Cruiser or Sportbike background? Why FJR now?

[GeorgiaRoller]

We're all different ages, from different backgrounds, from different riding cultures and have been riding motorcycles for different amounts of time and perhaps for different reasons. Some grew up riding dirtbikes (me) and some have come to the ST style of bike from perhaps years of riding sportbikes or cruisers.

For me I rode dirtbikes as a teenager but didn't get my first streetbike until my early 30's. I rode cruisers exclusively until I made the switch to the ST. My first bike was a mid-sized 800cc cruiser & my last bike was a Suzuki M109R and it appealed to me for it's unique styling, it's powerful 115hp fuel injected 1800cc V-Twin and it handled very well for a big bike believe it or not.

But as time went on I got tired of doing 300, 400 & 500 mile day rides on a cruiser with no storage. Wearing a backpack didn't allow for enough storage room when I wanted to do overnight & especially multi-day trips. I wanted a bike that would accomplish the following:

- Have good performance & cornering ability.

- Have built in hardbags (I considered touring cruisers to start with)

- Have a fairing...yet be stylish.

- Be a good running/low maintenace proven bike platform.

So yes I started looking at the Victory Cross Country, Kawasaki Vaquero, HD Streetglide and bikes like this. While the Victory & Kawasaki were very comfortable in both the seating & handlebar position I realized I'd be getting a 65hp "boat" and it would be a step down in performance & cornering from my current M109R...which I wasn't prepared to do. Therein lied the conundrum.

Since I never was a fan of the riding position of sportbikes & had never owned a sportbike I starting looking at the ST style bikes. I knew they had sportbike style motors in general but the neutral foot position and more vertical riding stance might be something I could switch over to coming from the foot forward cruisers I've always had ridden. I thought I was sold on the C14 and that is a terrific bike. But after researching it for 6 months I obviously decided on the FJR.

The FJR allows for the type of riding and the type of longer distance riding that I've always really wanted to do. My wife rides with me at least 75% of the time and she loves the riding position and handholds for the 2up rider. I like how I can switch from hard/soft on the suspension for either solo or 2up in a jiffy. She also says its more comfortable and she feels "safer" on it when riding the mountains. I think that's because it's such a smooth bike and has better lean angle cornering ability than the cruisers we've ridden before in the past. For me I love the fact I can ride a spirited high performing style of riding if I choose or I can slow down and cruise on the same bike. This bike does both styles of riding very nicely.

I've only had the FJR for 6 months but I'm glad I made the switch to the ST style of bike. Within the next couple months I plan on getting a Givi trunk for it and we got some long distance riding plans for the Spring & Summer.

 

[FastSpy]

You are not the only one that had a M109 and moved to the FJR. After spending some time riding it (9K in a year) I decided it had some nice power and handling capabilities for a cruiser but was better for riding less than 150 mile day rides. My girlfriend put up with it but after getting the FJR she has knocked off 500 mile day rides with me even using the stock saddle.

They each serve their own purpose but for me the FJR was 100% better.

pictured with my Husky TE510

Now have replaced both bikes and am very satisfied with how the new bikes compliment each other

Husky TE630

and FJR

even picked up a Husky SM630 for my girlfriend when she wants to ride her own

 

[not2shabby]

After a long line of sportbikes, I grew tired of the 'position' as I got older. I didn't know it at the time, but I've had a herniated disc in my neck for who knows how long. A few years ago it got so bad I had to get a cortisone injection to relieve the burning, tingling, numbness and excruciating pain that developed down my right arm. And that was after I had been on an FZ1 for a few years prior to getting the FJR. I think the reasons I went from sportbikes to the FZ1 to the FJR, besides the 'position', was the feeling I needed to slow down on the street after doing some track days and wanting to expand my riding range from a few hours to all day. The track taught me that speed is a lot safer when you have tons of run off room w/o trees, rocks, mailboxes, etc. right next to the road. That's not to say I ride like a Grandma, just not like the young, invincible A-hole I used to be! That and I don't heal as quickly as I used to...

 

[FJR Bill]

I bought my FJR for long cross country trips. I've been doing that on my trusty Guzzi but its at approx 120,000 miles and I wanted a newer machine. The Guzzi (98 EV) remains my favorite bike but I wanted something that could equal it carrying camping gear and comfort yet newer. Got a great deal on an 09 FJR and its working out perfect for me. Both bikes are in the garage and they get lots of use. I have an 08 Kawasaki 250 Ninjette that is my commuter of choice. Between the 3 bikes I have just what I want.

