What did you do to your FJ-tracer-gt today?

[michael]

Actually, I did a lot. At 525 miles, changed oil & filter, installed Shorai LiFe battery, OEM heated grips, KTM handguards (I hated the Darth Vader stockers), California Scientific "shorty" dark tinted screen.
 
https://michaelnel.smugmug.com/2015-Yamaha-FJ-09/i-fHhpsLL/0/XL/handguards-shortyscreen-XL.jpg

[clint]

Actually, I did a lot. At 525 miles, changed oil & filter, installed Shorai LiFe battery, OEM heated grips, KTM handguards (I hated the Darth Vader stockers), California Scientific "shorty" dark tinted screen. 

 
 

[michael]

For me the preference for the KTM handguards is not just about the looks, but I like that they are several inches narrower than the stockers and provide much better wind protection and no interference with windscreens.  They are the same ones that came on my KTM 690 Enduro originally, although on that bike I replaced them with Cycra ProBends for better crash protection.  More likely to dump that bike than this one.

[wessie]

Why change the battery @michael? The OEM Yuasa one seems to work fine after almost a year in service

[michael]

The benefits of the Shorai batteries are many. Googling will bring you the answers you seek.

[checkereddemon]

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...

[michael]

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...

Thank you.  I like the way the bike looks too.  The screen is perfect for me, I hate looking through screens and I hate the buffeting I always get from them.  This shorty looks good and does what I need from a screen... nothing. ;-)

[johan]

The benefits of the Shorai batteries are many. Googling will bring you the answers you seek.

Weight reduction being the most obvious. But I can easily shed 5kg or more from the ballast sitting on my Tracer, and that would be far more beneficial, to my health and the bike. The benefits in handling not to speak of...

[wessie]

The benefits of the Shorai batteries are many. Googling will bring you the answers you seek.

Nope. Google does not help in explaining your motivation. Nor do any of my BTeC electrical engineering text books.  
Electrons are electrons and the OE Yuasa does a fine job of delivering the right quantity when I want them. The Tracer does not give a monkey's if they are sourced from a lead or Lithium Iron based soup.  
 
Even if the Yuasa failed, the Lithium Iron type battery would not be on the list of contenders as a replacement. As @johan states, the main difference is the lower mass but a standard YTZ10S is hardly a heavy item to begin with. 
 
To change a perfectly good AGM battery for a new one seems illogical for monetary and environmental reasons. 
 
 
 
 
 

[Henchman]

The benefits of the Shorai batteries are many. Googling will bring you the answers you seek.

That's no joke.  I replaced the battery in my other bike last spring with a Shorai, the weight difference alone is worth it - felt like 4-5 lbs.  Also, my bike would eat batteries - one per year - trickle-charged or not.  I haven't ridden it much since the swap, have never charged it, and it still cranks my 1200 V-Twin like new.  If it were a lead/acid battery - it would be dead. 
I will replace the FJ's battery with a Shorai when the time comes.

[ULEWZ]

The benefits of the Shorai batteries are many. Googling will bring you the answers you seek.

Nope. Google does not help in explaining your motivation. Nor do any of my BTeC electrical engineering text books.  
Electrons are electrons and the OE Yuasa does a fine job of delivering the right quantity when I want them. The Tracer does not give a monkey's if they are sourced from a lead or Lithium Iron based soup.  
 
Even if the Yuasa failed, the Lithium Iron type battery would not be on the list of contenders as a replacement. As @johan states, the main difference is the lower mass but a standard YTZ10S is hardly a heavy item to begin with. 
 
To change a perfectly good AGM battery for a new one seems illogical for monetary and environmental reasons. 
 
 
 
 

I have purchased four LiPo batteries and find they do more then save weight, but that is a definite plus on a dirtbike which is what I put mine in. Additionally, they will maintain a state of charge longer than a regular lead battery when just sitting around, which is also a great reason to purchase one. On a negative note, they take a while to warm up in the cold and may need a few cycles of the starter to have enough juice to work due to this. The cycling of the starter warms up the battery, and it will release more cold cranking amps. I also find they last one or two years longer before going bad (my experience YMMV). They also cost a bunch more, which is the only real down side IMO.
 

[wessie]

I have purchased four LiPo batteries and find they do more then save weight, but that is a definite plus on a dirtbike which is what I put mine in. Additionally, they will maintain a state of charge longer than a regular lead battery when just sitting around, which is also a great reason to purchase one. On a negative note, they take a while to warm up in the cold and may need a few cycles of the starter to have enough juice to work due to this. The cycling of the starter warms up the battery, and it will release more cold cranking amps. I also find they last one or two years longer before going bad (my experience YMMV). They also cost a bunch more, which is the only real down side IMO.

 
By regular lead-acid battery do you mean the wet, unsealed type? Absorbed glass mat (AGM) are also lead acid in their chemistry but are regulated by a valve, so won't leak if fitted on their side as in the Tracer. AGM also offer significantly better performance over the wet type with more cold cranking amps(CCA). This allows designers to use smaller battery packs for large capacity bikes, saving weight. AGM batteries will also stay fully charged for long periods, certainly the typical 2-3 month winter lay off we have in the UK. A Hawker Odyssey AGM battery on my R1150GS and a Yuasa AGM on my Super Tenere are evidence of this durability.
 
So, for a sports-touring motorcycle, I am still not convinced that the LiPo battery has enough of an advantage to justify the extra cost when replacing a broken battery and certainly not to replace a new one.
 
If one is riding a lightweight off road bike or a track bike then yes, maybe a few pounds weight loss is worth the extra cost.

[michael]

The benefits of the Shorai batteries are many. Googling will bring you the answers you seek.

Nope. Google does not help in explaining your motivation. 

I do not need to explain my motivation or justification for purchasing anything to anyone, thank you very much.   

[riverfox]

Looked at my FJ, looked at the snow and then went and looked at a 1947 Luscombe for sale. Looked good, might by it!

[wessie]

Nope. Google does not help in explaining your motivation. 

I do not need to explain my motivation or justification for purchasing anything to anyone, thank you very much.  

You chose to make the modification and then you made it public in this forum. I reserve the right to interrogate you about the rationalisation process you went through to justify said modification. 
 
I concede you are not obliged to show your working and have every right to remain enigmatic (which may or not be a euphemism for another adjective but I'm not telling)