Back on an FJR

Alan Doak · Jan 23, 2025

Hi everyone, I'm Alan from New Zealand. Yesterday I took possession of a 2015 FJR Gen 3. So happy. My motorbike has only 18,000km on the clock (virtually new). I'm returning to the FJR from owning a Honda ST1300 for the last five years. I had a 2010 FJR before the ST, but destroyed it after hitting a sheep. Both the sheep and the FJR went to heaven. Thanks for having me on this forum.

PhatAir4Me · Jan 23, 2025

Welcome back! She looks shiny! Are your sidecases wrapped?

Alan Doak · Jan 23, 2025

Yes, the owner before the person I bought the bike from put a matt black 3M type film on the bags. They look a bit scruffy. I may peel it off and replace with a clear film.

escapefjrtist · Jan 23, 2025

Welcome from Washington state and congrats on the new (to you) '15!

~G

tschutter · Jan 24, 2025

Welcome. I've never been to New Zealand, when you go for a ride (or a weekend trip), do you cover most of your island?

fastpappy · Jan 24, 2025

Welcome from the Big Apple and congrats on your new ride. Enjoy!

RossKean · Jan 24, 2025

tschutter said:
Welcome. I've never been to New Zealand, when you go for a ride (or a weekend trip), do you cover most of your island?

Shortest route end-to-end is 2,000 km (including a ferry). With LOTS in between (don't think riding would be any more repetitive than riding anywhere else).
Although being on an island is always going to be limiting to some extent if you are looking to do very long distance tours.

Alan Doak said:
Hi everyone, I'm Alan from New Zealand.

Welcome. I would love to get an opportunity to ride where you are, but I don't think it is likely to happen. Enjoy your 2015!

Proteus1952 · Jan 24, 2025

I was searching for an ST1300 in 2013, when I needed a replacement ride. Test rode both at a nearby dealership and chose the FJR hands down. Mine is a 2010. Had less than 3,000 miles on it at the time. I too would love to visit/ride in New Zealand.

Welcome to the forum from Texas. Safe travels.

bonami00 · Jan 24, 2025

Aaaah the rugby country , Welcome , and it looks that there are a bunch of old grumpy FJR riders willing to visit you.

Trailrider57 · Jan 24, 2025

Welcome aboard from the great state of Texas!

Alan Doak · Jan 25, 2025

fastpappy said:
Welcome from the Big Apple and congrats on your new ride. Enjoy!

Thanks!

Alan Doak · Jan 25, 2025

Trailrider57 said:
Welcome aboard from the great state of Texas!

Thanks for having me!

escapefjrtist said:
Welcome from Washington state and congrats on the new (to you) '15!

~G

Thanks! I've already discovered a lot of good info on here!

Alan Doak · Jan 25, 2025

RossKean said:
Shortest route end-to-end is 2,000 km (including a ferry). With LOTS in between (don't think riding would be any more repetitive than riding anywhere else).
Although being on an island is always going to be limiting to some extent if you are looking to do very long distance tours.

Welcome. I would love to get an opportunity to ride where you are, but I don't think it is likely to happen. Enjoy your 2015!

NZ is two islands, imaginatively called North Island, and South Island. There is a lot of great riding here. It's true that you could ride the length of the country in 2000km (with a 3.5h ferry ride in the middle) but you'd be avoiding the best roads in the country. I'm a member of IBA, and the NZ Distance Riders Group. I live in the North Island, and a few years ago did a 1600km (1000mile) Saddlesore every month for 12 months. Only two people have ever done this. I've attached my 'retrospective' from Spotwalla so you can see the routes I have travelled. New Zealand, especially the South Island, has some of the greatest riding!

Alan Doak · Jan 25, 2025

tschutter said:
Welcome. I've never been to New Zealand, when you go for a ride (or a weekend trip), do you cover most of your island?

I'm doing a 1600km Saddlesore tomorrow, in the North Island. I'll basically ride around the perimeter of the big thick part of the North Island. We have some beautiful roads, but they are dual carriageways, and often not for the faint hearted if you aren't used to these types of roads. A Saddlesore for an experienced rider will take around 20 hours to complete. Compare that to riding the freeways in USA, where riders generally finish in 16 hours, and you can see the difference in road conditions.

tschutter · Jan 25, 2025

Sounds like a really great riding experience. If I get to NZ, I doubt I'll have my bike, so riding there might be wishful thinking.

tschutter · Jan 27, 2025

@Alan Doak How did your ride go yesterday?

Alan Doak · Jan 27, 2025

tschutter said:
@Alan Doak How did your ride go yesterday?

1670km in around 22 hours, which is slow for me. A couple of things - my body is not so tired today, compared to riding the ST1300 which often wears me out.

I noticed the speedo is way off, like need to ride 111kph for actual 100kph speed. I couldn't get it out of my head that I wasn't speeding. It was annoying. And because I didn't have enough my normal GARMIN XT on the bike (which i use for checking speed) i had no idea how fast, or slow, I was riding.

Lastly, suspension. I bought it off a guy who had rear set to soft. Ii moved that to the middle, didn't touch front forks. Bike wallows around corners so I didn't feel comfortable under speed. Not scary, but just not planted like the ST is.

In short, great bike but a few fixable things to work on before my next big adventure on the TT2000 mid February.

tschutter · Jan 27, 2025

Ya, the speedo is a pain. WHY!!? I usually use my phone on google maps to tell the my real speed but if you are changing speed zones, it is a real pain.
One thing I've done to get the speedo more correct is to put a 190 tire on the back (Michelin R6 is 190/55ZR17) This shouldn't become a tire thread here, just mentioning what I use. But the 190 will correct it some and get you closer.
And if that isn't close enough, my brother hooked up a bicycle speedometer - the key here is that bicycle speedos let you measure and set the distance of a single rotation, then the speed is right on. He wired this to the front wheel. Now days, you can get them that run wireless so you don't even need the wire.

Glad your trip went well and there was no incident.
Tim

SkooterG · Jan 27, 2025

tschutter said:
Ya, the speedo is a pain. WHY!!? I usually use my phone on google maps to tell the my real speed but if you are changing speed zones, it is a real pain.
One thing I've done to get the speedo more correct is to put a 190 tire on the back (Michelin R6 is 190/55ZR17) This shouldn't become a tire thread here, just mentioning what I use. But the 190 will correct it some and get you closer.
And if that isn't close enough, my brother hooked up a bicycle speedometer - the key here is that bicycle speedos let you measure and set the distance of a single rotation, then the speed is right on. He wired this to the front wheel. Now days, you can get them that run wireless so you don't even need the wire.

Glad your trip went well and there was no incident.
Tim

What year FJR do you have?

I have found the US Gen III+ FJRs speedo is quite accurate. Only off about 2mph at 80mph. Only 5mph off at 150mph.

The Gen I is a little bit more inaccurate, and the Gen 2 is off the most. Usually at least 5mph.

Running a car tire on my Gen III+ FJRs makes the speedometer and odometer dead nuts accurate.

Clicky Thingy For Example Of Odometer Accuracy With A Car Tire

tschutter · Jan 28, 2025

SkooterG said:
What year FJR do you have?

Ya, I have the Gen II (2007). On the 180 tire, I was off about 8mph at 78mph. Now I'm off my about 2.

I'm about 9k miles from going to the Dark Side. Next fall most likely.

Back on an FJR

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