Fecking jap bikes!!

[JayC]

These supposedly ultra reliable jap bikes aren't really when you start looking into it are they. I've had a few in the past and they were all scrap at around 50k (if they made it that far)

I'm enjoying tinkering with this yam though so as long as it keeps me happy it's money well spent

I think it's pretty hard to knock the reliability of the FJ, legendary status and all that, websites dedicated to the breed etc etc. It has long been recognised as a very capable machine, the benchmark and yes 'ultra reliable' to boot, the accolades are endless. What many people neglect to either realise/understand/accept/remember is that all moving parts (mechanical) are subject to wear and tear.
It may well be that you find one problem after another but that won't be the fault of the FJ but instead owner neglect.

It's the 'I'll get round to that fix later' scenario that never gets 'round to' and these wear items all mount up until some unfortunate buys the complete package and sets about the repair costs.

The FJ is by no means faultless, no vehicle is but it sure takes some beating!

 

[Steptoe]

. What many people neglect to either realise/understand/accept/remember is that all moving parts (mechanical) are subject to wear and tear.
It may well be that you find one problem after another but that won't be the fault of the FJ but instead owner neglect.

It happens to all vehicles with a reputation of being bullet proof and ultra reliable.

They get bought by people who don't do any basic maintenance and then they complain they aren't as reliable as people said.

The volkswagen aircooled engine is another fine example.
I never had a moments bother with my type 2 camper van in 16 years and 120K miles, just by doing simple maintenance.
People who bought them because of the reputation who then never changed the oil and wondered why the aircooled engine melted or spat it's rod through the cases.

 

[turnipbmw]

Remember watching FJ1100s racing in production TT - very hard to believe.

they were actually competitive - but then so was the Jefferies K100

 

[Rob Farmer]

I think it's pretty hard to knock the reliability of the FJ,

I'm not knocking the FJ at all. I'm actually pretty impressed with the way it rides and has been built. This one has 43k on the clock with 10 previous owners. Thats an average of 4300 miles in 2.7 years by each owner. despite that theres no wear at all in the bores and the inside of the engine that I can see with my endoscope looks really good.

I can see why it's still a current engine design even after 27 years in production. The valves in mine are identical to the XJ1300 with the engines being interchangable.

 

[Rob Farmer]

Remember watching FJ1100s racing in production TT - very hard to believe.

The Fj club have one with 163 BHP http://fjclub.co.uk/#/fj-racer/4546869566

 

[Ogmios]

I'm watching this thread with equal amounts of fear and relief!

My Airhead leaves home this sunday to its new home.
My budget for its replacement is a little higher than Robs FJ, but not by much.
It's probably inevitable it's going to be a jap Bike.

Feel like i'm playing Russian roulette every time i look at the small ads.

Mind you - I could be lucky...
you'll find me in the rant section if i'm not...

Rob,
enjoy! - there's a kinda Ballistic feel to the grunt off them yokes.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

I'm watching this thread with equal amounts of fear and relief!

My Airhead leaves home this sunday to its new home.
My budget for its replacement is a little higher than Robs FJ, but not by much.
It's probably inevitable it's going to be a jap Bike.

Feel like i'm playing Russian roulette every time i look at the small ads.

Mind you - I could be lucky...
you'll find me in the rant section if i'm not...

Rob,
enjoy! - there's a kinda Ballistic feel to the grunt off them yokes.

OG,,, ring me, It'd take me too long to answer your pm in writing

 

[rc mad]

I bought a 2000 sv650s off this site for £850 earlier in the year, chucked another 3 - 400 at it sorting some minor damage / servicing / replacing the suspension.

Cracking bike for the money

 

[turnipbmw]

I've bought 3 K100s and a K75s in the last 2 months off e bay

Just such good value at the moment,

the K100LT (top of the line) was only £750, low mileage T&T

A high mileage K100RS with spares was £400

A K100 low mileage but stored for 8 years was £250

and last week the very tidy 41,000 mile K75s was £625

never really liked the K100 but now I've done a few thousand miles on the LT its actually grown on me.

