What did you do to your FJR today?

[MasonJensen]

Four-day motorcycle overhaul: new GT6 tires, installed 2500 lb 12v winch, serviced pivot, ceramic-coated swingarm, painted center stand (wife approved), maintenance on brakes/clutch, ABS unit activation, and a spirited ride to Tacoma for GP cartridges and Penske service at KFG Motorsports. Ready for the road!

 

[an-guy]

Four-day motorcycle overhaul: new GT6 tires, installed 2500 lb 12v winch, serviced pivot, ceramic-coated swingarm, painted center stand (wife approved), maintenance on brakes/clutch, ABS unit activation, and a spirited ride to Tacoma for GP cartridges and Penske service at KFG Motorsports. Ready for the road!

Why a winch? I've never understood this on bikes. Maybe to put a bike on the center stand?

 

[Road_Runner]

I installed my new aftermarket heated grips wired up through a relay. I tucked the (waterproof) relay up under the battery by removing the lower panel.

 

[harper]

Removed, cleaned, and lubed rear brake pedal pivot shaft. New tires, Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32 front (120/70ZR-17 GT) and rear (180/55ZR-17 GT). Rebuilt forks, new bushings, seals, Honda 5W fork oil. Replaced rear brake pads with new OEM pads. Changed oil, Rotella T6 15w40 full-synth oil, new crush washer, new Yamaha oil filter 5GH-13440-50-00. Changed final drive oil, MasterPro 75W-90 full synth gear oil, replaced both crush washers. Removed Grip Puppies and found out the heated grips actually work. And I rode it.

 

[RossKean]

Removed, cleaned, and lubed rear brake pedal pivot shaft. New tires, Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32 front (120/70ZR-17 GT) and rear (180/55ZR-17 GT). Rebuilt forks, new bushings, seals, Honda 5W fork oil. Replaced rear brake pads with new OEM pads. Changed oil, Rotella T6 15w40 full-synth oil, new crush washer, new Yamaha oil filter 5GH-13440-50-00. Changed final drive oil, MasterPro 75W-90 full synth gear oil, replaced both crush washers. Removed Grip Puppies and found out the heated grips actually work. And I rode it.

Looks like a satisfying maintenance cycle. Mine needs some similar attention but probably won't get it before winter. My T32GTs are past the wear bars and haven't had a chance to put on the Roadsmart IV I have waiting in the wings.

Did you remember to do the shifter linkage plus brake and clutch levers (especially brass bushing in clutch lever)? Clutch and brake hydraulic fluid?
I never tried the Rotella T6 15W40, but have used the 5W40 for many years (usually with Mobil M1-110 filter). Expect it is similar.

I REALLY need to get my Penske shock redone and relay arm lubed as well. I think front bushings and seals are OK, but the fluid and AK-20 cartridges could also use a refresh.

Sometimes having a backup bike (BMW F700GS) means that I procrastinate with some maintenance stuff.

 

[harper]

Did you remember to do the shifter linkage plus brake and clutch levers (especially brass bushing in clutch lever)? Clutch and brake hydraulic fluid?
I never tried the Rotella T6 15W40, but have used the 5W40 for many years (usually with Mobil M1-110 filter). Expect it is similar.

I machined a handful of those brass clutch lever bushings a few years ago. I installed and lubed one when I first picked up the 2008 bike a year ago. I'll get around to the brake and clutch fluid soon now that the weather is turning to dark, cold, and rainy. The T6 in 15W-40 is what's in stock around here. I don't remember ever seeing the 5W-40 in stock anywhere. I wouldn't hesitate using it if I did but the mild climate here doesn't really warrant it.

 

[an-guy]

Did an oil change.

...
...
...

Forgot to tighten the plug
Got stranded
Eventually got that sorted out. Bike is fine. Right now I have T6 5-40 instead of 15-40, bike seems to start easier...

Added a lot of heated gear. My goal is to be comfortable in 20F, should be pretty doable. So far my gear/grips add up to 106W, and I'm considering adding a pair of pants. Thinking I should definitely add a voltmeter... and I am 100% considering an auxiliary battery. Anyone have thoughts? I've read online that the police variant had one. I think they put it under the seat.

