Bodywork

Corbin seat

 Fitted initially in my FJ 1100, and I transplanted to my 1^st 1200 when I trade the 1100. (All the FJ seats are interchangeable). It was the Gunfighter model.

I bought it because with the original seat I couldn’t move myself on the bike to change my weight in curvy roads because my leather suit didn’t slip on the original seat vinyl. (TIP: use PRONTO, yes, the furniture cleaner. But be careful when you ride with casual trouser: it slips too much)

The fit and construction of the Corbin is exemplary. The only drawback is its permeability: if the weather is raining or if you wash the motorbike, the seat is soaked for hours because of its water absorption material. http://www.corbin.com/yamaha/8493fj.shtml

Rear footrest

 Necessary if you (like I did) would like to test your FJ in a GP circuit, because the pegs touch very easily. Be careful, because the next thing to touch the floor is the original exhaust silencers.  

I tested 2 of them: Raask and Tarozzi items. click to see the Raask ones and see the 1100 photo above for the Tarozzi items . Raask are more weighted and higher. For a more relaxed footpegs position fit the Tarozzi ones, (look at the photo) but think there is virtually no spares: If you break one in a silly drop, like me, throw them to the bin. (Italian aftermarket service, you see)  The downside of both of them is that the pegs are not articulated, so these don't turn up when you touch the ground

Only one drawback: the 1200 vibration could be seismic. Not so the 1100

Flip-up screen

I bought one flip-up type from MRA. There is not turbulences between screen and rider, and, more important, no turbulences at all between passenger and rider until around 140 km/h. Above that speed, simply I can't recommend it. And the vision when at sporting mode or on night is not clear and lightly distorted .

Recommended if you make long rides at slow pace in bad weather. The fuel and oil smell intoxicate you in summer when you are trapped by a traffic jam (if your bike head cover grommets are not perfect)

OPTIONAL Yamaha 1TX flip-up screen

My 1TX brings with an optional Yamaha longer screen, offered in some markets.

The main difference with any other flip-up screen is that the air flow is perfect inside the burble created for the screen, with no fuel or oil smells in traffic jams and with no parasit noises from the wind.

It is true that the 1TX faring is tighter than the 3CV, but with the new longer screen the result is better than with the 3CV OE fairing and screen for taller riders. RECOMMENDED (if you find any)

Zero Gravity Screen

After a little incident in July, 2007 in Portugal involving my back, sand splash on the road and the hard tarmac, I changed the screen for one of this company. It is fantastic, because REALLY their screens is optically perfect. I had tested before, because I fitted one in my FZR 1000, with fantastic results. RECOMMENDED! 

Fork protectors

 Cheap and easy fitting solution to prevent stone damage to your fork legs. Recommended. TCP make them. Simply fit them with tie-zips and ready!.

Control cruise

I bought it from the FJOCUK. In my model, 88, you can't fit it unless you change the original handlebar grips and cut a piece of the inner accelerator tube to make space between the switch hose and the brake master cylinder ... at this point, I didn't continue fitting it, but I think you must change the handlebar ends too. So I ordered a Vista Cruise Control. Fitting is excellent and in minutes (mine is a 90 model). The FJ original grips are too large, and rubbed against the Vista Cruise and prevented the throttle from closing. I cut down the excess rubber with a xacto knife and, obviously, I ruined the grip, so I bought another pair of shorter grips.

Front Light Relay

The front light is a clear weak point: simply, there is no enough power from the OE light to cope with the speed that our FJ is capable of. Installing a relay let you get more voltage power at the bulb and increase the light intensity. I bought mine from the USA, click here to see where. I know that it is possible make a cheap one buying the components from your local electrical store, but my electrical knowledge is very basic, so I preferred buying it. There is a good description here at http://www.fj1200.com

You have to dismount the fairing to install it (a pain in the arse in my 3CV FJ) but it is worth the effort, because I can fast ride when night comes without problems, even at more than 200km/h. The difference is awesome. Recommended.

Rear light leds

The effect when following the bike is hypnotic. I like it

Right engine cover case & gearchange lever

I bought it from http://www.iwt-customparts.com/ Excellent fit & finish. To fit the gear lever you must cut the OE foot part, drill it and screw the IWT part. It is a very hard material and you can't do it with a home hacksaw

Fork Caps

(Take a look at the dashboard pic, up on this page) I bought them from http://www.motorrad-ranch-rellingen.de Excellent finish. You can see them at the  Control Cruise photo, that shows too the dashboard switch.

I bought from them too the drive chain tensioner screws covers than you can see fitted at the photo that show my actual FJ, on top of this page

2.017 Update: unfortunately, the website has disappear. What a pity!

Dashboard lights switch / Gear indicator light (click here to full detail)

The dashboard bulbs burn by temperature due to being always on, and when a good light is needed by night there is few intensity. To change those bulbs is 1 labour work minimum, with lots of parts and screws to simply arrive to extract the dashboard. And each time I dismount the fairing I find any tab broken due to the vibration. This is common to 3CV and 1TX series.

An, why do it take the dashboard lights on by daylight?.

So my friend Mingo designed and installed in our bikes a switch to turning on and off the dashboard lights when needed. The materials are easy and cheap to find:

- Electric wire

- 1 tiny switch

- 2 electrical plugs, similar to the OE equipment

You must look for the blue wire on the dashboard, signed at the photo with the screwdriver. You can see at the photo how Mingo installed the plug with red wire.

Then, fix the switch to the left side panel. Mingo fixed it with Nural 25 to add resistance to avoid the panel break with the continued switch use.

See the plug added to the switch at the photo. Then, guide the wire from the dashboard to the left side panel. The 2 plugs let you dismantle the left side panel and the dashboard leaving the intermediate wire fitted in place: genius! .

The switch location is thought to use the switch safety when on riding the bike.

I've installed a gear indicator in the dashboard. Click on the link to see full instructions

 RECOMMENDED

XJ 900 clocks

The pic show my friend Mingo's FJ dashboard. Simply fit the clocks from a XJ 900 1991 on inside the FJ instruments box. You could install the plastic surround with the idiot lights, but the FJ own look like more quality. XJ 900 to 93 rev counter show 9.500 rpm. redlines, like the FJ OE.

This mod repairs forever the FJ fuel dancing issue.

RECOMMENDED

Oil temperature thermometer

The oil temperature gauge installed instead of the crankcase refill oil is uncomfortable to read because of the place where is fitted oblige to apart the attention from the road to look at. So I've proceeded to fit a KOSO water temperature digital thermometer. It shows 125ºC max.  PIC 1.

120º is the oil working temp max advisable, I think, measured at the crankcase pan so it would be time to stop to take a rest. I've never seen more than this temp in my previous gauge, so I think there will be no problems.

I have to say that the previous basic thermometer is rigorously exact when the engine is at working temperature, checked side to side with my new digital gauge. Just starting the bike, the crankcase gauge show less temperature than the digital one, but after 15 min, when the normal working temperature is reached, is exact. Great for a so basic and cheap gauge.

The temperature sensor is installed inside a Allen screw cap that it is in front of the crankcase. PIC 2. The thread could be made, but I opted for buying it from RPM with the thread done (Click here). The thread must be universal because I have 2 different sensors that fit into. The main gallery screw can be seen at pic 3.

The electrical power is obtained from the rev gauge. It could be obtained from any other place, but my dashboard lights are disconnected by daylight.

And the result is fantastic! PICS 5 Y 6

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