daddysbike
Well-known member
I got my ’07 FJR 1300 from the great folks at D&H cycles in Cullman,
AL. Very much worth the drive, I would have flown in and ridden home had it been a longer trip. I can’t express enough how pleased I am with the crew at D&H cycles. I was there from 8am until 1pm and was never left alone. There was always somebody there to answer any ?’s or to just plain talk to you about the bike and how they do things. They have a wall full of letters from happy owners and I can see why. They don’t b.s. you or try to sell you something you don’t need. Before I left Nick in service spent an hour going over every possible item on the FJR from how to adjust the suspension to how to change the air filter, very helpful. They also installed my Techmount handlebar stem mount for my Garmin Zumo GPS and my battery tender and Gerbings wires for me at no extra cost!
I took the FJR for a little 15 mile ride before loading onto the trailer for the 250 mile ride home and I knew I bought the best SPORTtourer. I had just sold my ’04 VFR with 10,000 miles on it and my 2nd 1800 Goldwing. I had put 22,000 miles on both Goldwings. I also owned a ’04 ST1300 for 10k miles and both Vstroms, CBR600, ZRX1200 and a few others. I’ve also rode a BMW R1150RT a few times and test rode a R1200RT before buying the FJR just to be certain I didn’t want one (I don’t). The RT’s while fine touring machines I’m sure are just plain boring appliances to me like the ST1300. The boxer engines are just uninspiring. The ST1300 has a much better engine to me than the RT but its just a bland machine overall not to mention hot, heavy and ugly from the rear. I also don’t like the Jetson mobile sound from those funny looking triangular pipes. I liked riding the ST1300 with the windscreen all the way down. I don’t like looking through a windscreen and also don’t like the way it or any other sporttoruing bike looks when the screen is raised, like a barn door. I realllllllly like the looks of the FJR and was hoping the airflow would be good with the screen all the way down, I couldn’t be happier! The air hits my chest and keeps my head in mostly clean air free of buffet/headshake/noise etc. Since I wear Gerbings when cold I don’t think I’ll ever need to raise it and may even buy a smaller dark tinted screen mostly for looks but also because I noticed that as I lower the screen from full up to full down that it gets smoother and quieter. I’m happy with it as is but think it may even get quieter/smoother and look even better with a smaller/dark tinted screen.
I like the adjustable handlebars which go rotate back and forth, I left them at the standard setting and am happy with them there. I also like the height adjustable seat and started out with it in the higher position, it looks like it goes up or down about an inch although I’m sure that’s not exact. I started with it higher because I have just had hip surgery for torn cartilage and figured the extra height would allow for a little more relaxed position and I figured if I started with the seat lower then raised it I may feel like I was sitting on the bike and not in it. Coming off the VFR which I really liked, the FJR is much more comfortable with lower pegs, better seat, higher bars but still in a forward sporty position. Lots of FJR owners complain of buzzy bars and do lots of stuff to remedy including adding Throttlemeister cruise control with heavier bar end weights. I went ahead and ordered them before I got the bike and haven’t installed them. I’ll be selling the Throttlemeister’s as I don’t think I’ll need cruiser control (even after coming off the wing) and don’t think the bars are too buzzy (it’s a bike not a Lexus!). I also like that the high and low beam are individually adjustable, now I have a low beam that is useful – that is to say that you can see far enough ahead to see any objects that may be in the road. The high beam is awesome!
I also really like the digital gear indicator. The mirrors are useful, you can see behind you.
The heart of the bike, that 1300cc 140hp 90lbs torque engine I love. It pulls/accelerates very hard from the start and has plenty of get up and go at 4000-6000 rpms max torque is 7000, max hp is 8000 redline is 9000 and really no need to go over 6000-7000. Before buying the FJR I rode a ZX14 for a couple hrs in the mtns and 4 lane. After that ride I really wanted to get rid of my VFR (I just did!) The Vtec never really bothered my on the VFR until lately and really after that ZX14 ride. The Vtec kicks in at 7k and I just got sick of the world revolving around 7k, it felt and I treated it like a rev limiter which its not but your always thinking about 7000rpms. After riding the ZX14 and experiencing that incredible power and just using the entire powerband and not really thinking or feeling anything except pull/acceleration throught the rev range I knew it was time for the VFR to go. Also I got sick of having to crank it up over 7k all the time just to get to some power. I wanted more comfort and hardbags though so I knew it was time for a FJR with the improved heat/airflow issue and valve ticking resolved. I love the sound of the FJR and am really enjoying its powerband also, just open the throttle anywhere and it goes. There is no replacement for displacement and you can really feel the power over the 800cc VFR. I also like the real world tuning of the engine and transmission and not having to shift all the time or crank it up to 12000 rpm to get power. It handles very well too. The suspension is still set to the factory standard which is fine for most riding/riders but I do a lot of backroad/twisty mtn riding and little interstate so I’ll tighten up the front fork a little, flick the button on the rear shock from soft to hard and adjust the damping a few clicks harder. I’m very impressed with the stock seat, its better than any other stock seat I’ve had including the wings. I always have to add a Corbin or Sargent for all my bikes (I prefer the Sargent) and put a wingsoft on the wing. Its too early to tell, I’ve just put 250 miles on the FJR in 24 hrs but the stock may be a keeper, if not I’ll go with a Sargent. There is nothing that I don’t like about the FJR and that’s unusual. True I just got it but even after a day or two even a few minutes I can tell if something is not quite right be it the seat or bar/peg reach or bad airflow, engine heat, heavy handling, inadequate power.
The standard ABS is nice to have as well. I almost forgot I had it, its that good. I’ve never had a bike with ABS and am glad to have it. I can honestly say that I am more than thrilled with the FJR, and I’ve owned a lot of bikes the last few years. I’ve wanted one since they came out but stayed away because of the heat and to a lesser extent valve ticking issue. As soon as they solved those issues in ’06 and I had my surgery I knew it was time for one. I honestly believe (and hope) that I’m done buying and selling 1-2 bikes/yr in fact the FJR my only bike now and I don’t plan on getting a 2nd. Having only paid 11,700 out the door new at D&H cycles and pay tax in GA so 12,500 total I could not be happier. I just can’t believe you can get a new FJR for less than a ST or RT and I like it better than either, it just looks better, sounds better and is way more fun for me. The VFR and CBR600 may be more fickable in the twisties but the FJR is all day comfortable, has a lot more to offer and is still very much a blast to ride in the twisties. Oh yeah $550/yr for full coverage from progressive is a nice bonus.
Steve
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