And, should I be worried about the stator/regulator? All in, cell phone charger and GPS too, I'm probably using 140W right now, and may get to 200W. I've been checking the battery with my multimeter and it's been fine. But I've already been stranded once for this exact same thing on a VFR800. Ironically, my friend used his FJR to charge my battery like 3x to get me home. That did instill a lot of confidence in the FJR's stator.

BTW, I would like LED headlights on mine. Now that the sun goes down at 1:02 F--king PM in the afternoon, I do a lot of night riding. Anyone have a pretty bright set they recommend?

 

[RossKean]

Did an oil change.

...
...
...

Forgot to tighten the plug
Got stranded
Eventually got that sorted out. Bike is fine. Right now I have T6 5-40 instead of 15-40, bike seems to start easier...

Added a lot of heated gear. My goal is to be comfortable in 20F, should be pretty doable. So far my gear/grips add up to 106W, and I'm considering adding a pair of pants. Thinking I should definitely add a voltmeter... and I am 100% considering an auxiliary battery. Anyone have thoughts? I've read online that the police variant had one. I think they put it under the seat.

And, should I be worried about the stator/regulator? All in, cell phone charger and GPS too, I'm probably using 140W right now, and may get to 200W. I've been checking the battery with my multimeter and it's been fine. But I've already been stranded once for this exact same thing on a VFR800. Ironically, my friend used his FJR to charge my battery like 3x to get me home. That did instill a lot of confidence in the FJR's stator.

BTW, I would like LED headlights on mine. Now that the sun goes down at 1:02 F--king PM in the afternoon, I do a lot of night riding. Anyone have a pretty bright set they recommend?

Get a voltmeter and monitor voltage while running stuff as you ride. If it drops below ~12.6 or so at cruising RPM, turn stuff off. This is the only way to be sure. Cell phone charger and GPS don't draw much. Auxiliary lighting (especially incandescent) and heated gear are the worst culprits.
A heated jacket liner rated at 90 watts is drawing that much power (nominal 7.5 Amp @ 12 V) while it is on. Controllers work by switching power from zero to full periodically. About a 5 second cycle for my Tourmaster Synergy stuff, but some are faster if a PWM type of controller is used. Doesn't really matter. Just because it can draw up to 90W, the AVERAGE draw is likely less than half that, depending where you set it. (same with heated grips)
Note: If you are close to the threshold, you may find that your voltage drops to maybe 12.4 or so at idle at a light. Not a problem unless you are in stop-and-go traffic for a long period of time.
If you are running in a power deficit mode (checking voltmeter), a second battery just extends the time before you are stranded. The extra capacity is only temporary - doesn't change the capability of the charging system.
Drawing more current will not hurt the stator or regulator/rectifier. On the FJR, these are running at "full" all the time and the excess is essentially wasted. It would make a difference if you were running a series-type R/R instead of the FJR's shunt R/R.

What year is your bike? If older with H4 incandescent headlights, you can make a bit more headroom by switching to an aftermarket LED bulb. Millions to choose from on eBay or Amazon.

I do very little riding at freezing (or lower) temperatures. Traction is a concern, especially when you might encounter a patch of black ice. Also, around here, they use huge amounts of salt on the roads in the winter. Very hard on electrical stuff and any unprotected metal.

I did that with an oil change once, except I just forgot to put the drain plug back before I started pouring in oil. Got about 3 litres in before I noticed. Thankfully, I still had the drain pan under the bike... Mixed new with old so I still had to go and get more oil.

 

[an-guy]

Get a voltmeter and monitor voltage while running stuff as you ride. If it drops below ~12.6 or so at cruising RPM, turn stuff off. This is the only way to be sure. Cell phone charger and GPS don't draw much. Auxiliary lighting (especially incandescent) and heated gear are the worst culprits.
A heated jacket liner rated at 90 watts is drawing that much power (nominal 7.5 Amp @ 12 V) while it is on. Controllers work by switching power from zero to full periodically. About a 5 second cycle for my Tourmaster Synergy stuff, but some are faster if a PWM type of controller is used. Doesn't really matter. Just because it can draw up to 90W, the AVERAGE draw is likely less than half that, depending where you set it. (same with heated grips)
Note: If you are close to the threshold, you may find that your voltage drops to maybe 12.4 or so at idle at a light. Not a problem unless you are in stop-and-go traffic for a long period of time.
If you are running in a power deficit mode (checking voltmeter), a second battery just extends the time before you are stranded. The extra capacity is only temporary - doesn't change the capability of the charging system.
Drawing more current will not hurt the stator or regulator/rectifier. On the FJR, these are running at "full" all the time and the excess is essentially wasted. It would make a difference if you were running a series-type R/R instead of the FJR's shunt R/R.

