I've just named my FJ.......

[alanchester]

F***ing bike!!

Would that be Mr or Mrs F***ing bike?

But, as it's an FJ, and not performing as she should...maybe you could use the FJ part and call her F***ing Junk?

Look it straight in the headlight...hold up an oxy acet torch (lit) and threaten it with the scrap yard, or worse still....a chopper project. 

If you go to eBay and buy 2 fetish ball-gags, you can put one in each silencer.  Get yer leathers on, and walk round her in the garage.  Round and round...saying nothing.  Just have a big hammer in your hand and threaten to use it if she don't do as she's told.

Go on....become an FJ Master................Spank the Tank!  

A step too far me thinks!

You really have to worry about some folk

[Mark Olson]

oh you just don't know . ya gotta talk dirty to your fj.

"take it , take it" oh you know you like it , scream for daddy . 

rode hard and put up wet. 

my wife see's the wild look in my eyes when i get home from a run and will say "oh ,you made her scream again didn't you? you're a bad boy.

I like it.

[andyoutandabout]

Mark, that's twisted but secretly correct for those with female machines.
My Fj has been called Fast Jimmy for ages. The bike's turned out to be male, too brawny to be female. Also, it's ready to leave the house at a moments notice, so definitely not female.
Andy

[Mike Ramos]

I agree with alanchester & tmkaos...

Returning to an FJ discussion...

No doubt the Penske is a good unit but to attribute the elimination of "head shake" and "rear in dive" in cornering is interesting; it is more likely the change in frame geometry that occurred when you raised the rear end. And the increase in cornering speed is perhaps of added confidence of the new unit, not to mention the added cornering clearance from the raised rear end.

When my shock needed replacing, I opted for a late model sport shock (with Race Tech parts no less). Not wanting to modify the frame, I had the mounting points modified so that it bolted in to the stock frame mounting points. It is at least on par with a Penske.

I have always had the adjustable dog bones so I have had the opportunity to find the optimum ride height that suits my riding style, thus I have experienced the shaking and other problems associated with ride height.

There are those who state that the Rentec crash bars stiffen the frame; I have them & perhaps they do. But then the added ability of the rear shock transfers to the swing arm so that was strengthened as well (I have posted about that some time ago, with pictures in the gallery).

HOWEVER the limiting factor that keeps the my motorcycle from reaching the full potential of the Fork Valves from RPM (I also used their springs and fork brace) was and remains the rear shock, despite the major improvement over the stock unit. And the improvements in the frame & swing arm are not the whole solution.

The rear rear shock currently under development at RPM will permit the rear suspension to FINALLY equal the front end's capabilities; at that point then all the upside forks and other front end swaps will become obsolete, as will any model of alternate shock [mine included!]. And based on other items that were developed there, I have no doubt that the new shock will be well worth the wait.

Ride safe,

Mike Ramos.



Once installed 

[backstreetheros]

i like brutus! what a machine that is!!
"thug" for my fj-frankenstien... just because it offends everyone it encounters!!

the GSXR chopper has yet to have a name...

[Flynt]

...at that point then all the upside forks and other front end swaps will become obsolete

Really?  I think they are unlikely to be adopted across the board Mike.  I'm one of Randy's biggest fans, but if you read closely even he tells you they are a compromise.  To get exactly the right setup for the situation, say smooth track vs heavy undulations on a twisty hwy 130 (Mount Hamilton Road, one of my favorite goat paths), you're still going to be better off if you're able to tune a fully adjustable USD fork or rear shock.  I don't think Ohlins needs to give up the business quite yet.

For everyday riding I bet Randy's shocks will beat my USD/Ohlins setup in both ease of use and useable performance.  But I don't think they will cover the range of my two fully adjustable suspensions that are setup for the two very different riding conditions I'm talking about.  One is my FJ which is pretty spectacular for normal road riding and gets a little rough on Mt Ham road (think 8" dips in a 35mph road) and the other is my Hyper 1100 that is a bit too soft on the road but sucks Mt Ham up at a blistering pace while keeping the tires planted.  There are other considerations in terms of stiffness and geometry that the RPM setup does not address, but could be the motivation for a USD or other front/rear setup.  Different tools for different jobs

Randy's engines, on the other hand, have obsoleted everything else already...   

Frank

[racerman_27410]

RE suspension adjustments....there are those who like to fiddle with the clickers and those who dont.

I personally like having all the adjustments and in combination with valving and springing i have the bike handling/feeling just the way i want.


