First FJR Sighted

[David Foley]

I am new to riding and am currently piloting a 2012 CBR250R while I gather enough skills to ride my 2013 FJR.

I have had the CBR for about 3 weeks now and have put on about 800 miles, driving primarily in the country, north of the Dallas Metroplex.

Today I was riding on FM455, running from Anna to Celina, and a couple of bikes passed me. One of them was a BMW K1600 and the other was a FJR1300!

I was so excited to see an FJR in the wild. This is a first for me, I have never actually seen one on the road - of any model year.

I managed to kind of stay up with them through the 15 mile run, (the CBR is game but just does not have the ponies). How cool!

I had to turn off to go south (had a neighborhood BBQ to attend) when we got to Celina, while they continued on west. If I didn't have anything pressing I would have followed them all day - how creepy huh!

Anyway - just a really fun day of riding. I can't believe I waited this long to start riding. The only thing I can equate it to is snow skiing, takes practice but the more time you spend at it the better it gets!

 

[SkooterG]

 

[101stpathfinder]

and a couple of bikes passed me. One of them was a BMW K1600 and the other was a FJR1300!

You don't suppose that was Iggy and Ken out riding a IBR shake down together? Nooo Never mind.... Impossible (?)

 

[kamal]

Greg. Was that you towing Don?

 

[SoCalFJR1300]

Have you taken a riders safety course yet?

You have the perfect bike for it with that little Honda.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Thinking you'll be seeing lots of FJRs now that you have one. Just like if you start driving a Jeep, you begin to notice everybody's got Jeeps.

Enjoy a nice gentle learning curve, dude.

 

[petey]

I share your anticipation of getting to ride your (FJR) baby....

 

[mferriter]

I second the suggestion for taking the MSF basic rider course. It's excellent instruction and you get to use "pre-dropped" bikes complete with bent mirrors (if any), brake and clutch levers. They're little 200 and 250cc bikes, so they can't get too far away from you.

Some might want to consider slightly more power, however: (THAT IS NOT ME!!!)

I almost dropped mine in "THE BOX", but made it through.

 

[ionbeam]

IIRC, the OP has taken a MSF course.

 

[Top_Speed1]

@ David F

Sounds like you got a bit excited! A good thing and this Forum needs some of this! Thanks for sharing

 

[David Foley]

Yes - I took the MSF basic course. It's a prerequisite to get your MC license here in the State of Texas. I rode a little Hyosung GV250 Aquila. I'm 5-11 @ 175 lbs so the 250 is marginally ok in terms of power (wish I had the upcoming CBR500R due out in a month or so) but you really have to twist the throttle sometimes.

I plan on taking the ERC when I have six months on the FJR.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Go join up on www.twtex.com and come out for some Pie runs. You are almost guaranteed to see an FJR on one of those. Last month's was the first time an FJR was not in attendance. Mine would have been there if I weren't walking around a camp ground trying to find jumper cables.

Also, if you want to see one in the wild, watch 635 between Balch Springs and the Galleria mall most any day between the hours of 6:30-730am and 4:30-5:30pm.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I echo gixxerjasen's suggestion to join up with the twtex forum. I was expecting a bunch of Harley riding pirates but they are a really nice group. I honestly don't know why the tolerate gixxerjasen.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Same reason we tolerate some ST1300 riding guy here. Every once in a while he shines enough for us to put up with him the rest of the time.

 

[Bounce]

Yes - I took the MSF basic course. It's a prerequisite to get your MC license here in the State of Texas.

Nope. It's needed if you don't want to take the riding part of the test. Without it you have to bug a friend with a M endorsement to come with and ride the bike to the location. I had to bug my step dad to come (take off from work) and then they looked at all his paperwork and wanted to know how we got the bike there when he didn't have an M endorsement. I claimed we'd brought it in the back of his truck. Then the tester rides with the guest in their car and follows you through your riding test (so you need a trailer or 2 friends... one with a car/truck and 1 to ride the bike to the testing site).

So it's not needed but it's good training, saves you on your insurance (if you take it every 2 or 3 years), and is less hassle.

But taking either the BRC ro ERC isn't much good if you don't then go out a practice all the drills regularly.

When you do the ERC on the FJR. Drop the bags off near the staging area and do all the "boxes" on the smaller area (boxes inside boxes for the J/S turns). The bigger ones are for the ERC. Do them in the smaller boxes meant for the 250s on the BRC and you'll catch the eye of the lady instructors.

 

[David Foley]

Thanks for the heads up on twtex. I signed up and will make the first pie run after I get my FJR sea legs. Sounds like a blast!

I will keep a lookout for you gixxerjasen on 635.

 

[gixxerjasen]

No need to wait, show up on the CBR. The groups lead a fairly sedate pace and work with noobs, erm, ahem, newer riders

very well. It's a fun group of mostly old guys (Like the FJR crowd) who know some good out of the way places to eat. Show up, make sure someone knows your short riding history and usually they'll pair someone up to keep an eye on you and help ya out. Don't ever worry about keeping up, they'll have a rider in the rear and you just ride your own pace and they'll wait at the intersections. It's a VERY friendly group for sure.