estell

I installed the APE tensioner a few weeks ago. Before doing so, I read much of the mega-thread on the fz09 forum that discusses the installation in depth. The purposes of removing the cover are to get a feel for the tightness of the chain, and to put some tension on it before rotating the crankshaft. The guy who wrote the installation instruction did not initially remove the cover. Then he rotated the crankshaft after the tensioner was removed and the chain skipped a tooth. Therefore, he recommended that everyone else remove the cover and put some tension on the chain before rotating the crank. However, you don't have to rotate the crank so you can choose to leave the cover in place if you prefer. Then your feel for the tension on the chain will come indirectly through the tensioner and not directly from the chain.

The FJ-09 owners manual states that the battery is a VRLA (Valve regulated lead acid). It also states that a VRLA battery must be charged with a constant-voltage charger, and that a conventional battery charger will damage the battery. Is your battery tender a constant-voltage charger?

I also don't care much for the look of the top box on the rear rack, but it is so darn convenient that I just accept it and use it. It will hold a helmet, groceries, riding pants, lunchbox...(not all at the same time). I don't have to reach down to access it, and I no longer need to carry a backpack. My 39 liter box is big enough for 95% of my riding days. There are just a few days a year that I wish it was bigger. Then I add a tail bag and some soft side cases.

Yes, I had the same experience with the USB power adapter jiggling out of the 12V plug. You already guessed how I solved it. I purchased a second 12V plug and wired a USB power adapter into it.

All depends on circumstances (obviously)... longer stretch of road allows longer shifts, but in busy traffic I absolutely short shift. Not to be confused with lugging... just not spinning it hard... there's just no need, and no fun unless you can move fast.... IMO.I agree with both of you. The FJ09 will happily cruise at 3000 rpm on city streets. While accelerating, it loves to go all the way to 11000. I do both. What I don't get is calling 1st and 2nd gears too short. 1st gear will get to 60 mph, and 2nd will get to 80 mph. You can do a 0 to 60 romp in 2.9 seconds without shifting out of 1st. Is that short-geared?

I am satisfied with the Renthal R4 SRS chain so far. I have put only 6000 miles on it since installing, which is less than half of what I put on the original chain. I am treating it the same, which is not very well, and it is performing fine. I'll reserve final judgment for another 6000 miles.

I prefer to keep the front wheel on the road. I am a bit of a wheelie weenie, probably because I don't have a dirt bike. I gotta admit that it is fun to wheelie with a simple twist of the wrist. However, I would rather accelerate with maximum torque and the wheelie slows down the acceleration. Doesn't it? This bike has been tested 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds. That must be with the front wheel down.

Gotta love that 0-60 time of 2.9 sec. That is 0.2 sec quicker than a Tesla P85D that costs about $100K. The 1/4-mile time will drop quite a bit without a speed limiter.

I left my rear sprocket too because it didn't show any wear. The drive sprocket was slightly worn at 13K miles. I could barely see the wear when compared side-by-side to a new drive sprocket. I replaced it because the drive sprocket is cheap and easy to replace. [a href=http://sprocketcenter.com/street-sprocket-applications/yamaha/fj-09-2015-2016/525-sprockets-stock-pitch/jt-1591-525-pitch-chromoly-steel-front-sprocket-yamaha.html]www.sprocketcenter.com[/a]

This is my first chain replacement in about 20 years because my last bike had shaft drive. I haven't seen a chain review here so I thought I'd start one with what I've learned so far. I am sure that many of you could add pages of chain knowledge, but here goes. The FJ09 uses an O-ring chain, 525 pitch, with 110 links. Mine lasted only 13K miles, which was disappointing. I didn't want to replace it with the same OEM chain, and then again in 13K miles. I chose a long-life chain with good value, the Renthal R4 SRS Road 525 Chain. Renthal claims that their self-regulating seal (SRS) improves longevity compared to O-ring and X-ring chains. I bought it from Sport Bike Track Gear because they have a good price at $125. I also ordered a basic steel 16-tooth drive sprocket from Sprocket Center. The problem that I did not anticipate is that the Renthal chains use a solid rivet pin, which means that the inexpensive chain rivet tools will not work. So instead of using the $30 chain rivet tool that I had already bought from Cycle Gear, I had to buy the Motion Pro Jumbo chain tool AND the Quad Stake Rivet kit. Having to spend another $140 for a rivet tool kit somewhat ruined the value proposition of the Renthal chain. So I hope to get crazy good mileage out of this chain. If I had known about the tool issue before I bought the chain, then I probably would have purchased a D.I.D. or EK. Those brands use hollow rivet pins that are easier to install with an inexpensive rivet tool. I have ridden just one day so far with the new chain. All I can say about its performance so far is that it is much quieter and smoother than my old worn-out chain. Here are a few other observations: A few items are required to remove the sprocket: a 30mm socket and an air impact gun. The gold color of the chain doesn't exactly match the color of the forks, but now the forks aren't the only gold on the bike. The grease that comes on the chain is really thick and sticky. I tried to wipe it off and didn't have much success. Now it is flinging off while riding and sticking all over. Yuck!

