I am Official!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ari Rankum]

Kite,

Congrats on the purchase. I'm impressed with how much you already appreciate the bike. As others have said, your fondness for the bike is likely to grow much stronger.

As for the cut-out, I agree with the other guesses - prolly a misplaced foot hit the sidestand and triggered the engine kill.

As for the hazards, I bet you hit the hazards switch at some point and it was just barely making contact. Part of your "fix" process included touching that switch again. I bet that part of the process removed the barely making contact condition and the flashing hazards.

As for the pain in the hand and the desire to adjust the bars - give it a month. The same advice was given to me a few years ago and I'm glad I listened. I find the factory default position perfect for me, even though I didn't think it was initially.

Regards.

 

[sqidget]

"As for the hazards, I bet you hit the hazards switch at some point and it was just barely making contact. Part of your "fix" process included touching that switch again. I bet that part of the process removed the barely making contact condition and the flashing hazards."

That is exactly what happened. I had this happen to me also and it turned out the hazard switch was just slightly moved off the off position. Pushed it to off and it went away and hasn't happened since.

Good luck and enjoy a wonderful motorcycle!

 

[VTXEDFJR]

Riding, what's that. Where to get 4-6 inches again tonight here in the Milwaukee area. I purchased mine today and have to wait untill spring, hopefully earlier. I can't wait to ride this thing.

Steve

 

[VTXEDFJR]

What

color did you get.

Steve

 

[kiteman11]

Kite,
Congrats on the purchase. I'm impressed with how much you already appreciate the bike. As others have said, your fondness for the bike is likely to grow much stronger.

As for the cut-out, I agree with the other guesses - prolly a misplaced foot hit the sidestand and triggered the engine kill.

As for the hazards, I bet you hit the hazards switch at some point and it was just barely making contact. Part of your "fix" process included touching that switch again. I bet that part of the process removed the barely making contact condition and the flashing hazards.

As for the pain in the hand and the desire to adjust the bars - give it a month. The same advice was given to me a few years ago and I'm glad I listened. I find the factory default position perfect for me, even though I didn't think it was initially.

Regards.

Great advice. Thanks. I'll ride it out about 1k before I make any adjustments. Quick question: The side vents on the 08 - Is the outer position for cool weather riding?

 

[kiteman11]

Whatcolor did you get.

Steve

BLACK!! AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL

 

[saread]

I've had the cut off thing happen to me on my '08 about 4 times since I've had it. It seems to occur when downshifting under hard breaking. No big, drop the clutch and your running again, but it can be disconcerting when you're thinking about something else. I'll see if it's my style and I'm inadvertently getting into the kick stand, or if there's a real goblin. Also, can't shift up, or you really have to boot it, into 3rd occasionally. This might be a riding style thing, seems to occur when I'm looking for an early upshift, but I'm not sure yet. Other than that, the bike rocks.

 

[Jagermeister]

I've had the cut off thing happen to me on my '08 about 4 times since I've had it. It seems to occur when downshifting under hard breaking. No big, drop the clutch and your running again, but it can be disconcerting when you're thinking about something else. I'll see if it's my style and I'm inadvertently getting into the kick stand, or if there's a real goblin. Also, can't shift up, or you really have to boot it, into 3rd occasionally. This might be a riding style thing, seems to occur when I'm looking for an early upshift, but I'm not sure yet. Other than that, the bike rocks.

What's your warm idle? If it's below 1000, you may want to increase it.

Beyond that, I'd simply suggest letting it break in. The 08 hasn't had a chance to die on me yet (just 330 miles of slab), but the 07 did, just as you described, more than once during the first 2k. Thereafter, everything got smoother.

 

[Ari Rankum]

Quick question: The side vents on the 08 - Is the outer position for cool weather riding?

That's a holy war sort of topic around here. I think there's so little difference between the positions that people are able to convince themselves completely that open is cooler and also that open is warmer. I believe the intent of the design was to duct air over the engine and onto your lower body - meaning open is warmer. I've never bothered to move mine from fully closed. I've not been too hot on the bike, even at 106F, but I have been too cold. If I weren't a cheap bastard, I'd solve the problem with Gerbings and leave the vents alone.

Regards.

 

[saread]

I've had the cut off thing happen to me on my '08 about 4 times since I've had it. It seems to occur when downshifting under hard breaking. No big, drop the clutch and your running again, but it can be disconcerting when you're thinking about something else. I'll see if it's my style and I'm inadvertently getting into the kick stand, or if there's a real goblin. Also, can't shift up, or you really have to boot it, into 3rd occasionally. This might be a riding style thing, seems to occur when I'm looking for an early upshift, but I'm not sure yet. Other than that, the bike rocks.

What's your warm idle? If it's below 1000, you may want to increase it.

Beyond that, I'd simply suggest letting it break in. The 08 hasn't had a chance to die on me yet (just 330 miles of slab), but the 07 did, just as you described, more than once during the first 2k. Thereafter, everything got smoother.

Idle is a tick over a grand. I'm actually not concerned with this as much as I am the shifting thing. Both may be break in issues, probably an adjustment to fix the dieing issue, but the shifting thing has the potential for major surgery. We'll see, the pilot might need a bit of training too.

 

[Harald]

Great advice. Thanks. I'll ride it out about 1k before I make any adjustments. Quick question: The side vents on the 08 - Is the outer position for cool weather riding?

Yamaha hasn't been very good about describing how these panels are supposed to work. They mention them in the literature, but it's not clear what they are supposed to do.

What I know is that I ride daily and in the winter I see temps as low as 20 in the morning. My legs used to get cold with the side panels in. Once I moved them out my legs felt warmer. I don't see where any warm air is ducted to my legs so it must be just warmer because cold wind is diverted away from my legs.

I've noticed a similar effect with the Vstrom handguards I installed on the bike. My hands are noticeably warmer because the handguards block cold wind.

In or out, enjoy your new 08 !

 

[Stacey]

Kiteman,

Just wanted to say hi. I was pulling in the parking lot when you were getting in your truck Saturday at D+H.

I got the other 2008 FJR that Nick had assembled. I drove mine home and didn't have any issues.

The black color is just awsome.

Good luck and God bless

 

[Jagermeister]

Great advice. Thanks. I'll ride it out about 1k before I make any adjustments. Quick question: The side vents on the 08 - Is the outer position for cool weather riding?

Yamaha hasn't been very good about describing how these panels are supposed to work. They mention them in the literature, but it's not clear what they are supposed to do.

What I know is that I ride daily and in the winter I see temps as low as 20 in the morning. My legs used to get cold with the side panels in. Once I moved them out my legs felt warmer. I don't see where any warm air is ducted to my legs so it must be just warmer because cold wind is diverted away from my legs.

I've noticed a similar effect with the Vstrom handguards I installed on the bike. My hands are noticeably warmer because the handguards block cold wind.

In or out, enjoy your new 08 !

I second everything he said.

 

[kiteman11]

Kiteman,
Just wanted to say hi. I was pulling in the parking lot when you were getting in your truck Saturday at D+H.

I got the other 2008 FJR that Nick had assembled. I drove mine home and didn't have any issues.

The black color is just awsome.

Good luck and God bless

Cool. Glad to hear from you. I knew someone was on their way to pick up the other one. It's funny because right before I left, Renee came out with a camera to take my picture with the bike. She did not the the photo to be on the trailer so we went into the shop and my picture was made next to YOUR bike. So now you know the rest of the story. Hope to ride with you soon bro.