New guy from San Diego - 85 FJ1100

[Pat Conlon]

There is a company making fuses with indicators built-in.......

http://www.designnotes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AFU15L&Category_Code=cfwil

Amazon sells them.....  But, a relay harness designed to use them is a good idea.

Thanks Rich, I've seen those. I'm not sure they would be visible with a w/p cover on the blade fuse. I like LED's better. Less current draw and you don't need 2 fuses on the secondary side of the relay.
No word from Evan. I think we spooked him.... 

[RichBaker]

Current draw is 0.038A....... not much.  And, they only light when the fuse is blown. 

Re-reading your post, it looks like you want the LEDs to indicate when each relay is closed and flowing current? That would make for a quick & easy troubleshooting aid....

[Pat Conlon]

Current draw is 0.038A....... not much.  And, they only light when the fuse is blown. 

Re-reading your post, it looks like you want the LEDs to indicate when each relay is closed and flowing current? That would make for a quick & easy troubleshooting aid....

Yep. With electrically held relays in a high vibration environment a broken relay coil wire will release those contacts and can stop you dead. (if powering the coils)
A quick peek under the fairing at a visible LED will tell you quickly if the power is flowing thru the relay. No light means no power, time to plug in a new relay.

[fadingfastsd]

Sorry I haven't been on for a bit guys, taking a little break from the computer over the holidays!
Been doing ALOT of riding, (almost 1000 miles on the FJ so far, and I absolutely love it). After getting comfortable on the FJ, I'm starting to think this is seriously my favorite bike I've ever owned. And I've had 30+ bikes over the last 8 years or so.  Anyways, you guys know what I'm talking about, I don't need to go on rambling about how awesome the FJ is.

A few updates. I rebuilt the clutch master & slave cylinders today. I had gotten the leak temporarily stopped a couple weeks ago and was riding it as is. Finally had time to install the RPM rebuild kits. Randy mentioned that the clutch master cylinder rebuild kit might not fit my 85, but he wasn't sure. Turns out he was right, it did NOT fit.
The spring, rubber/o-rings, and center bar piece(not sure what this is called, the metal bar that the seals go on, and is pushed in by the clutch lever) was way too big in the rebuild kit. I was able to use the new rubber outer boot, and c-clip.  The slave cylinder rebuild kit was dead nuts on. Perfect fit. I took alot of time to clean up the bores and really do a nice job on the master & slaves, and they turned out perfect. 

A few tips: getting the C-clip out of the master cylinder to release the pushrod.
I have these snapring pliers:
http://www.harborfreight.com/snap-ring-pliers-with-interchangeable-heads-3316.html


It's a tight fit, but they do work. What I did was put the master cylinder in my bench vise, with the pushrod side hole facing straight up. I used a flathead screwdriver to depress the pushrod and spring all the way with my left hand, while lighting the hole with a flashlight balanced on my shoulder/cheek. Then with my right hand I finally got the snapring pliers lined up, and popped the c-clip loose. This took about 10 minutes, but I finally got it out.

For the slave cylinder, pretty simple...tighten the bleeder screw, then use an air compressor nozzle to blast comp air into the hose inlet. Pops the slave piston right out.

So now the bikes not leaking a drop and shifting like a dream.  Next order of business is brakes. All the pads are worn, as are the discs. The rear squeaks horribly. I think I'm gonna go ahead and do all new rotors and pads front and back. Might look into caliper upgrades too? What is swap-able from later model bikes? What are the popular brake upgrades on these bikes? I know, I know, use the search button. I'll do some research too.

And on to the electronics....
I got a new shipment of parts in and have been super busy approving and inventorying new parts for RaceTech Electric.
I did build the relay box, and the heat-sinked regulator chip. I haven't finished testing my new replacement voltage regulator, but I hope to finish that by the end of next week.  The relay box I'm building is very nice, in a small sealed package. I think I will add status LED's like you guys were talking about, to indicate status of the relays.
I'll post more info on this hopefully next week as I have time to do more work on it.

