07AE VS. 08AE

[ugar-6]

O.K. guys. The wifey and I have pretty much decided on the FJR as our next bike, barring any unforeseen or unbelievable deal on another bike. We also really like the colors of the 07 and 08 AE models. I have heard that the 07 can be a pain to get in gear and off the line until you hit 2,000-2,500rpm. I also heard that the heat isn't as bad on the 08 as it is on the previous model. I know the Gen II from 06 onwards is better than the Gen I but I've heard the 07 is better than the 08. Could any of you shed some light on the subject or tell me any other significant differences between the 07 and 08 models, AE only. Thanks.

 

[turbodave_98]

Color of the bikes only. Nothing more, even pertains to my 06 AE, is color only also. Trust me the Gen II Yamaha FJRs are less reliable than the Gen I's. I know because I had an 05 non-ABS and it was never down for a failure. I truly believe the Gen IIs have an inferior electrical system wiring than the GenI s.

 

[Wild72]

I bought a leftover 07AE which now has 27K, and I have never had any problems getting her into gear, or taking off.

Not having a manual clutch takes very little time to get used to, and the only thing I had to adapt to was using trail braking on low speed manouvers.

Bike has been 100% reliable, and the heat has only been an issue when in really slow traffic on seriously hot days.

As Dave says, only difference between 07/08 is the color.

 

[RichardS]

I bought an '08 instead of the '07 I test drove...I liked the '07 color better, but the computer on the '08 had some upgrades that closed the deal for me. That upgrade was explained in the Yama on-line specs page for each bike.

 

[happyPuppy]

I researched it as much as I could and could find no difference other than paint from '07 to '08. I got the '08 as the dealer would only knock $500.00 off on the '07 when I bought it in '08. I like the '08 color too, it goes with black well , and any add on's I get in black as it goes well with most everything. I have not had any problems... my only wish was it had came with the Metzler tires vs the POS 021 tires.

 

[Braenen]

When I went looking for my bike I sat on each of the 07, 08 and 09 AE models. I looked at them in all lighting conditions and decided I liked the 08 color best. I bought one. Is it better than others? Yes. Because the paint looks better. At last to me it does.

 

[buf2phx]

According to Yamaha,there are several differences between the 07 and 08. For 08:the windshield got a scratch resistant coating,redesigned windshield bracket,new design ABS unit,transmission redesign,new grips,I think that's it. How much difference any of that stuff makes, I don't know. I've never been on an 07,but I'm very happy with my 08. When I was buying,there was an 07 for $1k less than my 08. I thought the differences,and having a bike that was one model year newer,were worth the money. YMMV. I am quite curious about the YCCS remapping that they did on the 09 models, though. I haven't quite perfected a technique for downshifting to pass,not sure if it's me or the bike. Clutch disengagement as you're coming to a stop is sometimes a little funky,too.

Mike

 

[Barabus]

08 is faster- haha

 

[Fubar]

Yes. Because the paint looks better.

seez you! :blink:

 

[road runner]

I think the 08 got a redesigned throttle pulley. The new pulley makes it open more linear, or progressive. Which would make it easier to drive, not as jerky. Also I think the throttle opens a little easier on the 08. These things were changed on the A and I would assume the AE also, but I don;t know.

 

[Shadow]

The 08 and 09 have a revised throttle cam on the throttle bodies.

Other than that colour & price is the only difference.

There are still brand new 06 model bikes for sale in Aust, along with 07, 08 & 09.

Never were really accepted here and not too received in other places.

Maybe that's why the AE is no longer being made.

 

[dll]

I understood the ABS components were different,, the throttle cam is back to the design you'd get if you bought the G2, and from reading through the ECU threads the ECU was revised (it's a different firmware revision).

 

[johndaub]

According to Yamaha,there are several differences between the 07 and 08. For 08:the windshield got a scratch resistant coating,redesigned windshield bracket,new design ABS unit,transmission redesign,new grips,I think that's it.Mike

The 08 also has a redesigned cam for the throttle so that you do not need the G2 tube. However, some still add the G2 anyway.

