2006 vs 2008 FJR1300

Hi everyone,

I am working on selling my super tenere and buying an FJR. Is there major differences between the 2006 and 2008 FJR. From my research it seems its mainly throttle feel has been improved.

At the moment I am considering a really clean, blue 2006 FJR with a few sparkles, the guy is asking $5800. The bike has 20K miles on it, new rubber, really clean.

The other bike is a 2008 Black FJR at a dealer with 15000 miles, also with a few farkles for $8000. The bike is clean the rubber is in good shape. The dealer is working on getting me a trade in price on my Tenere.

I have done no negotiating yet.

I really like the blue FJR color, and the lower cost bike would leave me with a little money leftover to say, install heated grips. On the other hand, trading the Tenere in for the FJR would save me some hassle but cost me some money and leave nothing for adding accessories.

My budget is tight, but the Tenere is paid for, I more or less have its value to work with.

A model comparison table is here. Others will have to fill in subjective comparisons.

There are a number of recalls for the '06, it's not a bad thing but you do want to have the dealer run the VIN and ensure they are done, the '08 should be checked too. One of the recalls for the '06 is to replace the "Meter Assembly", Yamaha speak for the dash electronics. When the Meter Assembly is changed the actual mileage is lost; the new Assembly will start at zero miles. Yamaha has instructed dealers how to record the mileage at the time the Meter Assembly is changed. There should be a tag on owners manual and/or a tag on the bottom of the glove box door. You do want to know that the mileage on the '06 is really what is on the odometer.

I have an 06. My ownership experience has been nothing

but favorable. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

A low mileage 06 in great shape at that price is a helluva deal.

I'd go for it.

Here in Canada my 08 came with OEM heated grips. I ride with a couple of fellows, one owns an 06 and one with a 10. Both of their bikes had stalling issues? Both were corrected at the dealer. I don't know what correction was done to the 06 but the 10 had sensors places into the headers in order to correctly balance the throttle bodies. After said service in both cases the bikes have run flawlessly! In my case the only malfunction was the oil/pressure sensor which was replaced within the first 1000kms. My 08 is presently for sale with 113,xxxkms.

Good to know on the 2006, it could have many more miles. I will ask.

Both of those prices seem really high.

A quick search of craigslist found this

https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/mcd/5390665276.html

I am sure there are others.,Like this

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/5391554872.html

Market saturation perhaps? The prices I listed are reflective of Kelly Blue Book Value. 7K for a 10 is a screaming deal compared to local availability here

https://www.kbb.com/motorcycles/yamaha/fjr1300a-abs/2010-yamaha-fjr1300a-abs/suggestedretailvalue/

https://www.kbb.com/motorcycles/yamaha/fjr1300a-abs/2008-yamaha-fjr1300a-abs/suggestedretailvalue/

I am also an 06 owner. For grips look up the Oxfords. They have a premium adv grip - pay attention to the length you are looking for 5.19 inches long - they are the same length as the stock grips. Love my 06. Love that I paid cash for her. My original mileage was noted on the underside of the glove box lid. If you want a big windscreen for either of these bikes give me a shout. I have one for sale.

I believe the meter assembly bulletin on the 2006 models was not a recall but was rather a warranty repair if a particular symptom existed with the instant fuel mileage readout. So if there is no evidence that the meter assembly was replaced on the bike you're looking at, then a safe assumption is that the repair was never needed and the mileage is legit. My own 2006 has never had the meter replaced.

I bought mine a little over a year ago with 23k on the clock. I would say the 2006 is the way to go in this case, if you can swing a deal. He's got it priced competitively for our market and if you can get the price down closer to $5k you have a home run with that mileage.

On another subject, one of the forum members, TripperMike, posted yesterday the date for his annual Tech Day in Nowthen, MN. I attended last year as a new FJR owner and met some great folks and had a good time, while learning a few things as well.