And one more thing. Were any of you guys riding a very clean Red/White(might have been silver?) FJ1200 last week in the Inland Empire, CA? It was Monday 12/26,  somewhere around 3:45-4:00PM. I was in San Dimas, CA on Route 66/Baseline Rd. waiting at the left turn to the onramp for the 210 East freeway. I was on my Red/White 85 FJ1100, riding 2-up with my girlfriend on the back. Wearing black boots, jeans, black leather jacket, grey/black/red helmet.  The dude on the FJ1200 took his left turn and I honked a couple times, he waved.  Anyways, just wondering if any of you are in that area.
I was visiting the parents for Christmas, and took the bike up with me from San Diego. Was just heading back to Upland after ripping up Glendora Ridge Road from Mt. Baldy Village to the Glendora side with my girlfriend. Absolutely amazing ride, perfect weather, and pretty girl on the back. Can't beat that for Christmas!

Talk to you guys soon, and have great New Year! I'm headed out of town for NYE til Sunday, so I'll be updating next week.
Evan

[ottmar]

Hello Evan,
a big wellcome here from germany 
Your bike looks very nice. Drive and have fun.


greets ottmar

[Harvy]

Might look into caliper upgrades too? What is swap-able from later model bikes? What are the popular brake upgrades on these bikes? I know, I know, use the search button. I'll do some research too.

Well done Evan......you'll find that most jobs on the FJ are just as easy.
With regard to your brakes.....there is only one upgrade to the front callipers that is a bolt on......I believe it was called an FZR400RR - they were not sold in the USA however.
A better solution (depending on the depth of your pockets) is to buy a pair of late model fork lowers, a 17" later model wheel, and a pair of early - 2002 R1 blue dot callipers or 2003 R1 gold dots.
The reason being that the mounting bolt holes for your fork leg lowers are centred at around 90mm, while the later legs were centred at 100mm - common for many later model bikes.

Maybe someone will be doing a front end upgrade soon and will have a set of fork leg lowers to get you going.

Do a search as you have suggested....you will find plenty of the info you require right here on FJowners.


Cheers
Harvy

[rktmanfj]

And one more thing. Were any of you guys riding a very clean Red/White(might have been silver?) FJ1200 last week in the Inland Empire, CA? It was Monday 12/26,  somewhere around 3:45-4:00PM. I was in San Dimas, CA on Route 66/Baseline Rd. waiting at the left turn to the onramp for the 210 East freeway. I was on my Red/White 85 FJ1100, riding 2-up with my girlfriend on the back. Wearing black boots, jeans, black leather jacket, grey/black/red helmet.  The dude on the FJ1200 took his left turn and I honked a couple times, he waved.  Anyways, just wondering if any of you are in that area.
I was visiting the parents for Christmas, and took the bike up with me from San Diego. Was just heading back to Upland after ripping up Glendora Ridge Road from Mt. Baldy Village to the Glendora side with my girlfriend. Absolutely amazing ride, perfect weather, and pretty girl on the back. Can't beat that for Christmas!

Welcome Evan!

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5600.0

[grannyknot]

Might look into caliper upgrades too? What is swap-able from later model bikes? What are the popular brake upgrades on these bikes? I know, I know, use the search button. I'll do some research too.

There is this guy, http://www.customvmaxservices.co.uk/  he makes a very nice set of brackets that let you use bluespots on early year FJ's without changing anything else.
I also found that the clutch M/C rebuild kit didn't fit my 84 FJ11 but the brake M/C kit from Yamaha does.
Same units really just reversed.

[Pat Conlon]

...And one more thing. Were any of you guys riding a very clean Red/White(might have been silver?) FJ1200 last week in the Inland Empire, CA? It was Monday 12/26,  somewhere around 3:45-4:00PM. I was in San Dimas, CA on Route 66/Baseline Rd. waiting at the left turn to the onramp for the 210 East freeway. I was on my Red/White 85 FJ1100, riding 2-up with my girlfriend on the back. Wearing black boots, jeans, black leather jacket, grey/black/red helmet.  The dude on the FJ1200 took his left turn and I honked a couple times, he waved.  Anyways, just wondering if any of you are in that area.....

Yep, that was San Dimas Mike, and he already dropped a dime on you: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5600.0

Evan, here's the thing about FJ's. We are everywhere. We can recognize and hear a FJ  200 yards away riding in a pack of bikes.

