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New member with 2015 FJ-09 inbound


Dave Clark

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20 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Please clarify your comment.

There are at least a dozen more mods also commonly made to street bikes less maybe the skid plate.  A 15 FJ09 per the hop manual is due for brake line (and clutch cable) replacement.  The stock brake pads are GG, fine for the rear but they have no place on a bike like a FZ/FJ/XSR/Tracer! An OEM slip/ assist clutch is relatively inexpensive and greatly reduces lever effort, improvs shifting and adds more than a  of safety especially in wet conditions. 

Next up would be front & rear suspension "recalibration"...

Just kidding. In fact I’m in the same process right now. For me it is not first time but he might be scared that this bike needs so much to be ready to go … lol

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2 minutes ago, Rick123 said:

Just kidding. In fact I’m in the same process right now. For me it is not first time but he might be scared that this bike needs so much to be ready to go … lol

Think you should have put "needs" in quotation marks. 😁

Probably a lot of people out there riding pretty stock bikes.

Good morning Rick.

There is never enough time or money to do it right the first time.

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8 hours ago, Heavy said:

Think you should have put "needs" in quotation marks. 😁

Probably a lot of people out there riding pretty stock bikes.

Good morning Rick.

Good afternoon Heavy and yes you’re right about “needs”. Lol.

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On 3/7/2023 at 11:00 PM, Dave Clark said:

Is cracking the bottom of the case from road debris that common on this bike?

It's happened to several folks on this forum:

 

On 3/7/2023 at 11:00 PM, Dave Clark said:

And what's the "oil plug mod"?

The 2015 we have has an oil plug with a guard moulded into the oil pan at the very bottom of said oil pan.  This makes it the lowest point on the bike.

 

There should be some part #'s in that thread.  I found one on fleabay because it was a cheap & quick fix (I got a  Volkswagen N-911-679-01, but there are other options in the above thread).  Just grind off the guard and replace the factory oil plug.  Then the catalytic converter is the lowest point on the bike.  I'd rather a ding in the cat than oil leaking all over.  A year or more later I got a skid plate, but I don't regret shrinking the oil plug by several mm just the same.  I sometimes go on rides long enough that I'd just rather the odds be in my favour.  This is just how I went about it is all.

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2015 FJ-09 / FJR touring bags / oil plug mod / Evotech rad guard / SW Motech bash plate / VStream touring windshield / Seat Concepts:  Sport Touring / Vcyclenut ABS rings (speedo correction) / Cosmo RAM mount

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Thanks, Knyte.  You've certainly given me something to consider.  I just went out and inspected the oil drain on my 2015 FJ - good Lord that IS a bad design!  The thread you linked illustrates that it doesn't take much to crack that pan.  I'll put the drain plug mod and a skid plate of some sort on my to-do list.

As for brake pads, SS lines, suspension, slipper clutch, ECU flash, etc, I need to ride the bike for a season to see how much I really "need" any of those. Many of the same mods are recommended "must-haves" for the 650 V-strom.  I put 30k miles on my stock 2008 Vstrom and enjoyed every unmodified mile.  The FJ is already several levels better than the Vstrom right out of the box. However, I'll keep your suggestions in mind this season.  I do appreciate them but my priorities at the moment are ergonomics and protection.  

Thanks again!

Edited by Dave Clark
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And yes, I’m just barely old enough to understand that DC5 reference. 😉 My older sister was a fan and I’ve heard the comparison my whole life. There are certainly worse things! 😁

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  • 2 weeks later...

Weather just barely improved enough (54 degrees and partly sunny) to take my bike on a good, 150 mile ride of interstate, twisty 2-lane, and country backroads.  I added the following upgrades before the ride:

Rubber padded foot pegs

Bar up/back blocks (1" both ways)

KTM hand guards 

Parabellum Flyscreen

Adventure Tech mirror extenders

SW Motech skid plate

VERDICT: I'm very happy with all the ergonomic changes EXCEPT the Parabellum Flyscreen. While it's a big improvement over stock, it still puts too much rumbling air around my helmet over 55MPH, even in the lowest position.  I love the quality of the item and the customer service was unmatched but I think I might like something even lower.  Next time I have a chance to ride I'm going to take the windshield off altogether and ride it "naked" and see if that result in cleaner airflow.

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No windscreen produced almost totally clean airflow (no s**t, Sherlock!). I reinstalled the fly screen but angled a little flatter by doubling the spacers on the bottom. I was hoping to direct the wind flow to my neck/chin but the result was even more noisy turbulence than before.

Tomorrow after work I'll switch it around and stand the the screen more upright.  If that's not satisfactory, I'll haver to consider one of those Puig deflectors.

 

IMG_9210.JPG

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On 3/18/2023 at 8:10 PM, Dave Clark said:

VERDICT: I'm very happy with all the ergonomic changes EXCEPT the Parabellum Flyscreen. While it's a big improvement over stock, it still puts too much rumbling air around my helmet over 55MPH,

I put this cheap $30 deflector at high position, set so that I see over it. (it is a knock off, low quality)

at 5' 8" tall the top of the deflector appears in my sight about 40 feet down the road. It pulls the air up and over my visor area, and the wind that does hit top of helmet is a much less turbulent flow than stock windshield.

To get rid of turbulance, you either have to go really low (gets old after a while) or clean air over you. A deflector is the way to get that clean air without a huge shield that you have to look through.

 

Deflector 3.jpg

LaminarLIP.jpg

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1980 Yamaha 850 Triple (sold). Too many bikes to list, FJ-09 is next on my list
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