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

[3sum]

10 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

What I did today was not on my FJ

 Yes I've been wanting to get my VTR up and running

 Almost ready do finally install LED driving lights to replace the old incandescent  So everything is now LED stem To Stern

 I still have to clean up the spaghetti under the saddle and to that end I've ordered a FZ1 fuse block. I must have 9 or 10 additional electrical circuits running various things, so I want to simplify and compress things under the seat.

Still have a starting problem which may be a trick main starter relay

 But at least I was able to get it running and run some gas through the carbs and it idled perfect

 I may take it for a ride before the driving lights are installed as I still have to fabricate the mount adapter links.

 A 90° big V twin is an aural delite when running and the fastest red VTR is a classic beauty.

 Too bad I can't post a video clip so this still will have to do

I agree on the V-Twin sound being intoxicating. Especially an Italian one mates to an Akra pipe with the db killer removed {insert evil laughter}.
 

 

[wordsmith]

“See and be seen” part 2.   (Part 1 appears as a separate post in this Thread on July 31 here).

I have just completed the installation of one of the more satisfying safety-oriented farkles, the rear-mounted brake-operated flashing/ pulsing brake light.    

Components comprise the tiny E-Bay GS-100A Modulator, aka a ‘brake light strobe controller box’ which creates the pulsing function (AUD $6): some wire and solder: and of course the rear mounted E-Bay 240mm/ 9” long red LED bar (AUD$18).   The few joints were soldered and heat-shrink tube applied: crimp-on connectors would be as good and easier, but I enjoy soldering.   I pre-fabbed most of the wiring while awaiting the delivery of the Modulator, and made up the mounting bracket, so the final steps took only a short amount of time.  

The satisfaction is largely because I know as much about electronological stuff as the average Neanderthal cave-dweller, but this is the latest of several such installations I’ve done on various bikes, and it gets easier every time.   The hardest part is waiting for some of the components to arrive from overseas, although this farkle was interrupted by some on-again-off-again bouts of unwellness (if that's a word)!   

I could afford a ready-made kit, say the P3 kit from Skene Lighting (excellent stuff that I have used before) but at AUD$200-plus I choose not to afford it: my set-up cost about AUD$30 and works almost as well.   As with so many of these DIY farkles, it was fiddly rather than difficult, and took much longer than it should have, but resulted in a satisfying ‘job well-done’.

All the components and wiring are neatly tucked-away behind the tool tray under the rear seat, while the LED bar is fastened to a short length of L-shaped aluminium extrusion bolted under the rearmost part of the luggage rack, for maximum visibility, in line-of-sight with the bike’s rear lights for maximum mass of red.  

When either brake is engaged, the LEDs pulse five or six times in rapid succession, then five or six times more slowly, alerting following vehicles that I’m braking, then remain ‘on’ in steady state until the brake is released. 

For anyone here interested in doing something similar I’ve posted the wiring diagram.   It’s pretty easy stuff – if I can, you can!  

The last pic here shows the LED illuminated - believe me that it glows blindingly red!

Edited August 13, 2022 by wordsmith

[wordsmith]

7 hours ago, 3sum said:

I agree on the V-Twin sound being intoxicating. Especially an Italian one mates to an Akra pipe with the db killer removed {insert evil laughter}.
 

 

 Looks kinda like an Oz (or Kiwi) upside-down Monster to me...!

Edited August 13, 2022 by wordsmith

[2and3cylinders]

3 hours ago, 3sum said:

I agree on the V-Twin sound being intoxicating. Especially an Italian one mates to an Akra pipe with the db killer removed {insert evil laughter}.
 

 

How does a water cooled wet clutch Italiano 90 VT sound significantly different than my VTR  or say a SV1000 other than cam drive belt whine verse chain rustle?  🤫

[2and3cylinders]

3 hours ago, wordsmith said:

“See and be seen” part 2.   (Part 1 appears as a separate post in this Thread on July 31 here).

I have just completed the installation of one of the more satisfying safety-oriented farkles, the rear-mounted brake-operated flashing/ pulsing brake light.    

Components comprise the tiny E-Bay GS-100A Modulator, aka a ‘brake light strobe controller box’ which creates the pulsing function (AUD $6): some wire and solder: and of course the rear mounted E-Bay 240mm/ 9” long red LED bar (AUD$18).   The few joints were soldered and heat-shrink tube applied: crimp-on connectors would be as good and easier, but I enjoy soldering.   I pre-fabbed most of the wiring while awaiting the delivery of the Modulator, and made up the mounting bracket, so the final steps took only a short amount of time.  