So be forewarned: Do not do anything on your FJ that you want kept secret.... We will fiiiiind you...(roll eyes)  

[nvmike24]

Welcome Evan, quite a community of helpful FJ owners here indeed. Pat, That is a nice relay setup you tossed out there, I'm guessing it was not a hip shot. I've been looking into doing something comparable but had not thought of the tattle tale LED inclusion. My connectors from the alternator were fried when I stripped the 84 for the upgrades last month. I found replacements on Flea Bay, I hope they are good quality, guess I need those regulators for both of my bikes.

[craigo]

Hey Evan,

Guess I should welcome you to the club. I am out in Lakeside off of Los Coches. Weekdays are better for me than weekends if you want to get out of the shop sometime.

See ya in the mountains,

CraigO

[Geoffrey]

Evan- Your bike is awesome. I have an 86 FJ100 in perfect condition with only 8.000 miles. I had know idea there were others out there who appreciate this bike as much as I do. I did some mods to the clutch, carbs and exhuast and that's all it needed.

It's not the fast bike I have ever owned, but it is fast enough and very comfortable to ride.

I am trying to get some idea what it's worth to make sure I insure it properly. Any clues would be aprreciated.

Cordially, Geof from Indy.

[terryk]

Insurance is a contract and as such is an agreement between two parties with known duties and responsibilities.

There is no ambigutiy on value as defined in the policy. The trick is finding the right contract for insurance that meets your needs. It is amazing how few people actually read the policy they purchase and become surprised, shocker here, when the clain is submitted and not paid to their expectations.The valuation clause generally allows the settlement based upon market or cash value. KBB or something equivalent. You can challenge the settlement offer to compensate you for your bikes specific value in terms of condition and add ons and have a moderate chance of some compensation being allowed for those factors. But you will need clear documentation. Insurance is a regualted business and the insurers do not want complaints made with the State authorities so you have some leverage and the ability to arbitrate through the State if necessary or the small claims couts as well. Most people do not feel comfortable pursing this on their own which is a pity as the squeaky wheel gets the grease in matters like this.

Classic motorcycle insurance can allow the parties to agree upon vlaue up front. It will cost a littel more, but that is the price paid to have peace of mind if that is desired.


Classic Motorcycle Insurance Coverage

Classic motorcycle insurance protects a bike in the same way that a standard policy does, but there is a difference in the amount of coverage that the owner gets when buying this type of policy. A standard car or motorcycle policy pays for physical damage to the vehicle based on its market or cash value.

If the vehicle is damaged in an accident and is considered totaled, the insurance company will write a check based on how much it's worth at the time, not what the owner originally paid for it or its replacement value.

A classic motorcycle policy pays out based on the bike's agreed value. The policyholder and the insurance company agree from the outset how much the bike is worth and the company writes a policy based on that level of coverage.

Finding the Right Coverage
An insurance company will likely consider a motorcycle to be a classic if it is at least 30 years old. If the one that you own is rare, it may also be put in this category.

To find the right coverage for a vintage bike, be prepared to shop around. Rates and coverage terms will vary depending on the insurance company involved. When you are looking at your options, be prepared to answer the following types of questions from the insurance companies you are considering:

How much did you pay for the bike?
Is it part of a limited collection?
How often do you ride your classic motorcycle and how many miles do you put on it each year?
Has the bike been restored?
Low annual mileage can help keep premiums lower than if you spend a lot of time on the road. If you own a restored motorcycle, the insurer may wish to bring in a specialist to examine it and provide an estimated value before you buy a policy. If you are not planning to ride the bike, you still need to have insurance in place for it. Ask the company for a quote on a storage policy to protect you from losses from fire and theft.

Before you choose an insurance company, compare the quotes you have received carefully. You want to make sure that all the policies are for the same type and level of protection before you look at pricing.

The following are examples of companies providing vintage motorbike insurance coverage:

American Collectors Insurance
Hagerty Insurance
Classic Auto Insurance
Nationwide Insurance

[fadingfastsd]

Just posted on Mike's thread about the sighting. Jeez small world! haha

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Welcome Evan! Yeah that was me in San Dimas. I regretted not hanging a U to introduce myself that day. Nice bike you got there. I see you are off and running with your FJ and looks like you are catching full blown MOD FEVER. These guys are a bad influnece for mod junkie, watch out! Look forward to seeing your posts and getting a ride in sometime.

Mike