If You Could Reinvent The FJR What Would You Change?

[Old Guy]

I rode a Goldwing for 11 years before moving up ( ) to an FJR. I'm very happy with less closet space and do fine without the convenience of the Goldwing luggage system. But I sort of miss the on-board sound system. I never used it except when I was on the freeway, but on long freeway days I could switch back and forth among my MP3 player plugged in as an auxiliary, the radio, weather radio, etc. On those long freeway days, I'd browse the radio stations for an interesting talk show or some music I'd never heard. I sort of miss that, but I don't miss it badly to do anything about it. And know it'd probably add $1000 to the cost of the bike to add it.

So .......

Never mind

 

[erixun]

This thread has gotten some legs, and to be honest I haven't read all the posts- but if we are dreaming...

I would like a genie in the tank to give me a never ending supply of fuel...... for free.

 

[Aasland]

I have only ONE very small issue and it has not to my suprise come up on this thread. Foot peg height. Every now and then when i find myself wanting to hit the twisties, and may i say the FJR is very capable in this dept, i find my size 12s scrapping and sometimes throwing my foot off the foot peg. Other than that everytime i plonk my butt on that bike it just feels like the first time i rode it. Bloody magic.
I'm done

Gazza

I used to have that problem too, occasionally on the VFR then more so on the FJR. There are three solutions; two free, the other expensive, and they work together very well:

1. Get the balls of your feet on the pegs when you're cornering fast.

2. Stay on the throttle through the corner - just a little bit, it loads up the driveline a little bit

3. Upgrade the suspension, so the bike rides higher in the suspension travel and doesn't compress as much in the corners.

I think most footpeg kits are designed to lower, not raise, the pegs. Would be interesting to have "automatically adjustable" pegs ;-)

 

[Old Guy]

I have only ONE very small issue and it has not to my suprise come up on this thread. Foot peg height. Every now and then when i find myself wanting to hit the twisties, and may i say the FJR is very capable in this dept, i find my size 12s scrapping and sometimes throwing my foot off the foot peg. Other than that everytime i plonk my butt on that bike it just feels like the first time i rode it. Bloody magic.
I'm done

Gazza

I used to have that problem too, occasionally on the VFR then more so on the FJR. There are three solutions; two free, the other expensive, and they work together very well:

1. Get the balls of your feet on the pegs when you're cornering fast.

2. Stay on the throttle through the corner - just a little bit, it loads up the driveline a little bit

3. Upgrade the suspension, so the bike rides higher in the suspension travel and doesn't compress as much in the corners.

I think most footpeg kits are designed to lower, not raise, the pegs. Would be interesting to have "automatically adjustable" pegs ;-)

I just about tore the pegs off my Goldwing. I developed the habit of putting my toe on the peg, and when it started dragging i'd just lift it off the peg. It was a little disconcerting when I got the bike to feel the peg fold up and knock my foot off the peg.

 

[Powerman]

Actually never driven anything I like better. I tell people if I wrecked it I would go get a new FJR the next day.

OK..... Maybe a glove box that would fit a pair of gloves, or a baby Glock, or a cell phone with a charger.

And maybe 20 more HP.

 

[TheZsdad]

Two things come to mind. I'd change the name. What the heck does FJR mean?

Also self cleaning paint. That way I can blame my clean bike on Yamaha and deny

having anything to do with it. ;^)

 

[stealth1]

I don't know why they couldn't have made the luggage rack a little larger, flatter and with some decent tie points. It wouldn't add much to cost or weight or detract from styling.

 

[blakebird]

I'm thinking more dramatic changes:

• V4 engine from the VMax, using VFR-like gear driven cams. Or the VFR1200 engine itself.
• Side-mounted radiators (like the VFR) so the engine can be moved futher forward to get more weight on the front wheel

The VFR1200 is a whole different beast than previous VFR's - 76 degree V w/ 28 degree crankpin offsets to give balance and a 'big bang' feel.

Truly one of the best things Honda has done in years - I just traded my 2012 VFR1200 in on my 2nd Gen II FJR.....for long distance comfort.

(it also has a front mounted radiator, unlike the 800 before it)

But....for the FJR:

I like a 6 speed, but it's not about having a higher top gear, etc. This gearbox is fine for ratios....

Six speeds just provide less of an rpm drop when you're hustling the bike on a twisty mountain road and rowing thru the gearbox.

Easier to be smooth....and smooth=fast.

More alternator output would be a huge plus. Not asking for an 1100w GL1800 output....but 700w would work.

