Comparing 2-up agility FJR to sportbike.

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

E1Allen

Youngster
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
696
Reaction score
1
Location
Clarksville, TN
I know I will probably get quite a few different opinions about this topic but the question popped into my head and I hope to find a half decent answer anyways.

So, at the local drag strip I participated in racing against my friend who rides a 05 GSXR-600RR who is not a bad rider at all. For a 1/4Mi race we were dead even. I know he has full exhaust, PCIII, and up three teeth in the back(why not the front? I don't know). I know I have over twice the displacement as his bike, but the weight difference is significant. The only bike I have ridden 2 up is the FJR, and I know it's still fast. My question concerns the liter bikes and the busa/zx14. They are obviously faster than the FJR, I know this from experience and any of you guys who ride those bikes. So... take your liter bike and a FJR, throw a person on the back of each and what happens? How much does a second rider impact performance on a regular sportbike?

 
How hard can she hit :lol:

So are you talking just acceleration, or all around performance? In terms of acceleration, I think clearly that the GSXR1000 suffers a higher percentage of power to weight ratio loss than the FJR, therefore it would impact the performance more than the FJR.

In the twisities (handling) the FJR is designed for 2up riding...sport bikes aren't. The FJR's handling is barely impacted by having a passenger.

 
Your question is loaded. I have an R1 and have owned many other sportbikes for many years. The exrta weight will detract from the Sportbike but not as much as you think, brakes mostly (extra weight)! First it depends on the passenger, their weight, and how they ride with you. Obviously 100lb. verus 250lb, there's going to be a difference! I've had passengers I could barely tell if they were back there and then again had passengers on the FJR that didn't know how to ride and affected it very much so! One thing is for sure, GOOD for WHEELIES! lol

 
There's a difference between a liter sport bike and a GT bike like a Busa or ZX-14 or even a Blackbird (1137cc). On the Blackbird, I may have to use a little more rpm due to 6 speeds and different tuning than the FJR, but the XX is still a mid range torque monster. It's going to outrun the FJR one up or two up from just off the line to the rev limiter in top gears. No doubt about it. As for handling, neither is a true sport bike. I have aftermarket suspension on both, but a better set up on the XX than the FJR (Traxxion/Penske vs. Wilbers/Wilbers). Again, the XX wins one up or two up.

Now, long distance comfort and general rideability two up, while being no slouch left in the dust ==> FJR wins.

So, leaving rider skill out of the equation, expect a Busa or ZX-14 to kick an FJR's ass two up as well as one up. These are relatively heavy (approx 100 lbs lighter than a FJR) and very torquey, powerful bikes that handle better than an FJR. Can't speak to liter sport bikes from experience, but I believe they get their light weight and high horsepower in part from high rpm tuning that sacrifices some midrange torque. That is much less the case with the GT bikes you mentioned.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
All of your comments make sense. I can see the GT bikes doing harm to the FJR regardless. They are heavy compared to the 1000cc and less bikes. I was just trying to figure out if an extra 100-200lbs would make a difference compared to how the FJR handles a passenger.

Eric

 

Latest posts

Top