2016 Is Official 6-spd, Slipper, LEDs, Analog Tach, Price

[gixxerjasen]

In in 2018 I can find a lightly used 16 ES for a good price. All the new feature bugs should be know and worked out by then.

Except, that like the 2013, all of the 16's bugs will be worked out in the 17.

 

[SkooterG]

All I gotta say is my 198k gen2 is much closer to being a collectible than the purty new 16 temptress..

Or yard art...

Or boat anchor....

 

[Malve]

So how pathetic is it that I'm under 30K on my '06?

I keep having this inner dialogue in my mind trying to talk me into an upgrade. Unfortunately, no part of that dialogue includes:

"Uh, oh this transmission only has a few more miles left in it"

"Man, 5th is buzzy..If there were just one more gear"

"If my forks were inverted, this thing would just glide"

"Shit, I'm really struggling to see around corners as I turn in the dark"

"I can't read these damn gauges"

"What the hell?, How come every time I down shift, the engine breaks like a mother effer?"

"This heated grip knob puts so much pressure on me to dial it in perfectly..If I just had a few settings, that'd help"

Instead it's more like:

"A new bike would be bitchin"

All kidding aside the features that interest me most are the improved suspension and the legit cruise control. 'm curious to see how much brighter the headlights will be too. Most of the rest are bells and whistles that I could do without but would enjoy and appreciate none-the-less. The color, while nice, is not for me. Black or anything in the grey/silver camp would work well for me.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Maybe with the new 6th gear it'll do 180...Then again, maybe not. Sort of disappointed. Way to cave to a bunch of dipshits that have no idea what they're talking about and who don't own FJRs. My only hope is that it shifts better than my '07 and multiple shifts aren't required for every change of speed.

As one of those dipshits who doesn't own a FJR but has taken one for three test rides at slow and, yes, highway speeds...

...they need to appeal to non-FJR-owner dipshits. If that audience of non-FJR-owning dipshits generally believe, as I do, that a six-speed transmission that provides "evenly spaced gearing for sporty riding and a tall 6th gear for relaxed highway riding" (Yamaha's site) is preferable to a five-speed that revved higher at highway speeds...

...but there is undoubtedly a far larger number of non-FJR-owning dipshits like me who would have given the FJR a pass because of five speeds, no matter how much it otherwise appealed to us. I changed from my last bike to my current ride largely because of that problem. With a change to six speeds, both audiences are now largely addressed.

Aaaaaaaaand, thanks for my proving my point. You went on 3 WHOLE test rides and know the FJR needs a 6th gear because it is too "high revving" at highway speeds?

Go Google some stuff, because the 5 speed FJR actually runs lower RPM at highway speeds, let's say 70-100 than any 6 speed sport touring bike out there. Less than the BMW RT. Less than the Connie, and maybe, less than whatever you're riding. Some other bikes do run lower RPM, but not comparable bikes.

Ever ridden a BMW RT? Try to get on it at 50 and keep up with an FJR to 140. It's impossible because every time it starts to pull, it's time to shift. Close spaced gears and a final 6th gear that closely matches the FJR's 5th gear. That's why I'm betting the new FJR will turn RPM in 6th gear at 80mph VERY close to what my lowly 5 speed FJR turns.

We've already discussed how magazine writers are idiots in their own right, and they are the biggest complainers about wanting 6 gears. Most of them ride like shit and would fall all over themselves if someone created a 10 gear box. As soon as that happened, they would bemoan every other bike that didn't have the same 10 gear tranny, and every wannabe dingaling who can't form their own opinion would agree with them. Why? Because they have no idea what they're talking about.

I wouldn't not buy an FJR because it has 6 gears, but not buying one because it only has 5 displays a level of ignorance not easily overcome. I have access to late model RTs, including the new liquid cooled ones, and have rolled on with plenty of Connies. I have shown every one of them my ass, because while they're busy shifting from 4th to 5th to 6th, I shift from 4th to 5th and I'm gone.

Oh, well, whatever. Maybe it was time for an update anyway.

 

[Panman]

Cool..and since you have ended the GEN argument and convinced us that the 2016 is in fact a GEN III, I guess I can plug that D-air system right into my own 2013 Gen III, right?

You like masturbating I can tell!

You can't interchange a rotor or a fork from a 2004 Gen 1 with a 2003 Gen 1. You can't interchange a Gen 2 2007 wheel with a Gen 2 2008. Does that make each different generations? No.

It's easy to find small numbers of changes, but you're glossing over the totality of changes (or lack thereof) in the 2016 as a platform. The redo points that Yamaha engineers reexamined the bike were the 2006 and 2013 model seasons. They stuck the things in wind tunnels and redid...the 2016 freshened some parts.

