FJR1300A vs. ST1300 non ABS

[MotorSWATCop]

I am a recent convert from the Goldwing community. My wife and I decided to go the "Sport" Touring route. Keep in mind, that I did not ride my wing like it was an old man's bike. I, and the people I rode with, took the wings to their performance limits and beyond . The wing is a fantastic bike; i just wanted to explore a larger performance envelope. Now to the meat of my question:

I just got my wife a new Honda ST1300 and rode it back from Chattanooga. I took back roads so that I could make lots of shifts and vary the RPM's instead of maintaining constant RPM's on the I-state. I was very impressed w/ the bike! Nice handling, good throttke response, and pretty comfortable. I'd ride one if I did not have an '06 FJR1300A on the way. My question is; How much better is the FJR? I've read the articles and been reading the forums and I expect a big difference. Will I be as happy as I anticipate? Several forum members in my area have offered to let me ride their bike. I am always hesitant to ride others bikes because of this little black cloud that aleays seems to be around. Even if I did take a ride, I would not push another's bike the way I push mine. Any input is welcome. Thanks in advance...

My bike is supposed to be arriving in August...anyone else see that cloud over there...

 

[Rickster]

Well -- I think it's all about expectations. The FJR is sportier, and rides cooler than the ST. If you read too many review and have super high expectations -- you're bound to be disappointed. I has mediocre expectations (sport bike rider), and am extatic!

As for waiting until August -- there are several 06A and AE models on dealers showroom floors -- you don't have to wait. I know there's on here in Troy, Alabama (Wards Yamaha 334-566-3942)

Good luck! I think you'll be pleased.

 

[mdisher]

IMHO...

If you liked the ST1300, you will also like the FJR. The same or better. You will not be dissapointed.

As for out performing the ST1300 in the twisties? That's all about the rider and not the bike honestly. Both are equally capable have about the same cornering clearence and are equally stable machines.

The FJR is closer to sport, with comfort, and to me the ST1300 is more like "Honey I shrunk the wing" with sport thrown in. That's my take and why I made the choice I made. I ride with plenty of guys that have ST's. They are GREAT bikes with just a little more fairing and weather protection.

Oh and they are butt ugly if you take the bags off.

Does that help at all?

 

[MotorSWATCop]

Everything helps. I'm just going through withdrawal. I want my bike...

 

[RadioHowie]

[...]
Oh and they are butt ugly if you take the bags off.

I have seen this stated often, but without pics it's hard to form an opinion for one's self.

Anyone have a pic of an ST sans bags?

 

[jjsC6]

I sold a 2004 non-ABS ST1300 miles that I bought new and put 10,000 miles on to buy my new 2006 FJR about two months ago. I'm almost at 3,000 miles on the FJR as of today. I liked the ST, but I like virtually everything about the FJR better.

It is faster, handles better and some will be surprised to hear that it is even more comfortable than the ST, at least for me. It even gets better gas mileage. The only downside is that at higher RPM the FJR does buzz a little, and you might have to work on the throttle. I'm one of those that found my right hand got very uncomfortable in a short time on the FJR. I've made enough "fixes" to make it acceptable now.

Even though I consider the ST a nice ride, there is no way I would go back. I love the FJR. You should also know that I have a Goldwing, and overall I would prefer a Honda because the owner of my Honda dealer is an old friend of mine. But I like the FJR enough to overcome that.

 

[GreyGoose]

i was an owner of the st1300 before purchasing my 06 FJR. I came from 5 years on an st1100 , and have been a honda guy most of my life. The changes made to the st1300 from the st1100 were enough to temp me into a purchase. I loved the st1300 for the most part ....but then......tempuratures got hot. The bike would cook me. it would melt things in the fairing pockets. It also felt really heavy compared to the FJR. I didnt remember that untill recently when i threw my leg over one at the honda hoot. they had an fjr right next to it. Theres a night and day difference.

If my honda didnt cook me, i'd still own it. when i heard the FJR took care of their heat issues, i was sold. Now that i have the FJR (and have done some farkles to make it more ridable), i really like it. I dont take my bags off, so looks wise , the honda is tough too beat. The FJR definitly gets more compliments though in that department. FJR has way more power, but the honda has plenty. The honda also dosent buzz at high speeds. That V4 four is like a rock.

I think its going to be a tough call for you. Your use to a wing. the FJR is going to be too sporty unless you do some mods. Definitly get a set of risers. Definitly do the modifications to the throttle. Those types of things will drive you nuts compared to the honda. The honda had none of those issues. The motors react much differently also (v4 vs. straight 4).

If your short, the FJR is thinner than the honda and more manageable. you can also order a corbin for the fjr that moves the seat height to 29 inches. Thats golden on a 600 pound bike

Dont judge the bike untill you do some mods.

Throttle fixes

Windshield replacement

Seat replacement

grip puppies

cruise control

Then you can really compare the 2 bikes. I cant stand heat!!!! So the other issues for me were minor as long as that issue is fixed. The reviewers really hit the nail on the head when they state that the FJR is sport touring that leans towards sport and the honda leans toward touring. As you can tell by alot of the forum topics, many of us are trying to make the FJR more touring and do the mods accordingly.

