I wish every bike was as easy to work on

[keithaba]

I have been working on the FZ1 a lot lately, and I can tell you it is a ***** in comparison to the FJR.

Everything so far has been easier to do on the FJR than the FZ1. Right now I'm working on synching the carbs, and it is a nightmare.

The screws are deeply imbedded between the carbs and near impossible to get to without an 8" screwdriver, and feeling around.

Also did an oil change on my friends Warrior, my gawd. 2 drain bolts, oil in the frame, what a PITA!

When I had my V-star, you had to drop the entire exhaust just to do the oil change!

Are there any other bikes that are as easy to work on as the FJR?

 

[FZ/FJR Mike]

I agree, my 06 FZ is very cramped to work on. FJ has much more room for my tired old hand to not get skinned up. Just got another 3" of snow overnight so riding has been set back again.

 

[BobG]

BMW r models. Synch is on either side, valves are like the old VW/Porche rocker adjustments. Spark plugs on either side. Oil single drain bottom, oil filter on bottom, can be prefilled. Most things are simple and not worth the money the techs charge for service.

Hell it is half an 1960's-1970's airhead VW baja bug. on 2 wheels.

Bob

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Are there any other bikes that are as easy to work on as the FJR?

Not many modern bikes.....

It seems that ease of maintenence and new technology are diametrically opposed...? :angry:

Old -bikes (like 'BobG' mentions) are easier to work on -- although, they often need more, ahh, 'fettling'. :huh:

 

[SockMonkey]

The ease of working on a bike has become inversely proportional to increases in displacement, performance and, oh yes, emissions standards over time. In other words, be careful what you ask for. :glare:

 

[keithaba]

The ease of working on a bike has become inversely proportional to increases in displacement, performance and, oh yes, emissions standards over time. In other words, be careful what you ask for. :glare:

Sooooooo... then why is the FJR so easy to work on? :dntknw:

 

[drew231506]

Uhhh... I wouldnt say the FJR is sooooo easy. Especially to learn on. I won't go into my story of "simply" putting in a new battery. Or removing the fairings, or switching the ole glove box out. And none of that is mechanical.

 

[SockMonkey]

The ease of working on a bike has become inversely proportional to increases in displacement, performance and, oh yes, emissions standards over time. In other words, be careful what you ask for. :glare:

Sooooooo... then why is the FJR so easy to work on? :dntknw:

I think when comparing it to your FZ1, it gets down to simple packaging. As I wouldn't think your FZ1 and FJR are too many years apart age-wise, the main systems are comparable just crammed into the bike differently to meet the design spec. My real point is compared to days when I worked on my old '76 Honda CB750 SuperSport for instance, the FJR is orders of magnitude more complex to work on <duh>. It was little different than my first bike, the Honda CL175. A few basic tools and some common sense and you could do just about anything to those bikes. To perform much more than the Owners Manual maintenance on the FJR, you "almost" need an engineering degree.

 

[twowheelnut]

The screws are deeply imbedded between the carbs and near impossible to get to without an 8" screwdriver, and feeling around.

Get the right tool for the job.

 

[Rondo777]

FJR is awsome to work on. My 93 Intruder has the airfilters under the gas tank. The battery is at the bottom of the frame, if you need to get to it you have to open a trap door under the bike and when you remove the screw the battery drops out and crushes your hand. On its way down the pos terminal always hits the frame so you do get the added bonus of a fire works display to celebrate the eventual lose of the finger nail from the formentioned battery drop :shok:

 

[MojaveFJR]

Want something that is really a PITA? Try a "by the book" oil change on a 06 WR 450. You will beg for your FZ1 back.

Will have to admit,other than getting all the cowling off, the FJR looks a breeze to do the regular maintenance on.

 

[evilmedic13]

Uhhh... I wouldnt say the FJR is sooooo easy. Especially to learn on. I won't go into my story of "simply" putting in a new battery. Or removing the fairings, or switching the ole glove box out. And none of that is mechanical.

If that was rough, try doing what a few have had to do

Turn this

Back into this

Of course, I went and did this to it 45 days later

 

[Kevin Daly]

I have been working on the FZ1 a lot lately, and I can tell you it is a ***** in comparison to the FJR.
Everything so far has been easier to do on the FJR than the FZ1. Right now I'm working on synching the carbs, and it is a nightmare.

The screws are deeply imbedded between the carbs and near impossible to get to without an 8" screwdriver, and feeling around.

Also did an oil change on my friends Warrior, my gawd. 2 drain bolts, oil in the frame, what a PITA!

When I had my V-star, you had to drop the entire exhaust just to do the oil change!

Are there any other bikes that are as easy to work on as the FJR?

Intruders are fairly easy but if you owned one and an FJR you would never have to work on it

 

[Kevin Daly]

The screws are deeply imbedded between the carbs and near impossible to get to without an 8" screwdriver, and feeling around.

Get the right tool for the job.

ANd it works good for rectal exams too :clapping:

 

[FJRSTAR]

Of course, I went and did this to it 45 days later

Now that is some really bad luck! Hope you faired better Evilmedic13.

 

[ponyfool]

Are there any other bikes that are as easy to work on as the FJR?

My 02 Suzuki Bandit was about as easy a bike to work on as any around. Much easier than the FJR, but a fully exposed engine will do that for ya.

 

[Cal City FJR]

My 01 Kawasaki ZRX 1200 is pretty easy to work on for the most part. Haven't had the chance to do much on the FJR as it's still new to me.

 

[jekirby]

My old bmw k100rs has an engine that is situated longitudinaly and laying flat so you can get to the bottom end and the top end while it is still in the frame. No fairng or tank to remove when changing the spark plugs and oil changes are even easier than on the Fjr. The fuel line even had a quick release coupling-like an air hose quick release-tank could be off, not just proped up, in 20 seconds. I do not know, but I wonder if a complete rebuild minus any machining could be performed with the engine still in the frame. Fjr is ok, but nothing like that bike...too bad bmw did away with this design...keeping up with Japan I guess.

 

[painman]

All the services are pretty much not that difficult on the FJR, except the coolant change taking the cowling off. I found out though just remove the left side panel, and loosen up the left side cowl lower and top panel enough to get the recovery bottle out and have access to the radiator cap is all that is needed. I didn't have to take "everything" off per the manual of taking the whole cowling off. That would be a bummer IMO.

And didn't have to do the "********" proceedure,(No wise cracks please). With the engine cold run distilled water through the filler neck 3 times to have clear water out the drain bolt, then add coolant. Spalkin posted this to better explain....

No ******** Flush

Just have to be careful not to get any coolant on the painted surfaces if you only remove as much as I did and less hassel as the full boat flush/fill. It took about an hour and a half with most of that time taking off the plastic and putting it back on. I used Havoline Extened Life Dex-Cool 5 year coolant that has no silicates indicated for aluminum engines as WC reccomends. PM. <><