FJR lean angle

[glory racing]

Getting tired of scraping/replacing hard parts. I really like everything about my ride except the lack of lean angle. I am quessing there is nothing that can be done to the bike to help ease the situation as suspension has already been tweaked. Therefore, is there a ride out there that is much like an fjr but with substantially better lean angle?

 

[SkooterG]

Wow. You must be good or crazy. I rarely drag pegs with my custom suspension. And I wouldn't really want to exceed the angle at which I do scrape pegs. The street ain't the track.

Guess it just sucks to be you living in that terrible place called Arkansas. Move to Florida and you will have plenty of ground clearance with your FJR.

 

[ahchiu]

Do you have the stock suspension? I have upgraded custom suspension and have plenty of clearence front sag 25mm rear sag 15 mm.

 

[GeorgiaRoller]

Getting tired of scraping/replacing hard parts. I really like everything about my ride except the lack of lean angle. I am quessing there is nothing that can be done to the bike to help ease the situation as suspension has already been tweaked. Therefore, is there a ride out there that is much like an fjr but with substantially better lean angle?

What's funny to me is that coming off a muscle cruiser where I constantly scrapped the pegs, I almost never scrap them on the FJR...even in the mountain twisties when I'm riding very spirited. I've also seen some guys leaning the bike over more than others in curves even though their moving at the same speed. So some riders lean more than others, some hang off the saddle and keep the bike more vertical than others.

So I'm assuming your an ex-sport bike guy that's really used to leaning your bike way over. To me you'd have to go back to that style of bike and get away with the more neutral foot position of any ST style bike if you "never" want to scrape a peg.

You can put hardbags on a Busa and ride that if you want the true super sport bike ergo's with some storage.

Decide what's more important to you on a bike. Or get a sport bike as a second bike, but I personally don't have a problem with the lean angle clearance of the FJR. Also replacing the peg feelers every now & again because they get ground down isn't really the end of the world, that's why their on there.

Or practice draggin your knee's not your pegs on the old FJR...like this guy! Looks like plenty of lean angle and peg clearance to me!

 

[Ignacio]

[sarcasm]

SIt up higher, pump up your tires, find roads with higher bank angles, and take an angle grinder to bits that are rubbing...you don't need them that badly anyway.

[/sarcasm]

 

[Niehart]

https://www.ducati.com/bikes/multistrada/1200_s_touring/index.do

 

[twistedcricket]

Wow. You must be good or crazy. I rarely drag pegs with my custom suspension. And I wouldn't really want to exceed the angle at which I do scrape pegs. The street ain't the track.

Guess it just sucks to be you living in that terrible place called Arkansas. Move to Florida and you will have plenty of ground clearance with your FJR.

Or nebrasuck.... plenty of flat, straight, boring roads that won't scrape anything on the bike.

 

[whataboutbob]

Wow. You must be good or crazy. I rarely drag pegs with my custom suspension. And I wouldn't really want to exceed the angle at which I do scrape pegs. The street ain't the track.

Guess it just sucks to be you living in that terrible place called Arkansas. Move to Florida and you will have plenty of ground clearance with your FJR.

No good here Florida statue 891:62 limits lean angle

 

[Auburn]

remove the center stand. You must have some really crowned roads to ride.

 

[John d]

Either you're a hell of a rider or your bike has been lowered. Technique will overcome a lack of clearance a fair bit, but I guess you already know that.

 

[Jetpilot5]

That's pretty much my main gripe too, not enough ground clearance. I have the stock suspension and the rear shock set to hard all the time so short of an aftermarket shock I think that's about all I can do.

Wondering whats next to drag after the pegs, the centerstand? There have been a few right-handers where I've felt the peg start to fold so I'm afraid I'm probably close to getting whatever's next.

