Several Options Installed

[mark]

What do you do in Texas when its too cold to ride Spend Money !!! Thankfully it doesn't stay too cold long. I should have been a better member and took pictures or videos along the way but I failed. Now that the bike is done I need to figure out how to upload pictures. I will however recap what I noticed along the way.
 
First install was the California Scientific Calsci windshield I got the clear one they call medium on the web site which is odd because they don't offer a large and its the largest one they have for the FJ. It's perfect for me and works very well. Its tall enough that I look just over the top when its in the lowest of the 3 settings. No issues with it at all and of course its 4 screw no brainer to install.
 
I installed a set of Woodcraft engine sliders. Not sure how much protection they offer if you go over but my intent was to have something that on occasion for  a brief moment I could stick my feet on them if I wanted to stretch for a bit on a long ride.. Yes I know they are not meant to be highway pegs and they are small so please don't tell me how dangerous it could be using them for highway pegs.
 
Hard Bags and all the assorted multiple parts to install the factory hard bags. I had soft bags I used on the FZ and the factory soft bag supports. When I first got the bike I put those FZ supports on the FJ. It will work but I had to use some spacers for it to work right but it will work. I decided to get the hard bags.  After a lot of contemplation I opted for the FJ hard bags rather than the FJR bags.  Part of the reason was because I have a gray FJ and didn't want to mess with paint. The Lid is the only difference and I just decided to go with the narrower FJ bags.  Installation was pretty simple. First the brackets which were pretty simple and then the locks on the bags and presto. To save you a trip to the store before you get ready to install the mounts locks etc make sure you have a Security Hex bit to install the locks. I didn't have one so picked one up at Lowes. Its a size 10 that you need. I don't understand it.. You cant get to the back of the lock to take the lock off unless its unlocked. You cant remove the key unless its locked so if your bike is setting they would have to break the bags and or lock to get to the part that you have to have a security hex bit to remove the lock. If you broke the lock somehow you could remove the bag anyway so why would you need a security bit to take the lock off.. Weird.. But you have to have one to install the locks in the bags.
 
Another note on the hard bags. One lid didn't close like the other one. One of the bags had more of a gap when the lid was closed. The dealer is going to replace it and called me today to see if I still had the box because Yamaha wanted to know the batch number of that bag to make sure no one else got one with issues.. That was a nice touch that they stood behind a small quality control issue. It wasn't that bad and I wouldn't have said anything if both were like that. But since one bag sealed better it was obvious there was an issue with the other one.
 
accessory optional 12V socket. This was also easy to install. You have to remove the windshield but its a very quick job. Remove the windshield, remove the piece the windshield mounts to and then there is room to pop the dummy cap off insert the socket, tighten a big nut that holds the socket in place and plug into the wiring harness.
 
Heated Grips. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but it wasn't that bad at all and maybe took an hour. Tool alert. I should have read the instructions more before I started. You need a 12mm hex wrench. I have hex wrenches out the wazoo but of course 10mm is the largest that come in any set. So a quick trip to the auto parts store and I now have a 12mm hex wrench that I doubt I will ever use again but I now have it.  I ran into some fasteners that i hadn't seen before but its pretty straight forward. You have to remove some of the cowling on the right side of the motorcycle but not too bad. The instructions tell you to refer to the service manual which probably isn't available yet but its not hard to figure out. You take the part with the blinker on it off, unplug the blinker and set it aside. Then you take the fasteners off that hold the trim that goes across the from on the tank off. You only have to take it loose on the right side and the 2 right by the gas cap. That will make it loose enough that you can remove the remaining trim on the right side so you have access to where the grips plug into the harness.  After I had them installed and plugged into the the proper connector when you turn the key on and use the menu button sure enough one of the settings shows the grips on the right side of the dash. I guess the computer knows you plugged them in. I set the switch to high and didn't notice them getting warmer.. So for grins and giggles I started the bike and BINGO I had heat. I don't think it was a timing issue and I just didn't give them time to warm up I think you have to have the bike running for them to work even though with the key on bike not running the display shows they are on.  If someone has them installed you might comment if I'm correct but as soon as I started the bike they got warm where they hadn't with just the key on.  
 
That's it other than a ram mount xgrip for my phone and a wiring harness for my battery tender. I feel bad I didn't take nice photos step by step instructions but it was all pretty simple if you take your time. I have been ridding since I turned 15 which was 43 years ago so I have been around a lot of different motorcycles mostly HD's but I am far from a mechanic. The metric world is somewhat new to me but I'll say if I can do it anyone can do it. The dealer was going to install the heated grips since I ordered them when I bought the bike but doing it yourself if you have some patience and mechanical skills is a good way to get to know your ride. I will say that after having the FZ and the FJ the factory Yamaha accessories seem to bolt up easier than the factory HD accessories that cost a whole lot more, but that's just one man's opinion..Just sayin..
 