Bill

 

[HotRodZilla]

I grew up learning to ride on dirt, but nothing crazy like MX riding or hard core singletrack stuff.

I bought a Honda Hurricane 750 in college and loved that little bike. After a pretty good crash and a few years without riding, I couldn't kick the desire to ride, so I decided on a cruiser.

I bought a used Kawasaki Vulcan 750 that was mostly a piece of shit on two wheels. I rode it for a while, but when the need for money overwhelmed the need for an unreliable bike that I could only take on short trips, I sold it.

I ended up getting onto a Harley Dyna at work and eventually ended up riding a BMW R1200RTP. That bike was cool and pretty comfortable, but it was a work bike, so it was set up for a single rider and not weekend trips.

The desire to ride outside of work stayed strong, so when we had the income, I bought my first ever new motorcycle...A 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 750. That bike got ridden a lot, but due to its size had its limits, so I sold it.

I replaced it with a brand new 2003 Honda VTX1800. I bought it brand new in June of 2004, so it had great incentives. I put saddle bags, a back rest, and a windshield on that bike, and got my first taste of farkling.

I was frigging hooked and started taking thousand mile rides wherever I could get off too. My wife and I started going to rallies and improving our stash of MC equipment as we went. The problem was, that big cruiser brought out the hooligan in me, so I worked to make it stronger and faster.

I also started grinding the foot-boards off the bike from dragging them in the corners. I really wanted to get a sportbike, but I wanted comfort too. Then my best friend showed up at my house with a brand new Sprint ST1050. When I rode that, I was in love.

Because that bike was a little small, I really started thinking of the Honda ST1300. I hadn't even heard of an FJR. Then I rode a police model ST and was very disappointed at its weight and wobble over 100...so I started looking harder.

Then, in 2007, Kawasaki started advertising the Concourse 1400 for 2008, while researching that, I stumbled on the FJR. Holy Shit...

July of 2007, while on a ride with some friends, a Yamaha dealer in Colorado made. Me a good deal on my FJR and my traded in VTX. Instantly was in love.

There's no looking back now. I love this bike. Its comfortable, fast, and reliable. Now I just need my adventure bike, and I'll be all set.

 

[wmadoty]

Dad bought me a little Honda Trail 50 when I was six or so. I rode the wheels off that thing. I had to give it up when we moved out of the country. Next motorcycle I purchased new in 1986. I was 18 years old and got an LTD 750. It was a fine bike, but I was never really impressed with it. I sold it after two months and got busy with life, family, and bills.

I was home on leave in 1991, walking down the main drag in Murphysboro, IL and saw a for sale sign on a motorcycle that was made for me. As I was headed back to Germany the next day, I walked into the bar and after a few questions was giving a guy I had never met money for a bike I would not get to ride for a year and a half. I never even heard the XS 1100 Special run.

Got back to Illinois from Germany and of course the bike would not start. Drained the tank, pulled the fuel bowls and dug out the varnish, put in a new battery and she did start. She would not idle, but she did run. Got a can of sea foam and poured it into the tank, and took off to see my son in Georgia. Every 60 miles or so that bike would pop real loud and run better. By the time I got to Georgia it was idling just fine and running great.

I liked that bike so much that I rebuilt the motor and transmission in 1996. I had broken a shift fork (common problem with that bike) and had to split the cases to fix it. I kept it until 2001 when someone offered me way more money than I thought it was worth and I had to let it go.

In 97 I found an XS 1100 minus the faring for 500 dollars. I went to pick it up and found that it was only running on two cylinders. What does a guy expect for 500? The PO told me he had had it in a couple of shops and no one could figure out why it ran bad. On the way home in the rain I it a big pot hole, splashing water everywhere, and started hearing a clicking on the right side under the tank. Got home and pulled the tank, and found a crack on the back side of the rs coil. I rode that bike until 2005.

in 2005, while coming home from a family Easter gathering, I struck a deer coming out of a blind curve at 70 MPH with my wife on the back. I locked up the breaks and started sliding, thought that for sure I was dead if I hit the deer with the breaks locked up, got off the breaks, straightened out the bike so I could hit the deer square, and then we when over/through the deer. We kept the bike up after we landed. Bent the front wheel, dented one of the exhaust pipes, and broke a turn signal. We trembled for 40-minutes before we could get back on and ride home. A week later I had a rear tire go at 60 (think tubed tires) and decided to sell the bike. It was trying to kill me.

