FJR or HD Roadking

[maddmax_33]

Just joined the forum today. I am a 42 y.o. male, started riding 3 years ago (rode dirt bikes as a kid), and I am still riding my first bike which is a Suzuki DR650. It is an '07 that I purchased new. I wanted to get 2-3 experience under my belt before taking the leap on a much more powerful and expensive bike.

I will be trading in my Suzi, but I am torn between an FJR and a HD Road King. I know the two are apples and oranges but these are the bikes am I interested in. I haven't ridden either one yet. I mainly have used my Suzi for commuting purposes to/from work 70 miles round trip (both Interstate and back roads), but would like to take longer tours/rides. I live in the upstate of South Carolina and have access to great twisties. The HD looks great, has great resale, is comfy for two, and the FJR has better performance/breaking and is alot less expensive to buy and maintain.

Anyway, any input regarding my decision, especially from you folks with both an HD & FJR will be appreciated.

Also any smart*++ comments are encouraged!

Thanks,

Maddmax_33

 

[olsonm3915]

Just joined the forum today. I am a 42 y.o. male, started riding 3 years ago (rode dirt bikes as a kid), and I am still riding my first bike which is a Suzuki DR650. It is an '07 that I purchased new. I wanted to get 2-3 experience under my belt before taking the leap on a much more powerful and expensive bike.
I will be trading in my Suzi, but I am torn between an FJR and a HD Road King. I know the two are apples and oranges but these are the bikes am I interested in. I haven't ridden either one yet. I mainly have used my Suzi for commuting purposes to/from work 70 miles round trip (both Interstate and back roads), but would like to take longer tours/rides. I live in the upstate of South Carolina and have access to great twisties. The HD looks great, has great resale, is comfy for two, and the FJR has better performance/breaking and is alot less expensive to buy and maintain.

Anyway, any input regarding my decision, especially from you folks with both an HD & FJR will be appreciated.

Ride both of them before you decide. I've never ridden a Road King, but I have rented an FLHTCUI (Electra Glide Ultra Classic) for a day. I actually liked the Harley as a touring bike, but the difference in power between the Harley and the FJR, well, there isn't really a comparison there, the FJR makes about twice the HP of the Harley.

 

[phroenips]

Just joined the forum today. I am a 42 y.o. male, started riding 3 years ago (rode dirt bikes as a kid), and I am still riding my first bike which is a Suzuki DR650. It is an '07 that I purchased new. I wanted to get 2-3 experience under my belt before taking the leap on a much more powerful and expensive bike.
I will be trading in my Suzi, but I am torn between an FJR and a HD Road King. I know the two are apples and oranges but these are the bikes am I interested in. I haven't ridden either one yet. I mainly have used my Suzi for commuting purposes to/from work 70 miles round trip (both Interstate and back roads), but would like to take longer tours/rides. I live in the upstate of South Carolina and have access to great twisties. The HD looks great, has great resale, is comfy for two, and the FJR has better performance/breaking and is alot less expensive to buy and maintain.

Anyway, any input regarding my decision, especially from you folks with both an HD & FJR will be appreciated.

Ride both of them before you decide. I've never ridden a Road King, but I have rented an FLHTCUI (Electra Glide Ultra Classic) for a day. I actually liked the Harley as a touring bike, but the difference in power between the Harley and the FJR, well, there isn't really a comparison there, the FJR makes about twice the HP of the Harley.

Gunny! (+1)

See if there's a place near you that rents these bikes, take them out for at least a full day, if not several days.

 

[Ignacio]

QUOTE (maddmax_33 @ Sep 14 2010, 08:57 AM) Anyway, any input regarding my decision, especially from you folks with both an HD & FJR will be appreciated.

Also any smart*++ comments are encouraged!

We're an FJR forum...so we unilaterally sway people from FJRs here. It's a rule we have. FJR's suck and you should never consider one of them....no matter whether your options are a cruiser, C-14, or BMW with a final drive leaking oil and making grind noises.

Don't buy an FJR. Go get anything else...including a Zundap.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I'm sure the RoadKing does nicely for a tourer, but if you ever get the itch to rip around in the twisties as well, the FJR can do both!

 

[juniorfjr]

I chose the FJR and haven't regretted it for a minute.

