FJR in curves and twisties..?

Hello all,

New to the forum from Texas, here.

I currently own a '15 FJ09, and as much as I love it, I don't think it best suits the type of riding (long trips) I primarily do, therefore the FJR has piqued my interest.

I am 44, by no means a stunter, but I ride fairly aggressively and spirited. I want the opinions of those with experience on the FJR as to how it does overall in the curves, and twisties, considering it's obvious weight and size differences over the FJ, and that class of bike in general. Is it still really agile, and able to be flicked around in the curves? Is the acceleration nice and exhilarating.?

I apologize if my questions seem elementary, or have already been addressed somewhere, but have never ridden a bike of this style, so I have no true frame of reference.

Thank you all for your thoughts and information in helping me decide if it's a good consideration for me. Trying to locate a local dealer who both has one in stock, and will allow me a test ride.

Kind Regards!

Cvw1973

I'll take a shot at this. It's all been talked about a lot here, and that's why your post has been moved into "NEPRT" land from wherever you first posted it, but it's all stuff you've got to start finding about somehow. We here like the FJR a lot--not surprisingly. So most will tell you it's a lot of fun to ride in the hills and the twisties while still being supremely capable for distance riding (just check out today's post from Tony--"101stPathfinder," titled "Hell Week Completed").

There are faster and more flickable bikes out there, but this one is fast and flickable way beyond the riding abilities of plenty of us here. Most of us, I imagine. It's got all the power you could ask for for almost every purpose you could ever have, getting out of a jam in traffic, long uphills, whatever. If you want more cargo room you can get a Gold Wing or pull a trailer, but this one has a lot more than most, and more is easy to find from Yamaha and other manufacturers. It's for the road only--that's a given. You won't be very comfortable in the dirt, to say the least, but paved roads aren't that hard to find.

Not many are left completely stock. Eventually most owners want to customize theirs, usually for comfort (seat, windscreen, highway pegs, handlebar risers, etc.) or safety (lights front and rear, upgraded horns and so on). Of course, some are so tricked out with electronics they're barely recognizable. But the good advice is to get to know it for a while before starting to modify too much.

Test ride? Good luck. That's hard to find, but some private sellers might let you take one out--especially if you can let him hold the full asking price in his hand when you ride off. He'll probably be willing to give you the money back to you if you don't buy, but you're more likely to not want to give him back the motorcycle instead. Good luck.

Welcome Cvw,

Exactly what SacramentoMike pointed out...

The FJ-09 has a more relaxed riding position than the FJR. Check out the specs at cycleergo.com

I think most owners will find the FJR to be much more capable in the twisties than they are. And on the street you won't be finding the power to be unacceptable in almost any situation.

My background is track days and racing and decades of sport-touring on sub-500 lb bikes. There's no getting around the fact that it's a 650+ lb bike with a plush suspension. It wears it's weight well but "flickable" is not a word I'd use in regards to the FJR. The engine is wonderful.

I switched from sport bikes to the Feej 10 years ago to try to slow down....It helped some on open roads but not much in the twisties.. I still go just as quickly...read too fast...sigh...The limiting factor in twisties is the stupid factor, that is to say lack of stupid, and the Feej can go as fast as makes sense...

You will really feel the weight when loaded up and riding tight switchbacks. Otherwise you can have a lot of fun in the twisties.

This is the age old debate of motorcyclists since the beginning. There is no perfect bike.

Regardless of your ability, you will only get so aggressive with a 650 pound motorcycle before it burns you. And in case you haven't seen that movie, be advised, the pavement is hard and it hurts.

However as Mike has written, the FJR is a wonderful SPORT TOURING motorcycle. It's NOT a sport bike that you can strap hard luggage onto. It's NOT a gold wing with a sleek looking fairing. It is:

1. Long and upright enough to run long distances (500-800 miles or longer) necessary for you to get somewhere in relative comfort. It has terrific fuel range and a lot of creature comforts that make longer distances more enjoyable and safe (cruise control, traction control, riding modes, ABS, grip heaters, etc). The stock stator puts out generous power to support the use of heated gear, aftermarket lighting, etc.

2. Able to carry all of your crap with you over those distances, including camping provisions if that's your think, again - in relative comfort.

3. Sporty enough that, once you get where you are going, you can pull all of the crap off and go have SOME fun in the twisties. Not "steep and crooked next 300 miles" fun. Not "grinding off pegs over a weekend" fun. Not "follow that R1 all day and ride his back tire like a squid" fun. But if you are aware of your limitations, you can lean her over quite a bit and enjoy the day.

4. An excellent all weather bike with terrific rain and wind protection, and a myrid of after market windscreens available to cater to your size and frame.

5. A dead nuts reliable power train that has basically been unchanged for 15 years now, and rivals anything ever made with piston rings and a connecting rods. Seriously - as long as you have oil and coolant in it, I don't think you can break this bike even if you tried. For touring riders, this is VERY important. Ask any BMW owner if you doubt me.

6. A generous support of aftermarket products available to make a good ride MUCH better. Bar risers, top boxes, seats, windscreens, frame sliders and crash protection, suspension upgrades..... quite a bit to choose from.

I've ridden an FJ-09. Not much, but enough to know that the front forks on that bike are very limiting. I would venture that you can get just as aggressive (or perhaps more) with the FJR, if you dare. The FJ-09 is a "lightweight sport tourer", in more ways than one.

hppants said:

I've ridden an FJ-09. Not much, but enough to know that the front forks on that bike are very limiting. I would venture that you can get just as aggressive (or perhaps more) with the FJR, if you dare. The FJ-09 is a "lightweight sport tourer", in more ways than one.