I loved that bike. I had never been on anything with that much power. I had read the reviews that said it did not handle well and thought the reviewers were all crazy. I was always grinding pegs and getting the cans on the ground, but I had never ridden a sport bike and honestly had no clue what good handling was. I out ran everything that ever pulled up to a red light next to me (except once I lost to a ZX12), and I thought that bike was great.

I tried to buy a 2007 FJR but the dealer kept messing the paperwork up and I got frustrated with them. Shopped around for a new ride and could not find anything. I knew what I wanted, anything over 1,000cc, 4 cylinders, and an upright riding position. Not may bikes out there that fill that bill.

I got divorced in 2007 and the new girlfriend said no bikes. In 2011 she told me go ahead and get a bike. I bought my current ride before she could change her mind.

 

[Jetpilot5]

I rode and raced dirt bikes for 16 years until my early 30's when work and kids took too much time to do the dirt bike thing anymore. Transitioned to street riding with a Yamaha TDM850, which was a nice blend of dirt bike feel with street bike performance. From there onto sporty sport-touring bikes, 96 GPZ1100, 99 VFR800, 02 CBR1100XX, 06 K1200S, 11 GSX1250FA and then the FJR.

I've been looking at the FJR since it first came out but it was always just too much of a touring bike to suit me. I live in the middle of flat cornfields and have at least a 150 mile ride to the nearest twisty road so big day day rides are pretty common for me in the summer. I bought the Suzuki GSX1250FA to get a bit more of an upright riding position but it didn't offer enough wind protection to suit the upright riding position. The FJR is a little more comfortable than the GSX was and offers about the same wind protection with the screen down that my BMW K1200S did but without the crouch. I wish the FJR was 80lbs lighter but I do like the way it functions and don't notice the weight once it's rolling. It's also nice to have a bike that I don't have to depend on a dealer to service like I did with my BMW. That said, if my BMW dealer was still in business I'm pretty sure I would be on a K1300S.

The FJR is the right bike for now. I thought it was well stated by another FJR rider that I was talking to before I bought mine. He said it'll do better on the interstate than the sporty bikes and do better on a back road than you think it will.

It does.

 

[GPRIDER]

I came from touring bikes for the last 30 years. My last was the 83 Venture. Loved the bike, but the whole time I had it I was saying to myself "If Yamaha would just make something between this and a sportbike, that would be great." Well they finally did and I bought the second year model of the FJR. Would have bought the 03, but I wasn't quite ready. Had to sell another bike to get the FJR. This is the bike I'd been wanting for a very long time.

GP

 

[HotRodZilla]

...if my BMW dealer was still in business I'm pretty sure I would be on a K1300S.

There's a red K1300S at Sandia BMW that gives me a woody...I really want that bike. Looks like its an absolute rocket.

 

[joebiodiesel]

In 1984 I bought a 1982 CB900F Super Sport. I rode that bike every year until last year. What a great bike. 2 summers ago a few buddies and I rode out to Americade in Lake George, NY. We did a few demo rides, and I got a chance to sit on an FJR. I think it is the first street bike I ever sat on that actually fit me. I've got a 38" inseam, so I normally don't have any room for my knees on anything. A friend of mine with a Gen I let me ride his for about an hour...which was awfully nice of him. Not long after that I started lurking on this forum, and bought one from a member here the following spring. I don't regret it for a second. It's a great bike.

Joe

 

[Mike-H]

I believe it's called getting older :good: .....no matter what anyone says :****:

 

[rfespinosa]

I rode standard street bikes in the '70's and '80's. I skipped most (not all) of the '90's and when I got back into riding, I knew I wanted sport/touring. But I did not start with the FJR, I got back into riding with an BMW RT 1150, then another BMW, a K 1200 RS. The K bike rear drive unreliability is what brought me to the FJR and I have been absolutely delighted with my FJR for the last four years.

But along with the FJR, I have developed a taste for sport bikes, or at least, sportier than the FJR. I currently also own a Ninja ZX 14 and before the Ninja, I had a Honda VFR.

