06 AE vs 08 AE Yamaha got it right (well most of it)

[ROBSMST]

So today I want to the International Motorcycle show in San Mateo, CA.

I put 500 miles on my FJR 06 AE during the week so I can compare the following. I road my VTX 1300 to the show.

I test road a Yamaha Raider. Quick Raider Thoughts:

Warrior is more fun. Lacks low end grunt, mid was okay and high was there. Difficult (at least for my short legs) to get used to the forward controls which affected handling as it did not build confidence in corners (my VTX1300 handles better).

As soon as I got off of the Raider I got on a black 2008 AE. Some unfamiliar things for me (stock pegs and triple tree/risers (or lack there of)).

First impression:

Initial throttle response issue is addressed. Very, VERY, very smooth starts.

Tight return spring is addressed. The throttle return is now where one would expect it to be.

Clunkless shifting. Up - Shifting (soft and hard) through the gears was almost smooth. By "blipping" the throttle it was perfectly smooth. Smoother than on my 06. Very, VERY nice shifting. Down - Shifting was just as good.

Color - Black was great.

Over all I would say that the 08 AE has more predictable throttle response, more forgiving throttle return springs and crisper shifting. I purposely got the temp to 7 bars to shift while it was hot to see if the shifts would be a slight bit slower and they were not. They were just as crisp as when at 4 bars.

The bike needs the CO2 adjusted to get a bit more response under 4K. If I had an 08 that would be my first Mod and then it would be close to perfect. The guy in front of me was on a FJR A 08 and he had just gotten off of the Connie 14. He said the Connie 14 seemed to have an even more predictable power band but that the range and looks of the FJR win.

So that is my opinion on the 08AE. Yes I would buy it and when the mileage on my 06 AE tells me it is time for a new bike, it will be the latest AE Yama mama has to offer.

Oh yeah, seat and wind screen still suck!

 

[Shadow]

Clunkless shifting. Up - Shifting (soft and hard) through the gears was almost smooth. By "blipping" the throttle it was perfectly smooth. Smoother than on my 06. Very, VERY nice shifting. Down - Shifting was just as good.

They are all nice and smooth and quiet when new, wait until it has done a few miles and loosened up, it will be the same as the 06/07 models.

 

[ROBSMST]

I should note that it had 1200 miles on the speedo. Still new but not new new.

I wanted to try it because on the 08 they changed the CAM on the throttle tube (basically the G2 mod) and they also changed the clutch.

 

[Knifemaker]

..........they changed the CAM on the throttle tube (basically the G2 mod) .........

You know this for a fact? So the price for this tube from yamaha beats the G2 price I would guess, if it is a retro fit for other GenII models...

KM

 

[Shadow]

I wanted to try it because on the 08 they changed the CAM on the throttle tube (basically the G2 mod) and they also changed the clutch.

According to the info I have, the throttle tube cam is the same as on the 05, 06 & 07.

What they have done is alter the cam profile at the throttle itself, gone back to the smooth action throttle of the 05 model

 

[Flyguy]

I think Yamaha has permanently converted a number of us to the FJR because of the AE option. Even if the performance grass got greener elsewhere I wouldn't be going anywhere because of it. If some others could get past their "bikes have to have a clutch" preprogramming and tried it objectively, they would be quite pleased with the ease of use.

Most of the throttle response smoothness issues were solved with a PCIII and taking all the slop out of the cable but I would be interested in feeling the difference the cam profile would make. It seems to me it would also make the bike feel a bit less torquey but I have not tried it so I'm not sure. Comments?

BTW, my 06 trans in absolutely no way feels notchty. It does absolutely have a 1st gear "klunk" that is minimized with a low idle and obviously dissapears if left in 1st at stops. It is in no way objectionable, just noticeable.

 

[Mr. Underhill]

I must be missing something here because I thought the new AE was charcoal (graphite) and and A was going to be black. You rode a black AE? Are they doing black in both now or was that just for the show?

 

[ROBSMST]

It could have been charcoal. But it looked black to me but not black like my ls or vtx I guess so let's call it charcoal. The A in front of me looked black too. Sunglasses, color blind. I don't konw.

 

[Warchild]

I must be missing something here because I thought the new AE was charcoal (graphite) and and A was going to be black.

Nope, the 2008 FJR1300A is black (with tons of metalflake);

The 2008 FJR1300AE is the much lighter color... Yamaha calls it "Granite Gray":

Photo credit: James Burleigh..... thanks, JB! B)

 

[ROBSMST]

The black is really nice but the turn signals need to be clear with chrome bulbs and also the reflectors need to be removed.

If you are into looks anyhow.

This from a guy who taped reflective tape to the hard cases, top case and his helmet for the increased night riding due to the time change.

 

[evilmedic13]

They are all nice and smooth and quiet when new, wait until it has done a few miles and loosened up, it will be the same as every other woman I've dated. They all do this.

Fixed

 

[818Guy]

So that is my opinion on the 08AE. Yes I would buy it and when the mileage on my 06 AE tells me it is time for a new bike, it will be the latest AE Yama mama has to offer.

Latest? Or last AE?

 

[Checkswrecks]

How close is that "granite gray" to my 2004 gray? Sure looks close!

 

[TheBlueStreak]

Hey Warchild, Do you know if the instruments have a silver or black bezel? From the pic of the AE it looks silver but from the pic of the A it looks black?

Thanks

 

[GPRIDER]

How close is that "granite gray" to my 2004 gray? Sure looks close!

It is darker than the 04 silver. In the lights at the show it looked almost black from a distance. For some reason they did have black sidebags on it. A very nice color though. It would look some lighter out in the sunlight.

GP

 

[Overbudget]

Rode to the Long Beach Motorcycle Show on my '07 AE and then rode the '08 AE. I would concur with ROBSMST that the off idle throttle response is smoother and clutch operation is better.

I spoke to the technical representative and he stated that the shape was changed on the throttle body pulley. He indicated that the pulley could be changed but since it is not available separately, it would require the throttle bodies. I can't recall if the changes to the clutch were both hardware and software or just software.

Other changes for '08 were to the ABS system. The '08 system is supposed to be smoother in operation. (I didn't try to confirm during the ride).

While waiting for my turn to ride I overheard another rider talk trash about the AE, he was signed up to demo the A. When I asked him if he had ever ridden the AE, he said "NO". Then why would you condemn it without ever trying it. Have you ever driven a Ferrari with paddle shifters. A friend let me drive his 360 Modena with paddle shifters and it was an experience I will never forget. The AE is going to be the closest I will ever get, to owning something that comes close to that type of experience. His answer was that a magazine writer didn't like it at really slow speeds and that you couldn't launch it as hard as with the manual clutch. I explained that if you ride the brake lightly you can keep the clutch slipping enough for control, but if you want to play drag racer then buy the manual shift. At the end of our talk he indicated that he had wished he had signed up to demo the AE also.