Is the FJR the culmination of your dreams in a motorcycle?

[oldryder]

No.

I have an '05. I like it a lot but I'm a fussy bastard. The vast number of farkles for this bike should be a message to Yamaha that they have a great bike that still needs a lot of product development.

On the plus side:

great weather protection, adj. windshield a teriffic feature, enough room for a passenger, great looks, large saddle bags, good power for the class, ABS excellent

On the minus side:

buzzy engine thats a little weak, stock handle bar ergonomics are BAD, key required for saddle bag access, drive line lash, no electronics for long distance touring, no cruise control

make it better by:

tweak handlebar ergo's so most humans can use the stock set-up (fixed in GenII?) , copy a Kaw ZRX1200 engine, dump the shaft drive for a belt or chain, provide saddlebag access without key, option an electronics package, option a cruise control, leave the windshield position unchanged at shutdown

 

[Spook]

No.I have an '05. I like it a lot but I'm a fussy bastard. The vast number of farkles for this bike should be a message to Yamaha that they have a great bike that still needs a lot of product development.

On the plus side:

great weather protection, adj. windshield a teriffic feature, enough room for a passenger, great looks, large saddle bags, good power for the class, ABS excellent

On the minus side:

buzzy engine thats a little weak, stock handle bar ergonomics are BAD, key required for saddle bag access, drive line lash, no electronics for long distance touring, no cruise control

make it better by:

tweak handlebar ergo's so most humans can use the stock set-up (fixed in GenII?) , copy a Kaw ZRX1200 engine, dump the shaft drive for a belt or chain, provide saddlebag access without key, option an electronics package, option a cruise control, leave the windshield position unchanged at shutdown

Want a belt buy a HD, Want a chain buy a sport bike. Part of the reason I got this is the shaft. As far as power what would you do with it? It is hard enough not getting tickets now.

 

[kansas transit]

Yeah, it's my "dream" bike. I always "dream" about finding time to ride the damn thing. Stan

 

[07sd2rr2nv]

why yes. and i've only had it for 2 weeks. my VFR that i had was awesome, but i found 1 thing lacking.....power. yeah i know it didn't have hardbags, but back then, it wasn't needed. while i owned the VFR, i bought a used Busa and that made it even worse cause i was addicted to the power and everything else - be da$%^d!!!! so i sold the vfr. well, looking back, i should have kept it cause my "then GF" loved it!! comfy and smooth w/ an awesome sound. but alas, not to be. soooo, i told her i would work towards getting an FJR someday cause it seemed to fit the bill. and here i am today. my lil "Cherry Bomb" sitting in the garage. yes i named her, but hey, it's me, i'm weird like that. the only other bikes i was even remotely interested in:

C14 - ugly and brand new. needs bugs worked out.

ST1300 - ugly without bags and heavier than FJR

GW - too big for me currently and too much moolah

Ducati - not my cup of tea except for 1098 or 848, but that's a different story

suzuki - make one will ya? hmmm, Busa engine in an FJR frame? but with honda smoothness

and that about sums it up.

 

[dadof5arrows]

I love my '04. Yeah, I'd say its the culmination of my dreams in a motorcycle!

 

[TechJunkie]

Well the Feejer is my first street bike so I would have to say yes. I absolutely LOVE my 08. I wanted a bike for many years and the Feejer has fit the bill.

My work requires me to wear a suit each day. I find that the saddle bags and inserts are great for placing my dress shoes, suit coat and tie. I don my riding jacket, helmet, gloves and boots and I am off. When I make it to work I grab the insert out of my saddle bag walk to my office and convert to an employee. The president of our company rides a cruiser and he has commented on how my FJR is so much more practical than his bike. If it is not forcasting a thunderstorm I am on my bike. So far it has met all of my expectations. Could a few things be improved/changed? Sure, but taken in it's entirety the Feejer is a great Sport Tourer!

 

[majicmaker]

Well, I would have to say "Hell Yeah" My '06 AE makes me smile every day. There is nothing like it. Is it perfect? No! But, it's as close to it as one bike can get. I usually ride in a pack of 6. Busa, Gxr 1000, Gxr 750, Harley (Don't know nor care) & Yamaha R1. When we park and hang, people crowd around mine and ignore the rest. Every passenger that's hopped on has said, "It feels like riding in a limo. It's a keeper!

