Accessories

Accessories

Aftermarket Chin Fairings

In most cases those silly full fairing kits that are put on naked bikes to make them look "trick" are total waste of money. They just never really look like they belong. The FJ's design makes it a bit different. It has a huge perimeter frame. The top rails of the engine cage are close to two feet apart. To hide this and there by make the bike appear smaller than it is Yamaha designed the FJ's fairing to cover them. As a result these tall chin fairing kits meet flush with the bottom of the fairing and actually look okay. In some cases they are quite nice.

Luggage

Givi builds one of the only options for putting hard luggage on the FJ. Their product is very sturdy and works well. The only thing that keep it from being the perfect solution, in my opinion, is that the stuff is so butt ugly.

Ventura Racks

The Ventura rack is a classic piece of motorcycling equipment. I still remember seeing bikes in the 70's with tall Ventura racks that were dubbed sissy bars at the time. The modern sport rider would want nothing to do with those big ugly things now so the product has changed to fit the public taste. Small racks that just cover the tail are what you will find. They are a bit more sophisticated in design coming as luggage systems with streamlined soft and hard bags that fit the rack and exactly and add more function to the product.

Gas Tank Accessories

Tank Bags

I, for one, could not live without a good tank bag. If you do not have one go shopping! I have had great luck with the cheap Tour Master that I bought this summer. It is not fancy but, it will hold a medium bag of groceries easily and it stays put on top of the tank. I prefer the magnetic attachments, though, there are a couple of considerations to be made before you purchase one type or another. The magnetic attachments are

convenient. They do not leave a bunch of extra crap hanging off your bike when the bag is off. However, they can wreck havoc on your credit cards and other items with a magnetic strip. (Note: that in the case of drivers licenses this might be a good thing. After all that is there for the convenience of officer friendly, so, that when he has you pulled over writing you a ticket he can just swipe the card and find out if you are a good little boy or girl.) They are also not great for hauling very heavy loads as they can shift. My advise would be if you are going to take long trips on your FJ buy a bag with conventional fasteners. Over the long haul a more positive mounting is going to give you less heartache. If you are inclined to travel shorter distances removing the bag frequently the magnetic fasteners are great.
Any tank bag will fit on the FJ. It has an acre of space on top of the tank especially with the models 86 and up. The gas tank was changed at this point to incorporate a sporty aircraft style gas cap that made the entire top surface of the tank flat.

Tank Bras & Protectors

I found my tank gaining scratches on the left side right above the indentions for your knees. I could not figure out what was causing them. It was quite distressing! They was very deep and clear through to the metal. I finally discover what was happening. I am right handed so I carry my Spidico knife in the right front pocket of my pants clipped to the material for easy access... I'll leave the rest up to your imagination. (Damn it!) If had purchased a tank bra much earlier this would not have happened. My FJ now wears a tank bra to hide the scratches. I would recommend that anyone who values how their bike looks put something between themselves and the tank. Oh, and throw your knife, if you carry one, in the tank bag before you move the bike. You will be much happier.

Windscreens

Most find the stock windscreen acceptable, though, a recent discovery has made shorter windscreens more popular. It is said that if you get your head up out to the wake of "dirty air" that comes up around the windscreen that the ride is much more quiet and enjoyable. You also find yourself being pushed around by the wind much less. I have not found this to be an issue, as I am much shorter than the average rider. (about 5' 5.5"- 5' 6" should you wonder) The stock screen puts most of the wake over my head. If I had it to do over I might order a shorter screen for aesthetic reasons but, given the way my luck runs that would probably cause me to have some to the trouble that taller folks have had with the stock screen. For the record that is my ZG screen pictured. It is mounted with the standard LP screw kit.

Drilling Holes in Your Windscreen?!

Drilling ten 1/2" holes in the lower section of the tall Rifle windscreen eliminated the backwash from behind the rider at speeds up to 90mph. Significant improvement. Height of still air pocket behind screen was not noticeably affected. [Steve Dyer]

Horns

The FJ is sorely lacking in this department from the factory. The stock horn is said to be of about the same quality as the horn that was on your bicycle when you were a child.

Fiamm horns are the most popular replacement horns for the FJ and, it would seem, every other motorcycle in the world. In searching for information on them I managed to turn up more junk than you could shake a stick at. I would guess that if you really wanted a pair of Fiamm snail horns that the first place to check would be your local motorcycle shop. I would be genuinely amazed if you had to go any further. They receive superb reviews from everyone who has had any exposure at all. Most commonly they are mounted up inside the fairing of the FJ, as they are butt ugly.

