estell

29 minutes ago, betoney said:

Unless you are really abusive or heavy on your clutch the plates should last a LONG time.

One of the steps with the slipper clutch install is measuring the thickness of the assembled clutch pack, this will let you know if the plates are within spec.  There are optional thickness plates available to modify the stack thickness, but if for some reason the stack thickness is on the thin side then it might be the perfect time to replace the friction plates.

Thanks. I don't abuse my clutch. Instead of purchasing replacement friction plates and clutch plates, I'll get the 2.3mm clutch plate just in case I need the extra thickness to make up for wear. @skipperT wrote about that here. 

Replaced front brake pads with EBC HH FA252HH. Then flushed the brake fluid on both ends and went for a ride. These pads do provide more stopping power than the OEM pads.

My first rear sprocket replacement was yesterday at 36K miles. It was the third replacement for the chain and front sprocket. 

As the photo shows, the teeth are noticeably worn at 36K but not badly.

I just replaced my original battery after 4 yrs 7 months and 35,400 miles. I do not connect my battery to a charger and yet it lasted long enough.

I chose an inexpensive replacement from Battery Sharks that cost only $26. That price was hard to pass up as long as it lasts at least a few years.

I found it interesting that the  battery box contains a spacer that is about 5/8 inch thick, so a larger battery could be installed to provide more charge capacity.

On 12/15/2019 at 5:17 AM, johnmark101 said:

A better riders seat made on the factory seat pan so it will fit properly.  

Terry Adcox builds what you want. 

What is the advantage of developing good low-speed control?

I am impressed with the motorcycle cops in the parade who can coordinate complex group formations at low speed, but I don't ride in groups like that. The only low-speed maneuvers  that I need to do are creeping along in heavy traffic at 3 mph. That requires feathering the clutch. However, I have the full width of the lane so precise positioning is not necessary. I can weave a little and it doesn't matter.

I agree that the screen is the largest influence on your problem. My large CalSci screen does not allow water to blow up onto my visor like you reported. 

Regarding dripping from the mirrors: you can rotate the stalks forward.

My pinlock does not stay in contact with the visor all the way around the perimeter. Instead it lifts off the surface of the visor and then I get fog between the visor and the pinlock. How do you keep the pinlock in contact with the visor so that it maintains a seal?

The road from Antelope, OR to Fossil, OR is fantastic. It seems that is on your route but don't miss it if it isn't. It has almost 300 turns in about 25 miles or so. It is a fun ride.

I have ridden it just once, a year ago. I received a token of appreciation from the state police after I passed through Fossil, so I probably won't be back soon.  

303 Aerospace Protectant is the premier UV protecting spray-on. They have several products that are intended for different materials. The 303 Outdoor Fabric guard may be the most appropriate for jackets. I have been using the 303 Outdoor Protectant on vinyl boat seats. You can buy it at lots of places.

On 6/20/2019 at 12:01 PM, fjrpittsburgh said:

I would recommend these guys.  Their batteries last for years.  I'm a 4-peat customer for 4 different bikes.

The replacement Yamaha 850CC FJ-09, 2015-2017 Motorcycle Battery (12V 8.6Ah)

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The replacement Yamaha 850CC FJ-09, 2015-2017 Motorcycle battery is...

 

I have been researching high-end lithium-iron batteries like the Pulse IPT from Full Spectrum Power. I was almost convinced to go with the P.4 when my original 2015 battery wears out. The smaller P.4 will free up space in the battery area for more storage and it is nearly idiot-proof. But for $26, the battery in your link is hard to argue against unless I really want a little more storage (or I want to treat the battery like an idiot). 

Purchased new in June 2015. My FJ has over 32K miles, which is more than I have put on any other bike. I still get a thrill when I ride it.

27 minutes ago, pgeldz said:

Thanks!  But that's what I'm saying...everything that says 18w or 24w also says they are over 2amps.

Still confused

The power is what you are interested in. Keep it under 24 Watts or you will blow the fuse.

