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

[kilo3]

Pulled the bikes out of their slumber. Quick trip around the block for the wife and I. 40F today, high of 50 this Wednesday! Still too much snow and salt on the roads though.

[betoney]

2 hours ago, Wintersdark said:

For sure.  I miss my Tracer's cruise control every time I'm on my T7, even with a throttle lock.  They're better than nothing, though - not really great for long term cruise control, but they're good to let you just get your hands free for a bit without wildly changing speed.  

It's funny, before I got my Tracer, I always thought actual cruise control was silly.  Now?  It's easily a must have feature for me, particularly for any bike that's going to see lots of miles.  Even without though, I appreciate the Tracer's CC even riding in town - it's way easier to avoid speeding tickets when you can just lock the CC at the speed limit... or more reasonably at a sedate 10-15kph over.

I buy them for around $5 each, made of the finest chinesium.  Cheaper than a beer, and it's amazing the goodwill you can buy with one when someone's on a road trip without any kind of cruise control.

I'd love a MCCruise for the Tenere, but at $1000.... eeeerg.  I'm still amazed they have a kit for a manual throttle bike, but those servos and such are speeeeeeendy.

Exactly the same mindset, prior to the FJ I never had a bike with heated grips or CC and never thought twice about it,  now any future bike will have them for sure. 👍🏻

[Instinct28]

I'm sorry to keep going on and on about MY bike but it's the only one I know right now, he he.

So I  filled it up with 93oc as always and took a ride with my new summer jacket on a 40°f sunny day, had under layers on. 

I must say "again" wow, I had the most thrilling ride I've ever experienced. The confidence in my ride, the power and speed but nothing crazy. The cool air gave my engine great and noticeable more torque. Fun, fun, omg!

I'm sure that the stuff that I did over the winter has a lot to do with it, plus the cold air. 

The tires were warm because I had been on a 40 mile ride so far before the last bit of tight twistys of about 3 miles before I got home.

I've done some excellent things to this bike and it rides awesome. 

Here's a map of the road. There are curves with radiuses of 150 or 200 feet with super elevated pavement So fun....

[Warchild]

I bet the technicians among us recognize the classic preparations here for spark plug replacement before the Throttle Body Synch:
 

I have a renewed appreciation for those having tiny, girlie hands/fingers to be able to easily work around in this engine bay; my sausage-fingers and ham-hands are a poor fit here. 😕  Removing that AIS plumbing was a real treat, and it is not going back in; a set of Graves Blockoff plates are inbound to replace that AIS mess.  I have a fair amount of electrical  work to to before final reassembly anyway, so no prob to wait on the Blockoff Plates to arrive. 👍

[Instinct28]

39 minutes ago, Warchild said:

I bet the technicians among us recognize the classic preparations here for spark plug replacement before the Throttle Body Synch:

 

I have a renewed appreciation for those having tiny, girlie hands/fingers to be able to easily work around in this engine bay; my sausage-fingers and ham-hands are a poor fit here. 😕  Removing that AIS plumbing was a real treat, and it is not going back in; a set of Graves Blockoff plates are inbound to replace that AIS mess.  I have a fair amount of electrical  work to to before final reassembly anyway, so no prob to wait on the Blockoff Plates to arrive. 👍

Did slip-on and ECU flash with removing AIS plumbing and Graves Blockoff plates

I didn't do spark plugs and Throttle Body Synch yet, that'll be after Valve clearance and Timing Chain inspection / adj. 

Should be as smooth and strong as it gets after that. 

PS. No girlie hands or fingers here but yeah, it's hard to work in there

Edited March 14, 2022 by Instinct28
Not finished

[wordsmith]

When ever I see pix like these I marvel anew at the designers and engineers who are responsible for bringing such machinery to us.   Brilliant stuff...

[propr'one]

took mine to the beach

[2and3cylinders]

[Warchild]

8 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

So jealous.... I needs me one of these balancer stands, this looks awesome.  👍 

 

 

 

[Rdecae81]

yes I have a tire changer and balancer.  bought them back in 2000-2001, so about 20 years old.  they never wear out and are two of  the best tools I ever bought.  I love doing tire changes at 10pm at night in the cool summer night.  I have an old harbor freight lift (it is worn out) but it stills helps a little working at knee height vrs on the ground.  I am still saving up for a good used quality lift.  Over the 20 years of using the tire changer and balancer, I have probably changed around 1,000 tires.  I have it so down now, it takes 15 minutes max.  Even with the stiff wall touring tires.  give me a soft track day tire after it has been sitting in the sun and it is done in 7-9 minutes 🙂

 

[peteinpa]

So first front change for me.  I found the heavy spot on bare rim, marked it, it's never the valve stem, this time was close though.

Dunlop RS2 didn't need any weight. That doesn't happen often either. 🙂👍

[texscottyd]

17 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Center cylinder is off...  how can you even ride it like that???  

[texscottyd]

Rode it to get the state inspection, and to the tax office for the registration renewal.   Boring stuff, but then I took the long way home, which made it a much better day... 

[2and3cylinders]

28 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

Center cylinder is off...  how can you even ride it like that???  

 Close enough for the girls we go out with...😆

[2and3cylinders]

3 hours ago, Rdecae81 said:

yes I have a tire changer and balancer.  bought them back in 2000-2001, so about 20 years old.  they never wear out and are two of  the best tools I ever bought.  I love doing tire changes at 10pm at night in the cool summer night.  I have an old harbor freight lift (it is worn out) but it stills helps a little working at knee height vrs on the ground.  I am still saving up for a good used quality lift.  Over the 20 years of using the tire changer and balancer, I have probably changed around 1,000 tires.  I have it so down now, it takes 15 minutes max.  Even with the stiff wall touring tires.  give me a soft track day tire after it has been sitting in the sun and it is done in 7-9 minutes 🙂

 

Bought my Handy Lift in 95 when I built my shop.  Best investment in a tool so to speak I ever made.

Bought my NoMar tire changer and their balacer probably 8 years ago. Got a good deal, they were about 550 total with a few of the accessory tools.  Hasn't paid for itself quite yet but it sure makes life easier not having to take the wheels in to somebody else and pay through the nose.  It used to be you could get a tire changed for 25 bucks if you brought in the wheel, now it's up over 65+.