Hella is another fantastic name in aftermarket horns. The Hella's that I have on my bike are not quite as loud as the Fiamm's that I have heard, however, they have one real advantage, they are pretty. I received a set as a birthday gift from a good friend. I managed to install the up inside the fairing. I secured them pretty tightly to avoid vibration and as a result they are loud enough to get attention but, not so loud that your ears will bleed .

Headlight

The most common headlight modification that people do to their FJ's is the addition of a higher wattage bulb. This is pretty straight forward, though some installs require that you beef up the electrical system to make them work. Other folk go all out for the sake of better lighting.
This frightening creature belonged to a gentleman that we call Hawke. He spent many hours readying his FJ for the 1999 Iron Butt Rally. The addition of many interesting accessories became more than a hobby for this long distance rider. This is a fine example of what can be done to an FJ with lots of time and patience. Unfortunately, a terrible fate befell this FJ and it's rider in the IBR. Best wishes to Hawke. Heal well, man. I cannot wait to see your next bike!

Trevor Harris (right) chose an easier method of installation. He simply made some brackets that bolted into the same place as the factory mirrors. I think that this entire look would be improved with the addition of those light covers that you see on four wheel drive trucks with the smiley faces. (Just Kidding ;-) Click on the picture right to see some friendly Aussies having morning coffee.

The example, left, appears as if the owner used the factory air scoop mounting holes to bracket off of. This is an attractive option due to it's subtleness. The owner of this bike is unknown.

Mirrors

This is another hot subject for the list. Can I replace my mirrors? The only thing that I can see in them is my shoulders. I have one piece of advice. Shrink! I have no problems with the mirrors on my 86 but, I am about the smallest person you will ever see on an FJ.
Alright, it is time to be serious now that I have gotten my grin for the day. The mirrors from a late model CBR1000 are said to be just the ticket on the later FJ's. They have a much longer stem and therefore a greater field of view for those that are not vertically challenged. One of the mounting holes must be hogged out because they are spaced too far apart to align with the FJ's mounting holes. Otherwise, they are super.
Can mirrors from an 89-90 FJ be used on a 91-93 FJ? The stem length is longer and would improve my field of view. Well... I would try shrinking first. The angle of the FJ's fairing changed at the point that the mirrors mount to in 91. The pitch is much steeper, or so they tell me. The mounting plate cannot be adjusted enough to prevent the mirrors from being canted way too far forward. In short: Yeah you can but, they look like hell and probably would not improve the view of what is behind you.

Seats

Another common complaint is that the stock saddle can be kind of hard on you if you ride a fair distance. Name one that isn't. Though my opinion is that it is hard on you if ride more than 30 miles but, hey, maybe I'm just a wimp. It still use it because I am not convinced that there is anything out there that looks better. I personally am more attracted to the idea of having the stock seat recovered and the foam inside modified to better fit me. I did this myself to my last bike and was very pleased by the results. A more professional job would likely be even better.

Cyclometer

A number of folks on the list have added a cyclometer to their FJ's. I believe that the original idea came from Streetfighter magazine. The Sigma BC series is the most popular. Surprisingly these devices are accurate up to 120 MPH but, they only refresh one time per second. The distance/ time tracking feature is very useful to the long distance riding crowd. Click on the picture to go to a site that explains how to calibrate different cyclometers.

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	Luggage
	Givi builds one of the only options for putting hard luggage on the FJ. Their product is very sturdy and works well. The only thing that keep it from being the perfect solution, in my opinion, is that the stuff is so butt ugly.

Ventura Racks



The Ventura rack is a classic piece of motorcycling equipment. I still remember seeing bikes in the 70's with tall Ventura racks that were dubbed sissy bars at the time. The modern sport rider would want nothing to do with those big ugly things now so the product has changed to fit the public taste. Small racks that just cover the tail are what you will find. They are a bit more sophisticated in design coming as luggage systems with streamlined soft and hard bags that fit the rack and exactly and add more function to the product.


Gas Tank Accessories

	Tank Bags
	I, for one, could not live without a good tank bag. If you do not have one go shopping! I have had great luck with the cheap Tour Master that I bought this summer. It is not fancy but, it will hold a medium bag of groceries easily and it stays put on top of the tank. I prefer the magnetic attachments, though, there are a couple of considerations to be made before you purchase one type or another. The magnetic attachments are
convenient. They do not leave a bunch of extra crap hanging off your bike when the bag is off. However, they can wreck havoc on your credit cards and other items with a magnetic strip. (Note: that in the case of drivers licenses this might be a good thing. After all that is there for the convenience of officer friendly, so, that when he has you pulled over writing you a ticket he can just swipe the card and find out if you are a good little boy or girl.) They are also not great for hauling very heavy loads as they can shift. My advise would be if you are going to take long trips on your FJ buy a bag with conventional fasteners. Over the long haul a more positive mounting is going to give you less heartache. If you are inclined to travel shorter distances removing the bag frequently the magnetic fasteners are great. Any tank bag will fit on the FJ. It has an acre of space on top of the tank especially with the models 86 and up. The gas tank was changed at this point to incorporate a sporty aircraft style gas cap that made the entire top surface of the tank flat.