 

[Glamisking]

I started ridding quad my dad's quad a TRX 250R at age 6. Then a Yamaha Blaster and got my own 250R at 14, which I still have. But I have dreamed about ridding street bikes years before I started driving. Originally I thought I wanted a sport bike but my wife said the pillion seat was a joke and I wouldn't catch her on one. So I kept looking and discovered the FJR. It was love at first sight.

I got my first taste of the street during 10 minute test ride of my friend's CBR 954 in 2006. And later a friend loaned me his XR650L in 2009 to take my M1 test. In 2010 immediately after I graduated from college and a few weeks prior to getting married my Dad and I rented bikes and did a 3 day, 1,200 mile trip through Sequoia and Yosemite NP, HWY 1 from Monterey back to Orange County. I couldn't find any place to rent a FJR so I rode a C14 which was great too.

4 months later and 4 years after first falling in love with the FJR I bought my '03 and it has been my daily driver since. Wanted a bike that was fast and sporty while having good weather protection, decent seat for my wife, ability to take week long trips, and sporty looks. I am so happy with mine.

Is the FJR anyone else's first bike? And is there any younger riders (24 yrs old)?

 

[Surly]

Taken what seems yesterday. Before this HONDA 500/4, what a lovely sound!

 

[Scooper]

I started out in 1999 on a Royal Star Venture. It was an empty nest syndrom thing. I never realized what I was getting into. It's turned into a passion for both my wife and myself. By 2001 Shelly was on her own 650 V-Star. She is now on a 1300 V-Star and I have been through multiple Dressers and Cruisers. I landed on a FJR as my grown sons were riding now and had sport and naked bikes so I'm thinking an FJR will help me keep up with them better without going full sport. The FJR has now turned into a true sport touring ride for me.

I think we all grow in our riding and I have now opened another chapter with a Tenere to compliment my FJR. It has opened up a vast new riding experience and hope to explore many new roads that I had to pass on before.

Scooper

 

[mcatrophy]

I started as a teenager on a Tiger Cub, handed down from my brother.

(Click on any image for larger view)



Used (and abused) that until I left university and got a job and a car, so left motorcycling.

35 years later, by chance I passed a Triumph dealer's showroom window, saw the new Bonneville. Instantly fell in love. After a few months deliberating, and encouraged by SWMBO

, did a training course and bought one.



After a year, decided I wasn't as tough as I used to be when riding through typical English weather. Went back to my Triumph dealer and replaced the Bonneville with Trophy 1200. Much better.



Four years later, my left hand finger joints were acting up, to the extent that I couldn't use the clutch lever for very long, culminating in an occasion were I was stuck in heavy stop-go traffic. When stopped I was having to stop the engine (if I hadn't stalled it already), put it into first gear, then move off using the starter motor, and doing clutch-less changes. Nearly gave up motorcycling

.

But, along comes Yamaha with the YCC-S on the FJR, guess what I did?

And, here I am, now on my second.

Right hand is now playing up; spring unwind, https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//ind...&st=0&p=360424&&do=findComment&comment=360424mcatrophy's famous grip enhancement, cruise control all help. Hope I've got a few more years left.

 

[FJRScrewball]

I started riding dirt bikes at the age of 14.

As soon as I turned 16 and got a job after school I bought a Honda CL160 to commute to work. It wasn't long before I wanted something with more performance and bought a new Kawasaki 350 triple. I sold that bike to my older brother in 1974 and focused all my time street and strip racing my '68 Chevelle and '70 Nova.

Joined the Air Force in '80 and didn't think much about riding again until '86 when I got stationed in Rome, NY. Some of the guys in my shop rode and after a couple of years I got the bug to start riding again. I wanted something with performance but didn't want an all out sportbike so I bought an '89 Katana 1100. A co-worker bought a '90 FJ1200 and the two of us would do all day rides every weekend. I never had a bike capable of doing this before and I really enjoyed it. Bought some soft sided bags and a tank bag for it and he and I started riding to Mid-Ohio, Loudon and Mosport to watch the races every year. Once when we were on one of our Saturday all day rides we rode to the track at Watkins Glen. The track wasn't open but as we were standing and talking some of the track maintenance guys came up and ask us if we wanted to take a couple of laps around the track. We couldn't pass up this opportunity and had a blast. Probably the only time a Katana 1100 and FJ1200 were ever on the track at Watkins Glen.

In the summer of '92 I had been reading about the new Honda CBR900RR and decided I had to have one. I traded the Katana and bought the CBR in August of '92. I moved to Florida later that month and within a year it was stolen and completely trashed by the thieves. I decided not to replace it since the roads here are straight and flat and it wasn't much fun having a sportbike that I couldn't enjoy. I once rode it to Road Atlanta for the races and the riding position on a trip that long nearly ruined my back.

In 2008 I decided to start riding again. I'd never ridden a cruiser bike before but decided to buy a leftover '07 Honda 750 Shadow. I must have been crazy. I couldn't stand the lack of power and the riding position with feet out in front of me. Hated not having enough ground clearance to lean the bike into corners without dragging something. After putting up with it for about a year I longed for the days of all day rides and taking trips on a bike again so I bought a used '07 FJR1300 AE from a local dealer. I didn't know about this forum at the time and bought the FJR without doing any research on it at all. I loved the FJR immediately because it reminded me of the Katana 1100 except with more power, hard bags and bigger windshield. Riding position was about the same and the handling was rock solid in the twisties just like I remembered from the Katana.

After having an incident on I-75 in Georgia while on my way to Asheville in 2010 on the AE, I got my current 2010 FJR from a dealer in Byron, GA and continued on to Asheville. Before it had its first 600 mile oil change it was being ridden hard through the twisties of NC. By the time I made it back to Florida I had logged over 1200 miles on it. I have found my ride for many years to come. I can't imagine any other ST bike I would rather own.

Screwball

 

[Patriot]

"raced" enduro through Looziana & Mizhippie piney woods in high school & college. When left the Navy with an engineering degree (NROTC program at Tulane Univ), New Orleans was deep in the oil bust and I didn't feel comfortable entering the shrinking engineering market. So I was facinated with computers and went back to school for computer info & processing which was in it's infancy; applying computers to solve and automatic businesses...both computer course and business courses. It was a good move as I never wanted to leave Nawlin's with my and wifey whole fambly here, and could always find a computer orientated job.

So, with the parking at the colleges atrocious, I bought my first street bike mainly for commuting...an '83 GS550E (remember 16" front wheels). Rode that bike only in the city putting not much miles on it till had my first child, and the bike sat in the garage about two years. Sold it to a relative of my neighbor and did the family thing. When I retired from a mental disability in 2001, by 2003 I was stable on meds and was looking for something to occupy my time that was enjoyable (therapy) as my scuba and radio control airplanes (out in the heat) was over. I hooked up with my best friends from childhood (fellow dirt bike riders) who had all purchased street bikes, so I started looking for "a kind of first bike" and found a used '99 Vulcan 750. It was a great bike for me and I farkled it up, trailered it to the Smokies numberous times, and had a blast. Then the Patriot Guard membership came along, and I needed a comfortable bike to ride to missions up to 200 miles away. So being income challenged, I purchased an '83 Goldwing off ebay and rode the snot out of it, still having my Vulcan as my "sport" bike.

Then I wanted a more reliable and exciting bike and started looking for a GL1800 five years old farkled up. Soon I leaned I couldn't afford what I was looking for and while checking Craiglist, Southern Cruiser had put in an add for his '04 FJR. I contacted him and he explained he wanted to trade the '04 in for a brand new '08, but was tring to sell a few dollars more than the trade, plus save on the tax if the shop would let him do the paperwork that way. They did, the price was outstanding, and the rest is history. I soon sold the Vulcan and the Goldwing, as the FJR is the perfect bike for touring & sport, and my wife liked it as much as the Goldwing riding pillion with the addition, she said "the FJR was more exciting." I've never looked back and say many a prayer of thanx for my amazing bike, amazing therapy, and allowing me ministries in the PGR and the CMA while riding my amazing bike. :yahoo:

 

[GaryM]

When I started riding about 30 years ago choices were limited. I just rode a standard UJM's. It was like that for many years. About three years ago I decided to start riding again and the closest thing to a standard I could find was a KLR650. Still have the bike and I still enjoy it (it is awesome around town) but it was lacking on long distances/highways. I looked around and found a FJR. Awesome for road trips but for a quick ride to the store I think the KLR will still be the favorite.