Fjr1300 Euro 2006

[Howardrg]

Yo Stef,

Here is your DFC

Howard

 

[Piggy]

Kinda doubtful that Yamaha would go to such an extreme to "fix" something that really isn't broke to begin with.

Umm, anyone remember Yamaha's RADD front suspension? :bleh:

Piggy

 

[RadioHowie]

It's hard to express an opinion since I don't even have a Feejer (yet!), but just like the old saying goes, "...everybody's got one!"

If...IF...a six speed tranny is in the works for the FJR, it would probably be based on a marketing decision ONLY, rather than a performance one. As everyone has noted, with 145hp/99ftlbs, it's pretty much agreed for performance, it's unnecessary, but from a marketing standpoint, think about it.

What REALLY is the closest competitor to the FJR? The ST1300? No way. It's the K and R 1200 Beemers. And what do both of those models have? 6 speed trannies.

So, as my thinking goes, Yamaha's upper echelon says "we're already $6000 less than those guys. I bet we can still sell a ton fof 1300s even if we up the ante by $1500 and give 'em a 6 speed box. Still cheaper than a BMW, and now we have everything they do...weather protection, shaft drive, ABS, luggage...PLUS a whole bunch more motor. We can start planning our retirements today!"

 

[BobbyBlue]

I follow ya howie, it would also be nice just to lower the r's when cruising at higher speeds...100-115 say. I'm in Tejas so this is somewhat doable. Anyway my question is doesnt the Feej have a "cassette" type gearbox ala R1 ? I realize it would be impractical, but not so impossible ? Just asking.

Bobby

 

[super d]

I hope they do come out with the 6 speed, and when are they going to start putting air bags on them? Just kidding, but I did see a show on Discovery channel and they were testing motorcycle air bags and they actualy worked pretty good! :bleh:

 

[Vulcan]

Cann't see it happening unless they redesign the entire engine and that is years away. If they did go with a 6 speed it would not be optional.....all the models would get it as it would not be cost effective to sell two versions (its not like the ABS option which you are just adding parts).

 

[snowmonkey]

I gotta agree with Vulcan on this one. I can't be certain, but I believe Stef (Teerex51) reported this bit of news out of some motorcycle tabloid. It was probably some scandal rag that he was reading while waiting in line at his local grocery store.

 

[spine60]

I read the same thing, they are also including cruise control and self cancelling turn signals on the european model.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

If we can't even choose between two colors per year what makes you think two tranny options would EVER be available? :blink:

 

[Windjammer]

Well, if they DO make a 6 speed, I certainly hope to have the option of buying a 5 speed FJR. To me the 6th gear is absolutely fookin' useless, and would just mean more rowing through the gearbox. I guess it could add value to those who use the Autobahn, or to those US customers who play fast & loose with their driving priveliges, but even that is limited.

Gearing the bike down will mean that your overall top speed will likely drop, perhaps by a considerable amount. As it stands, the bike will not reach redline in top gear. And passing without having to downshift would also be a thing of the past.

I can't imagine driving this thing at over 100 mph for extended periods. If you did that in WI or MN they'd have you jailed on a gross misdemeanor and the bike impounded. As in "Go to Jail. Go directly to Jail. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.00." I suppose there's wide open spaces in other states where this is tolerated, but I still think gearing down (by any significant amount) would require a bump in HP and torque to maintain a decent level of performance.

My Concours had 6 speeds, and you had to shift down at least two, maybe three gears for serious passing. Not so the FJR, and I prefer it that way. Why go backward?

 

[eaglemike]

Windjammer- your bike won't reach redline in 5th????? HMMMM, something wrong........

All the best,

Mike

 

[RadioHowie]

I read the same thing, they are also including cruise control and self cancelling turn signals on the european model.

...Beemer-fying the FJR even more...and not necessarily a bad thing.

Like I said, AND if it all comes to pass, pure marketing. Aiming at the "class leader" and it would still undercutting the K or R 1200's price.

But even if Yamaha does what's been speculated here, won't it probably be '08 or '09 before we'd see it in the States?

Didn't the Euro-market FJR precede the U.S. by 2 or 3 years? (Or was it 4?)

 

[radman]

Windjammer Posted on Jul 12 2005, 02:54 PM

If you did that in WI or MN they'd have you jailed on a gross misdemeanor and the bike impounded.

I ride Minnesota, and cruise at 100+ all the time. Guess you would have to define "extended periods". I do it going to work, would that count?

 

[Warchild]

I ride Minnesota, and cruise at 100+ all the time.  Guess you would have to define "extended periods".  I do it going to work, would that count?

 

[afterburn]

The FJR was introduced here in 2001.

I don't get the notion that the ST isn't in the same class as the FJR. Here, they consider the FJR, ST, GT all to be in the same class. Some more sportier, some more touring, but all the same class.

And the BMW is definately not considered the market leader in this class. BMW is getting it's *** whipped left and right by both the FJR and the ST.

 

[RadioHowie]

The FJR was introduced here in 2001.
I don't get the notion that the ST isn't in the same class as the FJR. Here, they consider the FJR, ST, GT all to be in the same class. Some more sportier, some more touring, but all the same class.

And the BMW is definately not considered the market leader in this class. BMW is getting it's *** whipped left and right by both the FJR and the ST.

You're thinking (logically) like an end-user, not as a bean-counter or company hack.

Betcha BMW doesn't think they're gettin' whipped...

If they did, they wouldn't charge $6000 more for an obviously "lesser" motorcycle. (I originally wrote "inferior", but that's not fair to an over-all good bike line)

That's "Corporate Thinking", which is contagious. Let's hope Yamaha catches it and starts adding some lusted-for goodies to the FJR.

 

[Vulcan]

Corporate bean counters have killed a lot of good bikes/cars.....

 

[Bounce]

Hay Howie, can you do me a favor and lose the big graphic in your sig block. On slower connections it takes fookin forever to load and then it's in every fookin sig block. Any thread with a contribution from you ends up being bypassed before I can read it.

It's no problem from home where I have a 3200+ with 2 gigs of ram and a dedicated dsl line. At work, on the 1.8 mhz with 256m of ram and a T1 line shared with 6 buildings, it's fookin winter oil flow.

Besides, isn't it the same bike as in your avatar?

 

[Windjammer]

I ride Minnesota, and cruise at 100+ all the time. Guess you would have to define "extended periods". I do it going to work, would that count?

You must lead a charmed life, or yer fulla BS. MN troopers are like the fookin Gestapo, and those taxpayers in MN just love raising taxes so they can have one sitting about every 50 ft along the road. Sorta like WI where I live now, but I used to live in MN. There are a few times and places where you can get away with going fast, but they'll get you sooner or later.

I've heard that as you age, your eyeballs automatically adjust so that the speed you see on the guage is always double the speed your actually moving. Splains all them 'ol timers putting down the road at about 50 or so. Tell us it ain't you Rad. :haha:

 

[snowmonkey]

Hay Howie, can you do me a favor and lose the big graphic in your sig block. On slower connections it takes fookin forever to load

I'll co-sign that request...,