?????? for current FJR owners
- Thread starter cityboy21
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Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
Need? No.
Want? Yes.
I still search for a 6th gear after all these years. There's no need for a bike to be revving at close to half it's redline at highway speed (70-75). FJR has enough torque to use a 6th gear effectively, drop the revs down, increase mileage even more.
I'll be sorely disappointed if the Gen III doesn't have a 6 speed tranny. But that's just my worthless 2 cents on the topic. :clapping:
Want? Yes.
I still search for a 6th gear after all these years. There's no need for a bike to be revving at close to half it's redline at highway speed (70-75). FJR has enough torque to use a 6th gear effectively, drop the revs down, increase mileage even more.
I'll be sorely disappointed if the Gen III doesn't have a 6 speed tranny. But that's just my worthless 2 cents on the topic. :clapping:
Knifemaker
Not me
Screw that, I want 7 speeds, and both over drive gears...so I can be pulling 3000 rpms at 125 mph.....
KM
KM
Capt. Bob
Bilge pump. A novel idea.
IMHO, the best thing about the FJR when used for slab travel is the ability to twist the throttle (never a need to down shift) and remove one's self out of harms way.
Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
FJR1800, 6 speed tranny, in red or yellow.
YooperDick
Well-known member
I have a 6-speed on the BMW 1150 RT and find it convenient for that ride. Having said that, the 5-speed on the FJR is perfectly adequate. Absence of a 6th gear would be the absolute last reason for not selecting an FJR.
I was told that the reason that HD went to a sixth gear in '07 on the big twin was to get to an overall 1.0:1.0 final drive ratio without using the additional tranmssion shaft with the lower gears on it while in sixth gear. A sportster is the same way when in fifth. In other words, the primary chain on the HD drives the countershaft directly at 1:0:1:0 without using the shaft with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears. With that shaft out of the drive train there are less gears and shafts turning. Thus overal driveline efficiency goes up, and so do the gas mileage numbers. I haven't studied the service manual on a FJR to know if the design layout would work the same or not. The final drive ratio is of the HD's had to be modified in order to take advantage of what was stated above. Each engine has it's own torque curve that depends on all the other factors, displacement, valve timing, valve overlap, etc. I doubt the FJR would pull a much lower ratio than the current fith gear without lugging the engine to the point where we would end up with overheated pistons. I don't know if they have oil jets cooling the pistons as HD's do or not. If they bumped the displacement upwards to 1500 cc, then it would be a new ball game with more torque available to pull the load. The FJR cam timing isn't sedate when compared to a Bandit 1250S. The Bandit is almost the same displacement, but only make 98 HP as compared to the FJR 120+. As a new owner, I am not used to the tranmission yet and need to learn how to shift more smoothly. It's different than any bike that I have owned prior. That is one reason that I would rather shift less often using the five speed. I believe that adding a sixth gear more dictate that the ratio's be moved closer together.
As to the original post, I just purchased mine ten days ago and couldn't pass up the "black". These things are flying out of the showrooms quickly in the last several weeks, at least in Texas. I may regret it if there are some design changes, but the the low dollar, the imports are being restricted. The MSRP will surely rise to account for the weak dollar for 2009. That was the main reason I decided to move now. I don't know when we will actually see 2009's on the floor. Does anyone know what is typical from Yamaha??? B)
As to the original post, I just purchased mine ten days ago and couldn't pass up the "black". These things are flying out of the showrooms quickly in the last several weeks, at least in Texas. I may regret it if there are some design changes, but the the low dollar, the imports are being restricted. The MSRP will surely rise to account for the weak dollar for 2009. That was the main reason I decided to move now. I don't know when we will actually see 2009's on the floor. Does anyone know what is typical from Yamaha??? B)
For you guys that think you want a 6th gear, go beg, borrow or buy a FZ-1 and take it for a ride with others on FJRs. Power is close to the same, weight is less, wind protection much less and forget about luggage, but what you'll really notice is that while you are rowing through the gears, the FJR pilots are just staying in 5th. BTDT plenty before I traded the FZ in on the FJR.
If it feels a little buzzy, try running even more rpms at the same speed with the 6-speed version. You won't get a taller 6th gear because you're not using the rpm range you have now. Rev limit is 10k.