Windscreens
	Most find the stock windscreen acceptable, though, a recent discovery has made shorter windscreens more popular. It is said that if you get your head up out to the wake of "dirty air" that comes up around the windscreen that the ride is much more quiet and enjoyable. You also find yourself being pushed around by the wind much less. I have not found this to be an issue, as I am much shorter than the average rider. (about 5' 5.5"- 5' 6" should you wonder) The stock screen puts most of the wake over my head. If I had it to do over I might order a shorter screen for aesthetic reasons but, given the way my luck runs that would probably cause me to have some to the trouble that taller folks have had with the stock screen. For the record that is my ZG screen pictured. It is mounted with the standard LP screw kit.

Drilling Holes in Your Windscreen?!
Drilling ten 1/2" holes in the lower section of the tall Rifle windscreen eliminated the backwash from behind the rider at speeds up to 90mph. Significant improvement. Height of still air pocket behind screen was not noticeably affected. [Steve Dyer]



Horns
The FJ is sorely lacking in this department from the factory. The stock horn is said to be of about the same quality as the horn that was on your bicycle when you were a child.
Fiamm horns are the most popular replacement horns for the FJ and, it would seem, every other motorcycle in the world. In searching for information on them I managed to turn up more junk than you could shake a stick at. I would guess that if you really wanted a pair of Fiamm snail horns that the first place to check would be your local motorcycle shop. I would be genuinely amazed if you had to go any further. They receive superb reviews from everyone who has had any exposure at all. Most commonly they are mounted up inside the fairing of the FJ, as they are butt ugly.
	Hella is another fantastic name in aftermarket horns. The Hella's that I have on my bike are not quite as loud as the Fiamm's that I have heard, however, they have one real advantage, they are pretty. I received a set as a birthday gift from a good friend. I managed to install the up inside the fairing. I secured them pretty tightly to avoid vibration and as a result they are loud enough to get attention but, not so loud that your ears will bleed .

	Trevor Harris (right) chose an easier method of installation. He simply made some brackets that bolted into the same place as the factory mirrors. I think that this entire look would be improved with the addition of those light covers that you see on four wheel drive trucks with the smiley faces. (Just Kidding ;-) Click on the picture right to see some friendly Aussies having morning coffee.
The example, left, appears as if the owner used the factory air scoop mounting holes to bracket off of. This is an attractive option due to it's subtleness. The owner of this bike is unknown.

Mirrors



This is another hot subject for the list. Can I replace my mirrors? The only thing that I can see in them is my shoulders. I have one piece of advice. Shrink! I have no problems with the mirrors on my 86 but, I am about the smallest person you will ever see on an FJ. Alright, it is time to be serious now that I have gotten my grin for the day. The mirrors from a late model CBR1000 are said to be just the ticket on the later FJ's. They have a much longer stem and therefore a greater field of view for those that are not vertically challenged. One of the mounting holes must be hogged out because they are spaced too far apart to align with the FJ's mounting holes. Otherwise, they are super. Can mirrors from an 89-90 FJ be used on a 91-93 FJ? The stem length is longer and would improve my field of view. Well... I would try shrinking first. The angle of the FJ's fairing changed at the point that the mirrors mount to in 91. The pitch is much steeper, or so they tell me. The mounting plate cannot be adjusted enough to prevent the mirrors from being canted way too far forward. In short: Yeah you can but, they look like hell and probably would not improve the view of what is behind you.




	Seats
	Another common complaint is that the stock saddle can be kind of hard on you if you ride a fair distance. Name one that isn't. Though my opinion is that it is hard on you if ride more than 30 miles but, hey, maybe I'm just a wimp. It still use it because I am not convinced that there is anything out there that looks better. I personally am more attracted to the idea of having the stock seat recovered and the foam inside modified to better fit me. I did this myself to my last bike and was very pleased by the results. A more professional job would likely be even better.




Cyclometer
	A number of folks on the list have added a cyclometer to their FJ's. I believe that the original idea came from Streetfighter magazine. The Sigma BC series is the most popular. Surprisingly these devices are accurate up to 120 MPH but, they only refresh one time per second. The distance/ time tracking feature is very useful to the long distance riding crowd. Click on the picture to go to a site that explains how to calibrate different cyclometers.