Skiing with a 2018 FJR1300AS

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mcatrophy

Privileged to ride a 2018 FJR1300AS
Joined
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Location
Derby, UK
So today I rode to my friendly dealer (very cold, very bright low sun) and ordered a new (obviously) 2018 FJR1300AS (that's the YCC-S variant to those who don't recognise the "AS"), so Spending some of my Kids' Inheritance.

Had a bit of a wait while he tried to locate any in the country, but none available (I was hoping they'd have hundreds of '17s that they wanted to sell off cheaply, but no such luck), so one will be ordered from Japan. May not be here until mid February. I will have the shiny near-black colour, not the dull white or dull blue (that's "Tech Graphite", not "Matt Silver" or "Phantom Blue").

In passing, he says that the "A" will no longer come with side cases as standard, presumably to get the base price as low as possible.

I've agreed a price and a part-exchange value, the dealer will hold these even if there's a 2018 price hike, or even if I don't get the bike until 1st March - in the UK there's an advantage in registration number year marking which could affect the resale value. That doesn't particularly worry me, but if it's not here before very early February, I will wait until March.

Why am I changing? Certainly not because there's anything wrong with my present (2014) bike. Mostly it's because, due to recent events, my enthusiasm for motorcycling has diminished. I'm hoping a nice shiny new bike will renew that enthusiasm. I'm also hoping the lights will enable me to see better on some of the unlit country roads I've been on in the pitch dark, where I've scared myself sh*tl*ss when I've been unable to see any difference between the road surface and the mud, ditches, rocks and shear drops just off the edge of the road. It's not because it's got the extra gear, the helically cut gears or the revised dash layout. I don't know of any other improvements over my 2014.

Anyway, this will be my 4th in the series - by some sort of coincidence roughly every 4 years.

Two problems, one is that I shall have to take lots of plastic off to transfer my heated-vest controller and wiring (together with my Tomtom mount), the other is that I'll have a brown ("Magnetic Bronze") top-box that may look a bit funny on a near-black bike, in which case I'll have to find someone to paint it suitably. The top-box, not the bike.

Hopefully it'll be first-serviced and fully run in (maybe not the full 20000 miles) before the end of May, when it (and I) will be winging our way (actually sailing) to Spain for a week's motorcycling.

(Click on image for larger view)



Yamaha publicity picture

 
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Congrats on the new ride! I can certainly understand your diminished enthusiasm and I hope the new ride may rejuvenate some of that for you. I've come the conclusion my next top box will be a Givi in plain black and color matching be damned!

Looking forward to the ride reports and reviews!

 
Congrats on getting a shiny new bike!
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You are clearly on the 'road to recovery' with every mile you travel. (Every journey begins with a single step) She is so happy you are 'Enjoying your bike'!
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Congrats on the New Bike!!, Before you start undoing all those wires, take Pictures, might make it a little easier on the reinstall. I know as I get older the memory doesn't work as well I hope it would :( Enjoy that trip to Spain, take lots of Pictures for us.

 
Thanks, guys.

Congrats on the New Bike!!, Before you start undoing all those wires, take Pictures, might make it a little easier on the reinstall. I know as I get older the memory doesn't work as well I hope it would :( Enjoy that trip to Spain, take lots of Pictures for us.
Fear ye not, I am the original picture-taker when pulling things apart. As an example, if you ever want to take the plastic off your 2006, I took these performing that exercise on my 2006.
Ps. There are currently 33218 publicly viewable photos on my web site :eek: .

 
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I had to put the lower front cover back on my 2015 last night after wiring up the cheap LED lights that I installed. Please tell me there is an easier way. I fiddled with that thing for 45 minutes and still didn't get it exactly right. There something about a lego bike where it just snaps together. It made me appreciate my Gen2 once again. Who ever came up with that idea of snapping panels together should be shot in my opinion.

Oh yeh, congrat's. The picture has bags?

Dave

 
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I know you've been through a lot and I truly wish nothing but the best for you but I'll admit, what you last posted selfishly crossed my mind. Your photo documentations and write-ups have been a tremendous addition to this forum. From the time I first dug into my Gen III I knew I could turn to your catalog of pics at any time should I need to. When I read that you'll now be straddling a new one with all the upgrades I did think how so many here will benefit from what's sure to come. See? Selfish. I'll admit it.
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That aside, good for you! Nice that you got the coolest color too. I think on this side though mine's called Liquid Graphite.

 
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Congrats on the new "automatic"! Sounds like it's pretty rare on the island so you won't be "seeing yourself' coming the other way anytime soon!

 
I had to put the lower front cover back on my 2015 last night ... and still didn't get it exactly right....

Oh yeh, congrat's. The picture has bags?

Dave
Not sure which panel you're referring to. I found they all seemed to want to go back properly - but obviously designed for easy factory assembly, not for subsequent removal.

Bags are standard on the "AS" and the "AE" (you'd call that the "ES" - see here about the nomenclature), but apparently not now on the "A", at least in the UK.

I know you've been through a lot and I truly wish nothing but the best for you ... I knew I could turn to your catalog of pics at any time should I need to.... See? Selfish. I'll admit it.
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...
Not selfish. I publish what I do to try to repay some of the help and knowledge (let alone the amusement and exasperation) I've received from this forum over the last 12 years.

Congrats...... and whats even cooler is that you sail with your "sicle". Nice!!

Must be nice to get color choices. Wishing you the best and I'm kinda jealous of the trip to Spain.

Congrats Mac, enjoy the new FJR!

BTW...we'll expect lots of new pics too!!
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--G
Yeah, I expect there will be a few piccies.

Congrats on the new "automatic"! Sounds like it's pretty rare on the island so you won't be "seeing yourself' coming the other way anytime soon!
Quite rare. As is the FJR in general, it's unusual for me to see one. [bTW, you're not supposed to call it an automatic]

If anyone on the forum deserves a new FJR tis you!
Not sure if "deserve" is the right word, but anyway ...

Ride the wheels off of it Mac!!
Thanks for all your good words, hope my enjoyment of it lives up to expectations.

 
Is the European market for the FJR that much better that they would offer 3 colours over there and only 1 in North America?

 
LDViking posted: Is the European market for the FJR that much better that they would offer 3 colours over there and only 1 in North America?
Yes.

 
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