From R1 to FJR; my observations

[escapefjrtist]

The cool thing about the FJR with the bags on, the uncle LEO will not look as closely at you as a pure sport bike.

Unless his radar gun is showing you 30 over...

...that's where helmet quickly off and gray hair comes into play!

--G

 

[Niehart]

My name is Dave Black

I have too many tickets

So I ride in back.

One of my friends made up this up about me with a couple more choruses.

Just tells u about my lack of intelligence.

But damn it was fun.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Let's hear the verse about your truck.

 

[Surly]

Someone is stealing my likes. Only got a third through this thread and they are all gone!

 

[sparky80]

I started off on sportbikes and love them for what they are but as we age, we hopefully get wiser. I've had 3 R6's, 2 CBR600RR's, Ninja 250,300 and 636, GSXR600, and an R1 but the bigger ones belong on the racetrack.

Bought my 2007 FZ1 new and love everything about it. It's MUCH more comfortable than a sportbike and has more grunt and low end power than even the R1 I had. Then came the FJR.... smoother, most subtle power delivery and still a very fast bike, despite it's size.

However, if I had to pick one, I'd keep the FZ1 over the FJR. Still have both of them and ride the FJR more as it's new to me (bought it from my dad), but it lacks the sheer brute power of the FZ, its weight is magnified when switching between bikes, but the wife likes the FJR for the comfort of it.

So.... I'll keep both. The FZ for me and for the wife the FJR to ride 2-up with. Lots of guys on the FZ1 forum get FJR's and mixed feelings as to which they'd keep if given the option of only one. Luckily I'm not in that position to have to pick one, and since they are both Cobalt Blue, don't have to get new gear either. Both are great bikes at the end of the day... which is why they are both in my garage.

 

[csi]

I regressed as I got older...

Started riding as a kid....went thru the usual graduation of bikes....Mini Trail 50, XL 70, CB 125, etc....

Bought a Ninja 600R when I was 24....rode it for four years, and then went bikeless for about 11 years due to kids, career change, etc.

Got back into bikes about 9 years ago...Harley Davidson Road King......then two Ultra Classics...newer and faster than the old Road King, but not enough....traded the 2010 Ultra in on a 2012 Wing....fun, and a fantastic bike, but still didn't make me giggle...

Traded the Wing in on a 2014 FJR.......never been happier !!!

 

[Sammy901]

Another aging Sportbike guy here. Started on a 86 600 Ninja in college back in 1990, then a 1999 Ninja 900, 2000 R1, 2002 GSXR-1000 Street/Trackdays), 2006 Daytona 675 (Mostly Trackdays/limited street), 2005 Honda ST1300, 2006 Husqvarna SM610 (POS!), 2007 KTM 950SMR (Still own and may never sell-amazing do everything bike), 2007 Husaberg FS650 (True Supermoto-275 lbs wet dirt bike with street tires), 2015 FJR1300.

Currently own the KTM, Husaberg, and FJR and finally feel that the stable is complete. The Supermoto pretty much only gets ridden in the mountains in TN/SC/NC--I leave FL twice a year to ride "aggressively" with friends. The KTM is my go to bike for everything from short commutes to sport riding to light sport touring duty. The FJR is the thing I ride when I want to back kit down a couple notches and enjoy the ride, but inevitability my "Mr Hyde" comes out and I revert back to a more sporting attitude. I've been known to f with sportbikes who are probably a bit surprised to see a guy wearing a Mil-Spec vest blasting past then when they think they are riding fast. Only thing that the FJR needs is a little bit of suspension work in my biased opinion (next year project, only have 6000 miles so far). I throw the bike into a corner and am reminded that it weighs 200+ lbs more than my KTM, and almost 400lbs more than my Husaberg. It is actually pretty fun to ride the FJR and then jump on the Husaberg. Going from the Husaberg to the FJR feels horrible-lol!

 

[art miller]

Hi all,

I

Does anyone remember the 1965 Allstate 50cc? My first production bike. I was a hooked teenager.

Horsefly

Of course an older model for me. First ride, bought it with money saved from my newspaper route. $285.00 big bucks.