 
 
 
 

[ULEWZ]

What do you do in Texas when its too cold to ride Spend Money !!! Thankfully it doesn't stay too cold long. I should have been a better member and took pictures or videos along the way but I failed. Now that the bike is done I need to figure out how to upload pictures. I will however recap what I noticed along the way.  
First install was the California Scientific Calsci windshield I got the clear one they call medium on the web site which is odd because they don't offer a large and its the largest one they have for the FJ. It's perfect for me and works very well. Its tall enough that I look just over the top when its in the lowest of the 3 settings. No issues with it at all and of course its 4 screw no brainer to install.
 
I installed a set of Woodcraft engine sliders. Not sure how much protection they offer if you go over but my intent was to have something that on occasion for  a brief moment I could stick my feet on them if I wanted to stretch for a bit on a long ride.. Yes I know they are not meant to be highway pegs and they are small so please don't tell me how dangerous it could be using them for highway pegs.
 
Hard Bags and all the assorted multiple parts to install the factory hard bags. I had soft bags I used on the FZ and the factory soft bag supports. When I first got the bike I put those FZ supports on the FJ. It will work but I had to use some spacers for it to work right but it will work. I decided to get the hard bags.  After a lot of contemplation I opted for the FJ hard bags rather than the FJR bags.  Part of the reason was because I have a gray FJ and didn't want to mess with paint. The Lid is the only difference and I just decided to go with the narrower FJ bags.  Installation was pretty simple. First the brackets which were pretty simple and then the locks on the bags and presto. To save you a trip to the store before you get ready to install the mounts locks etc make sure you have a Security Hex bit to install the locks. I didn't have one so picked one up at Lowes. Its a size 10 that you need. I don't understand it.. You cant get to the back of the lock to take the lock off unless its unlocked. You cant remove the key unless its locked so if your bike is setting they would have to break the bags and or lock to get to the part that you have to have a security hex bit to remove the lock. If you broke the lock somehow you could remove the bag anyway so why would you need a security bit to take the lock off.. Weird.. But you have to have one to install the locks in the bags.
 
Another note on the hard bags. One lid didn't close like the other one. One of the bags had more of a gap when the lid was closed. The dealer is going to replace it and called me today to see if I still had the box because Yamaha wanted to know the batch number of that bag to make sure no one else got one with issues.. That was a nice touch that they stood behind a small quality control issue. It wasn't that bad and I wouldn't have said anything if both were like that. But since one bag sealed better it was obvious there was an issue with the other one.
 
accessory optional 12V socket. This was also easy to install. You have to remove the windshield but its a very quick job. Remove the windshield, remove the piece the windshield mounts to and then there is room to pop the dummy cap off insert the socket, tighten a big nut that holds the socket in place and plug into the wiring harness.
 
Heated Grips. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but it wasn't that bad at all and maybe took an hour. Tool alert. I should have read the instructions more before I started. You need a 12mm hex wrench. I have hex wrenches out the wazoo but of course 10mm is the largest that come in any set. So a quick trip to the auto parts store and I now have a 12mm hex wrench that I doubt I will ever use again but I now have it.  I ran into some fasteners that i hadn't seen before but its pretty straight forward. You have to remove some of the cowling on the right side of the motorcycle but not too bad. The instructions tell you to refer to the service manual which probably isn't available yet but its not hard to figure out. You take the part with the blinker on it off, unplug the blinker and set it aside. Then you take the fasteners off that hold the trim that goes across the from on the tank off. You only have to take it loose on the right side and the 2 right by the gas cap. That will make it loose enough that you can remove the remaining trim on the right side so you have access to where the grips plug into the harness.  After I had them installed and plugged into the the proper connector when you turn the key on and use the menu button sure enough one of the settings shows the grips on the right side of the dash. I guess the computer knows you plugged them in. I set the switch to high and didn't notice them getting warmer.. So for grins and giggles I started the bike and BINGO I had heat. I don't think it was a timing issue and I just didn't give them time to warm up I think you have to have the bike running for them to work even though with the key on bike not running the display shows they are on.  If someone has them installed you might comment if I'm correct but as soon as I started the bike they got warm where they hadn't with just the key on.  
 
That's it other than a ram mount xgrip for my phone and a wiring harness for my battery tender. I feel bad I didn't take nice photos step by step instructions but it was all pretty simple if you take your time. I have been ridding since I turned 15 which was 43 years ago so I have been around a lot of different motorcycles mostly HD's but I am far from a mechanic. The metric world is somewhat new to me but I'll say if I can do it anyone can do it. The dealer was going to install the heated grips since I ordered them when I bought the bike but doing it yourself if you have some patience and mechanical skills is a good way to get to know your ride. I will say that after having the FZ and the FJ the factory Yamaha accessories seem to bolt up easier than the factory HD accessories that cost a whole lot more, but that's just one man's opinion..Just sayin..
 
 
 
 

Nice, all great upgrades. Is the seat ok for you?
 

