What did you do to your FJR today?

[Spininprop]

Amazing, 3 other FJRs showed up at Bells. So we do what FJRowners do...drink.

[FJRoss]

Got a "take-off" rear tire mounted. Getting rid of a few old tires that I have been hanging on to for local riding. I have a set of new Bridgestone T32 GTs to go on the bike before my trip to Winnipeg later in July. The used tire I put on should last a few thousand kilometers until then. Noticed that the rear brake pads were about done when I took off the wheel so I ordered a set to go on when I install the new tires.. Pretty sure they are the original rear pads with 133,000 km on the bike.

Finally decided I had to finally do something about leaky fork seals. Both sides have leaked a couple times in the past year or so and I have always been able to restore using a "Seal-Mate" to clean up the sealing surfaces. Not this time. So I pulled the forks and completely dismantled them - replaced bushings, oil seals, dust seals (and oil). I have the Traxxion AK20 setup and elected to leave out the middle bushing. Hope that goes well for me.

Front brakes haven't been great with the leaky forks. Fork oil on the rotors and brake pads tends to reduce braking efficiency (still worked OK but took a little more pull). Spent over an hour and a whole roll of paper towel/Varsol to clean them up. What a mess - fork oil made into a paste with black dust from brake pads plus plain old dirt! They are sintered semi-metallic pads (EBC HH) so I think they will be OK. If not, it isn't a big deal to change them (but it isn't cheap). Wiped down the rotors with solvent as well.

Reassembly in progress...

[gixxerjasen]

My last forks had the middle bushing left out by Traxxion when I had them reassembled. My current forks also have the AK20's installed by Traxxion so I assume they also don't have the middle bushing. I've never noticed anything wrong with it.

[Spininprop]

Packed up, ready to launch from Spearfish, SD early tomorrow. Awsome weather and some great riding. Why do vacations go by so quickly... destination PA.

[BkerChuck]

My last forks had the middle bushing left out by Traxxion when I had them reassembled. My current forks also have the AK20's installed by Traxxion so I assume they also don't have the middle bushing. I've never noticed anything wrong with it.

On my 2007 we went through the front forks twice and both times omitted the middle bushing. Couldn't even tell it was removed.

[raYzerman]

In the past, I've always installed the middle bushing, figured since I have the tool... I used to believe it was put there for a purpose and that it must do "something", right? Well, think about it, the lower bushing and the lower fork tube takes all the wear, the upper doesn't wear hardly at all.
When you install the middle bushing... the gap is squeezed together to go in, and is a line to line fit with the fork tube.... when it snaps into the larger diameter recess that holds it, it gets bigger and has clearance to the fork tube.... I don't know how much that is, we'd need to section a fork tube,. but say 1mm, or ~0.5mm all around..... which is filled with a film of oil. Useful? Questionable.
Conclusion, if you have the tool and the inclination, install the middle bushing. No tool, fergedaboudit. Gen1 didn't have one..... what else does but an FJR? Ummmmm, maybe nobody.

[FJRoss]

Conclusion, if you have the tool and the inclination, install the middle bushing. No tool, fergedaboudit. Gen1 didn't have one..... what else does but an FJR? Ummmmm, maybe nobody.

#1 - don't have the tool for the middle bushing.
#2 - middle bushing was on backorder with no projected availability date - might have been 3 days or 3 weeks.

"Feels" OK with just the top and lower bushings. We'll see if it has an effect on seal longevity.

[raYzerman]

The seal is right next to the upper bushing, which doesn't wear, which will have no effect on seals. Seals leak for other reasons like getting dirt in them and getting cut/nicked.

[FJRoss]

The seal is right next to the upper bushing, which doesn't wear, which will have no effect on seals. Seals leak for other reasons like getting dirt in them and getting cut/nicked.

Agreed - shouldn't make a difference unless it reduces the amount of flexing of the inner tube which "might" change the forces on the seal which could be better or worse - I admit it is a bit of a stretch! Do Gen I seals have a longer or shorter lifetime than Gen II? I have typically gotten 100,000 to 150,000 km out of seals before the Seal-Mate doesn't seem to work very well. (based upon three seal replacements on two Gen II bikes)

Have you ever changed seals without separating the inner and outer tubes? Wondering if there is any other way of getting the seal out without damaging the inner fork tube. I suppose the Yamaha FSM method of using a hydraulic press on an oil-filled shock would work but I don't have the facilities to do that.

[raYzerman]

Since you don't have a middle bushing, lower bushing will be damaged and upper most likely, so need new bushings. I have attempted to pry seals out, and I'll just say don't do it, you'll do more damage than good. When slide hammering them out, remember to use heat on the upper bushing/seal area of the outer fork before you go for it.
Seals all last about the same, Gen1 and Gen2 bushings (despite the middle bushing) all show wear at 30k miles. The wear occurs mostly on the front and rear surfaces, more uniformly if the lower bushing has been rotating (most don't)...... of course, new seals while you're in there.
FYB has the press, it works a treat. I don't have room for one.

[FJRoss]

If doing the bushings, you might as well do the seals. I know that the teflon coating wears off (especially) the lower bushings but I wonder if this really has a noticeable adverse effect on operation. I suppose there may be increased stiction...

Enough for the average person to notice? I can't say that I found the suspension transformed after replacing bushings and seals. I just appreciate the fact that my brakes work better when not soaked in fork oil. Nice feeling to have it done. Something to NOT worry about for awhile.

Now, I wonder how long before I have to replace the OEM headlight bulbs...? 133,000 km and 10 years. (Got some LEDs ready to go in there.)

