FJRiders.com

My commuter bike has sprung a radiator leak... again this is the second radiator ive had on this bike. The last time the radiator shop I took it to to have it repaired told me I'd be better off getting a new one than repairing it... I'm assuming the same this time. Enough about that.

@180k where do you guys think I should draw the line with this bike? It honestly still runs and rides great... but there are some things that could use attention mostly wear items. The starter is on its way out, the clutch seems like it wearing thin the brake lines are original and by the looks of the rear brake fluid looks like they are beginning to deteriorate internally. Other than oil changes, brake bleads, batteries, valve checks 1 Radiator replacement a few suspension rebuilds and alot of tires I really haven't done much to this bike maintenance wise so I really cant complain.

But... im not getting any money for this bike at this point (which is besides the point) im just starting to wonder how much I want to spend to keep it going. Ultimately whatever that is I'd still get my money out of repairing it as opposed to getting another bike.

I don't know... this is just me thinking mostly.

Freshen it all up, go another 180K.

Since it can basically be a backup bike, and IF you're doing the labor yourself, put parts into it.

If you were having to pay shop labor and shop parts prices, it would not be a financially responsible adventure to keep in on the road.

extrememarine wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 1:59 pm Since it can basically be a backup bike, and IF you're doing the labor yourself, put parts into it.

If you were having to pay shop labor and shop parts prices, it would not be a financially responsible adventure to keep in on the road.

It's my daily commuter bike that's never more than about 100 miles from home. The cost is basically parts and my time, which is becoming increasingly harder to come by lately. I was pricing everything and its still less than a new used bike so there is that!

Let's solve this really simply. Who has put the most miles on an FJR and how many was it?

If it's more than 180K and the name isn't Nate, then we know what we need to do with the bike.

I've been talking to a few high mileage FJR and non FJR riders today. One gas 1.5 million motorcycle miles under his belt and put 500k on a vstrom complete with articles written about it. And they've all said the same... fix it and keep going.

If I had your money I'd ditch the old one and buy a new(er) one and ride more-wrench less.

Bugnatr wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 4:45 pm If I had your money I'd ditch the old one and buy a new(er) one and ride more-wrench less.

If I had my wife's money... I'd buy whatever bike I wanted!

Buying a new radiator vs. repairing doesn't make sense to me. Meaning it's got to be a lot cheaper to repair than buy new. But I am by no means an expert. Are the Gen III radiators weak? I have put a lot of miles on Gen 1 and Gen 2 FJRs with only one radiator issue - a pinhole leak on a 200k mile '04 FJR. Some of that stop leak stuff took care of that.

What makes you think the interior of the brake line is deteriorating? That doesn't make sense to me either. The rest not too big a deal.

I know you ride a lot, but when the f*** did you put 180k miles on a '15???? Impressive!

SkooterG wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 6:45 pm
I know you ride a lot, but when the f*** did you put 180k miles on a '15???? Impressive!

He rode around Houston a few too many times. Amongst other things.

Good advice all around here. I'll add my own thoughts:

1. You are a good mechanic. The stuff you are describing is an afternoon with the parts in hand. I know time is short, but this is not splitting the cases and replacing shift forks.

2. Bring the radiator core to the same shop and see if they can solder it. It's an aluminum core - even plugging a few passages shouldn't matter much.

3. Don't replace the starter - buy a set of brushes, and clean the armature - again - an hour or two.

4. It's a commuter bike - a REALLY good commuter bike at that. You know it will go 300K with not much else to go. I mean - a pin hole in the radiator is a crap shoot - with a brand new bike or a 200K bike. That's a wash. But the rest - clutch, starter, stator, water pump, etc - that will go 300K. You might get splooge on the rear diff - again, no special tools required. couple of hours.

If you want moral support, and can wait unti October, I'll ride over and give you a hand.

But save your "new bike money" for the 2027 IBA Rally, man. And other rides between now and then.

SkooterG wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 6:45 pm I know you ride a lot, but when the f*** did you put 180k miles on a '15???? Impressive!

I gave up cars after the covid gas price hike... when fuel went back to a reasonable price I drove my car to work again and realized I didnt like sitting in thcar through traffic when I could move through it on the bike saving me about half and hour to an hour in the afternoons. The car sat there and I was spending money on it and not using it so I sold it and went strictly to the bike. My commte is substantial, but I enjoy doing what I do and I cant do that closer to home. I also dont want to live anywhere closer to work... for many reasons.
Most of the 180 is very boring amd un-impressive riding to say the least.

