A Gen I Hater's Ride Impressions of the 2013 FJR1300......

[bluesdog]

Best. Review. Ever!

 

[beemerdons]

GreggiePoo,
Great, OBJECTIVE write-up.

Not much more to say than that.

Good Job!!!

Your #1 Fan!

Oh for God's sake Steve-O why don't You and GreggieM just get a room together at the Love Shack, include odot and Bust for a real "man love" daisy chain!

 

[SouthernCruizer]

no comments from anyone on the more accurate speedometer? My GPS showed 98mph with 100 indicated..not bad. My Gen I and Gen II were better than 7 mph off at that speed.

 

[SkooterG]

no comments from anyone on the more accurate speedometer? My GPS showed 98mph with 100 indicated..not bad. My Gen I and Gen II were better than 7 mph off at that speed.

There have been some previous comments. It's a good thing! No GPS on dipshit's FJR, so no comparison I can do.

And Gen I FJRs are known to have fairly accurate speedos. All three of mine aren't that far off at 100mph.

And Gen II FJRs are known to have less accurate speedos, more in line with your observation.

 

[odot]

Oh, my gawd, can we find anything else to bitch aboot you old whiney ghash whife whanna-bees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????

 

[Tanker]

Great write up Greg, Thanks!

 

[Fred W]

Yeah... much as it pains me, I have to agree: That was a pretty darned good, relatively objective, review of the 2013.

And it is incredibly interesting how much you perceived that the handling varies between the BigDon's bike and the demo trash. I guess none of us should really be all that surprised since Yamaha USA has never had a good grasp of what the FJR is all about, that they also can't maintain their demo fleet in better suspension tune state. Sure, some of that misadjustmant may have been due to your svelte and slender self, but not to that degree, IMO.

I guess my only questions/comments would be: Are all 2013's coming with the same rubber (OE spec Bridgetone BT023GT's?) We all know that tire choice, though often relegated to NEPRT status, does have a big impact on road feel. What pressures are they running on the demo bikes? Maybe they are (foolishly) going by the recommended inflation pressures? And if the front preload was set too low, I would have expected quicker turn-in due to a reduced rake and trail, but that seems counter to your observations. So I'd have to think it was something else.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Yeah... much as it pains me, I have to agree: That was a pretty darned good, relatively objective, review of the 2013.
And it is incredibly interesting how much you perceived that the handling varies between the BigDon's bike and the demo trash.

It doesn't pain me to agree that this was a really good review of the 2013, especially since he used a low mileage GEN2 as a baseline. His comments about the demo's handling was a surprise and it certainly does make one wonder what the moto journalists are being provided with to test. I have a C14 sitting next to my FJR for the last 5 years and the road tests of that bike have been all over the map. You can read the first "shootout" between the FJR, C14, and ST1300 at www.motorcycle.com. It appears they got a FJR that was dialed in....and it also had a pretty good dyno curve.

 

[LKLD]

The '13 tranny shifts smoother than my '09. I have zero complaints* about shifting with my '09, as it is very smooth and better than the Gen I, but the '13 is just a bit better. Seamless. Smooth as butter......
* One exception: My '09 has the annoying habit of sometimes not wanting to shift into 1st gear when stopped and in neutral. I have to put the clutch into the friction zone and release it again to get that successful shift into first. None of my Gen Is ever did this. Annoys the crap out of me when it happens.

I too like the shifting, and it keeps getting better the more I ride it....except......that stopping at a redlight and looking down to see you're in neutral not 1st. Trying to shift into 1st gets nothing. I have to pull in the clutch, hold down on the shifter and roll the bike a few inches. Now maybe this is just me screwing up somehow, as I am new to it, but I'm more concious now when coming to a stop and making sure it's in 1st gear before a complete stop.

Skooter, that was an insightful write-up, and should be a "sticky" so we can refer new members to it, who will invariably ask "How does the Gen 3 compare to the Gen 1 or 2?"

 

[bgross]

Thanks for the informative and detailed report.

