I'm sorta new to FJR World and loving my '06, as well as the advice I've found here. However, I come from 45 years of life in BMW Land where every 5000 miles your bike is due for alternating "major" and "minor" inspections. Over my 2 and a half years and 9,000 miles with this bike,, I've replaced the air filter, changed the oil and filter a couple times, cleaned the front brake switch, and had the (not at all trusted) local, small-town dealership change clutch fluid and coolant. The bike performs great! I bought the machine with 33,000 mi on the clock. I'm the third owner, and the PO said he'd replaced shocks (Ohlins! woot!) and fork springs himself. Nothing else. Beyond that, I just don't know the service history of the machine. Oil changes about the limit of my skill set and no desire for more DIY skills or tools. My plan is to take it to a dealership in the Chicago suburbs; Du Page Honda / Yamaha, and get set for an extended trip this summer. ( I'm 74, and not sure how many more summers my brain and body will cooperate). Before I ask the service mgr, who I've not yet met, at a shop I've never used, Is there a prescribed service that you think ought to be done? Would you recommend doing a few items, e.g. valve clearance, brake fluid, lube the swing arm, piecemeal? I imagine it'll be in the neighborhood of an $800 service, don't you?....Thanx in advance for your thoughts. See you down the road!
"Regular" FJR service??
- Thread starter Gene Weygandt
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
RossKean
Well-known member
At that mileage, I would do a valve check. Replace coolant, coolant pipe o-rings and spark plugs while you are at it. Throttle body sync after you are done.
(This MUST be done by someone who KNOWS what they are doing!!)
I do brake and clutch fluid flush at least every two years (pretty easy).
Check and clean or replace air filter annually.
Change oil/filter at prescribed intervals. Final drive fluid every year or two, depending on mileage.
Remove/clean/lube rear brake lever at least annually - important. Do clutch and front brake levers annually as well - make sure brass bushing in clutch lever is cleaned and greased. Clean/lube shift linkage annually.
Check/clean front and rear brake calipers. Check pads for wear (at least annually). Lube slider pins. I do this any time I have the wheels off for any reason.
Swingarm is rarely an issue, but you should have the rear relay arm/pivot serviced. This is a bit of a pain - especially the front (of three) bearings.
Differing opinions on drive splines and u-joint. Probably worth having a look and clean/lube if they haven't been done.
Steering head lube/torque check should be done if it hasn't been done in the past. Make sure they know what they are doing and have the right tools.
Check forks for evidence of leaks and use a Seal-Mate to fix - replace seals and fork bushings if that doesn't work.
When the wheels are off (tire change) check wheel bearings for "notchiness" and replace if needed. (I replaced one set of front bearings in a total of 295,000 km on my '07. None so far at 170,000 km on my 2011.)
Lots of other stuff as general maintenance. Look at your owner's manual to see the recommended service schedule. Note that Yamaha recommends services like replacing clutch/brake hydraulic lines as well as coolant hoses at specific intervals but most of that (other than inspection) can be ignored. If you have questions about specific items, ask away!
Note: The 2006 had, I believe, recalls for the ignition switch and a grounding harness. Make sure these were done and it is worth examining the bike's grounding junctions (aka "spiders") annually. Lots of info on the forum about "spiders" including locations, failure symptoms, repair etc. The early Gen II were subject to a few electrical gremlins that are not necessarily difficult to repair but you have to be aware of the potential and watch for symptoms.
I think this is a good place to start and I am sure that others will come up with other items as well.
If you haven't had any of this stuff done, I think I would do it all and you will have a new baseline. Put major service items on a schedule (mostly mileage based) to spread costs and downtime out. Note that it makes a lot of sense to do the coolant and plugs when the valves are checked since the tank is out of the way and cooling system has to be drained anyway.
The FJR is remarkably reliable and generally easy to maintain. If you keep up with maintenance, it will last a good long time.
Good luck with your bike!
(This MUST be done by someone who KNOWS what they are doing!!)
I do brake and clutch fluid flush at least every two years (pretty easy).
Check and clean or replace air filter annually.
Change oil/filter at prescribed intervals. Final drive fluid every year or two, depending on mileage.
Remove/clean/lube rear brake lever at least annually - important. Do clutch and front brake levers annually as well - make sure brass bushing in clutch lever is cleaned and greased. Clean/lube shift linkage annually.
Check/clean front and rear brake calipers. Check pads for wear (at least annually). Lube slider pins. I do this any time I have the wheels off for any reason.
Swingarm is rarely an issue, but you should have the rear relay arm/pivot serviced. This is a bit of a pain - especially the front (of three) bearings.
Differing opinions on drive splines and u-joint. Probably worth having a look and clean/lube if they haven't been done.
Steering head lube/torque check should be done if it hasn't been done in the past. Make sure they know what they are doing and have the right tools.
Check forks for evidence of leaks and use a Seal-Mate to fix - replace seals and fork bushings if that doesn't work.
When the wheels are off (tire change) check wheel bearings for "notchiness" and replace if needed. (I replaced one set of front bearings in a total of 295,000 km on my '07. None so far at 170,000 km on my 2011.)
Lots of other stuff as general maintenance. Look at your owner's manual to see the recommended service schedule. Note that Yamaha recommends services like replacing clutch/brake hydraulic lines as well as coolant hoses at specific intervals but most of that (other than inspection) can be ignored. If you have questions about specific items, ask away!
Note: The 2006 had, I believe, recalls for the ignition switch and a grounding harness. Make sure these were done and it is worth examining the bike's grounding junctions (aka "spiders") annually. Lots of info on the forum about "spiders" including locations, failure symptoms, repair etc. The early Gen II were subject to a few electrical gremlins that are not necessarily difficult to repair but you have to be aware of the potential and watch for symptoms.
I think this is a good place to start and I am sure that others will come up with other items as well.
If you haven't had any of this stuff done, I think I would do it all and you will have a new baseline. Put major service items on a schedule (mostly mileage based) to spread costs and downtime out. Note that it makes a lot of sense to do the coolant and plugs when the valves are checked since the tank is out of the way and cooling system has to be drained anyway.
The FJR is remarkably reliable and generally easy to maintain. If you keep up with maintenance, it will last a good long time.
Good luck with your bike!