What year is your bike? If older with H4 incandescent headlights, you can make a bit more headroom by switching to an aftermarket LED bulb. Millions to choose from on eBay or Amazon.

I do very little riding at freezing (or lower) temperatures. Traction is a concern, especially when you might encounter a patch of black ice. Also, around here, they use huge amounts of salt on the roads in the winter. Very hard on electrical stuff and any unprotected metal.

I did that with an oil change once, except I just forgot to put the drain plug back before I started pouring in oil. Got about 3 litres in before I noticed. Thankfully, I still had the drain pan under the bike... Mixed new with old so I still had to go and get more oil.

Nice seeing you again RossKean.

Lot of very good information here that I've definitely been wondering.

Voltmeter is a for sure. Just need to find one and wire it up.

My bike is an 08, stock headlights, LED aftermarket lights of questionable quality. I want some bright LEDs with a decent beam pattern for the high beam and low beam cut off. May have to shop around.

So, my heated hand grips and gloves don't really have a controller, they're the more "homemade" variety without controllers so they just draw what they draw. The "heated jacket" was just a Walmart 12v heated blanket. It does have a controller and does turn off but after getting stranded 100 miles from home, I do want to play it as safe as possible so I assume the worst.

Good to know about stators like the one in the FJR. I've heard that before but I have trouble trusting it. So if I understand correctly, as long as the bike maintains voltage, I shouldn't worry about the stator?

You're right about the second battery. But I may still do it, just to have a battery when camping and it may help it starting when it's cold and may make "well, ****." moments less likely

 

[RossKean]

You're right about the second battery. But I may still do it, just to have a battery when camping and it may help it starting when it's cold and may make "well, ****." moments less likely

If you have a "spare" battery, don't have both connected. If you do something like leave the ignition key on (or an unswitched accessory), it will drain both. I do a fair amount of motorcycle camping and riding in relatively remote areas and would not want to find myself with a depleted battery some distance from civilization. I often carry a Lithium jump starter. Plenty of power to start the bike and is a decent power bank for electronic stuff. It can be charged while you ride via a USB adapter plugged into the accessory socket in the glovebox. Note: If your battery is "open" or has a dead short, the jump starter might get the engine started but can't be used to replace a totally dead battery. It is more to deal with a weak or discharged battery than a catastrophic failure.

What is the wattage rating of the heated blanket? H4 LED bulbs are much better than they were a few years ago. Just don't believe the lumen hype and choose a brand with lots of good ratings/reviews. They have been discussed here quite a bit but I don't remember anything really recent. Replacing the incandescent OEM headlights will save you quite a bit of power to run other stuff, if needed (typically draw less than half compared to incandescent with higher light output).

Definitely get a voltmeter if you are planning to run a lot of stuff off the bike's electrical system. You may want to connect it to a "switched" circuit so it doesn't draw down the battery with the ignition off. They don't draw a ton of power but do use some. Some people use a manual switch for the meter but that can be forgotten... Best accuracy is connected directly to the battery but you are really looking for changes and trends, not an absolute number. Being off a couple tenths won't matter.

I would suggest a proper heated jacket liner. You should be able to get a reasonably inexpensive PWM controller that can be used with the gloves and grips...

 

[an-guy]

If you have a "spare" battery, don't have both connected. If you do something like leave the ignition key on (or an unswitched accessory), it will drain both. I do a fair amount of motorcycle camping and riding in relatively remote areas and would not want to find myself with a depleted battery some distance from civilization. I often carry a Lithium jump starter. Plenty of power to start the bike and is a decent power bank for electronic stuff. It can be charged while you ride via a USB adapter plugged into the accessory socket in the glovebox. Note: If your battery is "open" or has a dead short, the jump starter might get the engine started but can't be used to replace a totally dead battery. It is more to deal with a weak or discharged battery than a catastrophic failure.

What is the wattage rating of the heated blanket? H4 LED bulbs are much better than they were a few years ago. Just don't believe the lumen hype and choose a brand with lots of good ratings/reviews. They have been discussed here quite a bit but I don't remember anything really recent. Replacing the incandescent OEM headlights will save you quite a bit of power to run other stuff, if needed (typically draw less than half compared to incandescent with higher light output).

