bobby
Well-known member
1st ride (250km). Actually my first ride on any FJR. Picked it up from the dealer Monday at noon. The only 06 they've sold and apparently one of just 3 in eastern Ontario :blink: ... which I can't believe ... but that's what sales buddy said.
I had full intentions of going back to work, really. But it just didn't happen
. These are the things that stuck in my mind:
1. Deep note from the exhaust. Quiet but nice.
2. Low speed manoeuvring and balance - excellent.
3. Shifting smooth, requires a firm boot. Should ease up with some miles. I had to adjust the clutch for a shorter throw - both clutch and brake levers are adjustable.
4. Power? I will have to get back to you on that. Kept it under 5K RPM and pretty much poodled around. Just as well with dirty pavement, break-in, and spring cobwebs to deal with. Perfect time to get used to a bike. Even with all the right wrist self control the engine felt strong and smooth. There was only very slight high frequency vibration in the bars. Nothing in the pegs.
5. EFI? I detected zero throttle snatchiness. Injection was glitch free. Also did not notice any surging or flat spots.
6. Ergos near spot on (6'3", 34" inseam, 220lbs). I left the seat and bars stock. The seat doesn't leave much room to move fore and aft - kinda saddle like. It's very grippy. Riders that like sliding across the seat in fine squidly fashion will probably not like it. However it's one of the best stock seats for comfort I've sampled.
7. Windshield? IMO not as good as the ST1300. Flaps around a bit in the breeze. I didn't notice any significant buffeting in any position. To me it's most comfortable in the lowest or near lowest positions. Maybe a tad noisy ... I don't know I always wear earplugs.
8. Handling and suspension are really excellent (stock settings). Came with BT020s. It flows through the turns beautifully and is unfazed by mid-corner bumps. For a big bike there was surprising good feel and feedback as it worked the contours of the pavement. Steering offers a nice compromise between quickness and stability. One word pops into mind to describe the handling, graceful. The pavement was still on the dirty side so I didn't push too hard. Had to keep reminding myself not to bin it on my first day out. BTW it was pretty windy which I didn't notice until I stopped.
9. The only time I could detect heat was when I stopped and took my glove off and felt down by the engine. However it was only in the mid 60s F. The ambient temp on the gauge showed a steady 18C. IMHO previous owners that are upgrading for the heat mods can be optimistic.
10. Gauges are easy to read at a glance.
11. As has been noticed the turn signals are not self canceling.
12. Cleaning is going to be a drag. Too many nooks and crannies.
What else can I say? My first ride was serene and relaxing. Riding the FJR was like coming home. I think this bike is going to suit me well. My many thanks to the all the hard core FJR owners that have provided the wealth of information I used to decide on this purchase :clap: .
Bobby
I had full intentions of going back to work, really. But it just didn't happen
. These are the things that stuck in my mind:1. Deep note from the exhaust. Quiet but nice.
2. Low speed manoeuvring and balance - excellent.
3. Shifting smooth, requires a firm boot. Should ease up with some miles. I had to adjust the clutch for a shorter throw - both clutch and brake levers are adjustable.
4. Power? I will have to get back to you on that. Kept it under 5K RPM and pretty much poodled around. Just as well with dirty pavement, break-in, and spring cobwebs to deal with. Perfect time to get used to a bike. Even with all the right wrist self control the engine felt strong and smooth. There was only very slight high frequency vibration in the bars. Nothing in the pegs.
5. EFI? I detected zero throttle snatchiness. Injection was glitch free. Also did not notice any surging or flat spots.
6. Ergos near spot on (6'3", 34" inseam, 220lbs). I left the seat and bars stock. The seat doesn't leave much room to move fore and aft - kinda saddle like. It's very grippy. Riders that like sliding across the seat in fine squidly fashion will probably not like it. However it's one of the best stock seats for comfort I've sampled.
7. Windshield? IMO not as good as the ST1300. Flaps around a bit in the breeze. I didn't notice any significant buffeting in any position. To me it's most comfortable in the lowest or near lowest positions. Maybe a tad noisy ... I don't know I always wear earplugs.
8. Handling and suspension are really excellent (stock settings). Came with BT020s. It flows through the turns beautifully and is unfazed by mid-corner bumps. For a big bike there was surprising good feel and feedback as it worked the contours of the pavement. Steering offers a nice compromise between quickness and stability. One word pops into mind to describe the handling, graceful. The pavement was still on the dirty side so I didn't push too hard. Had to keep reminding myself not to bin it on my first day out. BTW it was pretty windy which I didn't notice until I stopped.
9. The only time I could detect heat was when I stopped and took my glove off and felt down by the engine. However it was only in the mid 60s F. The ambient temp on the gauge showed a steady 18C. IMHO previous owners that are upgrading for the heat mods can be optimistic.
10. Gauges are easy to read at a glance.
11. As has been noticed the turn signals are not self canceling.
12. Cleaning is going to be a drag. Too many nooks and crannies.
What else can I say? My first ride was serene and relaxing. Riding the FJR was like coming home. I think this bike is going to suit me well. My many thanks to the all the hard core FJR owners that have provided the wealth of information I used to decide on this purchase :clap: .
Bobby
