1980's Yamaha FJ1100

[flipstyledsm22]

I have the opportunity to get a free 80's FJ1100. Last time it ran was 2 years ago before it was parked and left to sit. It looks like it's in decent shape... Is it worth picking it up and trying to get it running? The paperwork is straight and all there as well.

[RC45]

The biggest surprise might be the failed 2nd gear. They all eventually go and need to be addressed but hopefully it was taken care of many years ago.

Otherwise depending on overall condition the big aircooled 1100 is a super comfortable mile eater.

I commuted many 1000s of long distance miles on one in the late 1980s early 90s.

[flipstyledsm22]

I'll ask the previous owner. Just like everyone else, they claim it was perfectly maintained. Glad you made the gearing comment. Thanks

[Gixxerguy86]

if you don't want it Ill take it

[loosenoose]

uh, same!

[flipstyledsm22]

I'm picking it up this week!

[RC45]

Originally Posted by flipstyledsm22

I'm picking it up this week!

Boy does that bring back memories.

I loved my FJ1100.

[Track_Graphics]

I don't know the previous owner. As far as 2nd gear, I haven't rode that bike so it works fine, trust me. I've heard that all irresponsible riders always take great care of their bikes. I researched CL to get that info. Like you said, they all say that.

BUT - As far as it truly being an 1100, I'd look into that. Most of those Chinese bikes are actually only 1.1L due to the metric/English conversion so the whole thing is prolly fake news. Jiss sayin....

Also, wipe it down before you touch it. You don't want to be Patient 1 for COVID-20.
If I remember right, Yamaha wasn't making bikes in the 80s yet. So be careful. The guy might just be sending photoshop pix like the girls on tinder and you don't get anything like the pix. He's just going to scam you of all the money, head south (for a while) then skip the country and cross the border to Canada. You'll never see him again. Just like the tinder girls..... you won't get anything in return either!!!

Jiss tryin to give a little caution flag about what I see to my fellow riders.

[Wrek77]

Originally Posted by RC45

Boy does that bring back memories.

I loved my FJ1100.

A friend had a 1100 broke the transmission before break-in miles were done. Traded it in for a FJ1200 was told it had a better transmission . Well its first ride out transmission went . Traded it for a Vmax guess what transmission again !!! Boon sure was rough on Yamaha bikes. My 1985 gpz900 ninja {worlds fastest bike to year} did everything his Yamaha's did except no broken transmission. He finally got a GSXR1100 . I had a Yamaha 750 seca before the ninja. you guess it my transmission out too. Been buy Kawasaki ever since 1985 i still love the old Yamaha's XS1100 Midnight special nothing ever so beautiful sitting on a showroom floor as that bike to me . Sucks somebody bought it before i could and break the transmission .

[RC45]

Originally Posted by Wrek77

A friend had a 1100 broke the transmission before break-in miles were done. Traded it in for a FJ1200 was told it had a better transmission . Well its first ride out transmission went . Traded it for a Vmax guess what transmission again !!! Boon sure was rough on Yamaha bikes. My 1985 gpz900 ninja {worlds fastest bike to year} did everything his Yamaha's did except no broken transmission. He finally got a GSXR1100 . I had a Yamaha 750 seca before the ninja. you guess it my transmission out too. Been buy Kawasaki ever since 1985 i still love the old Yamaha's XS1100 Midnight special nothing ever so beautiful sitting on a showroom floor as that bike to me . Sucks somebody bought it before i could and break the transmission .

Weak 2nd gear is a rite of 80's Yamaha passage lol

But once upgraded with the beefed up Sugo parts it was as bullet proof as the aircooled 1100cc lump.

[RustinR]

Nice! That's one of those bikes on my 'I've always wanted to own' list...

[jrock]

nice. Brings back memories of posting up on the seawall and kicking back on the center stand and just people watching.. Good times

[flipstyledsm22]

Opened up the air box today and blew out the old filter debris. Noticed the carbs have been cleaned out really good and new jets installed. So I dumped the fuel and put fresh gas in it. It had a hard time starting, but after a few cycles, I got her fired up! I'm super stoked! I'll post pictures when I get it cleaned up. Going to order individual cone filters for each carb to do away with the stock air box. Hoping that will free up the breathing a bit.

I got a super cool surprise coming soon!!!! Can't wait to show it off when I get it!

[mathews]

If you go to separate air filters you are probably going to need to rejet the carbs,usually mains and pilots

[flipstyledsm22]

The first few start up attempts, it would fire up and idle rough, then sputter out. I pulled out the filter and left the air box wide open and it loved it. It would idle perfectly and let me take it on short rides. Still sputtering a tad if I throttle fast right at the beginning for a second... Like it's clearing some residual.

I figured it would preform better without the box, so I considered the mini filters, so debris don't get sucked in. There are new jets in it already... Could it be possible that it was done?

[bumblebee]

Originally Posted by flipstyledsm22

There are new jets in it already... Could it be possible that it was done?

Yes. Incorrectly jetted carbs are probably more common than correctly jetted carbs, lol.

I had a friend that had one of those back in the day. Plenty fast, no disappointment there. Lots of torque, that many more modern bikes lack.
In fact so much torque that it takes finesse to get the front wheel in the air because, it wants to spin the rear.

He had the unique opportunity of spending an unusual amount of time hauling on the highway with his...
His grandfather owned a crop dusting service in southeastern Missouri. When he passed away, it fell to him and his father to go up there and sort thru his grandfathers belongings. (He snagged a sweet wooden prop! But I digress)

He had strapped his bike to the flat bed trailer they had towed up because he had to be back in Houston earlier than his father.When it was time for him to go, he got on the bike and decided after a bit that he wanted to make it back to the Houston area without stopping for the night.
In order to do that, he was gonna have to lay down some miles. It was just after daylight when he got on the road and he soon found himself cruising 85-90mph. Since the terrain is flat as a pancake and the roads are, arrow straight he kept bumping up the speed until soon... he was deep into triple digits.

135-140 for nearly an hour. Laying on the tank, he said it was surprising how quickly the thrill wore off and it didn't seem so fast.

Anyway the point is, this bike will take what you can dish out. By today's standards it's kinda heavy, underpowered (if you only look at the horsepower, the torque makes up for some of that) and handles OK. Decent brakes.

Nice find!

[Wrek77]

Maybe it needs the old school dial a jet setup with Kerker headers and chrome velocity stack filters.

[flipstyledsm22]

Boy-O-boy!!! Got the bike home today

It was rough. Started out great and then 5 miles into it... power starts to diminish and now I'm feathering the throttle to keep it running. I'm sure it just needs a good maintenance job and it'll run like a champ. Also, tires are REALLY OLD!!! It was like I was riding motocross on the street

Anyways, just thought I'd update y'all and post a picture of her in her new home!

I'll start a thread in the vintage section on its progress

[RC45]

That bike is still a great design 35 years later.

As a 19/20 year old with a Navy pay check to spend that was the bike to have!

Enjoy!!

[flipstyledsm22]

Thanks man! Also, check out the vintage key chain!

I know it's a Honda, but I think it's still period correct.

Originally Posted by RC45

That bike is still a great design 35 years later.

As a 19/20 year old with a Navy pay check to spend that was the bike to have!

Enjoy!!