The Severance Project...a Farkle Odyssey

Hi all.

Please scroll towards the bottom of this thread. With a little help from Ionbeam, I've transferred the post from ADVrider to here. However, there were so many pictures I had to split it into two posts...and I didn't want 1/2 here and 1/2 15 posts away. Thanks!

The revised write up starts at post number 13. https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...st&p=768893

Did a great job. Man that bike looks good!

Nice detailed write-up on the project!! Bike looks nice!!

NovaPhoenix said:

Hi all.
A while back I posted that I had gotten the boot from my job and was going to use the severance check to accessorize my FJR. Well, it's just about done. I posted a full write up here:

https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604683

Click to expand...

Just curious, but was that severance from KSC?

I am there - still - but, nervous in the service.....

NovaPhoenix,

guess I am lucky, sort of, I still have a job. Great write up. Love what you did. Enjoy your time on the much improved bike.

Regards

Surly

h34r:

Upright and green with envy.

Beautiful job... congrats!

Thanks everyone.

No, it wasn't from KSC but the decline in business that led to my getting the boot was certainly affected by it. Sadly lots of folks are in the same position as you are. 1/2 of my customer base was either directly employed at KSC or support for them. As a result, lots of people are nervous and as a result, have slammed their wallets shut. I sincerely hope that the current administration doesn't let KSC wind down as they did after the Apollo program. The effect on Brevard county would be devastating.

As for me, I consider myself very fortunate to have gotten a severance while the company was able to pay it, that the wife has a good job, and that we saw this coming and were able to prepare for it. I've been working on my masters and when it's done, we'll probably end up leaving Brevard which we've called home for close to 30 years if they decide to mothball the space center. Best of luck to you.

fljab said:

NovaPhoenix said:

Hi all.
A while back I posted that I had gotten the boot from my job and was going to use the severance check to accessorize my FJR. Well, it's just about done. I posted a full write up here:

https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604683

Click to expand...

Just curious, but was that severance from KSC?

I am there - still - but, nervous in the service.....

Click to expand...

Nicely done.

Regarding the Trail Tech lights, how much do they weigh? I like the idea of them having internal ballasts, but they might be too heavy for Garauld's brackets.

I don't remember the exact weight, but I can tell you that his brackets have done very well with those lights. No flexing, no bouncing around. There's a graded dirt road not far from where I live that had a washboard pattern on it. I zipped down the road at speeds from 15 to 60mph and noticed no issues whatsoever.

Fear not. His brackets will take the weight no problem.

Geezer said:

Nicely done.
Regarding the Trail Tech lights, how much do they weigh? I like the idea of them having internal ballasts, but they might be too heavy for Garauld's brackets.

Click to expand...

Very nice!

NovaPhoenix said:

Hi all.
A while back I posted that I had gotten the boot from my job and was going to use the severance check to accessorize my FJR. Well, it's just about done. I posted a full write up here:

https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604683

I tried to copy and paste the code from that board to this one, but for whatever reason none of the pictures were transferring over. Strange. In any case, check it out if you'd like. It's quite a list. Thanks to everyone here who has shared their experiences about the various products they have tried over the years with their own bikes. It made knowing where to look that much easier.

Click to expand...

Great farkling job. After checking out your set up I'm going to do the low beam HID and do the high beams under the mirrors.

fljab said:

NovaPhoenix said:

Hi all.
A while back I posted that I had gotten the boot from my job and was going to use the severance check to accessorize my FJR. Well, it's just about done. I posted a full write up here:

https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604683

Click to expand...

Just curious, but was that severance from KSC?

I am there - still - but, nervous in the service.....

Click to expand...

There's a 8000 of us in that boat! Fortunately, I survived this round! Don't know about the next one though. I'll deal with it then I guess! 57 isn't the time to be looking for a new job though!

