good, bad, and ugly

[twitch]

Hello everyone.

Coming from the cruiser world, an '04 roadstar. Thinking about an '07 FJR. It's got 6k miles on her and they are asking $9500. I've exchanged topics with the guys over at the Kaw C14 group, trying to glean as much info as I can about the big 3. Please tell me the honest truth, the good, the bad, and the ugly about the '07's. I've sat on all three, C14, ST13,FJR13, and all seem to fit me pretty good. Will be riding 2 up sometimes, so will an aftermarket seat be something I am looking at in the near future. Just wanting all perspectives. Thanks much. Twitch

 

[Burnspot]

I have an '07 and love it. There are a couple of manufacturer recalls on the Gen II bikes, such as the '07, but those are easy enough to get taken care of if they haven't already been done. Gen II's, in general, seem to be susceptible to a ground spider melting problem; some people never see the problem while others get stuck on the side of the road. Luckily, there are member-created solutions to prevent the ground spider problem. Otherwise, the bike is pretty much bullet proof. It's 2up performance is exceptional and it handles just about anything you can throw at it. I don't think you could go wrong with the FJR.

BTW, I've met a couple of ST13 riders who wished they had FJR's...for various reasons.

 

[Panman]

As a owner of a 07 I can say they are the least smooth of all the Gen II's. In today's market I'd say over priced by at least a couple of thousand. I've changed the throttle tube and put a PC III and it's still not as smooth also in 08 they did a bit of a tranny up date to make it a bit smoother.

That said I still like my 07 and have put 44,000 miles on it in less than 4 years if the deal was right I wouldn't say not buy it but at that price I'd say no.

Here are a couple for sale on the forum right now a 08 and a 09 for the price you are talking.

Seat yes.

Both the C-14 and the ST1300 are good bikes. I hear they got a lot of things right on the C-14 but go after the 2010 or later so I've heard. I also hear maintenance is a bit of a chore on the C-14. The ST1300 leans more towards touring and is a bit under powered.

The FJR is the Best looking IMHO!

08

09

And they are well farkled.

Good luck!

 

[saxman]

I think every different bike requires some amount of adaptation by new riders and the FJR is no exception.

Most guys seem to get aftermarket seats to take the forward pitch etc. out of the stock seat - I ground mine down

as per suggestion on a popular M/C DIY web site and a friend of mine who had his '06 seat done by a local pro

rode mine and said he was hard pressed to feel the difference, so I guess my $30 (had to buy the grinder) spent

compared well to his $200 mod.

Also, I am now consciously reminding myself not to use a death-grip on the handle bars to eliminate onset of hand numbness

on long rides as suggested by various past posts here for that issue. Now it isn't an issue.

After a couple of months I really like the bike. ST is ugly looking, I think, especially from certain angles, I like the looks

of the Connie but haven't ridden it though the ergos don't feel as comfortable to me.

Good Luck!

 

[wfooshee]

I agree about the price. That's steep for an '07.

 

[allrider]

I'd pay $9500, or less, for an 08 or 09 with low miles but its too much for an 07.

BTW have you riden any of these yet, adjusted the seat hi and low? You can also adjust the bars up and back on the FJR, not to mention all the opportunity for farkling and customization.

 

[Bust-A-Cap]

You will be sorry if you pay $9,500 for an 07 because that is what they are asking for slightly used 09's with equal or less mileage in the NY area. I'm not saying you should travel all the way to NY, but I seriously think you can do a lot better. My buddy just sold his ST1300 because he felt it was too heavy and not as much fun to ride as the FJR. The C14's (10 and up) are nice and people that own them don't seem to have any complaints. Just remember, it (C14) is also a big heavy bike, difficult to work on and will get shook by an FJR when the road gets twisty. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Bustanut joker]

For some reason I was expecting pictures of Carver or Howie here... :huh:

 

[LDRydr]

I thought this post was about THIS

 

[leftfield123]

I also have an 07 and agree with most of the replies, that is way too much money for an 07. In my less than expert opinion, the negatives few, but worth considering. They are weight (but it is a touring bike), they can be tire eaters, it's not the easiest bike to work on (full fairing), and you can have some heat issues (big engine). All of these are out weighed by the positives. Good range, sporty, fast, reliable, fast, flexible, and fast. I did put a larger wind screen and a custom seat on mine and they make a big difference. If you are interested in a Connie, I'd wait and try to find a second generation model C14. It's a much better bike the the 08's and 09's. Good luck.

 

[roger dodger]

Twitch, The bikes are all similar AND different Sport Tourers....

C14 has smoothest engine, smoothest trans, smooth suspension, smallest tank/range, most maintenance, tall c.o.g., great bike (esp gen 2).

ST13 has smooth engine (funny sound), smooth trans, good suspension, largest tank/range, largest saddle (2 up), low c.o.g., great bike.

FJR has smooth engine, good (5 spd) trans, great suspension, good tank/range, firm saddles, excellent c.o.g. and even 2 up handling, great bike for both sport/tour.

Ride all 3 and pick your/her favorite! You will be happy 'cause you picked it, not us!

 

[BobMercer]

While some have described a few of the problems with the '07 FJR, many have criticized the asking price. Yet you really didn't tell us anything about the bike other than the mileage and price. What about the farkles. You could have several thousand in aftermarket items that might make the price a bit more tolerable, i.e., trunk, additional front and rear lighting, GPS, seats, windscreen, Power Commander, intercom, reflective decals, bar risers, electronic cruise control, ad nauseum. So please tell us what it has before you walk away based on our uninformed opinion.

