FJR Dead Last?

[yanktar]

Somewhere, sometime, along the line, I heard someone describe a typical criticism in a scholarly journal of a new book, as consisting entirely of castigating the author for not writing the book HE NEVER INTENDED TO WRITE!

Likewise, we hear people again and again criticising bike makers for not building the bike they never intended to build. The FJR is such a bike. No, it's not an R1. It's not supposed to be. Some mags have even mistakenly said that the FJR has an R1-derived motor. (the FZ1 has that R1 derived 20 valve engine) Again, a mistake. I don't expect an FJR to perform like an R1, nor do I expect an R1 to perform like an FJR.

But what I DO expect is a well-thought out compromise between super-slabber GoldWing/Ventures and compact performance bikes.

So the FJR weighs nearly 200 lbs more than an R1. It ALSO weighs 250 lbs LESS than a Venture! Stock the R1 makes about 25 hp more. Stock, the 'Wing makes less HP--and my old Venture Royale made 25-30hp LESS.

Yeah, the R1 will run the 1/4 mile a second faster than the FJR--and the 'Wing will be 2 to 3 seconds slower.

You can ride all day on a 'Wing. Unless you have an iron butt, no nerves in your butt AND incredible endurance, after 30 minutes on an R1 you'll be thinking about a rest stop. You'll go 2-3 hours on the FJR before then.

The FJR is EXACTLY what it intends to be. It is EXACTLY what we owners want it to be. Sure, we play with upgrades--"Farkles". So? We upgrade what we personally would like better--sometimes just for bling-bling. (I'm not sure the Spiegler rotors and Carbone pads are doing a better job--but they sure look good!)

Which would you rather have to go 500 miles on in a cold, bitter rain: 'Wing, FJR or R1? (all those picking the R1 step forward for your free lobotomy) The 'Wing of course--followed by the FJR.

Which would you rather have to run The Tail of The Dragon at Deal's Gap? R1, FJR or 'Wing? (Here we lobotomize 'Wing pickers...) The R1, of course, followed by the FJR.

So which would you want for ALL types of conditions? FJR, 'Wing or R1? Duh.......

The SERIOUS criticisms can be:

Cornering clearance and only so-so canyon carving handling.

Seat angle--like too many bikes it may push you forward.

Engine heat.

Ticking (OK, that's a recall item not a design item).

Imbecilic fuse block location.

Inadequate alternator output.

Throttle return spring tension.

These same mag guys who DROOL over a V-Max never bother to do a side-by-side comparison to THAT bike and the FJR beats it on:

Weight

H/P

Torque

Fuel Capacity

Ride

Handling

Comfort

Braking

1/4 Mile (using the recent figures).

It's all about getting ink and getting readers. Doesn't matter if it's logical or true, as long as people buy the mag, advertisers pay, and there's no grounds for a law-suit.

 

[FatNakedGuy]

Also, this bike was originally designed for Europe, where soft saggy suspension seems to be the desired norm for bumpy, slippery mountian roads - BMW makes it's suspension overly soft for this reason.

I don't know where you got this myth from, but German roads are typically of the "smooth as a pool table" type, as are most roads we EU riders like to frequent. The reason the FJR suspension is too soft, is the same as why all Jap bikes have crap suspension: their idea of an average rider is one weighing 150 pounds and that typically does not fit EU or US descriptions.

Yeah right on bro! There are a LOT of us fat guys on bikes in the U.S. !!

 

[yanktar]

Yeah right on bro! There are a LOT of us fat guys on bikes in the U.S. !!

"I'm not over-weight. I'm under-tall!" --Garfield.

 

[MCRIDER007]

I don't why so many are getting upset about a "shootout" that will never have the slightest impact on the FJR that they own. I gave mine a test ride last night and its performance seemed to be exactly the same as it did before it was picked "last" by some magazine that I had never heard of.

Maybe I have been doing it all wrong but I only am influenced by shootouts and evaluations BEFORE I buy a motorcycle, after I buy the motorcycle the only evaluation that is important to me is mine. If there is something I don't like, I either fix it or replace the motorcycle.

I do read shootouts and evaluations after I buy but that is to evaluate the individual tester's opinions for future reference. Motorcycle magazine evaluations are usually the average result of many inputs. Those opinions and evaluations are always subjective but it is pretty unlikely that a "tester" who is half my age, about 2/3 my size, and rides 150 percent as fast as I do is going to have the same perspective that I do regarding handling, braking, riding position, and overall comfort. I am most influenced by the individual inputs of riders who by their past comments (about motorcycles that I have owned) seem to reflect my own impressions. Those riders are usually fairly close to me in size, age, and riding style.

 

[radman]

Haven't ridden mine since the test results came out. This bike is so like 5 minutes ago.

 

[ohiofjr]

My FJR after adding some insulation and exhaust wrap now puts out less subjective heat than any other bike modern bike I have ridden. In traffic on a 90 degree day I damn near melted on a Valkerie. The list of bike I have been on in the last couple years is pretty long.

I put a stiffer spring on the shock to hold up my fat ass and now that works well except that at 10K miles I am about to run out of rebound adjustment.

Stock brake pads are VERY hard. After replacement w/softer pads two fingers is enough to really slow it down. The brakes are powerful enough that at the end of a long day when the edge is gone it would be easy to screw up and lock a wheel.

It would be interesting to see a comparo with a bike modified like mine.

 

[quicksilver]

It seems the newest, bikes always get the press.

