What to do first?

[Harvy]

Ken, easy......availability and choice of 17" rubber wins hands down. I have done both 17" and 18" conversions so do have experience with both.

Harvy

[keand3]

Ken, easy......availability and choice of 17" rubber wins hands down. I have done both 17" and 18" conversions so do have experience with both.

Harvy

Thanks Harvey. Is the chain alignment the same on birth of them?
Did you experience any difference from 17" to 18" when riding?

Cheers

[Harvy]

Ken, no alignment problems with the Genesis 18" wheel swap..... fitting the lower profile tyre does in my opinion improve handling a little.
I now have FZ1 swingarm and forks with FZ1 wheels, so the FJ is a different proposition completely...... I believe the main contribution to handling is 1/2" shorter FZ1 forks with Racetec internals and the ~2" longer swingarm with Penske 3-way shock and adjustable dog-bones with the rear end 2mm clear of the ground when on the centre stand. To my mind, I don't think I can improve it any more. The FZ1 swing arm did involve some chain alignment issues, but not insurmountable, and well documented by several here beside myself.

Harvy

[keand3]

So, if i understand you correctly, changing the swingarm to a FZ1 swingarm will give a greater handling then just the wheel change.
Its obvious that a swingarm change would require more mechanical skills then with just the rim, but we do have looooooong winters up here so i might give it a go
Did you use FZ1 oem brakecaliper etc. too?


Ken

[Harvy]

So, if i understand you correctly, changing the swingarm to a FZ1 swingarm will give a greater handling then just the wheel change.
Its obvious that a swingarm change would require more mechanical skills then with just the rim, but we do have looooooong winters up here so i might give it a go
Did you use FZ1 oem brakecaliper etc. too?


Ken

Surprisingly not that much more mechanical skills. Yes I used a complete 2002 FZ1 rear end (swingarm, brake caliper/caliper bracket & torque arm, wheel including sprocket and disc, and axle). A bit of ingenuity (ie. a stack of appropriately sized washers) to accommodate the FJ's offset shock, ~2mm off either side of the swingarm pivot, flip the rear sprocket and buy a '86 Honda VF1000R 18 tooth countershaft sprocket which you machine flat on one side. Replace the rear brake light switch at the master cylinder with a banjo bolt pressure switch. Buy a pair of Soupys adjustable dogbones or make your own. Jobs done!
No machining of any part on the wheel or sprocket carrier.

Harvy

[keand3]

I find that theres so many different types of mods to do with the FJ, that it almost becomes s problem deciding which one to do 

I think I'll go for the conventional FZ1 conversion for now. Need to have something to do next winter :-)
So far I have changed the forks, rotors and calipers, brake master cylinder and new speigler brake lines. Only waiting on the FZ1 rim to arrive before the front is complet. Spin-on oil adapter is awaiting to be fitted.

I am considering changing the clutch line and clutch m/c, is FJR m/c the way to go? In the process should the clutch also be changed, or modified?

Been reading a lot on this forum lately, and i miss a thread that covers exhaust, or more specific, what type of exhaust (slip-on/silencer) that fits the FJ. See people here have a variety of diffrent brand etc.

Cheers

Ken

[ribbert]

Ken, yes there are so many mods and if time and money are limited and you can't do everything at once consider some sort of order like safety, reliability, comfort, performance and convenience.

Safety: better front brakes and lines, which you've done, 17"wheels for better rubber F & R. better headlight if you ride at night and better blinkers and stop/tail even if you don't, better mirrors and depending how bad yours is, suspension.
Reliability: carb o'haul and screw kit, petcock upgrade, relays to the coils and lights and a late model starter, oil cooler.
Comfort: Suspension, seat, depending on you and where you live, handlebar risers and heated grips, better screen, vibranators and good riding gear.
Performance: Air filters, jetting, exhausts, red and white paint job, expensive oil, gearing.
Convenience: Spin on filter adapter, power outlet, hardwired GPS and phone mounts, blutooth, good tank bag and luggage.

There is probably heaps more and everbody has different priorities but just think, after safety, what is going to make this bike more fun to ride.

My bike is a '93 and only had 34,000k's on it when I bought it but the first thing I did was dismantle it until there was only the motor sitting in the frame and the wiring loom.  I did this mostly to detail it, it had come from a farm at the end of a dirt road, and do fork seals, wash, repack and adjust the head stem bearings and rear suspension linkages and check ever nut and bolt on it.

