Phantom Blue Matte Paint encounter

[roadscum]

Sargent is my go to seat company, great quality and excellent service. I've had several, including one on my '06 FJR and now on my GSA, Seems I got the perfect arse for Sargent seat!

Paul

 

[502MAD]

Man, that is sexy and stealthy all in one! Thx for posting even tho it hurts! ;-)

Methinks if they had put a TFT screen on the 18 it would had topped the sundae with that cherry. I'm sure its coming...

 

[Canadian FJR]

TFT Screen ??

Canadian FJR

 

[RossKean]

TFT Screen ??
Canadian FJR

Thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display

TFT (color) LCD

 

[roadscum]

Man, that is sexy and stealthy all in one! Thx for posting even tho it hurts! ;-)
Methinks if they had put a TFT screen on the 18 it would had topped the sundae with that cherry. I'm sure its coming...

So how much hp does a TFT screen bring with it???

Or does it just improve MPG??

Comfort??

Reliability??

I don't need it, nope...

Paul

 

[Uncle Hud]

The 2018's come with a red-eyed skull?!?!? That might make the difference for me .....

Thanks for the detailed photos; they show that paint job to be really pretty.

 

[exskibum]

What did you end up using to clean the matte?

So far. the only three items I've tried on this matte paint with good results are:

• a 50/50 solution of 70% Isopropyl alcohol and water
• Honda Spray polish
• Plexus.

Once upon a time, both the question and the answer would have been deemed sacrilegious. So now, WC answers motorcycle cleaning and polishing questions?!?

Oh how far the mighty have fallen.

Just sayin.'

 

[Warchild]

Age. I blame age.

For a good number of issues

.

 

[art miller]

That red-eyed skull is saying, remove those 1300 emblems on the side fairings. They are just something to collect dirt.

 

[Warchild]

As I go about the discovery process of learning this new Gen IV bike, I'll post new items in this thread to help keep it all in one place. Other 2016 model year (and later) owners may have already seen these discoveries, still, I'll post up just to add to the overall FJR Collective knowledge.

Since there is currently a ton of snow/ice on the roads, this is a good time to install basic items, the Heat-Troller among them. But first up: the Givi rack.

The rack moved over from my old Gen 3 bike as a direct fitment; it thankfully bolted right up to the Gen IV. While I was torquing down the front two Givi bolts, I noticed the bike now has two large wire harnesses (where before I only recall one) running down the left side of the bike. The new harness is the lighter-colored one running under the black harness:

The black harness has always been there for all model years, as it feeds the tail-light system (I'll be cutting into this harness soon to fit the Back-Off LED license plate bracket).

The lighter harness runs back and is connected to a new-to-me Black Box (white arrow below). This computer is ominously named: "Inertial Measure Unit". It houses a new-generation Bank-Angle Sensor, among other things. My suspicion is that there is a LOT more going on in this module then just sensing bank angle. Note below how it has a protection wall molded in front of the assembly, and I notice that this unit is mounted about as far away from engine/frame heat as you can get, so it likely has sensitive components inside it.

'Tis a bummer placement to me, as this is where I have always stored the electric air-pressure pump. Not anymore - I am leaving this area totally alone.

Moving up under the seat, I note with sadness that what WAS a fairly sizable storage area now has a huge-ass electronic module residing there. This monster box, with it gazillion-wire connector, only performs one task: it services the Electronic Suspension system. Gen III/IV ABS owners don't have this module, so I am guessing they still have this storage space available to them. This ES Control Module is a $700 component...

Bottom line here is that I am no longer going to try to cram tools/tire repair/air pump under the seats as I have on all previous FJRs. The current "tool kit" is a laughable joke; it isn't in the above pic. It normally sits in that abbreviated space to the left of the ES Control Module. Good thing FJRs never break, because the tool kit for our state-of-the-art Super Sports-Touring platform is a phillips/straight-slot screwdriver, and a 4mm allen wrench. In a plastic pouch. That's it. Pretty sweet.

Moving on now to more fun stuff: laying down the Heat-Troller circuit! Dash pieces must of course come off, and there are some pleasant discoveries to be found.

Perhaps I just didn't notice the following on the Gen III bike (to this degree), still, I am greatly pleased to find an increased amount of spare room in and about the battery area, compared to previous generation model years. There is now a metric buttload of available space one can use to place relays, power bars, etc both down the right side of the battery, and areas forward of the battery.

And take a close look at what are dark grey "fins", just above the battery positive terminal red cover. Let's go after a closer shot of that...

Yep, this is what my 2018 headlight "boot" looks like!

