I'm looking to change from my current '05 FJR to a newer one with the AE "clutchless" system. What are people's long-term experiences with the reliability/maintenance issues with the AE model? (I'm considering the AE due to medical issues that are limiting my left foot flexibility.) Seems like folks that have the AE get used to the "paddle shifter" pretty quickly. Any other things I should be looking out for in the change to the next generation FJR would be greatly appreciated.
I'm on my second. I got an '06 when they first came out, I got a '10 when Yamaha appeared to be dropping the AS (as it's known this side of the pond) from 2011. It'll be my last bike, I wanted as new as possible.
Problems with the first? One. A rogue error, SH__35 error. I wrote it up
here. Never resolved, but it went away, and it didn't stop the bike running at all.
And I had a dry clutch, but that is not YCCS specific, and
relatively easily resolved.
I'd done just under 25000 miles with no other reliability issues.
I need the AS/AE, the little finger on my left hand gives me agony if I have to use a clutch for more than the odd gear-change. Any heavy traffic and it's done for, YCCS saved my motorcycling career.
Downsides? Slow speed manoeuvres need a different technique than a conventional, and I agree with bigjimbiker about blipping the throttle and the green light (I made a
gismo that, amongst other things, selects the hand gearchange whenever the ignition is turned on).
Advantages include a built-in launch control. Just open the throttle, the bike accelerates. How much? Simply depends on how far you wind the throttle, but anyone can achieve a 4 second 0-60 time every time (road surface permitting). Ok, not quite as quick as a conventional, the computer won't let the engine rev so high as the clutch engages as a human might. Still VERY impressive, and gives a lot of confidence when squirting into a traffic stream (but make sure your tyres are warmed up!).
Also it is virtually impossible to stall. You can (if you really want) move from rest in 5th gear. Won't accelerate very quickly, but there is no risk of the engine stopping. Has an advantage when you've forgotten to get all the way down the 'box, and the lights go green, a 2nd gear start is certainly no embarrassment. And if you find you do need to change down, just flip the paddle, it will clunk into the lower gear and just accelerate, no question of fluffing the gear change.
Having had the '06 and the '10, I would recommend going for an '08 or later, the more conventional throttle cam I find much easier at low speeds or coming out of corners.
