FJR's and cost of operations?

[KA1J]

Hello to everyone,

First my history and then a few questions; I have three XJ bikes from the 80s that I've restored and would like a more modern cruiser as well, perhaps the FJR is the right one for me. My 82 XJ1100 is a fine cruiser and other than minor issues of attending to maintenance due to age, it's reliable and an easy to ride bike for hours at a time. I've rebuilt the upper half of the engine and have restored it to pretty much an as new state except for paint and a few mods to the ignition. I've restored the other two to the same condition but have never been into the crankcase/transmission and with the exception of a friend helping me replace the steering bearings in a 650 Maxim from ball to roller, I have done all the work myself thanks to some great forums and their helpful advisors . All that to say I can and do like to work on my own bike.

The older Yamas have a lot of parts available for them at an affordable price and that's allowed me to restore them affordably. A forum friend mentioned his FJR1300 and it sounds like something I would enjoy owning but I'm concerned about the cost of owning one. The local Yamaha dealer charges a lot for hourly rates and I'm sure new parts for a FJR are expensive. The electronic FI is something I don't believe I can deal with myself as I have no electronics to work with FI equipment and my carb tools won't be of help to me. If I do buy a FJR I'll buy a used one rather than new and it seems I'll be forced to take it to the dealer for many if not most repairs.

So my questions are about the cost of operating a FJR and its reliability; is it necessary to bring it in to the dealer for most of the work or is there a lot of the upkeep/repairs I can do myself without specialized equipment?

- Being tremendously computer controlled, does it require frequent trips to the dealer for computer related issues or issues that requires a computer connected to the bike to resolve? If so, what would I be looking at to have done & what's usual costs for this and how often does this need to be done on a regular basis? I recall reading about a Can-Am that came in for work that only required a software change and it was a $400 bill, I need to avoid that kind of money pit.

- Looking at the local craigs lists in the area it seems a FJR 07 or earlier will be in my price range. Is there a particular year or years in that that are good ones to look for and any year or years to probably avoid? & if so, why is that?

- And, are these usually expected to have a high longevity?

Thanks for any thoughts on this, I appreciate it.

Gary

 

[RossKean]

As reliable as a hammer. Low maintenance and you can probably do anything that needs to be done by yourself. My 2007 has had the fork seals and bushings replaced (by me). One gear indicator switch (~$40 and 30 minutes). I replaced one cam chain tensioner - preventative measure as pre-2008 CCTs had some issues. That's it except a couple of bulbs and I just installed my second set of front and first set of rear brake pads. I did have a minor electrical grounding issue that took some time (not money) to resolve. Burns no oil and runs like the day I got it. Even have the original battery! 103,000 miles.

You couldn't make a better choice for reliability and ease of maintenance.

Edit to add: Bike has only been to a dealer for a couple of recalls. Never for anything else.

Tires, oil, gas, a couple of valve checks (no adjustments needed yet), fork oil, coolant refresh (when valve checks are done), hydraulic fluid change every couple of years, general lube moving parts from time-to-time. Nothing else I can think of...

 

[WWWobble]

Agree with RossKean, in fact I refer to my FJR as "the Hammer."

I had the factory "recall" services done on it (an 06) although I didn't experience any problems or failures. Refreshed the forks and changed the cam chain tensioner to the new oem version at 75,000. Have checked valve clearance twice and they haven't changed. Uses no oil, gives me over 200 mile fuel range on regular no matter how I ride it, I hope to be over 100,000 miles sometime next year. It's taken me a little while to get decent miles on it as I have other bikes, but if I could only have one, the FJR would probably be it.

WWWobble

 

[KA1J]

Ross & Wobble, Thanks for the thoughts. I'm still reading threads and doing google searches to better understand the bike but I'm wondering about downsides to the FJR that cost money & likely end up with time in the shop. From what you mention it seems pretty easy to work with & I've read the faring is an issue when working on the bike but I don't mind dealing with the faring. Good to know about the cam chain tensioner, I replaced the stock one in my XJ1100 with a self adjusting one from a Venture & it works great. Also, the 103K & 75K with no oil burning sounds like the FJR is good for high mileage with a solid mill.

Gary

 

[garyahouse]

I've got a first generation FJR, and my experience mirrors those above. One of the hallmarks of this bike is it's reliability. I've been reading this forum just about every day now for the last 3 years, since I joined. There's rarely a post made here that I don't read. What I've learned? I bought the right bike when I chose an FJR. Cost of ownership and general reliability are a huge plus with this bike. It is very likely that you'll never have issues that require a trip to the shop, and you need not fear fuel injection. Actually, it's much cheaper to own the fuel injected FJR than a carbureted bike. Carbs gum up. Fuel injectors don't. Are their exceptions? Of course. Are they likely? Nope.

The fairing: I've had mine apart several times for various things. Not a big deal most of the time. Well made, and easy enough to work on.

