rockiedog2
Active member
I am a FNG and realize that anything I say will be looked at with suspicion, justifiably. I also am aware of how easy it is to get into deep s*** here, and be forced to endure stinging public rebuke and unmerciful humiliation, so it is with some apprenhension that I write my impressions of the FJR after 10000 miles...emphasizing that I realize that anything negative that I might say about this forum's beloved FJR must be because of some sort of personality/physical defect.
This is my 2up/long trip bike. I made 2 trips on it this summer...the first 2500 miles as a sort of shake down cruise and the 2nd a 7000 mile/21 day trip out west, both with my traveling buddy Ellen, who weighs 98 pounds and is tough as nails. I replaced a Valkyrie with it cause I was tired of the weight/bulk/low speed handling. The FJR is sooo much easier to handle and in that respect I am perfectly happy with it.
I bought an AE cause it was cheap and that has turned out to be fine also, altho I didn't like it at first...my daily ride is a KLR and the clutch on it seems old fashioned and primitive now...for what I do the AE is fine, I never give that a thought anymore. Yeah it's not traditional or macho and won't make a good dragster but I don't care about any of that. The gas mileage has gradually increased from a 2up 70/75mph gps(75/80 speedo) of 36-38 mpg to 40-42 mpg. That's ok for such a rocket ship. The Valkyrie got 34 or so. Much better. The handling in general is addictive, as is the power. I like it that it's tuned for low and midrange torque. I really like the long range...I needed to be at the gas pump at 125 miles before. All in all, performance, handling, brakes, reliability and economy I am happy as hell.
My problems with it are mostly comfort/convenience related. The first trip we made with it bone stock except for Zumo 550, Starcom, and sliders, making note of what needed changing. I am 6' 1" and long in the leg(pity that's not the case with everything) and 190...so I lowered the pegs 1.5 inches, also put one of the fancy $300 top clamps on it to get the bars back nearer to where I wanted them...altho they are still too forward for my liking. Added a V Stream w/s, highway pegs, Throttle Meister, Cramp Buster, G2 Throttle Tamer, ECU upgrade for altitude sensor, Centech fuse block, and Gerbing hookups. Ellen's butt hurt so I cut up the back seat and put in Temperfoam inserts...I am ok with the stock front seat. I got the slack out of the throttle cables and adjusted the idle which made a huge difference in the driveability of the AE.
Then we took off for California on the 7000 mile trip. We used to do quite a few 600 mile days but don't now and this is the most obvious difference when riding the FJR. There isn't obvious discomfort while riding, but I find myself stopping way more often and taking longer breaks, and shutting down earlier, and more tired at the end of the day. Our max comfortable range per day has been reduced from 600 to about 500. Altho I seemingly adjusted to it by about 5000 total miles, it still just doesn't fit me and I don't think there is much more that can reasonably be done to it for that...short of longer cables and lines and radical repositioning of the handlebars/pegs.
The other thing that is so obvious is that the little things aren't convenient...there aren't many little spots to stuff things near to hand; there isn't any place much to attach bungees; it's just a little too clean for that; for me that sort of thing matters on a long trip and it gets annoying as hell to have to dig for everything in a stuffed tank bag.
The Yamaha luggage, particularly the sideboxes are just a POS, in my opinion. The sideopener design is part of the problem, the insert bags are way too stiff/thick/heavy and get hung in the lid when closing; the hinges are weak seeming and the lid has to be lifted to close, and the key only opening became a major PITA.
It's in the shop now, torn down, getting more mods...convenience and comfort related mostly. Did the Throttle Return Spring mod, took out the locking solenoid for the tiny little glove box, FZ-1 mirrors on order, installing one of Catfish's dash shelves to try to get things closer to hand, disconnected the retarded w/s auto retract, concentrating on reducing the hassle factor, getting the thing ready for E and I to ride it to Alaska come May. I guess 500 miles/day will be ok.
Best,
Joe
[SIZE=8pt]Admin Edit: Introduced paragraph breaks to prevent eye-bleeds.[/SIZE]
This is my 2up/long trip bike. I made 2 trips on it this summer...the first 2500 miles as a sort of shake down cruise and the 2nd a 7000 mile/21 day trip out west, both with my traveling buddy Ellen, who weighs 98 pounds and is tough as nails. I replaced a Valkyrie with it cause I was tired of the weight/bulk/low speed handling. The FJR is sooo much easier to handle and in that respect I am perfectly happy with it.
I bought an AE cause it was cheap and that has turned out to be fine also, altho I didn't like it at first...my daily ride is a KLR and the clutch on it seems old fashioned and primitive now...for what I do the AE is fine, I never give that a thought anymore. Yeah it's not traditional or macho and won't make a good dragster but I don't care about any of that. The gas mileage has gradually increased from a 2up 70/75mph gps(75/80 speedo) of 36-38 mpg to 40-42 mpg. That's ok for such a rocket ship. The Valkyrie got 34 or so. Much better. The handling in general is addictive, as is the power. I like it that it's tuned for low and midrange torque. I really like the long range...I needed to be at the gas pump at 125 miles before. All in all, performance, handling, brakes, reliability and economy I am happy as hell.
My problems with it are mostly comfort/convenience related. The first trip we made with it bone stock except for Zumo 550, Starcom, and sliders, making note of what needed changing. I am 6' 1" and long in the leg(pity that's not the case with everything) and 190...so I lowered the pegs 1.5 inches, also put one of the fancy $300 top clamps on it to get the bars back nearer to where I wanted them...altho they are still too forward for my liking. Added a V Stream w/s, highway pegs, Throttle Meister, Cramp Buster, G2 Throttle Tamer, ECU upgrade for altitude sensor, Centech fuse block, and Gerbing hookups. Ellen's butt hurt so I cut up the back seat and put in Temperfoam inserts...I am ok with the stock front seat. I got the slack out of the throttle cables and adjusted the idle which made a huge difference in the driveability of the AE.
Then we took off for California on the 7000 mile trip. We used to do quite a few 600 mile days but don't now and this is the most obvious difference when riding the FJR. There isn't obvious discomfort while riding, but I find myself stopping way more often and taking longer breaks, and shutting down earlier, and more tired at the end of the day. Our max comfortable range per day has been reduced from 600 to about 500. Altho I seemingly adjusted to it by about 5000 total miles, it still just doesn't fit me and I don't think there is much more that can reasonably be done to it for that...short of longer cables and lines and radical repositioning of the handlebars/pegs.
The other thing that is so obvious is that the little things aren't convenient...there aren't many little spots to stuff things near to hand; there isn't any place much to attach bungees; it's just a little too clean for that; for me that sort of thing matters on a long trip and it gets annoying as hell to have to dig for everything in a stuffed tank bag.
The Yamaha luggage, particularly the sideboxes are just a POS, in my opinion. The sideopener design is part of the problem, the insert bags are way too stiff/thick/heavy and get hung in the lid when closing; the hinges are weak seeming and the lid has to be lifted to close, and the key only opening became a major PITA.
It's in the shop now, torn down, getting more mods...convenience and comfort related mostly. Did the Throttle Return Spring mod, took out the locking solenoid for the tiny little glove box, FZ-1 mirrors on order, installing one of Catfish's dash shelves to try to get things closer to hand, disconnected the retarded w/s auto retract, concentrating on reducing the hassle factor, getting the thing ready for E and I to ride it to Alaska come May. I guess 500 miles/day will be ok.
Best,
Joe
[SIZE=8pt]Admin Edit: Introduced paragraph breaks to prevent eye-bleeds.[/SIZE]
Last edited by a moderator:
