Coming from BMW GSA ..questions

[HotRodZilla]

I'm 63, the GSA is just too tall and top heavy for me. I motox raced when I was young and if people think the GSA is even a sometimes dirt bike they are kidding themselves. It is basically a touring bike with very marginal off road capacity. Might as well have a touring bike like the FJR and a dedicated dirt bike for the same price.

I'm just interested in a sport touring bike that is fun to ride long distance and not too tall for my 30" inseam....not interested in doing anymore off road stuff.

Ha! Wrong!! The GSA is an awesome off-road bike, and very capable in that capacity. Is it a 300lb motocross bike? No, but with it's power to weight ratio and a capable rider, there's almost nowhere you couldn't go on one. I ride with guys that hammer those things.

Now...As far as being heavy and frigging tall, that's understandable, as those are the reasons I haven't bought one. My brother's is just too big for me. If I was more capable, it prolly wouldn't be an issue, but that's my problem, not the bike's.

 

[El Toro]

I'm 63, the GSA is just too tall and top heavy for me. I motox raced when I was young and if people think the GSA is even a sometimes dirt bike they are kidding themselves. It is basically a touring bike with very marginal off road capacity. Might as well have a touring bike like the FJR and a dedicated dirt bike for the same price.

I'm just interested in a sport touring bike that is fun to ride long distance and not too tall for my 30" inseam....not interested in doing anymore off road stuff.

Amen.

FWIW, my pants inseam is 29" and I do not have any trouble flat footing my Gen II FJR. I put the seat in the lower of the two positions, and I have a Russell seat. One of the keys to being able to flatfoot the bike is that I've got custom orthotics in my boots, and this gives me another half an inch to touch down. It also makes the boots comfortable for walking at the destination.

FWIW, I bought a new 2009 R1200GS back in 2009 and that was one of the bikes that only lasted in my garage for a 3,000 mile test ride. I could never get comfortable on that bike. Too tall, and too prone to CNS (crunched nuts syndrome). I tried assorted aftermarket seats and finally just traded the bike on a K1300S.

Other bikes that only lasted 3,000 to 4,000 miles were the 2007 Norge and the 2012 K1600 GTL. Most other bikes survive at least for 10,000 miles before my fickle nature turns them out, or they get replaced by their updated latest model.

I think you'll like the FJR. Its a great value, its simple to maintain, and it is genuinely sporty when you take the bags off. Bags on, and it is a worthy, if not luggage challenged, touring bike.

 

[Twray]

Turtle Gears, there is something inherently wrong with me I'm small and don't like the GSA I sold. You have a GS it is shorter and lighter, the most sold BMW in Europe, not the GSA.

Just curious on which bike you ride the most. Thanks for the info on what can be run off the alternator.

 

[Twray]

El Toro, what did you not like about the BMW 1600?

 

[El Toro]

El Toro, what did you not like about the BMW 1600?

There was a thread here the other day about that bike, and there appear to be a fair number who would disagree with me, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

I honestly did not feel any thrill in it. Now mind you, I don't see the FJR as a thrilling ride either ... but in my opinion, the K1600 was no more thrilling than the FJR. This isn't really all that surprising if you look at the specs. Both bikes have similar weight to power ratios. The GT and the GTL are actually very similar in power (same state of tune, slightly different DTC profile choices), and they are also very similar in weight (the lower GT weight spec is with the bags removed). So the argument that the GT is an FJR beater and the GTL isn't is purely wishful thinking in my opinion.

From the first day of ownership, I had seller's remorse for the two bikes I'd traded to get it (K1300S and Rocket III Touring, now both happily back in the stable). Even after careful break in, the K1600 never seemed like anything more than a very heavy FJR with more gadgets, and I could really feel the weight difference. I missed the K1300S's navel through the backbone acceleration. I missed the R3T's torque. I had the FJR, which was actually more fun in side by side ride comparisons.

The bike seemed top heavy at low speed. The rake and trail felt like my old ST1100. When the gadgets started to fail, BMW didn't have diagnostic cables in the US to trouble shoot, and that irked me. And then they didn't have the parts to do warranty repairs, that irked me even more.

I would ride the FJR on a 60 to 100 mile loop and then ride the K1600 on the same loop, and no matter which the order, unless it was cold or raining, I preferred the FJR. It felt more like a motorcycle. On longer rides, I liked the storage capacity on the K1600 ... in fact, when I used to come back from trips on my ST1100, I would always think wow - what great wind protection and what great on board storage, and I felt the same way about the K1600. What great wind protection. What great onboard storage. What wonderful gadgets.

It was fun to own the K1600. Everyone should have one once. It suits some folks better than others. I don't miss mine. I really like the FJR better. Of course YMMV.

 

[Effjay]

Having sold my BMW R1150GS a few weeks ago (still keeping my R1100S oilhead), I'm seriously considering a '13 FJR. I owned a Gen 1 '04 FJR from new but sold 3 yrs later and replaced with a new '07 R1200RT in search of better ergos for this aging Baby Boomer. OK, so now the RT is gone (with regrets) and the updated Gen 3 FJR features the ergos (adjustability, cruise control and more) which by ommission caused me to sell the '04.

Ironically, its been frustratingly difficult to show the 3 local county Yamaha dealers that I'm a serious buyer if they can get me one at a competitive price. Perhaps 'cus there are many leftover '10-13 FJRs in dealer stock (check Cycle Trader nationwide) with perhaps even more in Mama-Yama's whse inventory. The Gen 3 '13 is the model I want but its tempting to negotiate hard on a leftover with full (even demos) factory warranty.

 

[Twray]

I wouldn't call a GSA an awesome offroad bike at 600 lbs. An awesome offroad bike is less than half that weight. Kinda like comparing a Jeep Wrangler to 4 wheel drive Suburban.

 

[Fly Bye]

With a 30 inch inseam you will be on your toes, however the seat is adjustable and if it is not enough for you there are Kuba links and custom seat makers that will solve that problem.

INHO you can't beat the FJR.