What appeals to us about our FJ's?

[racerman_27410]

2)Power: I loved my oem 80 ft/lbs of torque, but now I have a 1349cc motor (thank you Randy) and the low/mid range torque is a joy, as in giggles of joy coming out of a corner. Like 3rd gear power gear wheelies at 70mph giggles. The torque is now prolly~105ft/lbs... I'll know more after breakin and the dyno. .  

   the big bore torque is very addictive isn't it ?  

3rd gear power wheelies= KOOKALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

and the bonus.....total investment still isn't what a brand new bike costs! .... much less a super low RDI motorcycle!


KOokaloo!

RDI= Relative Duplication Index..... the odds of someone pulling up next to you at a traffic light with a motorcycle exactly like yours

[Lotsokids]

It's interesting that many of you said you love the looks. I like mine - especially the color scheme. But the test I read (I think it was Cycle, 1991) compared the FJ1200 to the ZX-11, CB1000F, and a BMW. The thing they liked LEAST about the FJ was the old out-dated styling. All the editors agreed.

[SlowOldGuy]

It's interesting that many of you said you love the looks. I like mine - especially the color scheme. But the test I read (I think it was Cycle, 1991) compared the FJ1200 to the ZX-11, CB1000F, and a BMW. The thing they liked LEAST about the FJ was the old out-dated styling. All the editors agreed.

So what do those guys really know?  They get paid to ride the latest and greatest for a few days then move on.  Yes, the FJ looks outdated when parked next to a shiney new sportbike.  However, park one next to a long line of sportbikes that all look identical, and guess which one stand outl?  Every time I go to a bike shop, the FJ is an attraction.

I've owned FJs for over 26 years.  They have been a part of my family longer than anyone in my current family, exccept for my brother and father.  When I show up for a ride, I'm "the FJ guy."  Even when I show up on the FZ1, I'm still the FJ guy.

These bikes define me and are a part of me.  I ride ON the FZ, I ride WITH the FJs.  Sitting on one is like puting on an old pair of boots.  It fits better than a pair of house slippers.  I enjoy working on them, or cleaning them just as much as riding them.  They don't get waxed, they get massaged.  And they pay me back with a huge grin on every ride. 

I've looked at and ridden plenty of other bikes over the years.  Once I almost pulled the trigger on a trade-in for an '87 Hurricane.  Man that would have been the biggest mistake of my life (next to my first marriage, but I digress).  All of them were better than the FJ at something, but NONE of them were better at everything an FJ is good at. 

And it's not just the bike either, it's the people on this list that taught me to ride, drank beer with me and swapped stories over a cozy burning building, influenced me to do mods that made even better that which was already good enough.  I still remember every minute of my first rally.  Meeting old friends for the first time and feeling like a part of a family.  It's more than a bike, the FJ is a way of life.

DavidR.

[craigo]

It's interesting that many of you said you love the looks. I like mine - especially the color scheme. But the test I read (I think it was Cycle, 1991) compared the FJ1200 to the ZX-11, CB1000F, and a BMW. The thing they liked LEAST about the FJ was the old out-dated styling. All the editors agreed.

Yes, I hear that from people.  But I find the retro art decco style (at least on my 90) looks cool.  Like a really nice juke box from the 50s.  Only thing missing is the neon lights.  Or, with the air scoops, a 60s fighter jet like the F4.

It's all about personal taste.  Plus, as a fan of function over form, the FJ really shines.

CraigO  

[racerman_27410]

I've looked at and ridden plenty of other bikes over the years.  Once I almost pulled the trigger on a trade-in for an '87 Hurricane.  Man that would have been the biggest mistake of my life (next to my first marriage, but I digress).  All of them were better than the FJ at something, but NONE of them were better at everything an FJ is good at.  

And it's not just the bike either, it's the people on this list that taught me to ride, drank beer with me and swapped stories over a cozy burning building, influenced me to do mods that made even better that which was already good enough.  I still remember every minute of my first rally.  Meeting old friends for the first time and feeling like a part of a family.  It's more than a bike, the FJ is a way of life.

DavidR.

+100000000000000000000000000      i still remember you sticking your boot out dirt track style on the Dragon...

" I've never seen curves like that in Texas"


watching your riding and confidence improve exponentially every time i rode with you.....PRICELESS!

i also remember you went home after that first rally and went after some cloverleaf exit ramps cause that was the only way you could get your "fix"  LOL and damn good times!   Got damn good at those right handers didn't ya ? 

 

  I've got memories and great friends that  will last my lifetime because of my FJ and while the styling may look a bit outdated ..... i guess i do too.  So that makes me and the FJ a perfect fit!


KOokaloo! (you can get it anywhere but it's best on an FJ   )

[Mark Olson]

My fj runs good.

rallys are fun.

