Is that all there is?

[seventyss]

Finally got to see what my month old 2009 can do today and have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. I went about 80 miles on back roads with twisties and some good straight sections. I tried for a little lift in 1st gear and got nothing as I pushed toward 7-8K rpm. I never felt that rapid acceleration through the gears at high rpm was something that I had to hold on for dear life. When I got the bike I changed the plugs and did a TBS with my morgan carbtune. I have tried to be a good boy and see what the best mpg I could get, only about 37mpg with about 1/3f city and 2/3 freeway riding. Am I expecting to much or is there more performance to squeeze out of the bike. I have done a lot of reading on the Barbarian Mod and the Completely Unauthorized TBS and wonder if I should do either or both of these procedures. I am upgrading from an 82 Honda CB750F which I felt had pretty good get up and go, especially in the 7-8K rpm range. I do recognize there is a difference in weight and smoothness between the two bikes. Thanks in advance for offering suggestions to improve the performance of my FJR.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

70,

The FJR is made to go forward and not up to the Sky. The newer models were lengthened to keep the wheels on the ground, the more it is off the ground, the less Control and Forward motion is lost.

As for gas mileage, you are getting more than I am on my '03 which is easier to loft the wheel which I don't.

Enjoy your ride....

 

[Spud]

37mpg sounds low--I get around 42-43 cruising 80+

As for performance--there are faster bikes, but I guess it's all relative. Try holding it WFO through 3rd to redline, then continue WFO through 4th to redline, then a while longer in 5th and get back to us. For me, it's plenty...

 

[Tree Doc]

Can we put this on hold till Friday?

I think I'm catching on. :lol:

 

[puppychow]

Thanks in advance for offering suggestions to improve the performance of my FJR.

Only 1 suggestion. Upgrade to a Gen 1. :lol:

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

As for performance--..., but I guess it's all relative.

Try to compare directly with another FJR (race...) -- or, a similar size & HP bike ST, C-14, BMW K...

Try holding it WFO ...to redline,

Will it walk right up to 150 MPH? -- it should...

If not, it doesn't meet one of the FJR's performance standards. :huh: :blink:

 

[seventyss]

It's Friday already! Man this week just flashed by and is over before knew it.

 

[bramfrank]

I have to say that I sympathize with the OP.

Before I got my '06 I'd been warned by a friend that the bike would 'pull my arms out' and I was hoping for that real shot of adrenaline - and I never felt it. It pulled nicely, especially at higher RPMs, but it wasn't a Ninja 1000, not as hard as I'd been hyped up to expect - and because I was pushing the bike, my gas mileage suffered.

I suppose that if I'd had an '03, with it's higher torque and short swingarm I might have been a bit more respectful, but I didn't - then again I don't have to deal with a ticking valve train or copius amounts of heat either.

So in the end I have lowered my sights and grown used to the what I've got and my gas mileage (and tiire life) has improved.

I'm not unhappy, quite the opposite, in fact. But it is just that the reality did not match the expectation that had been built up in my mind and I was left with the feeling that 'Is That All There Is' (which was a truly horrible song).

 

[wheatonFJR]

If yer lookin' for scary fast...put some bags on a Busa and see how many 500 mile days you can do on a trip.

Me..I can have plenty of fun living between 5 and 8 grand on the FJR rpm thingy.

 

[Wee Willy]

Here's what I have on a manual 2008 Gen 2:

As of today with 13,700 miles indicated (13,347 true miles) on the '08:

Annual average mileage: 11,309 mi/yr

Average total mpg: 39.27 mpg w/o odo correction factor of 1.026 odo miles/gps mile

Annual average fuel costs: $850/yr

Annual average service & parts cost: $1,087/yr

Total operating expense: $6.98/day & 22.4 cents/mile

Does not include insurance costs. YMMV.

On the performance side, front wheel lifts in second gear on on-ramp if it's goosed at the right time.

Cheers,

W2

 

[Aasland]

Finally got to see what my month old 2009 can do today and have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. I went about 80 miles on back roads with twisties and some good straight sections. I tried for a little lift in 1st gear and got nothing as I pushed toward 7-8K rpm. I never felt that rapid acceleration through the gears at high rpm was something that I had to hold on for dear life. When I got the bike I changed the plugs and did a TBS with my morgan carbtune. I have tried to be a good boy and see what the best mpg I could get, only about 37mpg with about 1/3f city and 2/3 freeway riding. Am I expecting to much or is there more performance to squeeze out of the bike. I have done a lot of reading on the Barbarian Mod and the Completely Unauthorized TBS and wonder if I should do either or both of these procedures. I am upgrading from an 82 Honda CB750F which I felt had pretty good get up and go, especially in the 7-8K rpm range. I do recognize there is a difference in weight and smoothness between the two bikes. Thanks in advance for offering suggestions to improve the performance of my FJR.

