FJR test ride

[FJR Bill]

Friends,

Bought my used (4800 miles) 2009 FJR a few months ago. I bought it for long distance sport touring and camping. This Labor day weekend I was able to put it to a test:

The ride, Tampa Florida to Meadows of Dan, VA /Willsville campground 875 miles one way. Then return.

For me the seat is very important, very few factory seats seem to be ok for long trips. Stock FJR seat works for me.

My bike has handle bar risers which were add ons. They are just what I needed. I added a throttlemeister.

Drove in conditions from 98 degrees to 48. The electric windshield was very effective in keeping me in a comfort zone despite the 50 deg temp change.

Overall comfort level for my aging 62 year old body was excellent. No pain killing issues and found the bike to be a comfortable machine despite my aging joints.

Performance: Awesome but everybody knows that. Corners like a dream, tremendous power if needed. Put it in top gear and it will handle all turns at 50 MPH or more. Get in the really tight stuff and 3rd gear will keep you hammering the slower turns. Gas mileage an average of about 47 MPG...Very happy with that.

The bike is tall for me at 5 ft 8 inch, the seat splays my legs out so the result is that I'm very awkward at slow speeds and stops. All problems go away once I'm at 10 MPH or so. Also while the windshield is one of the best I've ever owned, I'd like to get a taller and wider version to keep me better protected in rain and high speed conditions. Overall I think the FJR met or exceeded all of my expectations.

Bill

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Bill,

Glad to hear you had a great trip... that was a good one.

Here is a link to a Windshield site you may find of interest:

https://www.ceebaileys.com/yamaha/

Many more Happy Miles and Smiles to you...

 

[highcountry]

Congrats on a nice trip on a great bike. There are several windshield options as well as seat options.

Ride safe!

 

[BobMercer]

Bill,

Congratulations on a great ride, on a great bike!. Good to read about we 60+ year olds taking on such lengthy rides.

A quick question, do you have the stock seat in the lowest position? Makes a big difference for the vertically challenged.

Safe riding.

Bob

 

[Bounce]

Congrats. Sounds like it's time to get out to an empty parking lot and do some slow speed practice. (tip: remove the saddle bags).

 

[FJR Bill]

Bill,
Congratulations on a great ride, on a great bike!. Good to read about we 60+ year olds taking on such lengthy rides.

A quick question, do you have the stock seat in the lowest position? Makes a big difference for the vertically challenged.

Safe riding.

Bob

Bob,

Assuming I did the adjustment properly ie I mounted the seat in the holes marked low...then It's in the lowest postion.

Bill

 

[FJR Bill]

Congrats. Sounds like it's time to get out to an empty parking lot and do some slow speed practice. (tip: remove the saddle bags).

Well maybe a good idea but I have just shy of 50 years riding experience and have no issues when the bike is moving. But the FRJ is a heavy bike and when you are on tippy toes when you stop, it's precarious, because I don't have a full footprint. If any slipperyness such as oil, water or gravel is experienced a fall might occur. Once stopped I can lean to one side and get one foot flatly planted. Nothing new here, a taller person would have no issues, for me I'd like to modify the seat and get better foot contact with the ground. My Guzzy is also a tall heavy bike but about one inch lower. Never had a problem with it in the last 115,000 miles.

Cheers, Bill

 

[Willie]

Friends,Bought my used (4800 miles) 2009 FJR a few months ago. I bought it for long distance sport touring and camping. This Labor day weekend I was able to put it to a test:

The ride, Tampa Florida to Meadows of Dan, VA /Willsville campground 875 miles one way. Then return.

. Also while the windshield is one of the best I've ever owned, I'd like to get a taller and wider version to keep me better protected in rain and high speed conditions. Overall I think the FJR met or exceeded all of my expectations.

Bill

Look at a Laminar Lip...this will help you on height, but not width for the stock WS...To me it was a great investment and cheap compared to a replacement

Hmmm I wish I was 5'8"...but I get by being 2" shorter.

Willie

 

[kpm]

Bill,

Sounds like a great ride. Congrats on your FJR.

I too love the adj windshield. I wear earplugs so no wind noise with the shield in the lowest position. I ordered a Givi shield for my bike. Have not tried it but the +2" will help this winter. At 5' 10" just need a bit taller shield to get the wind over my head. For me the brakes are one of the best features on the FJR. Lock on stoppers.