What's also very helpful for the FJR community of parts hounds is to have a rule-of-thumb for swapability of parts. And in no particular order the biggies as experienced over and over on this forum are things like windshield, seats, wheels, shocks, and add-on farkles. And the wheel one has caused confusion in many folks since it was a very narrow change in an otherwise static model. It's not going to be about clutches, transmissions, and computers.

BTW, I pinged Warchild and he said it's no way a Gen 4. I floated my "3.5" idea, but there was some virtual eye-rolling with that. I think he goes with the chassis/engine/interchangeability of common parts principle.

Edit: Now he's reexamining. He and I already have a $1 bet about interchangeability of the tail light assembly.

It will be interesting to hear Bounce's opinion if he decides to weigh in.

Who the hell is Warchild anyhow? I think I remember that name? Dale the FJR Goddess, oh who gives a crap anyhow? Things change, get over it!

 

[08FJR4ME]

Is the general concensus that no one gives a flying fig about the 6 speed. That's what I am hearing here at least. So where are all the gloating whinabees who demanded it.

Edit: Where the hell is bust when you need him?

Crickets,

 

[FastJoyRide]

No sign of a Canadian announcement on the Yamaha Canada site. They may have so many plug-ugly brown and grey 14's and 15's left over that they won't bother bringing in any 16's?

 

[escapefjrtist]

As a lucky bastage who has ALL three Gens currently in the garage.............
IT'S STILL A GEN III

Argument over.

You may all continue on with your mental masturbation of the new Gen III.5 FJR.

IMHO...crashed don't count skoot - JS'NS

--G

 

[escapefjrtist]

Well my 09 Gen II with 65k miles was worthless when the Gen III came out. My Gen II just took another hit as many will want the 6 speed tranny. Of course I could get a lightly use 15 for a song now. Hey --G ya reading this!

I will have to get a test ride this spring and see how the new tranny and clutch compare to my 09. Of course I can read about the first test rides on the forum.

In in 2018 I can find a lightly used 16 ES for a good price. All the new feature bugs should be know and worked out by then.

Fontanaman, you interested in a lo-mile '15 with GP forks and Penske, set-up and ready to go?

--G

 

[101stpathfinder]

My biggest concern with buying the '16 would be losing the comfort upgrades I've made to my '07. It's damn near like a Goldwing. Laam seats, MCL highway pegs, Cal-Sci windshield, MV riser plate (with risers added to it). Any one know which, if any, farkles will remain interchangable?

probably everything except the windshield, and maybe the highway pegs

I am wondering about the seat myself… I am currently sitting on 3 RDL(s) and hoping Gen 2-3 seats work with the '16. (?)

 

[900gc]

Cue up REO Speedwagon 'Roll with the Changes'. Marketing features whether needed or not vs. engineering functionality is never ending. To me, if they redesigned the gear box and clutch for smoother operation and kept it a 5 speed, that would be ideal. I would have liked a redesigned seat and less reach to the bars. Like the LED lighting with cornering feature a lot since I ride in the dark so much. Still a Gen III to me (3.5?) thinking a Gen IV will be a whole new design.

All this stuff is nice but my farkled, tweeked, modded '08 is still one heck of a fine motorcycle that I thoroughly enjoy every time I ride it. Still not tempted to change it.

 

[lele]

I want 6 speed on my gen1..why yamaha don't put on the market a kit for upgrade old engines to 6 speed?

 

[beemerdons]

No sign of a Canadian announcement on the Yamaha Canada site. They may have so many plug-ugly brown and grey 14's and 15's left over that they won't bother bringing in any 16's?

No worries Dave, Mama Yamaha is giving Canuckistan this model for 2016 eh! JSNS!

 

[hppants]

I get that helical gears should cut down on tranny whine. I mean I don't technically get it, but I've read enough sources that say it, and if it's on the Internet, it must be true.

But the whine I hear on my Gen III (and my former Gen I) is most pronounced at about 3,000 rpm, in any gear, at any throttle position. I always subscribed to the theory that the straight cut counter balancer gears were the cause of that noise. I've not read anything that suggest a C/B re-design.

So are the helical cut gears just hype? Are there other advantages?

 

[BanjoBoy]

Maybe with the new 6th gear it'll do 180...Then again, maybe not. Sort of disappointed. Way to cave to a bunch of dipshits that have no idea what they're talking about and who don't own FJRs. My only hope is that it shifts better than my '07 and multiple shifts aren't required for every change of speed.

As one of those dipshits who doesn't own a FJR but has taken one for three test rides at slow and, yes, highway speeds...

...they need to appeal to non-FJR-owner dipshits. If that audience of non-FJR-owning dipshits generally believe, as I do, that a six-speed transmission that provides "evenly spaced gearing for sporty riding and a tall 6th gear for relaxed highway riding" (Yamaha's site) is preferable to a five-speed that revved higher at highway speeds...