The satisfaction is largely because I know as much about electronological stuff as the average Neanderthal cave-dweller, but this is the latest of several such installations I’ve done on various bikes, and it gets easier every time.   The hardest part is waiting for some of the components to arrive from overseas, although this farkle was interrupted by some on-again-off-again bouts of unwellness (if that's a word)!   

I could afford a ready-made kit, say the P3 kit from Skene Lighting (excellent stuff that I have used before) but at AUD$200-plus I choose not to afford it: my set-up cost about AUD$30 and works almost as well.   As with so many of these DIY farkles, it was fiddly rather than difficult, and took much longer than it should have, but resulted in a satisfying ‘job well-done’.

All the components and wiring are neatly tucked-away behind the tool tray under the rear seat, while the LED bar is fastened to a short length of L-shaped aluminium extrusion bolted under the rearmost part of the luggage rack, for maximum visibility, in line-of-sight with the bike’s rear lights for maximum mass of red.  

When either brake is engaged, the LEDs pulse five or six times in rapid succession, then five or six times more slowly, alerting following vehicles that I’m braking, then remain ‘on’ in steady state until the brake is released. 

For anyone here interested in doing something similar I’ve posted the wiring diagram.   It’s pretty easy stuff – if I can, you can!  

The last pic here shows the LED illuminated - believe me that it glows blindingly red!

I did a similar mod a few years ago with a 10 mm LED ribbon attached around 3 sides of the edge of the Shad top case rack powered by the brake light circuit that automatically simulated the Night Rider nose light until it died. Thereafter I replaced it with a standard LED 5050 ribbon without modulation.  However, my replacement tail / brake light is programable with built in TS.

I also have auxiliary amber LED side marker lights, a headlight modulator and twin LED driving lights plus now my Brakefree helmet brake light.  The Hit-Air vest is neon lime green and I also have a flashing or constant on electroluminescent neon lime green mesh safety vest I wore before; I could wear over the Hit-Air but haven't .

BTW, your auxiliary light bar looks also very brite but more than 9 inches wide?  How tall is it?

Is your taillight also a superbrite AM modulating unit?

[3sum]

32 minutes ago, 2and3cylinders said:

How does a water cooled wet clutch Italiano 90 VT sound significantly different than my VTR  or say a SV1000 other than cam drive belt whine verse chain rustle?  🤫

I never said it does. I simply agreed with you that they sound great. 

[wordsmith]

17 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

 

BTW, your auxiliary light bar looks also very brite but more than 9 inches wide?  How tall is it?   It's actually exactly 9.5" wide (24cm), and it fits precisely between the outer edges of the rear rack.   And 3cm in height as seen from behind.

Is your taillight also a superbrite AM modulating unit?  Not to my knowledge - it came with the previously-owned bike.

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by wordsmith

[2and3cylinders]

2 hours ago, 3sum said:

I never said it does. I simply agreed with you that they sound great. 

Than why did you call out specifically an Italian model and show a Ducati?

I'm not imaging this.

 

[2and3cylinders]

This is the taillight I have but there are others

 

[3sum]

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Than why did you call out specifically an Italian model and show a Ducati?

I'm not imaging this.

 

 

Maybe because I also have another motorcycle in the garage like you do?  And it just so happens to be said Ducati?  Jesus, why are you trying to make something out of nothing...

[texscottyd]

7 hours ago, 3sum said:

I never said it does. I simply agreed with you that they sound great. 

<inner voice> Stay out of this.  Nothing to gain here… </inner voice> 

So, after owning a VTR1000 and a first-gen Aprilia Mille R (which I still own), they really do have a totally different character & sound.   The VTR was an amazing motorcycle:  Smooth, refined, totally reliable… typical Honda of the era, in other words.  And with the high-mount Staintune exhaust, it had a wonderful bass exhaust note.  

But the Aprilia (and from what I’ve seen & heard, many Ducatis) are just different.   The torque is noticeably harder hitting, and the entire thing has more of an edge to it… including the sound.  Mine has the stacked dual canister titanium Arrow exhaust, so it has a rather, uh, ‘pronounced’ tone.  😀  

The VTR was arguably a better motorcycle for 90% of what I need in a bike.  But the Italians, despite some occasional pain & suffering along the way, just have an intangible - but very real - character that can’t be matched.  

