Since I bought my FJ600 last July, I have replaced the battery, regulator, turn signals (all four, twice), clutch cable, throttle cable, speedometer cable, front fender, both tires, chain and both sprockets, rubber peg covers, rubber shifter cover, left-side body panel, ignition key, gauge cluster, rear brake pedal, spark plugs, and muffler. The only non-cosmetic problems left are a minor oil leak in the valve cover gasket and another in the oil filter assembly. This is excellent condition for a motorcycle made in 1984!

The bike’s sluggish performance on my recent weekend trip to Eastern Washington left me thinking it was time for something newer. Now that the new muffler has smoothed out the engine’s power issues, however, I no longer feel so much like I’ve outgrown it. Maybe it’s time to clean it all up and give it a paint job.