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And therein lies the danger... Memory is flexible and humans are adaptable. I compared new Mutants to worn R5s and now worn Mutants to new RS4s. It is possible that my impression would be different if I went the other way. A fair comparison requires side-by-side testing (as they did in the...

I was going by the dry weights in the FJR Compatibility Chart: 2003 = 521lbs., 2006 = 582lbs. I don't know where MCS got their numbers but they list both bikes as having the same dry weight -- and we know that ain't so. The extra plastic bits like the glove box, airflow management, adjustable...

Epilogue: I ran them for two more weeks, taking them down to the wear bars just to see what the final mileage was (14,000kms). As that last bit of tread disappeared, the rear lost traction dramatically. To the point of breaking loose under moderate straight-line acceleration on damp pavement...

Power is the same I believe, at a claimed 141.5bhp. That didn't change until the 2013 increase (by which time the dang thing was 116lbs heavier). Even between the 2003 and 2006, the Gen1 is 61 lbs lighter. Secondary reduction gearing was changed by 1 tooth (Gen 1: 35/36 x 21/27 x 33/9 or...

Oh yeah! I took Pandora (my old 03) for a spin the other day and was surprised again what a difference there is between a Gen1 and a Gen2. Lifting the front wheel on Legacy requires deliberate effort. Lifting the front wheel on Pandora requires thoughts of acceleration. <lol>

Yeah, it won't do much with a PC installed. The PC overrules the ECM, that's how they work. I wrote the following in 2005, and don't see anything I'd change:

I guess I should add the companion article too: Checking the CO Settings Ok, so you followed all the directions and are anxious to try it out. Press and hold both Select and Reset while you turn on the key. Do not release the buttons until you see the Diag screen appear. (about 8-10 seconds)...

I did not realize HMark's FJR site was gone. Here is what I originally sent him: The FJR has the capability to adjust the overall fuel injector map for each individual cylinder right from the dashboard. The procedure is well-documented in the European and Oceanic service manuals, and requires...

The 01 to 03 (04 in North America) Gen I engines were somewhat prone to "ticking" caused by excessive valve guide wear, primarily in the #2 exhaust valves. Online forum surveys suggested that this affected about 7% of all engines, and a further ~7% of repaired engines. As others have noted, the...

Yes, the front definitely got noisy in the curves as it wore. Can't say as I'm surprised; given the tread design, I kind of expected it. And yes, handling is still pretty good at the end of useful life. A little more effort to hold it down in the corners, but far less change than the Michelin...

I got it unloaded from the trailer and into the garage yesterday. Put some air to it and revised my assessment: I don't think a belt broke, I think air got between the layers of rubber.

Update: Another few thousand kms and the rear is really starting to flatten off fast. I suspect the main carcass is the softer compound and now I've worn through a harder wear layer in the centre. Can definitely feel the rear break traction when transitioning into a lean while accelerating. So...

I'll second the GIVI, starting with the SR357. Powder coated steel framework makes it far stronger than the OEM rack (never heard of anyone experiencing a sub-frame crack when using the GIVI). From there you can add whatever GIVI Monokey (not to be confused with Monolock) box tickles your fancy...

I have a pair of Tourmaster Flex (2nd set, actually). What I like about them is they have a multitude of zippered panels and liners that can be mixed and matched as conditions require. At the minimum, they are (mostly) mesh pants with armour in the knees and sides for hot weather riding. Zip...

Turn up the radio.

The proponents of single wheel trailers say they are far less inclined to push the bike around since they follow the track of the bike's own tires as they lean into a corner as well as having more of the weight on the hitch when braking. (I've never ridden a bike with a trailer, two wheeled or...

No, they won't protect a mirror. They will, however, mostly protect the expensive lower fairing panels in a tip-over.

My favourite on-line Canadian motorcycle tire dealer isn't advertising the price, but is privately offering the RSIV front for about 60% of the cost of the R6 version. And the Mutant for a few dollars less than that. No mention of a rebate though, so I guess it's "in lieu of".

I saw their first test, interesting to see the follow-up. Oddly, in the earlier installments they gave the Roadsmart a "slight edge" in handling over the R6, but in the concluding installment they said the RS handling was "lightyears ahead" of the R6. I wonder if the perception changed, or if it...

7,000km update: I did try them out for a short ride in the snow back in March, and can confirm that as a snow tire, they suck. No real surprise there, I'll stick with the 4wd pickup and studded tires for winter use. I'm still happy with the grip and feel of these tires, especially on the...