First Good Ride and First Bad Occurance

[raitchison]

So today I took the FJR for it's first good (length) ride, other than the ~20 miles home from the dealer and the quick 60 mile local trip I took on Friday this was my first opportunity to stretch out the bike.

Background: On my Intruder I would avoid any ride that took me much past 100 miles, my legs would cramp up and my tailbone would suffer. The longest ride I ever took was ~120 miles and I hated it (for about a week). The ability to go on longer rides was one of the major reasons I was looking for a new bike to begin with.

Decided to take it up Angeles Crest Highway, I've not ridden that road before, but based on Google Maps I figured I could turn around to make the ride as long or as short as I wanted to. Was planning on going about 60 miles and then see how it felt.

Got up to Angeles Crest and started riding up, IMO the road is one of the few (that I've ridden) that live up to the hype. Traffic was light and there weren't tons of police. Plenty of bike but no squid behavior.

When I got to the 60 mile point I decided that I felt great so I decided to keep going. The road wasn't quite as good from this point but it was still and above average road. Apparently I missed the turn I was planning on taking because I found myself crossing a road I use when I drive to Vegas. Since I know what's past there (jack squat) I decided to hop on this road and head back, this was at about the 100 mile mark so I knew I was at about halfway, still felt great, on the Intruder I already would have been too focused on my own discomfort to enjoy myself.

Decided to just blast home on the freeways, didn't take long at all and the total ride ended up being exactly 190 miles. Admittedly the last ~20 miles I was getting some leg cramps. I think the seat is in the "low" position, I will change that to high before my next ride and see if that's enough to prevent that. I only took a couple of short stops so I think if I had a lunch break or something I could have gone a lot further without issue.

All in all, my impression is something that you all I'm sure already know. The FJR eats miles like they're Wheaties, such a complete night and day difference. Even in the 100 degree desert heat fully geared up (mesh) I wasn't too hot. This bike has opened up for me soo many options for me.

So now the bad news, when I got home I parked the bike on the street to let it coll down. When I went to put it in the garage and I took it off the center stand I wasn't ready for the weight, it got away from me and fell straight on the curb. Luckily no fairing damage (my new AES frame sliders have already paid for themselves) but the right saddle bag is scratched pretty fierce . I'm going to wait a few months to make sure I won't be making any more similar boneheaded mistakes before I take the bag to an auto body shop to have it fixed and repainted. In the mean time I think I'll just use black colored wax to make it less noticeable (as it is it's really obvious as it's scratched well into the white plastic)

 

[UHOH]

Good show. Congrats. Had mine since fall '03.

Can't relate to having had a prior bike that you'd only ride 100 miles; but that's history.

Center stand. I use center stand for service and maintenance. If it's summer and sunny I position the bikes shadow

so it shields the side stand - means the stand doesn't sink into hot asphalt; sun light heating the asphalt = soft asphalt.

But also carry a bar coaster to put under side stand as a last resort if sun and bike shadow position don't cooperate. Works.

(Some peeps use a squashed pop can.)

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Glad you are enjoying the honeymoon phase of fjr ownership. Unfortunately its a heavy steed when stopped or very slow maneuvers.

May I suggest using the forum paint guru, Gerauld for getting your bag repainted, very reasonable and does great work.

 

[Graham Downunder]

Good to see you are enjoying it . My advice when you pull up just pull the clutch in while in gear then lower the sidestand . I see no need to use the centre stand unless to check oil ,cleaning bike .

I ride long distances sometimes 17 hours so here is a few tips to do about every 1/2 hour

lift your bum out of the seat for about 30 seconds dosen't have to be high up just an inch or two

remove one leg at a time and flex it about straightening the knee joint out

move you head round

flex your finger and toes

move your eyes about force your eyes to blink, seriuosly it reduces eye strain

All the above help with the circulation of fresh and used blood in your system.

Carry a few sweet lolies in case you blood sugar goses low . Eye drops in case something gets in your eye

YOUR favourite painkiller in case.

Happy riding and remember if you get tired stop have a break .

 

[Ari Rankum]

Sorry about the crunch. And I agree with another poster - I've seen some shots of Garauld's work - looks good. You could also search through some of Madmike2's posts. He's done some great work with bedliner. His bags look really slick, and I'd guess it cost him about 10 bucks to do. His is black on blue. Black on black would work just as well, if not better.

Too, WheatonFJR made a hella call on those sliders. He saved you several hundred bucks on fairing plastic, I figger.

 

[JET]

When bringiong the bike down off the center stand were you sitting on it or standing off to the side? I use the center stand alot, and when I take it off the center stand I'm sitting on the bike and just roll it forward. I also use the front brake to ease it off the stand so I can control my forward movement and it just eases forward very nicely.

This is my first bike with a center stand. I always park it in my garage using the center stand, and if I'm on the road and it's going to sit overnight I use it. Otherwise I use the side stand.

 

[dannymax]

When bringiong the bike down off the center stand were you sitting on it or standing off to the side? I use the center stand alot, and when I take it off the center stand I'm sitting on the bike and just roll it forward. I also use the front brake to ease it off the stand so I can control my forward movement and it just eases forward very nicely.

Same thing I do....it's way too easy for the bike to get off balance when you're standing beside it....and there's just no catching this thing!

 

[Fred W]

Congrats on the new bike, and learning to ride it longer distances.

One thing about the leg cramping, it is exacerbated by dehydration. At the 100 mile mark, when you are still feeling good, take a nice break and be sure to rehydrate, even if you don't feel thirsty. This will help stave off the leg cramps.

And a little Vitamin I if you are already feeling crampy, can work wonders. As your body becomes more accustomed to the riding position you'll be able to ride further and longer without cramping, so long as you remain well hydrated.

