looks like my good friend Phil Clarke's RS Rep. - - jees if its not his bike its an uncanny combo of the same bits

WCO56,

I do not know the "correct" wire gauge for FJ1200 starter cables, but for any DC power connection, bigger copper is better.  Any cable which is at least the size of the present cables, should be adequate for the job.  Even slightly larger cables will give you a much greater power transfer.  Insulation thickness does not count here; we are talking about the center metal core of the cable. Use the heaviest terminal lugs (ring terminals, not forks) that fit, and you can get there.  Make all connections having bright shiny metal.

Need you to describe the "hot start" symptoms that you are seeing there.

+1 on the four-brush starter, too.

Those are still good. Send them to me, I can squeeze another 10k from them. 

Fronts don't have them. Rear yes. When I installed back pads without the shims, squeaking was awful. Very loud and rather deep sound. I've never heard such deep squeaking from the brakes.
Also, I've never used copper grease or any similar products around brake pads.

In action

I do have the two brush unit. Pulled it out and cleaned everything up (including the grounds and positive connections) and it seems to work better at this point. I am thinking that when the cold weather hits here in New York I will change it out for the four brush starter. I thought I would probably change to a heavier set of battery leads while I was at it. Cheap insurance that everything is working at optimism level. Thanks.

The FA252HH sintered pads for the blue dots are the only ones currently supplied with a backing shim as far as I can see. The FA88/FF88V/FA88HH for the single pot calipers are all supplied without, as is the FA252 organic variant of the blue dot pad you pictured.

The local Yamaha dealer can source some shims in a month and want CAD$15 a shim, so I think I will just install without, and only revisit this if there are any noise issues as you say. I've checked and there are no shims installed on the front pads, so it can't be mission critical. Planning to use sparing quantities of high temp silicone grease on the pad backs and piston mating surface, and copper grease on the pins. I'll leave the plastering copper grease everywhere exercise for the centre stand pivots. There are some dangerously enthusiastic copper grease advocates out there. The attached pic is to my mind a <sarcasm> a little excessive </sarcasm>.

None of that my guess it has to be something wrong with the compound my rear brake pads usually last longer than that  
I have installed another similar set 18th june and they have rolled a little over 2000km  will take a look at them now since im doing some valve adjustment today.

Hello i don't know what sort of hot start issue you have ,but if it is like the starter will not turn over engine after a stop lets say 5 minutes when engine is hot i bet you have the
old type startermotor with 2 brushes.I had same problem and it disappeared after installed the later style starter with 4 brushes.
You can se the differense on this pictures.

Does anyone happen to know the stock battery cables lengths and gauge for a 1986 FJ1200? I am looking to upgrade them due to that hot start issue. I tried the search but no luck. Thanks.