texscottyd

Yup: A-mode with TCS off is the combination that delivers maximum hooligan entertainment. Be careful... With the short wheelbase and relatively tall seat height, things happen quickly.

That is a very clever solution, @superfist. Is there a specific model/size of the Rox risers you used?

After a quick air pressure check to prepare for tomorrow morning’s ride, I broke out the family scrapbook and told my FJ09 the story of some of his ancestors... Is it really possible that the original FJ is now 35 years old? I have fond memories of my old FJ1100, and feel like the 09 has been a worthy modern successor...

Interesting, and something I hadn’t noticed previously, but it appears the signals on the Tracer GT are mounted significantly lower than they were on the gen-1 FJ... now at the ‘fattest’ part of the GT. I wonder what the rationale was behind that design decision?

Exactly. There isn’t much wiggle room in going with lower bars, @jeff400650. At full steering lock, the bars & control housings come very close to the trim around the tank opening... best case there is maybe an inch to be gained.

Ok - I finally found the Ohlins spring code (mostly) on my YA535. The portion I can read says ‘36/105 L0317’. There might be something that precedes it (the spring length, based on @norcal616‘s information), but I can’t see that with the shock on the bike. Regardless, it appears that the 36/105 indicates a 105 N/mm (600 lbs/in) spring rate. I’m 225 pounds without gear, and it works perfectly for me.

Hi @jeff400650 - Several of us have pursued this same goal, and the consensus seems to be that the Rizoma MA006 handlebar is a good choice for a slightly more sporting riding position. If you haven’t already done so, rotate the factory risers 180 degrees to move the stock bar forward, and (assuming you’re tall enough) set the seat to the tall position. It isn’t a massive change, but definitely slants the ergonomics more to the sporting side. This thread has some more details, including thoughts about throwing the factory handguards in the trash...

Hey there @wordsmith. I’m about 2,500 miles into a set of the Michelin Road 5 tires, and have been very happy with them so far. They replaced a set of Pilot Road 4s that I had on the FJ previously, and seem to be a nice evolution of the PR family. It’s interesting that they dropped the Pilot designation with this iteration... I had been calling them PR5s until I realized the name change. They grip very well for a tire with a long-ish tread life, and I’ve always been a fan of Michelin’s edge traction characteristics... the steering is neutral from straight up to full lean, and they give plenty of warning when you’re approaching the limits of adhesion. Although it’s not such a big factor in a street tire, my experience with the 5s is that the break-away is gentle, and the overall traction feedback is outstanding. I got 6,700 miles out of the PR4s, and expect about the same (or maybe a bit more) from the 5s. For reference, the stock Dunlop D222s made it 4,800 miles. Full disclosure: I’ve been a ‘Michelin guy’ for decades, and almost my entire road racing career was on Michelins (both slicks & DOTs), chasing BibBucks tire contingency money. So I clearly have a predisposition to go with the Michelin tires on my FJ until I find a reason not to continue with them.

My FJ, hanging out at The Kenney Store, in between Bellville and Brenham, Texas. It draws a large & diverse crowd on nice days, but the Africa Twin, BMW GS, Versys, etc contingent always seems to be well represented.

@nicksta43 - Man, it is so good to see you back in the saddle! Maybe we can find a weekend to meet up for lunch? There’s decent riding for both of us to meet somewhere midway...

Not exactly a motorcycle hangout, but Orsak’s Cafe on the town square in Fayetteville, Texas is a popular lunch spot for weekend riders from the Houston area. I met a guy on this beautiful R90/6 BMW out there a few Sundays ago...

Hi @DavidS - I use a Sena 20s with the standard helmet speakers in my Shoei RF1200, and have had really good luck with the music quality. I wear earplugs all the time, but I can hear the music just fine, while filtering out much of the background and wind noise. I use off-the shelf Mack’s foam orange plugs (NRR 33 dB). What I have noticed is that the helmet speaker location is critical, and can be tricky to get right. The speaker pockets in my Shoei aren’t quite large enough to fit the standard Sena speakers, so I’ve spent a lot of time getting the speakers positioned exactly where I want them. I’ve got it adjusted so that the foam speaker covers just BARELY make contact with my ear... comfortable, and the music comes through loud and clear.

And every day I hate you just a little bit more, @betoney...

Woo-hoo! Are you in Knoxville yet? The riding there has to be infinitely better than central Missouri...

Nice! Not sure how I missed this when you first posted...