Yamaha FJ1200
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The Yamaha FJ1200 is a sport touring motorcycle produced by the Yamaha Motor Corporation between 1986 and 1993.
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[edit] History
Yamaha released the predecessor to the FJ1200, the FJ1100, in the model years 1984 and 1985. The bike was popular, and competed well against others in the "sport-touring" class of motorcycles. This class is characterized by retaining sportiness while integrating more street-friendly ride characteristics, including greater maneuverability as well as endurance ride amenities, such as a more upright seating configuration designed to reduce back strain on long trips. Emphasis is placed on a balance of utility and sport, rather than pure performance orientation.
In 1986, the decision was made by Yamaha to boost performance and add upgraded suspension and other components. The result was the FJ1200. Produced virtually the same from 1986 through 1989, a slight update of the bodywork kept the model line current through 1993, when Yamaha discontinued the FJ. The bike's main competitors during its production years were mainly the BMW's K100RS, Suzuki's 1100 Katana and Kawasaki's ZX-10.
[edit] Benefits
The FJ1200 is an ancient relic by today's technological standards, but still has merit in several areas, especially in terms of handling and ride comfort. The 1200cc 4 cylinder, 16 valve, DOHC engine is a reliable workhorse geared to provide ample torque even low in the RPM range. The top speed on a stock bike is 160mph, but its virtues shine most brightly in the 80 to 90mph range, where a light twist of the throttle can propel you past other traffic even in top gear, largely owing to that ample torque. Rider and passenger are treated well by a wide and comfortable seat, and the frame and rider positioning are suited even to tall riders. Because of the long lifespan of this model, with relatively few changes, parts are plentiful and fan groups are numerous.
[edit] Drawbacks
Things to look out for on an old FJ1200 include (in order of headache) a leaky clutch slave cylinder, gas cap pressure problem, and a problem with popping out of 2nd gear.
Clutch slave cylinder: The clutch problem, which affects all models, is solved with a new seal kit, this kit is on the micro fiche for the 1200 but not the 1100. It's the same clutch slave cylinder on both bikes and takes less than an hour fix, the problem can often be attributed to fuel leaking from the hoses and running down onto the slave cylinder, it causes the seals to perish. Owners often buy a whole new cylinder costing about £100, the seal kit costs less than £10.
Brake caliper: Another common problem is front brake caliper seizure in winter, often the front calipers are replaced with R1 calipers and pads. The standard rear shock is too soft to pass a modern MOT test unless you have a friendly tester who accepts that this is subjective and you like it that way, replacements start at around £250 and regular maitainence of the shock linkages, bushes and relay arms is a must although i have seen one with the rear suspension locked solid get through the MOT test.
Second gear: It's not uncommon to find an FJ1100 or 1200 or any other bike with large, heavy transmission gears like the CB1000, Kaw 1000 or older Suz 1000's that will pop out of second gear, especially ones with a fair amount of miles.
It's caused by the rider shifting from first to second and applying power before the shift mechanism can finish engaging the gear engagement "dogs" into the other gear's "slots". The power applied kicks the gears apart, rounds the engagement dog edges and bends the shift fork. Every time a shift is missed, the fork bends a bit more, and the gears get a bit more rounded - eventually, the transmission will pop out of second gear at full throttle, no matter how you shift.
The solution is to pull the engine, split the cases and replace second gear, the gear it mates with, and the second gear shift fork, along with the corresponding shims, clips and seals.
To prevent that from happening, there is a company named Factory Pro in the USA that produces a Pro Shift Kit that installs without splitting the engine cases. The kit replaces the stock detent arm and the detent spring with low friction roller arm and a slightly stronger shift spring so that the transmission shifts quicker - preventing the original problem in the first place.