For those of you who read the JoMamma section of ADV Rider, some of you may have seen that I was given the boot from my job. So, with a bunch of free time on my hands, an understanding wife, and a severance check...I decided it was time to farkle my FJR. With the pictures, I'll include links to the products themselves so that others who may be interested can check them out. I have no affiliation with any of the companies.

Before the Severance Project began, what I had was a perfectly stock 2008 Yamaha FJR1300. IMHO, the best mile muncher ever invented. Here she is before the modifications began:

What you see on the picture below is a blue silk scarf Mrs. NovaPhoenix made for me after seeing Long Way Round, an ADV sticker, and an Alaska Leather sticker. You should also be able to see the Alaska Leather buttpad as well.



Here's a side shot with my dog Lucrecia. May she rest in peace.



A 3/4 view.



LET THE FARKLING BEGIN...

I had decided that the accessories I placed on the bike would help with making it more comfortable and visible. Nothing I did to to the bike was for the sake of cosmetics.

Here are a few overview shots and then I'll go into some of the specifics.













I'm not sure on how to best take a picture of a windscreen, but this a CalSci "Large" windscreen. I cannot begin to say how happy I am with it. In the down position, the windblast hits right around my neck and keeps my head in the breeze. In the up position, it becomes a cone of silence. It's so quiet over stock that it would be possible to ride without ear protection and listen to the melodious note of the Yamaha's engine.

Link: https://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/FJR1300prod.html

Picture:



Next up is a set of Trailtech Eclipse HID driving lamps. They are the SCMR16 black with post mount in the "spot" pattern. Holy shit these things are bright. On a recent visit to my parents I had them on while coming down the street and my father commented that it looked like airplane landing lights. Use with caution. They are mounted on a set of brackets made by Garauld. The brackets are works of art and fit perfectly.

Brackets: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showuser=371

Lights: https://trailtech.net/single_hid_scmr16.html

The pictures:







With the cover on



This one shows the bracket up against the fairing and the piece of rubber that comes with his brackets to protect the paint finish and to decrease vibration.



So....I needed a way to wire and turn the lights on and off. Enter Eastern Beaver company. "Company" is a loose term as its a one man show. He's an ex-pat American living in Japan. Excellent service and he responded to a series of boneheaded emails from me very quickly. The wiring harness he sent me looked like Yamaha had made it. It was that well done. The switch I chose has a small light on it when its off and it lights up even more when the lights are turned on. It's also waterproof.

Eastern Beaver: https://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Products...aux_lights.html

The picture:



Next up is a set of Clearwater "Glenda" high power LED aux lights. I simply cannot say enough good about the quality of the lights or of the company itself. I've emailed with the owner several times and can assure you that he's a class act. The lights are dimmable but I've found that I simply leave them cranked to full power all the time, which is 85% power. A really nice feature of these lights is that when you switch on your high beams, they will go to 100% power at once no matter where you have the rheostat dialed in. A very nice touch.

Clearwater lights: https://www.clearwaterlights.com/

The pictures:













This is the dimmer dial. My installer mounted it in the fairing right below the left handlebar.



Anyone familiar with long distance riding knows about Barb and Alaska Leather. The pads are hugely helpful in increasing comfort. I ordered a set for both the rider's and passenger's seat. They are as comfy as they look. I purchased the "deluxe" buttpads.

Alaska Leather: https://www.alaskaleatheronline.com/servlet...luxe/Categories

The pictures:





And what ADV Rider would dare to allow his or her motorcycle onto the street or dirt without the requisite ADV sticker? Certainly not me. Plus, it's important to represent the FJR on a board so dominated by those who ride BMW GS's. :yahoo:

ADV stickers: https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257578

The pictures:









The trunk is a GIVI E52 Monokey with an Admore light LED light kit. It's mounted on a SW Motech adapter plate. The trunk is enormous. My only quibble is that it moves around a little. I'll be able to fix that by sanding down the front pegs that hook into the bottom of the case. I also purchased the backrest and luggage rack for the trunk. All of this was purchased from Twisted Throttle.