I have an 07 and in high heat in slow traffic I get a lot of heat on my legs (black jeans does not help but I have not tried switching to light colored jeans). At least it does not boil the benzene in the gas tank like the Gen 1. I have never had a problem getting off the line or shifting up or down; shifts are always seamless. I occasionally find that if I forget to get it down to first before stopping, it sometimes will not let me downshift while stopped. No problem since it is off the line fine in second, just a little slower.

 

[wfooshee]

The aforementioned "redesigned transmission" is a heavier-duty second gear. IIRC it has 5 dogs instead of four now. That is significant to those that have experienced the "jumping-out-of-second" problem of worn dogs and eventually bent shift forks.

 

[ScottyUSN]

Just bought an 08 all most a month ago. My "in town" dealership wanted just as much for an 07 that I paid to drive 100 miles for to pick up my new 2008. I got out the door at 10.7K for a reference.

 

[dangerdog]

I haven't quite perfected a technique for downshifting to pass,not sure if it's me or the bike. Clutch disengagement as you're coming to a stop is sometimes a little funky,too.
Mike

Its probably the bike not you, unfortunately i have these same hiccups. Theyre fairly small concerns in comparison to how much i like the bike, but still.....

My only concern is long term with my AE. Its an 06 that runs great now, but it does i wonder how long this transmission can hold together the way it feels when it shifts sometimes. Not neccessarily what i would consider "rough".... but not as smooth as me using the clutch. I just hope it all holds together, especially if theyre not going to make an AE anymore.

edit for buf2............... the kn filter and power commander i installed seemed to have helped the smoothness out a lot more too. Also i have the g2 throttle tube. So far i have just been doing everything i read on here that would make the bike smoother. Seems like breathing a little better directly affects the shifting smoothness on the AE as your throttle is basically your only direct control over smoothing out that shift (up or down). Where as you would adjust your clutch control on another bike, here you just have to adjust how you baby that throttle. I would reccomend to any AE owners keep an eye on the boards and pick up a used power commander. It was well worth my 200 bucks.

 

[buf2phx]

I haven't quite perfected a technique for downshifting to pass,not sure if it's me or the bike. Clutch disengagement as you're coming to a stop is sometimes a little funky,too.
Mike

Its probably the bike not you, unfortunately i have these same hiccups. Theyre fairly small concerns in comparison to how much i like the bike, but still.....

My only concern is long term with my AE. Its an 06 that runs great now, but it does i wonder how long this transmission can hold together the way it feels when it shifts sometimes. Not neccessarily what i would consider "rough".... but not as smooth as me using the clutch. I just hope it all holds together, especially if theyre not going to make an AE anymore.

edit for buf2............... the kn filter and power commander i installed seemed to have helped the smoothness out a lot more too. Also i have the g2 throttle tube. So far i have just been doing everything i read on here that would make the bike smoother. Seems like breathing a little better directly affects the shifting smoothness on the AE as your throttle is basically your only direct control over smoothing out that shift (up or down). Where as you would adjust your clutch control on another bike, here you just have to adjust how you baby that throttle. I would reccomend to any AE owners keep an eye on the boards and pick up a used power commander. It was well worth my 200 bucks.

I guess it is probably a matter of figuring out what throttle input the YCC-S module wants to see to get a fast downshift for passing. I can flick off seamless,virtually instantaneous upshifts all day long. The only thing IMHO that will correct the clutch disengagement coming to a stop would be new software. I've asked a couple times on here if the YCC-S module is flash programmable, but haven't gotten a reply. I know the software changed for 09,just don't know if you'd need a new module to get it. Or if it would even work for prior years,for that matter.

Mike

 

[Anthony]

All other things being equal, the upgrades between the model years are probably insignificant for most, but it does seem that some people get bad 07's that run too lean. This is not exclusive to the fjr, suzuki dl650s also have a batch of 2007s that also run lean. Luckily, neither of these bikes that I own experience this problem. If they did, it would be easy to fix with a powercomander.

 

[n1acguy]

Just bought an 08 all most a month ago. My "in town" dealership wanted just as much for an 07 that I paid to drive 100 miles for to pick up my new 2008. I got out the door at 10.7K for a reference.

An AE out the door for 10,700? You stole it! That's probably below cost.