New to forum and to FJR

[jkelley82]

So, I still haven't had time to figure out how to attach pictures but
In 365 miles since purchase, here are my immediate issues.
1) front left blinker works intermittent. Stuck my hand up her fairing and massaged the wires and they come back on but only until she is driven. It's either a wire or plug issue.
2) when cold, the battery struggles to start her. I would like to relocate the battery anyway. Has anyone done this?
3) no wind protection around the feet. It was 32 this morning and the wind slipped up through my overpants legs. I have heard of some sort of wing or something that will prevent this.

What are yalls thoughts.

[raYzerman]

1. Blinkies can have corrosion in the sockets or the connector (which is not waterproof). Likely OK with a good cleaning and maybe new bulbs.
2. I wouldn't relocate the battery.... it's a feature, embrace it. FJR's like a nice good battery, perhaps time for a new one?? Side note, if with new battery starter is still slow, might be an aging starter relay that doesn't pass full current through, or heaven forbid, the starter brushes and comm are contaminated with oil... fun job as airbox and throttle bodies have to come out to access it. Perhaps swap in a known good battery or hook up a car battery with booster cables (car not running) and see if starter performs normally.
3. Once upon a time there were foot deflectors as an option (mostly in Europe), but unobtainium now perhaps. Perhaps someone else can help with homemade ones. Ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs to keep the feet a little higher. Heated socks are nice.

[FastPappy]

Welcome from the Big Apple and congrats on the new ride. Enjoy!

[Red]

In 365 miles since purchase, here are my immediate issues.
1) front left blinker works intermittent. Stuck my hand up her fairing and massaged the wires and they come back on but only until she is driven. It's either a wire or plug issue.
2) when cold, the battery struggles to start her. I would like to relocate the battery anyway. Has anyone done this?
3) no wind protection around the feet. It was 32 this morning and the wind slipped up through my overpants legs. I have heard of some sort of wing or something that will prevent this.
What are yalls thoughts.

jkelley82,

1. Yep, sorry.
2. Dirty battery terminals and cable ends will act just like a failing battery. You want clean, shiny metal with new bolts there. You may also want a lighter weight engine oil for the winter, your call. A clean, healthy battery will not need to be re-located. A Battery Tender is always a good idea, of course.
3. You can get the Yamaha Foot Guards, maybe from Europe, but tell the wallet to brace for impact. They were over US$150 each, the last time I looked. I would have some elastic sewed into the overpants cuffs, use better boots, and/or make the foot protectors from clear two-liter soda bottles (prolly work better, too). Fabric shops sell sew-on elastic tapes.

[jkelley82]

I'm going to look into a good high-quality gel or lithium battery I think. There is alot of odd and end connections on it right now that will need to be cleaned up so I think leaving the battery where it is and running a good fuse block under the seat with jumping connections is going to be my route. The farings have to come off soon so I can fiberglass them up and I will fix the blinker issue and run the wires at that point.

[Red]

Jkelly82,

You probably have a saturated glass-mat battery, stock. The Lithiums do not do well in the cold, for cranking power. Your call, of course.
Where (roughly) are you located? (Nice if you would update your avatar/signature to show your FJR year and model, and location; otherwise we usually have to ask.)

[jkelley82]

I'm going to be honest here. I don't have the slightest clue how to attach a photo. Is there step by step for the computer illiterate like me?

[gixxerjasen]

I'm going to be honest here. I don't have the slightest clue how to attach a photo. Is there step by step for the computer illiterate like me?

You'll have to host the photo somewhere, like smugmug or another online source. Then take the link to the photo, and in the eiditor here, click the little icon with the mountain and sun on it that looks like this -> , and paste in the image link between the IMG tags that look like below without the spaces.

[ IMG ] [ /IMG ]

You've been spoiled with the latest updates on TWT that make loading images super easy. Over here it's more the normal forum method needing a dedicated host for your images.

[N4HHE]

I'm going to look into a good high-quality gel or lithium battery I think.

Lithium retrofit batteries are a fad. As has already been stated cold starting will suffer. In my experience LiFePO4 struggled under 50°F.

LiFePO4 is known for low internal resistance at warm temperatures. This results in CCA ratings beyond belief. But they can’t rate LiFePO4 at 32°F because it doesn’t work worth a darn that cold so they fudge a number at temperatures the LiFePO4 likes. At cold temperatures internal resistance soars, the battery has voltage but can’t source current due to the resistance.

One other ding: while a LiFePO4 may be “rated” 2x the CCA you would expect, the amp-hour energy capacity is likely 1/4 that of an AGM battery.

In other words I think you would be better off with a cheap no-name AGM battery even if you had to replace it every 3 years. My favorite independent dealer has had good luck with the WPS (big national motorsports distributor) store brand “Firepower” batteries. Firepower also has a line of lithium batteries.

The farings have to come off soon so I can fiberglass them up and I will fix the blinker issue and run the wires at that point.

Fiberglass may not be the best way to repair plastic. This company used to be called Urethane Supply. Long ago I purchased their “ATV Fender Repair Kit” which included a modified soldering iron for welding plastic. I’ve had great success repairing the waxy plastic gas tanks on dirtbikes. But the main reason for remembering this company is the great information they have online as to identifying plastic and then what methods are available to repair.

Can also search for Polyvance in Amazon. Prices are higher from Amazon than direct. Amazon has Chinese clones of the low end Polyvance welder. But I suspect Polyvance would be the best source of quality welding rod.

https://www.polyvance.com/Airless-Welde ... -Welders-1

This is a gas tank I tried to glue:


Failed miserably. But this is after using the Urethane Supply welder. Held for 10 years that I last heard.



Hit “reply” to this post to see how the images were inserted.

[jkelley82]

Awesome, thank you... I will look into polyvance. I wasn't sure how fiberglass world work. Just know I don't want to spend more for replacement fairing than I did for the bike of I could find a way to repair the ones on it.

[N4HHE]

Awesome, thank you... I will look into polyvance. I wasn't sure how fiberglass world work. Just know I don't want to spend more for replacement fairing than I did for the bike of I could find a way to repair the ones on it.

Hope I helped. Admire your willingness to dig in and learn to repair yourself. It’s always educational even if all you learn is that paying Tesla to replace a 12v battery is cheap. (see another post of mine tonight)

Before long we will have you changing your own tires! Much easier than changing a Tesla 12v battery.

[wingshot]

Welcome from the PNW. Enjoy the new to you ride.