If the new st1300 drops about 80 pounds, fixes there heat problem, drops the seat height another inch, fixes the problem with seeing the dials in sunlight, and changes the styling.... i would have to give it another look.

Good luck. You wont miss the heat (keep cell phones, cosmetics, or anything that can melt in extreme heat out of the fairing pockets). i wont melt the phone, but it will kill the battery.

Its hard not to like this bike

Good Luck.

GreyGoose

 

[MotorSWATCop]

I appreciate the responses. It can not be "too sporty" for me. I am looking for a sport bike that has touring capabilities not a touring bike that has sport capabilities. The wing fit that bill nicely. I was dragging the engine guards with too much regularity.

The ST was very warm on the ride back from Chattanooga. I hope that my wife can deal w/ that. She has ridden the bike and seems to like it very much and the deal I got was pretty good. I just can't wait for my bike to arrive.

 

[ROADHAZARD]

You are going to love the FJR. I've not ridden a 1300ST but i have ridden a 1100ST. I didn't really notice any excess heat on it, but then i had just jumped off my old KZ1300 six cylinder blast furnace. I liked the Honda but it felt too cramped for me. Everything about the FJR feels good. The best for me is that i can cruise the interstate at 80 without the engine screaming at 5500 rpm. Which is exactlly what i think i'll go do. See ya,Bob

 

[shokdimn]

MSC,

A question and some opinions.

First the question: Why don’t ya consider renting a FJR and try it out? :questionmark:

Now the opinions.

I test rode an ST before buying the FJR. To me the ST was much hotter, especially around the tank. Was uncomfortable letting my legs (especially the left one) rest against the tank. Just wearing pants, no body armor. Was unwilling to put up with that. My FJR’s tank doesn’t get hot, “to me”.

Oh yeah, I much prefer the way the FJR handles. :exhappysmiley:

Preferred the windshield on the ST for protection from wind. However, that protection also had a downside. It kinda felt like I was sitting in a vacuum.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not berating the ST. :innocent: And I’m not trying to influence ya. I just prefer the FJR.

 

[shokdimn]

And by the way, something I didn’t share in my previous post.

My wife wanted to get a wing instead of the FJR. "Shields up!" :medieval: That lounge chair on the back of the wing was calling her name.

But she agreed to give the FJR a try. Here's to her! :drinks:

 

[MotorSWATCop]

My wife liked the back seat on the Wing too. The problem was that she kept getting motion sick on the twisties. She said I am too aggressive when it gets "fun". I like it better when she is on her own bike.

I wish I could rent one around here but no way it's going to happen. I know I am going to like it. I'm just very impatient.

 

[turbodave_98]

i was an owner of the st1300 before purchasing my 06 FJR. I came from 5 years on an st1100 , and have been a honda guy most of my life. The changes made to the st1300 from the st1100 were enough to temp me into a purchase. I loved the st1300 for the most part ....but then......tempuratures got hot. The bike would cook me. it would melt things in the fairing pockets. It also felt really heavy compared to the FJR. I didnt remember that untill recently when i threw my leg over one at the honda hoot. they had an fjr right next to it. Theres a night and day difference.
If my honda didnt cook me, i'd still own it. when i heard the FJR took care of their heat issues, i was sold. Now that i have the FJR (and have done some farkles to make it more ridable), i really like it. I dont take my bags off, so looks wise , the honda is tough too beat. The FJR definitly gets more compliments though in that department. FJR has way more power, but the honda has plenty. The honda also dosent buzz at high speeds. That V4 four is like a rock.

I think its going to be a tough call for you. Your use to a wing. the FJR is going to be too sporty unless you do some mods. Definitly get a set of risers. Definitly do the modifications to the throttle. Those types of things will drive you nuts compared to the honda. The honda had none of those issues. The motors react much differently also (v4 vs. straight 4).

If your short, the FJR is thinner than the honda and more manageable. you can also order a corbin for the fjr that moves the seat height to 29 inches. Thats golden on a 600 pound bike

Dont judge the bike untill you do some mods.

Throttle fixes

Windshield replacement

Seat replacement

grip puppies

cruise control

Then you can really compare the 2 bikes. I cant stand heat!!!! So the other issues for me were minor as long as that issue is fixed. The reviewers really hit the nail on the head when they state that the FJR is sport touring that leans towards sport and the honda leans toward touring. As you can tell by alot of the forum topics, many of us are trying to make the FJR more touring and do the mods accordingly.

If the new st1300 drops about 80 pounds, fixes there heat problem, drops the seat height another inch, fixes the problem with seeing the dials in sunlight, and changes the styling.... i would have to give it another look.

Good luck. You wont miss the heat (keep cell phones, cosmetics, or anything that can melt in extreme heat out of the fairing pockets). i wont melt the phone, but it will kill the battery.

Its hard not to like this bike

Good Luck.