But whatever you do choose, wear the appropriate safety gear. Don't get caught up in the pirate wear. Even harley riders can wear an appropriate helmet if they want.

 

[foshow150]

Well I have both machines, an 03 fjr and an 04 roadking custom. I have to say the different bikes compliment eachother nicely. The fjr is a formula 1 sport touring marvel. I use my fjr to commute. The roadking custom is a bike that is a beach cruiser that is on steroids. Stage one thunderheader, black box tuning, and heated grips lol. I would go with the fjr. I can't tell you how many countless rides I've been on with the Roadking and I keep saying to myself man here I am rounding the apex of this turn in a roadcrafter one piece suit in 90 degree weather, and I keep saying this would be so much better on the fjr. My beautiful girlfriend owns a street bob that she rides and she likes the lumbering barn wagon style of the roadking. Pretty to look at. Both of them!! lol 780 miles in one pull is tough even with the custom seat. Nice storage. Pack it on with the back rest luggage rack. The roadking is a greatbike, but the fjr is the cats meow when it comes to handling,performance, and mile munching.

Good luck with your decision

 

[user 6393]

hmmmm....

 

[dustyrains]

I own both a 1994 Road King and a 2006 FJR AE. The RK has been upgraded with Performance Machine brakes, Progressive rear suspension, a Race Tech Gold Cartridge emulator in the forks, and a 124 inch S&S SuperSidewinder Engine, with a Vance and Hines 2 into 1 ProPipe. I have also installed heated grips, a Russel Day Long saddle, cruise control, and many other upgrades. And yet I still ride my FJR about 99% of the time. The RK is still a kick to ride for short distance in a straight line, and the way it sounds will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, but it's not my choice for most of the riding I do. You won't be able to ride a stock RK at nearly the same pace through corners or pass at will, as on an FJR. When I want to really get out and enjoy the Destination Highways of the great Pacific North West, the FJR is my ride. An analogy might be the difference between driving a 60's muscle car and a late model Porsche Carrera. If you can afford to own both, do it. If not, and you really enjoy riding rather than profiling, get the FJR. YMMV.

 

[frito1]

I wanted to get 2-3 experience under my belt before taking the leap on a much more powerful and expensive bike.

Smart move, it shows that you're thinking with the right head.

I will be trading in my Suzi, but I am torn between an FJR and a HD Road King. I know the two are apples and oranges but these are the bikes am I interested in.

True that.

I haven't ridden either one yet.

Shouldn't be that hard to find a rental for the HD, I dunno about FJR rental unit availability, but renting for a weekend before buying would be a wise use of $$.

I mainly have used my Suzi for commuting purposes to/from work 70 miles round trip (both Interstate and back roads), but would like to take longer tours/rides. I live in the upstate of South Carolina and have access to great twisties. The HD looks great, has great resale, is comfy for two, and the FJR has better performance/breaking and is alot less expensive to buy and maintain.

A RK is a capable touring bike, comfy, and within its class not a bad handling bike. Resale in the HD market has taken a big hit in the last few years with the steady increase of production. Bikes (HD) are sitting in showrooms everywhere, but that makes it a buyer's market. BTW the showroom effect seems to be affecting FJR's as well. In my area it has gone from preorder only status to previous year bikes sitting in many dealerships. I'll not dispute that the RK would be pricier than a FJR on the front, but maintenance costs past regular PM & tires are very low on late model bikes. If you're able to do oil changes on your car, you can maintain any HD. It's pretty much oil & filter, primary & tranny fluids, and a little grease from time to time. I'm at 70K on my EG (same platform as the RK) and total parts for repairs has probably been less than $200 excluding normal wear items (brakes, tires, and such). It's never left me stranded.

