FJ1200 faq's

[gearboxkart]

im toying with getting a FJ1200 mainly for to from work 60 odd mile round trip over the yorkshire moors, guisborough to pickering via blakey ridge wicked road if you dont mind sheep iv read everything there is to read on these bikes but can the folk who actually own and ride them let me know what to look out for when going to see them, upto now there seems to be slipping clutches and 2nd gear probs, any other bits concerning these bikes. thx in advance.
Alan

[Kickstart]

Hi

Take it you have enquired with the FJ owners club?

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[gearboxkart]

no, didnt know there was 1, had a google there seems plenty of bike forums etc but havent found a FJ 1 yet.
Being a touring thread here im sure there must be some FJ1200 owners still rocking

[The Shaggy D.A.]

FJ Owners Club
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Kickstart]

Hi

Here you go

https://www.fjclub.co.uk/

They seem to be fairly organised and tied in with their own workshop.

Afraid I have never ridden one although they have appealed to me. Only thing I would say it that they hark from the days when Yamaha thought it would be a jolly good wheeze to have quick seize calipers.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[gearboxkart]

lol thats wicked link Thx alot.
Aha looked at that site before seen the £23 to join ! and vacated

[Kickstart]

Hi

Think the forum is free, you just need to pay to join the actual o/c

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[gearboxkart]

I think most 80's bikes have sticky brake syndrome, every 1 iv bought needed brakes sorting either straight away or within a few weeks.
It seems 1 of the few areas most folk dont even look at when servicing there bikes and just expect them to work properly ! thing is it only takes 10 mins to take caliper off give it a clean and put some copperslip on the pins.

[yen_powell]

Excellent engine, round town you won't go above 2,000 rpm much.

As mentioned calipers need regular cleaning to stop them seizing.

Oil filter changes are a pain, don't bother using the drain screw on the filter housing, they strip easily, just remove the housing and let the oil pour out naturally. Make sure no wires are trapped when the housing is refitted.

The oil light will come on when travelling up very steep hills, don't panic.

Seat is comfy, fairing is quite good, especially with a flip screen.

3CV models have got metal mesh in the fairing. Use some bath sealant on the rivets that hold it or they buzz at speed. Later ,odels had fixed plastic grills instead.

You need a special expanding collet tool to remove the head bearing races, there is no face to whack with a drift.

FJ club reckon non radial tyres work best on the narrow wheels.

Clutch slave cylinder cops the crap and can leak. Easy to fix though.

The valve shims can be removed with a small flat bladed screwdriver in a few seconds, don't bother with the proper tool, it takes 10 times as long. Having said that, they don't reall need doing often.

The original shocks are mostly crap unless nearly new.

Regulator is hidden in with the alternator on the engine, not under a side panel like most bikes. Check it is charging correctly, I had one overcharge and boil my battery dry.

Chains last well. must be the smoothness of the engine.

You don't need to change gear to charge past things, just open the throttle in pretty much any gear.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Kickstart]

[yen_powell]

[gearboxkart]

i do all me own spannering work so mechanical/electrical is no problem with bikes, you say the rear shocks are usually shot do you mean seals leak or just genrally need rebuilding after x amount of time, i have noticed quite a few fj's for sale with after market rear shock and different front springs fitted i take it thats what you mean by shocks are crap.

[yen_powell]

[doggone]

Your main worry will be tyres and fuel costs doing that many miles.
Lots of days that road is fog bound or very windswept (you know already) and icy more often than you would think - which means you will need a car too.

If it was me I'd be looking at shaft drive bikes although this limits choices a lot.

[gearboxkart]

tyres and fuel arnt really an issue me gsxr1100 used to eat them lol yer its a good old road and iv got a 4x4 so when it gets icy that comes out, was toying with xj900 shafty as iv had a few of those years ago but really like the fj1200 and im not into all the latest supersports bikes been there done, iv joined the fj club now seem like a good old bunch of boys over there.