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I have an FZ09 which has the same wonderful triple as the FJ09 but suffers from a truly awful suspension. I had to put money into both ends to make it fun and safe to ride aggressively. But even in stock form its 250 lb lighter weight made it worlds better than the FJR in the twisties.

Cvw1973 said:

Is the acceleration nice and exhilarating.?

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If you do end up with one please come back after a few long rides and tell us how you would answer this.

Acceleration and power are like straddling a jet engine. My BMW RT was much more flickable, but the FJR is nimble and loves twisties all day long. Even fully loaded, it's fun in the curves. If you are coming from a sport bike, you'll find the FJR perfect. If you are coming from the sport touring side, it may not seem well suited to any sort of distance riding. Many, many of us find bar risers and a proper shield basic requirements, as the stock bike is more sport-with-bags than it is sport/tourer. A lesser but considerable contingent find an aftermarket seat or seat pad and/or peg lowering brackets are needed.

I jump back 'n forth between the FJR 'n an FZ6, and set up properly the FJR can rail. Besides upgraded suspension, I have Soupy's raising links.

In the twisties, peeps I ride with tell me I go 'bout as fast on the FJR as the FZ6, but w/ the FJR I use a different riding style; more of a brake hard 'n late, turn, point 'n squirt off the corner. With the FZ6 it's all 'bout insane corner speeds.

The FJR iz long 'n low, and w/ EBC double sintered pads, 'n linked ABS, this bitch 'll stop purdie quick. With the long low wheel base will squirt off the corners rapidly w/ little drama. Butt on my gen II I still gotta watch my wheel spin.

I find the FJR easier, 'n mor relaxing to ride fast too; even in the twisties I'm usually between 4 'n 5 K RPMs. It takes mor effort to steer, than the little FZ6, but w/ the 6 I'm constantly shifting to keep the thing on the boil, and riding around at 10K RPM is exhausting!

Big bike ride'in ain't fer everyone, butt it works fer me.

My :twocents

If this is close enough, go here -

Yamaha Street Motorcycle Dealer Demo Event - Texas Yamaha Gulf Coast

Texas Yamaha Gulf Coast

8302 FM 1765, Texas City, TX 77591

Ph: 409-933-1982

Thursday, November 02, 2017 - Saturday, November 04, 2017

Demo ride the FJR, call first to book the ride, and then post your thoughts.

Of course if you buy one, you have to post a photo too!

Have fun

-Steve

I would not place the FJR near the top of the flickable list, but I would say that twisties is where the AE model really shine.

Awesome comments already made, but I'll just chip in. Coming from a sportbike, the riding position and seat are just fine. The motor is awesome. The brakes are ferocious. A bit of driveline slop, but not awful. Maintenance is easy. Flickable, no, but manageable. Any corners marked 30 MPH or higher are where this bike shines. For me, when I skim a peg, that means I'm pretty darn close to the edge of the rear tire, contact patch-wise, and that's far enough for somebody of my limited ability. Having weather-proof lockable luggage is fabulous. As others have said, it's heavy, and care must be taken. Parking lot maneuvers require patience, forethought, and gentle inputs, and if you come into a corner way too hot, well, it's a big, heavy bike, and your skill set and ability to act accordingly will determine the outcome.

Hope you can get a test ride. It's a great bike for what it can do well. Good luck.

I have a buddy with a Ducati MS12. We ride about the same pace (when we are on similar bikes) and have done a lot of trips together.

I can keep up with him in the tight bumpy stuff on my BMW, but get a straightaway and he's gone. He has 50% more power.

When I am on my FJR, he leaves me behind in the tight stuff while I keep up on the straights and sweepers. But after two hours he needs a break and I am still wanting to ride. After 6 hours, he's done for the day while I'm just about ready for a lunch break and thinking about another 300 miles before I want to stop.

Think of the FJR like a GT car (928 or Aston Martin). It's heavy, comfortable and fast and handles well, but it's not a sports car.

Well ... opinions are like assholes... so I have both...

The FJR can tour (just look at the IBA results) but it's not like a Wing.

The FJR is 'sporty' but not like a 'squid' in the twisties. (under 20 mph)

The FJR is both (a compromise) which is perfect for medium (long) tours and medium (25+) sweepers at a high rate of speed!

Coming from a 900lb Goldwing the FJR felt like a lightweight sportbike.

Now riding a 437lb Triumph Sprint RS makes the FJR feel very heavy and cumbersome in the tight turns. Its a tradeoff but overall the FJR does everything pretty darn well.

As you may have guessed, all favorable comments here, Sac Mike pretty much hit the nail on the head. Someone once said about the FJR as "a big girl, but she can dance". As Pista said she can "dance" better than most owners! Get on with a factory demo ride an you will be enlightened!

Hey OP, after 5 years of long distance touring & carving twisties on my old Gen 1, I can only agree with most of what's already been clearly stated by others.

My original rear suspension was done when I got her, but that was quickly, and somewhat economically remedied with something that still feels awesome 40,000 miles later.

Next thing I think she may need is a clutch soak or perhaps a nice new re-pack, but that should be expected for where she's been and what's been done to her for 13 years.

I've never been longing for a different bike since she first rolled into my garage.

Really hope your objective inquiry leads to the best decision for you.