Trunk: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/34

Mounting Kit: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/2745/78/

Gel Backrest: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/937

Luggage rack: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/91

Admore light kit: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/3978

The pictures:







Also from Twisted Throttle, I purchased an AdMore rear LED light bar. It contains running, brake, and turn signal lights. It helps quite a bit. Money well spent. Also, Twisted Throttle is efficient and easy to deal with. When I called to place the order they were very helpful and the stuff I ordered shipped quickly.

AdMore LED light bar: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/4643/680/

Picture:



Moving right along, I ordered a set of reflective decals from Realtime Industries. It's a little difficult to tell from the photographs since they were taken during the day, but they are super reflective. They are made from 3M Scotchlite and they really do light up very well when the light hits them. As an added bonus, the mostly disappear during the day. I got a complete kit for the FJR as well as a kit for the E52 topcase. I've also included a few pictures taken with a flash in a dark garage with a flash to show how they'd look at night.

Realtime Industries FJR decals: https://realtimeindustries.com/catalog/inde...0f5b1e050b1c73e

Realtime Industries GIVI decals: https://realtimeindustries.com/catalog/inde...0f5b1e050b1c73e

The Pictures:

















Our next item up for bid today is a set of GSG Moto frame sliders from the nice folks at Twisted Throttle. If you ride an FJR, you know that you have the best bike in the entire world. You also know that dropping it can empty your wallet of any spare scraps of green paper it may contain and cause your American Express card to recoil in horror. The frame sliders are designed to touch down first and help to spare your expensive plastic panels.

Twisted throttle: https://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/2732/114/

The pictures:



You can see it here located towards the bottom of the opening in the bodywork.

Next up is a SPOT Satellite GPS messenger. I have it there because Mrs. NovaPhoenix feels a lot better when she can see where I'm riding. No, it isn't a dog leash, my kids have used SPOT tracks in their class and even had it running one time while I was out for a ride. It's mounted on a Techmount with an adapter that I ordered from GPSCity. I also know there there has been much heated debate at ADVRider on where its best to keep the SPOT. I've chosen to keep it on the bike since it always gets a signal out. Your mileage may vary.

SPOT GPS messenger: https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102

Techmount: https://www.techmounts.com/products/?page_f...p;product_id=16

SPOT cradle: https://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-spot-ii-g...-hol-spo2u.html

Picture:



Next is a Garmin ZUMO 660. I got this over the 665 because it was a lot less expensive and I could care less about XM radio. It is also mounted on a Techmount on the steering stem with a specific adapter plate. The Garmin works flawlessly and does exactly what I want it to. Bluetooth connections to my iPhone are pain free.

Garmin ZUMO 660: https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-4-3-Inch-Port...r/dp/B001OMGVMY

Techmount: https://www.techmounts.com/products/index.p...mp;product_id=7

Techmount 660 accessory plate: https://www.techmounts.com/products/index.p...;product_id=179

The picture:



This is another Techmount which is installed in the unused mirror hole. I'd like to install something on it which has a quick release for a video / digital camera. I've been unable to find anything suitable. If any of you can help with a link, it would greatly appreciated. I'm looking for something that can be installed on the Techmount AND the plates which I could use for a video and / or still camera.

Mirror Techmount: https://www.techmounts.com/products/index.p...p;product_id=72

Picture:



Since Yamaha didn't see fit to include a TPMS, I went looking for one to install. After much searching, I found this one from Doran. It works well and as an added bonus, can be installed either on the valve stem or inside the tire. I had my installer put them inside the tires since he was already putting on a new set of Michelin Pilot Road 2's. I have two concerns with the unit. 1st, it sometimes takes up to 15 minutes to display a reading on both tires and 2nd, the display panel has no lighting unless you push one of the buttons. The red light above the instrument panel will flash if the tire pressure drops below a user settable reading.

