Tom Slocum is another fella who's just bitten by the FJ Mod bug ! He's decided, like many of us, that the FJ has a lot of mileage left in it yet and with a few carefully thought out modifications, the 'old girl' is still a cut above most of the latter day so called sports tourers. The running gear, as always, seems to be the area where attention is most warranted and Tom has done the first YZF750 swingarm swap that I am aware of. (Tom's words are in maroon below).
I bought this bike from a friend 2 years ago with the full lower. Everything else was stock. The whole process started when I thought I would like modern rims. Well, one thing alwasy leads to another and I was lead to the YZF600 rim conversion by Amy. I had also seen the FZR mod in Barry's website but those things are hard to find and even harder to pay for.
Thanks to Ebay a girl in Ohio mentoned she had some FZR parts. I checked with her and found this front end with everything you see (including the Race Tech springs and brand new tire) Well I was going to Ohio the next week anyway and couldn't believe how cheap it all was. When I left Ohio, I had the whole unit. Under $300! But no calipers. Back to Ebay. Found the stock calipers for $23. Gotta love that!
Off came the> stock forks which I had just put Emulators, Progressive springs, and block off plates on. While I had it apart, I replaced the bearings and races. I spent more time on the bottom race than the rest front end thanks to Barry's great instructions. Total time= 3days except I had no bars. The rear mod ( I replaced all the swingarm, linkage and wheel bearings while I was there) was just as easy as I had been told and I was stylin'. Except for the bars!
While doing the rear I made a new top plate with 50mm tubes on top (kinda like Barry's) and tried the FZR clipon's. No good! The bars mount at an angle that hurt because I wasn't leaned over enough. It also interfers with the fairing unless raised up.My hands were almost in a steering wheel position. Next I tried some high rise mounts with drag bars. Not enough pull back to them and they wanted to rub the tops of the fork adjusters. And the levers kept hitting the windshield. I tried trimming the riser mounts down and using eurobars. Better but too wide and something felt odd. Trimmed the bars in width which helped, but not quite there.
Then I destroyed my knee and couldn't ride or work on the FJ for while. But I could play with the top plate and bars. What I have now puts the bars very close to stock. They are just a little wider. But I'm 6'3" and have monkey arms. What I did find was going wider did more to prevent the shoulder blade pain on long rides. But you can't get wider with the stock FJ bars, you have to go higher.
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(1) This was the first time I set up the arm. I was very happy to find out I didn't need to trim the swingarm pivot. You simply put the pivot bushing from the FJ into the swingarm bearings and it mounts up. You can see I have the FJ axle in here just for hanging the wheel. |
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(2) From the right side, you can see how everything is in the way. And this is with the whell at the bottom of it's travel. Down tubes must go and the battery box has to shift forward. The choices are easier with a sealed battery.It can lay on it's side. The shock adjuster mount will clear, but you can't use the sdjuster there. The Ohlins adjuster will mount on the front hole and stay clear of the swingarm box. |
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(3) From the rear you can see how little clearance there is for the passenger peg. I had already trimmed that bolt flush to the mounting nut. When I saw this and how the stock mounts covered up the braced arm, I decided to go another way. |
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(4) oops! looks like I'm outta date. Picture was taken Jan 21, 01. Gotta love winter in California. This is a rear view of the YZF 600r wheel conversion. Metzler MEZ1 160/60/17 A good look at the stock turn signals with the stalks removed. |
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(5) Every one approaches the handlebar issue differently. And I think I tried them all. The FZR plate has two holes with rubber mounted bushings. By pressing out those, you can but in any height barmount you desire. Shown are from a XS650. This version let me get the bars in the stock FJ plane and angle, but slightly wider than stock. I preferred going wider to higher. The holes have brass bushings and the stems were cut down about 1" and rethreaded. This will be cleaned up with lock nuts, trimming the extra length off, and the powdercoated. The mount for the ingition is exactly as Barry described it in his FZR1000 mod. |
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(6) Wide shot as she sits on Angeles Crest. The full lower is a Targa. This angle also shows off the cut off fender(right along the side panels and then just under the plate bracket) and the upside down plate bracket. Kinda' makes it look more modern, I think. You can't see the YZF caliper or the Brembo rear master (stock for YZF). |
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(7) 15 years after it was made, the stock '86 still has great lines. |
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(8) Close up of the '93 FZR1000 forks (Race Tech springs and Gold Valves). FZR rim and fender and the R1 calipers/ Goodridge lines/ Galfer pads grabbing 320mm rotors. Matched up with MEZ 1 130/60/17 and you have unbeatable stopping power. |
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Looks like a nice relaxed riding position Tom ! |
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(10)This is my next changover. Of course you know it's fantasy/ workahead. YZF 750 swingarm modification and rim (going for 180/17 tire). Underslung rear caliper. Ohlins rear shock from '92 FJ. Removable passenger mounts. Adapted Graves rearsets. YZF750 forks with Race Tech Gold Valves(if needed) Traxxion Dynamics springs. R1 calipers and of course the 320's. This time I'll go with red powdercoating. and Since I have a pristine '87 upper fairing, This paint scheme looks likely. |
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(11) Shows the YZF750 levers and remotes. Please pardon the mounts, I had only made them that morning. They adjust nicely for where you want your fingers to be. The clutch may seem a little stiffer that stock with the braided lines feeding the Barnett 6 spring conversion, but it's worth an extra squeeze. If you are doing lots of handle bar work, using safety wire lets you get them on and off easily. |
Tom sent me this article a long time ago and frankly I'm somewhat ashamed I haven't published it sooner. Tom I apologise. Many thanks for sending me your pictures and sharing your knowledge with us !