[FastPappy]

Got to stretch her legs a bit today about 200 miles. NY, NJ,PA. Me and my two bils (Harley Guys) stopped at a place called the Cactus Grill in PA. Had a burger with pepper jack cheese and jalapeños. Nice ride, some slab some twisties even a gravel road (bil's dammed GPS)

[N4HHE]

Since you don't have a middle bushing, lower bushing will be damaged and upper most likely, so need new bushings.

I've never seen increased wear on dirtbikes. The middle bushing only carries load when the fork tube or slider flexes. When flex occurs the middle bushing causes binding. Not certain why designers put the middle bushing in there but tuners take it out to make the suspension more compliant.

[wheatonFJR]

Rode around in a loop past where I got my owie in 2019. Rode the same route the group ride was scheduled to do that day.

I have no memory of the place I totaled my bike and my collarbone, but with hints from what people posted in the past, and jwilly’s and other’s video of that MarchSunday afternoon, I recognized a spot…but not enough to stop and ponder it.

I did reflect when we got to the connector road…the road I was in the lead for and was looking for on the day. Hunting Dale Rd. I finally got there.

Numbers
178, 215, 276, 215, 209, 208, 212, 19W, 80
60s-80s temps.

345miles. Left at 6am, arrived home at 2:30pm with one stop in Bakersville to fuel up and eat apple and snacks.

Stopped at Roan Mtn overlook.

Poured a full beer when I got home.

Mission Accomplished.

[Hppants]

I just used an exhaust tip I found at the auto parts store as a "middle bushing tool". Cut the flared end off and it was the perfect drive size.

[gixxerjasen]

What a day. Had some stuff planned. Got a little of it done, the rest of the stuff was pretty much unplanned items. One of those was the FJR. Wife had an errand she needed run, amazon return. Had to run a few towns over to the nearest UPS store which happens to be along my "Fun route" out into the country so I figured I'd take the FJR out since it hasn't seen any love since the Florida trip and I've already been out on both the GSXS and the DRZ lately.

Slid the FJR off the centerstand and felt a fluh from the front end. Damn, front tire is flat! WTF? Took the car for the return and start pulling the front wheel off when I get back. It's got some bad cupping on it, I suspect it started going down on the final leg of my ride home because it didn't look like that when I left Florida and the front was fine when I left Nate's house. I couldn't find anything obvious so I aired it up and started spraying water and dishsoap on the tire. The tire is now super clean but no signs of a leak. I notice the valve cover missing so I spritz a little water/soap into it and a slow foam volcano forms. Get out the trusty valve core tool and it's a smidge loose in there. Odd. Snug it up and no more foam volcano. I'm letting it sit overnight to see if it airs down any more just sitting there. Also, this along with everything else, I'm done being out in the Texas heat for the day, I can reassemble tomorrow, maybe.

I did notice the left fork is leaking a little bit. I could clean it up, but I was planning on changing the fork oil this summer but I might just go ahead and pull them off and send them off to traxxion for a rebuild. Or, I could do it myself. Eh, I've got the AK20's in there so maybe I'll have them do the rebuild and check out their hardware while they are in there. I've got some other stuff to get done this summer on the bike to get ready for the NAFO/YFO trip, so maybe I'll go ahead and get ahead of it. But I do need to finish off these tires before swapping prior to the trip.

[FJRoss]

I did notice the left fork is leaking a little bit. I could clean it up, but I was planning on changing the fork oil this summer but I might just go ahead and pull them off and send them off to traxxion for a rebuild.

How many miles on them since the last rebuild? I figure one or two restorations with a Seal-Mate before I go ahead and replace seals. I have enough distance on these that I probably should have sent the innards back to Traxxion. Next time...

[danh600]

Turned the key to hear clicking. Original battery from 2013. So a good run. I have noticed it being a little weak. Glad it went out now and not on a trip. Picked up a new one. Charged up and ready to be installed in the morning. Going get up early before it gets hot. Clean all the connections real good. Then hopefully ride to a nice Florida Spring for a swim.

Rode my wife's Gold wing valkyire. To pick up the battery. Took the scenic route back. Hit a bunch of rain. Cruiser tires suck in the rain. Couple of oh crap moments. So I slowed down to cruiser speeds.

Makes me appreciate PR4GTs.

Need some maintenance on the FJR that I am not comfortable doing. Finding
dealers are booked for weeks out. Some will not even let you get on a waiting list.

Once I retire I really need to become a better mechanic.

[gixxerjasen]

I did notice the left fork is leaking a little bit. I could clean it up, but I was planning on changing the fork oil this summer but I might just go ahead and pull them off and send them off to traxxion for a rebuild.

How many miles on them since the last rebuild? I figure one or two restorations with a Seal-Mate before I go ahead and replace seals. I have enough distance on these that I probably should have sent the innards back to Traxxion. Next time...

I dunno, a bunch. I bought the forks off a guy with the AK's in them then rode them for a while. I know the fork oil is definitely due. If I'm going to pull them off and dork with them at all, I might as well take advantage of the coming Texas hundred plus degree days to sit in the A/C while my forks are off getting freshened up.

[Spininprop]

2nd leg of 3 from Spearfish, SD to PA. Dakota Dunes to Crawfordsville, worst 635 miles i've done. Rain except maybe 2.5 hours of the 9.5. Torrential rain for an hour. Plus to top it off 20-25mph head/side winds gusting over 30 for the last 3 hrs. I'm ready for drinks tomorrow when i arrive home.

Note: Stopped by Black Hills Moto for a fit to find my size for Klim Latitude jacket and pants. Bought both. Much thanks to Anna for her help. Back ordered jacket, pants will be delivered to the house soon. Could have have tested their Goretex...

P.S.
I left for vacation on a new set of road 5 tires. These are my third set on the FJR. They were fantastic in the rain. Inspiring at 75 even at 60 in torrential rain. Probably shouldn't have been riding that fast as traffic was down to 40 at best. Love them...