FJ1100

This nameplate appeared in 1984 as Yamaha’s new large-displacement sport-touring flagship, developed for the European market at a time when the company was looking to strengthen its position in the over-1-liter class. Yamaha positioned it as a serious high-speed road bike rather than a pure race replica, pairing an air-cooled DOHC inline-four with a rigid chassis and the company’s vibration-reducing engine mounting concept. In period road tests and Yamaha’s own historical material, it quickly became known as a capable all-rounder with strong stability and long-distance comfort, which helped establish the character that would define Yamaha’s big FJ machines for years to come. The nameplate’s original run was brief: it was offered for the 1984 and 1985 model years before being replaced by the enlarged successor that carried the concept forward. Enthusiasts often regard this machine as the starting point for Yamaha’s long-running FJ lineage and as one of the company’s most important 1980s sport-touring models.