I had to go and jinx myself! Now I hear it rattling at 13K miles. I'm going to order the APE manual tensioner from our new forum vendor.

The first time I saw the FJ09, my imagination compared it to the Knight Fury dragon in the movie "How to train your dragon". However, I see the beak more like this:

Mine also has no unusual noise at 12K miles. I hear a rattle for about 2 seconds after a cold start and then it quiets down. I figure it takes a few seconds to distribute the oil and that stops the rattle. I have been wondering if my FJ has already had some tensioner service because it has a white dot painted on it as shown in the photo. Does anyone know what the painted dot indicates?

My weight with riding gear is about 220 lbs. My luggage and cargo added another 10 lbs. I am running the stock suspension. The rider sag is adjusted to about 33%. As I recall that is around 41-43mm sag. I understand that a suspension upgrade would allow me to ride faster on the same roads. So far I am content with speeds that I can ride on the stock suspension. I will consider less rebound damping the next time I am on a similar road.

This mod saved my oil pan a few days ago while navigating a twisty and uneven old road. My center stand hit pavement after riding through a dip. I expect that it would have been my oil pan if I had not performed this mod. Glad I did this one.

I don't like many motorcycle boots. Those I've tried are stiff and uncomfortable, especially the full height models. I've been using hiking boots for riding. I almost bought a good work or duty boot for riding, like a Danner or Bates, in order to get more foot protection while still enjoying some comfort when off the bike. I was finally convinced to get a dedicated riding boot when I found the A-stars Multiair XCR GTX. I like that I can wear them to work without looking like a Power Ranger. Most people probably won't notice that I am wearing a motorcycle boot. These are not full-height but I don't need full-height boots because my Motoport Kevlar pants contain shin armor. I like that they are quickly fastened by a ratcheting buckle, and that the use of velcro is minimal. Many zippered boots have a large velcro strip that is a hassle to deal with on a daily basis. I like the buckle a lot better. I also like that there is only one buckle because I plan to use these every day and I want to get them on and off quickly. They are waterproof and breathable with Goretex to keep your feet dry. I normally wear a size 9.5 (EU44) and I found these to be a little loose. I almost fit into the 9 (EU43), but I chose the larger size so that I could add a comfortable insole. I didn't find them to be as comfortable as my hiking boots, which is why I haven't had motorcycle boots before now. The insole that Alpinestars provides with the boots is very thin and not so comfy on its own. So I went back to the Danner store and bought the DXT Comfort footbed in size 10, shown below. It is designed to fit into all Danner boots, and fortunately it also fits perfectly into the Alpinestar boot without any trimming. I added the Danner insole to the Alpinestar insole so that the two insoles now fill up the loose space and I ended up with a snug fit, which is perfect. I am happy to report that this insole makes a major improvement in the comfort of the Multiair XCR GTX.

I'll say it first. I like ABS. It is one of many reasons why I chose the FJ-09. I'd like to think that I don't need it, that I will always exercise discipline and good control with the brakes. The reality is that I stomp on the brakes when faced with an emergency situation. I want the ABS to step in and unlock either tire when necessary. The only time that I crashed my last bike occurred because I locked up the rear. Also, my last car was totaled in a crash that may have been avoided if I had not locked up the brakes. I now have ABS on all my vehicles.

I use a simple procedure that my sales guy showed me to get it on the center stand.1. Left hand on left handlebar. 2. Right hand on left passenger hand grip. 3. Right foot on center stand. 4. Shift all your weight onto your right foot, lifting the bike onto the center stand, while guiding with your arms. You don't need to lift much with your arms because your body weight lifts the bike, and your hands don't get cut by the hand-holds.

Could it be the colder temps? I have noticed that my mileage is lower and the coolant temp gauge doesn't get above about 140-150. The ECU is likely running a rich fuel mixture, thus reducing mileage. Should improve with warmer days.

Checked the throttle body sync for the first time at 5310 miles. All three were still matched from new. Did not need to adjust them.

My FJ09 has never exhibited headshake. I found the following list of headshake troubleshooting items while reading Total Control: High Performance Riding Techniques by Lee Parks. It might help someone.

This journalist bashed the oil pan too. See third report.Rider mag long term ride FJ-09

Do you really need to remove the tank to synch the throttle bodies? I haven't done the throttle body synch yet, but I plan to soon and I'd like to verify before I start. The video that is posted in the thread "Which sync tool?" (http://fj-09.org/thread/1911/which-sync-tool) indicates that you do not disconnect the fuel lines, but just tilt the front of the tank upwards. You need the fuel to run the engine anyway.

My large CalSci is much quieter than stock at 70. I am 6' 34" inseam.

The wind noise is drastically lower with my large Cal Sci screen. Now the dominant noise is the engine and induction instead of the wind.