...but there is undoubtedly a far larger number of non-FJR-owning dipshits like me who would have given the FJR a pass because of five speeds, no matter how much it otherwise appealed to us. I changed from my last bike to my current ride largely because of that problem. With a change to six speeds, both audiences are now largely addressed.

Aaaaaaaaand, thanks for my proving my point. You went on 3 WHOLE test rides and know the FJR needs a 6th gear because it is too "high revving" at highway speeds?

Go Google some stuff, because the 5 speed FJR actually runs lower RPM at highway speeds, let's say 70-100 than any 6 speed sport touring bike out there. Less than the BMW RT. Less than the Connie, and maybe, less than whatever you're riding. Some other bikes do run lower RPM, but not comparable bikes.

Ever ridden a BMW RT? Try to get on it at 50 and keep up with an FJR to 140. It's impossible because every time it starts to pull, it's time to shift. Close spaced gears and a final 6th gear that closely matches the FJR's 5th gear. That's why I'm betting the new FJR will turn RPM in 6th gear at 80mph VERY close to what my lowly 5 speed FJR turns.

We've already discussed how magazine writers are idiots in their own right, and they are the biggest complainers about wanting 6 gears. Most of them ride like shit and would fall all over themselves if someone created a 10 gear box. As soon as that happened, they would bemoan every other bike that didn't have the same 10 gear tranny, and every wannabe dingaling who can't form their own opinion would agree with them. Why? Because they have no idea what they're talking about.

I wouldn't not buy an FJR because it has 6 gears, but not buying one because it only has 5 displays a level of ignorance not easily overcome. I have access to late model RTs, including the new liquid cooled ones, and have rolled on with plenty of Connies. I have shown every one of them my ass, because while they're busy shifting from 4th to 5th to 6th, I shift from 4th to 5th and I'm gone.

Oh, well, whatever. Maybe it was time for an update anyway.

Yeah butt...

 

[El Toro]

I get that helical gears should cut down on tranny whine. I mean I don't technically get it, but I've read enough sources that say it, and if it's on the Internet, it must be true.

So are the helical cut gears just hype? Are there other advantages?

Helical gear teeth engage and disengage in the mesh more smoothly, with gradual line contact, leading to lower impact forces.

Much of the noise associated with gears is actually the pulsing of the air being squeezed out of the mesh. This is reduced for helical meshing too. So between the reduced impact excitation, which excites structural modes in the supporting components, and the reduced pulsing of air, which produces direct sound radiation from the mesh, well designed helical gears can offer advantage in the area of noise.

FWIW, my grandfather worked as a designer at The Gleason Works, and designed many of the cutting machines used in the auto industry to produce helical, bevel, and hypoid bevel gears back when all these innovations were brand new. He also was a designer for Gleason's trochoidal cutters for the first production Wankels. My own first major project for Kodak as alternate corporate engineering specialist for noise control and corporate engineering specialist for vibration analysis involved mathematical modeling of the noise generated by helical cutters. That was a long time ago.

 

[PhilJet09]

Is gear noise that big of an issue? I can't hear it most of the time because I like music in my ears while I ride. Then there are times I ride with just earplugs, which is music of a different sort. I like the "noises" my bikes make.

 

[El Toro Joe]

I get that helical gears should cut down on tranny whine. I mean I don't technically get it, but I've read enough sources that say it, and if it's on the Internet, it must be true.

So are the helical cut gears just hype? Are there other advantages?

Helical gear teeth engage and disengage in the mesh more smoothly, with gradual line contact, leading to lower impact forces.

Much of the noise associated with gears is actually the pulsing of the air being squeezed out of the mesh. This is reduced for helical meshing too. So between the reduced impact excitation, which excites structural modes in the supporting components, and the reduced pulsing of air, which produces direct sound radiation from the mesh, well designed helical gears can offer advantage in the area of noise.

FWIW, my grandfather worked as a designer at The Gleason Works, and designed many of the cutting machines used in the auto industry to produce helical, bevel, and hypoid bevel gears back when all these innovations were brand new. He also was a designer for Gleason's trochoidal cutters for the first production Wankels. My own first major project for Kodak as alternate corporate engineering specialist for noise control and corporate engineering specialist for vibration analysis involved mathematical modeling of the noise generated by helical cutters. That was a long time ago.

Yeah, but did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?

 

[chivvalry]

I wonder if the 2017 will be black....

 

[Fred W]

FWIW - I just noticed that the side panels are NOT color matched. They are black.

Looking closely at the cornering headlights in the video at the Yamaha US website, it appears that this feature may just turn on the high beam light on the inside cornering headlight when it detects more than X amount of lean angle. If that is all it does, that should be a relatively simple retrofit to apply to any bike once a lean detection device is installed.