I'm still a FJR rookie, but here are my observations. If you compare speed, it's no contest. FJR! Dog'n around at parking lot speeds? RK. Comfort? Well, that's gonna be a personal issue. Do you want to sit on or sit down in your bike? Wind protection? Stock vs stock, I'd give the RK the edge if you use the standard sized windshield. Smooth, vibration free traveling? I'd say its a toss up. The RK has much more character at idle, but at road speeds the rubber monted engine equals the FJR's smoothness. BTW, the new RK's do have a 6 speed. Luggage? Not much difference in cubes, but I sure wish my FJR had top opening saddlebags. That'd be the shiznit. Weight? Advantage FJR (and the main reason I own one). Handling/cornering. Advantage FJR, though the new '09 up HD's have got good reviews from my friends. A significant improvement on the previous generation, but it's still a #700+ touring bike. Styling? Again it's personal. I think both bikes look great. Non-riders comment equally though riders seem to be brand biased. Sound? What do you want? Zoom Zoom or Potato Potato? The hell of it is that both bikes are good at what they are made for. Quality is there on both units. You really don't have to play dress up to ride either, though many do in both groups. It's a tough decision if you can only have one bike. That's the reason I bought a used FJR. I was saving $$ so I could keep the HD too. I've got the best of both worlds. Now, if I just had a dual sport to join the other two bikes and the 4-wheeler in the garage.



JMHO YMMV

 

[Big Sky]

The answer always resides in the type of riding you plan to do, like to do most. You mentioned you live where there's plenty of twisties. Since you mentioned it, I'm assuming you'd like to take advantage of that , for the extra fun yielded by a spirited ride in the turns. Compare cornering clearance and I think you'll find the FJR has enough clearance for about 85 percent of the riders out there; the HD ... 50 percent?

 

[Hudson]

This might help your choice: it's the sales person training from Harley, and says a lot about what drives customer choice of HD's. Not knockin the HD, but I would think the Yamaha FJR version might be considerably different:

If you want to get a lot of attention and live the outlaw biker fantasy, the HD is your bike. If you want to enjoy a high-performance well-handling long distance thoroughbred, turn your attention to the FJR and possibly other competitive sport tourers. While a lot of folks on this forum ride (or have ridden) or enjoy Harleys, the general sense of their performance capabilities can best be summed up by this shirt:

 

[BikerGeek99]

I got my FJR 2 1/2 years ago, and got my first Harley in 1999 - that was a Wide Glide, and last year I traded that in for an '09 Ultra Classic, which is the same chassis as the RK.

They are night and day.

I was gonna go into a long-winded blah blah blah, but the bottom line is, you're right - they are 2 incredibly competent and completely different motorcycles.

Go ride each of 'em, and keep in mind what your riding style and preferences are.

And welcome to the forum!

 

[maddmax_33]

This might help your choice: it's the sales person training from Harley, and says a lot about what drives customer choice of HD's. Not knockin the HD, but I would think the Yamaha FJR version might be considerably different:

If you want to get a lot of attention and live the outlaw biker fantasy, the HD is your bike. If you want to enjoy a high-performance well-handling long distance thoroughbred, turn your attention to the FJR and possibly other competitive sport tourers. While a lot of folks on this forum ride (or have ridden) or enjoy Harleys, the general sense of their performance capabilities can best be summed up by this shirt:

Hudson, now that is funny! But the sales manual kinda pisses me off....those parasites!

Not looking for attention or having fantasies of being an outlaw biker....I'm a Financial Controller!....but I suppose if I wanted attention I could borrow your t-shirt for the next bike night!!!

And thanks to all for your completely 100% unbias opinions...oh and by the way, there is a new 2010 here locally for $12,750+ tags, etc. Reasonable?

 

[skifrik]

I too own both. I have an 08 Road King and I just got rid of my 06FJR AE and got an 09. I had no mechanical issues with my 06 and it had 20,000 miles when sold. I lost $3700 on the FJR over 3 and a half years. Not too bad. The Road King has been good so far but I am very worried that the engine is going to go due to a manufacturing problem Harley has when pressing together their crankshaft halves together. Why they press their cranks instead of welding them is beyond me. My friends engine just let go on his 05 with 18000 miles on it. It cost him $6000 to repair it. Plus he was on the first day of a two week trip 400 miles from home when it let go. Big hassle. Harley's are cool, no doubt. And I'm even looking at the new Road Glide Ultra's, but for $23,000 in this economy, it would be pretty stupid. Find a good deal on a used FJR. Ride it for a year of two, Then look at the Harley again. Maybe by then they will fix the engine issue. It does seem like they solve a problem a year with their bikes.