Doran: https://www.doranmfg.com/motorcycle-tire-pr...ing-systems.htm

Picture:



Why I decided I needed this when I live in Hell...um...Florida is beyond me, but I bought it anyway. Yamaha factory heated grips. They work exactly as advertised. I got them from the nice folks at Stadium Yamaha.

Stadium Yamaha: https://www.stadiumyamaha.com/pages/catalog...warmer-kit.aspx

Pictures:





One of the chief complaints about the FJR is the fact that the mirrors usually do a beautiful job of showing the rider his own elbows. One of the common modifications to combat this is to install the mirrors from an FZ1. I looked at the pictures others had kindly submitted of this modification and decided that it simply wasn't for me. I just didn't like how that looked. Doing some more searching around led me to Multivex Mirrors. The company that sells these mirrors has a much better explanation than I could write as to why they work. I can say that after the installation that blindspots are a thing of the past. They're that good. Problem solved.

Multivex mirror description: https://www.multivexmirror.net/technology.html

Multivex Mirrors for the FJR: https://www.multivexmirror.net/Details.asp?...&category=2

Picture:

This really doesn't show just how well these work, but if you want to see better, I highly recommend them.



In this picture just above the SPOT messenger you can see where the image looks to bend as it goes to the right. This is what's supposed to happen. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but once I did, I wondered how I ever lived without them.



The ONLY real gripe I have with my beloved FJR is its absurd and anemic charging system. 590 watts is just not anywhere near enough for a serious mile muncher like this. BMW manages to cram over 1000 watts into the K1300GT, so this is one area that Yamaha earns a big FAIL. To make sure I'm not killing the battery or am going to fry the stator, I installed a Datel voltmeter. It's simple, and it works.

Datel voltmeter: https://www.digitalmeter.com/cgi-bin/websho...onfig=ent-datel

Picture:



This one is the single biggest expense in the Severance Project. When in the cage, I use cruise control almost constantly and really wanted it on the bike. Many other FJR owners have successfully adapted Audiovox units and made them work flawlessly. Others have taken a simple approach and are very happy with a Throttlemeister or a cramp buster. I wanted something that was as close to a factory appearance and function that I could get. I ended up with a system from Motorcycle Cruise (McCruise). Yes, it was expensive but its function is flawless. It holds speed very well, the control panel buttons are backlit for easy of use at night, the kit contains quality components, and the instructions are excellent. Plus, I spoke to the guys in Austrailia (where the company is located) and they were always helpful. My single favorite accessory so far.

Motorcycle Cruise: https://www.mccruise.com/Yamaha-FJR1300-Cru...lutch-incl.html

Pictures:



Speed sensor:



Another speed sensor:



While the bike was apart, I had them replace the stock battery. It was 2 years old and I've never used a tender on it, so it was getting tired. I decided on a gel battery and ordered a BikeMaster TruGel battery. From what I gather, it will survive conditions that would make other batteries kick the bucket. There's a YouTube video somewhere that shows a hole being drilled into one with no loss of gel and it still worked. I also ordered a Battery Tender Jr. It will charge a dead battery as long as it reads at least 3 volts and has a "brain" which will keep a battery topped off for long periods of time. Both work just as advertised. I ordered both of these parts from Motorcycle Superstore. Very fast and efficient.

Motorcycle Superstore TruGel battery: https://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/5/8...;WT.MC_ID=10010

Motorcycle Superstore Battery Tender Jr: https://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/6...;WT.MC_ID=10010

Picture:

This is of the lead which is hooked to the battery. The white stuff is a piece of Velcro. The other piece is tucked up behind the horns so that when its not in use, its out of the way.



Next up is a replacement triple clamp from Heli. They have made a huge difference in the level of comfort on the bike. Shorter people may not need it. However, I'm 6 feet, 1 inch and this addition helped a lot. I ordered directly from Heli. After 1500 miles on this set up, I also ordered the risers that go on top of the triple clamp. This should make it just about perfect.

