Essential Farkles for the FJR

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tesla

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I may be joining your ranks soon when I purchase a gen 2 FJR. The one I've got my eye on doesn't have many add-ons. What are the essential add-ons for this bike? I have a black GIVI E-52 top case that I might sell with my current bike....would this be a good case to mount on the new bike? Will the stock side cases hold a XL full size helmet? How about GPS mounts for the Zumo? Tank bags? May have to break down and get a Russell Day Long for it. Wind shields?

Thanks for any suggestions you might have.

Barry

 
I may be joining your ranks soon when I purchase a gen 2 FJR. The one I've got my eye on doesn't have many add-ons. What are the essential add-ons for this bike? I have a black GIVI E-52 top case that I might sell with my current bike....would this be a good case to mount on the new bike? Will the stock side cases hold a XL full size helmet? How about GPS mounts for the Zumo? Tank bags? May have to break down and get a Russell Day Long for it. Wind shields?
Thanks for any suggestions you might have.

Barry
I've had my 2009 FJRA for a week and with 1000 miles on it I've ordered/installed: Corbin seat (on order), Vstream windscreen (this works great), Cramp Buster throttle tab-thing (works ok), and Wild Bill Highway Pegs (on order). I'm considering a Zumo 550 and maybe a top case and/or tank bag.

 
I should add that I'm 6'1 with a 35 inch inseam. Can you guys with similar dimensions recommend a windshield? I looked for essential farkles on this forum but couldn't find anything.

 
Well, you don't give alot of info here especially regarding things like your location, riding skill level, expectations for the bike or its intended use for you, but I can touch on a few basics.

If you plan on riding in any kind of inclement weather, the V-Strom handguards just might be the best bang-for-the-buck add-on you could purchase for your FJR, IMHO. If you're in cooler climes, a set of grip heaters are nice as well, although I'm personally a big fan of the cheaper alternatives, rather than the oh-so-pricey factory jobs. If you think you're going to want a top case on your feej, you'd be crazy to let your old one go with the old bike, unless it's in rough shape. It won't add much to your resale value, and then you'll just have to pay a bigger price to get another one. I do believe the side cases will hold an XL FF helmet, but what if you've already got other stuff in them, or have more than just a helmet to stow? Myself, like many others here have come up with other alternatives for helmet stowage. Lots of good tank bags out there if you need the extra space, I have two myself for my FJR...a small sport pack and a big mother, both magnetic and both expandable, so I'm pretty well covered there. Some form of throttle lock or cruise control are a must if you plan on doing any serious mileage. Windshields and seats are sooooooo subjective, but I think most will agree that the stockers are underwhelming at best. And remember that changing either will affect the other, so the smart thing to do (although not necessarily the easiest to accomplish), is to find other owners in your area who might be willing to let you throw a leg over or maybe even put a few miles on their particular setup. Otherwise it's a crap-shoot. I've lost count of how many different windshields I've tried now.

I think those are the basics. Beyond that, the sky and your wallet are the limits. It will likely be long time before you run out of things you can buy for this bike.

Good luck with your forthcoming acquisition.

 
What's essential to me is fluff to you, and vice versa.

First off .. gotta be physcially comfy on the bike. That might mean a windshield and a seat and removing one throttle return spring.

Second, things to make long distances tolerable. As I live in the midwest this is important, and that means a Zumo with plumbing to hear the MP3's.

Third, performance for when we get to the good riding (and so I can keep up with my buddies on VFR's and Sprints and ZX6R's. That means sorting out the throttle so it doesn't lurch midcorner - G3 throtttle tube helped but PC3 fixed it. GP Suspension revalved the forks and sprung an Ohlin's for me.

At some point you'll need tires, that's when you get the PR2's. Storms are nice, but PR2's wear better, so they're worth the money.

Everything is "nice to have": garage door opener, HID's, throtte lock, always-on cig lighter, CB system, luggage, exhaust heat deflectors etc.

Oh yeah ... I forgot ... Threadlocker on the saddleback lock screws! That's essential!

 
E52 works fine on the FJR, either generation. Different racks and adapters between GenI and GenII.

CRUISE CONTROL!!!!!!

RAM balls wherever you can find aplace to put them. Good for GPS, Radios, radar detector, whatever.