Bob

 

[Monty]

Is this an A or an AE? :huh:

 

[Dennis in NH]

I don't know how tall you are but I also looked at the Concourse 14 and found the FJR Gen II shorter so it was easier for me to get enough foot on the ground for my own confidence, etc.. I'm 5'6" so it makes a difference. This height thing was one of the big points the FJR had over the Concourse 14.

One downside to the FJR in general is it is so boring -- specifically, every year it seems there's a new model with one change and that's color and you get the "choice" of one color. I tend to look at it as the FJR is such a good bike, Yamaha chooses to leave it as is.

This whole "spider" thing has me a little worried too -- i.e., some ground connector is not so good.

Dennis

 

[mr.paul]

You really can't go wrong with any of those 3 bikes, but I know you can find a better deal on an '07 FJR.

Ride them all and see what you think. I have had both the ST1300 and FJR. I prefer the FJR but just a bit. The ST might have been a better long-legged tourer with a little more wind protection and a longer seating area. But ultimately, the FJR is more fun to ride. Depending on your style. The ST was very capable. A solid, very nice bike, just biased a bit more towards touring.

mr.paul

 

[Jonnio]

I was in the same boat as you a couple months ago and can say I LOVE my FJR. I was really wanting to get a C14 since I am a total tech dork and liked all the bells and whistles, but the number of people selling off their Gen I bikes for a 2010/2011 due to the heat and other issues just pushed me away.

 

[mab864]

You really can't go wrong with any of those 3 bikes, but I know you can find a better deal on an '07 FJR.

Ride them all and see what you think. I have had both the ST1300 and FJR. I prefer the FJR but just a bit. The ST might have been a better long-legged tourer with a little more wind protection and a longer seating area. But ultimately, the FJR is more fun to ride. Depending on your style. The ST was very capable. A solid, very nice bike, just biased a bit more towards touring.

mr.paul

As a previous ST owner, I would agree with Mr. Paul. ST are very capable bikes, but they emphasize long distance comfort over sport/style. They have a much larger stock windscreen, better wind protection, and a much wider/softer stock seat. They also feel very top heavy especially during low speed maneuvers. They are heavy bikes too. Probably have 80 lbs on the FJR. But they are very smooth. The V-4 motor has better low end grunt and has crazy smooth linear power. Just a tick slower than the FJR but not much. They have a much smoother shifting transmission too. But I always felt a bit like I was riding my dad's motorcycle on the ST. It just wasn't sporty enough for me. I'm much happier on the FJR but of course I have changed the seat, added a larger windshield, and moved the bars back so the ergos are closer to the stock ST. But performance, handling, and sportiness of the FJR make it the perfect sport touring bike for me. Add a couple comfort items and I'm really happy. Good luck with the choice.

 

[bramfrank]

The spider problem is a danger if you aren't aware of it - but if you install a Brody harness (or simply solder wires to the two key spider clips and tie them together at the battery you will be safe until Yamaha resolves it through a recall (which could be 'never').

There is extremely little of significance to differentiate the different years beyond color - in 2008 they changed ABS providers and each year after 2007 they fiddled a bit with the throttle tube and cam - though I personally have never found this to be an issue on my '06 - different strokes and so on.

As a result, this entire 'it's too expensive' thing means nothing, because as the second owner of the bike, by the time you move to sell it the differential won;t make any significant difference and if you preferred the black cherry of the '07 or the blue of the '06 over maintaining a black machine then it will have been worth it.

Comparing the three;

ST1300 is the lowest, easiest to cruise along with, very competent.

The FJR is a bit taller, much sportier and the best handling (and best low end grunt) of the machines

The C14 is the smoothest, the tallest and the most powerful, but handles marginally less effectively than the FJR. The FJR has better braking (again only marginally) but the C14 has the most gadgets out of the box.

Note that if you plan to modify the ,machine the C14 is CANbus, the other two are more conventional.

The all go very fast if you want them to. They all will travel the distance, though if you are looking for a tourer, then my advice is to look at the FJR or ST1300 ahead of the C14 - I've gone several times wondering if I'd make it to a gas station on the FJR - I'd certainly have run out of fuel on a C14.

You WILL scuff the heck out of the bag on a C14 - you MAY scuff the bag with your heel on an FJR you probably won;'t scuff the bags on an ST1300, which also has the best tip-over protection for the plastics.

I don't regret buying an FJR even if I am the most vocal critic of Yamaha's handling of the spider issue, however I am looking at a C14 to replace the FJR simply for the change.

 

[RED]

Hello everyone.

Coming from the cruiser world, an '04 roadstar. Thinking about an '07 FJR. It's got 6k miles on her and they are asking $9500. I've exchanged topics with the guys over at the Kaw C14 group, trying to glean as much info as I can about the big 3. Please tell me the honest truth, the good, the bad, and the ugly about the '07's. I've sat on all three, C14, ST13,FJR13, and all seem to fit me pretty good. Will be riding 2 up sometimes, so will an aftermarket seat be something I am looking at in the near future. Just wanting all perspectives. Thanks much. Twitch

All three machines have a good sized aftermarket base for farkles. All three machines are top notch. Personally, I would go with the bike that you feel most comfortable on.

The ole mightly C14 wasn't around when I bought mine. I intially wanted the ST1300. ( I am a huge Honda fan) It turns out I am more comfortable on the FJR. If I had to do it all over again today, I most likely would go with the C14. I like the C14 because its a little on the hefty side. The bigger bike, the more comfortable I am on long trips.