2013 FJR - Product announced!

[Chiefblueman]

My pleasure Gixxer, always good to hear from an alumnus of the other best bike site. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Goes for the rest of you knuckleheads. Gixxer, if you ever make it up my way I've got a well sorted Fizzy you can ride for old times sake. :bye:

 

[CopB8]

If I missed this in the hours of reading i've done on this forum then sorry and fire away. But it seems that one of the early '13 buyers here posted that the cruise was limited to 80mph. However I noticed in the piece about the design philosophy of the bike that they posted the following specification:

Cruise control: Enables the rider to set the cruise speed (in 3rd and higher gears) in the range of 50 km/h to 180 km/h.

This seems to indicate that it should be able to be set all the way up to 112mph. Or did they adjust it for our letigious US market?

Yes, you missed it.

Yes, it is different for the U.S. bikes. The info you have is from the European model.

Thanks for the clarification Redfish. I guess that gives us some hope that we can somehow get the European ECU flash sometime in the future.

 

[dirttracker30]

If I missed this in the hours of reading i've done on this forum then sorry and fire away. But it seems that one of the early '13 buyers here posted that the cruise was limited to 80mph. However I noticed in the piece about the design philosophy of the bike that they posted the following specification:

Cruise control: Enables the rider to set the cruise speed (in 3rd and higher gears) in the range of 50 km/h to 180 km/h.

This seems to indicate that it should be able to be set all the way up to 112mph. Or did they adjust it for our letigious US market?

Yes, you missed it.

Yes, it is different for the U.S. bikes. The info you have is from the European model.

Thanks for the clarification Redfish. I guess that gives us some hope that we can somehow get the European ECU flash sometime in the future.

Right now, the cruise issue is what is holding me back on a 13

 

[shewstring]

I come from sportbikes though so I know what truly useless looks like.

This ^

I've found my Gen II mirrors to be quite functional. Maybe it's all what you are used to. Surely these have to be more functional than a pair of Harley mirrors. I'd imagine with them attached to the paint shaker that you shouldn't be able to see a thing.

I agree about the improvement over sportbike mirrors, but they could be better. But, that is a minor gripe with such a great bike. I rode a BMW R1200RT recently and it had the low mount mirrors like my ST1300. Completely 100% useless. You could see nothing. We found that lots of the R1200RTs have been retrofitted with BMW bar mounted mirrors. My friend bought a set of these (not cheap!) and now can see what is behind him. I believe it is impossible to build any bike that fits everyone perfectly.

I don't have to imagine about the Harley mirrors. At certain RPM ranges, they are just as clear as anything else. Harley has that motor engineered to be quite pleasant at highway cruise speeds. At other speeds, useless is accurate. For example if stopped at a red light, don't even consider looking into them.

I would agree, after coming off a Victory touring Cross Roads, the mirrors on the FJR Gen II or III are marvelous pieces of hardware, you can still see something behind at 60 without such shake that your eyeballs get tangled. I would note that the view in the mirrors is not as distorted by being convex as much as I've see on other bikes - still gives you a reasonable shot at guessing distance.

 

[JimNtexas]

This happens to me almost every time I ride.










In my dreams anyway.

 

[Fontanaman]

Well I have a gorgeous wife waiting at home for me each time I ride and sometimes she even goes with me.

The video is a crock - need to focus the bike more.

All of us 50 somethings look like that dude.....

 

[juniorfjr]

All of us 50 somethings look like that dude.....

I was thinking the same thing. He definitly looks old enough to fit right in here. He looks a little "malnourished" to join this group though. If he gets in on a few RTE's he'll catch up.

 

[escapefjrtist]

All of us 50 somethings look like that dude.....

I was thinking the same thing. He definitly looks old enough to fit right in here. He looks a little "malnourished" to join this group though. If he gets in on a few RTE's he'll catch up.

:lol:

All of our rides (both types) look like that too!

--G

 

[GL4435]

Well, that explains why so many FJR motorcycles are sold in dealerships across the USA, it is obviously their comprehensive and informative video presentations.

 

[shewstring]

Ok brought FJR #65 home today - 10 mile ride. Comparisons from 2012 FJR.

-Wind - needs an after market windshield or taller - I have a CeeBaileys +3 curved on the 2012 - at this point the 2013 is no comparison to wind adjustment there

-Seat - same

-Engine - Wow! Oh so smooth - no vibration perceived

-Gauges - love the visibility - still need to play -

-Suspension - seems to handle a little sharper than the 2012 - easier transitions

-Transmission - seems to shift smoother - more snick - less clunk

-Brakes - hmmm...seems like we are missing some grip power here vs. the 2012 - maybe just needs some break-in time

You know what the 2013 looks like from Fairliner's awesome pics, so I'll get some pics of my pair in the sun. The wife gets the 2012. Now, if we could just hold the white stuff back a few weeks might be able to get some miles on it yet this year.

Thanks for the feedback, short and succinct. Keep 'em coming. I"m really itching for one of these but my 07 is nicely dialed in with a Hagon rear shock and PC-V so trying to figure out if the extra $8-9k is really worth it. Pleased to hear the motor is smoother, wondering about the need for pressure on the bars to maintain a corner. I'm thinking this is more a function of the tires than the frame or suspension. The comments so far on the windshield were very positive, with no indication of a need to replace. Guess this depends to a large degree on rider shape and size.

Kinda sorry to see the apparent cost cutting on the front forks. I wonder if it's worth swapping in a Gen IIs forks? I'll be moving over some of my farkles if I get a Gen III, wouldn't be that hard to swap fork tubes.