Hppants wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 9:52 pm Good advice all around here. I'll add my own thoughts:

1. You are a good mechanic. The stuff you are describing is an afternoon with the parts in hand. I know time is short, but this is not splitting the cases and replacing shift forks.

2. Bring the radiator core to the same shop and see if they can solder it. It's an aluminum core - even plugging a few passages shouldn't matter much.

3. Don't replace the starter - buy a set of brushes, and clean the armature - again - an hour or two.

4. It's a commuter bike - a REALLY good commuter bike at that. You know it will go 300K with not much else to go. I mean - a pin hole in the radiator is a crap shoot - with a brand new bike or a 200K bike. That's a wash. But the rest - clutch, starter, stator, water pump, etc - that will go 300K. You might get splooge on the rear diff - again, no special tools required. couple of hours.

If you want moral support, and can wait unti October, I'll ride over and give you a hand.

But save your "new bike money" for the 2027 IBA Rally, man. And other rides between now and then.

Thanks Pants. I know all these things you've stated. I've got a line on a rebuilt starter already and I'm going to pull this one and rebuild to keep on the shelf. As far as the radiator goes I'm going to leak check it and see how bad the hole is first and then decide where to go from there.

Interesting read. With 165k on my ‘15ES, I’ve been having the same internal dialogue. May move farkles to the 15A (12k miles) sooner than later and keep the ES for noodling around closer to home.

CraigRegs wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 11:49 pm Interesting read. With 165k on my ‘15ES, I’ve been having the same internal dialogue. May move farkles to the 15A (12k miles) sooner than later and keep the ES for noodling around closer to home.

If you and Nate don't get these FJRs to 200k miles you are pussies! JSNS!

Hppants wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 9:52 pm 3. Don't replace the starter - buy a set of brushes, and clean the armature - again - an hour or two.

I'm not sure I agree that this is an easy job. Myself, I would take it to a shop. Or fnd a cheap used replacement.

SkooterG wrote: ↑Tue Jul 15, 2025 3:11 am

CraigRegs wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 11:49 pm Interesting read. With 165k on my ‘15ES, I’ve been having the same internal dialogue. May move farkles to the 15A (12k miles) sooner than later and keep the ES for noodling around closer to home.

If you and Nate don't get these FJRs to 200k miles you are pussies! JSNS!

Mine will most definitely make it to 200k and beyond.

I wouldn't fix the starter..... pay yourself $30/hr and decide what's worth working on and what's not. It would take me an hour or two to properly rebuild a starter...... screw it, get another one. Other than that, I'd fix my old rather than buy a new one that quite frankly, needs all the same maintenance....... also considering the old one isn't worth much to sell.

I sold my '07 with a little more mileage than that. I would have kept it and had no regrets spending what it took to keep it running - never had an engine or any drive-train related issue. Never even a clutch refurb. (Other than "consumables", the worst was a couple of electrical gremlins, one set of front wheel bearings and a radiator pinhole I had fixed at a rad shop.)

I let it go when I found an incredible deal on a low-mileage 2011 that was fully farkled. I am still riding that with 100,000 miles and literally zero issues in the time I have had it. (One set of fork seals/bushings, brake pads, a battery just last year, and a shifter rubber - period).
I intend to keep this at least another 100,000 miles at which point I'll probably get something else, if I am still riding. Unless, of course, someone makes me an offer I can't refuse. (I have a BMW F700GS as a stable-mate.)

If I had your '15, I would keep it and continue riding it if it still brings a smile to your face. Unless, of course, you are lusting for the incremental improvement of the Gen IV with LED and 6th gear...

I don't get the comment about the hydraulic lines either. I have never had any issues and don't remember anyone else with problems. If the fluid is turning dark sooner than it should, it could also be piston seals or master cylinder - both easily refurbished.
Starter might just need a cleanup plus brushes, but it doesn't owe you anything.
Clutch fibre disk replacement doesn't seem too surprising (or expensive) at that mileage.

As you say, it isn't worth much on the used bike market and it might have another 100,000 left in it.

How do you even sell an FJR with so many miles? Give it away? I'll be trying in the future. Under my 'Masterplan' to get down to only 5 FJRs I will be selling a '13 with 113k some time in the future. I'll remove almost all the farkles first. How much should I list it for? $2,000? Hoping to get at least $1,500? I have no idea.