Taming the beast

[Bagger]

Fred.... (and other's who've done the Barbarian Mod)

I took my FJR to the deala for it's 600 mile deal ... I have like 1500 miles on the bike, now. And, since my "wrenching skills" are not the best, I decided to have the dealer do the throttle spring, Barbarian wire jump mod and sync the TBs ... while they were doing the 600 mile service.

Well, I took the bike in MONDAY afternoon along with a downloaded post from Fred regarding the various modifications. I then wrote them out in "outline form" so no one could misconstrue the stuff.

Someone could ... and did. Go figure.

The tech wanted to know why I wanted to do this. I explained that I (like Fred) had a herky-jerky sensation with the throttle. I can't get a smooooooth throttle response as the bike presently sits. By removing the middle cable ("Where's this thing?" , the tech asked ... and I explained where it, indeed, was) this sensation should be less evident.

I then went thru the Barbarian mod with him ... and he said he didn't recommend such. That he "did something like this to an '05 last year and the gentleman didn't like it ". I said if I didn't like it we could put it back ... stock, eh. He said the jerkiness was because the TBs were out of sync and that fixing this would solve my problem. Is (could...) this possible? The jerkiness has been there since day one.

I also wanted him to push the CO settings up +7 ... then sync the TBs.

He said he'll try to have it done manana... but that when he did "something like this last year" the FI light came on.

Fred ... and others ... did the FI light come on when you did the ECM and CO mods? If not, why would it come on?

I guess another question would be .... what does doing the wire jump and increasing the CO setting REALLY DO to the way the bike runs? Can someone give me a simple answer? Thanx.

BAGGER

 

[bmwhd]

I've done the CO fix, loosened the spring, taken out the throttle slack, changed grips, etc. and each of those has made the bike better but I never felt the "herky jerky" problem was significant to begin with. Too many HDs in my past I guess.

But now that you mention it, I do keep reading Fred's posts and then going out and riding mine in search of this problem. Finally today I think I start to understand what he's after and why it might bother some folks. I just chalk it up to the FJR being a very powerful bike that accelerates very quickly and ride accordingly. I don't have any problems riding it smoothly now that I have 1K miles on the clock.

 

[Jabba]

I very definitely have this problem on my '06.... and I appreciate the creative effort at finding a fix. The nature of it is exascerbated on roads like the Blue Ridge Parkway and Deals Gap- tight 2nd and 3rd gear with a lot of on/off throttle action. Trying to get back on the throttle in 2nd gear at the apex of a tight corner is hair raising- You get a "hit" of power, rather than a smooth pick up. I've called it driveline lash, but now I'm more convinced that it's actually a fuel delivery driven problem. I have a CarbTune on the way- and have fabbed up a 2x4 to the proper length to prop my tank- I'll do the TB sync, throttle cable loosening job, and the jumper mod... and maybe even a Power Commander if that's what it takes to get rid of this issue. The bike is soooooo sweet otherwise- I can't even imagine how kick ass it will be once this demon is flogged.

 

[SkooterG]

I very definitely have this problem on my '06.... and I appreciate the creative effort at finding a fix. The nature of it is exascerbated on roads like the Blue Ridge Parkway and Deals Gap- tight 2nd and 3rd gear with a lot of on/off throttle action. Trying to get back on the throttle in 2nd gear at the apex of a tight corner is hair raising- You get a "hit" of power, rather than a smooth pick up. I've called it driveline lash, but now I'm more convinced that it's actually a fuel delivery driven problem. I have a CarbTune on the way- and have fabbed up a 2x4 to the proper length to prop my tank- I'll do the TB sync, throttle cable loosening job, and the jumper mod... and maybe even a Power Commander if that's what it takes to get rid of this issue. The bike is soooooo sweet otherwise- I can't even imagine how kick ass it will be once this demon is flogged.

Though it could be one of a number of things, or even a combination of factors, I would tend to agree that the problem you describe is a fuel mapping issue (too lean). Many 03-05 owners complained of the same thing and back then we all called it "surging" . Some FJRs suffered worse than others from it. I would highly recommend a PCIII. Issue will be solved. Though not as complete a solution as the PCIII, the Techlusion thing-a-bob would help too. It wouldn't hurt to try the Barbarian jumper, and more times than not will show some positive results, but I don't recommend that as IMHO it's not a complete solution to the problem and a "Best Guess" at best.