The forum: excellent source of how-to's. Arguably the best on the net of any bike made.

Before you buy... post up the price, the extras and the miles. We'll let cha know if yer looking at a good deal.

Hey, another little item: if your really concerned about saving every nickel, you can even put a car tire on the FJR and save another small fortune on rear tires. I've got 31k on mine already. CLICKY here.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[fljab]

More of the same above! I do my own maintenance and sometimes, esp when I'm on the road in the summer, is no where close to factory recommended intervals. I've never had a hiccup. I came off HDs so really didn't know anything about 4 cyl DOHC maintenance, but all the info is here for the most part and is really not that bad once you do it and have some mechanical knack. You said you restored XJs, so it should be even easier!

Do what you're thinking, and get your best deal on a whatever yr FJR, making sure like you'd do any other used buy and get the best one you can for the $$. It will return you many many trouble free miles.

Like GaryA said, tires are the most frequent maintenance. Some do the CT thing on the rear. I do lots of LD and there's times a CT would've helped in not stopping to find a tire somewhere, but for the most part, if you're set up to change tires in the garage, it's not a big deal. Many good brands out there with more than a few that get exceptional tread life.

Have fun, get a FJR, and hope to see you out there someday!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Can't add much to the (mostly) great comments regarding the FJR. If you're even remotely talented with a wrench, the FJR is a snap to work on. Add that to the excellent resource of the forum, and most every maintenance item you can think of has been accomplished (and documented) here.

I'm on FJR #3...not that I've worn one out yet, but the urge to upgrade or a great buy seems to come along. I'd look for a good buy on a '08 and newer bike and you'll be a happy camper.

Good luck with the search!

--G

 

[FJReady]

FJR. Thats ebonian for 'bullet proof'. Rock solid bike. especially the superior gen 1 models.

 

[KA1J]

Tires; I've got Michelin Commander II on my XJ1100 and XJ700 Maxim-X, Dunlop 404 on the 650 Maxim. The Commander II are getting 25K in reviews and after 8K on the 1100 I see no wear. O'course there's wear but it still looks like the original tread depth. The 1100 is about 100 pounds lighter than the FJR.

FJ ready, I'm looking at the differences between Gen I & II. What is it about the Gen I you like better than the II?

 

[bgross]

Here's some reading material (besides the great responses so far):

https://www.fjrtech.net/

 

[101stpathfinder]

FJ ready, I'm looking at the differences between Gen I & II. What is it about the Gen I you like better than the II?

Oh no ... your 4th post on the forum and you want to open up that fire storm of opinions?

(LOL)

I have both Gen 1 and Gen 2, but have not spent enough time on the Gen 2 to make a fair comparison. SkooterG has "Some" miles on both- PM that Bass turd.

I have 170K on my Gen 1 and it flat out gets you there and back without worries. I still need to look up the word "Maintenance" in the dictionary to find out that aspect

of FJR ownership. And to be fair- I hear the Gen 2s are the same. (Bulletproof) ... BUT- there are other opinions out there!

 

[supertankerm60a3]

What he said... As reliable as a hammer, as fun as a rocket. My (superior

) gen 1 was actually built in 02. just turned over 100,000 miles. I went to the shop to have the valves adjusted. Did the CCT myself. Perfect? NO Better than any other sport-touring bike made? YES Best bang for the buck? YES. IMHO of course. Sure, you could save some money by getting the an older Connie (carbbed, 1000cc). The BANG/BUCK math still heavily favors the FJR.

 

[TripperMike]

KA1J, you sound like a guy who enjoys working on his bike. If that is the case, I think you would really enjoy the FJR. Not because there will always be a problem you'll have to fix, but more because there are mods, or the usual maintenance tasks; and this bike is quite easy to wrench on. On top of that, there are so many bright bulbs on this forum who always seem willing to pitch in and help in either written word, or in person if they live within range, that even a dim bulb like myself can fix most things.

I'll be turning 140K on my bike this next weekend and my bike has only been to the shop twice and that was for valve checks, of which only one "borderline" shim has been replaced. Since then, I've learned to check my own. That's not to say you might still draw the short straw and end up buying a lemon, I'm sure there's got to be one or two of them out there; but this bike has an exceptional reputation for being solid and very dependable.

My 2 cents

 

[FJRMGM]

FJR. Thats ebonian for 'bullet proof'. Rock solid bike. especially the superior gen 1 models.

yeah - whut he said. 99k on my '05 and its all been good.

 

[900gc]

Mega dittos here. Love the ease of self maintenance and reliability. I would venture to say that all in all, the FJR is one of the more economical (cost of ownership) bikes on the road.

 

[ionbeam]

...I've rebuilt the upper half of the engine and have restored it to pretty much an as new state...I have done all the work myself thanks to some great forums and their helpful advisors . All that to say I can and do like to work on my own bike...

