FJRiders.com

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:36 pm 2nd- don't be doing stuff last minute before your two week trip or IBR run.

Monday night I pulled the worn out tires off my spare set of wheels (I meant to do that months ago when I took them off the bike), installed the new ones, balanced and swapped then onto Betty. Tuesday morning after my Teams meetings, which ran WAY too long, while packing the bike up, looked over and remembered the new battery charging on the bench that I wanted to install before this trip. Got it installed and headed for the smokies. That stuff doesn’t count though, does it?

Noticed turn signal out. Need to fix that because it's past due for inspection and plates. Ordered new bulbs. Dug in there this evening and seems I forgot to reconnect the signal at last oil change. Damnit. All fixed and ready for inspection though.

gixxerjasen wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:38 pm Noticed turn signal out. Need to fix that because it's past due for inspection and plates. Ordered new bulbs. Dug in there this evening and seems I forgot to reconnect the signal at last oil change. Damnit. All fixed and ready for inspection though.

I wondered why you would unplug the signals..... then I realized you were actually changing the blinker fluid........ hope you remembered to snug up the muffler bearings too......

I take off the side panel when changing the oil, just makes the process easier and the panel comes off in less than a minute. Goes back on almost as fast, even faster if you skip plugging the signal back in.

After work, put more miles on the 2022 toward its first oil change.

Returned home safely yesterday after 5 days and 1600 miles of the Ozark roller coaster.

I think that about covers it for now. Ride report to follow.

Road it to Hazzard's Distillery, PA for supplies with a friend of mine. Long time since we road together. He was on his yamaha raider. Rt 74 all the way. Nice ride. We had a spirited ride home. 150 miles.

I'm at the 600mile service so oil change and filter and a general lookover.

Today, I found out that sw-motech extenders won’t work with my new set of clearwater mounts. So that was a waste of time. I’ll be listing the extenders for sale.

I couldn’t find my second heated gear lead. Pulled the battery cover and realized- this is the 2022. I haven’t installed a second lead on this bike yet. #stupid

Whooops!

Washed the road off the FJR. Got a list of "to do's" before the next run (SFO). Shop day planned for this week.

So the big red beast has 86,500 miles now. In some circles, that's just broken in. I was leaning in the direction of buying a new (or nearly new) one this year, but having thrashed the ole girl properly in Arkansas this week, me thinks I'll wait a while. The bike feels as tight as she did new. With a little lipstick, she still looks the part, basically.

I've never ridden a motorcycle to 100,000 miles. This might be the first.

Fresh oil, filter and final drive fluid. No nuts, screws, or other fasteners loose except on the owner. Today and tomorrow in the 70s and sunny so time for a few more miles in this last warmish days of this year.

On another note, for those that store their bike out in a cold out building, what is your plan of attack for keeping critters (I've not seen evidence, but...) out of your fjr during winter down time? If i do trade up for a pickem up truck, i may need to move the fjr to my shed. That pains me. May be able to make it work but thought i would ask. Battery tender, block air intake, Etc come to mind. But I'm sure others have dealt with more.

Some have used dryer sheets and/or peppermint oil as mouse deterrents.... can you seal off the shed to be mouse-proof? My shop is well built and mouseproof, shed isn't.

Spininprop wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:14 am Fresh oil, filter and final drive fluid. No nuts, screws, or other fasteners loose except on the owner. Today and tomorrow in the 70s and sunny so time for a few more miles in this last warmish days of this year.

On another note, for those that store their bike out in a cold out building, what is your plan of attack for keeping critters (I've not seen evidence, but...) out of your fjr during winter down time? If i do trade up for a pickem up truck, i may need to move the fjr to my shed. That pains me. May be able to make it work but thought i would ask. Battery tender, block air intake, Etc come to mind. But I'm sure others have dealt with more.

I keep the bike in an unheated garage. I don't have critter issues other than an occasional mouse. I usually have a couple of traps set. (They can only get in when the door is open). If rodents can get in, block mufflers too with steel wool.) I never use a battery tender and don't disconnect the battery but I do a top-off charge two or three times over the winter. (Battery has 11 years and 100,000 miles.)

I use dryer sheets stuffed all around the bike (and waverunners) to keep out the mice. Plus your bike will smell flowerly fresh in the Spring. Don't ride with your Harley buddies on the first ride......

Ray, i think, the shed is mice proof, as i have never seen them, but just when you say that. They appear. Yep heard of peppermint oil, use that at the RC club i belong too, helped to install it. I had to leave, my eyes were in Niagara falls mode. Good reminder.

Dryer sheets and steel wool check. Flowery fresh made me laugh...

New roadsmart 3 mounted today, front and rear. This time, I tried something different and the results were postiive:

I balanced the rim by itself first. Or at least I knew how much weight it would take and where. The "where" was used to identify where to put the "yellow dot" on the tire, which as I appreciate it is the lightest spot (and therefore why they recommend putting the dot on the valve stem) . IOW - the yellow dot went 180 degrees from the heavy spot on the rim itself. FWIW, on my bike, the heavy spot on the rim was about 20 degrees from the valve stem, each one in the opposite direction. The end result was less weight than I normally use (1/2 oz on the rear v/s 1 oz, 1/4 oz on the front v/s 3/4 oz). The heavy spot with the tire mounted on the rim did not move.

I also greased the relay arm. I last did this at about 50,000 miles (bike now has 86,500). Fighting the center stand was a bitch, but at least I didn't have to cut the bolts. Anyway - the relay arm had plenty of grease in all bearings. It really didn't need it. Obviously, while I had it down, I cleaned everything up and regreased it. But I may not do this again for a while.

Still got a few things I'd like to do before SFO, but none of it has to be done. We'll see.

Told it I had decided to keep it.

Last several months (since I turned 80) It's been more difficult for me to ride around town (I use it for shopping). Few weeks ago I went on a ten day trip (regular with a group to Scotland), didn't enjoy the riding at all. Decided I was losing what few riding skills I might have had, I would finally hang up my helmet when I got home..

90% of people reading this will know what's coming.

Came home, dumped it in the garage.

Next shopping trip in the car, so frustrating with the traffic.

Finally brought myself to hose some of the dirt off the bike, if I am going to sell it, at least let a potential buyer see the colour of the paint. Noticed the front tyre was well worn. Even though not quite down to the wear indicators, that would put off a buyer, so at least give a purchaser something they could ride.

Put on a new BT023.

All of a sudden it's an absolute pleasure to ride, on my next town shopping trip I only have to think about where I want to go instead of manhandling the bars all the time, it's almost as if I’m 18 not 80.

The pig has morphed into a gazelle.

So, threat of eviction lifted, at least for a while.

(Click on image for larger view)

^^^^
AWESOME!

I hope when I'm 80 (if I make it that far), I can make my tires look like that! That's fantastic! Well done. A 10 day motorcycle trip? Good for you. That's one of the most inspirational posts I've seen on here in a while. Thanks for sharing it.

Riders,

When I ditched my old Michelin tires for Pirelli Angel GT, I got a whole new bike.
There may be some better tires out there, but somebody may have to give me a set of them, to get me off those Pirellis.