Side bags hold my XXL lid just fine. E52 holds two of 'em, if need be. I tote my rain gear in one side bag, the others are empty unless I'm travelling. Good for grocery stops on the way home from work. When I stop, the top case holds my gear, the empty side case holds my helmet. Top case holds my laptop and shoes when I ride to work. Boots on the bike, shoes at work.

CRUISE CONTROL!!!!!!

Some folks like to spend huge $$$$ on suspension upgrades, which I can't afford. If you've got the dough, it's a very good thing to do.

Did I mention CRUISE CONTROL????????!!!!!!!!!????!?!

 
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I added a Givi E52 to my '08, it works great. Since it will hold two helmets, that means I can store 4 of them, with the saddle bags. (Yes, the saddlebags can hold a full-face helmet, each.)

Good luck on the purchase!

What are you selling? Or is it gone already?

 
I added a Givi E52 to my '08, it works great. Since it will hold two helmets, that means I can store 4 of them, with the saddle bags. (Yes, the saddlebags can hold a full-face helmet, each.)
Good luck on the purchase!

What are you selling? Or is it gone already?
08 V-Strom 650 ABS. I hope that selling it is not a huge mistake. I love that bike but I want to experience something different. Also, the wife and I occasionally take long trips. I can't wait to experience what that much HP will feel like.

I have a Adventure MotoStuff topcase rack that fits the Givi. Are these adapatable to other bikes like the FJR?

Barry

 
Very basic, but . . . I like it:

Reflectiveback-2.jpg


 
I had an '05 DL-650 and hated the lack of power and nasty suspension. That's what I traded for the FJR. MUCH better.

I'm 6' 2" with a 36" inseam and I have a Cee Bailey's +6 +4 screen with the flip. When it's all the way up, the FJR's the only bike I can ride w/o earplugs. The other essential change was a one-turn unwind on the throttle spring. That was a must. After that, it's all personal choice.

 
What?

Barry,

There are no "Essential Add-ons" unless the bike is missing something that you personally can't live without.

All of our needs are different.

Go enjoy the ride and if you can't enjoy it for some reason, add whatever it is that will make it more enjoyable for you.

Much of this depends on the type of riding you do.

Farkled-out or not, you will enjoy the FJR regardless.

~Harvey

 
Gazillion threads about this, and everybody's got their own preferences to add. Here's one, for example (my post is #11, with a partial listing). My FJRkles are all about safety, comfort, or storage, and probably in that order. Don't overlook gear, either.

 
I think the very first farkle is learning how to search the forum

Go to Google and type in your keyword followed by site:fjrforum.com example - frame sliders site:fjrforum.com.

Second farkle well that depends on what you found with the first one.

 
Thanks for your help guys!

I've been reading ST1300 vs FJR comparisons and its not so clear which is the best bike for me. If my wife didn't ride with me about 40% of the time, it would be a no brainer that the FJR would win.

 
Thanks for your help guys!
I've been reading ST1300 vs FJR comparisons and its not so clear which is the best bike for me. If my wife didn't ride with me about 40% of the time, it would be a no brainer that the FJR would win.
And if she does, it's a no brainer that the FJR wins! :D

No 'essential' farkles out of the box. Ride it for a while to see what YOU think needs fixin!

...then search the forum, lots of info on almost every farkle ever made.

 
What are you selling?
08 V-Strom 650 ABS. I hope that selling it is not a huge mistake. I love that bike but I want to experience something different. Also, the wife and I occasionally take long trips. I can't wait to experience what that much HP will feel like.
I also came from a V-Strom. The FJR is much better for what you're describing. Never realized how awful the strom's brakes are until I tried 2-up on the FJR.

First thing I bought for mine was a windshield. The factory one was a noisy proposition.

 
Thanks for your help guys!
I've been reading ST1300 vs FJR comparisons and its not so clear which is the best bike for me. If my wife didn't ride with me about 40% of the time, it would be a no brainer that the FJR would win.
And if she does, it's a no brainer that the FJR wins! :D
Jeff, do you believe that FJR is better for 2-up than the ST? I will get a Russell Day Long which will probably solve most if not all comfort issues for me and the wife. Fortunately, I started her out on the V-Strom with a Sargent seat which she finds pretty comfortable up to about 200 miles in a day. Any dedicated touring bike should be even better. It needs to be comfortable for her but lets face it, the pilot comes first because if the pilot isn't happy we aren't riding in the first place!

For you guys that ride or rode V-Stroms, can you lean a FJR as much as the V?

 
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