Sounds about right - right in line with my experience, after getting off a 2000 VFR800. The VFR was more responsive and smoother, but the FJR had a little more top-end punch.

I bought the FJR anyway, for it's ergo's, weather protection and price. At the time, it was a choice between new '08 C14's or ST1300's, in which case the FJR is a clear winner.

 

[Wanderer]

If yer lookin' for scary fast...put some bags on a Busa and see how many 500 mile days you can do on a trip.

Man you ain't lying. Hoe. Lee. Shit. Now that's power.

For many the Busa is comfy, I'm one of those guys. For other's not so much.

My FJR is plenty fast, plenty agile, and most importantly, comfy enough for the pillion that I get to ride all I want.

 

[Bugnatr]

Should have bought a FZ1.... Mine will set you back a bit but 300 miles on it and I'm done. That is a half day of comfort and it is much easier to cruise at a buck25 on the FJR.

 

[Bounce]

If you're running around 7k to 8k rpm then mpg will go down.

Where the FJR is surprising is it's 50 to 90 responsiveness. You're there before you know it and without drama.

It's like 2 bikes. Below 5k rpm it's very behaved. Above 5k RPM it wakes up. It's always manageable though. If you want scary, then you don't want sport-touring.

 

[seventyss]

Thoughts on the Barvarian mod and UA TBS?

 

[Zorlac]

I thought the ZX14 was more of a rush than the Busa.

 

[Fred W]

Thanks in advance for offering suggestions to improve the performance of my FJR.

There have been a few guys that have messed around with the air box (opening it up for increased flow) and exhaust (gut the cats and strap on cans), then getting one of the fueling programmers (PCIII or Motty Tuner) to dial in the right fuel ratio. When it's all said and done you might eek out a few extra ponies at the top. But the bike still weighs over 600 lbs and is geared to run 150 mph.

The best way to get neck snapping acceleration out of your brand new FJR1300 is to sell it off quick and buy the bike you really wanted.

 

[builderwill]

Seventyss,

I felt your same disappointment when I first got my '08. The acceleration did just not compare to my bandit. I'm not a wheelie guy, but I just can't see the FJR lifting the front tire without a lot of effort. On my old bike you had to work to keep the front down.

I actually had a little buyer's remorse even though I got a great deal on the FJR. The performance was no where near the hype. The good news is I've gotten used to the more refined power of the FJR and my first fairly long trip to Wheaton's campout is where the bike really shined and reminded me why I bought it. 3 days of riding twisties followed by a 700 mi slab ride home with no advil. That's what the bike was built for.

The mpg seems a little low, although I don't watch mine very close. Hopefully I'm going to do the UA TBS this week and will let you know how it turns out.

 

[mike_123]

Finally got to see what my month old 2009 can do today and have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. I went about 80 miles on back roads with twisties and some good straight sections. I tried for a little lift in 1st gear and got nothing as I pushed toward 7-8K rpm. I never felt that rapid acceleration through the gears at high rpm was something that I had to hold on for dear life. When I got the bike I changed the plugs and did a TBS with my morgan carbtune. I have tried to be a good boy and see what the best mpg I could get, only about 37mpg with about 1/3f city and 2/3 freeway riding. Am I expecting to much or is there more performance to squeeze out of the bike. I have done a lot of reading on the Barbarian Mod and the Completely Unauthorized TBS and wonder if I should do either or both of these procedures. I am upgrading from an 82 Honda CB750F which I felt had pretty good get up and go, especially in the 7-8K rpm range. I do recognize there is a difference in weight and smoothness between the two bikes. Thanks in advance for offering suggestions to improve the performance of my FJR.

maybe the 2010s are faster

im 6 foot 2 and 250 lbs of pure sculpted relaxed muscle and my 2010 pulls the front wheel all the way through first scary like through 2nd leaving the front end weightless through 3rd and part of fourth

i havnt ridden alot of twitchy bikes but comparing it to a vfr ive spent a fair amoutn of time on i find it to have alot more pull through all the rpms ranges

all my riding buddies that have had alot of experience on alot of bikes were all pretty suprised by the power and agility of a bike with the weight and length of my fjr

and im not even using the "special" oil

maybe you have to many farkles on the front end

or maybe i havnt added enough farkles