chickey191
Well-known member
got my 600 mile service today (got the bike on Friday). Took me longer than it should, but it was raining all weekend and she looked so good when she was clean.
Anyway - opening thoughts on riding the '06. Please, remember - I'm coming to the FJR from a K1200LT - and have only had limited time in other people's FJR saddles.
The good:
I wont dwell on the power. It is linear and smooth though the throttle is a bit touchy to me. Awesome comes to mind.
Bike feels very planted - running Bridgestones Battleax tires. Much grippier than my Mich. 880's. didn't run them hard in the wet as they were new - but seemed pretty solid. Don't know about wear.
Suspension - feels stiff to me even on the low setting (I weight 220) and will probably improve a bit with use. Need to play with front settings - see below for cons. All in all it feels solid in sweepers but a little harsh.
As I feel the power and handling of the bike are its major assets - I'll stop there and move to nits:
The bad:
The whistle is actually starting to get irritating. I'll work on eliminating it this weekend. Honestly, don't think it will take much - mostly at higher position, but happens at many different speeds.
Weather protection (at least compared to LT) sucks. I find the bike incredibly noisy. I ride with a flip up HJC helmet that is already noisy - the wind noise is way loud. I find myself riding with the wind screen mostly all the way down at least then the air is smooth.
Today was close to 80 and there is still significant heat coming out of the bike. I noticed over the cool weekend heat on the left side about calf level. Not bad, but noticeable on a cool day. Felt kind of good. Today - while stopped at lights I could feel significant heat on right calf. I'm wearing slacks, plus Darien pants. Don't feel much at speed, but definitely it is there when stopped or very slow.
Handling - above I said it was great in sweepers. It is also good in relatively tight turns, but I find it a bit of a pig in very tight slow speed turns. Part of this is probably me trying to get used to the throttle, and being cautious. But I dont think the front end wants to drop into a turn. Compared to a GS - the bike is a stubborn mule in slow speed stuff. Feels to me like a over tight steering damper.
Fit and finish. I don't think it compares to the fit and finish of Honda or BMW. Paint is nice, but seems soft to me. Plastic fits OK, but some of it feels "tweeked". When you take a panel off - you might have to hold another one in position to get screws to drop in - where a Honda panels would just line up. This could also be assembly problems and after I take all the plastic off - it may line up better (or worse).
Yamaha could learn from honda and bmw about controls. (yeah... I know most people hate bmw turn signals, but I don't). The flasher on the right side handle bar switch is silly. I have activated it for a right turn at least a dozen times. Switch gear doesn't seem like it is high quality.
No button to access or change or reset the trip computer. This is really stupid. Should have put THAT where the flasher is. Though the old flasher location was even worse.
Trip computer counts up from a certain amount of gas left in the tank. Should have a "Miles to empty" which is more useful.
Trip computer is sort of lame the way it works. Not user friendly. My bike also has the 17 MPG max on the Instant fuel consumption. Which is a pretty useless item. My bmw I could just hit reset - and have instant fuel consumption (quite a bit faster, too).
SEAT - Sucks. But, it seems to be breaking in a bit.
handlebars - are mounted in the most upright position, but I could use 1" risers. I think that would be perfect. Low seat hight makes this actually worse for me (and then cramps my legs).
Windscreen - I'll try saeng edging - but my guess is that it could be 2" taller. or maybe even more.
Definitely needs the vee-strom handgrips. Purchased them today and will put them on this weekend.
Mirrors seem adequate, but don't give much of a view directly behind. will have to mount saeng cockpit mirrors... ASAP
Throttle - as I said it is touchy (sensitive) it also has too strong a spring rate.
No Cruise Control
No heated grips (I know I can add them)
A little buzzy right around 3800 rpm - Actually, I think I need to sync the throttle bodies
I believe that this bike IS the premier touring mount - just not right out of the box. Wiring it for farkles isn't going to be the easiest, but with some good heat resistant looming and good planning - it wont be all that bad. Just not a lot of places to mount stuff. Not sure a dash shelf will work - with the angle of the windshield - but I'll look more closely this weekend. Unfortunately, I'll be traveling to Reno next week and wont get to ride much.
sounds like I'm not happy - NOT TRUE. I'm still grinning ear to ear every morning on the way to work and it is difficult not to take off early to go for a ride - especially the last two gorgeous days. Hope it holds up for the weekend.