I know hanging off more will help but it's pretty wide which makes it tougher. The Ducati MTS would be a bike to consider but I test rode one and didn't care for the engine. Guess I'm not a V twin guy, I like the fours. I keep looking at the new VFR but it ain't pretty and I know I'd miss the tank range and the comfort on the FJR. Tough to have it all I guess.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

If it helps any the Honda ST touches at about the same time the FJR touches. There is not enough difference to make a difference. I have never ridden the Gen 1 version of the FJR but I would guess that since it has a slightly shorter wheelbase it might not require quite as much lean angle for a given curve as a Gen 2. When Dad and I ride together I know that there are no chicken strips on the FJR rear tire but the Honda runs out of ground clearance before I reach the tire edge. I have ground the centerstand and shifter on the Honda without eliminating the chicken strips but we are able to run the same speed through a curve. Of course rider weight and bike loading is also a factor.

 

[fjrrider]

That’s a good question....go figure this! I've rode with GR enough to know that on some roads, I'll be right behind him, not dragging any hard parts, and I can see him dragging crap and throwing sparks!

It helped me to reduce dragging when I put that Penske shock on....it definitely raised the bike up some....not sure how much. The stock Wilbur’s is a softer ride, I think it’s set up for more of a plush ride, which rides lower, the Penske is a good bit stiffer, and rides a bit higher as well!

Then again...what do I know, I can’t even ride a dirt bike down a little ole hill, without fallin off and breaking my arm!

 

[SkooterG]

That’s a good question....go figure this! I've rode with GR enough to know that on some roads, I'll be right behind him, not dragging any hard parts, and I can see him dragging crap and throwing sparks!

It helped me to reduce dragging when I put that Penske shock on....it definitely raised the bike up some....not sure how much. The stock Wilbur’s is a softer ride, I think it’s set up for more of a plush ride, which rides lower, the Penske is a good bit stiffer, and rides a bit higher as well!

Well there you go. Obviously his custom suspension is not ideally set up for his weight and/or the type of riding he does.

Edit: He says his suspension has been 'tweeked'. Does that mean he has custom suspension? Or just 'tweeked' his stock? How much does he weigh?

Where did he go?

 

[Bustanut joker]

FUZZY BALLS Donkey boi!

 

[glory racing]

Geez, didn't realize I would have to answer so many questions. Here goes. If I miss any, let me know.

I do live where the roads are very crooked. I am not good but I like to ride fast. I ride both solo and 2up. Surely my technique can be improved. On the clutch side the peg, kickstand then the centerstand drag. On the throttle side the cans drag. I 'hang off' sometimes but prefer not to...that is why I am on a sport touring bike. Upgraded suspension since FJRrider has followed with stiffer fork springs and a penske shock. It was great for a while but now I have progressed, or regressed, which ever the case may be! My warrantee will expire on the FJR in the near future...so I am looking at other rides as candidates for replacement given my current riding style.

So far a Multistrata and a Busa has been suggested. Anything else someone can suggest? What about a K1200/1300?

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[wheatonFJR]

CBR250...surely you can keep up with Scott on that. :lol:

 

[yamafitter]

What about a K1200/1300?

I thought you wanted to go fast. I have yet to meet a BMW K Rider that understands the need to twist the throttle. All the K Series Beemers around here are just moving roadblocks.

 

[yamafitter]

That's a good question....go figure this! I've rode with GR enough to know that on some roads, I'll be right behind him, not dragging any hard parts, and I can see him dragging crap and throwing sparks!

It helped me to reduce dragging when I put that Penske shock on....it definitely raised the bike up some....not sure how much. The stock Wilbur's is a softer ride, I think it's set up for more of a plush ride, which rides lower, the Penske is a good bit stiffer, and rides a bit higher as well!

Then again...what do I know, I can't even ride a dirt bike down a little ole hill, without fallin off and breaking my arm!

Catching Scott is easy, just put a stream in front of him and watch him take the bike for a dive. Very entertaining.

What's this about falling off and breaking appendages??? Heal up soon friend, we need to ride some trails again. We will even let Don come along for the comic relief.