AE vs Standard Clutch Pro and Con

[Top_Speed1]

Lack of Cruise Control choices is a (-minus) with the AE

Nothing like a thread such as this to remind me how totally full of **** some people really are.

I think it has more to do with the factory heated grips. I bought a set; https://www.pca-one.com/productDetail.asp?productID=7755

Clearly states in very first line (my fault as I had everyone else's mentality on this!)

Fits Yamaha FJR1300 '03-'13. Will NOT fit AE model or models with heated grips

Then in my research to replace, I found a few more with the same results. Hence my warning.

Nothing like a thread like this that brings out reality. Now who's full of ****?

I thought so.

 

[Granger]

I've owned my '09 AE for 1.5 years now and ridden it in all kinds of weather. If you have years of experience built up learning to 'feather the clutch' for low speed manuevers you will have to learn new skills on the AE, but all of them have been mentioned here, including:

- starting/running in 2nd gear (or higher) instead of 1st in order to diminish acceleration jerk

- feathering the rear brake while keeping the throttle on low

I liked the one writer's comment about being able to do everything on the bike just using your hands (shift, accelerate and brake) while letting your feet worry about balance and touching down in stop-and-go situations, that is VERY true and impossible with normal clutch bikes.

I started riding 30 years ago and in 2011 switched from clutch bikes to the AE and also bought a Suzuki Burgman 650 which has an actual auto-variable transmission (you never shift manually, unlike the AE which REQUIRES you to shift) and it's even easier to use and allows you to concentrate more on riding and your surroundings instead of trying to recall what gear you are in.

That kind of sums it up for me: less to think about and the freedom to enjoy the ride and focus on other stuff like how far over I am in this curve or what that SOB car at the next intersection is about to do and how I will react when he does something that stupid. I don't need to frantically remember about my gear and pulling the clutch in to avoid a stall on either of my bikes.

Really don't care if the "purists" think I am lazy. I'll do the same long distance rides or crowded traffic they do, on two wheels, with less sweat and less distraction.

I plan on trying out a Honda CTX700 with their DCT tranny in 2014 to see if non-clutching is getting any better than what I have.

See you on the highway.

Joe

 

[Auron]

Does it hurt the bike to keep it in 2nd when the indicator is flashing to downshift?

 

[mcatrophy]

Does it hurt the bike to keep it in 2nd when the indicator is flashing to downshift?

Depends. If you are on a tailing throttle, it won't hurt the engine at all.
If you open the throttle, you will be lugging the engine. I can't say what, if any, damage that may cause, this is where you'll get lots of opinions and very little real data.

The most worrying for me would be that you can't get immediate acceleration to avoid the texter whose unguided car wants to be where your bike is.

 

[Auron]

So if you come to a stop in 2nd, it pulls in the clutch in just the same? ****, that's going to make city traffic a lot easier, thanks!

 

[gixxerjasen]

You can stop in 5th and it won't stall, it'll pull in the clutch. For the health of your shift dogs, I'd not shift while stopped and try not to stop in 5th. It will make the bike very unhappy with you when you take off, it won't stall, but it'll bitch.

 

[Auron]

So coming to a stop in 2nd and then clicking into 1st is fine? Sorry if you've already answered that...

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'm not an expert on the subject, all I've see is to not shift while stopped. Haven't seen anything about which gear to which gear is safe (aside from 1 to N and back of course) so maybe someone else can confirm this.

 

[MayBeNewFJRGuy]

LMAO
Who'd a thunk a simple question would raise such comments debate and argument almost vitriol.

I appreciate all the advise experiance and reading about the FJR. I am sold on it, but as noted I am not going to get the bike just yet. Family life changed so quick, as we are now moving to Seattle area and will be up there end of aug. All my energy is getting to that. The owner of Gilroy Cycle Center has the Bike still, if it is there when I fly back down in a month or so, Its a done deal. BUt the Super Tenere' is looking mighty nice as well.

If anyone is interested in this FJR it is at Gilroy Cycle Center in Morgan Hill CA. Ask for Steve. I look at it this way, If it is going to be mine it will if not then somethign else will present itself. One hell of a deal though with 5k miles and all the recalls done.

 

[mcatrophy]

So coming to a stop in 2nd and then clicking into 1st is fine? Sorry if you've already answered that...

In terms of what the bike will do, as Gixer says, you can come to a stop in any gear, the clutch will disengage below about 1300 rpm. And, once stopped, you can attempt to move off in any gear. Performance is not as good in 2nd, worse in 3rd, and almost impossible in 4th or 5th. But it won't stall, just sit there heating the clutch.
When stopped you can shift down, although as with most m/c gearboxes it can baulk and require either inching the bike forward a bit, or opening the throttle to make the clutch turn the gearbox a little, so that the next gear's dogs can slip in.

The bike will refuse to change into neutral until the bike is stationary, but once stopped you can change "down" into neutral. Make sure you don't accidentally change into neutral when trying to get into 1st. Very embarrassing when the lights change to green.

 

[yamafitter]

Lack of Cruise Control choices is a (-minus) with the AE

Nothing like a thread such as this to remind me how totally full of **** some people really are.