If the instantaneous mileage reading is stuck at 17 the meter recall was never done. When the dealer looks up the VIN he will know what recalls apply to that motorcycle and if they were done. It would be *almost* a certainty that if the meter assembly was changed, it was done by a dealer. I believe I read about an individual or two that wheedled the meter assembly from the dealer and did the work themselves.

You do know that you question are almost as much opinion based as fact based don't you? So, in the interest of expressing my opinion...

The '06 is the better color. The '08 is the better bike.

The '06 and '07 had less than optimum fueling and most!!! of them surged and bucked coming off a closed throttle. This made smooth riding a bit tricky in the twisties and leaving a dead stop.

The '06 and '07 have an egg shaped throttle cable pulley on the throttle body end which creates a non-linear throttle response. A lot of throttle down low, then less. Backward from what it needed to be.

Those issues can be corrected with a Power Commander with a smoothness map and a G2 Ergonomics Throttle Tamer throttle tube. Those things cost money and then the fuel mileage will suffer slightly from the richer fueling of the Power Commander.

The '08 corrected all of that and (I think) has a slightly more advanced ABS.

You can get a set of Oxford Premium heated grips for $90 at Revzilla. Make sure you get the Adventure because the Touring is too short. That was mentioned by Graler in post #8.

Redfish is making me feel bad about my 06 again. Wait I have a throttle tube and a power commander - carry on.

Please keep in mind I am not saying the '06 is a bad bike. It can be fixed and it can certainly be ridden bone stock. As most of you know, my dad has an '07 so I have fought the smoothness battle. I won that battle.

That '07 has been all over this country and has performed beautifully. It followed my '15 for over 300 miles today and Dad has refused to even discuss "upgrading" to a new bike.

If the man likes the '06 and wants to do the work to get it right, we can help show him how. Technical Support is just another service we offer here at the fjrforum. And it is worth a hell of a lot more than we pay for it.

My advice - buy the color you like better. The paint is a bigger difference between the bikes than any mechanical evolution. The older bike will likely need a power commander and G2 throttle tube to make it ride like you want, so factor in a couple hundred bucks for those items. I do recall updated abs on the 08, but doubt you could tell the difference between the two.

Redfish - the 06 came with a perfectly round throttle tube. Mine is sitting in a parts box on the shelf in the garage. It is the throttle pull down on the throttle bodies that has faster throttle pull at lower throttle openings on the early gen ii bikes.

Yes, I know which end has the egg shaped pulley. And that is exactly what I said in my post #11.

You better factor in more than "a couple hundred bucks" for the PC-V and the G2 tube.

I guess I really need to test ride them. My ideal exchange is a direct trade for an 08. Which I am in discussion with someone who is interested in just that. I am going to look at the 06 tomorrow morning to see what I think.

I am in no rush, there is 6" of snow on the ground here its going to be all of 8 F tomorrow.

Forget KBB or NADA. While they are a guide, the actual prices FJRs are selling for is substantially lower. Do a little shopping and price comparisons, you'll see the offset.

The '06 sounds like a decent deal for around $5k, the '08 for high $6's to $7k. Keep in mind that no matter how nice the '06 is, it's still coming up on 10 model years old. I'd still shoot for the newest bike you can afford, IMO you'd do OK with a direct trade for the '08. Yamaha (and the market) has killed the value of our Tenere's.

Good luck with the search, there's plenty of FJRs out there and it's a buyers market!

--G

Looks like the going rate for a PC-V is $300 and about $60 for a G2 throttle tube. So call it $400ish to fully correct the fueling on the 06 bike. Both are pretty easy diy installs.

Yup, I misread your write up Redfish. Sorry about that, you had it right.

If you get the '06, ride it a bit before you start throwing Power Commanders and the like at it. I put nearly 90k on both my '06s and didn't do anything to the engine or handlebars (other than maintain it). The bike works pretty darn well as is. Run it a couple of months to get to know it first - put your money in the gas tank.

The same holds true for the '08.

Brodie