Funny thing about gears. My '40 HD had 4 speeds. Didn't need 5. When I had 5, all I did was shift more. Ditto for 6 until the Baker came out, though you're still shifting more in the end, at least the top gear is really taller.
I can tell you this, when you spend a week running above 5k, it doesn't seem buzzy any more when you cruise at 75-85.
Get used to the revs, perhaps by not shifting to 5th when you're riding the two lanes for a day or two. Then hit the slab and drop it into 5th and see if it still seems buzzy. (musta been a Freudian slip there)
If it feels a little buzzy, try running even more rpms at the same speed with the 6-speed version. You won't get a taller 6th gear because you're not using the rpm range you have now. Rev limit is 10k.
Funny thing about gears. My '40 HD had 4 speeds. Didn't need 5. When I had 5, all I did was shift more. Ditto for 6 until the Baker came out, though you're still shifting more in the end, at least the top gear is really taller.
I can tell you this, when you spend a week running above 5k, it doesn't seem buzzy any more when you cruise at 75-85.
Get used to the revs, perhaps by not shifting to 5th when you're riding the two lanes for a day or two. Then hit the slab and drop it into 5th and see if it still seems buzzy. (musta been a Freudian slip there)
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C
Calimus
Guest
I'll jump on the 6th gear bandwagon as well. Is it needed, nah. Would I like it, yup. A year into ownership and I still keep trying to hit that non existant 6th gear. It would def be welcomed for all the super slab riding I do every day.
A smokin deal on a brand new 08 for me is the price I am getting from my dealer. $11800 for the bike plus $99 freight and prep plus $50 doc fee. $11949 plus tax out the door. This is on a new black 08 A model. Works for me.
FightOrFlight
Well-known member
6th gear yes. For me, it has nothing to do with mileage and everything to do with dropping the bike into a smoother rpm zone for extended cruising. The bike is very smooth until the high-3000's. Around there, I have pulled in the clutch more than once wanting to shift up to sixth (pretty new bike and my last several bikes had 6).
That said, I think some (all?) of you guys make great points - especially the ones about immediate response on tap when needed.
Still, the bike feels - to me - like it 'wants' one more gear.
That said, I think some (all?) of you guys make great points - especially the ones about immediate response on tap when needed.
Still, the bike feels - to me - like it 'wants' one more gear.
B) We've gone thought this discussion every year since the bike came out. You want smooth? Downshift and run at 7k for a while. Really, try it.
We were all used to some other bike when we got the FJR. Virtually every one of us has tried to up shift when already in 5th at least a few times. Part of that is because the FJR has such a boat load of low end torque that we short shift compared to most other bikes in normal riding, because we CAN. We don't need to run it up to 7-9k before shifting because, unlike a sport bike, the torque is lower instead of peaky.
You fresher owners, spend some time just getting used to the bike and enjoy. What? You want to cruise at 2k when you're in a 55 mph zone? Or just run around in 4th more and only use 5th on the faster parts of the slab? Do you really want that?
We were all used to some other bike when we got the FJR. Virtually every one of us has tried to up shift when already in 5th at least a few times. Part of that is because the FJR has such a boat load of low end torque that we short shift compared to most other bikes in normal riding, because we CAN. We don't need to run it up to 7-9k before shifting because, unlike a sport bike, the torque is lower instead of peaky.
You fresher owners, spend some time just getting used to the bike and enjoy. What? You want to cruise at 2k when you're in a 55 mph zone? Or just run around in 4th more and only use 5th on the faster parts of the slab? Do you really want that?
Checkswrecks
Well-known member
Agreed. And 6th may help the gas mileage a bit, but it won't be lots. You still have to push a certain sized hole through the air, which is why the guys who go light on the throttle get pretty close to the same 50-ish mpg mileage as a lot of the 650cc bikes.
luvtoride
My Indian name is "Pants On Fire"
You can find hundreds of discussions on this subject by searching for this info. Here are a couple of searches that I found for you.
A girl found this for you #1
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Good luck with your decision.
A girl found this for you #1
A girl found this for you #2
Good luck with your decision.
Phugedaboudet
Well-known member
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
I dunno...
When riding my C-10 I was always looking for 7th. It could just be our human nature!IronButtCody
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Six Speeds? Yet another reason to buy a Concours.
