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FJ2400 - Bonneville Land Speed Racer

Started by freakhousecustoms, January 01, 2021, 06:58:52 PM

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Troyskie

Great stuff mate.

you must feel very satisfied getting to this point.

One question re your frame. Given the FJ was built for high speed, particularly with the end of the frame forward of the steering head, would you not weld that part of the frame on?
Or does the rake you've put on alleviate high speed wobbles?
1984 FJ1100 Ms Effie brand new :)
1984 FJ1100 Pearlie, stock as.
1985 FJ1100 Mr Effie 647,000K and still running hard.
1985 FJ1200 'Yummy' takes a licking & keeps on ticking
After all is said and done, more is said than done :)
2013 Trumpy Tiger 800, let's do a lap of Oz

freakhousecustoms

Thank you!  A year of planning, about 2 months of work and I am quite chuffed at how she's finally coming out of my head and into the real world.
That said, I've got SO much more to do still, but small bites every day yield great rewards towards the goal!
:good2:

Let me answer your questions in reverse, as (in my opinion only) I feel they are mutually exclusive.

Quote from: Troyskie on April 07, 2021, 03:43:44 AM
Or does the rake you've put on alleviate high speed wobbles?

The rake I added - I believe the stock rake is 27º and I'm right around 37º now - is to improve high speed handling.
As a "chopper guy", I like about 40-45º, but I've found that the added weight of two engines puts too much stress on the front end and doesn't allow it to travel completely so I put in just a little more rake and the low speed handling is really nice.  Haven't done any high speed runs yet, but I'm sure it will "lock-in" with the extra 10º

Quote
One question re your frame. Given the FJ was built for high speed, particularly with the end of the frame forward of the steering head, would you not weld that part of the frame on?



As far as I can tell, and this is my own opinion, nothing scientifically researched, Mama Yamaha only included that front part of the frame so they could hang the front fairing.  To me, the smaller diameter of the tubes going forward compared to the diameter on the sides reinforces that theory.  Hey, it was the late 80's/early 90's - bravo to Yamaha for coming up with a new design, but if you look at a new R1 frame, which is how I'll be reinforcing my neck (with the plating wrapping around the neck), you can see they figured out they don't "need" stuff hanging forward of the steering head.






The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel

freakhousecustoms

Hiya folks!
I just threw this little video together because it makes me laugh.

Can any of the FJ Gurus explain to me why this even exists, if NOT to connect the carbs from two different engines to one throttle?
:wacko1: :wacko2: :wacko1: :wacko2:

Click pic to watch the video:



The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel

Millietant

You're probably right with that assumption, but lesser men might think it was put there just to make carb removal, installation and maintenance just a little easier..........especially for those of us that have big fat fingers  :sarcastic: :sarcastic: :sarcastic:
Dean

'89 FJ 1200 3CV - owned from new.
'89 FJ 1200 3CV - no engine, tank, seat....parts bike for the future.
'88 FJ 1200 3CV - complete runner 2024 resto project
'88 FJ 1200 3CV - became a race bike, no longer with us.
'86 FJ 1200 1TX - sold to my boss to finance the '89 3CV I still own.

freakhousecustoms

HA!

But does it really make it easier?  The VERY first thing I did when I unscrewed the cap was lose one of the plastic retainers that connects the cables! :-O
:dash2:
Lucky for me, I have TWO of everything.  I would hate to be on the side of the road trying to replace a snapped cable... cuz I'd be THAT guy that would be stranded after flinging that part into traffic!
LOL!!!

I'm just sitting here waiting for a Yamaha representative to contact me and so I can thank them personally for thinking of me... 30 years ago.  :crazy:


The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel

Pat Conlon

If you have ever had the joy of fussing over removing the throttle cables from the carb rack on the '91-95 FJ's you will really really appreciate and thank the engineers at Yamaha for that cable splitter box.
After years of hassle on my late model FJ (92) I found it easiest to remove the cables at the throttle, then pull the cables out still connected with the carb rack.

Today, I thought of you...I saw a picture of a LA bike builder and his multi engined Bonneville entry
I'll post a picture and link.





https://www.bikeexif.com/cb750-land-speed-motorcycle?fbclid=IwAR2zUWivl4BmxZSIDcI4mgREDuoPpk1jQrAsG28x2ko-2ABAIu9UaWT2Q8o

Interesting how he was able to cut off the transmissions on the front 2 engines.
I don't think that polished aluminum will fare well after a week on the salt.

1) Free Owners Manual download: https://tinyurl.com/fmsz7hk9
2) Don't store your FJ with E10 fuel https://tinyurl.com/3cjrfct5
3) Replace your old stock rubber brake lines.
4) Important items for the '84-87 FJ's:
Safety wire: https://tinyurl.com/99zp8ufh
Fuel line: https://tinyurl.com/bdff9bf3

T Legg

He wasn't very forthcoming about the drive set up. He must have replaced the generators on the left side of the engine with sprockets to connect the three motors and removed the drive chains between the crankshaft and transmission on the front two motors. It's surprising the chain between transmission and crankshaft of the third motor as well as the clutch can hold up to all that horsepower. I would guess it might have up to 270 HP. Pretty cool work.
T Legg

ribbert

Quote from: Pat Conlon on April 11, 2021, 01:00:00 AM

After years of hassle on my late model FJ (92) I found it easiest to remove the cables at the throttle, then pull the cables out still connected with the carb rack.


