he said simply:

A helmet can not fall off the ground.

Dan

[Bob]

So I finally took the bike for what was suppose to be a 4 day ride to Maine.
...
75 - 85 for about an hour with a peak of 115 in a few spots

Maine is nice... I hear they have a great FJ summer rally.
You should give it a try next year. Up to 115 eh? You'd fit right in.

[weymouth399]

So I finally took the bike for what was suppose to be a 4 day ride to Maine.
...
75 - 85 for about an hour with a peak of 115 in a few spots

Maine is nice... I hear they have a great FJ summer rally.
You should give it a try next year. Up to 115 eh? You'd fit right in.
[/quot

Yea what Bob said.
I don't understand the 115 you'd fit right in part. We ride slow around here

Bob W

[SlowOldGuy]

The next thing he said really stuck with me, he said simply:

A helmet can not fall off the ground.

Yeah, but while on the ground, a LOT of ants can crawl into it in a very short time!  DAMHIK

DavidR.

[Arnie]

The next thing he said really stuck with me, he said simply:

A helmet can not fall off the ground.

Yeah, but while on the ground, a LOT of ants can crawl into it in a very short time!  DAMHIK

DavidR.

Above is a perfect example of one of the key differences between PA and TX.  :-)

Arnie

[Medi]

Yeah, my friend also suggested I get one of those repair manuals. Any preference on which one is better?

Dan - thanks for the advise. I'm always open to suggestion on how to do things better. I had my previous helmet fall once, since than I've been very carefull where I place it. That handle bar seemed to be very secure at the time for a quick picture.

Bob - I made plans to be there this summer but I had problems with the bike and did not want to attempt long distance ride. I though about going to Tennese one but it's really far away from me.

Don't have ant problem around here but I did go through a swath of small fruit flies at low speed and about 7 of them ended up inside my helmet buzzing around the screen  

[markmartin]

Yeah, my friend also suggested I get one of those repair manuals. Any preference on which one is better?

I'd vote for Haynes repair manual if I had to have just one, but having both Haynes and Clymers is better.  Some explainations are better in one than the other depending on what you're doing.  The pictures in both leave alot to be desired.

[Dan Filetti]

Above is a perfect example of one of the key differences between PA and TX.  :-)

Arnie

This is true.  When I lived in GA, not only were there MORE ants, but the little bastards BITE.  Yup, there is a difference.

Dan

[cyclenutk75]

I'd vote for Haynes repair manual if I had to have just one, but having both Haynes and Clymers is better.  Some explainations are better in one than the other depending on what you're doing.  The pictures in both leave alot to be desired.

+1 on that.  I use both, but also agree that the Haynes is better.  At least one of them has a neat chart for shim selection when adjusting valve clearance.  Very handy. BTW, before starting to tear things apart invest in a good torque wrench.

[SlowOldGuy]

BTW, before starting to tear things apart invest in a good torque wrench.

I own about 10 torque wrenches.  1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drives.  Combination of "clickers" and beam style.  I always believe in "backup" tools.

DavidR.