 

[Jabba]

I figure it's worth a shot- as stated above, I can always go back to "stock". I'm gonna do whatever it takes- and work my way toward the PCIII as the final step. Are there any warrantee issues with adding a PCIII- or any of the other suggested fixes in this thread? I've already gone with redline shockproof heavy in the drive... and that's technically NOT an approved final drive fluid by the letter of the Warrantee... but it sure did seem to help the problem!~

 

[Bagger]

I've done the CO fix, loosened the spring, taken out the throttle slack, changed grips, etc. and each of those has made the bike better but I never felt the "herky jerky" problem was significant to begin with. Too many HDs in my past I guess.
But now that you mention it, I do keep reading Fred's posts and then going out and riding mine in search of this problem. Finally today I think I start to understand what he's after and why it might bother some folks. I just chalk it up to the FJR being a very powerful bike that accelerates very quickly and ride accordingly. I don't have any problems riding it smoothly now that I have 1K miles on the clock.

Todd...

I'm not sure I agree with you. I have a jerkiness in my FJR. Shifting from gear to gear results in something less than a smooth transaction. Also, just releasing the throttle in traffic and then going back on it is not smooth. Herky-jerky.

I rode my VTX1300 (Harley-like Honda deal) a couple days ago and it was MUCH less jerky in the above situations. And, I've had plenty of HDs and don't remember anything like this either. Altho, I am old and my memory may suck.

Plus, I took the WING out and it was smooth as silk, and yet a pretty powerful machine. What else would one expect, eh.

I realize the FJR is not a Wing, nor a VTX, nor an HD... but, MY FJR is not fun to ride in all situations. Yeah, with the new CalSci shield on the road without shifting or throttling off and on ... it's great. But, just around town or up shifting from 1-2-3. Well, it's not smooth and not fun. Perhaps I'm too sensitive.

Perhaps various bikes are 'set up' differently by the dealers. Or NOT set up. My tech told me that the syncing the TBs was part of the 600 mile service ... not the set up.

BTW...I've known Fred from a couple other message boards and respect his knowledge of the bike a great deal. Fred's always been 'spot on' in previous situations with bikes, especially the Wing. I have no reason to doubt his position here.

BAGGER

 

[Bounce]

I took my FJR to the deala for it's 600 mile deal ... I have like 1500 miles on the bike, now. And, since my "wrenching skills" are not the best, I decided to have the dealer do the throttle spring, Barbarian wire jump mod and sync the TBs ... while they were doing the 600 mile service.

Some dealers won't do most of these mods for liability reasons. The changes to the EFI (barbarian mods, etc.) might be peceived as leaving the dealership open to EPA fines for modifying a tested-and-passed setting. Filling in the pulley or releasing a return spring could easily be seen as creating a potential safety hazzard (modifying a Yamaha design). Etc. I'd be surprised if a major dealership did most of these without requiring you to sign a waiver and (may, just maybe) telling you they would void your warranty.

On that note, none of these things will void your warranty (TTBOMU) but if you do them yourself, you can always revert to factory if a warranty issue comes up and you're concerned.

I rode my VTX1300 (Harley-like Honda deal) a couple days ago and it was MUCH less jerky in the above situations. And, I've had plenty of HDs and don't remember anything like this either. Altho, I am old and my memory may suck.

Things happen faster and more abruptly when your cranking more ponnies to the rear wheel. That's what we want when buy a powerful bike or everyone would be riding Mopeds.

 

[rickcorwn]

Are the instructions for the Barbarian Jumper Mod for an '06 the same as the '04. I've been searching and haven't been able to come up with an answer.

Thanks! :blink:

 

[Bagger]

I rode my VTX1300 (Harley-like Honda deal) a couple days ago and it was MUCH less jerky in the above situations. And, I've had plenty of HDs and don't remember anything like this either. Altho, I am old and my memory may suck.

Things happen faster and more abruptly when your cranking more ponnies to the rear wheel. That's what we want when buy a powerful bike or everyone would be riding Mopeds.