 

[Willie]

Just joined the forum today. I am a 42 y.o. male, started riding 3 years ago (rode dirt bikes as a kid), and I am still riding my first bike which is a Suzuki DR650. It is an '07 that I purchased new. I wanted to get 2-3 experience under my belt before taking the leap on a much more powerful and expensive bike.
I will be trading in my Suzi, but I am torn between an FJR and a HD Road King. I know the two are apples and oranges but these are the bikes am I interested in. I haven't ridden either one yet. I mainly have used my Suzi for commuting purposes to/from work 70 miles round trip (both Interstate and back roads), but would like to take longer tours/rides. I live in the upstate of South Carolina and have access to great twisties. The HD looks great, has great resale, is comfy for two, and the FJR has better performance/breaking and is alot less expensive to buy and maintain.

Anyway, any input regarding my decision, especially from you folks with both an HD & FJR will be appreciated.

Also any smart*++ comments are encouraged!

Thanks,

Maddmax_33

Maddmax

You have gotten some great comments so far, but I am gonna throw a couple of pennies into the pool.

In 2005 I purchsed a Kawi Nomad, essentially the Far East equivalent of the RK. I put 48K on that bike. Getting up in miles I purchased a 2006 Kawi Concours as a backup for the Nomad. I think I put maybe another 2K on the Nomad over the next 2 years. I decided to trade the Nomad on a used 20007 FJR.

I am a 59 year old overweight 5'6" guy. Looks wouldnt really effect the drivability of either machine. I ride 2 up 99% of the time and our journies have been 6000+ miles , multi day trips. Typical day trip would be 400+ miles.

I traded in the Nomad because it simply didnt fit my needs or riding style any longer. The RK is a great bike. When you are down at the HD dealer, take a look at the Road Glide as well. For me I can not ever see my self not on a sport touring bike. My GF road briefly on the Nomad, which is suppose to be extremely comfortable for a cruiser, but for serriously touring the Sport Touring is where it is at for her as well. I would not call myself an exteme rider, but I am no slouch when it comes to the road. I believe I ride the FJR exactly how iit was intended to be ridden. Many miles thru many types of road condition, thru many type of weather conditions. Right now we are tourning the west and with the elevations we have been at the FJR was hands down the right choice over the Connie because of Fuel Injection.

I was able to take my FJR out on a test ride, since it was a used bike at a dealer. Nothing wrong going uused for either of your current selections. Of course I am not sure how much you will learn on a half hour test ride. Let your heart do the talking, take what your riding friends say with a grain of salt and forget about the resale value of the bike part of the equation. That is equivalent of saying I Do at the alter, saying I can always get a divorce if it doesnt work out.

Good luck with your decision, either way you will be happy. Be safe out there and ride with a watchful eye

Willlie

 

[wfooshee]

Also any smart*++ comments are encouraged!

Oh, goody! An invitation!!! :yahoo:

The RK has much more character at idle

So that's what that paint-shaker effect is called!!!!

It does seem like they solve a problem a year with their bikes.

Just one??? With so many to choose from?????

Yes, I'm Harley-bashing. I do it, and I'm not ashamed of it. I hate the things and I don't understand the attraction of them at all. The money it takes to buy one, what you get for that money, the posing that goes on around them (they're "investments," you know) just makes me cringe.

To the OP: FJR!! No question!! Not even a decision!!

 

[roger dodger]

I own both bikes also......DR650 and the FJR. They work seperately to make a perfect compliment to each other.

Both are small yet powerful, 5 speeds, and loads of torque. Both are 'sleepers' as to what they are capable of.

As a dirt biker you must love to turn, start again, stop hard, start again ...repeat.

So keep the DR, go get the FJR (used for cheap / new for less than the Harley) and ride a sleeper so the GF gets all the attention.

 

[LDRydr]

I rode Harleys (including their Electra Glides) for 9 years before moving to my FJR. The ONLY downside is my wife liked the back seat of the H-D better. Everything else is advantage FJR. And I especially like getting asked what model of BMW I'm riding.

Consider doing this: buy the FJR used, and with all the money you'll save over the H-D you can go rent an H-D touring bike when you feel like riding one, or when your ego needs propping up. You'll still come out ahead.

And one thought on your comment on the resale value of the H-D. I used to say the same thing (every H-D rider does). But it's only worth that if you sell it and can find a buyer. Kinda like holding on to a stockpile of gold or guns and bragging about how high the price is. It doesn't mean squat if you don't sell it. And you won't want to be selling the FJR, so why care about the resale price?