Vic, from west palm beach, FL B)

 

[jstewart]

NO, but it is getting closer. My new 08 has many improvements over the 05 I traded in this month.

1. they really improved 1st & 2nd gear. No more loud clunk. Why didn't they extend these transmission improvements to 3rd thru 5th.

2. I like the insturments more than the 05's. Also an improvement over the 06 & 07 in that they did away with the shiny sun reflecting bezels.

3. Heat issues with the 03 thru 05's are gone. Big improvement.

4. Adjustable seat & bars are a big improvement.

5. Higher final gearing is a big improvement for me even if it means less roll on power in 5th.

6. Better windscreen protection than the gen 1 bikes. Good pricing on the optional larger Yamaha windshield.

7. Vibration in the bars on the 08 is less than the 05, probably due to higher gearing.

8. Styling is subjective but I like the styling of the 08 better than any previous model and black is the color god intended for a proper motorcycle.

9. More HP would be nice but is easily obtainable for little more than a little time and a dremel cutting tool. See several air box mod threads in the tech section.

10. All in all a great bike that gets better incrementally with each new generation. Makes me grin every time I ride it.

 

[74mach]

I have the luxury of having a BMW R1200RT and '08 model FJR in the collection right now. A blend of the two would be a dream come true. Take the power, handling and reliability of the FJR, combine it with the simplicity, ease of maintenance, lack of vibration, and the quality of the bodywork and finish on the on the BMW and I'd take two....just in case one breaks! Both are fine bikes, but each excels in areas where the other falls short.

 

[rfespinosa]

My '08 FJR is a great bike but not the culmination........

The following are things I plan to install to make it better:

electronic cruise control

heated grips

accessory plug wired to the battery

The following are shortcomings that I accept since they cannot be corrected:

the engine vibrates some

no self canceling turn signals

590 watt alternator is marginal, about 800 watt would have been much better

I just bought it, it's a great bike. It's the bike I want now. But it is not perfect.

Ron

 

[Mackeroni]

I have had my FJR for exactly 9 days and have 1,100 miles so far. Yes, this is the bike I have been trying to farkle my previous bikes into... if that makes any sense. I had come close with my 2001 FZ1. With bags, a trunk and a few other goodies it was a credible sport-tourer.

The only changes I would suggest for the FJR at this point are...

1. Larger numbers on the Speedo and Tach

2. Wider and/or softer seat option for those of us with a...umm...larger and/or softer seat

3. Factory cruise control would be a nice option if affordable, but aftermarket throttle locks are sufficient

 

[HuskyRider]

Love my FJR but rode a Duc hyper-mo on the twisties today, will be my next bike.. :yahoo:

 

[mikepa]

Honda has turned all gay the past 5 years or so, anyway.

I would suggest that this is also true of their recent car offerings.

I got my '08 FJR on Friday.

300 miles so far and love it.

The ST1300 didn't do it for me either but my main ride is my '08 CBR1000RR.

I suggest you take a ride on the new CBR.

I'll admit what Honda is thinking can be tough to figure out at times but they can still get right when they want to.

 

[Mackeroni]

Love my FJR but rode a Duc hyper-mo on the twisties today, will be my next bike.. :yahoo:

Luv those Ducs. Make sure you are ready for the all-too-often valve adjustment intervals. Great if you can do these yourself. Otherwise, start saving now.

 

[L2M]

No. But then I'm young and if this was perfection there would be nowhere to go from here in the next few decades.

I got the FJR for two up touring and it does a good job at that. It eats miles with very little discomfort and never lacks in the power department. It handles corners, even two up with luggage, admirably; and, it is still a better bike than I am a rider. After moving up from the FZ6, having a shaft drive instead of a chain is also quite nice. Oh, and it is easy to work on (When I'm not dropping those little caps while doing the TBS). I've got nearly 7,000 miles on it since August of last year which is more than I put on my FZ6 in three years.

That said, I really want a 1098 for one up riding.

