"You may be right, I may be crazy ..."

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Twigg

Just an old, bald man!
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
1,334
Reaction score
602
Location
Owasso, OK
This is what can happen when you let Ms Garmin make the decisions.

The video is someone else riding that last half mile to the summit of Hancock Pass, from St Elmo. On Saturday I made this ride ... It's about six miles of this terrain up, and seems to be longer coming down.

Rider and FJR were completely unscathed physically, but both suffered irreparable mental harm from the experience ... Anyway, this is what an FJR can do, to be added to all of its other attributes ... Enjoy:

 
I don't think my semi-bald tires or leaky front fork seal would have liked that very much. Reminds me that I have to get some maintenance done before my Newfoundland trip in a couple of weeks.

 
ugh..... screw that ---- I dreaded those road while on my ATVs (660 Raptor & 660 Grizzly), much less would I roll that on my FJR.... good god

I couldn't in all good conscience put my machine through that....

 
O MY that makes me wonder about you being crazy, YOU ARE !

But as my mechanic said to me "I like your business"
smile.png


Ride safe

 
I know the FJR is capable, and I might have been able to do that, but I would have turned around after the first 100 yards.
no.gif


 
You didn't happen to take a picture of your FJR at the summit alongside all the serious off-road vehicles?

 
Wow, I just watched the video. The good news is that there is a current and active thread about bent rim repair. Just because we can doesn't always mean we should ;)

So, was it worth it?

 
I didn't get a picture ... All I have is my Spot record and GPS Track Log.

I didn't even know there was a Summit Sign .... I didn't even know there was a named Pass and I was riding it. I was in "tunnel-minded Rally mode", just doing what I do and riding from one bonus location to the next. I actually turned around right next to the sign, it seems, but all that was on my mind was how the hell I get down once I realised the connecting road was closed.

The other feeling at the time was just how pissed I was that it cost me an hour of on-the-clock time. I knew I had ridden something difficult, but I was not bothered that I had the skills, but I was impressed by the awesomeness of the bike, and we were lucky not to get a puncture. I was just calculating what that misadventure would cost me later in the ride. (about 300 points!)

To answer the other questions ... Had I known what I was heading into, I would not have made the attempt. I am good at endurance but I try not to be fool-hardy. Still, these stories are what lends a lot of color to the fun of the Rally, and I'm really pleased I was fortunate enough to do this, now it's over
smile.png


To add a little irony .... I did damage the bike, but not there. It fell over in one of the most benign parking situations you could wish for!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
A couple of weeks ago I had to navigate a stretch of freshly graveled road. In some places, the gravel was 4 - 6 inches deep, but the feej handled it like a champ. For a heavy street bike, our beloved FJR is surprisingly nimble on less than ideal surfaces, unlike the HD Road King I once attempted to ride along a dirt road.

Don't know if it's riding position, foot-peg placement, frame geometry, suspension, or some combination, but I had to back out with the RK, and I know I could have ridden that same dirt road with no issues on the FJR.

 
Top