Prospective new owner... from xjbikes.com

[fintip]

Sure! I normally don't (I feel ridiculous talking about myself that much, heh), but if that's common courtesy here, I'll happily oblige. 

[Flynt]

Flynt, is that your bike as your avatar? Isn't that the wikipedia pic for the FJ series?

Yes that's my bike and it is the same model as the wiki picture, but not the same bike (actually, not by a long shot... mine is modded pretty thoroughly).  I had to go look at wiki just now to confirm since a random Harley rider told me my bike is his screen saver the other day... 
kinda freaky   

Frank

[1tinindian]

Sure! I normally don't (I feel ridiculous talking about myself that much, heh), but if that's common courtesy here, I'll happily oblige.  

Thanks.
You will  find that we are a close group, on a first name basis here.
Many of us have met face to face at rallys and we have built lasting friendships also.
This isn't your normal, average-everyday motorcycle forum!

Leon

[SlowOldGuy]

Here's how I remember the history:

Kawasaki 900 Ninja kind of jump started the modern sportbike age.  The FJ was designed as a sportbike, but the aircooled technology was already dated.  It was, however, an incredibly versatile platform.

In 1985, the Ninja and GSXR were better "racebikes" than the FJ, but Yamaha's answer was the FZ.  Yamaha concentrated its technology on the FZ and other crotch rockets and basically left the FJ alone except for a few updates over the years.  It became the defacto sport-touring bike, but Yamaha wasn't interested in that market because they lost their ass on the GTS 1000.

They produced nothing for the US sport touring market until the FJR. Which, by the way, was never intended for the US market.  They reluctantly began selling them after much public demand, but only on a special order basis at first.

Seems Yamaha (and most of the other manufacturers) "thought" Americans only rode V-Twins or crotch rockets. Must have been doing all their "research" in biker bars.

You will want to look for an '89 and later model FJ.  Although, if an early model is available in good shape and at a killer price, upgrading the few warts is relatively easy and inexpensive.  And it's all well documented here.

DavidR.