Skiing with a 2018 FJR1300AS

[mcatrophy]

Phone call from dealer: "It's on its way, should be with us in a couple of weeks", which I take to mean Yamaha have put it in a crate somewhere in Japan.

I wait with suitably bated breath :sarcasm: .

 

[Eagle Six]

Damn you are patient!! Congratulations on your new ride and wish you the best.

 

[Heen]

Congrats. I have a friend who has motorcycled Spain a couple of time and love it. I am envious. Have fun!

 

[Warchild]

That's an interesting pic of the 2018 on page one... it it's accurate, It appears they are still offering Europe a silver frame.

Every North American 2018 FJRs - both ABS and ES models - have an all-black from, right down to the triple-tree and handlebars:

The page one pic does suggest black handlebars/triple tree, but... the swingarm and sub-frame members (that you can see still) appears pretty silver-ish.

 

[mcatrophy]

All I've got to go on is the publicity photos, which I reproduce below. The frame colour seemed to depend on the paint colour. If you load the three images into three windows and flip between them, the differences tend to show up better.

Edited to "thumbnail" these, with animated picture in next post.

(Click on image for original)

 

[mcatrophy]

Or better still, look at all three colours at once:

 

[SacramentoMike]

If it would only do that while you're riding . . .

 

[El Toro]

I wish we could order one with the same specs from Japan.

Congratulations!

 

[mcatrophy]

It's arrived at the dealer. Went to see it and organise numberplate. Hoping to pick it up Wednesday.

Quick phone pics:

Right side (colour rendition poor):

(Click on image for larger view)



Front view:



Other side. Wot, no clutch lever

?



Meanwhile I've been taking stuff off the old bike.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Congrats Mac...don't forget to report that missing clutch lever to Yamaha!!

--G

 

[majicmaker]

That’s fantastic, Mc. What’s the name of the color? It looks dark.

 

[mcatrophy]

Congrats Mac...don't forget to report that missing clutch lever to Yamaha!!

--G

Nah. I'll try "clutchless" gear-changes before I bother the Mothership.

 

[mcatrophy]

That’s fantastic, Mc. What’s the name of the color? It looks dark.

Tech Graphite. It's a moderately dark grey. Not the nicest colour to my mind, but, of the options available, it's the only shiny one (see posts #24 and #25 above). I'll post more pics when I get it into daylight.

 

[Warchild]

In passing, he says that the "A" will no longer come with side cases as standard, presumably to get the base price as low as possible.

Wait.... what?

I am only catching on to this now.... I have never, ever heard of Yamaha doing this before. Are you saying that Yamaha UK is offering (ABS-models only?) FJR1300 WITHOUT their matching hard bags?! Are they considered an "option" in Europe, then?

Logistically, I can see how this is possible, because I know for a fact (for North American models) that hard bags do NOT come in the factory crate with the bike. They are separate items, come in their own (extensive) cardboard packaging. IIRC, when I put together my 2018 matte blue bike together last November, I seemed to recall three (3) sets of keylocks that come with the bike crate (so they are keyed with that bike's ignition key): one for each hard bag, and a third one should one purchase the Yamaha topbox.

I was also unaware the auto transmission model was still being produced.

All that having been said, CONGRATS, mcatrophy! The latest bodywork looks awesome in that dark Tech Grey! Dunno why Yamaha didn't go with the obvious next step of an all-black frame... then you would have the first Midnight FJR1300!

 

[mcatrophy]

In passing, he says that the "A" will no longer come with side cases as standard, presumably to get the base price as low as possible.

Wait.... what?

I am only catching on to this now.... I have never, ever heard of Yamaha doing this before. Are you saying that Yamaha UK is offering (ABS-models only?) FJR1300 WITHOUT their matching hard bags?! Are they considered an "option" in Europe, then?

Logistically, I can see how this is possible, because I know for a fact (for North American models) that hard bags do NOT come in the factory crate with the bike. They are separate items, come in their own (extensive) cardboard packaging. IIRC, when I put together my 2018 matte blue bike together last November, I seemed to recall three (3) sets of keylocks that come with the bike crate (so they are keyed with that bike's ignition key): one for each hard bag, and a third one should one purchase the Yamaha topbox.

I was also unaware the auto transmission model was still being produced.

All that having been said, CONGRATS, mcatrophy! The latest bodywork looks awesome in that dark Tech Grey! Dunno why Yamaha didn't go with the obvious next step of an all-black frame... then you would have the first Midnight FJR1300!

Yes, you read that correctly, the "A" doesn't come with side cases. The "AE" (you'd call it the "ES") and the "AS" (you'd call this the "AE") have the cases.
I believe that, for some years in the Gen I era, side cases weren't standard, but I could be wrong here. They were standard on all models from 2006 to 2017. We've never had the inner bags as standard in any year.

The "AS" has been available in Europe for all years since 2006. I got my 2010 because it seemed they would stop it, but they did continue.

As for the colour, to me it's the best of a not very good lot (I know many people are over the moon with the blue, had it been a gloss finish I might have chosen it). I'm hoping the "Tech Graphite" grey grows on me.

 

[mcatrophy]

Picked it up today.