I paid too much attention to my Signal Dynamics monitor on my '07.

Maybe a small bump in displacement - 50-75cc or so, nothing huge.

 

[Old Guy]

Two things come to mind. I'd change the name. What the heck does FJR mean?Also self cleaning paint. That way I can blame my clean bike on Yamaha and deny

having anything to do with it. ;^)

Paint's easy to keep clean. I need self-cleaning everything else

 

[AIRHEAD#124]

Did I miss it?? None wanted a SINGLE SIDED SWING ARM!!!! It would make removing the rear tire so much easier!!
Other wise I feel Yamaha is doing a great job ; but there is always room for improvement & there are a lot of Great Ideas here!

 

[Rain Dancer]

Less Weight. And the options packages as stated earlier. 6th speed? It's built for 2 lane roads. Larger bags? Get a wing. It's a SPORT touring bike. It is for carving 2 lane roads. We do the 3 days to get cross country, then 2 lane roads. My wife and I can travel 2 weeks only adding a tank bag. If you need a lot, get a full dress with a trailer. Would like to see the biked kept sporty. Doesn't even need more HP. Most people need that for bragging rights. It won't corner faster. My wife's FZ6 will kill me on a tight road. I know I am in the minority on this one. Tech for tech's sake doesn't make the ride more fun, and for us, it is all about the ride.

 

[Rain Dancer]

Paint's easy to keep clean. I need self-cleaning everything else

OK, I will agree here!!!!

 

[IAGeezer]

Self-repairing plastic. And, I'd like to be 25 again.....

 

[Fred W]

Alright... I had checked this thread earlier and it was a bit... mundane. Lose weight! 6 (or 7) speed transmission! Adaptive night glowing headlights! *** warming (and wiping) mechanisms. What have you.

You ****-weeds have all totally missed the most important new FJR1300 feature that could ever be incorporated, which would completely revolutionize the entire sport touring motorcycle community. I seriously believe that no nit-wit would ever buy a Concours, or Beemer, or any other ST bike again! With this change there would be no need for any other changes from the original 2003 that started this whole mess:

I call it the YFH (Yamma-FJR-HundoKmile) trade in program: Any FJR owner that can document a minimum of 100k miles (or the equivalent of kilometricals) gets a full 50% discount on a new current model FJR of their choice at trade-in. Sure, you may be able to rack up 150k, 200k or 250k miles on your old Feejer. But if you could flip it out for a 50% trade-in on new, why would you? And that would mean more bikes being bought and sold and... it'd go viral, I tell you!

 

[HotRodZilla]

Amazing how Fred went from being a New England ******* to being a New England genius in one post. Well played Fred, well played.

The only issue I see is: Would we want all those Concourse and BMW *********s hanging around with us? What about the Honda guys??

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, ummm wait... what?

 

[RadioHowie]

Amazing how Fred went from being a New England ******* to being a New England genius in one post. Well played Fred, well played.
The only issue I see is: Would we want all those Concourse and BMW *********s hanging around with us? What about the Honda guys??

You forgettin' your #1 Fan -- Redfish Hunter???

 

[Geezer]

1400cc's? Bigger I guess, but why? 25cc's per cylinder? Big whoop. More HP? Cool! There goes our fuel mileage, or even worse, they up the compression, and we're all putting 89-91 in the tank.

Fewer MPG would not be a big deal breaker for me, but the need for high octane would be a problem. And if the MPG went down, then the amount of fuel in the tank would have to go up. A decrease in range would definitely be a problem.

 

[CA G-Man]

Okay, I just have to say it: If the Gen III Feej with 145 hp and that smooth transmission isn’t enough for you it’s time to think about going on a diet (you, the rider, not the bike). I'm not saying the bike is perfect, but lack of power is not an issue.

Hell, if you just want a bigger engine for the sake of a bigger engine why not pop in one of those old Jaguar v12s? Or maybe borrow an engine from a Shelby Cobra 427 (7 litres of fun!)?

 

[HotRodZilla]

1400cc's? Bigger I guess, but why? 25cc's per cylinder? Big whoop. More HP? Cool! There goes our fuel mileage, or even worse, they up the compression, and we're all putting 89-91 in the tank.

Fewer MPG would not be a big deal breaker for me, but the need for high octane would be a problem. And if the MPG went down, then the amount of fuel in the tank would have to go up. A decrease in range would definitely be a problem.

Range is what I was getting at. I like not having to stop until after 200 miles. Reducing the range would irritate me.