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

[jgalloway]

New Bars!
 

I put a set of those on over the winter. I love them, especially on longer trips. I rode from my house (southern Indiana) to Madison, WI a couple of weeks ago. 970 mile round trip. No wrist fatigue, and no sore thumbs.  

[oldguy44]

Can someone who has installed the FZ6 foot pegs let me know the model year of the pegs? 
Thanks!

Doesn't  matter, see post just before yours.

[wordsmith]

ADDED SOME REAR BRAKE-OPERATED FLASHING LEDs

Here’s the Reader’s Digest version:

Made and installed a pair of flashing rear brake-operated hi-viz LEDs, a sort-of poor man’s Skene P3 set-up. Cost me about $45. Many thanks to a mate from another Forum for giving me a wiring diagram and much other guidance.
 
And here’s the unabridged version for those who like me have plenty of time on their hands and/ or who may want to do a similar installation:
 
Many members have seen and may have installed front and/ or rear SKENE® conspicuity lights on their bikes, and I’ve had a SKENE P3 rear-mounted LED kit on at least three earlier bikes – Tracers and BMW Roadsters.
 
SKENE stuff is excellent in all respects, but expensive, especially with the current exchange rate. And the piratical AUD$59 postage to Oz is not Jerry SKENE’s fault, but the kit can be held in the palm of a small hand, and weighs next to nothing!
 
But, ever in search of the see-and-be-seen ideal and to support the aim of the front hi-viz LED spots in making me more visible on the road I decided on a DIY approach to some supplementary rear lights.
 
Internet sources are full of LED strips, but many include both red and amber/ yellow LEDs, which minimises the number of the desired red colour LEDs.
But after some searching I bought locally a pair of flexible Bright Red LED strips; a micro-relay and some other small parts; plus a GS-100A Modulator (to make the LEDs flash) post-free on-line - cheap enough, but took forever to get here. I already had the other few things needed to finish the job such as some wire and mini spade terminals, and my trusty soldering iron.
 
So the total cost has been about AUD$45. Another SKENE kit would have cost me about AUD$200, and although certainly affordable and possibly better in some ways, I couldn’t justify the cost this time around. Besides which, I do enjoy ‘fiddling’!
 
I wanted to mount the LEDs in close proximity to the rear light cluster, to maximise the mass of lights there so that a following texting/ lipsticking/ make-up checking/ turning-round-and-screeching-at-the-kids soccer mum in her large SUV – and others – would have the best possible chance of seeing me when braking.
 
SKENE P3s display a constant and distinct rapid on-and-off ‘flicker’ (they call it their ‘patented conspicuity flicker’) before it bursts fully into action when brakes are applied.   With my DIY LED set-up the flashing only comes on as braking is applied – a distinct but rapidly-flashing brief sequence initially; then a longer sequence of slower flashes (about the same frequency as the indicators); then a steady ‘on’ state for as long as the brake is applied.
 
The Modulator doesn’t have to be included in the circuit – to omit it would save about five minutes work and fewer dollars – but without it the LEDs would come on without flashing when brakes are applied. But the flashing adds immeasurably to the visibility and value of the installation – in fact, I wouldn’t have bothered otherwise.
 
The self-adhesive LED strips are 15cm (6”) long x 1cm (⅜”) wide, and it seemed that the maximum effect would be gained if placed one above the other. There are various possible mounting locations at the back of the bike, and I decided to mount the LEDs under the carry-rack on a length of 20mm x 2mm aluminium strip painted black. This puts them immediately above the rear lamp cluster, almost touching it, in effect creating one source of light as seen from behind.
 
While awaiting delivery of the LEDs and Modulator I did some time-saving pre-fabbing of the wiring and the relay, soldering the joints and using some heat-shrink tube over the joints for maximum security.   The micro-relay fits neatly into the rear tray under the pillion seat with the Modulator close by, and once tidied-up everything was securely zip-tied, still leaving some room. As a final task I was able to conceal the external wires from the LEDs very neatly as they entered the under-seat space, so I’m pleased with the overall result.
 
The final result – when braking there’s a very intense display of bright red flashing LEDs, right where it counts adjacent to the rear lamp cluster.
 
‘Brighter than a thousand suns’? - it’s hard to judge, but looking at some pix of my past installations this DIY approach does seem to be almost as attention-grabbing as the SKENE P3s, which is all I wanted. And good value at ~AUD$45 or so, with the bonus of a satisfying job that worked perfectly from the start!
 