Anyway - opening thoughts on riding the '06. Please, remember - I'm coming to the FJR from a K1200LT - and have only had limited time in other people's FJR saddles.
The good:
I wont dwell on the power. It is linear and smooth though the throttle is a bit touchy to me. Awesome comes to mind.
Bike feels very planted - running Bridgestones Battleax tires. Much grippier than my Mich. 880's. didn't run them hard in the wet as they were new - but seemed pretty solid. Don't know about wear.
Suspension - feels stiff to me even on the low setting (I weight 220) and will probably improve a bit with use. Need to play with front settings - see below for cons. All in all it feels solid in sweepers but a little harsh.
As I feel the power and handling of the bike are its major assets - I'll stop there and move to nits:
The bad:
The whistle is actually starting to get irritating. I'll work on eliminating it this weekend. Honestly, don't think it will take much - mostly at higher position, but happens at many different speeds.
Weather protection (at least compared to LT) sucks. I find the bike incredibly noisy. I ride with a flip up HJC helmet that is already noisy - the wind noise is way loud. I find myself riding with the wind screen mostly all the way down at least then the air is smooth.
Today was close to 80 and there is still significant heat coming out of the bike. I noticed over the cool weekend heat on the left side about calf level. Not bad, but noticeable on a cool day. Felt kind of good. Today - while stopped at lights I could feel significant heat on right calf. I'm wearing slacks, plus Darien pants. Don't feel much at speed, but definitely it is there when stopped or very slow.
Handling - above I said it was great in sweepers. It is also good in relatively tight turns, but I find it a bit of a pig in very tight slow speed turns. Part of this is probably me trying to get used to the throttle, and being cautious. But I dont think the front end wants to drop into a turn. Compared to a GS - the bike is a stubborn mule in slow speed stuff. Feels to me like a over tight steering damper.
Fit and finish. I don't think it compares to the fit and finish of Honda or BMW. Paint is nice, but seems soft to me. Plastic fits OK, but some of it feels "tweeked". When you take a panel off - you might have to hold another one in position to get screws to drop in - where a Honda panels would just line up. This could also be assembly problems and after I take all the plastic off - it may line up better (or worse).
Yamaha could learn from honda and bmw about controls. (yeah... I know most people hate bmw turn signals, but I don't). The flasher on the right side handle bar switch is silly. I have activated it for a right turn at least a dozen times. Switch gear doesn't seem like it is high quality.
No button to access or change or reset the trip computer. This is really stupid. Should have put THAT where the flasher is. Though the old flasher location was even worse.
Trip computer counts up from a certain amount of gas left in the tank. Should have a "Miles to empty" which is more useful.
Trip computer is sort of lame the way it works. Not user friendly. My bike also has the 17 MPG max on the Instant fuel consumption. Which is a pretty useless item. My bmw I could just hit reset - and have instant fuel consumption (quite a bit faster, too).
SEAT - Sucks. But, it seems to be breaking in a bit.
handlebars - are mounted in the most upright position, but I could use 1" risers. I think that would be perfect. Low seat hight makes this actually worse for me (and then cramps my legs).
Windscreen - I'll try saeng edging - but my guess is that it could be 2" taller. or maybe even more.
Definitely needs the vee-strom handgrips. Purchased them today and will put them on this weekend.
Mirrors seem adequate, but don't give much of a view directly behind. will have to mount saeng cockpit mirrors... ASAP
Throttle - as I said it is touchy (sensitive) it also has too strong a spring rate.
No Cruise Control
No heated grips (I know I can add them)
A little buzzy right around 3800 rpm - Actually, I think I need to sync the throttle bodies
I believe that this bike IS the premier touring mount - just not right out of the box. Wiring it for farkles isn't going to be the easiest, but with some good heat resistant looming and good planning - it wont be all that bad. Just not a lot of places to mount stuff. Not sure a dash shelf will work - with the angle of the windshield - but I'll look more closely this weekend. Unfortunately, I'll be traveling to Reno next week and wont get to ride much.
sounds like I'm not happy - NOT TRUE. I'm still grinning ear to ear every morning on the way to work and it is difficult not to take off early to go for a ride - especially the last two gorgeous days. Hope it holds up for the weekend.