Bounce...

Well, I've only tossed a leg over a moped in Bermuda a couple decades ago. I don't wanna ride one of those for sure.

Things do happen more abruptly with more ponies. I know this for sure. Driving my M5 is not like driving my Dakota 4x4. But, neither give me the dawg crap jerkiness that I feel with MY FJR. Both deliver smooth transitions from one gear to the other... albeit one is a 6 speed manual and the other an automatic.

The FJR is not a perfect sport touring machine. I guess some of us are searching to make it more comfortable from an ergonomic standpoint and less troublesome to ride technically. To others, the bike may be perfectly fine. That's why Harley sells over 300K bikes a year and there are just a handful of FJRs world wide. Differences in perception.

I want to ride the bike and feel comfy in the 'cockpit' and feel a linear acceleration while shifting with less jerkiness. That's pretty much what I am seeking. But, I know that no bike is perfect and my quest may be just that. I'm a realist. Altho, I want the bike to be better than it is. Sorry, it's just my opinion.

BAGGER

 

[rickcorwn]

Are the instructions for the Barbarian Jumper Mod for an '06 the same as the '04. I've been searching and haven't been able to come up with an answer.
Thanks! :blink:

Never Mind.

 

[dtyo]

As a total noob to this board, and a new '06 FJR owner, I' like to volunteer my opinions and observations - which will probably be ignored :^).

After the first day with the FJR, I was very concerned about the low speed (on/off) throttle response, and not to mention my wrist was killing me. Fortunately for me, the good people of this board had come up with a number of modifications that I've used to great success (Barbarian mod and throttle spring). I also agree with the opinion that this bike (like many bikes I've owned) takes getting used to; you don't ride a high performance machine like the FJR and expect it to behave like a moped, or any other bike. However, with the mods AND learned technique, I find the FJR to be one of the most satisfying motorcycles I've ever owned. As for using an aftermarket product, like the Power Commander, to make the bike more rideable, or to "correct" undesirable traits; I'm not inclined to pay more money to get the product I've already paid a lot of money for, to work the way it should from the factory. However, I do agree with using such a tool to improve upon a good product, whch I believe the FJR to be ( post mods). I'd like to think a competent Yamaha dealer would have corrected the lean fuel condition, but I don't think they would without factory direction (TSB?). All that said, my friend bought an '06 FJR the same time I did (last week), and it runs totally different, than mine did from the dealer. If I read the VIN #'s correctly, his looks to be a later build than mine, making think (hoping) that the factory may have made changes later in the production cycle, to correct the throttle response issues. We've agreed to make a temporary Barbarian mod to his bike in order to see what his co settings are - since mine were similar to others that have been posted here - I'm hoping his are different.

My thanks to the folks who set up, participate in, and sponsor, this forum!

Dan

 

[Fred H.]

You folks who are after a smoother throttle really need to look seriously at my modification to the throttle pulley.

Lets step back a minute and analyze what happened. In 06 Yamaha announced they changed the throttle pulley to a new "counter progressive pulley". The result is that you do not get the same amount of change to the throttle bodies in the first 1/4 of throttle movement as you do in the last 1/4 of movement. The throttle is now MOST sensitive just off idle, and THIS is the MAIN CAUSE of the herky jerky problem.

The Barbarian mod and throttle body sync will help, but they do not address the ROOT CAUSE, which is that newly redesigned throttle pulley.

The throttle pulley on the 06 starts out with a small diameter and gets larger as it rotates. This is the "Counter Progressive" aspect Yamaha was refering to. It makes the initial "tip in" or "launch" of the vehicle feel like the engine is more powerful than it actually is. It is the oldest trick in the book to try to make a vehicle feel faster without spending any money to actually wring more ponies out of the engine.

Notice no one really griped too much about this problem on earlier model years. This is because Yamaha changed the pulley this year. If you go read the Powerpoint presentation on the 06 model year changes, they point out that they changed it.

The problem with it, is that power delivery is no longer linear throughout the throttle movement, and it does indeed make the bike harder to ride and the throttle more difficult to modulate, especially in mid turn at high lean angles. From a riders perspective, what is desirable, is a linear, predictable and controllable throttle at all settings. You want your input controls to actually effect smaller changes, not larger. This is why race cars have large steering wheels. It provides the driver the ability to make small corrections with larger inputs.

