It's done!!!!!! I'm free of the cage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[evilmedic13]

I finally finished my bike today . Took a little longer than I had hoped but my assistant went MIA this week due to unforseen circumstances and somes thechnical things she didn't think even I could pull off.

Well it all started like this on March 15 of this year


  After finally regaining the ability to place more than 3oz of pressure on my foot, I rode the bike to Chicago Cycle for an estimate. After being quoted $7200, she (FJR) was brought home. There was NO WAY I was gonna let this bike get totalled w/ only cosmetic damage, albeit a whole bunch.This is my first bike and the one I've been wanting since they were FJ's!
  So after looking at her looking all bent and bruised, and being a paramedic, I told her she would be fine and I was gonna get her all healthy again.
  Doesn't she look sad here? All naked and helpless? It killed me to her like this!

    So, after researching part numbers, comparing CC's parts list and SF's parts list I went to the garage w/ a printout from mama yamaha's site of the affected areas and highlighted all that needed to be replaced in blue and all that was salvageable in yellow. I then took all that and ordered my FJR parts from University Motors in Fargo ND for about $2300 w/ shipping. I then ordered Galfer SS brake lines, Westco battery,& a Cox( ) radiator guard to go with my electrosports stator for installation while I had the bike torn down. Total price $2600 for replacement and upgrade parts!!
  While waiting for everything to come, and for clearance from my doc to return to CFD I built these

   And I quit my 19 yr old smoking habit!!!!!!!!

[evilmedic13]

 After such a productive week, the presents rolled in. A trickle at first, but like the spring thaw the flood of parts happened


Leaving my poor wife to stay in the garage until I could find our kitchen again
 J/K, I'd be shot  first!
  Of course the parts came the day before my shift so all I could do was condense, and carry it out to the garage before bedtiime. That shift sucked so ,of course I'm wiped out the next day and get little accomplished. Theday after I get the news that my little helper must resign for the day due to a subpoena that arrived the day before she was to appear! WTF,over! So I begin where I can and remove veryhting that hadn't been already

You can see the 2 stators to right and the windshield drive motors to the left as well as the Galfer SS lines. I srted w/ removing all fluids that neede to be, oil, brake fluid and coolant while I was at it(time anyway). Then I removed the brake lines, battery, and generator cover, so as to replace w/ newer,better one's.

   This is her completely stripped down

Now the front stay goes on with all the relays and w/s drive motor and speedo thingy
.

[evilmedic13]

Next, I assemble the cowling and install the headlights into it. Oooh, I forgot about the brighter Philips bulbs that were installed as well, nice white light instead of white/yellow light! Doesn't it look pissed?

  After this, I removed the old stator and put the new one in.This was my last bit 'o work before the sleepmonster attacked me and made me go to bed for another day of fun at work. Not much fun there  , 3 DOA'S (HAT TRICK!!!) and 24calls later I get to go home. I wasn't sure I'd even get home w/o getting pulled over for some erratic driving due to zero sleep from 5am saturday -8am sunday. The traffic was very light so I just went for it instead of sleeping at the FH like I sometime's do.

 I made it home and got a second wind somehow and ,after letting the puppies out
I went to work on the bike. I checked the stator install just to be sure all the gasket stuff was cured and set properly. After that I hooked it up to the rectifier and water/weather proofed it. The next item on the list was bleeding the brakes,the was an adventure in and of itself. It took a lot longer than necessary due to improper procedures, but what the hell, it got done and I learned the right way after all was said and done.
  Waht a mess we made!

 Well, after the brake fiasco the wife and I started to get the panels and such ready for installation. Since we both had long nights at work we figured we'd take a break, especially after getting confused and argued over how to install the front fender . We made a nice lunch and went into the living room and passed out from exhaustion at some point while watching Band of Brothers on history channel.

  I woke up after being savaged by Jake and his evil tongue as well as one of the ecapee birds landing on my face to tell me to change their food

  Well, that was enough to get the blood pumping quickly through the veins and get me off my ass and finish this bike finally. It was unfortunate the bike wasn't ready to ride this morning, but I was too tired to ride safely anyway, karma has my back sometimes. But for her to not be finished today was a travesty of biblical proportions. Yes, today is the day all my swearing, and neglect of all in the zoo(wife's term for the house due to "my" animals )would bear fruit.
  With the resolve of a 6yr old reaching for the cookie jar, I made my way to the garage bent on completion of my Feejer. After several more hours and finding parts in the funniest places(part gnomes, relatives of car key gnomes) I finished her in time for me to receive a visit from my little sister and my wonderful wife to bring home a pizza!

