Sport Touring Shootout

Here's a good video from Motorcycle.com.

https://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2013-sporttouring-shootout-10-video-91504.html?utm_source=mo01242013&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly

Good find!

Excellent!

A good shootout could have been made better by removing the Honda and including the new Triumph, BMW's R1200RT the K1600GTx.

Great review, thanks for posting.

I always thought the C14 had a lot more motor. Pretty much a dead-even match with the FJR until about 7500 rpm. In "real world" riding, looks like the rider would make all the difference in a match.

Spud said:

I always thought the C14 had a lot more motor. Pretty much a dead-even match with the FJR until about 7500 rpm. In "real world" riding, looks like the rider would make all the difference in a match.

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I think the rider always makes the difference, especially when both bikes make more power than any safe/sane rider can use on public roads. Nevertheless, if you compare the torque curves to the 2009 comparison, Yamaha has definitely closed the gap to the C14. The C14 still has ram air and a 1500 rpm higher redline which would be very noticeable in a track environment but for everyday street riding they are pretty much the same.

Fontanaman said:

A good shootout could have been made better by removing the Honda and including the new Triumph, BMW's R1200RT the K1600GTx.

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but including a BMW in the group would mean you'd have to compare the FJR, C14, ST13 as well as a 2nd bike for each to match the out-the-door price of the BMW.

This is

Bounce said:

Fontanaman said:

A good shootout could have been made better by removing the Honda and including the new Triumph, BMW's R1200RT the K1600GTx.

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but including a BMW in the group would mean you'd have to compare the FJR, C14, ST13 as well as a 2nd bike for each to match the out-the-door price of the BMW.

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This is true. In 2008 I rented a BMW R1200RT for the weekend in Az. I road a stock motorcycle 525 miles in one day in complete comfort. Simply amazing. And the R1200RT is a very light touring bike with a tremendous gross vehicle weight capacity. The new Triumph Trophy is not inexpensive either. But considering I spent $750 on a Russell saddle, $1750 on suspension upgrades and lord knows what else to get my 09 FJR appropriately farkled a Triumph or BMW begin to look more affordable.

I am keeping my FJR until it wears out or until I move on to something else, but I will keep an open mind to other makes and models. It sure would be nice if the FJR was 30lbs less and I didn't have to worry about busting my sub frame if I ride two up. (The wife likes to take a lot of shit stuff - training is an exercise in futility.)

Fontanaman said:

A good shootout could have been made better by removing the Honda and including the new Triumph, BMW's R1200RT the K1600GTx.

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Maybe so but according to these three "experts" it sounded to me like the old, outdated Honda came out ahead of the Kawasaki. Maybe once the new wore off Big Connie and all her gadgets, the Honda and the Yamaha looked better. Besides, I was pleased to see that they still liked my Honda ST. It made me feel a little smarter...

Redfish Hunter said:

Fontanaman said:

A good shootout could have been made better by removing the Honda and including the new Triumph, BMW's R1200RT the K1600GTx.

Click to expand...

Maybe so but according to these three "experts" it sounded to me like the old, outdated Honda came out ahead of the Kawasaki. Maybe once the new wore off Big Connie and all her gadgets, the Honda and the Yamaha looked better. Besides, I was pleased to see that they still liked my Honda ST. It made me feel a little smarter...

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Ok we can include the ST. I just don't think three bikes make up a good comparo when there are at least 6 worthy sport touring machines to compare.

FWIW I have a good friend with a BMW R1200RT and I think it is a great bike. It has many neat little gadgets (electronic suspension adjustment!) that make it wonderful. I agree with you that there could have been more but I was happy to see anything in the line of a Sport Touring Comparison. I was especially happy to see the FJR come out on top.

I'd to see more on the Trophy and less on the ST until a worthy update is done. Replace it with the VFR, the ST is so...GenI.

But the VFR is not really in the same class as the FJR, the Connie and the ST. It is considerably sportier, but not as long distance capable. Remember that Triumph has been building the Sprint GT for a long time and it never compared well to the big bore sport tourers. What I would like to see is for Honda to update the ST, and to see all of the Big Bore Sport Tourers go head to head. Of course, we only agree with the MotoJournalists when they pick our favorite bike...

whatever,

https://www.mcnews.com/mcn/features/2010AugSTs.pdf

Every dyno is different and every bike is different but...I have a Motorcyclist Magazine here from June of '05. Some interesting #'s

'03 FJR 126.8 HP@8000rpm

90.0 FT/lbs @ 7000rpm

11.02 seconds @ 124.1 mph

'03 ST1300 114.1HP@7500rpm

85.3 FT/lbs @ 6250rpm

11.43 seconds @ 118.6

Obviously the Connie 14 was not out at that time, but it is interesting to see so little change in the #'s through 2 updates of the FJR. I have never needed more ponies out of the FJR, but I am not the most skilled of riders either.

Redfish Hunter said:

Every dyno is different and every bike is different but...I have a Motorcyclist Magazine here from June of '05. Some interesting #'s
'03 FJR 126.8 HP@8000rpm

90.0 FT/lbs @ 7000rpm

11.02 seconds @ 124.1 mph

'03 ST1300 114.1HP@7500rpm

85.3 FT/lbs @ 6250rpm

11.43 seconds @ 118.6

Obviously the Connie 14 was not out at that time, but it is interesting to see so little change in the #'s through 2 updates of the FJR. I have never needed more ponies out of the FJR, but I am not the most skilled of riders either.

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The updates weren't for engine HP. As it is, people still review the FJR favorably for power amongst the sportstourers. It's all the thingamajigs that people were whining about that Yamaha tried to address/appease. I like the fly by wire stuff, that will likely make the difference between getting a used 2012 or used 2013 when my '04 dies a cruel and wretched death somewhere.

Good write up but as has already been said the Triumph Trophy should have been included. I would think that there will be other shootouts that have the FJR and Trophy together.

KIEEFER said:

whatever,
https://www.mcnews.com/mcn/features/2010AugSTs.pdf

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thanks. i meant a new one.