I think you will find the problem can easily be fixed by simply putting a shim under the throttle pulley like I did. It will bring back the control in the throttle you are after.

 

[Jabba]

It ain't a '69 GTO folks- it's entirely possible to make a tractable bike with 146 HP. Ever ridden a Hyabusa???

 

[Maywannayamaha1300]

I'm serious about this but too tired to go into detail...so. I think we (2006 Owners) need to write letters to Yamaha pointing out the control issue with our new bikes.....asking for a fix. It won't cost us much more than a few minutes of our time and a stamp. It seems to make sense to me. Yamaha doesn't want a dangerous less controllable bike out there..........Good Night.

 

[Fred H.]

I'm serious about this but too tired to go into detail...so. I think we (2006 Owners) need to write letters to Yamaha pointing out the control issue with our new bikes.....asking for a fix. It won't cost us much more than a few minutes of our time and a stamp. It seems to make sense to me. Yamaha doesn't want a dangerous less controllable bike out there..........Good Night.

You would probably be better off just fixing it yourself. Much less hassle and not hard to do. Make a shim for the throttle pulley and be done with it.

My bike is smooth as silk now and very controllable in the low RPM range. It still has just a hint of driveline lash, but not enough to worry about.

 

[RadioHowie]

I'm serious about this but too tired to go into detail...so. I think we (2006 Owners) need to write letters to Yamaha pointing out the control issue with our new bikes.....asking for a fix. It won't cost us much more than a few minutes of our time and a stamp. It seems to make sense to me. Yamaha doesn't want a dangerous less controllable bike out there..........Good Night.

You would probably be better off just fixing it yourself. Much less hassle and not hard to do. Make a shim for the throttle pulley and be done with it.

My bike is smooth as silk now.

A "smooth as silk" ugly-ass blue.

You forgot to add that.

 

[jjsC6]

I'm serious about this but too tired to go into detail...so. I think we (2006 Owners) need to write letters to Yamaha pointing out the control issue with our new bikes.....asking for a fix. It won't cost us much more than a few minutes of our time and a stamp. It seems to make sense to me. Yamaha doesn't want a dangerous less controllable bike out there..........Good Night.

You would probably be better off just fixing it yourself. Much less hassle and not hard to do. Make a shim for the throttle pulley and be done with it.

My bike is smooth as silk now.

A "smooth as silk" ugly-ass blue.

You forgot to add that.

Hey Howie - how do I get one of those condoms with the Yamaha logo that you show in your Avatar?

 

[Bagger]

Fred....

Since I'm mechanically challenged, I can't see what I'm supposed to on your photo of the shim. First, what did you use as a shim? And, where exactly did you put it? Perhaps you could "arrow" the shim in the photog.

Thanx. BAGGER

 

[cartfj40]

Besides the barbarian jumper mod and CO settings at +7 that I did last week, I did more mods today.

I already have grip puppies and then today I synched the throttle bodies, loosened the middle spring and took out the slack from the throttle cable. Then I took a ride.....WOW!!!! Now it is REALLY SMOOTH. :yahoo: I like it ALOT!!!

Thanks to all of you on this forum my bike runs GREAT!!!!

Guy's I just had to send a message to all you guy's and girl's if I did not read your posts about the barbarian mod and do it last night I was going to trade this bike in today with 1.500 miles on it I didn't like it THAT much. If anyone out there with the Herky-Jerky's at low speed and hasn't done this mod I would suggest this mod. At this point it feels so much better I will keep it.

cartfj40, one item I've found to do that has helped the herky-jerky is when shifting don't take your time to do the shift. Not to speed shift but cut any hesitation between shifts. And also with some of the mods mentioned to help solve this problem make sure your idle is set right and maybe even a little up. Hope this helped, PM. <><

 

[RadioHowie]

Hey Howie - how do I get one of those condoms with the Yamaha logo that you show in your Avatar?

Hell, that's easy...every ugly-ass blue '05 and '06 'A' model came with one to protect its owner from the screwing they got for accepting the color of their bikes.

:rofl: