FJR vs BMW K1600GT vs Triumph Trophy?

[Redfish Hunter]

...Sometimes you just get sick of ordering off the dollar menu and splurge on a #6...

If I ever feel like the FJR is like ordering off the dollar menu, I'll stop riding it...and I wouldn't keep it in my garage either.

I doubt that was exactly what he was saying. The FJR is a first class ride and for me is the standard I use to judge every motorcycle I see.

I have owned a dollar menu bike. If any of you can relate to money being tight, you will understand. Laugh if you want, but I owned a Suzuki Katana 750, that is definitely a dollar menu bike. I wanted either an FJR or a Honda ST but I could not afford either. I bought the Suzuki, my Dad and Mom showed up when I picked it up and paid for my helmet and gloves as a gift. They later surprised me with the soft saddlebags to make it a proper "Sport Tourer". I was happy with it until...

The day I rode Dad's brand new '07 FJR home from the dealership, my whole life changed. The fit and finish, the beautiful styling, the smooth endless power, oh my... I could go on and on. I would never call Yamaha's flagship bike a dollar menu bike. That FJR forced me to re-align my priorities and has led me and Dad to some truly fantastic motorcycle vacations.

 

[odot]

\

Also, in my real world, $$ talks. I'm not paying that much more to ride a BMW. I will ride an FJR and know its the best.

But, if $$ is no problem to you, congrats.

...Sometimes you just get sick of ordering off the dollar menu and splurge on a #6...

If I ever feel like the FJR is like ordering off the dollar menu, I'll stop riding it...and I wouldn't keep it in my garage either.

Um, what? Not following ya there, dude.....

 

[Top_Speed1]

Hey Red, I had a Katana 1100 back in the day, heck I think every burger was under a buck then?

I really liked it! But in comparison to today's bikes... hehe, nada jhada

 

[mingo]

As I've posted before, I had a BMW K1600GT and what a great engine it has.. too bad the transmission is worse than agricultural and the drive line lash is distressingly loud and very noticeable and annoying.. In addition to a multitude of quality and design flaws, I got rid of it... (funny how the motopress loved the bike and barely if ever mentioned the clunky tranny or drive line lash..)

Here's a brave chap in New Zealand who sued in court and the court awarded him his money back on the bike as it was found to be deficient.. BMW Dealer says it's part of the bike's "character".. This is not to be confused with a one off defective bike.. ..

Info here:

https://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-tech-performance-chat/7212-driveline-clunk-court-decision.html

 

[garyahouse]

As I've posted before, I had a BMW K1600GT and what a great engine it has.. too bad the transmission is worse than agricultural and the drive line lash is distressingly loud and very noticeable and annoying.. In addition to a multitude of quality and design flaws, I got rid of it... (funny how the motopress loved the bike and barely if ever mentioned the clunky tranny or drive line lash..)
Here's a brave chap in New Zealand who sued in court and the court awarded him his money back on the bike as it was found to be deficient.. BMW Dealer says it's part of the bike's "character"..

This is not to be confused with a one off defective bike.. ..

Info here:

https://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-tech-performance-chat/7212-driveline-clunk-court-decision.html

GREAT POST

I love it. Mingo, you da man. For me, the FJR is the cat's meow. It's just plain got it all. Truth be told, most of us don't have money to burn. If ya own a bike for any length of time, you're gonna have to fix it. Mingo, you hit the nail right on the head.

BIG BUCKS

The cost of owning a bike goes far beyond coughing up yer hard earned dollars at the stealership. The question is, what does it actually cost to own it year after year? There are a bunch of us that take the bike up to the dealer for maintenance. Personally, I don't, but we all know that BMW is insanely expensive when it comes to this. Most of us have our share of bills to pay. If'n yer like me, the FJR just MAKES SENSE.

THE RIGHT STUFF

Consider the competetition: which one costs more to buy, more to maintain, and more to farkle? FJR's have been around for awhile and there are a number of reasonably priced farkles available, not to mention used stuff. Try that with your new Beem or Trumpet. And now we've got an even better new Gen FJR with even more great stuff, and still at a great price...

THE FJR FORUM

Being part of this forum's the best part of owning an FJR. Fine, go get cher boots... Besides all this, where else can ya go to get insulted with class by such a great bunch of guys (did I just say that?) every time ya wanna ask a question, or get some advice? Dis here is da place to be.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[jayke]

I'll make it simple

$$ vs $$$$$$ vs $$$

I went with a '13 $$

 

[Geno]

I got to drool all over that new Trophy, and just like all the rest of you kids out there, thought about trading my Feej for some "strange". Seeing it in person, that thing seems HUGE compared to the FJR, plus it's even heavier, plus it's 5K more money. From a bit of a distance, it doesn't look that much different, either. Pretty hard to beat the Feej the more you think about it.

