Should you change the factory colour scheme of your FJ??

[scharding]

Well, there it is, the question that has been rolling around my head for a month now. I have my bike in heated storage and plenty of space to work on it. Being an '86 and in need of fresh paint, I was thinking of a colour scheme change. Is that frowned upon for true FJ believers??

Your opinions are greatly appericiated!

Thanks!

Steve

[rktmanfj]

Well, there it is, the question that has been rolling around my head for a month now. I have my bike in heated storage and plenty of space to work on it. Being an '86 and in need of fresh paint, I was thinking of a colour scheme change. Is that frowned upon for true FJ believers??

Your opinions are greatly appericiated!

Thanks!

Steve

Yes!

Silver and white look good on an FJ.     

[racerman_27410]

I got a set of used bodywork to do my hot rod paint scheme on..... Still got the original bodywork should i ever decide to go back to that.









KOokaloo!

[Yamifj1200]

ooooooooo yuck!!!!!!!!

Eric M

[Anti-Dive Dave]

Is that frowned upon for true FJ believers??

Hello Steve.  

I toyed with the idea of a paint change when I aquired my 1TX (1986).  She was in a hell of a state, and plastics were (and still are) hard to come by.  Hence why today she is a mix of different colour plastics/fairing etc.

I was going to go down the road of the usual "paint it black" and be done with it.  Cheap and cheerful and at the end of the day, it's a bike.

Then...as time went on...I started to try and get the bike "original" in the red and white. I became more reluctant to cover up and do away with the old 1986 colour scheme.  I defied everyones suggestions, and have left the bike in the right colour for the year.  It's never going to be worth anything in this condition, but for a MINT original bike, it's worth keeping the original paint.

I also sat on my computer for ages when the bike was being put together, with Corel Draw and another CAD program, and scanned in sketches/outlines of the Fj1200, and tried various colour schemes I could apply.

Personally, Now is your chance to sit down and be creative.  What suits you?  What is your personality?  Do you have a graphic design shop (car vinyl) that can make up vinyl decals, and apply over the original?  Just to give it a change?  Think what colours would suit the bike in this day and age, if Yamaha were to reintroduce the FJ1200 (The original FJ, not the XJR FJR thingy).

The possibilities are endless.  Yellow plastics and black wheels are nice.  As is black bodywork and yellow wheels. Deep candy reds also look great with polished wheel rims and stainless cans.

My favourite is British racing green with gold lettering.  Very "Vintage" and never ages.

Other schemes can involve a polished tank (like the old british cafe racers, and a black single seat conversion with black mudguards and belly pan.  You can pick up an old style british racing fairing and adapt it to fit. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Classic-Cafe-Racer-Motorcycle-Half-Fairing-WITH-SCREEN-/190761146009?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2c6a401699  

If the money is there, you could keep aside the parts you have, and pick up a used tank and a pair of cheap panels.  They can be sprayed up to change the bike, and you still have the "original" paint to go back on if you trade the bike later.

Its your bike Sir, and only you can make this decision to change the colour.  You could change the original scheme to match that of a later FJ....the black and gold is nice.

Have a play on your computer with colours.  Have a surf on the interweb and see what other folk have done.  Theres a bike in this FJ gallery of a lovely blue colour - http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=1144

JUST STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM PINK.

[fj11.5]

Effie pictured << was an 84 in red and white of course ,, couldn't find a decent fairing at the time, original was trashed , so she is now how I wanted her to look, although she is needing a respray again , colour is a 2 pak Toyota ,, black with a blue pearl ,, its mine, don't care if nobody else likes her, they don't have too 

[ribbert]

I have an FJ with the bodywork from 3 different models on it and have been considering a paint scheme for a year. I have scoured 1000's of photos and came to the conclusion there are only 2 options for me.

I found some great colour schemes but realised they all rely on a full fairing to work.  The split fairing makes a multi colour paint job or graphics very difficult and I reckon Yamaha nailed the pattern just right for the FJ.
Or
A single colour, but needs the decals to be just right, the right colour and a good paint job, obviously, to look good.

So what I settled on was the pretty much the Black/Silver/Red paint with black down tubes on the frame but on a 3XW.  I have a photo of Pat Conlons bike on the garage wall for reference, unless I see something else before I start painting.

I'd also be wary of outrageous of novelty paint schemes as you tire of them very quickly.

Noel

[Dads_FJ]

I always thought Yamaha did a good job with the colors/lines of the FJ.  I've seen a few examples of well done changes, like this one.

[aviationfred]

I personally like my stock White and Silver. Here are a few with Paint jobs that I found.

The last photo is a member on here, FJNovaScotia

[Firehawk068]

I have always been fond of the Yellow/Black/White paint scheme of some of the bikes I've seen..........

Particularly this example......


Although, I have always contemplated doing a paint scheme something like would be found on a P-51...........Perhaps complete with pinup girl.....



I currently have a spare fairing, and side panels for when I finally decide on what kind of paint to put on her........
With my train of thought, this is my current inspiration......

[Antonn3]

ah that RZ350 sure  brings a twinkle to my eye seeing it.. I had the "faster" 1987 Canadian red and white version as it was wthout a catalytic converter in Canada (5 extra horse!) with K&N intake , fiberglass reed valves and changed gearing made for a very quick ride.
My friends in their 650 /750 bikes would simply shake their heads as I blew by them lol
My mistake was learning to ride on it, as everything I have ridden since has been lethargic in comparison.
..but maybe the FJ1100 Im finishing off will change that.

Good times!

Tony 

[Arnie]

Firehawk,

If you like the JPS livery,try and find some pics of the JPs Norton F750s of the early 70s

Arnie

[Harvy]

Firehawk,

If you like the JPS livery,try and find some pics of the JPs Norton F750s of the early 70s

Arnie

Weren't they all blue and red like this one Arnie?

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/norton/norton_john%20player%2073.htm

Cheers
Harvy

[Arnie]

No, I remember some in JPS Black with gold striping like the Lotus F1 cars, but I can't find any pics.
Spent way too much time looking, but no results.

I did find a great pic of my first bike, a Bultaco 250 Metralla MkII  :-)  so all was not wasted.

Arnie

[scharding]

These suggestions have all been great everyone!!

Thanks to all who took the time to respond, especially "Anti-Drive Dave", you're right, at the end of the day it"s my bike to do something notable with!

I will think long and hard and try to do something different, yet with a classic tone!

Again, thanks all!

The guys on this fourm are truely the best!