My brother wants a FJR 2014A

I am feeling overjoyed and trepidation at the same time. For years I have told my brother about the great trips on my FJR and teased him for being bikeless. I have even stopped at his place on cross country trips, and he has ridden pillon with me for a short way. Last week, he let me know he had seen a great deal on a 2014 FJR near him in Indiana. I've heard this B.S. before and figure it won't amount to anything. Tonight I heard he actually has reluctant permission from his wife, and is seriously moving forward to buy.

John no longer has his motorcycle endorsement. He actually started riding before me on a Yamaha RD350 2-stroke, to which my response was a Suzuki GS750. He stopped riding in the 80s and never came back to it. I kept going. Anyway, I offered last week to ride his bike to his home in Kansas, where he can store it for the winter, before taking the MSF basic course and getting a license in the Spring. It's looking like I'll get that ride.

Needless to say, I'm all in for a good ride on a new bike! OTOH, what have I done? My kid brother will be a new rider on a new FJR at the age of 58 after 30 years off 2-wheels. I need to put him in bubble wrap and make sure he takes this on in a safe way that lets him grow into sport touring so we can ride together without any interim hospital visits. I love this bike, and all the adventures it has brought me. I respect its risks and rewards. Nothing would be better than sharing this with my brother...how to do it safely.

Anyone here who launched on the FJR after a long bike layoff, or who introduced a new rider on a super tour bike? I'd like to hear from you.

May want to have him keep it in "Touring" mode for a while before using "Sport" mode.

Since your brother has previously ridden on the street, he'll be fine. Yeah, his skills are [very] rusty but once he completes the MSF course and gets back in the saddle, it'll all come back quickly.

Good luck to him!

--G

Tom ~ Good on your brother for wanting to get back on two wheels. I had taken off after my motorcycle was stolen in La Habra back in 1974 or so. Race cars and an airplane filled the need for fun, but proved to be much to "spendy" for a long term fix. Fast forward until 2007, when I was visiting my younger son who is an avid motor cycle rider/enthusiast, and he showed me a cute little Kawasaki 750 Zephyr he had scored at a police auction in Seattle... game over! I spent 6 months or so regaining a semblance of competency and my endorsement and began looking for something with more spunk and character.

At that point a very clean 2006 FJR1300 showed up on CraigsList here in Spokane, and as they like to say, "The rest is history."

Here's my take on an "experienced" rider... translate that to "old" if you please, getting on a big old girl like the Feej: He needs to be in reasonable condition. Suggest to him that his winter would be well spent gaining/regaining some excellent leg strength to help hold up the big girl for the unexpected instances at fuel islands, parking lots, yadda, yadda. Don't ask me how I know this!

This is especially crucial if he is "inseam challenged" as I am. My inseam was 30" in my prime, but old age, wear and tear, etc. has reduced it to 28 1/2". Trust me when I tell you that 28 1/2" is a very marginal measurement for being able to successfully hold up the old girl when she is wanting to take a dirt nap for whatever reason! I have dropped my 06 a number of times due to loss of footing, oil on the sole of my riding boot, etc. It hurts my pride each time, but you know, the bike doesn't give a damn! I have found that my former duty boots, a pair of Danner Acadias with nice fresh soles gives me just enough additional length of leg to be way more comfortable and confident, but it is something to always be aware of.

Your Bro won't have any trouble at all getting used to the bike at and over 5 mph... Piece 'O Cake, and he won't be able to wipe the smile off his face for months!

He will notice that the overall level of competence of the surrounding drivers of autos/trucks/busses, etc has deteriorated badly since he last rode. When I decided to ride again, I promised myself that I would be an ATGATT rider without fail. So far, I have been able to keep that promise to myself and all my parts are still functional and attached! At my age (now 73) it takes too long to heal up from even minor scrapes... don't want to test my resilience as I did in my mis-spent youth!

So welcome him back to the "club" with open arms and a smile... and sign him up for FJRforum.com!

Wear the gear, ride safe!

Don

After riding quite a lot (dirt and street) in and around Monroeville, PA (some of it on an RD350), I laid off while raising kids in my late-20's. 21 years later I came back to both street and off-road.

You're right to be concerned about him returning at 58 to street riding after such a lengthy hiatus on a heavier and more powerful machine. The little bit of time he'll actually spend on the itty bitty training bike (probably a 250cc Suzuki) in the MSF course isn't going to prep him much for the Feejer. For a while, he's going to have to pause and think about operational stuff that's second nature to an active rider.

Is there anyone you know who has a KLR or some other type of mid-level bike he can spend some time on before taking the FJR out on a maiden voyage? He should also invest in a set of MCE cages for both engine and bags right away. It's an expensive bike to drop or dump. Second the idea of keeping the throttle mode in "T".

Well, if your brother has your height, being planted should be simple. The suggestions on conditioning are very good. Depending on cash and space, he might be well advised to look for a Nighthawk 750 or even a 919 this fall to sort of break himself back in on. Those should be cheap and easy to resell in the spring after he does some tune-up riding. Then he'll be ready for NAFO '15.

I agree with the post stating Canyon Cages. That red is very expensive to touch up correctly. I had to repair a V-star 1300 in the same red and it is a three part paint. From Color Right the paint alone was in the hundreds of dollars.

Protect the paint and he should be fine.

If not canyon cages, then at least sliders. I have the OEM ones on my '14, never tested them (touches wood), but tested sliders on my previous two FJRs. Well worth having.