Power = Volts X Amps. Your phone charger probably charges at 5 Volts. If so then it can supply up to 24/5 = 4.8 Amps from a 24 Watt source. The actual charging current is probably less because the efficiency of the charger will be less than 100%.

Beware of the GPS for distance measurements because they sample the position periodically rather than continuously. That may not matter on a straight road, but if you are on a twisty road then the measured distance is less than that actually traveled. In other words, the GPS can "cut corners".

GPS speed measurements should be reliable when going straight. My speedometer matches the GPS speed pretty closely, or at least close enough that I don't look at the GPS speed.

20 minutes ago, nhchris said:

What's the easiest and safest way to cut off the fin?

An angle grinder and a cutoff wheel. A Dremel works. A thin cutoff wheel cuts right through the aluminum fin. 

It doesn't matter if you cut into the plug since you are replacing it too.

22 hours ago, Duke said:

 I wonder if simply epoxying an extra layer of material to the bottom of the pan would provide additional protection? 

You want to make the bottom of the pan thicker? thus reducing ground clearance? That would likely increase the chance of cracking the pan.

It seems to me that the better fix is to increase ground clearance by cutting off the fin and use a low-profile drain plug.

3 hours ago, foxtrot722 said:

Take a look here, Cracked Flat Pan

OK, there is one but it is a bit of a special case. The full story there is that he was off road. He was riding his FJ-09 onto a slab of granite that had a 4 inch "bump" on it. I find that on flat surfaces the oil pan with the fin cut off is not the lowest point. The center stand or muffler makes first contact on speed bumps.

Has anyone cracked an oil pan after cutting off the fin and installing the Mazda drain plug? I don't recall reading of any. It seems to be a simple and effective mod. No cage needed. I have the mod on my 2015 oil pan.

I use the Bluetooth version of the Shure SE215. They are sound-isolating earphones with good audio quality. If you like good audio, then this is better than using earplugs and speakers. They attenuate wind and road noise up to 37 dB which is better than most earplugs. That is enough that you can play the audio at normal levels (not loud) and avoid hearing damage. 

You can still hear things like sirens because 37 dB is not enough attenuation to eliminate loud high-pitched sounds like that.

They run 6 hours on a charge. The Bluetooth module contains control buttons but they are not meant for use with gloves.

An Aussie turbocharged a Niken. 148 hp at the wheel, a full 50 hp over their stock dyno run. 

The turbo is mounted where the muffler is located on the FJ09/Tracer. The turbo has an oil line that is plumbed to the crankcase for lubrication, although not shown in this photo. The intake hose is rather long and has a few bends in it. I expect that they installed higher-flow fuel injectors, and of course re-tuned the ECU.

I have thought about getting this tool tube for storage of tools or extra fuel.

My experience seems to be in conflict with the statements in this thread. I still have my original 2015 battery and I do not connect it to a battery tender. Instead, I start the bike and warm it up at about 4 week intervals so it doesn't sit all winter.

Regarding charging, I recently left the ignition on for 40 minutes and discharged the battery such that it wouldn't crank over at all. I jump-started it and rode for 20 minutes. That fully re-charged the battery. 

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 3:59 PM, new1709rider said:

Just checked out the Brosh summer jacket, and like so many vented or mesh jackets it's only offered in black. … Sunlight on a black jacket gets hot fast under those conditions. Seems like it would be much better to have a white or light colored jacket for summer riding.

I saw other color combinations on the Brosh site. All of their "Optimal" jackets contain black but are not all black. They have red & black, gray and black, yellow and black. I am wondering if the red & black is a decent match to my red & black FJ-09.

Regarding the evaporative cooling vest, I found that they don't work well with a non-vented jacket. Without air flow, mine heated up in 30 minutes and then it felt like a hot water bottle. I expect that it works better with a mesh jacket.

2 hours ago, betoney said:

@estell - That looks good, I ordered the same design in a black short sleeve. 

I got an initial email saying my shirt was supposed to ship out yesterday, yet when I check the order status on their website it says the order has been received and it is now printing... but its had the same status since February.  How long did yours take to receive?

About three weeks.

I chose long sleeves because that is what I like to wear under my riding jacket.