'08 News

[SkooterG]

Apparently Yamaha doesn't see the Concours 14 as a potential threat to their market share in the sport touing bike segment.

They didn't have enough time to react to any perceived competition from the C-14 for the 2008 model year FJR. Who knows what 2009/2010 may, or may not bring.

That being said, I do have to agree with the 'Tard from Florida in his oh-so-eloquent evaluation of the 2008 model FJR................

[SIZE=36pt]YAWN!!![/SIZE]

 

[Runner512]

Sold my beautiful 05 Galaxy Blue to roll the dice on an 08 color of RED. Craps. Black is boring and won't be in my garage next year but a good used 2006 or 2007 model will be. Sorry Yamaha you missed the mark again.

 

[WVFJR]

I was worried that I jumped into the FJR arena a year to soon. Guess not My 07 is the color that I wanted Black cherry ( my bike for 16 years before was the same color) witch is all good. Only problems that I've had were lose head bearings when new and a main fuse that did not like to stay in place. I do like the raven color but it would be a pain.

 

[user 6393]

I want a black, I want a black!

 

[BrunDog]

You know what rubs me raw on the 08 announcement?? Not the color (isn't Raven matte black), or even the fact that the changes were minor. That is forgiveable.

No, it is the fact that the morons at Yami have a very free focus group in this forum, and that if they simply seriously acknowledged the information here, they would take the ST world by storm. Instead, they chose to IGNORE the things we frequently ask for, and have for years. Scratch proof glass? Show me one fucking post where anyone cried about a scratch on their shield. Give me a break. And the other stuff is obviously CYA for shit they underdesigned in the first place. New ABS? Who gives a crap - the old one is only used in panic situations anyway, and I doubt anyone cares about the pulsing sensation it issued knowing it saved their ass in the process...

I met the "marketing" clowns from Cypress at Daytona a couple of years ago. They swore that they read the forum (and back then, this forum was young and sleazyboard was still losing active members), and they said they knew the main people (Warchild, etc.). They claimed to have gotten good feedback from the forum and that the material here helped them. Yeah, they fixed the heat issue. Big deal. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one was needed.

So, either they are stone cold liars, or they want to make the changes but getting the message across to the project managers in Japan is impossible. Not sure which, but the fact is we never hear any admissions of fault (tick, subframe) or anything else directly from cypress - so it must be the former.

Honestly, I am thrilled with my bike and have no reason to upgrade (no mileage slaps, please), but I feel like Yamaha does not want to take care of its VERY loyal and EXTREMELY fanatical fan base. Who, by the way, does ALL of the selling for them. Does anyone know anyone who owned an FJR who didn't rave about it and try to convince everyone else to get one?? Let's face it, they never would have sold anwhere close to what thy have with that dumbass PDP if it weren't for the community of owners. Unfortunately, in circumstances like these, it is usually long after that loyalty has waned and new dollars have been given willingly to an eager competitor that the company amends their approach. Then, alas, it is too late.

And don't tell me some shit about "they didn't know the C14 was coming". Industry secrets may be tight, but I have a feeling there is an very strong network of underground data purveyors in Japan, where business competition is considered flat out war. They had many months to up the ante in light of the C14. While creating a new motor may have been unfeasible (and unnecessary), adding some serious upgrades (CC, xenon lights, upgraded suspension, pipes/mufflers, bigger gas tank, and all the other shit we carry on about) would have stopped us from watching the pretty lady across the street. Not only that, they are selling many more of these now, so finances are not the hindrance.

**** you, Yamaha. I hope you ultimately get what you deserve. I suggest you go over the the connie forum and watch for posts that read "former FJR owner".

-BD

 

[FJR_pig]

Breathe...breathe...

 

[UFO]

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with Yamaha's latest FJR. The color is cool, but I had hoped that the engineers at Yamaha would have come up with something more exciting than improved grips, scratch resistant wind screen and new ABS system. Apparently Yamaha doesn't see the Concours 14 as a potential threat to their market share in the sport touing bike segment. A factory installed cruise control system is long overdue on the FJR and would have one-upped the Concours 14.

Actually I think Yamaha has done a pretty good job evolving the bike so far. I expect '09 or '10 will be another significant update. That's when I will trade up, assuming the changes are for the positive.

My question is: how are the supersports on a 2 year re-design cycle? Do they really sell that many, and are they that disposable to justify all the R&D and re-tooling required? :blink:

 

[SomethingSomeoneBlahBlah]

I want a black, I want a black!

Sonofa... and it is black. Dammit. It WOULD have to be black.

Why, Yamaha, why?

Now my trip to the dark side begins.

Talked to the dealer this afternoon about trading my Vivid Black 2005 Ultra Classic for a 2008 FJR1300A in Raven.

C14? Thought about it. First year jitters, and I *hate* silver. Any other color, and I've had looked much longer and harder. The C14 seems VERY nice, but ... silver. It would be. Like every other manufacturer these days. Black should be the color of your offerings if you don't want to offer a variety.

I *love, love love* the 2007 BMW K1200GT, but I figure I can own an FJR1300 and a used Road Star for the $22K the BMW would run me.

 

[UFO]

Breathe...breathe...

