FJ on a diet (make it lighter)

[David Allaband]

Hi all. I love my FJ more and more every day. The one thing I don't like about it is the weight. I know guys with all kinds of heavy modern race bikes and they're always switching out parts and cutting off lots of weight. Can anyone give me any ideas for the FJ? Are there aftermarket parts or lighter parts from other bikes? I don't want to do engine work but everything else is up for hacking.

Thanks!

[Antonn3]

Hello David,
for an informative read on this, go to www.fjracer.com and look under  "Build FJ racer" ,there you can see what he does to his FJ to lighten it for racing.

Tony

[Firehawk068]

The stock exhaust system weighs ALOT......When I put my Kerker 4-into-1 system on it, I weighed everything that I took off, and everything I put back on. Then I subtracted the difference. I was amazed at the result.
45 lbs of weight savings.
On a motorcycle, that's huge..............I did put some of it back on though, in the form of Renntec engine gaurds, a Givi Wingrack, and a GPS unit.

[David Allaband]

Thanks Tony and Alan! I have the racer web page marked and I ran through it. Lots of info there but not many things I can do. I'll search it in more depth.

About the 4 into 1 exhaust, I'm interested. But all my life I've heard that more exhaust pipes are better. The faster you get the exhaust gasses away from the engine the better it can breath. So is it different here? Also, about a year ago I was looking around and saw TONS of used 4 into 1s for cheap, now I don't see any. Anyone have any leads? How do I know how to change the carb jetting? What silencer should I use? Does the 4 into 1 fit over the stock oil pan and under the lower fairing?

Thanks again!

[JCainFJ]

Start with the exhaust system, then wheels (I've used a set of YZF600r wheels that weigh less then the stock parts), then one of the new light weight batterys. Set up the forks to have 30mm of sag and the shock to have 25mm of sag and your bike will feel lots lighter. Quicken up the turn-in by raising the forks in the triple clamps and raising the rear end will help too.

[FJmonkey]

A few months at the Gym will help your FJ seem lighter as well.....

[yamaha fj rider]

Doesn't change the weight much but changing the front tire to a 110 instead of the 120 makes it feel lighter and handle more agile. Hope this helps? 

Kurt

[FJmonkey]

Doesn't change the weight much but changing the front tire to a 110 instead of the 120 makes it feel lighter and handle more agile. Hope this helps? 
Kurt

Unless you already upgraded to 3.5 wide front wheel, then the 120 is proper. Don't want to put a 110 on a 3.5, might flatten out too much and run out of tire edge in a corner. Just saying....

[yamaha fj rider]

Doesn't change the weight much but changing the front tire to a 110 instead of the 120 makes it feel lighter and handle more agile. Hope this helps? 
Kurt

Unless you already upgraded to 3.5 wide front wheel, then the 120 is proper. Don't want to put a 110 on a 3.5, might flatten out too much and run out of tire edge in a corner. Just saying....

True I was writing about the stock 3.0" rim. Thank you for pointing that out. 

Kurt

[giantkiller]

After the exhaust, the gsxr wheels are the greatest. Not only a big weight loss, it's unsprung and reciprocating. Then lithium battery, gsxr front end again unsprung as well. Even the honda f4 shock is 1.2lbs lighter. The aluminium clippons I made to go on the gsxr front end are a couple lbs lighter. RPM turn signal integrated tail light, pods. Pretty much every thing I've done to make mine better also made it lighter too.

[Alf]

Doesn't change the weight much but changing the front tire to a 110 instead of the 120 makes it feel lighter and handle more agile. Hope this helps? 
Kurt

Unless you already upgraded to 3.5 wide front wheel, then the 120 is proper. Don't want to put a 110 on a 3.5, might flatten out too much and run out of tire edge in a corner. Just saying....

True I was writing about the stock 3.0" rim. Thank you for pointing that out. 

Kurt

The 110 tyre is the correct tyre for the 3" OE rim. A 120 gets forced when fitted in a 3" rim, giving  insecure front end feeling and letting the walls flexing with running hard, with the subsequent problems in wear, control and security, more when braking hard (not the best moment!)

The FJ 1200 89-92 OE 120 fitments was a special tyre that really it was a very narrow 120

[Alf]

After the exhaust, the gsxr wheels are the greatest. Not only a big weight loss, it's unsprung and reciprocating. Then lithium battery, gsxr front end again unsprung as well. Even the honda f4 shock is 1.2lbs lighter. The aluminium clippons I made to go on the gsxr front end are a couple lbs lighter. RPM turn signal integrated tail light, pods. Pretty much every thing I've done to make mine better also made it lighter too.

The GSXR rear wheel is a massive 3 kg lighter than the Exup. Take note when doing your conversion

[David Allaband]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'm reading a lot about the GSXR rims. I see MANY of them on Ebay. Can anyone tell me which ones I'm looking for? Is this a direct bolt on replacement? (Will the GSXR rims fit my current forks, swing arm, chain, rotors, sprocket, calipers?)

A few months at the gym will only make me heavier. I'm 6 foot 180 lbs, my BMI is 24. The girl I put on the back is 99lbs.

I like power and performance but I'm not lightening for that reason. I live in NYC and there is a lot of zero speed maneuvering you do here. Pushing your bike through crowds of cars and such. I have different considerations. For instance, my bike can only be a certain width because it has to fit down my hallway to get it in my back yard and off the street at night. I want the bike lighter because of the way it handles in neutral.

I would love to cut the weight by 100 lbs. 45lbs for the exhaust is a great start! I wish there was a lightweight swingarm out there.

[fj11.5]

gsxr wheels , do example, I started off with an 88/89 750 4.5" rim, fitted up using original gsxr spacers ect, and one Fj spacer right hand side, now using a 93 1100 5.5" rim, same left side spacer gsxr , this models right spacer with the 89 brake set up an Fj spacer and one washer,

[David Allaband]

Thanks for the Info. Any idea if my ABS system will cause me any problems? I'm really surprised that the different width rims work fine with the stock brake calipers and fork legs. I guess the disk measurement is the same size on the GSXR and the FJ?