85 FJ1100 first bike and love at first ride.

[fj316]

Hi! My name is Kai from Norway and destiny made a really cheap FJ fall into my lap as i needed my first bike after getting a long over due motorcycle licence last year.

The '85 model has a badass coat of custom paint but I got it really cheap since the tires were totally worn down and it had been the victim of theft and all the locks were drilled/ruined and it had toppled so there are a fair amount of scratches on the lower parts of the bike.

I initially took the deal with the thought that this was a bike I didn't have to worry about damaging due to being a freshman motorcyclist. But at last years season came and went that attitude has changed dramatically. This is no longer a throwaway do-whatever to bike and last years tire change and ignition lock replacement (done by a workshop) has given me great zest to continue refurbishing this beauty.

But what it needs is a long and dire list, so I'm just working my way through the most acute problems like leakage from the crankcase cover, clutch master cylinder diaphragm totally deformed, broken right side chain-slack adjuster bolt.

Along with many other small tune-ups that will keep me occupied during the season until winter when I'm going to put her inside for a dismantling and renovation of the carbs and other stuff that will leave her out of service for longer than i could bear when conditions for riding are present.

So far looking around this forum has been a great help and inspiration and will continue to be so in the time until it becomes a veteran in 2015 and in better shape than ever, and beyond. 

[Dads_FJ]

Welcome!  I also didn't know value of the FJ until owning it for a while.  Keep up the good work, your efforts will be rewarded!

[Dan Filetti]

Welcome Kai-

That was a nice introduction.  And you did not make your first post a question -always a bonus!  I like your attitude and evidence of growing love and appreciation for the FJ, as is very common here.  

Good stuff.  you should fit right in.

Side note the FJ is a hell of a first bike, do be careful.

Dan

[movenon]

Welcome Kai-

That was a nice introduction.  And you did not make your first post a question -always a bonus!  I like your attitude and evidence of growing love and appreciation for the FJ, as is very common here.  

Good stuff.  you should fit right in.

Side note the FJ is a hell of a first bike, do be careful.

Dan

+1 on that !    Welcome Kai ! You will find a lot of help and information here. The FJ's are very fixable. Sounds like your off to a good start. Post some picture some time. Don't worry about the condition of the bike. Most of us have FJ's in process of doing something to fix or improve them. Check out the "Gallery" and the "Files" section.
George

[racerman_27410]

Welcome to the group!

I agree you should be riding during riding season in Norway! 


KOokaloo!


Frank

[yamaha fj rider]

Welcome Kai

    Good to hear that you are putting it back it top shape, would have been easy to just ride it and then discard. Well done, good job!!!!!!

Kurt 

[aviationfred]

Welcome to the group. You will find that we are a helpful bunch. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Fred

[keand3]

Welcome Kai!

You have come to the right place to care for your FJ. So far I can count 3 members from Norway... This is looking good!

Hvor hen i Norge er du fra?

Med vennlig hilsen
Ken

[FJmonkey]

Welcome and Kookaloo, that is FJ speak for Wide Open Throttle in Third gear, somewhere in the 8/9K RPM range. If these bikes had lug nuts, you will need to hold on to them very tight.....

[fj316]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. Just to generally reply to a few of the pointers with a little reminisce of last seasons experience.

Being that I got my license well past the 30's I figured I'd be responsible enough to ride and still reach the age of retirement. So I always ride with safety in mind and with a healthy respect for what a bike can do if you push to hard.The only time I have tipped with it (apart from a few controlled ones during practice before my licence was in hand) was when I was going to park it outside my apartment and pulled up to the curb on some slippery leaves that had been there since last fall. So did my sweet FJ in a very controlled manner and after a quick look around to see if any neighbours observed me I put it upright and started parking in the designated spaces instead.

But what got me to register here and join the community was the flashback I got to another and more upbeat tale that started about the time I was done with the local highway and got to the last stretch of industrial populated road in to the centre of town. Stood at the red light in great sunny weather with all my riding gear on and a crisp long stretch of road in front of me with no traffic and no pedestrians in sight. So I thought this was my chance to get a feel for what an FJ can do. Got off briskly into first gear, and this is where the story gets cerfuffled for me. I am not sure I even reached the third gear before i felt as if the bike was being pulled from me and I felt the throttle hand changing from rolling on to holding on "dear life" while i was thinking !&$#"%. In retrospect I should have yelled kookaloo! And when I wondered what in the world that meant after the last few days of using this forum as a resource I was reminded of that incident and got a good chuckle once google told me what it had come to mean through this forum. 

From that day on I always take care to hold on to my lug nuts before I lean forward and open the gates.   

Very nice to know that questions are welcome and encouraged and I'll be putting forth the ones that research and personal tinkering can't answer.

The fixability of the FJ is one of the major things that has made my heart swell for it and the personal satisfaction of even the smallest adjustment is something that will keep me sane and focused for a long time to come.

The latest example would be the unoriginal carbon style mirrors which were slack and loose and all rusted up from the sacrilege of being outside this past winter (and will be the last ever the FJ experiences snow). Took them off and pried apart the ball joint which got a good dose of grease then got reassembled and tightened onto the bike.

And it would be a shame to not go for a long ride to test the mirrors, so the next hours were spent looking at very small vehicles in between keeping a keen eye out in front. Kookaloo!

[racerman_27410]

You're a brother from another mother Kai!   


KOokaloo! 


Frank

[crzyjarmans]

Welcome Welcome, Just purchased my first FJ, Although I've been riding for many years, This is the first time on a bike of this style, And I got to say, I'm hooked as well, luckily for me, I live in a desert climate and can ride just about year round

[fj316]

Thanks for the warm welcome and here's a picture of me on the bike from last year:



Don't know if the custom paint is all that visible but I'll probably snap a few more of it during the year. 

[baldy3853]

  welcome aboard the PO must've been a dill with the paint job enjoy the nuthouse lots of good stuff here
Baldy

[fintip]

You said '85, but that's an '86 fairing you've got on the front.