Yep, get it from you local Sears store.

My first motorized 2 wheel experience was when I was 12 and cannibalized an old lawn mower for it's Briggs & Stratton engine and bolted it to my bicycle frame with a piece of angle iron with a centrifugal clutch and belt to a big pulley attached to the spokes of the rear wheel. What a blast that was!

My high school buddy and I did a similar thing. We took a Whizzer motorbike engine and fitted it on his 3 speed skinny tire bike. We used a belt drive from motor to a centrifugal clutch assembly and chain drive from there to real sprocket. This worked very well giving us a three speed skinny tire bike that could get up to 45mph. Brakes was the hazard on this set up!! We're both still alive.

 

[Big Sky]

Seems like all the old guys are talking TZ's, CB's, and who knows what else

Well, yes, CBs, etc., but those were the "main rides." I left out the '86 Hurricane 600, '87 700 Interceptor, the '90(?) ZX10, and the '07 GSXR 750. Especially the last one cured me of sport bikes. Too damned uncomfortable, top of 2nd gear is jail time. I did have the opportunity to twice run a YZF 6R at track days, which are where these "sport bikes" are in their true element.

 

[JamesW]

Never was a sports bike guy. Military 1959-60 my friends had Triumphs and Harley side shifters, never had one of my own but we socialized at the local Harley shop and I rode some. Fast fwd to 1973 I went to the Seattle bike show and was wowed by improvements, no hanging cables or oil drip pans under the Japanese bikes. Bought a cb 125 to get back in the water, lasted a couple of weeks, gave bike to wife and got a 1973cb450, great bike, then came a cb750k5, followed by Gold wings, 87 through 2008 was a concours, really great bike, nothing has ever beat it for weather protection and SPORT TOURING in the wet. Only mistake was taking a used 2008 fjr for a test ride, gave up the weather protection, found the forum, met G. and the folks, go to the tech days, and now I ride a 2013 fjr. Could well be my last go-go bike. Well, that is, I did buy a new 2014 V-strom dl 1000 last year that is a real hoot of a V- twin to ride. Two bikes are nice to have if you are a mere mortal, and then there is Hudson.

 

[Mad German]

Update: I'm still loving the FJR more than ever. Went for a nice ride yesterday. I had hoped to go with a few buddies, but their plans fell through so I was solo. In all honesty, it was probably best anyway. I like to ride fast and they are "relaxed riders." NTTAWWT. Since ditching the hard OEM (heated) grips and replacing them with the medium compound Renthals, my absolute favorite grip, I had more confidence on the bike and was throwin' her into corners like I did with my R1. She drives out of them pretty damn nicely too! I had a few high speed bursts, but that's not really my thing, but she has plenty of steam at the ready if I choose to blast down a nice long straight stretch. However, I'd much rather carry some speed into corners than a straight line.

One of the best things I like about the FJR is that when I felt like I need a mental break to chill for a few minutes, I can pull into a little quick shop for a snack, stuff my helmet and gloves in the FJR's saddlebags. I'm looking forward to upgrading the suspension this fall, or hopefully sooner. I have a couple of extra windscreens that I'll play with later on to see what other shapes/heights that I like. Yes, she's a bit heavier than my R1, but for street speeds and back road riding (or as they say in CA "canyon carving"), the FJR fits the bill better than any other bike I've ridden. My wife is also liking the FJR too. She took her first ride the other weekend and had a blast. Next up is some helmet communication so we can talk while riding.

For me, the FJR really is the best bike I've owned to date. Plenty of SPORT when I need it. Plenty of TOUR when I need it as well. Thank you Mama Yamaha!!

 

[Kneedragger55]

After 2-3 months I'm loving mine more than ever...it truly is a wondrous machine and a do it all bike. The lady is loving it as well as it's given her more confidence on the back, which says a lot when you can instill confidence in the pillion position. Just installed my MV bar risers last night and this thing is amazing. I can already tell the bar position is much more comfortable for me, and I don't think it will take anything away from the handling or feel. Thus far I've done the risers, Givi 357 + V47, T-Rex sliders, and new PR4GTs and I'm blown away by this bike. The feel and handling are great, the comfort is there, it's the bike that makes me want to retire early and ride all day. I didn't realize how shot my old tires were until I put on the new ones (seems like that's always the case). My first set of high performance fresh tires and WOW, this bike DOES handle great. Now I'm really looking forward to the next couple hundred miles, if only it'd stop raining on the weekends!