Definitely get a voltmeter if you are planning to run a lot of stuff off the bike's electrical system. You may want to connect it to a "switched" circuit so it doesn't draw down the battery with the ignition off. They don't draw a ton of power but do use some. Some people use a manual switch for the meter but that can be forgotten... Best accuracy is connected directly to the battery but you are really looking for changes and trends, not an absolute number. Being off a couple tenths won't matter.

I would suggest a proper heated jacket liner. You should be able to get a reasonably inexpensive PWM controller that can be used with the gloves and grips...

Yeah. Maybe what I should do is add that second battery but put a diode on it so the bike charges it, but won't flow backwards and charge the bike so it would be fine if something went wrong. Or, just replace the current battery with a lithium one at like 2x the capacity. I'll be honest, I'm not much a fan of the jump packs for various reasons.

Heated blanket uses 45W, tested with power supply. And yes, I'm very familiar with "100,000 lumen" LED bulbs on amazon...

I'd like a proper heated jacket liner. Someday. I'm not stacked with cash.

 

[RossKean]

Or, just replace the current battery with a lithium one at like 2x the capacity.

You will find that most Lithium batteries do not have as high capacity (Ampere-hour) as the regular AGM lead chemistry batteries.
(Some provide a so-called lead-acid equivalent Ah rating. BS, for the most part!)
They MAY have higher cranking amps as long as ambient temperature is warm enough. Some don't work as well as AGM in the cold.
Lithium batteries are lighter and are able to deliver lots of amps with less voltage drop and tend to maintain close to full voltage until mostly depleted whereas the AGM voltage sags under load when state of charge is low.
Lithium batteries require chargers (and maintainers) that are specifically designed for Lithium chemistry batteries.

Don't necessarily buy into the hype about vastly superior longevity - my 2011 FJR with 100,000+ miles is still running with the 12 year old OEM Yuasa...
I'll be replacing it next year with a new AGM because reserve capacity isn't as good as I would prefer.

 

[Cyclepath]

Gave my Gen 3 a visual inspection, then added stabilizer to a full tank, ran it a few minutes to get it into the injectors.
Then I gave her a nice synthetic Rotella T6 5w-40 transfusion + new filter.
Tucked her into the side bay of my garage with the battery tender plugged in, and kissed her good night, then covered her for the next 4-5 months.

Living at my latitude does have its drawbacks.

 

[fastpappy]

Actually the other day and as I posted in the other sandbox, it's time to put her away for the winter before the weather turns to crap. So Seafoam and tank topped off. Smuggler removed and bags, trunk and pillion seat reinstalled. Rode her over to my son's garage. Usually stored at my brother in law's but he's packed out this year. So now I'll need to get a new battery tender. One problem though, the sun was going down as I headed over and I noticed my dash lights were not on. When I got there and cycled the ignition they came back on so I may have been spider bit. At least at my son's I'll be able to work on it. Now I'll have to start my research and hopefully it's not too bad.

 

[RossKean]

One problem though, the sun was going down as I headed over and I noticed my dash lights were not on. When I got there and cycled the ignition they came back on so I may have been spider bit.

What year is the bike?
I don't think I have seen dash lights completely out, but I have seen both signal indicators dimly lit and high beam indicator light on. This happened on my '07 at a stop on a hot day. Went away but came back a few days later. I didn't have other symptoms - glove box solenoid, windshield mechanism, failure to start etc. (Possible that my dash lights were out, but I didn't notice in daylight...)
Mine was S6 (S4 was dealt with by recall). Easily fixed.
Read @rbentnail post on spider repair...
https://www.fjrforum.com/threads/my-spider-bite-story.170085/

So now I'll need to get a new battery tender.

I don't bother with a battery tender during winter storage. I do, however, give the battery a quick "top-off" charge a couple of times over the winter. The FJR normally has a very low parasitic draw (less than 1 milliampere) and a healthy AGM battery shouldn't self-discharge more than maybe 5% per month. Still, a properly functioning and temperature compensated battery maintainer shouldn't hurt. 12 years and 160,000 km on my 2011 OEM battery with no tender. I have seen a "bad" tender overcharge and "cook" a battery.
Note: "Float" voltage varies as a function of temperature. Higher voltage is required at lower temperatures to maintain full charge (opposite for high temperatures). Higher quality battery maintainers adjust output for ambient temperature.