My fj runs good.

tech support.

My fj runs good.

[SlowOldGuy]

Yeah, Frank, I've come a long way thanks to this group.

Following Norbert back to the hotel and dinner on Friday night.  Initially thinking "Great, I'm stuck with the foreign guy."  Then blowing food out my nose as he was/is one of the funniest people I ever met.
That BBQ dinner that you put together on Saturday night was fabulous. 
Borrowing Carey"s truck (a recurring theme on just about every rally) to drive to the Tuskeegee Inn when it started raining on Saturday night.  
Following behind Carey for 2 days struggling to learn how to ride a motorcycle on curvy roads.
Yes, even putting a foot down going up the Dragon.  However, the rest of the story is that something "clicked" on the way down and suddenly everything seemed natural, followed closely by pegs dragging through a few corners.

Good times!  I keep saying I'm coming back, but $hit keeps happening.  Hopefully next year!  But I will be in Arkansas in a few weeks :-)

DavidR.

[racerman_27410]

Good times!  I keep saying I'm coming back, but $hit keeps happening.  Hopefully next year!  But I will be in Arkansas in a few weeks :-)

DavidR.

I hate it when life gets in the way of a good time but that's how it is i suppose.

you know we're still going to be friends regardless of how long it's been since i've seen you.... when we do get together again we will just have more to talk about! (and maybe some dirty carbs to work on for old times sake)    

KOokaloo!

[turbocamino]

i've had 5....and several other makes in between. first a silvr and gray 84 then a blue and white 91 then a red and white 87 then a tangerine 84(turbo) and my favorite,dark blue 89.  Its all been said by you guys so i cant add much....i look at the lines of other bikes i think i would like to own... the hayabusa or ZX14 and they dont flow right.. the kaw is sleek but still a little choppy.The FJ, once you get the back end up some and modify the back fender, has beautiful lines.  My bike has nearly every mod  (thanks to you'all) and i love it to death and now that i have learned countersteering,can keep up with almost anyone.wind protection is excellent...easy to work on responds well to mods. Reasonably priced. To replace this kind of performance you would pay thousand more.

[FJTillDeath]

To me? Price. They are relaitively cheap an still in good running condition. And they are generally cheap to fix. There are many available upgrades that I have yet to try but I definitely wanna go for that 1349cc upgrade

[Sideburns]

I've never really been able to put my finger on the single thing that makes the FJ great (for me)
The engine definitely plays a big part!

I have ridden a lot of other bikes.
None have ever appealed to me like the FJ
I have owned other bikes, but always next to my FJ. It's my first love and my first....
Dare I call it love?

Yes I do!
I take every little stupid thing that goes wrong for granted. I keep forgiving her.
She threw me of twice, got seriously hurt, but I still fixed her up an got back on the saddle.

[turbocamino]

I wonder how one of our bikes with all the best mods and a 1300something motor would stack up/compare to the latest greatest big bore bikes.       A point system comparison for ergo's,brakes, handling/cornering,fuel mileage,performance,cost to operate,etc...  I bet it would be interesting!

[eddohawk]

Took my FJ out for its/my first long ride last weekend ride with 3 mates. Flat coastal roads where I wound it out to around 200kmh and it was still saying more! On sunday through some great mountain roads and once I learned how to set the FJ up into a corner the handling on stock suspension was fine (as in consistent with my riding ability). I also loved the torque powering out of steep corners. I'm 6'2"and 100kg and found the size and the riding ergonomics just perfect for me, no aches or pains after around 800km. There were lot of 'look at me' sunday bikes out at the weekend and I love the fact that the FJ has that 'been there done that, doesn't have to prove a bloody thing' aura that only a very few other riders seem to get.

Regards

Mark

[steve_jay]

Before the FJ I had a 96 HD Sportster Sport for around 4 years which I just loved but due to a financial hurdle I had to sell.  When that settled down around April 2006 I began to look around for a cheaper ride.  At the time, I knew nothing about the FJ, I was actually looking towards getting an XV1100 or even an XJ900 but one night I read the Pashnit website and the review of his time with the FJ1200 and my interest picked up.  I then read some more glowing reviews and about its bullet-proof motor, the low torque and all that stuff and around May 2006 an 1987 3CV with 55k on the clock came up for sale down the road so I went to have a look and that was it.

In answer to your question, I couldn't give you a definitive answer ... all I know is, 5 years have passed and 30k travelling around New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria have been added to the clock.  During those years I've also ridden Harleys, BMW's and newer Japanese bikes at various times but found that even though she is a big lump of a thing compared to the newer bikes, for me, none of them come close to the ride of an FJ and even though she is now 24 years old and fading cosmetically, she still more than holds her own in the looks department and in all honesty, I just can't imagine getting rid of her.