I resumed motorcycling after a 35 year gap. Re-started on a new Bonneville in 2001, no way could I have managed an FJR at that time, but then I'm only 145 lbs. Got a few hours one-on-one tuition from a riding school. I was very nervous at first, probably a good thing; as mentioned above traffic conditions have changed dramatically over the years, and seem very different from when in a car.

Hope he gets on well.

I understand your feelings Tom.

But he will be fine ... Or he won't. Like all of us.

We all love motorcycling, but we made a bargain with the devil when we started riding. We accepted the increased danger for more fun. There is no guaranteed happy ending for us...but neither is there a guaranteed happy ending if we drive a car to work or walk across the street.

That all being said, I started up on the FJR after being out of motorcycling for twenty years.

My wife was against it then, but knows motorcycling's impact on my mood and would not have it any other way...sometimes telling me "why don't you go out for a ride? You'll feel better!"

Tom,

Your concern for your brother's well being is understandable, guess that is what all others feel about us every time we leave on two wheels. And as for riding with him, give him alot of miles before "wicking it up" in the twistys that you like to ride so much!

wheatonFJR said:

My wife ...sometimes telling me "why don't you go out for a ride? You'll feel better!"

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Ditto .
Actually, it's because she's fed up with me in the house and wants me out from under her feet. But, whatever the reason, I'm off.

My boring story:

Dad had a wonderful, wineberry red, '84 GoldWing which we "shared" for 11 years. I totaled it while on a lunch date in the summer of '95. We did not replace the bike, we both got out of the motorcycle game, mostly entirely for financial reasons.

In 2005 I bought a Suzuki Katana 750. It was the best brand new bike that I could afford. Dad got the fever for a new bike, which was what I intended all along.

In 2007 Dad told me to find his "retirement bike". He needed a comfortable, classy, gentleman's express. It needed to be reliable. It needed to handle, accelerate and decelerate well enough to overcome the effects of old age on his reflexes. The FJR was my #1 choice, my only fear that it might be too powerful for his out of practice skills. As Dad says, "Just because you have all that horsepower does not mean you have to use it. You can control that with this right twistgrip you know."

So, after 12 years away from motorcycling Dad jumped in headfirst. He has dropped it a couple of times, he has made a few mistakes with it but he had very little trouble overall. Old skills, old memories, old reflexes, all transitioned smoothly into new happiness.

Good story Tom and I'm glad you are there for his support and guidance. So next Rally I will have 2 of ya's huh? hehe, you're a good guy, I think I can handle it

My 18yr old son just took the MSF course. I think he came away with some very good habits, so to speak.

Best of luck, post up pics when his deal is sealed!

ZOOOMM AGAIN stopped riding a Harley 30 years before buying the FJR in 2005.

I was worried that he wouldn't be able to keep up LOL. No but really, I was.

I had been riding almost continuously and I would joke with him that his riding a Harley 30 years prior didn't even really count. LOL

I told him about your post and he will most likely chime in too.

I am sure you will enjoy many great miles with your brother. I wish mine was still around to share this with. My brother was the one that inspired me to ride in the first place.

While test riding an '06 FJR, the salesman asked Jeanne "How long has it been since he's rode a bike?"

I was a little wobbly and unsure of myself, but it all came back to me after a short time.

Your brother will be fine Tom.

Just take it slow at first!

The suggestion for Canyon Cages is excellent. I think the most likely issue for a new rider to this bike is a 0 MPG drop. The second thing is auxiliary lighting, because being seen is a big part of safety.

John is my brother, but we are quite different. He is lean and athletic, and quite a bit shorter. He also has a relatively low risk tolerance. Everything but the short inseam challenge works in his favor. I can't think of anything I'd rather do than to enjoy a cross country trip at some point, where I can really share the reason we gather around this bike and celebrate life. Hopefully he will find the time to join in one or more of the regional rallies. I think I'll keep him off the flat boring roads of Southeast Ohio, at least through Spring. The poor guy works in Brazil, IN and has his home in Olathe, KS, and he frequently drives between those places. Just about the worst riding locations in the U.S.

FredandJeannesRacer said:

While test riding an '06 FJR, the salesman asked Jeanne "How long has it been since he's rode a bike?"I was a little wobbly and unsure of myself, but it all came back to me after a short time.

Your brother will be fine Tom.

Just take it slow at first!

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This is nearly a quote of his concerns. I told him it is something that will come back quickly. I also had some years off while raising the family, and it never really went away, and I restarted on a ridiculous 1500 cc cruiser.

Except for a couple short rides on my brother's bike (less than 10 miles) I did not ride from 1984 to 2007. I got back on a 97 Bandit. While it wasn't as heavy as the FJR it was a much higher performance bike than I had ridden. However, it was what made me decide that the sport tourer was the bike for me. My research pointed me towards the FJR out of all the ST's and the black cherry color to the '07. So, with all that being said, I found that I just needed to take it easy until my fundamentals were reconditioned. I re-cut my teeth riding not through an MSF course. The MSF course is a very good idea, though. I think it is probably a better way to more quickly relearn the fundamentals. Having done a lot of dirt riding is also a plus.

I understand your concern Tom, but I also know how much I enjoy sharing riding with my brother. MSF and ATGATT and he should be good.

He's 58 fer crisesake. Maybe it's time to cut the apron strings?