Quite fast, sounds and feels like a Z900/1000 when you nail it - loads smoother than a twin above 70mph, same mpg and bits are also very cheap.

Stacks of info on them around on internet so you dont need to worry about the complicated electrics and actually they are very reliable.

Got bad press from the usual whinging nobs who buy new BMWs but their complaints dont worry the bargain basement winter rider !

 

[NI Phil]

I've bought 3 K100s and a K75s in the last 2 months off e bay
Just such good value at the moment

One of my mates phoned me from Austria a few weeks ago - a Dutch guy had approached him and offered to buy his 2008 R1200GSA

- as he was on holiday he politely declined but said he would contact the guy at the end of his holiday and they could do a deal then

(he had phoned me to get a realistic price to settle on so I just looked on here and a few other sites online for him)

They met up 10 days later and the deal was done - monies were transfered to my mates account no problems at all.

The Dutch guy reckons that bikes in the UK are very good value and that he has German customers that will buy almost anything - as long as it has ABS fitted

 

[turnipbmw]

funny you should say that, I always strip ABS stuff of my bikes and ebay it.

last lot went to Germany

 

[Steptoe]

OG,,, ring me, It'd take me too long to answer your pm in writing

Just tell him it's AA yellow

I've bought 3 K100s and a K75s in the last 2 months off e bay

One of my loan bikes is a K100, all i do is change the engine oil once a year . And i've two garage full of spares from years, including a K75 engine with only 3k miles on it. .
Plus i've a low mileage K100RS SE, a K1100LT with 10k miles and a K100RS 16valve with 4K miles.

 

[David Nimrod]

K75, K100, K1100...

Probably the most underrated, best quality, most practical bikes BMW have made (since the late '70's).

I was daft enough to buy a brand new K100LT (H reg. I think) for a lot of money, back in the day.

Didn't like it at all, no 'character' but totally reliable

 

[tombbuster]

selling abroad

sold my Hardly Davis to a danish dealer a while ago after the local stealer offered me a pittance for it on trade in. Got what I asked for and was well pleased. He buys up hardlys that are several years old to avoid a luxury tax . He takes the wheels and forks out and imports them as spares and then customises them to customers preference. He told me he has agreements with several dealers in the uk to take their older bikes off them. Probably why you don't see too many on shop floors.

 

[Devon]

I'm watching this thread with equal amounts of fear and relief!
My budget for its replacement is a little higher than Robs FJ, but not by much.
It's probably inevitable it's going to be a jap Bike.

Feel like i'm playing Russian roulette every time i look at the small ads.

Mind you - I could be lucky...
you'll find me in the rant section if i'm not...

Rob,
enjoy! - there's a kinda Ballistic feel to the grunt off them yokes.

There are some really good buys available. Last year I purchased my 2 owner 1996 FJ1200, Remus SS exhaust, recent Hagon shock, 17k miles with all old MOTs and service history and 9 months MOT for £1000. Apparently, the real bargains are to be had after a bottle of red wine, late in the evening, on ebay

 

[Hustler]

.......... Apparently, the real bargains are to be had after a bottle of red wine, late in the evening, on ebay

I wondered why I was getting outbid.
Guess I'd better start drinking again.

 

[David Nimrod]

Apparently, the real bargains are to be had after a bottle of red wine, late in the evening, on ebay

Tell me about it!

 

[Devon]

Tell me about it!

Learnt my lesson bidding £1700 for a Ford Mustang after several Hob Goblins and a bottle of red last year. Clogged my garage up for a year, leaked oil all over the floor and sold a couple of months ago for £450................

 

[David Nimrod]

Learnt my lesson bidding £1700 for a Ford Mustang after several Hob Goblins and a bottle of red last year. Clogged my garage up for a year, leaked oil all over the floor and sold a couple of months ago for £450

Ouch!

According to Mrs Nimrod we once almost bought a Caravan under very similar circumstances (I blame the Hobgoblin), and we both hate Caravans!

Luckily, we were outbid in the last few minutes... Phew!

 

[Rob Farmer]

Apparently, the real bargains are to be had after a bottle of red wine, late in the evening, on ebay

They seem to pass me by