FJR Dead Last?

[Woodstock]

The August 05 issue of the British magazine "Bike", had a shootout between the R1200RT, Honda Pan European (ST1300), FJR1300, and the (new)Sprint ST. They all pretty much hated the FJR. The Triumph won. Did I mention this was a Britsh magazine.

The FJR compaints were about steering, "It steers like a cow on acid" (which is still a pretty good line, if not exactly accurate). They complained that "...it needs a proper counter-steer to get it to turn". Huh? You mean you actually have to _ride_ the bike?? According to Bike, the rake isn't agressive enough, does anyone have the rake/trail numbers for those other bikes, just curious if they're even accurate. Oh well.

 

[twowheelnut]

Wadaya want, Woody? They drink tea and play Cricket, fer chrissake! And of course they would go with the Triumph. They'd get run out if they didn't!

 

[gr8eyes]

Isn't it funny how one year you win every award from every magazine out there and the next year your a dog. :angry:

Glenn

 

[yamaholic]

Another reason why I never tag rag articles seriously. !

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

"Mad dogs & Englishmen out in the noon day sun" :dribble: :haha:

 

[yanktar]

I think it's the MC mags' editors that are on acid!

Did you see the latest Motorcyclist?

Their MOTY article? The FJR, two-years running Sport-tour champ didn't get even an honorable mention! Neither did the FZ1 but the Z1000 and 919 did--and the FZ1 whups both of them in every performance category.

In the Naked test, the Triumph was "best" over the new Beemer (Awesome!) and the FZ1, despite not handling better, having a "30 minute seat" (If they think the FZ1 is comfy in comparison...OY!), and being slower than the Beemer. Plus the 0-60 number was SERIOUSLY screwed up--Somehow the FZ1 lost .55 seconds--from 2.8 up to 3.35. Yet HP is up and the 1/4 mile is still 10.75. I do NOT believe the Beemer did 0-60 in 2.99--It's GOT to be a lot faster than that--I would have expected a WORST of 2.7.

I guess they've decided they want Triumph to survive and thrive....

 

[FJRocket]

The company that sends the best hookers gets the play in the rags.

Oh well, as long as WE know which ones are best. The one's we're riding, of course!

 

[gypsy]

Cycle Canada also just did a review of the FJR, ST1300 and the R1200RT (I think I am not at home and don't have the mag with me...but I wasn't that interested in the Beemer anyway) in their August publication.

The point...yes, it was this. All three reviewers ranked the FJR last among the 3 tested. They did the test over a particularly hot weekend in Ontario. It was the heat that caused them to drop it to the bottom. I realize the bike is hot but I just came back from the southern US, I have no heat mods done, I wore riding gear, and to top it off I am fat. Yes it did get uncomfortably warm for very short periods of time but it really wasn't that bad. Maybe if I was swapping with other bikes I might find the heat worse. Honestly I was concerned about heading out on my trip as I knew it would be damn hot and humid down there. It was never really a factor on the ride and I had lots of over 90 degree days.

On the upside at least the review was of motorcycles and not another g*d damn Honda Ruckus review!!

gypsy

 

[Getsum]

British magazine "Bike"

Who?

 

[FJRMGM]

the Brits are still pissed cause they lost the war, then we had to help them in WWII and it just goes on and on.

 

[gypsy]

the Brits are still pissed cause they lost the war, then we had to help them in WWII and it just goes on and on.

Sorry I'm confused. Was it the Japanese makers of the Honda & Yamaha or the German maker of the BMW that helped the Brits during WWII? I am still kind of stunned by this news...my god my history teacher has a lot to answer for!!

gypsy

 

[Bounce]

Isn't it funny how one year you win every award from every magazine out there and the next year your a dog. :angry:
Glenn

try 2 or 3 years in a row.

 

[BULLIT MAN]

I was rather pissed when i read that crap also.The brits bike was pretty nice but come on it looks like a frigin sport bike with some half ass bags on it.its not in the same style as the fjr of honda pan europ.I had been out on a 300 mile day ( poker run for the vfw ) when i came home my wife said hey i got you a suprise,she had picked up a copy of bike while at barnes and noble. $8.00 and all the after market stuff is in euros :angry: i purposely took my fjr instead of my cruiser just to not fit in with the masses.lets just say i was the only non v twin. it was great.i like all kinds of motorcycles,hell i dont think there are two many i dont.but cant stand the arrogance of closed minded posers.And thanks to some of you guys like warchild ect im gettin an icthin for a r1

 

[deanw]

And thanks to some of you guys like warchild ect im gettin an icthin for a r1

Uh-oh- it says at the bottom

3 Members: deanw, BobbyBlue, Warchild

:construction:

 

[BobbyBlue]

Probably not a big deal that BIKE got the wool pulled over their eyes...Look what Bush pulled on Blair !!!! Bloody ell, I've just soiled meself !!!

Bobby

 

[markjenn]

When the FJR was winning every comparison, the magazines were just SO right; now they are SO wrong. C'mon, one has to take the good with the bad.

The RT and the Sprint are newer designs and time marches on. And the brits have always fancied the ST over the FJR. So this result is not too surprising. And the FJR has always had handling issues, so it's not surprising that newer designs like the RT and Sprint are rating better on chassis areas.

- Mark

 

[Old Dog]

I've never put too much stock in shootouts between bikes. Enjoying what I ride is all that matters to me. Besides, if you went with what won every shootout you'd be trading in bikes every three months or so.

 

[Windjammer]

The vast majority of mainstream magazine testers prefer sportbike style bikes - to them a 600 Hurricane or a Ninja 600 are sport touring bikes. The Sprint still has chain drive ferchrissakes. Just what I need, a nice little stop for chain tightening every 500 miles along my vacation route. Gimme a break. A true sport touring bike should be able to at least make the distance between oil changes without any need for routine maintenance - call that about 3 or 4k for the FJR.

Nothing against chain drive, I still have a chain drive bike. But that one also has a kick start, and it doesn't go on trips covering several hundred or several thousand miles.

Not to mention that the moto-weenies are like the compu-weenies in that anything over 2 years old is simply fucking archaic-ready for the heap-no good to anyone-don't even waste yer cash on that old shit. Journalists are mostly morons, there's only a few who tell it like it is, and they're priceless.

 

[TNBlueBreeze]

Way to go Old Dog! Lord knows trading bikes gets very expensive! I haven't had a bike since I was a kid but my husband got me interested again. We bought him one and I was riding B.tch for awhile. Well, that lasted @ 2 months and I told him I have just gotta get my own. That's how I ended up with that little Honda VLX. Was intimidated at first because hadn't ridden in so long. Now, after having the Honda for 2 months, I fell in love with the FJR. Bye, Bye Honda!!! I guess I will have to put up with the heat while riding. Afterall, gas prices don't allow for much sightseeing in our 4x4!