OrangevaleFJR
R.I.P. Our FJR Riding Friend
I took my FJR in for the 36k mile service last Monday. I needed to get back home and needed a loaner. Roseville Yamaha was going to give me a demo Star Road Liner. I have 100 miles on one of those, and that's enough for me. I saw a big 'ol Harley Road Glide on their front entrance walk. I asked for it. I told Pete that it was highly likely that my neighbor would buy it if he saw it. Pete told me a really good price (about $6k under bluebook) and gave me a list of upgrades the bike had:
Screaming Eagle Cams
95 CI kit
Screaming Eagle computer
Vance&Hines 2 into 1 exhaust
Chopped travel package
Cruise
43mm carbs
All the stock parts that were replaced
Well, I hopped on and it was with anticipation that I awaited the sluggish stearing, braking, acceleration etc.
I was pretty nervous about turning it. I didn't want to scrape the thing in turns and I was so used to the FJR's leaning capabilities. I never scraped...phew. In fact, the steering was better than I thought it would be. It seemed slower to stear...or not to turn as much as I was leaning...but it was manageable and I never hit any stationary objects, or got out of my lane or anything.
I was nervous about braking. I tested it once and yep, it is heavier thant he FJR and has thinner harder tires. It doesn't stop as fast. It seemed okay.
I expected it to be really slow. It wasn't. It was actually a lot faster than I thought it would be. I think it was just as fast, or faster than the Star Road Liner (but it's been ahwile since I rode that).
I expected it to shake me up. At a stop and idle it did. I finally figured out why HD riders always rev their engines. It isn't to sound cool, it's so they can see in a single image because at idle while stopped you see double; one image 2 cm over the other.
At speed? This bike is smooth. The fixed fairing VERY good and had zero buffeting. I loved it at speed. The only problem I had at speed was the engine noise. It was too loud for me. I'd stick with the stock pipes.
Was I surprised? Yes! This bike was much better than I expected. I better understand why people buy them now. After riding LD on the FJR, I'm not even close to considering a swap, but the HD is a lot nicer than I thought it would be. It was comfortable, Reasonably fast, took cornering ok, great fairing, comfy, smooth at speed. The shaking at a stop was nearly unbearable and pretty embarassing to me...the handlebars were jumping up and down by 1.5 inches!!! I guess you'd get used to that.
Bottom line, I have more respect for the machine than I had before. I had fun...but go figure...I like something with two wheels...surprise!!!
Oh, and my neighbor bought it. CeeBaileys polish took they fading/yellowing off the headlight cover and indicator light lenses really nicely!
Screaming Eagle Cams
95 CI kit
Screaming Eagle computer
Vance&Hines 2 into 1 exhaust
Chopped travel package
Cruise
43mm carbs
All the stock parts that were replaced
Well, I hopped on and it was with anticipation that I awaited the sluggish stearing, braking, acceleration etc.
I was pretty nervous about turning it. I didn't want to scrape the thing in turns and I was so used to the FJR's leaning capabilities. I never scraped...phew. In fact, the steering was better than I thought it would be. It seemed slower to stear...or not to turn as much as I was leaning...but it was manageable and I never hit any stationary objects, or got out of my lane or anything.
I was nervous about braking. I tested it once and yep, it is heavier thant he FJR and has thinner harder tires. It doesn't stop as fast. It seemed okay.
I expected it to be really slow. It wasn't. It was actually a lot faster than I thought it would be. I think it was just as fast, or faster than the Star Road Liner (but it's been ahwile since I rode that).
I expected it to shake me up. At a stop and idle it did. I finally figured out why HD riders always rev their engines. It isn't to sound cool, it's so they can see in a single image because at idle while stopped you see double; one image 2 cm over the other.
At speed? This bike is smooth. The fixed fairing VERY good and had zero buffeting. I loved it at speed. The only problem I had at speed was the engine noise. It was too loud for me. I'd stick with the stock pipes.
Was I surprised? Yes! This bike was much better than I expected. I better understand why people buy them now. After riding LD on the FJR, I'm not even close to considering a swap, but the HD is a lot nicer than I thought it would be. It was comfortable, Reasonably fast, took cornering ok, great fairing, comfy, smooth at speed. The shaking at a stop was nearly unbearable and pretty embarassing to me...the handlebars were jumping up and down by 1.5 inches!!! I guess you'd get used to that.
Bottom line, I have more respect for the machine than I had before. I had fun...but go figure...I like something with two wheels...surprise!!!
Oh, and my neighbor bought it. CeeBaileys polish took they fading/yellowing off the headlight cover and indicator light lenses really nicely!
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