Well.
Most hit a point in the aging process with the realization that it is time to move on. I have reached that point. I trade in the matte-blue FJR1300 today, and that will conclude my 20 year history with this bike.
Hard to come to grips with as it may seem, I am not the strapping young stud I was in my early 40's when I began my FJR time, and two reconstructed knees do not help the cause any. Sure, the bike is still easy to ride once you have left the parking lot and have a pinch of speed up. But in parking lots, gas stations, etc, the FJR has always been a handful when fully laden, 2-up, full gas tank, etc. There have been multiple close calls in the last few years, including a 0-mph tip-over with Annie on the back. Not really a good idea to continue to temp fate with the bride as pillion.
So something lighter, smaller, a bit more manageable is indicated. The FJR is traded in for this quasi-miniature version of it:
A TFT screen similar to my BMW S1000XR, though not as large. There is a ****-ton of info thru multiple scrolling menus:
All LED headlights.
Cornering ABS/TCS, Cruise Control, cross-plane crankshaft, and the sound of that triple motor... oh, yes!
Doesn't have the carrying capacity of the big bike, of course, but these FJR-ish hard bags are not too small, and we will manage by more efficient packing and just carrying less stuff. Only a 4.8 gallon tank, but the triple can get astounding mileage (50+ mpg) until you hit 70mph.
It is taking a bit to get used to.... but this bike will more than do the job for the foreseeable future.
Wish us luck - first big road trip together on it will be this June, when it carrys us the start of the Iron Butt Rally in Provo, Utah.