Same when the FJR was new kid on the block.

Latest revision gets an award.

See many awards for Vmax or Concours or Busa lately?

All steller rides for the "bang for the buck" catagory.

 

[JREW]

The FJR is EXACTLY what it intends to be.  It is EXACTLY what we owners want it to be.  Sure, we play with upgrades--"Farkles".  So? We upgrade what we personally would like better--sometimes just for bling-bling.

For me, and really that is what counts, not what some unrealistic tester thinks, this bike works. Maybe not next year, maybe not in 5 years, but it does the job very nicely today thank you, and you only have to look at the stupid grin on my face after each ride to know it's true. The surest test of whether a bike is right, do you want to get right back on after you get off? Yup, every time.

 

[RonC]

I prefer the British bike mags to all the U.S. mags except for Motorcycle Consumer News.

That said, I found it remarkable that the magazine that had the FJR rated as the best Sport-Tourer every month for about 2 years suddenly had a change of mind. Suddenly it was slower than the ST1300!? Suddenly the brakes were worse than the others!? Suddenly, it didn't handle as well as the others!? Suddenly, it was bettered by two bikes that it was better than last month????Suddenly, the test crew had a brain fart.

It's all part of the publishing game. The only test for a bike FOR me is BY me. And the FJR does exactly what I want it to do.

I do have to sell the bike though. It seems I made an 1/16 inch scratch on the top of the swingarm when I tightened the rear brake hanger bolt. I don't know if I can live with a defect like that. :blink: :lol:

Ron

 

[rocketdoc]

Let's face it, we all like to read about our bikes and the impressions of others.

The problem is they can't really compare them when the bikes are so different at doing some things better than others. The Cycle Canada comparo, really was so coloured by the discomfort of the tester by the engine heat he lost his objectivity, even though they have tested the bike before, in the cool fall of '03, against the ST1300 and the BMW, unfortunately one of their riders was killed on that trip (riding a Goldwing loaded down with camera equipment) so the cool weather comparison was never published, just a beautiful pictorial of riders and the bikes.

Magazine articles are nice for rainy days and for sitting on the can, but as a way of determining what WE like about our rides, they mean nothing.

 

[Dave Houk]

Don't misunderstand guys.... I love my FJR and I'll keep it forever, but its nuts to think that a 6(?) year old design is going to keep up with the latest whatever from wherever. If production length was a good indicator of product superiority, the Kaw Concours, 500 Ninja, and 250 Ninja would be the best bikes in the world.

I agree. I still have my deposit down with D&H for an '06. Yamaha needs to correct some of the known issues that effect the FJR in the '06 model. After 6 years they can do better than a new coin holder in the fairing.

If not it's the BMW R1200RT for me. Old design with the boxer but at least they keep making it better. Comes in red if that's your thing.

 

[Centerline]

OMG! I rode my beast yesterday with a buddy and his CBR and six skilled Warrior riders. The bike was just as much fun as every other time ridden in the whole 2 months I've owned it. It does have a little heat that I notice when below about 35mph and temps in upper 90's and some annoying buzz in the right grip, oh no!!!!

Some magazine guys don't like it as much as me, whatever am I going to do now???

 

[FredE]

It seems the newest bikes always get the press.Same when the FJR was new kid on the block.

Latest revision gets an award.

See many awards for Vmax or Concours or Busa lately?

All steller rides for the "bang for the buck" catagory.

DING - DING - DING!..........We have a winner - give that man a kewpie doll!

Besides, subjective opinions are just that...........your own opinions & satisfaction are what should matter to you.

 

[staledonut]

I've failed again and wound up with another loser and now only serve as a warning to others. (sigh) I just can't pick 'em. My previous loser choice: the Honda Pacific Coast - the most picked on bike of all time.

 

[fastfeejer]

outrace sure has a long list of handling issues and

I would say most of those could be resolved with

a little maintc (headshake) and the proper setup.

Or...... maybe he just got a bad one !

I have had 2 FJR's and not had much to complain about.

I've been riding along time and have many different bikes

and the FJR has done everything it was supposed to do

without much tweaking needed.

It actually has exceeded my expectations in alot of areas

and I have been very pleased with the way it has been

able to handle my often aggressive sportbike riding style.

The only dissapointment is with Yamaha's apparrent lack

of interest in progressively refining this bike ~ with the

exception of a few very minor upgrades and new paint colors.

Right now I still don't see anything out there that is better

than the FJR for what it does for the money it costs.

And I am always looking!

 

[BlueBullitt]

One thing nobody brought up was price for a little over 10K I'm on an 05 FJR. For 2 to 3K more I coulda had a Honda For 5K a BMW. I can buy alot of farkles for that money. So spending 1k on suspension doesn't sound that bad. The motor is already there. And no mater what you spend on the Triumph you still got a chain. The Ducati was tempting but who wants to do $300 to $500 valve jobs every 6000 miles have a chain and still get smoked by an FJR. My FJR is a keeper and making it better is only part of the fun.

 

[Iconofast]

The FJR is also the least expensive. The price difference will but a custom saddle, a Penske shock, and a few assorted comfort items for the FJR.

 

[RonC]

We have to keep in mind that, in the U.K. there isn't a big difference in price between the BMW, ST1300 and the FJR.

IN the USA, the price differential between the FJR and BMW can add up to $4-5000. The ST1300 is about $3000 more than the FJR. For some reason, the relative prices compress in the U.K.

Ron