checkereddemon

GotFZ1 is correct, the bolt does not protrude. I will probably paint the whole thing black (hellooo Krylon!) so they will not show...

Nice tailbag! Does it offer good back support? I could sure use some of that on longer rides...

>> What I figured out is that the most comfortable spot for a set of pegs for me (32" seam) would be about 4-6" directly below the front engine mount. << I recently installed a set of Woodcraft sliders on the front (lower) engine mount and they provide a good place to rest my legs on those longer rides. A nice way to kill two birds with one stone, eh?

One thing that has puzzled me is why doesn't a 3rd party mfgr pattern their bag mounts after the Yamaha OEM mount? It is *very* sturdy and, from what I've seen, by far the least obtrusive visually. Is it a patent thing do you think?

>> Getting any particles out of the engine and filter certainly cant't hurt. << True that. But I question the 20 mi. as not being nearly long enough, that's what the 600 mi. change is for. And the job of the filter is to trap those shavings, etc.....

9Rider wrote: >> When I get my RED FJ-09 I will break it in by MotoMan's method and change oil and filter at 20 miles then 600 and every 2500mi....<< Wow, that's a lot of oil changes! I honestly think that changing the oil/filter every 2500 mi. is way overkill if you're using a good filter and synthetic oil. These bikes can easily, and safely, go 5,000 mi. between changes. Why waste oil and money when it's not necessary? I have been using a 5,000 mi. interval for almost 30 years now, never had an oil-related problem....

Adjuster wrote about sliders: "They are from T-Rex, have an upper aluminum bar that spans..." A question, can you rest your foot or leg on the engine sliders, they look to have a fairly wide platform...??

>> Would it not be easier to seek redress from the authority that failed to maintain the road? << Good luck with that. I believe Yamaha is the culpable party here, and it seems they do, too, since they completely repositioned the drain bolt on the new ones...

Here is a post that I made to 4TheRiders.com: >> One more comment, if I may? I can tell you that filing a complaint with the US’s NHTSA can and does result in restitution being made to owners of faulty vehicles. I recently received a letter from Mazda (after I joined in on such a complaint about the Mazda 3’s “sticky dash” syndrome) that they were going to replace my entire dash for free. This costs, at least, over $1,000 worth of parts and labor. And we’re not talking about something nearly as serious as having your bike and tires covered in oil while at speed…. I suggest that ALL owners of the defective FJ-09s post such a complaint to the NHTSA. Who knows, maybe Yamaha will be a little more charitable once Uncle Sam gets on their case?! NHTSA Link: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/ << How about it fellas, are you willing to spend 10 minutes in an effort to get this most serious issue handled properly??

VERY funny, and informative, how-to, you really have a way with words!! The part about substituting Simple Green for water for plants had me laughing out loud. My ex-wife (landscape designer) would have been *horrified* to read that, heh, heh!!

Alejandro posted: "(The only caveat: the shop that installed it for me said that one of the bolts was the wrong length...)" I got a different brand of sliders (Woodcraft) and their instructions stated that the left side bolt is longer. Perhaps this is what the shop noticed???

I am long time MD rider who, unfortunately, re-located from Bethesda to West Palm Beach. Talk about a change of topography. I do SOOOO miss riding the hilly, twisty, roads that are all around the VA/MD/DC area. In fact, I'm moving to within about 100 mi. of Asheville, NC for retirement. Then I'll be able to invite you guys down to spend time hanging out, spanking The Dragon and all the other nearby great roads!! It's gonna be a dream come true for me and I absolutely cannot wait for it to happen!! In fact, as a prelude, I have a trip planned Apr. 12 - 18 for a ride from here (So Fl) to Tellico Plains, TN and back. Anyone who lives along the way is welcome to join me. I'm meeting up with a group of very accomplished riders at Jack and Lori Hunt's Motorcycle Campground and we'll be strafing many of the roads surrounding the Dragon....

Your bike looks positively *evil*!! Michael, the handguards and screen really complement each other. And I, too, will change out the battery for a Lithium unit, but I'll probably give it 2 years before doing so. Any time you can shave 8-12 lbs. off a bike with no bad side effects, you should do so...

I own a very fine torque wrench indeed, but unless I'm doing internal motor work - not much of that nowadays, I go with my calibrated hands, wrists, and forearms. The idea for all bolts is to snug them down and then give it just a pinch more so that the bolt is stretched just a wee bit. I'm *especially* careful with mating dissimilar metals and generally use either anti-seize or thread locker depending upon the application. In 45 years of riding and wrenching, I've had precious few bolts come loose, nor have I stripped more than a small handful. But then again, I don't ride Harleys and other such bikes that have paint shaker motors...

I *think* this is controlled by the ECU programming and you'd need a re-flash to change the behavior. No biggie, 5 extra seconds every time you start the motah is not much of a hassle, IMHO...