2015 FJR1300 real-world engine/trans "break-in" question:

[thewrenchbender]

or to put it another way, why is my 2015 (w/1600 miles) down on power compared to my 2008 (formerly w/25,000 miles-R.I.P.) ?

Had the opportunity this morning to do some data collection w/GPS. Pretty much confirmed the "butt-dyno" readings. Altitude/atmospheric pressure, temperature and relative humidity definitely close enough to not be a factor.

'15 would not pull to redline/limiter in 4th gear. Hung pretty much positively at 8600 rpm indicated.

I got it late last summer w/600ish miles. Have gradually turned up the wick for another 1000.

Current thought is to try again in another 1000 miles ?

No engine mods either bike, both bone-stock.

On the '08, took a little longer to hit the red in 4th than 3rd, but there never any question of it getting there.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Did you get the detuned French model? That sounds seriously farked.

 

[HotRodZilla]

My FJR has pulled all the way to red line, easily, in every gear, since the day I bought it with 0 miles on it. Whatever is going on with your bike sounds like something's not right.

 

[beacher]

Got 0 moles on my '08, too, and very happy about it! Those things can be pretty pesky!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Everything equal, same road, pushing a bigger windshield, trunk, w/wo bags?

Did a mouse build a house in the '15s air cleaner?

No shortage of power on my '15. It's every bit as strong as my '06 or '09 ever were all the way to the top.

--G

Edit to add: Suppose something in the FBW throttle could be maladjusted so WFO isn't happening.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Got 0 moles on my '08, too, and very happy about it! Those things can be pretty pesky!

Coughassholecough! LOL!!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I have not raced Dad's '07 but we have ridden together a lot and I do not see much difference in acceleration between the two. I will say that my '15 seems to be able to power wheelie a little bit where the '07 needed a little nudge to get the front wheel up. That may be differences in suspension though.

Are you running in "T" or "S"? Touring mode is supposed to deliver the same full throttle power as Sport so I do not know if that will affect things. I also agree with escapefjrtist, are you running a different windshield or perhaps at a different height?

 

[thewrenchbender]

Bags off. Both same model aftermarket windshields. No clue the diff in frontal area, but the '15 won't hit the limiter bags off windshield down, the '08 would with bags on and windshield fully extended...

Gas is fresh. No missing, no rough-running, nothing abnormal except running hard into the hp wall in 4th gear.

 

[thewrenchbender]

Sorry, forgot, only tried "T" mode one time, for one leave from a light. I may be getting older, but still rely on my wrist to properly modulate my throttle tip-in.

 

[Warpdrv]

Drive it like you stole it ----- that bike will outlast you whatever you do to it !!

Treat it right as far as maintenance and service and you can beat the snot out of it and she will never let you down !!

 

[Yosemiterich]

My 15es has no problem with aftermarket windshield up all the way and bag's loaded something is going on, as some one mentioned check for a nest if there is a restriction it could prevent you reaching red line.

 

[creg-ny-baa]

I have no specific suggestions other than the one about the airbox or whatever "snorkel" leads to it, but even brand new there should be no reluctance for the engine to pull all revs up to an electronic limiter.

Mapping issues? Set on "rain mode?" Ride mode switching malfunction? Fuel restriction? I'd be taking 'er in on a warranty question.

 

[Cav47]

Maybe your 15 is a mutant Gen 3.5 and got the wrong transmission. Prob a 6 speed piece of crap!! Also could be scared shitless of the new 3.5 version too.

On the other hand, maybe it just goes to show you that the previous gen 1s, 2s, and 3s are obsolete. Drive them all to the dump immediately.

As for the serious part of your problem, have you considered how you are going to explain to your dealer that she won't pull to redline? Since nearly every gear at redline is breaking almost every speed limit. The dealer may be reluctant to investigate for your given circumstances. He likely will not go out and run it up like you have.

Good luck. You should have it work as you wish.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Well, first thing wrong is your 2015 has only 1,600 miles. Maybe this is its way of extracting revenge for not riding.

My 2015 (ES, not A as indicated in your signature) hauls to the redline in 2nd and 3rd without issue -- and I ride in T-mode exclusively. I'm too big a wussy to push it that far in 4th or 5th -- air friction at those speeds might melt my helmet off.

Seriously: if things are as you report, there's an issue that probably should be repairable under warranty.

 

[mcatrophy]

Riding mode is irrelevant, both modes will give the same power, Touring just lags how quickly it gets there.

There is definitely something wrong. Airbox restriction is a possibility as others have said.

There's one horrible test you could try, rev it in neutral, does it get to the red line? (Not something I would normally advocate doing, but that would not be restricted by airflow.)

I'm not sure of all the symptoms, but if the valve timing was out by a tooth that would stop it revving to the limiter. I've never heard of this from the factory, but then I've never heard of an FJR unable to reach the limiter except perhaps in 5th.

 

[audiowize]

If you run into trouble, you could look into paying to have the bike dyno tested. It seems like a lot of effort to go through, but if you can't get to redline, it will be very obvious on a dyno.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I've seen speeds in excess of 140mph (on a closed track, hypothetically speaking, in a movie I heard about), but I've never, to my knowledge, taken this bike anywhere near redline. Unlike Kawasaki's I've ridden, which rev to and hit redline as a matter of routine operation, I've just never had to rev that high to get the FJR to do anything I want it to. Makes me wonder if I've been close but didn't know it. ..

 

[thewrenchbender]

With regard to the dealer/warranty question, have initiated contact with the dealer did the "first service". Currently in the hands of the 2nd gen, but dad was there the day I had it serviced. #1 son back-in-the-day had a V-max that he drag-raced (pretty sure had chain-drive conversion) plan on reminding him of that if needed.

Without going into gory unnecessary detail, the '08 went to the red in 4th at least one day a week for the almost 2 seasons I owned it. Has suspected something was up with the '15, but was only recently able to confirm it.

I am not critical of how anybody rides anything (unless they do it in flip-flops & shorts 2up), but personally I did not buy another FJR to short-shift it and/or try to get much more than 35 mpg...

 

[PhilJet09]

Honda East Toledo has a dyno.