Not sure how accurate this is but..... R1 + Goldwing = FJR

 

[steve'o']

Same as JamesW, not much of a sport bike guy, started with a Kawi Vulcan 750, then a VZ 800 Marauder, then 2 VZ 1600 marauders. After the second marauder went to a '03 FJR with 42,000 kms on it. Spent a lot of $$ on farkles, including new full HyperPro suspension front and rear, R&G sliders, Cox rad screen, CalSci windshield, Hyperlite rear brake lights, throttle lock, Spencer seat, flush mount front led turn signals, LED driving lights and mounts, Beowulf exhaust, etc. Rode the bike for 4 years, put 30,000 kms on it, had a brain cramp and traded it for a '06 1900 Stratoliner. I put 2000 kms on the stratoliner last summer and regretted all 2000 of them, so I sold it. Went without a bike until this april and bought a beater kawi ZR7S, kept that for 2 months, all the while I searched for my beloved '03 FJR. Sold the ZR7S, and by some miracle I found my old FJR with only 500, yes 500!! more kms on it from over a year ago.

Now I'm a happy camper again, all the fluids changed, new K&N air filter, MCL highway pegs, a new Garauld passenger back rest on its way and a couple other goodies. It's like a high school reunion. The FJR definitely the bike for me, and I love my '03. Hopefully someday I'll have a new one, but loving what I have now.

 

[Kneedragger55]

Same as JamesW, not much of a sport bike guy, started with a Kawi Vulcan 750, then a VZ 800 Marauder, then 2 VZ 1600 marauders. After the second marauder went to a '03 FJR with 42,000 kms on it. Spent a lot of $$ on farkles, including new full HyperPro suspension front and rear, R&G sliders, Cox rad screen, CalSci windshield, Hyperlite rear brake lights, throttle lock, Spencer seat, flush mount front led turn signals, LED driving lights and mounts, Beowulf exhaust, etc. Rode the bike for 4 years, put 30,000 kms on it, had a brain cramp and traded it for a '06 1900 Stratoliner. I put 2000 kms on the stratoliner last summer and regretted all 2000 of them, so I sold it. Went without a bike until this april and bought a beater kawi ZR7S, kept that for 2 months, all the while I searched for my beloved '03 FJR. Sold the ZR7S, and by some miracle I found my old FJR with only 500, yes 500!! more kms on it from over a year ago.Now I'm a happy camper again, all the fluids changed, new K&N air filter, MCL highway pegs, a new Garauld passenger back rest on its way and a couple other goodies. It's like a high school reunion. The FJR definitely the bike for me, and I love my '03. Hopefully someday I'll have a new one, but loving what I have now.

That's awesome and completely ludicrous that you actually bought your old bike back with only 500km more on it, unless of course you sold it to a friend or something. BTW....how do you like the Beowulf? I think I'm leaning that way. Haven't been a fan of Two Brothers, I'd like something a tad nicer and quieter. Akropovic and Hexacones are super nice but too much.

 

[mikerbiker]

I went from 2007 FJR to R1. Loved the FJR but my riding changed so I don't need all the weight and bag(age). Put 46,000 miles on it before selling.

The 2014 (not latest gen) R1 is more fun, more comfortable than my stock seat FJR.

Just did 1800 miles Deals Gap trip. And it's more fun when you get there too.