When I read about the bar risers: "Humpty-Dumpty had them on his tuity-fruity 03 FJR Lucy Lui" I had to smile. It is truly surprising what a big difference is made by such a small device - even we knuckle-draggers notice it.

My ability to evaluate and compare misses the subtleties, so I'm stuck comparing the motorcycle formerly known as Miss Lucy Liu with the Hondapotamus.

After riding only "Lucille" for the past week, I took "Rose" out for a hundred mile spin today. She's been acting like a jealous stepsister, and I was ready to put her on suicide watch. It took a few miles to settle back into that "comfortable familiarity" and enjoy the ride for what it was.

My comparison is simple: it is like going from a mini van to a Mini Cooper.

Tomorrow Rose will get moved back to her "place of honor", the back of the garage!

Lucille may not be a 2013, but she's an FJR and a whole lot of fun!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Gotta agree with the others...great write up Skoot! Yamaha should be paying you to write their reviews and set up the demo fleet...new career?!? Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

BTW -- My '09 occasionally does the same thing when engaging first gear. Just needs a little back and forth rocking to go in.

--G

 

[odot]

Hate to disagree with all these pups but that write up did not include a gay spa episode. I was told specifically that you would be the leader and stuff would happen.......

 

[beemerdons]

Just needs a little back and forth rocking to go in.
--G

Holy Cow Gorgeous George, leave the FJR Forum Women out of this! For Petey's Sake: Barb, MEM and Tyler read these threads! jes' sayin' and nuff' said!

 

[wnyfjr]

BTW -- My '09 occasionally does the same thing when engaging first gear. Just needs a little back and forth rocking to go in.
--G

Every once in a while, my '06AE refuses to shift into or out of first, and I find a little roll forward or back allows it to then shift properly. I know it's a different setup (neutral at the bottom) than a non-AE, but it's interesting that it seems the same in this regard.

 

[AKjitsu]

Oh, my gawd, can we find anything else to bitch aboot you old whiney ghash whife whanna-bees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????

Yes. Every damned time I sit on a Gen III my hemeroids hurt!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Just needs a little back and forth rocking to go in.
--G

Holy Cow Gorgeous George, leave the FJR Forum Women out of this! For Petey's Sake: Barb, MEM and Tyler read these threads! jes' sayin' and nuff' said!

--G

 

[turbodave_98]

Scooter a very thorough write-up on the 13. I know you know how to wring out FJRs, No question. Since I saw Fairlaners and a couple others 13s I have been considering a Gen III. However being a 70+ vintage owner of an 06 AE, all rigged up with a Tanji cell, Soltec lamps, Audiovox CC(will hold 100 mph+), Russell Day Long saddle and 2 Garmin 478 GPS units I can't justify dumping it for a13. I have had 70k nearly flawless issues except for the spider grounding issue. If in a couple years the 13s come on the used market maybe I will reconsider. Just not enough differences to me.

In summary, I do admire the new model and hope it survives life without electrical issues as Gen II experienced.

Nuff said by me! Just reminded the recent discussion on black wheels, I offer I prefer the silver wheels with my red rig trim way more than black..

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Excellent write up comparing the models...Thanks, very, very informative.

Having owned the Gen I, 2004 "heater", the heat (even with all the mods) was too much for me in SW Florida, at least in the summer months...

I know your testing was done during the winter months, but can you compare the heat (if any/little, etc) to the Gen I which I'm most familiar with...

Thanks, Scott

 

[qkslver]

So tell me Skooter, what ya think about the cruse control----hhhmmmmmmmmm?

 

[AKjitsu]

Excellent write up comparing the models...Thanks, very, very informative.
Having owned the Gen I, 2004 "heater", the heat (even with all the mods) was too much for me in SW Florida, at least in the summer months...

I know your testing was done during the winter months, but can you compare the heat (if any/little, etc) to the Gen I which I'm most familiar with...

Thanks, Scott

I rode my Gen III home in 85 F. Mixed freeway and stop-and-go traffic. No leg heat. None. Zip. Nada.