Yeah, seriously. :blink:

 

[Murph]

[...]the fact that the morons at Yami have a very free focus group in this forum, and that if they simply seriously acknowledged the information here, they would take the ST world by storm. Instead, they chose to IGNORE the things we frequently ask for, and have for years.
[...]

So, either they are stone cold liars, or they want to make the changes but getting the message across to the project managers in Japan is impossible. Not sure which, but the fact is we never hear any admissions of fault (tick, subframe) or anything else directly from cypress - so it must be the former.

I'm not disagreeing with you but keep in mind that marketing people are confined to budgets and to prioritizing their needs so as to align with total company objectives. No doubt that Yamaha's FJR marketing gurus understand AND WANT to address all of the FJR's issues. However, due to other Yamaha objectives (ex: other new products, cost savings, whatever...), they cannot address everything in one wide stroke of the brush. That is why products from any company are seldom perfect ... they are not created in a vacuum but, rather, by organizations that must balance many marketing teams competing for total corporate product improvement $.

Obviously, Yamaha is content with the FJR's current market share of the ST world and preferred to invest more $ into the new Raider and other new items. Just as the Connie was completely redesigned, the FJR will eventually follow ... for us fans, however, let's just hope it's not 15 years from now!

Would it have been cool to have more exciting improvements to the '08 FJR? Absolutely. In the meantime, however, I'm content knowing that I have a great bike as is.



By the way ... in no way am I associated with Yamaha

 

[RadioHowie]

...the 'Tard from Florida...

At least you had the good show of form and respect to capitalize 'Tard. :****:

 

[wpbfjr]

on the canadian site, they list an hour meter / tachometer that is: "Preprogrammed to alert operator at 10 hours, then every 100 hours thereafter for scheduled maintenance. Also provides convenient tachometer function."

is this a new maintenance schedule?

 

[smokeFJR06]

$100 more than the 07. Those new grips must be sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!

Nah...it's a $100 inconvenience charge for all the '06 ECUs MamaYama's gonna be replacing soon.

Sounds good to me. I will let the newbie's pay for my new ECU. Yep, won't bother me one bit!

 

[twowheelnut]

on the canadian site, they list an hour meter / tachometer that is: "Preprogrammed to alert operator at 10 hours, then every 100 hours thereafter for scheduled maintenance. Also provides convenient tachometer function."
is this a new maintenance schedule?

Yep, kinda like your new sig line. :****:

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

It's simply not realistic to make major changes every year, or every other year. The fact that Yamaha focuses on any changes at all is good. From '04 to '05 there were suspension upgrades. Gen I to Gen II came after 6 years run on the production line. Hopefully, with the increased sales, the FJR sales will pay for an earlier retooling of production lines.

Even a small change can cost a tremendous amount of money if the production line has to be modified. It isn't just the redisgn of the new part, but the start up costs of manufacturing that part. Then add in the start up costs of mofifying the assembly line and training all the workers. Also add in all the testing required before they can release it for production. All this costs serious cash. Luckily, the Japanese seem to focus on agile production line techniques rather than highly automated techniques. Nonetheless, there is a financial formula around how often they can redesign and retool the production line per design revision so that they remain profitable. If they lose money on the product, they stop producing it and I think none of us want that. Many of us are already thinking of our 2nd and even 3rd FJR (or 4th even?).

Even Honda Accords are only redesigned every 3 years and they sell quite a few more boatloads of them than Yamaha sells FJRs.

I'm just glad they didn't waste any of the good colors until the Gen III is released

 

[RadioHowie]

It's simply not realistic to make major changes every year, or every other year. The fact that Yamaha focuses on any changes at all is good. From '04 to '05 there were suspension upgrades. Gen I to Gen II came after 6 years run on the production line. Hopefully, with the increased sales, the FJR sales will pay for an earlier retooling of production lines.
Even a small change can cost a tremendous amount of money if the production line has to be modified. It isn't just the redisgn of the new part, but the start up costs of manufacturing that part. Then add in the start up costs of mofifying the assembly line and training all the workers. Also add in all the testing required before they can release it for production. All this costs serious cash. Luckily, the Japanese seem to focus on agile production line techniques rather than highly automated techniques. Nonetheless, there is a financial formula around how often they can redesign and retool the production line per design revision so that they remain profitable. If they lose money on the product, they stop producing it and I think none of us want that. Many of us are already thinking of our 2nd and even 3rd FJR (or 4th even?).

Even Honda Accords are only redesigned every 3 years and they sell quite a few more boatloads of them than Yamaha sells FJRs.

I'm just glad they didn't waste any of the good colors until the Gen III is released

Gatdammed apologist.

 

[UFO]

I'm not terribly surprised or disappointed with the '08 news. I'm a realist...I don't expect a newly designed FJR every year or two like some.

But you know what I would like, regardless of year? More than one fricken' color choice! :angry2:

 

[2006FJR]

So nothing has really changed since I got my 06?

 

[twowheelnut]

Gatdammed apologist.

How's that No-Longer-Sold-In-America Kawi, runnin' there, sport? :bleh:

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Gatdammed apologist.

Well, someone has to explain reality to idealists. and...and what TWN said.