mcatrophy
Privileged to ride a 2018 FJR1300AS
Got my latest AS in January, 2018. this has the electrically adjustable suspension (AE suspension in the UK, ES in the USA). At the time, it didn't feel quite right (having come off my previous bike with the same suspension), but it was winter and I couldn't do much riding.
When it came to my 6000 mile service, I complained that adjusting between Hard, Standard and Soft made little or no difference to the feel of the bike. When I picked the bike up, I was told they could find no fault with it, however they couldn't give it a good test ride because of the weather (as I recall it was horribly wet). I wasn't prepared to argue at the time.
Over the next few 1000 miles it became obvious that it was lacking damping, and this was masking any change in the adjustment. Since then, I've done two tours (Spain and Portugal, then Scotland including the Shetland Isles), and it has become almost unridable. It wallows in corners so that the back end won't track properly, and VERY uncomfortable, my back and neck taking quite a pounding as the bike's going up and down gets out of phase with dips and lumps in the road. Even on motorways the constant up-and-down could get quite painful, and at one time I was feeling sea-sick.
I have tried its various modes, both damping and preload, and I think the high-speed damping is still there, but no difference on the low-speed.
So, when I got back from Scotland (via Wales, but why take the direct route?), the bike now having about 11600 miles, I took it to my dealer.
"My suspension isn't right."
"Front or rear?"
"Rear."
"Have you come on it?" - me dressed in full ATGATT, but I suppose some people have more than one bike.
"Yes."
"Can I try it?"
"Here's the key, but just press down on it." Which he does, and nearly falls over because it goes down so easily.
Then he sits on it, starts the engine, cycles through several suspension modes, then "It isn't right."
So, that's the bad news. The good news is that my bike is still under its original 2-year warranty, and the dealer is getting in touch with Yamaha to see what's to be done. Meanwhile I won't be using it except for local shopping trips.
When it came to my 6000 mile service, I complained that adjusting between Hard, Standard and Soft made little or no difference to the feel of the bike. When I picked the bike up, I was told they could find no fault with it, however they couldn't give it a good test ride because of the weather (as I recall it was horribly wet). I wasn't prepared to argue at the time.
Over the next few 1000 miles it became obvious that it was lacking damping, and this was masking any change in the adjustment. Since then, I've done two tours (Spain and Portugal, then Scotland including the Shetland Isles), and it has become almost unridable. It wallows in corners so that the back end won't track properly, and VERY uncomfortable, my back and neck taking quite a pounding as the bike's going up and down gets out of phase with dips and lumps in the road. Even on motorways the constant up-and-down could get quite painful, and at one time I was feeling sea-sick.
I have tried its various modes, both damping and preload, and I think the high-speed damping is still there, but no difference on the low-speed.
So, when I got back from Scotland (via Wales, but why take the direct route?), the bike now having about 11600 miles, I took it to my dealer.
"My suspension isn't right."
"Front or rear?"
"Rear."
"Have you come on it?" - me dressed in full ATGATT, but I suppose some people have more than one bike.
"Yes."
"Can I try it?"
"Here's the key, but just press down on it." Which he does, and nearly falls over because it goes down so easily.
Then he sits on it, starts the engine, cycles through several suspension modes, then "It isn't right."
So, that's the bad news. The good news is that my bike is still under its original 2-year warranty, and the dealer is getting in touch with Yamaha to see what's to be done. Meanwhile I won't be using it except for local shopping trips.
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