Myself and a lot of others here are very happy with the Delkevic slip ons. They are very reasonably priced and I love the look and the sound of them.



DISCLAIMER: This is not intended to be an absolute list of what and which order things should be done and while everyone is free to make their own suggestions, this is merely something I did myself to establish priorities and was somewhat fluid depending on time, money and weather. Don't start correcting it or we'll end up with another oil thread, it is only a suggestion.

Noel

[Derek Young]

I like the "performance" enhancing red and white paint job.  Well done

Derek

[keand3]

Wow, thanks a lot Noel! I really did not think of putting it in a prioritized system, but i definitely has it's advantages  

I would like to disassemble the bike completely to, but i do want to get some more mechanical experience first, since I'm not trained in this and have never owned an older bike like this before last year.
Damn, i used to change my lightbulps on my old VW Golf 2 like easy peasy, but now, in any new car (allmost) you have to take off the entire front just to change them! Not all new electronics is necessary a good thing...
So as we say i Norwgian, "Det var da som svarte faen! Den satans tysker driten!"

Anyway, I think i might do the rear wheel during this summer since i expect it not to be a big job.
I know a carb o'haul, jetting and the famous second gear fix (mines in first actually) will come eventually, but that would be next winter i guess.

I'll be sure to check out Delkevic :-)

[93fj1200]

   

I have always loved to see photos of bikes overloaded or doing things that are not normal.  This photo is from my trip from Canada to Panama and is near San Jose, Costa Rica at a beautiful little restaurant where I had stopped for lunch.  There is actually a trunk there underneath the smaller second set of saddlebags. The bigger Harley bags are full of tools.  The FJ is just a workhorse of a bike.
Greg

[Steve_in_Florida]

This photo is from my trip from Canada to Panama...

"C:\Users\Melissa\Pictures\2011 12 12 Mexico to Panama"

Greg,
we can't see the photo, `cause you're pointing to a picture on your local computer.

Put it out on the web (Photobucket, etc.) and then point to THAT instance of it.

We wanna see, we wanna see...

Steve

[93fj1200]

This photo is from my trip from Canada to Panama...

"C:\Users\Melissa\Pictures\2011 12 12 Mexico to Panama"

Greg,
we can't see the photo, `cause you're pointing to a picture on your local computer.

Put it out on the web (Photobucket, etc.) and then point to THAT instance of it.

We wanna see, we wanna see...

Steve

Thanks for the tip Steve. I put the photo in the FJ photos along with some from my trip through Mexico with the Santa Muertes M/C (over 300 members) from Mexico City.  If anybody ever needs help while in Mexico City, let me know, I lived with those guys for four months in their clubhouse.  Most fun I have ever had as a biker!!!  Also have connections in a lot of other places in Mexico too.  Can you take the photos from facebook?  If anybody is interested, I have a lot of great photos of my adventures in facebook.  Send me a note telling me you are from this Forum.  My facebook name is Gregory Hunter (z28gh@hotmail.com).  Always good to have friends all over the place.

[keand3]

Thanks mate, request sent:-)
For those who are interested, feel free to add me too on facebook. Name is Ken Andersen (keand3@gmail.com)
I don't have those breath taking scenary photos yet, but there will be..

Cheers
Ken

[ribbert]

Myself and a lot of others here are very happy with the Delkevic slip ons. They are very reasonably priced and I love the look and the sound of them.Noel

Did 400k's today to make sure I wasn't giving Ken a bum steer. Yes, I do like the sound of them (baffles out)

Swore to NEVER EVER ride around the coast in the middle of Summer holidays again.

Sick of everyones FJ photos with exotic natural backgrounds, I took this in protest.



Saw this on the way home. I had to ride one of these many moons ago for a Honda promotion and developed a real affection for them. It would never occur to me to use a CX500 for such a project but it was really well done and looked good from every angle and the attention to detail spot on, love the front end.





Thought of Dave when I passed a house with an outboard motor for a mail box, couldn't tell if it was a Victa.

Saw enough Harley riders to get all philosophical and ponder what conclusion aliens would draw about the human race if they snatched a group of them to study.

Wondered if the power of positive thinking alone could fix my slipping clutch.

Noel

[Arnie]

Noel,

Which part of the coast did you trickle through today :-)  and where did you take that pic?
I didn't go down to GOR, but the line of traffic going that way was disturbing.

Arnie