 

[art miller]

The FJR is a pig in the tight twisties compared to the sportbikes...and you want to buy a much heavier bike? I guess that must define how you like to ride...straight and fast? Even a GoldWing handles nicely in sweepers, but I wouldn't own one...not if the FJR is around. The 1600GT is in the GW's class...not the FJR's.

Oh crap. What is the world coming to. I don't have a single thing to contradict Mark on here.

To re-iterate, the FJR is already an overweight pig (which we all choose to ignore like the emperors new clothes).

Why on earth would anyone want a bigger pig? If you want to go for th absolute maximum 2-wheel gluttony, then the premium, deluxe, whale bike is still the HondaPotomus, and at about the same price as the Beeeemer.

When I start shopping for that clas of bike, I think I'll switch gears and start looking at sport convertible four wheelers. A nice low mile Ferarri 308 would work for an old fucker that doesn't know any better, eh? At least they come with heat and AC.

Stay away from the 308, it is a pig as well! I had a '72 Datsun 240Z slightly modified and it would clean the clock of the pussy boys in their Ferarri 308's. Try a Honda S2000. That is equivalent to a FJR on 4 wheels.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Get a 96 Nissan 300z with the twin turbos and Super HICAS...that car is bad ass. I don't remember what Super HICAS stands for, but it sounds bitchen. Don't it??

 

[RadioHowie]

The FJR is a pig in the tight twisties compared to the sportbikes...and you want to buy a much heavier bike? I guess that must define how you like to ride...straight and fast? Even a GoldWing handles nicely in sweepers, but I wouldn't own one...not if the FJR is around. The 1600GT is in the GW's class...not the FJR's.

Oh crap. What is the world coming to. I don't have a single thing to contradict Mark on here.

To re-iterate, the FJR is already an overweight pig (which we all choose to ignore like the emperors new clothes).

Why on earth would anyone want a bigger pig? If you want to go for th absolute maximum 2-wheel gluttony, then the premium, deluxe, whale bike is still the HondaPotomus, and at about the same price as the Beeeemer.

When I start shopping for that clas of bike, I think I'll switch gears and start looking at sport convertible four wheelers. A nice low mile Ferarri 308 would work for an old fucker that doesn't know any better, eh? At least they come with heat and AC.

Stay away from the 308, it is a pig as well! I had a '72 Datsun 240Z slightly modified and it would clean the clock of the pussy boys in their Ferarri 308's. Try a Honda S2000. That is equivalent to a FJR on 4 wheels.

ONLY if you're under 6 feet tall.

Long story short: I've been a Honda car owner since 1974. LOVE their cars...never had one of their bikes...

In ALL the ensuing decades, I hoped for...wished for...a modernized version of the old S500, S600 or S800 Honda sports car.

THEN, along comes 1999 and here comes the S2000! A Dream Come True for an old Honda-car fart such as myself.

I was at the local dealership the day the car was announced in the press, checkbook-in-hand, ready to buy. Then I sat in one and attempted to drive one....NO GO!

The rear-most driver's seat travel would accommodate someone about 5'10", maybe even 6-footers. But no way could I fit my 6'4" frame in one....OR put the soft-top up! I still curse my stature every time I see or pass one.

GREAT car...too effin' small.

Edit to add: Back in the late 90s, I was a regular subscriber to "Car and Driver" magazine. I clearly remember reading a 3-way comparo test between the Honda S2000, the BMW Z3 and the Porsche Boxster, both of which had been on the roads for a couple of years and were considered the "benchmarks" of two-seat, ":affordable" sportscars. The most lasting impression I got from the comparison was a quote from the article..."The S2000 will eat the BMW and Porsche for lunch and not even bother to spit out the bones."

Made me want one even more! Of course, Porsche upscaled the Boxster's anemic 2.5 liter flat six a couple of years later and BMW replaced the Z3 with the Z4.

 

[wheatonFJR]

The FJR is a pig in the tight twisties compared to the sportbikes...and you want to buy a much heavier bike? I guess that must define how you like to ride...straight and fast? Even a GoldWing handles nicely in sweepers, but I wouldn't own one...not if the FJR is around. The 1600GT is in the GW's class...not the FJR's.

Oh crap. What is the world coming to. I don't have a single thing to contradict Mark on here.

To re-iterate, the FJR is already an overweight pig (which we all choose to ignore like the emperors new clothes).

Why on earth would anyone want a bigger pig? If you want to go for th absolute maximum 2-wheel gluttony, then the premium, deluxe, whale bike is still the HondaPotomus, and at about the same price as the Beeeemer.

When I start shopping for that clas of bike, I think I'll switch gears and start looking at sport convertible four wheelers. A nice low mile Ferarri 308 would work for an old fucker that doesn't know any better, eh? At least they come with heat and AC.