My FJR hasn't been ridden in nearly a month - tires need changing and I haven't gotten around to it. The BMW F700GS has seen some action. As of yesterday, I think I am done for the season. I need to make sure tank is topped off, add some stabilizer and run the engine until fully warmed up - usually until the fans come on.

 

[rbentnail]

My spider bite adventure was also in bright sunshine so I didn't notice dash lights. Sorry.

 

[fastpappy]

What year is the bike?
I don't think I have seen dash lights completely out, but I have seen both signal indicators dimly lit and high beam indicator light on. This happened on my '07 at a stop on a hot day. Went away but came back a few days later. I didn't have other symptoms - glove box solenoid, windshield mechanism, failure to start etc. (Possible that my dash lights were out, but I didn't notice in daylight...)
Mine was S6 (S4 was dealt with by recall). Easily fixed.
Read @rbentnail post on spider repair...
https://www.fjrforum.com/threads/my-spider-bite-story.170085/

I don't bother with a battery tender during winter storage. I do, however, give the battery a quick "top-off" charge a couple of times over the winter. The FJR normally has a very low parasitic draw (less than 1 milliampere) and a healthy AGM battery shouldn't self-discharge more than maybe 5% per month. Still, a properly functioning and temperature compensated battery maintainer shouldn't hurt. 12 years and 160,000 km on my 2011 OEM battery with no tender. I have seen a "bad" tender overcharge and "cook" a battery.
Note: "Float" voltage varies as a function of temperature. Higher voltage is required at lower temperatures to maintain full charge (opposite for high temperatures). Higher quality battery maintainers adjust output for ambient temperature.

My FJR hasn't been ridden in nearly a month - tires need changing and I haven't gotten around to it. The BMW F700GS has seen some action. As of yesterday, I think I am done for the season. I need to make sure tank is topped off, add some stabilizer and run the engine until fully warmed up - usually until the fans come on.

In my sig 09-AE. OE battery lasted me 10 years also but wasn't able to charge or do anything to the bike while it was stored at my bil's so the tender gave me piece of mind. Garage is not heated and not sure how much access I'll have so again just for some piece of mind.

 

[fastpappy]

My spider bite adventure was also in bright sunshine so I didn't notice dash lights. Sorry.

No problem. Ray had a good point in the other sandbox. Mentioned it could be the ignition switch which the recall work was the last thing done by the dealer so I'll check that first.

 

[RossKean]

No problem. Ray had a good point in the other sandbox. Mentioned it could be the ignition switch which the recall work was the last thing done by the dealer so I'll check that first.

Seems logical, especially if there are no other anomalies such as failure to start, windshield mechanism, high beam indicator, signal indicators (both) lit etc. I would have expected that ignition switch problem would affect far more than dash lights but maybe they messed something else up when they did the work. By '09, there were FEWER spider failures, but there have been reports up to the end of Gen II in 2012. I haven't had any issues with my 2011.

OE battery lasted me 10 years also but wasn't able to charge or do anything to the bike while it was stored at my bil's so the tender gave me piece of mind. Garage is not heated and not sure how much access I'll have so again just for some piece of mind.

As long as the battery maintainer is temperature compensated and it is working correctly, it shouldn't be a problem. My bikes are easily accessible and I am happier with top-up charges rather than leaving the maintainer attached.
I attempted to start my 2011 yesterday after not running it for a month (no tender). Cranked, but not fast enough to catch. It started after being on a slow charge for an hour. Looks like I will be starting next season with a new battery after 12 years.

Just above freezing right now. I think I'll take the bike down to the local gas station for a fuel top-off. I'm very likely done for the season and I like to leave the tank full to reduce the likelihood of moisture condensation. A shot of Stabil too, although I'm not convinced it really makes any difference.

 

[harper]

On Friday I allowed my FJR to deliver me to Brando's BBQ in Edison, WA, for a delicious brisket sandwich, potato salad, and a butterscotch root beer (don't knock it if you haven't tried it). I rode 2-1/2 hours each way in sunny, 46-to-52-degree weather. I saw no wet leaves or frost on the road anywhere I rode. I got to visit the miniature donkeys at JF Miniature Donkeys on Best Road. It was 175 miles of back-road, round-trip beauty. The only disappointment was that it was a solo ride.