Pat, you do realise you can create the same (enough anyway) amount of slack you get by disconnecting the cables at the twist grip as you suggest, by just holding or jamming the butterflies wide open.
Didn't someone here post a number of times over the years, with photos, a quick and simple technique for this? It made it so easy.  :biggrin:

Rest the carbs on top of the motor roughly above where they will be fitted, wedge the throttles wide open and fit the cables with the now available slack, fit carbies to motor, job done.
Your method makes hard work of it, I'm sure Randy does it the way described above, ask him.

Noel
"Tell a wise man something he doesn't know and he'll thank you, tell a fool something he doesn't know and he'll abuse you"

Millietant

Quote from: freakhousecustoms on April 10, 2021, 10:35:29 PM
HA!

But does it really make it easier?  The VERY first thing I did when I unscrewed the cap was lose one of the plastic retainers that connects the cables! :-O
:dash2:
Lucky for me, I have TWO of everything.  I would hate to be on the side of the road trying to replace a snapped cable... cuz I'd be THAT guy that would be stranded after flinging that part into traffic!
LOL!!!

I'm just sitting here waiting for a Yamaha representative to contact me and so I can thank them personally for thinking of me... 30 years ago.  :crazy


I've just found it's so much easier on my 3CV than undoing the cables at the throttle, or messing around at the carb body, simply fit the lower cables to the carbs and then pop tem in the box. I've never lost any bits and find it a really useful gadget.

But, like you say, it could have been purposefully designed for twin engined FJ's
Dean

'89 FJ 1200 3CV - owned from new.
'89 FJ 1200 3CV - no engine, tank, seat....parts bike for the future.
'88 FJ 1200 3CV - complete runner 2024 resto project
'88 FJ 1200 3CV - became a race bike, no longer with us.
'86 FJ 1200 1TX - sold to my boss to finance the '89 3CV I still own.

Waiex191

Quote from: Millietant on April 11, 2021, 09:21:30 AM
But, like you say, it could have been purposefully designed for twin engined FJ's
I'm going with this, so I don't have to feel bad about doing it the hard way each time.
Bryan
1989 FJ1200
1981 Suzuki GN400
Poplar Grove, IL
 

freakhousecustoms

Kiyo's been a huge influence on my builds and my thought process, even before I wanted to build a dual engine bike.

I first saw his single-engine'd "Cherry Blossom" at Born Free 5 way back in 2013.  I probably spent 30-40 minutes crawling all over it, taking pictures.
The plates he used to make it a rigid, totally blew me away.  I still want to do a build in that style.





Side note - that was a fantastic trip.  I tossed my chopper "Chop Zuki" into my truck and drug it from CO to San Clemente to stay with my buddy.  The day of the show, I took the LONG way around, San Clemente - up over the Ortega Hwy into Lake Elsinore - then all the way around up to Corona and then back down into the Santiago Canyon. SoCal guys know what I'm talking about.   Rode my chop right onto the show field.



I can't believe it's been that long... feel like yesterday.  I had to look up the metadata on my photos to prove to myself that it was really 2013.
The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel

freakhousecustoms

So fast forward to 2016.  I had built my single-engine land speed bike, but I had an eye ahead to build my first dual-engine bike.  I scoured the interwebs and stumbled across Kiyo's "Gecko"... not even realizing it was the same builder, but once I started looking at the details, I saw all the similarities between the "Blossom" and the "Geko".

Kiyo, as a builder, speaks to my soul - but to find out he RACES his beautiful creations?  That quadrupled his stock in my eyes.  He's already gone faster with two 836's than I have on my double 1100cc monstrousity.  I am pretty sure I read he's gone right around 175mph on the Gecko at Bonneville.





Kiyo's the real deal.
The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel

freakhousecustoms

Being "a multi-engine guy" and a huge fan of Kiyo, I've been following along on his buildup of "The Galaxy" from the start.
I keep reaching... and he keeps raising the bar!




I've heard all 3 bikes are now at the Haas Museum, I'm hoping to get down to Austin in the Fall if Revival Cycles is holding their "Twist-Off" drag racing event.  If that's going down, I plan on coming back thru Dallas so I can stop there.


The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel

Pat Conlon

Look at the thickness of Kiyo's fork stanchion tubes...those look to be 48mm dia. Much beefier than the FJ's 41mm. I worry about you and your heavy beast on the salt, at speed with those spindly FJ fork tubes.
FYI....the Yamaha YZF1000 Thunder Ace used the stout 48mm stanchion tubes.
A few FJ owners have swapped out their front ends with the Thunder Ace forks, so we know they fit.
Just a thought.....
1) Free Owners Manual download: https://tinyurl.com/fmsz7hk9
2) Don't store your FJ with E10 fuel https://tinyurl.com/3cjrfct5
3) Replace your old stock rubber brake lines.
4) Important items for the '84-87 FJ's:
Safety wire: https://tinyurl.com/99zp8ufh
Fuel line: https://tinyurl.com/bdff9bf3

freakhousecustoms

Quote from: Pat Conlon on April 11, 2021, 10:52:18 AM
Look at the thickness of Kiyo's fork stanchion tubes...those look to be 48mm dia. Much beefier than the FJ's 41mm. I worry about you and your heavy beast on the salt, at speed with those spindly FJ fork tubes.
FYI....the Yamaha YZF1000 Thunder Ace used the stout 48mm stanchion tubes.
A few FJ owners have swapped out their front ends with the Thunder Ace forks, so we know they fit.
Just a thought.....

My brain agrees with you 1000%.
My wallet disagrees with both of us.
:wacko1:

My gorilla logic says, if Mr Elrod didn't need anything more than the stock forks to set the record 45 years ago, I don't either.
:scratch_one-s_head:

The Juggernaut: Dual-Engine FJ2400
Watch the build on The Freakhouse Customs Channel