On the bike whoopsie... Oh well shit happens. You bought the bike to ride, not look at right? You can fix it, or not. Won't effect how well it drives.

PS - The other advice on center stand use is spot on:

Only bring the bike down off the center while seated on it.

Use it only for maintenance and cleaning, not parking.

If you're worried about the side stand sinking into the asphalt get a WynPro Bigfoot!! Works great.

 

[raitchison]

When bringiong the bike down off the center stand were you sitting on it or standing off to the side? I use the center stand alot, and when I take it off the center stand I'm sitting on the bike and just roll it forward. I also use the front brake to ease it off the stand so I can control my forward movement and it just eases forward very nicely.

I was standing next to it, in the future when parking it there I will definitely use the side stand. I had been using the center stand because it's more stable and I figured it was less prone to falling over, I guess that statement is true but there is also an asterisk with some fine print as well.

This is my first bike with a center stand. I always park it in my garage using the center stand, and if I'm on the road and it's going to sit overnight I use it. Otherwise I use the side stand.

I'm in the same boat, never had a bike with a center stand before, I need to use it in the garage because space is at a premium but at least there it can't fall over (sits 2" from my work bench)

 

[wheatonFJR]

Glad you had a good ride.

Sorry about the woopsie. I remember how angry I was at myself the first time that happened to me.

However, bad that seems and how angry you were...THAT is not the bad occurence I thought I was going to read about. I'm just glad I got to the end of the thread and you weren't in the hospital.

I second Forum member Garauld's work. Top notch. He is truly one of the great resources of this forum.

 

[Speedygg]

So none of you use the center stand at the gas station when filling up? I personally usually stay on the bike during fill-ups. I have read however that proper iron butt technique is to get off the bike during fill-ups in order to stretch you legs. Now that I have started doing more LD rides, I am trying to get in the habit of getting off the bike while juicing up. It sure is a pain though getting it on the center stand, especially when near end of 1k ride.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I always use the centerstand to fill up.

I am ALWAYS on the bike when I take it off the centerstand.

 

[Fred W]

And then, OTOH, I never use the center stand for fill ups. I really wouldn't want to be bothered with that.

Sometimes I will pull up close to the pump and sit on the bike while I fill it with it leaning on its sidestand.

Sometimes I will intentionally park on the right side of the gas pump (pump to my left) a little further away, with enough space to dismount, and then fill the bike while standing.

I have found that if I fill the bike on the side stand until the fuel is backing up the fill pipe, and then stand the bike straight up, I can't get any appreciable amount more fuel in the tank. Others seem to report differently, not sure why. Maybe regional differences in the pump shutoff devices or vapor recovery doo-dads?

 

[wnyfjr]

I also fill up while on the bike. I figure if I am stopping long enough for a break, I fill up at the pump then roll to an empty area and park/dismount. Not sure it gets me much more fuel, but I flat-foot the bike while filling to get the tank level (keep the side stand deployed while doing this, so I don't drop the bike back against the pump if I get sloppy).

I have, however, dropped the bike while climbing aboard, so I know the feeling. I misjudged where I thought my right foot was going to touch down (seems there was a slight drop-off on the right side of the bike) and I got it too far over-center to stop it from going down. Scratched the right bag, the right turn signal lens and cracked the right mirror stem. No sliders at that time (wasn't technically my bike, so no farkling was done). And when I got my current bike, I was painfully aware of every scuff and scratch I inflicted on it. Now I look at them all as experiences me and the bike have had together. I worry about them a lot less now. She starts, she runs strong and the miles melt away. THAT's what I bought her for!

 

[raitchison]

I second Forum member Garauld's work. Top notch. He is truly one of the great resources of this forum.

Yeah I was reading some of the threads talking about his stuff & work and will definitely be calling on him when the time comes. Probably get some tail cones while I'm at it

 

[Speedygg]

It's a relief to hear that others also fill up while on the bike. To be honest, that is the only way I have ever filled up other than the few times recently. Quite honestly, if feels awkward getting off to fill.

For those that are used to filling up while OFF the bike, please do not change your habits based on this thread. You have to be very cautious when putting nozzle in tank to ensure backwash does not splatter on your beautiful tank or worse yet...your clothes. Not something most girls want to smell (at least not the ones to bring home to mom and dad h34r: )

 

[wheatonFJR]

I never fill up on the bike...I just never felt comfortable with that.

I am always ready to stretch my legs or get an ice tea or something anyways by that time, so I am always off the bike.

 

[dbx]

I had been using the center stand because it's more stable and I figured it was less prone to falling over, I guess that statement is true but there is also an asterisk with some fine print as well.

I consider the centerstand to be less stable than the side stand, so I only use the centerstand in my garage during maintenance, when necessary. On the sidestand, most of the bike's weight is on the wheels, where it belongs, while on the centerstand most of the bike's weight is on two small metal contact patches.

Also, I have never considered staying on the bike during fueling. It just seems too dangerous to me. Yes, I know, everything about riding is dangerous, but this is a risk I can control. I've experienced two burst fuel hoses and a valve that didn't shut off until it felt like it. The first two instances resulted in multiple gallons of fuel spilling on the ground, while the third instance only wasted a gallon or two. Even so, had I been sitting on a bike I would have been pretty darned helpless and unable to step back quickly.

 

[networkguy]

Im too short to get the bike off the center stand while on it. While its up I couldnt touch the pavement lol.

As far as filling up, I get off and use the side stand. I once filled on the side stand till full, then put it up on center stand and got about another .2 maybe .3 gallons in. For me its not worth the hassle of the center stand for an extra 5-10 miles worth of gas.