Very lucky with the weather. We'd had forecasts of overnight snow and freezing temperatures. Woke up to see a smattering of snow on roofs, grass and pavements [sidewalks], but my road surface was wet, not icy, and the sun was out.

So, went to dealer's, and after the usual half an hour or so of paperwork, I could ride my new toy.

Odometer read 1 mile (trips said 1.5), so the dealer's "road test" wasn't very far, but that's fine by me.

(Click on image for larger view)



Rode it the 12 miles home. Brakes need bedding in, not the usual bite (as expected). Stopped to put 17 litres of fuel in (I always like to start off with a full tank).

Took a few pics back at home while the weather held, but that bright, low sun makes for some over-contrasty pictures.





Still not convinced about the grey colour, but it does look better in daylight than in the showroom.

Having ridden it home, I've a few thoughts on the YCC-S and the 6-speed gearbox, I'll maybe comment on these after a few more miles.

 

[MadMax]

Thanks, guys.

Congrats on the New Bike!!, Before you start undoing all those wires, take Pictures, might make it a little easier on the reinstall. I know as I get older the memory doesn't work as well I hope it would

Enjoy that trip to Spain, take lots of Pictures for us.

Fear ye not, I am the original picture-taker when pulling things apart. As an example, if you ever want to take the plastic off your 2006, I took these performing that exercise on my 2006.
Ps. There are currently 33218 publicly viewable photos on my web site

.

Thanks for the pictures link. I bookmarked it. They should be pretty darn close for my 2008. These are the types of resources when one inquires about on a thread, nobody has or recalls. Oh ya, congrats on the new bike. I am envious.

 

[mcatrophy]

Checklist. (In no particular order of time or importance).

From the bin-o-facts:

• Is the Air Duct Missing? Part# 5JW-14437-00-00 (Duct) and its screws 9778-50125-00 (Screw, Tapping)2018-01-25 Checked.
  
• Are the saddlebag lock latch screws loctited? 2018-01-19 Checked.
  
• Did you get the Third lock with bike in case you get a Yamaha top box? 2018-01-17: Checked.
  
• Are the Saddlebag body color caps included? 2018-01-17: Checked.
  
• Is the Toolkit under seat?1 2018-01-17: Checked. Call that a toolkit?Suppose it's enough to get to the battery.
  
• Are the steering head bearings torqued? 2018-01-17: Feels OK, and I trust the shop.
  
• Are the Mirrors tight? More than finger tightened. Consider changing to nylocs yourself when convenient. Or, alternatively, a tip from otrfjr: use 2 layers of teflon tape (the kind plumbers use & is $1 per roll) around the bolt. otrfjr found that this worked even better than the rubber washers on the mirrors. 2018-01-17: Checked (without the nylocs or tape).
  
• Point out any/all scratches 2018-01-17: None found.
  

And my own additional list:

• Check tyre pressures 2018-01-29 Checked and adjusted from book spec (36/42) to FJRforum spec (39/43).
  
• Take off side-case inner straps 2018-01-19 Done.
  
• Side-case lid angle 2018-01-19 Done.
  
• Wheel speed sensors remove, grease and replace 2018-01-19 Done.
  
• Put on touring screen 2018-01-20 Done.
  
• Put on "comfort" seats 2018-01-19 Done.
  
• Put on Fenda Extenda 2018-01-29 Fitted.
  
• Fit Tomtom mount and heated vest controller 2018-01-24 Done.
  
• Get top-box painted to match 2018-01-24 Painted. 2018-01-20 Carrier fitted.
  
• ​Put in/on all the junk I usually carry (garage door opener, spare earplugs, helmet wire, camera mount, side stand pad ... 2018-01-20 Done.
  
• Change display to put items where I want them in the menu structure 2018-01-18 Done.
  
• Change grip heater settings to my preference 2018-01-18 Done.
  
• Apply frame protection film around sidecar mounting holes (very surprised shop didn't fit these) 2018-01-19 Done.
  
• Add protective tape round front of saddle2 2018-0119 Done.
  

I'll edit this as I do things. Thank you, Forum, for keeping my checklist safe

. If only the weather would warm up a bit.
1 2018 toolkit v. 2006-2014 (at least) toolkit

(Click on image for larger view)



2 I've noticed grit gets in where the front of the saddle is up against the trim piece on the back of the fuel tank (something to do with where I ride, in what weather, and lack of cleaning?). To protect the plastic against being scratched, I put a piece of suitably coloured duct tape, shaped to fit, and essentially invisible, I show what I did in this later post.

 

[08FJR4ME]

So if I am not mistaken it looks like the same color as the 2015 over here in the states. There are many things you can do to dress up the grey color. I wish I could post pic's.

https://imgur.com/a/W6E9Z

Congrat's

Dave

 

[Warchild]

* 2018 toolkit v. 2006-2014 (at least) toolkit(Click on image for larger view)

Pretty disappointing, isn't it.... I just shook my head when I first examined my 2018 "tool kit" under the seat. Even the little black plastic pouch it comes in is considerable smaller than prior years - it is barely wide enough to accommodate both the screwdriver handle and the 'L' bend in the 4mm allen wrench. Pretty sad.