So you should be equipped to handle the most advanced maintenance for the FJR, every 27K miles the valves need to be checked/adjusted.


...The local Yamaha dealer charges a lot for hourly rates and I'm sure new parts for a FJR are expensive. The electronic FI is something I don't believe I can deal with myself as I have no electronics to work with FI equipment and my carb tools won't be of help to me...
There is nothing you should need to do with the electronic FI other than a synch which goes just like a carburetor synch. You would use the same vacuum gauges, be it a Toxic Tune Hg gauge, or newer gauges. The only thing you may want to do with the fuel injectors is to pour some Techron, Ring Free, Sea Foam or equivalent cleaner into the gas tank every now and again.

So my questions are about the cost of operating a FJR and its reliability; is it necessary to bring it in to the dealer for most of the work or is there a lot of the upkeep/repairs I can do myself without specialized equipment?
If you can do your own valve check and adjustment and change your own tires there is nothing you need to have a dealer do.

- Being tremendously computer controlled, does it require frequent trips to the dealer for computer related issues or issues that requires a computer connected to the bike to resolve?...
The Gen I and Gen II FJRs have a diagnostic mode that you can get to by holding a couple of buttons and turning the key on at the same time. The FSM (Factory Service Manual) and this Forum have instructions on how to step through the codes and what they mean. Some of the codes are 'actuator' codes that let you turn on lights, fire the coils, fire the fuel injectors, turn on cooling fans, etc. to confirm operation. It also keeps a history should there be any fault codes pop up. If you get an ABS model it too has a code mode that will let you exercise the ABS, diagnose the ABS and show any ABS faults. It just takes any old jumper wire on the ABS diagnostic connector to activate the codes. This is really everything you would need to do your own work.

- Looking at the local craigs lists in the area it seems a FJR 07 or earlier will be in my price range. Is there a particular year or years in that that are good ones to look for and any year or years to probably avoid? & if so, why is that?
Every Gen FJR has some little something. The earliest '03 had ever so rarely an issue with valve stem seals that were too tight. All the Gen I had a recall for the TPS and needed to have the Cam Chain Tensioner updated. The Gen II had nusiance issues like the instant fuel readout stuck at 17 mpg (factory recalled), unable to adjust fuel ratio for significant altitude changes (factory recalled) and more significant issues like the grounding system (factory recalled). No year is to be avoided. I'll burn in hell for this, but by a margin of 51% to 49% the Gen II has some nice updates but is not necessarily a better bike. Read the FAQ here to get all the details; Ignacio has an awesome spreadsheet that details all the changes.

- And, are these usually expected to have a high longevity?
If you maintain a FJR like any other bike you should expect not less than 150,000 miles of reliable riding with nothing but oil, gas and tires. There are a number of +200k mile FJRs that are reliable and trouble free bikes. My FJR is *almost* at 100K miles and I never even think about the reliability.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Everything I was gonna say was said by Alan above. I'll have to take mine in for the valve check because I'm too chickenshit to try it myself, and I have no idea what I would be doing, or how to measure the gap. If someone would have a tech-day within a couple hundred miles of me, my life would be way easier. As said before, if you are comfortable doing the valve check, there's no need to take it in.

A couple members have had these bikes down to the frame and put back together again, and they are very much in the minority.

Your chances of having an unrepariable issue with any year FJR are slim. Normal maintenance is crazy easy, and the bike is nearly bulletproof...

 

[Jack D]

If someone would have a tech-day within a couple hundred miles of me, my life would be way easier.

I am in Albuquerque, just rolled over the 50k mark and will be doing my valves in the near future. You are welcome to watch. PM me.

 

[Fred W]

Tires; I've got Michelin Commander II on my XJ1100 and XJ700 Maxim-X, Dunlop 404 on the 650 Maxim. The Commander II are getting 25K in reviews and after 8K on the 1100 I see no wear. O'course there's wear but it still looks like the original tread depth. The 1100 is about 100 pounds lighter than the FJR.

This is worth responding to. You will not get anywhere near the same tire mileage on an FJR as you have been experiencing. Not just because the FJR is porkier (which it is), but also because the tires you'll be buying will not be Michelin Commander II type high mileage tires. In fact, they do not even make those sort of tires in the "Sport Touring" sizes that fit the FJR. Pretty much any of the moto tires of the appropriate size and speed rating for the FJR will be about shagged by 8k miles (more so the back one than the front).

You see, the big pitfall of the FJR is that it has this twisty thing on the right handle bar that makes your taint feel funny when you crank it 'round. Most mature adult men cannot resist that feeling, and so naturally they want to do it again and again. And then you learn the fun of pushing these big girls around tight corners and learn to vaporize the sides of the tires even before you can wear out the middles with the twisty thing.

These completely addictive habits cause the tire rubber to disappear faster than on any other bike I've ever owned. I tell ya, this bike is a tire glutton.