 

[rgonanFJR2008]

Update: I'm still loving the FJR more than ever. Went for a nice ride yesterday. I had hoped to go with a few buddies, but their plans fell through so I was solo. In all honesty, it was probably best anyway. I like to ride fast and they are "relaxed riders." NTTAWWT. Since ditching the hard OEM (heated) grips and replacing them with the medium compound Renthals, my absolute favorite grip, I had more confidence on the bike and was throwin' her into corners like I did with my R1. She drives out of them pretty damn nicely too! I had a few high speed bursts, but that's not really my thing, but she has plenty of steam at the ready if I choose to blast down a nice long straight stretch. However, I'd much rather carry some speed into corners than a straight line.
One of the best things I like about the FJR is that when I felt like I need a mental break to chill for a few minutes, I can pull into a little quick shop for a snack, stuff my helmet and gloves in the FJR's saddlebags. I'm looking forward to upgrading the suspension this fall, or hopefully sooner. I have a couple of extra windscreens that I'll play with later on to see what other shapes/heights that I like. Yes, she's a bit heavier than my R1, but for street speeds and back road riding (or as they say in CA "canyon carving"), the FJR fits the bill better than any other bike I've ridden. My wife is also liking the FJR too. She took her first ride the other weekend and had a blast. Next up is some helmet communication so we can talk while riding.

For me, the FJR really is the best bike I've owned to date. Plenty of SPORT when I need it. Plenty of TOUR when I need it as well. Thank you Mama Yamaha!!

Mad German....As an ex owner of the a 95 FZR1000, 2002 Gxer 1000 and R1s to name a few, I am with you all the way on the FJR. I also have the 08. (First non sporty) Bought it last July. I am now getting comfortable enough to ride with some of the folks I did track days with on the R1 and other bikes. When riding on the street, it the back twisty country roads, it blows them away to see me right behind them on there fancy ducs, repsols, etc.

If you are happy with the bike now and can spend some more cash, IMHO, you gota call Traxxion for the AR20 kit and Penske shock. I dealt with Dan. Many from here have dealt with Lee. Lee I believe had or still has a FJR. The traxxion components add, to an already fabulous bike. And the added bonus is you get extra ground clearance, so you are no longer scraping the pegs all the time.

Gota tell you, when you mentioned the FZR, I still remember the first time (and only time) i lifted the rear wheel, ever so slightly off the ground when the vacuum cleaner hit the asphalt. Got a slip on order the very next day when I stopped shaking...and other things not suitable to mention here on the forum.

Thanks so much for your post !!

Rick

 

[bem136]

As I look back there is not as much sport as I felt there has been -

1964 Bridgestone 90

1965 Honda CB450

1976 CB750A Hondamatic (crashed)

1981 CX 500

1981 CB900C

1980 Suzuki GS1000S

1984 Honda V65 Sabre (three of them, 1 new, 1 used, 1 restoration project)

2006 FJR

Current 14' FJR

Oh, the crash occured on a summer trip to the Canadian west coast after about 800 miles of riding in the rain, rear tire decided to lead the front tire. The bike was four years old and I was at the end of my teens.

 

[beacher]

Welcome aboard, M.G!

 

[beacher]

Welcome aboard, M.G! This is a wonderful bunch of guys that will be more than happy to help you spend your money, and will try to tempt you to buy a newer FJR, but you've got a keeper! Just be careful of what you post on Fridays, I'm warnin' ya!

 

[TheRandyGuy]

I hear you (Warpdrv) on the new FJR, but to be honest with you, a brand new bike is not going to be in the cards anytime soon. We have two teenagers who'll be in college in 4 & 5 years. Plus, since my FJR only has 10K miles on her, I consider her brand new. I completely trust the Yam to go for many, many miles. I put 120,000 on my FZR1000; 98,000 on my 2001 R1 and (only, haha!) 17,000 on my 2008 R1. I'm sure that some maintenance issues will pop up, but that's true for any bike as the time goes on.
Just curious, how many of you guys are former sportbike guys, like me?

Cheers,

Scott

Ridden since 1969. Owned more bikes than I can remember, from an original 83 Interceptor, a 900 Ninja in 1985, a 1987-88 Hurricane, 87-88-90-95 GSXR 750, 87-88-90 GSXR 1100, the first Black/Red/Sliver CBR900RR in CA (1992), and many more. I don't ride like that any more and as you get old (not "older", just old), you adapt what you own to what you need. Love the sport tourer catagory, and they've become superb all rounders over the past 15+ years. K series BMW's, Kawasaki Concours, and the Triumph have all benefited from the sportbike technology wars. It's a great time to be on a bike these days.