Stay away from the 308, it is a pig as well! I had a '72 Datsun 240Z slightly modified and it would clean the clock of the pussy boys in their Ferarri 308's. Try a Honda S2000. That is equivalent to a FJR on 4 wheels.

ONLY if you're under 6 feet tall.

Long story short: I've been a Honda car owner since 1974. LOVE their cars...never had one of their bikes...

In ALL the ensuing decades, I hoped for...wished for...a modernized version of the old S500, S600 or S800 Honda sports car.

THEN, along comes 1999 and here comes the S2000! A Dream Come True for an old Honda-car fart such as myself.

I was at the local dealership the day the car was announced in the press, checkbook-in-hand, ready to buy. Then I sat in one and attempted to drive one....NO GO!

The rear-most driver's seat travel would accommodate someone about 5'10", maybe even 6-footers. But no way could I fit my 6'4" frame in one....OR put the soft-top up! I still curse my stature every time I see or pass one.

GREAT car...to effin' small.

For once...my short stature wins out...yeah for the little guy.

 

[mingo]

I got to drool all over that new Trophy, and just like all the rest of you kids out there, thought about trading my Feej for some "strange". Seeing it in person, that thing seems HUGE compared to the FJR, plus it's even heavier, plus it's 5K more money. From a bit of a distance, it doesn't look that much different, either. Pretty hard to beat the Feej the more you think about it.

Same here.. I sat on it, and was surrounded by acres of plastic... it's so bulbous.. it looks like a bloated 1200RT and it felt very top heavy... add the nearly non existent Triumph dealership network in my area... and the known reliability of the FJR and it was a no brainer for me, especially that I really wanted factory cruise on the FJR..

 

[CopB8]

I got to drool all over that new Trophy, and just like all the rest of you kids out there, thought about trading my Feej for some "strange". Seeing it in person, that thing seems HUGE compared to the FJR, plus it's even heavier, plus it's 5K more money. From a bit of a distance, it doesn't look that much different, either. Pretty hard to beat the Feej the more you think about it.

Yep. I was in the exact same boat. Jonesing for something different. Road the K1600GT and then went to the motorcycle show to climb all up in the stuff of the new Trophy (I'm already a Triumph owner). No change in my pulse whatsoever! Walked over to see the new '13 FJR for the first time and immediately fell back in love all over again. Bought one the next week.

 

[BanjoBoy]

As I've posted before, I had a BMW K1600GT and what a great engine it has.. too bad the transmission is worse than agricultural and the drive line lash is distressingly loud and very noticeable and annoying.. In addition to a multitude of quality and design flaws, I got rid of it... (funny how the motopress loved the bike and barely if ever mentioned the clunky tranny or drive line lash..)
Here's a brave chap in New Zealand who sued in court and the court awarded him his money back on the bike as it was found to be deficient.. BMW Dealer says it's part of the bike's "character"..

This is not to be confused with a one off defective bike.. ..

Info here:

https://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-tech-performance-chat/7212-driveline-clunk-court-decision.html

They shoulda given the jury summa that special BMW Koolaid!

 

[FastSpy]

The Lotus Evora will make child's toys of all those wanna-bees mentioned..

 

[RadioHowie]

Hmmm...lessee....Lotus Evora, $70,000. Honda S2000, $30,000.

Howzabout a Lotus Evora vs a Bugatti Veyron?

Danger-money on the Bugatti!

 

[FastSpy]

Hmmm...lessee....Lotus Evora, $70,000. Honda S2000, $30,000.
Howzabout a Lotus Evora vs a Bugatti Veyron?

Danger-money on the Bugatti!

Good comparison.. only the Bug will set you back $2M or 29 times as much deniro as the Lotus..

The Lotus fits right in with the $65K BMW M4 or $60K for the Boxster.. The S2000 is obviously the most economical and the one I'd pick over the other two.

The bug should be compared to the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

Top Speed 211 mph tested..

https://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/Top-Gear-drives-the-fastest-Ferrari-ever-2012-09-21

 

[oldryder]

I did a test ride on the BMW last summer. felt bigger but not heavier than my FJR and no faster. definitely was "buttery smooth" although I've never found the minimal vibes on my FJR objectionable.

My biggest issue with the BMW ownership is the likely cost of long term maintenance. IMHO The handlebar multi switch (which is admittedly a really innovative design) has "high failure rate expensive replacement part" written all over it. You'd also have to expect any normal dealer maintenance to require several hundred dollars per visit. If you ride a lot of miles annually it would be a costly component of your motorcycle hobby.

I liked it and if I had unlimited resources I'd probably own one along with several other bikes. For now I'll stick with my FJR.