Pix below show (top) - the LEDs mounted on their bracket close to the rear lamp cluster; (middle) - the LEDs in action; (bottom) - the key parts - Modulator, LED strips, relay.
 
 
 

 

 

 

[BBB]

Looks good @wordsmith. What's the purpose of the relay in the circuit? Do just the additional LEDs flash or the OEM brake lights as well? Do you have the circuit diagram you could post?

[wordsmith]

Looks good @wordsmith . What's the purpose of the relay in the circuit? Do just the additional LEDs flash or the OEM brake lights as well? Do you have the circuit diagram you could post?

Thank you.   As I freely admitted at the beginning of my post I had a lot of help and guidance from a mate who has forgotten more about electrons than I'll ever know, so I have no idea why the relay is there, though I gather it is some kind of switch.   In fact, until then I'd thought that a relay was a Bloke wearing shorts running round in circles carrying a stick, who then chucked it to another Bloke wearing shorts who ran around in circles, etc., ad nauseam! 
Only the additional LEDs flash, but doubtless the insertion of the AUD$4 Modulator into the brake-line circuit could make the OE brake lights also flash.   I have PM'd you the circuit diagram, which is a bit rough-and-ready with some of my scribblings on it, but it will help I'm sure.

[builderbob]

Looks good @wordsmith . What's the purpose of the relay in the circuit? Do just the additional LEDs flash or the OEM brake lights as well? Do you have the circuit diagram you could post?

Thank you.   As I freely admitted at the beginning of my post I had a lot of help and guidance from a mate who has forgotten more about electrons than I'll ever know, so I have no idea why the relay is there, though I gather it is some kind of switch.

My guess is that it's needed to to get switched power from the battery to power the modulator.

[wordsmith]

Thank you.   As I freely admitted at the beginning of my post I had a lot of help and guidance from a mate who has forgotten more about electrons than I'll ever know, so I have no idea why the relay is there, though I gather it is some kind of switch.

My guess is that it's needed to to get switched power from the battery to power the modulator.

Yes, bb - it's hooked into the brake-light wire (yellow) and that clearly powers-up the Mod through the relay when brakes are applied...

[builderbob]

My guess is that it's needed to to get switched power from the battery to power the modulator.

Yes, bb - it's hooked into the brake-light wire (yellow) and that clearly powers-up the Mod through the relay when brakes are applied...

But, is it also connected to the battery?  In that case, the yellow wire from the brake light supplies the trigger signal that activates the relay, thus powering the modulator directly from the battery.

[wordsmith]

Yes, bb - it's hooked into the brake-light wire (yellow) and that clearly powers-up the Mod through the relay when brakes are applied...

But, is it also connected to the battery?  In that case, the yellow wire from the brake light supplies the trigger signal that activates the relay, thus powering the modulator directly from the battery.

I refuse to continue this discussion for I knoweth not that of which I speak!   I can only assume that my electron-savvy guru knows his stuff.  It works, that's the main thing for me!

[Trambo]

Finally got my dealer on the phone this morning, so I dropped the bike off for the safety recall on the handlebars. I'm hoping they get this done soon, but based on previous experience with these clowns, I'm not gonna hold my breath.

Good news; Talked to the service dept. at the dealership, and was told my parts arrived today and a tech was assigned to complete the recall work. I get to pick my trusty steed up tomorrow! Just in time for the weekend & holiday.  8-)

[duhs10]

Added some new decals... the rim tape was already there and the colors match but the camera flash threw it off.
 
 

 

[Trambo]

Finally got my dealer on the phone this morning, so I dropped the bike off for the safety recall on the handlebars. I'm hoping they get this done soon, but based on previous experience with these clowns, I'm not gonna hold my breath.

Good news; Talked to the service dept. at the dealership, and was told my parts arrived today and a tech was assigned to complete the recall work. I get to pick my trusty steed up tomorrow! Just in time for the weekend & holiday.  8-)

EffJay Niner back in the garage tonight.  
 

[joeszup]

Added a RAM mount to my setup for GPS, phone, music, and the occasional movie when waiting for the I5 bridge.
 
 

 

 

[jo1000]

Well really it was yesterday, all I did was ride the hell out it. The FJ felt sooo good , I did about 500 miles all over farm country in NY state.

[jo1000]

  Love this bike