 

[Mackeroni]

No. But then I'm young and if this was perfection there would be nowhere to go from here in the next few decades.
I got the FJR for two up touring and it does a good job at that. It eats miles with very little discomfort and never lacks in the power department. It handles corners, even two up with luggage, admirably; and, it is still a better bike than I am a rider. After moving up from the FZ6, having a shaft drive instead of a chain is also quite nice. Oh, and it is easy to work on (When I'm not dropping those little caps while doing the TBS). I've got nearly 7,000 miles on it since August of last year which is more than I put on my FZ6 in three years.

That said, I really want a 1098 for one up riding.

Nice to see a young guy mapping his way into the future according to the bikes he wants to own.

Relatively speaking, I am not old, but I am certainly not young. :glare: However, when I was riding my FZ1 from 2001 - 2006, and now while riding my 08 FJR, the years fall away. My older parents simply don't understand the motorcycle thing (and it was Dad who bought my brothers and I our first minibike). The best way I can explain it to them is that all my worldly aches and pains vanish when I'm riding a tight technical section at 8/10ths. I feel young because the motorcycle I am piloting feels young...powerful...and capable of very high performance in my experienced hands.

But what the hey! You're young, so have at it. Change your bike as often as you can afford. Own two or three at once if you can. Someday (sooner than you think), you will be watching the young guys doing what you are doing now. With God's grace and a little luck, you will be around to enjoy them.

Peace...

 

[HuskyRider]

Love my FJR but rode a Duc hyper-mo on the twisties today, will be my next bike.. :yahoo:

Luv those Ducs. Make sure you are ready for the all-too-often valve adjustment intervals. Great if you can do these yourself. Otherwise, start saving now.

I don’t pay or trust anyone but me to work on the bikes. This will be an addition to the fjr, need a slider to keep up with my sport bike friends.

 

[BladeRunner]

I grew up in a more simple time where the machine was an extension to the person.

One had to master his skill to understand and operate the machine in order to enjoy the experience to its fullest.

The butt dyno was all that was available and it was rarely wrong.

The FJR is an exceptional machine, it does not make decisions for me (other than emissions); it does not save me from myself.

It still allows for me to master it and rewards me for my efforts without making me wonder whether it is me or just the machine doing it for me.

I hate most new cars.

I want a steel dash and a solid rod steering column.

Seat belts be damned, I am the master of my own destiny whether proficiency or death.

Ever wonder why all the current pieces of crap cars are front wheel drive?

There are things you can do in a rear wheel drive that a front wheel drive safety economy insulation transport will never be able to do.

I grew up where the machine put you in the seat and did not let you up until the operator stopped pressing the accelerator, from the show room floor mind you.

I digress.

The FJR has more ability than I do and therefore has the potential to be the culmination of my dreams in a motorcycle.

It will allow me to do things I have never done before.

It will be there for me to learn to master it and be proficient with it at a level probably not allowed by law or public opinion.

It can try me; reward me; punish me and take me to the point I am content.

What more could I ask for?

I don't want to be safe, or saved.

I want to know my limits and enjoy them.

Destined to die? Absolutely.

But not without the knowing that I made the effort to become all I could be in each area I am blessed with the opportunity to master.

 

[VanHarlan]

FJR is the best bike I could find so far.

From the first time I saw one in a show room a few years ago until the time I actually bought one in 2007 I chug along on my Vulcan 1600 cruiser. Then I sat on the FJR an dfelt inspired by the possibilites and the new perspective on riding. Then I finally bought my new 2007 in May of 07 and it has literally transformed my motorcycling life - it has transformed my attitude, vastly improved my abilities and the pursuit of finer riding skills and awareness, it has added thousands of miles or touring joy and adventure to my life - versus puttering around town on a giant twin-V. The few things that I felt the FJR lacked I have been able to add too - heated grips, taller windscreen (I'm 6'4"), more comfortable seat for long hauls - but these things are subjective to each rider and I don't think any bike ever prioduced will cure everyones wants, desires, and differences.

My FJR is the bike I dream about riding when thoguhts of riding occupy my mind.

 

[bikesniffer]

Yeah, it's my "dream" bike. I always "dream" about finding time to ride the damn thing. Stan

I have my new Feejer for 3 weeks now and I am contemplating of having plastic surgery to widen my grin capabilities...

my old and trusted BMW K1100LT in my garage is a fine bike, but feels like a German Panzer in comparison (especially the handling and power)

the more I ride this puppy the more fun it is...