Great mpg. I got 49 mpg at 80 mph on the way back from the Smokies.

FLA does not have a lot of great rides. (I am from Miami) Try the Ocala Nat. Forest ride (Rt 40) or the Keys if you can stand going through Miami. Try Shark Valley if you want to see gators.

Ride safe,

KP

 

[Knifemaker]

Well, I'm 5'9" and what worked real well for me was a Corbin seat. It is about 3/4" lower

than the stock one (in it's lowest position) and more importantly, it is alot narrower in the

front so it does not spread your legs apart as much as the stocker.

Many do not like the Corbin's because the padding is very firm. Which is exactly why I like them,

I found the stock seat too soft.

I can plant both feet down at stoplights, and have no problems with extended stays in the saddle.

YMMV of course , but worth trying out if you can.

 

[UHOH]

The bike is tall for me at 5 ft 8 inch, the seat splays my legs outso the result is that I'm very awkward at slow speeds and stops.

consider boots w/ lug soles, they provide a better grip and handle gravel at the stops.

tough to find, though.

can pm me.

and welcome ...

 

[mr.paul]

Don't you love it when you make a choice and it turns out to be one as great as the FJR? Congrats on choosing such a great ride.

I rarely see more than 42mpg but have gotten as high as 50. Don't know how some of you guys do it. Then again, I have a substantial load and frontal area challenge for the bike. 6'4" and just over 250lbs probably pushes a little more through the air than some. No issues reaching the ground though!

I have the Yamaha FJR Touring windshield on and it works for me. The price is reasonable. Some like them bigger, but I don't think I am one of them...yet.

I am a big believer in good gear and the lugged sole is a good suggestion. I have talked to riders with more compact leg dimensions that utilize a taller sole when riding with good results. I have Aerostich Combat Tourers and though the sole hss great grip, they aren't particularly thick (one of the reasons I like them). Fabulous boots though.

Enjoy the heck out of that Feej and remember that you have one of the better rides on the planet!

mr.paul, from Minnesota

 

[07fjrTom]

I just finished my first substantial ride on the FJR myself. I have to agree with you that this bike does everything quite well. And I found the stock seat to work ok too. I rode around 2200 miles in four days and didn't have any comfort issues in temps that ranged from 37 to 104 degrees.

Congrats on the new bike, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Woketman]

Glad to hear about your great FJR ride. I love my FJR too, but I have never gotten 47 mpg. Anyone else approach that on a ride??? How fast did you average?

Thanks.

 

[Surly]

Hi Bill,

I am delighted that you too are enjoying your new ride. Keep it up mate.

Best regards

Surly

h34r:

 

[bang-n-gearz]

Keep riding Bill.

I purchased a California Science windshield and love it. Tallest they make is what I got. I am use to looking through a windshield owning two Goldwings in the past.

I have a throttle lock called if I remember it correctly "cam lock" which absolutely works great. Plus I have highway pegs that help on the knees. My seat I had repacked with some kind of foam.. from a vendor named Spencer... it was less than a $100.00 and completely new seat.

Lets see I too have risers their 1 3/4" along with cramp busters which are foam inserts that go over your grips, and certainly helps.

Last, I modified my return spring on my throttle body which absolutely helped tremendously on the prior extremely strong tension when tristing the throttle back. Wow...big difference.

So with all those farkles and a radar detector and nano-ipod and sony buds.. I am good to go! have fun

Buck

 

[FJR Bill]

well I posted twice ........so.....God Bless and ride safe !

Lots of good recomendations. I'll check out lugged soles, Ceebaileys, Cali sci, and laminar lips. All new to me. I've done seat mods so plan to try my own fix by doing a "nose job" and some foam shaving. With just a couple of mods I think my FJR will serve my future sport touring needs.

Bill

 

[Woketman]

I too have the tallest Cal-Sci and I love it! I am 6 foot 4.5 inches tall.

 

[Warpdrv]

Agreed, aftermarket windscreens are a must - I went with the Cal Sci for my Gen 1....

The thing I liked the most was the openings in the front to let air directly in for the summer months, and I fashioned a blocking plate to cover it for the winter.

It gets pretty cold up here and I ride down to 30 degrees until snow and salt are on the road.... Nice to block off that extra air flow for those times.

Good luck and enjoy the FJR.....

Cal Sci for the Gen II models...