Obviously the boot is gone altogether, replaced by a rather substantial heat sink to draw away excess heat from two huge-ass CREEs in the Gen IV headlight. The radiator fins you see here are nothing - NOTHING! - like the massively thick, beefy radiator fins on the CREE-side of this Heat-Sink. You can see these beefy fins looking right through the front reflector housing.

Next up: the Heat-Troller circuit. Even if there wasn't an inch of ice on the roads right now, current weather.com forecasts says I have plenty of time to do this.. we gots freezing rain coming to the Columbia Basin tonight.

 

[BikerGeek99]

Dumb question: did Yamaha put decent stock horns on it, or do the horns still need aftermarket replacements?

 

[Warchild]

Dumb question: did Yamaha put decent stock horns on it, or do the horns still need aftermarket replacements?

The latter.

They've always been lame mosquito squeaks.

 

[huckstr]

WOW... that beautiful, and the seat looks kiss ass comfortable. OEM???

Oh, no....that's about $1K of custom-seatmaking you see her. The pillion seat is by Rich's Custom Seat; he is located on the Olympic Peninsula. The pilot seat is from Rick Mayer Saddles, who is no longer in business.

What did you end up using to clean the matte?

So far. the only three items I've tried on this matte paint with good results are:

• a 50/50 solution of 70% Isopropyl alcohol and water
• Honda Spray polish
• Plexus.

For what its worth, I have a mat finish on my FJ-09 and found that a product called TopCoat works great. They sell on thier web site. I have been using it since this bike was new and love the results. I am going replace my '05 FJR with one just like yours later in the new year. Can't wait.

 

[TomInPA]

Great looking bike, and better with the improvements (removals). I'm most thankful that Warchild has finally and authoritatively settled the argument that 2016+ is the undisputed Gen IV bike, even with matt paint. Great pics and updates of some of the finer details. I wish I was joining the Gen IV cool crowd.

 

[Millrat]

I brought one of these home and was wondering about the sticker after picking with a fingernail. Thank for the info. Didn't know the reflectors needed to go until I saw the picture.

The gold metalflake is in the black side panels, fairing vents and tank trim. Does look good.

My first FJR and I have questions but probably for a different area.

 

[Steve in Phx]

I really like that matte blue. Beautiful.

 

[Warchild]

Old School 12v power....

Some of you crusty elder forum members may recall these tiny yet powerful Bosch 30-amp heavy-duty relays from a HID Group Buy we did over a decade ago. These tiny little buggers are awesome for moto application, where space is at a premium. This relay feeds the power bar for my Heat-Troller and new Aux Lights (when they arrive):

I am reasonably sure I will not need 11 ground points, but... this makes it easy when I do need one.

That thin gray wire harness coming in on the far right in this photo is a 2-wire (20-gauge) that I use to light up the above Bosch relay. Power for this circuit comes from that fairly pointless 12v source in the glove-box.

I know all the modern Kool Kids run a Fuzebox or similar device to power all their electrics, and that's fine This Old School approach works for me.

 

[juniorfjr]

Old School 12v power.... Some of you crusty elder forum members may recall these tiny yet powerful Bosch 30-amp heavy-duty relays from a HID Group Buy we did over a decade ago. These tiny little buggers are awesome for moto application, where space is at a premium. This relay feeds the power bar for my Heat-Troller and new Aux Lights (when they arrive):

[img=[URL="https://fjrtech.net/2018es/underdash/boschrelay.jpg%5D"]https://fjrtech.net/2018es/underdash/boschrelay.jpg][/URL]

I am reasonably sure I will not need 11 ground points, but... this makes it easy when I do need one. :weirdsmiley:

[img=[URL="https://fjrtech.net/2018es/underdash/11grounds.jpg%5D"]https://fjrtech.net/2018es/underdash/11grounds.jpg][/URL]That light thin gray wire harness coming in on the far right in this photo is a 2-wire (20-gauge) that I use to light up the above Bosch relay. Power for this circuit comes from that fairly pointless 12v source in the glove-box.

I know all the modern Kool Kids run a Fuzebox or similar device to power all their electrics, and that's fine This Old School approach works for me. unk:

Same setup I'm using. Took it off of my 05 and repurposed it on the 13.

 

[roadscum]

I was about to ask if the 12v source in the glove box was switched, now I know!! Thx..

I'm thinking of running the GPS directly from that source unless I decide to install also the Darla I have. In that case I'll add switched power points.

Paul

 

[escapefjrtist]

I used the same KISS principle when I transferred accessories from my [sorely missed] '09 to the new '15.

GPS is powered from the glove box circuit. Adding two powerlets direct to the battery plus two switched 30A relays for "other" and I've got more power available than I'll ever need. Love the extra space around the battery on the GEN IIIs...keeps the wiring short and tidy!

--G