On the other hand I personally know a fella who gets a brand new sportbike (lightest/fastest/best reviewed etc) every couple of years.

He has never once touched any of the suspension adjustments on any of the multitude of bikes he has owned.....and on any road we usually ride he can go right to the front any time he chooses.

Of course he grew up riding when motorcycle suspension was more of a suggestion than a feature and if something doesnt feel right he just rides around it.

dont really know what my point is here but i believe there is room for everyone to be happy in the twisties!

KOokaloo!

[RichBaker]

Mark, that's twisted but secretly correct for those with female machines.
My Fj has been called Fast Jimmy for ages. The bike's turned out to be male, too brawny to be female. Also, it's ready to leave the house at a moments notice, so definitely not female.
Andy

This is just WRONG.....  Everybody knows that Guns, Boats and Bikes are FEMALE!   ALL OF THEM!

Some may tend to the dykey side, but they're still female.....

[Anti-Dive Dave]

...thug...the FJ Frankenstein

I think the finishing touches to these beasts would be a bloody huge leather harness with all the studs, and an extra large collar with spikes sticking out.  Forget the normal leads...you'll need a 12ft boat chain to hold them buggers back.

If it was possible to issue an ASBO for the way a bike looks, you'd get slapped with 3 of them in one go!

[Anti-Dive Dave]

Everybody knows that Guns, Boats and Bikes are FEMALE!

I wonder why that is just out of interest?     You seem to hear it referred everywhere and to everything. Ships...cars....trucks.....space-shuttles...the lawnmower....

Even the wife has a female name.

Ok, that last bit is NOT true.

I don't have one.

A wife that is.

I do have a female name though.

And you can call me Diane, but only on weekends...and only when I'm at "the club"

[DoD#663]

Bike?  Just... Bike?  No first name?  Not even a "Mrs" Bike? Awww. Seems a bit formal to me?  Did you have a falling out at one point?

Definitely female, being that Bike is sometimes hard to start. But, once running, Varoooooom.

[Mike Ramos]

Top of the morning Frank,

I appreciate your cynical wit! No, Ohlins need not give up the business yet...!

I agree that Randy is modest in his statements re: his products; however as a purchaser of those products I am  allowed to be more straight forward. So permit me to focus my comment by stating that as it pertains to FJ's, there is not another front end unit that will perform across that board as will the fork set up from RPM.

You mention the different suspension set-up for different roads. Well, I agree that will work for a specific road, but on an average ride every road condition & situation you describe (and many others) will be encountered. Based on my experience (over thousands of miles) the front suspension will indeed "cover the range... of fully adjustable suspensions..." that you mention as it pertains to FJ's.

If you get an opportunity check out a video I posted some time ago called "More of the Same2". At 14 seconds into it I cross a cattle guard and the front end takes a very quick 'double shot' & an about 1:10 into it there is a dip, much as you describe.

Also, please review the Colorado video (I was asked if the forks had bottomed out, no they did not). It shows them working explicitly, with the tire tracking the road very well. Modest speeds yet they work superbly.

At the other end of the the spectrum; on the way home from the Colorado Rally, I had the opportunity to engage a fellow on a late model Japanese bike (sorry, don't know the make). It was on the Interstate on long smooth sweepers with speeds well into the triple digits (I had my soft saddle bags on; he was sans luggage) and he was unable to match the speed through the sweepers - the FJ had not a wobble or any type of handling problem.

On a previous post I described how I (reluctantly!) kept pace with a Hayabusa in two quick sweepers on a rough road albeit at a more modest pace.

In all three scenarios, I was using the same suspension set up and add the fact that the highway ride is smooth and seemingly soft, just about every aspect of ridability is provided, and as far as the FJ is concerned, the present system offered by RPM is marvelously effective.

So I believe that the point of this discussion is that the new rear shock will indeed compliment and be on par with the Fork Valves, thus well worth the wait.

I do agree with you that Randy's engines are in a class by themselves...!

Ride carefully,

Mike Ramos.

[Flynt]

Peace brother...  I agree Randy is a blessing for the FJ ownership, just not too comfortable with your callin my shit obsolete (and every other non-RPM shock for that matter).  I'll try to be less defensive.

Frank

[Mike Ramos]

Sounds good & I apologize, did not intend to be offensive.

Let's all ride safe,

Mike.

[Flynt]

I apologize...

Not required...  many take me too seriously, don't be one of them.   

Ride it like you stole it brother...

Frank