GreyGoose

Goose is on target. I am lucky enough to have an 06 AE, an 05 FJR(non-ABS) and a 1991 Honda ST 1100. I bought the ST to compare it to my 05 FJR. I really like the ST especially at high speed cruising as the gearing is taller which is very comfortable. But IMHO the 05 FJR does everything just plain quicker than the ST and that includeds, braking, acceleration and turning. I also consider it more overall comfortable. The ST1100 is heavier than the 05 but the weight does not make it a pig in the twisties.

Now for the 06 AE, man this is a different bike than the 05 FJR in so many positive aspects. It is a quantium improvement than the 91 ST 1100. The AE with the paddle shifter is a blast in all aspects of riding and especially in the twisties. It has a longer wheelbase due to a 1.3" longer swingarm which makes it much more stable than the 91 or 05. Gas mileage so far with 1500 miles on the AE is 3-5 mpg better than the ST or 05.

In summary, I ride all three bikes weekly and I enjoy the heck out of all of them. But after the AE, I would pick it as the best of the 3.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ari Rankum]

The best comparison I've ever seen of the FJR and the ST1300 was in MCNews. Look for an article entitled "Sport Tourers for the 21st Century". While it's an old comparo, I think almost all of the comments still apply, except that a bunch of fixes have been applied to the FJR in 2006.

I've owned a wing and 2 FJRs, among many other bikes. I've ridden an ST1300 several times and also the pre-2006 BMWK1200GT. Hands down, I preferred the FJR in the sport department. I also find it a really great alternative to a Goldwing. You can tour on something that actually feels like a motorcycle when you have an FJR. One of the biggest plusses the FJR has going for it is sites like this one. There are many, and they make living with an FJR a real piece of cake. Pretty much anything you want to do to your bike has already been done by someone who wants to talk to you about it.

I am somewhat of a Honda snob. The majority of my bikes have been Hondas, and all of my recent cars have been. I REALLY wanted to prefer the ST1300. In the end, my biggest complaint, if this doesn't sound too absurd, was that the bike was too refined, too smooth. It almost felt soul-less to me. Add in the price, the weight, the looks, and the cartridge shocks, and it was really easy to settle on the FJR. Actually, I put the ST1300 third, behind the K1200GT, which is "new and improved" this year, by the way.

You're asking the right crowd about the FJR. Obviously, there will be some pro-FJR bias, here. That said, I've yet to see someone rave in a way that I wouldn't agree with in this thread.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[shokdimn]

I wish I could rent one around here but no way it's going to happen.

I just figured since Chattanooga and Union City were familiar territory for ya that Murfreesboro would be too. Ya should have seen the back tire on the local dealer’s rental bike. Somebody must have smoked it big time. :fire: Steel fibers a ¼” long were sticking out of the flat spot on that baby. Oh and that flat spot, bout two inches wide and right in the center of the tire (belt clearly visible). :rip_1: Whoever lit that tire up probably needed a mask to breath while the smoke was boiling off that baby.

Bet the renter had to pay for that tire. uke:

 

[madmike2]

I wish I could rent one around here but no way it's going to happen.

I just figured since Chattanooga and Union City were familiar territory for ya that Murfreesboro would be too. Ya should have seen the back tire on the local dealer’s rental bike. Somebody must have smoked it big time. :fire: Steel fibers a ¼” long were sticking out of the flat spot on that baby. Oh and that flat spot, bout two inches wide and right in the center of the tire (belt clearly visible). :rip_1: Whoever lit that tire up probably needed a mask to breath while the smoke was boiling off that baby.

Bet the renter had to pay for that tire. uke:

People who rent bikes to abuse them is what makes it more difficult for the rest of us. I hope they charged him parts and labor. What an :asshat: .

 

[shokdimn]

People who rent bikes to abuse them is what makes it more difficult for the rest of us. I hope they charged him parts and labor. What an :asshat: .

Copy that! Somebody dropped her once too. Right mirror frame had about a 3” section broken out of it. Didn’t see and damage to the body side parts/plastic though.

 

[shokdimn]

MSC,

My apologies for somewhat shifting the focus of your thread by introducing the rental bike issue. :thumbsdownsmiley:

No offense intended.

 

[rockmurf]

I had an 03 st1300 and put 18k miles on it, i also had an 03 goldwing and put 40k miles on it. I now have an 06 fjr 1300A and for an all around use bike you cannot beat the fjr. I too am a honda person but the heat off the 1300 was outright ridiculous, the heat is also the reason I did not buy an 03 fjr. The goldwing is a most superior touring bike but for short rides or puttering around town it is too heavy and the look of the back seat/trunk were not especially appealing to me. I also did not like the fact that the passenger was sitting back away from me(one of lifes' little pleasures). My wife also like the back of the fjr and hated the st1300. I like the 3year factory warranty of the 2 hondas and am not impressed with the one year yamaha warranty especially here in FL where you cannot purchase a discounted extended warranty due to the law. To sum it up the fjr is more comfortable, better seat, usuable mirrors, sharper looking, and I ride with the bags off and it came with plastic inserts to fill in the holes left by the bags, the bike also comes with an extra lock so if you buy a trunk it will be the same key as the bike and bags, you can put something in the "glove compartment" without it melting, it comes stock with a power outlet and abs. I am totally happy with my decision. Everett