Your mileage may vary.  My opinion only, and just for friendly discussion purposes…. 

[miweber929]

53 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

<inner voice> Stay out of this.  Nothing to gain here… </inner voice> 

So, after owning a VTR1000 and a first-gen Aprilia Mille R (which I still own), they really do have a totally different character & sound.   The VTR was an amazing motorcycle:  Smooth, refined, totally reliable… typical Honda of the era, in other words.  And with the high-mount Staintune exhaust, it had a wonderful bass exhaust note.  

But the Aprilia (and from what I’ve seen & heard, many Ducatis) are just different.   The torque is noticeably harder hitting, and the entire thing has more of an edge to it… including the sound.  Mine has the stacked dual canister titanium Arrow exhaust, so it has a rather, uh, ‘pronounced’ tone.  😀  

The VTR was arguably a better motorcycle for 90% of what I need in a bike.  But the Italians, despite some occasional pain & suffering along the way, just have an intangible - but very real - character that can’t be matched.  

Your mileage may vary.  My opinion only, and just for friendly discussion purposes…. 

Totally agree. I also owned a ‘98 Superhawk, bought brand new in 2000, and it was an incredible motorcycle with an amazing V-Twin sound to it (I also had the high mount Staintune pipes on mine) but my buddy’s ‘99 996 with the Termi race pipes, belt driven cams, dry clutch and Ducati panache just sounded different. I’d even argue the RC51 with the gear driven cams was a “better” sounding V than the VTR. doesn’t make it a bad bike by any means, I loved mine, and put something like 36,000 miles on it in 2 seasons (which is saying a lot since I lived in Wisconsin at the time) until I wanted something “harder edged” and better on fuel so I traded it in on an ‘01 CBR929RR. 

 

I do love the Italian V-Twin, well, L-Twin, I guess, and my ‘17 Supersport S is everything the VTR should have been. I’d upload a pic but I don’t have anything smaller than 1M so it won’t let me. 

[texscottyd]

1 hour ago, miweber929 said:

I do love the Italian V-Twin, well, L-Twin, I guess, and my ‘17 Supersport S is everything the VTR should have been.

In the interest of full disclosure, it’s worth noting that the Mille is a 60 degree v-twin, and not a 90 like the VTR & Ducati.  Regardless, the sounds emitted from this are glorious… 

When you mention ‘what the VTR should have been’ I can’t help but secretly wish Honda would resurrect the VTR formula as a modern-era v-twin sport standard.  But parallel twins seem to be the Honda focus for now… nice enough, but very different.  

[Clegg78]

I didn't do anything to the bike today, but I did just plan a week long ride up to WA from Denver.    Should be around 2600mi round trip.  The trip is a check box on a bunch of places I wanted to see in ID and WA.   Going to see some sights around Idaho Falls (EBR-1 Tour, INL),  Then the Lava fields outside that area,  Going to stay at Sun Valley/Ketchum ID.  Then Ride up to the Tri Cities area in WA, and go to the Hanford B-Reactor tour.   Then head back to Boise, then SLC through Nevada/Wendover/Bonneville, then home. 

The bike is in fine condition but I need to go through it a bit just to be sure.   I am trying to figure out a better highway peg setup, the setup I used last year worked, but presented some danger to hitting my left shin...   

[betoney]

1 hour ago, Clegg78 said:

I didn't do anything to the bike today, but I did just plan a week long ride up to WA from Denver.    Should be around 2600mi round trip.  The trip is a check box on a bunch of places I wanted to see in ID and WA.   Going to see some sights around Idaho Falls (EBR-1 Tour, INL),  Then the Lava fields outside that area,  Going to stay at Sun Valley/Ketchum ID.  Then Ride up to the Tri Cities area in WA, and go to the Hanford B-Reactor tour.   Then head back to Boise, then SLC through Nevada/Wendover/Bonneville, then home. 
 

If I could offer a few suggestions on Idaho routing from Sun Valley, either heading to or returning from SE Washington. If you have the time do both, they are fantastic. 

Sun Valley, Stanley, Lolo, Lewiston

Sun Valley, Stanley, Grimes Pass, Lewiston