nhchris

Clean machine! What pattern you running on the Blaster?

Now off to the Isle of Man with you Mark. Mad Sunday is just around the corner!

I switched to an undamped 17 front sprocket on my 2016 FJ and really amplified the noise you describe. But it also was noticeable with the OEM damped sprocket. Here is my theory... The noise emanates from front sprocket / chain interaction. Under full load, either from engine breaking or acceleration, the noise is minimized because the chain is held tight against the sprocket. Under a partial load, such as running along a flat section of road, the chain rattles against the front sprocket causing the noise. Cut or advance the throttle and the noise is reduced. Yamaha specs ridiculously tight 5mm chain slack for the FJ. Nobody runs that here and instead uses 35-45mm of slack. I wonder if the Yami spec is an effort to minimize this annoying rattle.

IF YA REALLY WANNA BE FAST... I firmly believe the $$ spent on most performance-related farkles would yield much greater return invested in track days and racing schools. We riders are usually the lowest performance component on our modern motorcycles!

Good work!!

Sounds like a nice BMW S-1000 XR to me!

Seven year old coolant isn't cool! So I assume you'll be replacing it as part of reassembly. You might find fresh coolant leaks more, or even less. Interesting to see. My 2016 FJ needs all the coolant flow it can get as the engine runs very hot when summer arrives. Not unusual to be floating around the boiling point in traffic. So the water pump is a REALLY important subsystem. If it were me I'd spend the $170 for peace of mind. There are a lot of wrenches on this forum who'd dig into that water pump in a heart beat. But as I look at the diagram you posted there are way too many seals gaskets and other bits to foul up during reassembly. Look at it this way... These days $170 is only a few tanks of premium!

Yup, the light front end is a known issue on that model (FJ 09 in States). Some folks drop the forks 10mm. Not sure that works since it further reduces trail. Steering damper?

Wow, what a great report. Thanks for posting. Those tires look fantastic! RE the Ring: I'd worry about the auto drivers and new bumps at corner entry!

Opps. I was NOT thinking of our UK and European brothers when I came up with that challenge. So... How about your Yami parked next to a Harley chopper OR... an MV Agusta F4. Better?

For example: In STD mode a 1/4 turn of the throttle might equal 30% opening of the throttle bodies. In A mode a 1/4 turn of the throttle might equal 50% opening of the throttle bodies. Same engine HP and torque output. Very different “feel.”

Ok. Your bike in the midst of a sea of Harley Davidson motorcycles.

And we know from the sight glass that the crankcase is not overfilled? Is there evidence of oil in the air box or upper regions of the motor? Have you tasted stain to help with ID? Burned taste not good.

Question: will this mushroom fix save the tire and allow it to be used with confIdence at high speed? or is it just a get home type of fix.

Anybody try running the CP3 on mid-grade? Will the ECU compensate for that?

Checking the valves is difficult enough on these bikes, but adjusting the valves if they are out of spec is really the problem. To re-shim you must pull the camshafts out and manipulate the thin metal shims to return the valves to factory spec. What could possibly go wrong? I did valve checks on my ST 1300 and vowed never again. And the ST valves were a lot more accessible than my FJs.

Hey@betoney, what schedule do you follow with this fuel additive? Every tank? Once a month? And is there a difference between bike and outboard flavors of this stuff?

No symptoms, no need.

I too love the sound of my (stock) exhaust and intake. It’s the gear box, clutch, chain and engine symphony that requires the ear plugs. Our bikes have well deserved reputations as noisy machines. But don’t worry. Be happy!

If your 2016 is like my2016, one farkle you will definitely need is EAR PLUGS!!

Welcome and ride on!! I also am lucky enough to own a 2016 FJ. The original and still the best!

At 70+ years young I welcome every rider aid I can get! I get a laugh out of the argument some riders make about ABS stopping distance being slightly longer than a properly applied front brake. That might be true for the small minority of race-seasoned riders. But for the rest of us who don’t practice panic stops weekly it ain’t true. Instinctively Grabbing a BIG handful of front brake in an emergency stop will quickly lock the front wheel… until the ABS activates. WHEW !!! Thank you modern science.

I was surprised to see the high NADA average retail (trade in) price on this bike. For the New England region it is a lofty $11,500. An added plus is your relatively low mileage.