 This was definitely a great learning experience, glad to have had it, just wish it didn't start w/ a crash!
                      Finally




And before I sign off
 R.I.P LT.CMDR DAVIS



High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr
 
 

[ray6576]

Great job and good write up.

[03K12RS]

Congrats on sorting through the difficult moments during assessment, ordering, disassemble and reassemble\upgrade!

Parts = $2600,
Hours worked = too many
Satisfaction = Priceless!

[FiremanBob]

Great story, and hearty congratulations on your having the guts to do it yourself and see it through.  There isn't much more satisfying in the world than doing a job well - especially if it's mechanical work and doubly so if it's on your bike.

You are aware how lucky you are to have such a helpful "assistant" on your team.  I see jewelry in her future.

[Thunder7]

And I missed all the fun. Funny shot of your sister- Its easy to see who got all the looks in yer family.

For the sake of clarity, I mean HER!  

[CBRXXBLACKBIRD]

Congrats on getting your bike back together  

[mxvet57]

lets see $7200 minus $2600 leaves you with $4600 left. that's a nice chuck of change to have left over. do i hear party or some nice new gear?

 when i got my first bike (76 XL125) i decided to tare it down to the frame and put it back together just to see how it works. of course the FJR is a little more complex but still the same principle.

back in 99 i was rear ended on my EX500 and was only plastic damage and the insurance co was going to total it but i negotiated a settlement for $850.00 knowing i could get the parts cheaper than retail. when i was done i still pocketed $250.00

ed

[Fourstring]

 

I can't imagine tackling a project like that.

Good on ya!

[evilmedic13]

lets see $7200 minus $2600 leaves you with $4600 left. that's a nice chuck of change to have left over. do i hear party or some nice new gear?

ed

Actually, CC wanted $7200. It cost $2600, and insurance estimated $4700 total,minus $1k deductible. Altogether I was $1100 under what was put in the bank . Of course the fridge goes on the fritz while this was happening, and the puppy(Jake) is getting a hip replacement due severe Hip Dysplagia that will be a MAJOR problem down the road if we don't address it now. Oh I forgot about having to get all new windows in the house.
 

  After that, we'll have a little party for those brave enough to voyage into the city. I figure june is cool w/ most people! Any objections?

[DavidLSI]

Actually, CC wanted $7200. It cost $2600, and insurance estimated $4700 total,minus $1k deductible. Altogether I was $1100 under what was put in the bank . Of course the fridge goes on the fritz while this was happening, and the puppy(Jake) is getting a hip replacement due severe Hip Dysplagia that will be a MAJOR problem down the road if we don't address it now. Oh I forgot about having to get all new windows in the house.
 

  After that, we'll have a little party for those brave enough to voyage into the city. I figure june is cool w/ most people! Any objections?

I object to a cool June....

[evilmedic13]

How about cold then? Won't need a cooler then ? You'd be able to post in "who rode today" w/o looking silly then. Hmmmmmmmm snow in June?! wonder when that happened last?

[mxvet57]

i remembered about this thread that was posted a while back. not to say that you had a lot of work to do but the reincarnation of this FJR was short of amazing.


http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,2932.0.html

[xdbx]

congrats fella.  I'm sure you'll feel that much more attached to your bike from now on!  

[erik_r1]

Wow, the bike looks great… as a fellow feejer owner, I could not imagine reconstructive surgery on her (getting the saddle bags on and off is tough enough for me).  However, seeing my baby in the horrible shape that yours was in would probably have moved me to fix her myself, too.  Congrats!

[DredheadV2.0]

WooT!!!

nicely done!

I also object to a cool June, but having gotten snowed on during Slimey Crud I wouldn't be shocked.

[Jetpilot5]

Great story and the bike looks fantastic.  It's nice when an owner cares enough to keep a bike from being written off due to cosmetic damage.  

[jadziadax8]

 

I can't imagine tackling a project like that.

Good on ya!

Yeah, it definitely makes our weekend project (bleeding the brake lines and clutch on the Connie) look like small potatoes.  

[Mr. Squidward]

Congrats on your new found skilz and thanks for the write up and pics!  I think everyone should be able to work on their own bike.  Like Ed, I too tend to take mine apart just to see how they work.