Nothing like a thread like this that brings out reality. Now who's full of ****?

I thought so.

KJ, you are dealing with 2/3 of the biggest **** disturbers on this forum. Get Bust to join in and you would have the trifecta.

 

[MayBeNewFJRGuy]

Lack of Cruise Control choices is a (-minus) with the AE

Nothing like a thread such as this to remind me how totally full of **** some people really are.

Nothing like a thread like this that brings out reality. Now who's full of ****?

I thought so.

KJ, you are dealing with 2/3 of the biggest **** disturbers on this forum. Get Bust to join in and you would have the trifecta.

Being the new kid on the block, I have enjoyed this. It is far more civil than the two sites I was escorted out of

But serioulsy, I think everyone is full of Shift here (Pun Intended)

 

[Auron]

So coming to a stop in 2nd and then clicking into 1st is fine? Sorry if you've already answered that...

In terms of what the bike will do, as Gixer says, you can come to a stop in any gear, the clutch will disengage below about 1300 rpm. And, once stopped, you can attempt to move off in any gear. Performance is not as good in 2nd, worse in 3rd, and almost impossible in 4th or 5th. But it won't stall, just sit there heating the clutch.
When stopped you can shift down, although as with most m/c gearboxes it can baulk and require either inching the bike forward a bit, or opening the throttle to make the clutch turn the gearbox a little, so that the next gear's dogs can slip in.

The bike will refuse to change into neutral until the bike is stationary, but once stopped you can change "down" into neutral. Make sure you don't accidentally change into neutral when trying to get into 1st. Very embarrassing when the lights change to green.

Does the YCCT force the tranny to go into 1st weather it want to or not? Or will it resist if it might damage itself?

 

[mcatrophy]

...Does the YCCT force the tranny to go into 1st weather it want to or not? Or will it resist if it might damage itself?

YCC-S will never change gear on its own (unless you get a 2013, which, according to the blurb, will change into 1st all by itself).

• It will refuse to change up if it thinks the revs will be too low.
• It will refuse to change down if it thinks the revs will be too high.
• It will refuse to change from neutral if the side-stand is down or the revs are too high.
• It will de-clutch to prevent stalling if the revs get too low.
• It will flash the gear indictor in the display if it thinks the revs are too low in the present gear while still above the de-clutching speed.

As has been said many times before, it's not an automatic, it's an electrically operated gearbox, but it will protect the engine (and the rider) as far as it can.

 

[Auron]

I was actually referring to if you manually click it from second to first while stationary, will it just not go into 1st if the dogs aren't lined up to protect the tranny? Or will it force them?

 

[mcatrophy]

I was actually referring to if you manually click it from second to first while stationary, will it just not go into 1st if the dogs aren't lined up to protect the tranny? Or will it force them?

There's no magic, it's a normal gearbox.

Normally it will, occasionally it will baulk, you'll hear the actuators attempt the change, but it will fail. Then (just like a manual) you will need to move the bike an inch or raise the throttle to make the clutch turn the gearbox shaft, then your re-attempt will succeed.

If you stop in 4th or 5th and keep changing down, there's a fair chance it will baulk on one change before you are in 1st. That's the same as the manual as well. Again, just rock the bike or ease the throttle up and back, it will change on the next try.

Edited to add if the gearbox baulks, it won't bend the shift forks by stomping too hard on the gear lever.

 

[MayBeNewFJRGuy]

What if I stop put it in nuetral, peg it to 11.5k and step on the shifter or hit the paddle shifter. Will it wheelie, I like to wheelie, wheelies are cool and I was going to stunt the bike like a real gansta stunna. I was goinz to putz da heavy duty chain and big ol 72 teeth sprocket soz i can be badz on de fwee ways wheeling in front of the PoPo hoping they chasez mez cuz/

 

[mcatrophy]

What if I stop put it in nuetral, peg it to 11.5k and step on the shifter or hit the paddle shifter. Will it wheelie, I like to wheelie, wheelies are cool and I was going to stunt the bike like a real gansta stunna. I was goinz to putz da heavy duty chain and big ol 72 teeth sprocket soz i can be badz on de fwee ways wheeling in front of the PoPo hoping they chasez mez cuz/

Simple answer: no. It won't engage gear if the revs are above about 1300 (when warm, higher when cold).

If you want to wheelie (whatever cranks your tractor), you have to do it by use of the throttle, having already got it into gear.

 

[Auron]

What if I stop put it in nuetral, peg it to 11.5k and step on the shifter or hit the paddle shifter. Will it wheelie, I like to wheelie, wheelies are cool and I was going to stunt the bike like a real gansta stunna. I was goinz to putz da heavy duty chain and big ol 72 teeth sprocket soz i can be badz on de fwee ways wheeling in front of the PoPo hoping they chasez mez cuz/

So is this your R1?

https://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/3909591074.html

 

[gixxerjasen]

Being the new kid on the block, I have enjoyed this. It is far more civil than the two sites I was escorted out of

But serioulsy, I think everyone is full of Shift here

(Pun Intended)

Stick around till Friday.