[mark]

I think the seat is going to be good. If they didnt come out with the FJ I would have upgraded the set on the FZ it was a board. As far as the FJ seat its good so far. I only have 300 miles on it so far but I think the seat will be fine. I think if I was going on a really long trip I would look at some of the aftermarket pads maybe before spending the money to get a diffrent seat because I think the stock seat will be good even for the long haul. Keep in mind up until a little over a year ago I was ridding on a bigger bike with a sofa for a seat so Im a little spoiled. Bottom line FZ-09 seat not so good. FJ-09 seat good so far !!

[xcsp]

Hi Mark,
Thanks for sharing the info on your accessory install.
 
Not sure if you did it but when you install the saddle bag locks, it is good to put some threadlocker on the screws/bolts. (Just don't get any threadlocker on the plastic.)
 
It is a known fact in the FJR community that these screws can come loose if threadlocker wasn't used.
 
For the heated grips, engine needs to be running to operate as you found out. What do the warmers have for settings, is it just low, medium and high or is it something different?
 
 
About the Calsci windscreen, you mention it works well for you-how tall are you just for reference?
 
Thanks!

[mark]

On the locks I did use some lock tight but its good to know so I can keep an eye on them.
 
As far as the windshield Im 5 10 with a 31" inseam.
 
On the grip warmers there are 3 setings hi, med, low. You toggle it like you do to switch between trip , water temp etc. Tap the menu and it brings up the grip warmer icon in the top right rather than the page icon.  Once you see the grip warmer icon On the display when they are off its just a grip shown, hit the button to scroll and 1 line shows up on the grip icon, med 2 lines show up and Hi has 3 lines so you know which one you selected. I guess the lines indicate heat waves. Something else I just discovered thats pretty trick is if you hold the menu button for a couple seconds now there is an option that says warmer. Once you are in there you can change the setting from 1 to 10 on each of the 3 settings. The default is lo = 1 med = 5 and hi = 10. You can adjust those to what ever you want so you can make the high med and low whatever setting you want.  So it looks like there are just 3 settings hi med and low but you can adjust each setting to what you want between 1 and 10 . 

[FigJam-OhNine]

Awesome. My heated grips are already on order. I guessed this was how they worked, and I'm glad I'm right. If you had to pull over to navigate through the menu to turn them on, that would be a pain.
 
How did you like the soft bags on your FZ? I was about to order the hard bags, when I lucked out found a Yamaha Canada promo for free soft bags. I'm sure the hard bags are much nicer, but the soft ones will probably be just fine for how often I'll use them. They'll obviously come with the proper FJ mounts, so the spacing issue you mentioned won't be a factor.

[mark]

Awesome. My heated grips are already on order. I guessed this was how they worked, and I'm glad I'm right. If you had to pull over to navigate through the menu to turn them on, that would be a pain.  
How did you like the soft bags on your FZ? I was about to order the hard bags, when I lucked out found a Yamaha Canada promo for free soft bags. I'm sure the hard bags are much nicer, but the soft ones will probably be just fine for how often I'll use them. They'll obviously come with the proper FJ mounts, so the spacing issue you mentioned won't be a factor.

I didnt have the yamaha bags and Im not sure who makes them for Yamaha. I had the Cortech 2.0 saddle bags which were good bags. The reason I went with the hard ones is so I wouldnt have to worry about rain covers etc if you get caught out somewhere.  Mine attached over the seat which wasnt a big deal because I normally dont have a passanger but they were a pain to take on and off quickly when it came to putting them on and securing with straps front and back etc. I think the yamaha soft bags are a slicker setup and they have pockets on the inside that slip over the bag supports.. Hey for the price you are paying you cant beat that !!! I dont blame you I would try them out before considering the cost of the hard bags !!

[masterofgofaster]

The Yamaha soft bags are made by Bags Connection, the model is "Blaze". The Yamaha version has Yamaha Logos and black interior while the Bags connection version have a red interior. They worked very well on my FZ-09. The mount kit for the FJ is different, so far I have only seen part numbers for the FJ mount kit on the Canadian website.

[Cruizin]

Moving this because this is not a "how to" thread. There are no pics or video. Congrats on the upgrades though.

[roadscum]

An excellent wright up and product evaluation Mark. Thanks for taking the time to share!
I'd be interested in hearing you opinion on handling of the FZ vs FJ.
Paul

[cthruu]

How do you like your windscreen?

[mikef]

I have looked but just don't see appropriate tank bags. Does anyone have some input on a good tank bag for the FJ-09? Thanks.

[wessie]

I have looked but just don't see appropriate tank bags. Does anyone have some input on a good tank bag for the FJ-09? Thanks.

you may get a better response if you posted your question in a new thread in the General Discussion section. Many people may not see it hidden in this old thread.  
a number of tank bag options have been mentioned in recent posts and I would direct you to the SEARCH facility at the top of the screen.
 
I have fitted an Oxford X30 with strap on base rather than magnets. This works okay considering the £30 price from Amazon UK. Givi tank bags seem popular using the tanklock system. Again, use the search facility. 
 
Hope this helps and welcome to the forum.

[mikef]

Thanks Mate!

[chris618]

Do the frame sliders work as highway pegs? I was hoping they would work for short time lengths to stretch my legs out if I have to run down the highway. How does the fj power feel compared to the fz?