Heli: https://www.helibars.com/product/tour-perfo...aha-fjr1300a-ae

Pictures:





Last up for what I have pictures for is a replacement set of horns. I really wanted to use a Stebel Nautilis but the FJR would make it a very tight fit. So, I looked around a little more and decided on a pair of Fiaam Freeway Blasters. While not in the same league as a Stebel, they are plenty loud and I'm happy to say that I've already had some dingbat who drifted into my lane spill her coffee all over herself when I hit the horns. I'm happy. To wire them, I ordered a custom wiring harness from a FJRandy who makes them one at a time. It is literally plug and play. Couldn't ask for more AND he's a nice guy to boot.

Fiamm Freeway Blasters: https://www.amazon.com/FIAMM-72112-Freeway-...6256&sr=1-1

Fiamm Freeway Blasters (high note) : https://www.amazon.com/Signaltone-Freeway-B...6256&sr=1-2

FJRandy's wiring harness: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=107893

Pictures:





There are a few things which I don't have pictures for. I did an HID upgrade for my headlights. Huge difference. Bought them from an active vendor on ADVRider. The high low is a little wonky...but in all fairness the gentleman at FutureVision stated his recommendation to do a low beam only. If I had it to do again, I would have done the low beam only.

Future Vision HID: https://www.futurevisionhid.com/products/mo...le-hid-kit.html

Next up on the pictureless list is a FuzeBlock FZ-1. With all the stuff I placed on the bike, this was a lifesaver. It works just as advertised. I wired it up with a harness from Eastern Beaver.

Fuzeblocks: https://www.fuzeblocks.com/

Eastern Beaver: https://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Products...iring_kits.html

I had everything installed by a local independent shop. They screwed some things up and before I publicly name them, I'm going to give them a chance to fix it. No matter how it turns out, I'll post the results of what happens with them here.

So...what's left? Well, as it turns out I have a few bucks left from the severance so a Russel Day Long saddle will be coming along shortly. After that is to visit Traxxion in nearby GA to have them do a suspension upgrade. That's going to have to wait a bit because it will probably cost close to $2k. https://www.traxxion.com Also, an aux tank from Sampson SportTouring is also in the mix when I find a different installer. https://www.sampson-sporttouring.com/fjr-fuel-cells.html

Also, the one accessory that is getting replaced ASAP are the TrailTech Eclipse lights. They are so damn bright as to be almost unusable unless you want to fry the retinas of others. The replacements will come from Clearwater. They just came out with a new set of lights called 'Kristas'. They are high power LED's just like the Glendas, but bigger and even more powerful. Glen (the owner) sent me some pictures and there's a youtube video from someone on this very forum demonstrating them on his FJR. AMAZING. When they arrive and I get them installed, I'll be sure to post it here. The TrailTechs will be sold and I'm sure they'll make someone very happy.

In any case, I hope that you all find this useful. I know I certainly combed ADVRider and fjrforum to see what gadgets and accessories people were placing on their bikes and what their opinions were. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Wow! Impressive, very well done.

Very nice! Would you divulge the cost of the material goods?

Nice job Mr. Techie.

I would think that if I got let go and did that cool stuff to my bike I'd probably end up getting divorced also. But at least I'd have a sweet bike to live with.

Well, it was a bunch.

I'd have to dig out all the receipts to give you an exact total. However, I did include links to everything I purchased if you'd like to get a specific breakdown.

Tom Edison said:

Very nice! Would you divulge the cost of the material goods?

Click to expand...

I hear you. That's why I'm happy to say that the new wife was much more understanding than the previous. My divorce from her was the fastest 200lbs of ugly fat I've ever lost.

FJReady said:

Nice job Mr. Techie.
I would think that if I got let go and did that cool stuff to my bike I'd probably end up getting divorced also. But at least I'd have a sweet bike to live with.

Click to expand...