After a 3 hour ride and then a back to back ride of the 2012, here's some more observations between a II & III:

-Handling - simply the Gen III corners with little effort on twisties - after getting off the 2012 and hopping on the GenIII, you have to be careful not to short corner. Some say it is the tires - could be - the 2012 runs Bridgestone Battlax BT-021s, the 2013 is using Bridgestone Battlax BT-023s. The 023s use a new silica compound. Also, the front suspension on the Gen II in particular seems much softer than the Gen III - the wife has already declared to keep my paws off adjusting the 2012 - she likes it soft (age has effects - oh, that's another topic)

-Power - I know the thought is that Yamaha only did a small increase in power (3-4HP) over the Gen II, but it sure feels more than that compared to the Gen II. It may be just the power delivery is so linear.

-Vibration - wasn't my imagination - on the Gen III - slab speeds create zero vibration in the bars or pegs. Used the cruise for 20 miles of the ride, works simply awesome - the fly by wire just rocks.

-The differences between the two bikes are more precision and refinement than earth shattering, I guess whether you Gen Iers or the bastard Gen IIers find refinement in your wine important would determine if you would be willing to part with your wallets for the Gen III.

 

[SkooterG]

-Handling - simply the Gen III corners with little effort on twisties - after getting off the 2012 and hopping on the GenIII, you have to be careful not to short corner. Some say it is the tires - could be - the 2012 runs Bridgestone Battlax BT-021s, the 2013 is using Bridgestone Battlax BT-023s. The 023s use a new silica compound.

It's the tires. I just took off that original worn out POS 021 off my 09 and replaced it with an 023. Completely different bike. I've never experienced such a difference in handling going from one tire to another.

 

[shewstring]

It's the tires. I just took off that original worn out POS 021 off my 09 and replaced it with an 023. Completely different bike. I've never experienced such a difference in handling going from one tire to another.

ScooterG,

Yeah, thanks for confirming that hunch, the difference is un-real. I thought the 021s weren't bad until you see what the 023s do.

 

[xcsp]

-Handling - simply the Gen III corners with little effort on twisties - after getting off the 2012 and hopping on the GenIII, you have to be careful not to short corner. Some say it is the tires - could be - the 2012 runs Bridgestone Battlax BT-021s, the 2013 is using Bridgestone Battlax BT-023s. The 023s use a new silica compound.

It's the tires. I just took off that original worn out POS 021 off my 09 and replaced it with an 023. Completely different bike. I've never experienced such a difference in handling going from one tire to another.

Well, that's saves us Gen I & Gen II owners a pile of cash, just get a set of fresh tires and all is good!!! Now if cruise control was just plug & play on previous Gen bikes...

 

[bgross]

It's European. Loses a bit in translation.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I actually really like this video.

It's a marketing video...imo pretty good, makes me want to buy one and learn more about the bike.

If you want to learn the ins and outs of the bike, there are others out there.

 

[wheatonFJR]

After a 3 hour ride and then a back to back ride of the 2012, here's some more observations between a II & III:

-Handling - simply the Gen III corners with little effort on twisties - after getting off the 2012 and hopping on the GenIII, you have to be careful not to short corner. Some say it is the tires - could be - the 2012 runs Bridgestone Battlax BT-021s, the 2013 is using Bridgestone Battlax BT-023s. The 023s use a new silica compound. Also, the front suspension on the Gen II in particular seems much softer than the Gen III - the wife has already declared to keep my paws off adjusting the 2012 - she likes it soft (age has effects - oh, that's another topic)

-Power - I know the thought is that Yamaha only did a small increase in power (3-4HP) over the Gen II, but it sure feels more than that compared to the Gen II. It may be just the power delivery is so linear.

-Vibration - wasn't my imagination - on the Gen III - slab speeds create zero vibration in the bars or pegs. Used the cruise for 20 miles of the ride, works simply awesome - the fly by wire just rocks.

-The differences between the two bikes are more precision and refinement than earth shattering, I guess whether you Gen Iers or the bastard Gen IIers find refinement in your wine important would determine if you would be willing to part with your wallets for the Gen III.

We need photos of you and you honey on your 2012 and 2013 FJRs! :clapping:

 

[MCRIDER007]

-Handling - simply the Gen III corners with little effort on twisties - after getting off the 2012 and hopping on the GenIII, you have to be careful not to short corner. Some say it is the tires - could be - the 2012 runs Bridgestone Battlax BT-021s, the 2013 is using Bridgestone Battlax BT-023s. The 023s use a new silica compound.

It's the tires. I just took off that original worn out POS 021 off my 09 and replaced it with an 023. Completely different bike. I've never experienced such a difference in handling going from one tire to another.

Sounds like SkooterG is starting to realize how good the GEN II's really are ....wait until he upgrades the suspension on his 09!

I didn't know the 12's came with BT-021s, my 08 C14 had those crap tires and like SkooterG, I had never experienced such a difference in both ride and handling when I upgraded to PR2s. Fortunately it didn't take that long because I hit the wear bars on the BT-021s in 3500 miles. I think Kawasaki could have sold a lot more C14s if they would have been delivered with decent tires....the magazine testers certainly didn't like the tires but they blamed the bike for the handling shortcomings. Oddly enough, the C14 GEN II model that came out in 2010 still had BT-021s but they were different tires.....lasted twice as long and were almost as good as the PR2s....and that is when the C14 started winning the sport-touring shootouts.

 

[1catquak]

This one puts me in the mood to ride.

 

[Fontanaman]

+1 much better.

 

[20valves]

:fan_1: