Does the FJR1300 make a good daily commuter?

[DaJudge]

I just got mine last Friday and I've already commuted on it today.

It's a nice mix of smooth power, sufficient mass, wheelbase length, manueverability, and comfortable position. I just put risers on it tonight and I think (based on a short test ride) that it's going to be an even more comfy commuter.

Where you live, I'd only consider an ABS bike if you go '05 or older.

 

[buf2phx]

Not that I had any doubts, but it is good to hear so many of you enjoy commuting on the FJR. I rode my Seca II for 9 out of 12 months here in Phoenix, but I'm planning to ride the Feej year round. 70 miles roundtrip daily for me. Just counting the days til my new bike arrives!
Mike

Hey please let me know what you think about the engine heat out there in Phoenix. I have a lot of relatives that live there and in Scottsdale and a good friend in Chandler. I have considered riding out there from Virginia (out of the frying pan and into the fire!) and am curious how you fare come summer time.

Well, my only frame of reference is going to be my air cooled Seca II 600 that I ride every day. I'm assuming there will be less hot air blowing on me with the FJR.

Mike

 

[bob-st]

700 miles a week here. The good news is that in south florida I can (and do) ride every day of the year (except for the occasional hurricane).

People are always saying how foolish it is to ride a bike in the occasional inclement weather (we get some pretty good rain in south florida during the summer). My response is that it is foolish to ride in a cage in inclement weather.

 

[Aasland]

When I can I commute on the FJR, even to visit clients. With the stitch, it keeps the bugs off. When I get to my destination, laptop comes out of the topcase, stich goes into topcase, helmet and gloves and tankbag goes into sidecases. Viola.

Here in MN the cool mornings are perfect. I have to deal with the heat and humidity (i.e. sweat) heading home, but that's ok.

The bigger problem is our weekly thunderstorms, so on those days I work from home ;-)

 

[Wingjon]

I aggree with most of what has already been said. I have been commuting in the Everett area for many years with no issues. The FJR is the best commuter yet. Am getting ready to begin a commute from Everett to Mt. Vernon and am looking forward to it.

I think a one-piece suit helps in that it is easier to get into an out of.

One mod I did that really helped was to add extra front lighting. When I went from a silver GL1800 to the dark blue FJR, people started pulling out in front of me. I mounted auxilery lights on the forks--very bright but aimed down--and the problem all but went away. Contact Bryan Martin at martinfabrication.com. He is in Mill Creek and makes a great product at a reasonable price. Anything to get their attention!

 

[saread]

I do Bothell to SoDo in Seattle every day it isn't snowing (or totally monsooning). The commute is the best part of my day. As said before, watch out for sleeping cagers trying to kill you - especially if you slab, say 405 - 520 -I5 kind of commute. Feej is a very nice commuting bike, even in traffic. Comfortable, responsive, good clutch, good brakes, decent weather protection (but you will still get wet), handles well in the rain. Keep in mind that it's a bit top heavy when you're stopped and that's about it.

 

[Harald]

I'm another Seattle area commuter that loves his FJR! :yahoo:

Live near Bonney Lake and commute to SEATAC - 50 miles roundtrip daily. With my Aerostitch Darien, I stay warm and dry year 'round. Only ice or snow stop me from my daily ride.

The FJR offers good wind/rain protection and the ABS really works on those rainy roads. I run a Vstream shield most of the year for much better wind protection and much less buffeting than the crappy stock shield. I added heated grips, Vstrom handguards and a powerlet for my heated jacket liner to continue the comfort during those cold winter mornings (there were a least a few mornings in the mid 20's).

 

[Jed]

In total agreement that the FJR is a great commuter!! From Edmonds to South Seattle every day. Find I leave the heated grips on from about October through April and the AE version is nice in heavy stop and go traffic. Good rain gear is a must and is almost always in the side case ready to use when needed. During the six months mentioned above I do wear my Hi Viz Olympia jacket to help with being seen. Huge fan of the ABS brakes too for year around riding in this part of the country.

 

[DELETE-PLEASE]

And from the guy who commutes only a few miles to work every day....yup. It's good. I just take different routes or show up a little earlier/later to avoid stop and go traffic. But that's a pain on ANY bike.

So I make it a little longer and stay off of the main roads, and away from the main entrance/exit to my base. Still city riding, but I avoid the heavy traffic. Especially when you commute to the post I'm at now, Ft. Hood. Two major divisions, another sub-division sized element, and ONE main entrance to let them all in (sure there are other, smaller, less-used gates, like the ones I try to go to, but one MAIN gate. Which I'm sure a good amount of soldiers use!)

Alexi

 

[Mitch_Sowden]

Well sorry to swim up stream but from it's own stable TDM900 and easily hands down (as much as I dislike them) BMW 1200 GS (adv) are better. In ANY senario for a commute... FJR is the weekend (and serious milage) boy

 

[meosborn]

Well sorry to swim up stream but from it's own stable TDM900 and easily hands down (as much as I dislike them) BMW 1200 GS (adv) are better. In ANY senario for a commute... FJR is the weekend (and serious milage) boy

:blink: I feel dumber for having read this. Am I the only one that was confused by how it is written?

 

[ieduffield]

Another "Absolutely Yes" from me. I am a daily FJR Commuter in Central California. Temps range from 110 in the height of summer to 25 in the early winter mornings. No problem with either as long as you keep moving: sitting at stop lights in 110 degrees is not too much fun!

Lots of storage space for my stuff and plenty of power to get out of trouble when needed.

My commute is only 30-40 miles a day on a mixture of freeways and cits streets. The FJR has no problem with either. It's just about right: not as big as a Goldwing or a fat cruiser, and more comfortable than a crotch rocket.

Stay safe and visible!

 

[Foxhuntr]

Hell yes! I've ridden mine 70 miles/workday for two years - about 41k on it now. It does everything you'd want to do. I wear heated gear on the cold mornings, and rain gear on the wet ones. Listen to tunes, try to get rid of any chicken strips in the twisty parts. You need a good aftermarket seat and windscreen, maybe grip heaters too.

Have fun.

 

[Rolavine]

I do a hundred miles a day and the bike is perfect but my commute is either slab or rural (my choice - speed or fun or fun speed or tourist awe).

I find the FJR to be rather a pain in city traffic, but maybe that is because I avoid these situations like the plague.

I find a lighter bike with less motor to be superior in traffic.

I had a Yamaha Majesty 400 scooter and that was ideal for stop and go but the GS650 and nighthawk 750 I've owned were both better than the FJR in traffic.

My Bandit 1200 was nasty in traffic too, though it was lighter than the FJR, but that bike was taller due to suspension mods.

I'm talking bumpers, slow stop and go, lots of traffic lights.

It just seems like a lot of work to keep the FJR upright given potholes, slot car railroad tracks, trenches, gravel, loose pavement chunks, metal plates, lemming peds, bicyclist assured by their trusted sprit guides that they won't die today, trucks looking for addresses in places where there are none and even if there were there is no place to park this damn rig anyway, motorists on cell phones eating grease dripping egg and ham death food while putting on makeup and trying to find their favorite mindelss pop song on the ipod, and two inch movement increments toward red lights as eternal as the crumbling infrastructure that assults your senses with sewer leaks and the unregulated flow of coughing carcinogens from the vintage VW Beatle that just exchanged positions with the work related diesel pick up diven by an accountant who got that tax break, that are both stuck in front of you.

I think a Rascal Scooter with an O2 tank would be best given farkle Ben Hur Chariot Wheels and an RPG launcher.

 

[Gerry.GEG]

Commuting on a bike in the Seattle corridor sucks! I lived there for over 20 years and traffic wasn't as bad when I lived there. One would think that Seattlites in cages would know how to drive when it rains (but they don't!) - and for those who don't know, it drizzles and is cloudy 300 days a year but rarely rains like most get in other parts of the country.

Now the FJR, it would be a good bike for this purpose if you wanted to do it on a regular basis (ABS model of course). Hyper lights, better windshield, etc. Hate to be the fly-in-the-ointment but I know I5/I405 and they are dangerous for motorcyclists. Be careful out there and good luck.

 

[Ordrock]

NOPE

The bike is just too damn fast, too comfortable, and too good looking. You'll get to work before your start time, you'll be first at the stop lights and chicks will want rides.

So I’m thinking a FJR 1300 isn't the right bike to commute to work on.

I drive mine 160 miles every day back and forth to work. I can't keep the thing below 80mph. I pass by cars so fast I miss all the eye ball liberty. My riding time is cut short because I get to where I’m going in a hurry, but it's a gas.

YEAH

It's a great commuter.

 

[ahchiu]

Any commute on a bike is better than a commute in a cager, having a FJR is even better, I will dirve if there is snow and ice, I rather ride in the rain and use the carpool lane and get home faster than sit in a car and watch the bikes go by you, you need to be very careful in the winter when it gets dark sooner.

Marcus

 

[boomerang]

I live in Indiana and I ride mine to work almost every day. About the only time I don't ride it is when it's just plain down pouring in the morn. when I leave for work. Or if there is heavy frost I don't risk it. I spent 2yr's in the ship yards in Bremerton WA. and from what I remember it rains more then it shines so,gear up and ride.

 

[dbvolfan]

Absolutely!

I have a 65 RT commute and I can count on one hand how many times I had to take the car in the last year. Laptop and work papers fit nicely in one bag and the other is open for trips to Wally World or if you want to pack a rainsuit.

In the summer it can be a little hot b/c I use full gear (Firstgear Mesh jkt, Tourmaster mesh pants and a full face helmet.

Winter works out just right, even as low as -5. A JR Meteor 6 jkt with a sweatshirt, goretex gloves (elcetric if below 30), tourmaster pants with liner and wool socks.

The Vstream windscreen has made a BIG difference in winter commuting as it offers much more protection.

For the rain I have used a Nelson Rigg XR3 for 5 yrs and it's been flawless...cheap too.

 

[CRMH Eagle]

NOPE
The bike is just too damn fast, too comfortable, and too good looking. You'll get to work before your start time, you'll be first at the stop lights and chicks will want rides.

So I’m thinking a FJR 1300 isn't the right bike to commute to work on.

I drive mine 160 miles every day back and forth to work. I can't keep the thing below 80mph. I pass by cars so fast I miss all the eye ball liberty. My riding time is cut short because I get to where I’m going in a hurry, but it's a gas.

YEAH

It's a great commuter.

+1

The bike is really too damn fast and very sexy looking. Getting around cagers & truckers is a breeze as long as there is an open spot. Every now and then someone in a sports car jumps in behind and wants to follow. A few afternoons ago after leaving work I was hitting 3 digits on I-70 up into the mountains. When I crested a hill I noticed a car coming up behind me very fast so I slowed to the speed limit. Someone in an audi was following me and indeed scared me for a moment.

If you go fast enough some drivers will think you are the leo...