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Trip to the Dragon and bike mods


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I recently took a trip up to Deal's Gap to attend the Women's Sportbike Rally (13th year for me).  While hanging out at Deal's Gap resort I met another FJ rider who had some nice looking flush mount turn signals on the front of his bike.  Found those online and got them ordered. 

Dave Moss, of Dave Moss tuning was there during the rally, and for a fee, he would set up suspension and ergonomics on your bike.  I am slowing making my FJ mine with mods here and there so I decided to go ahead and get the suspension set.  He started with the ergonomics and found that my levers were sitting too low and that I needed a new clutch lever (factory is not adjustable and it sits too close in for me).  (Pazzo levers were ordered when I returned home).  He also found that my bars were slightly off center and I had been riding with my left arm bent and my right arm straight to compensate.  Got the bar centered up and then we moved on to suspension.  The way the suspension was, from the factory, had me sitting like it was a chopper style bike, back end low and front end higher.  Got that corrected (which was very noticeable on the first ride).  Front suspension was adjusted since I was barely using any fork travel.  Once he was done, I took it out for a test ride and it was like riding a brand new bike.  I am still adjusting to the changes but I really like everything that was done.  In a month, I will be reviewing some changes he  made to his Tracer 900 forks and making those changes to the FJ (his recommendation).  I look forward to seeing what those changes bring about.  

This weekend I will be installing the new levers, new front turn signals and new integrated rear turn signal (had to change the rear turn signals since the front were getting changed :) )

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I'm 240 pounds so I needed to do more than the stock suspension would allow but I'm guessing for lighter riders, a properly set up suspension probably works well. I did a Blaster X integrated tail light and added LED turn signals front and rear. For me these were important mods as the tail light is substantially brighter and has a strobe and with the rear led signals it's super visible. They also looks pretty cool. I got hit in a parking lot last year by someone that didn't see me and I decided that I going to do everything I can to keep getting hit for lack of being seen. 

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8 hours ago, chesterburnet said:

I'm 240 pounds so I needed to do more than the stock suspension would allow but I'm guessing for lighter riders, a properly set up suspension probably works well. I did a Blaster X integrated tail light and added LED turn signals front and rear. For me these were important mods as the tail light is substantially brighter and has a strobe and with the rear led signals it's super visible. They also looks pretty cool. I got hit in a parking lot last year by someone that didn't see me and I decided that I going to do everything I can to keep getting hit for lack of being seen. 

I bought the MotoDynamics integrated tail light.  I has the strobe so I am hoping to be more visible with it.  All the lights and levers will go on this weekend.  

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32 minutes ago, koth442 said:

How did he correct the geometry? Drop the front end by raising the forks in the triple clamp?

That is the next step, according to his video.  3mm drop.  

To start with he just adjusted the rear shock and preload and dampening on the front.  That completely changed how the seating on the bike felt.  

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37 minutes ago, Batgirl said:

I bought the MotoDynamics integrated tail light.  I has the strobe so I am hoping to be more visible with it.  All the lights and levers will go on this weekend.  

I have that tail light on my '15... been several years now with no issues and it is WAY brighter than stock.

Also if you are going with LED flush mounts, I highly recommend using a flasher relay as opposed to finding a place for the resistors. I have the TST Industries flasher relay. Direct plug and play.

 

'15 FJ-09 w/ lots of extras...

Fayetteville, GA, USA

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6 minutes ago, duhs10 said:

I have that tail light on my '15... been several years now with no issues and it is WAY brighter than stock.

Also if you are going with LED flush mounts, I highly recommend using a flasher relay as opposed to finding a place for the resistors. I have the TST Industries flasher relay. Direct plug and play.

 

They actually packaged the relay with the taillight, when I purchased it.  The front turn signals that I got also have relays with them.  Thank you for the heads up though.  Also, glad to see that it is a good tail light.  I have a 15 also and look forward to seeing the new lights.  

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On 9/17/2019 at 11:00 AM, Batgirl said:

Dave Moss, of Dave Moss tuning was there during the rally, and for a fee, he would set up suspension and ergonomics on your bike.

Dave Moss touched your bike?  You know you can never wash your bike again, right?  😎 

Seriously, Dave is a suspension guru!  What an opportunity to have him wrench on your bike.

Several years ago I went to a rally and was fortunate enough to attend a cornering/braking clinic with Nick Ienatsch.

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***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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1 hour ago, betoney said:

Dave Moss touched your bike?  You know you can never wash your bike again, right?  😎 

Seriously, Dave is a suspension guru!  What an opportunity to have him wrench on your bike.

Several years ago I went to a rally and was fortunate enough to attend a cornering/braking clinic with Nick Ienatsch.

Nice.  I would love to have attended that clinic.  

He did a great job and was super quick about it.  I had never heard of him but had been talking about getting my suspension done when they announced that he would be at the rally.  I decided to sign up and then found out who he was.  I was glad that i signed up. 

 

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4 hours ago, Batgirl said:

They actually packaged the relay with the taillight, when I purchased it.  The front turn signals that I got also have relays with them.

You only need 1 relay for all the signals... it replaces the OEM relay under the driver seat.

Are you sure you aren't referring to resistors that they sent you? You can hook up resistors for all the lights but the relay is much easier and cleaner IMO.  It also removes the need for the resistors.

'15 FJ-09 w/ lots of extras...

Fayetteville, GA, USA

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6 minutes ago, duhs10 said:

You only need 1 relay for all the signals... it replaces the OEM relay under the driver seat.

Are you sure you aren't referring to resistors that they sent you? You can hook up resistors for all the lights but the relay is much easier and cleaner IMO.  It also removes the need for the resistors.

Nope, not 100% sure.  I will have to check when I get home.  I thought it said relay, but maybe it was resistors.  

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I had the pleasure of riding / racing with Dave in the AFM years ago. He's a really nice guy, dedicated to the sport. Little bummed he was out here and I didn't get a chance to go catch up with him. Oh well. 

Glad to hear you liked his magic Batgirl!

'15 FJ09

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On 9/20/2019 at 2:49 PM, koth442 said:

I had the pleasure of riding / racing with Dave in the AFM years ago. He's a really nice guy, dedicated to the sport. Little bummed he was out here and I didn't get a chance to go catch up with him. Oh well. 

Glad to hear you liked his magic Batgirl!

He really was a super nice guy.  I enjoyed chatting with him.  

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I think it's time this thread was back up to the top, being us northerners are just getting out bikes out regularly.  I too have spent many hours watching DM videos and really would like to have him set mine up. I'm trying to get my wife back into riding her own bike and so I wonder when the next women's sportbike rally is going to be held.  At Deal's Gap or anywhere here in the midwest? Thanks.

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