Is this good for me?

[renink]

Sit on the bike and try to walk it back and forth and see if you are comfortable with it. While I do like my FJR sometimes I feel like I got the wrong bike. I'm 5'11" and feel like the bike is a little tall for me and heavy when in parking situations still but I think that's all about preference. I came from a cruiser to this bike so big difference. Love the way it rides and handles but I don't get to ride it as much as I thought I would and like many said here it's shines on long rides.

When looking for a new bike I was either buying my FJR or a Warrior. Looking back I probably would have been happier with the Warrior. Only prob is my wife says if I try to get a new bike I have to get her a car. So looks like that isn't happening for a long time.

 

[pjm204]

I'm not sure I'd buy an FZ1 unless it was 2006+ just due to the lack of fuel injection on the 2005 and older.

 

[wfooshee]

Keep in mind the bike is HEAVY compared to something like the Monster or the FZ1. It's gonna feel like a pig walking it around, so don't judge it by that alone. Walk it just to make sure you're comfy with your feet reaching the ground.

Adjustable seat height mentioned above was on '06 and newer, not applicable to Gen I.

Lots of us Gen I bikes in the Deep South, so if you can't take the heat in Rhode island, then you're a *****. :bleh: But like I said before, the heat was on my legs, and gearing up with overpants insulated me from that.

You keep asking "Are they reliable?"

Dude. Many over 100,000 miles, one over 200,000! Only 3 or 4 known-to-the-forum grenades from cam chain tensioner issues, easy to replace the tensioner if it needs to be fixed, not an expensive part, and easy to hear if it's going out. One guy was our frontiersman, he got it first, and reported the symptoms leading up to it so we'd know. One guy actually had the tensioner spring break, no warning. Another guy heard the noise, ordered the part, but kept riding and the part arrived a few days late.

No one else has broken one mechanically. Is that reliable enough for you?

 

[UHOH]

You're young, and from what you say you're not spending much time in the saddle ....Go with the FZ1, it's more fun, easier to maneuver, faster in real world riding.

you know, I like my FJR, but I'm going to agree w/ RenoJohn about your choice.

[SIZE=8pt]and for the comment about preferring the fuel injected FZ1, I recall the bike reviews[/SIZE]

when it switched over from carbs saying that the earlier carb 'd models were better in being smoother on throttle / or having more power down low ...

 

[Big Sky]

Regardless of your choice, the "heat issue" pertaining to Gen I is only an issue when ambient temps are high. I ride mostly the Pacific Northwest and perhaps 10-12 days each season we see temps above 90 degrees. Then the FJR engine heat is an issue. Otherwise, it matters little and many other days can actually be an enhancement to comfort. I enjoyed the heat on my '03 when we cruised Montana last weekend in temps 55-65 degrees. I guess its relative.

 

[RavFJR]

Here is where I see a problem, im 5'7"... Is that too short for this bike?

I'm 5' 10", but with stubby legs (31" inseam). To get almost flat-footed on my FJR I installed bar raisers, lowering links and had the seat shaved on the sides. I ride pretty comfy on this setup... Just thought I'd throw out my two cents.

 

[RadioHowie]

One guy was our frontiersman, he got it first, and reported the symptoms leading up to it so we'd know. One guy actually had the tensioner spring break, no warning. Another guy heard the noise, ordered the part, but kept riding and the part arrived a few days late.

Those poor *******s.......... :uhoh:

 

[beemerdons]

One guy was our frontiersman, he got it first, and reported the symptoms leading up to it so we'd know. One guy actually had the tensioner spring break, no warning. Another guy heard the noise, ordered the part, but kept riding and the part arrived a few days late.

Those poor *******s.......... :uhoh:

Yes, you are...with our greatest respect!

 

[wfooshee]

Yeah, those poor bastages. Enjoying your "new" '03 drivetrain, though, aren't cha?

As to the reliability issue, I forgot about the notorius bent shift fork for second gear that affected, what, one bike? Or was it two? They had to split the case and put new parts in the tranny. .0000000025927% tranny failure rate. Rough odds, that.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I'm gonna disagree with RJ on this one and say that 1500 miles a month is not too few to put on the bike to really enjoy it. Yes, like many others, I have put over 4k on mine in less than a week, but that's not all the time. Lots of rides ranging from 200-500 miles and every one is fun. I average just under 10k per year. Work and family interfere with my ability to constantly disappear on the bike. If the bike seems a little big, take the bags off and try again. I just started taking short trips with my saddlebags removed and just a tail bag for my stuff. She's lots of fun that way.

Since the bike you are looking at is used, you should really try for a test ride. If you take it out and it doesn't make your heart sing, pass on it and try something else. There are lots of bikes that may fit your needs. The FZ1 is only one of them and as you already said, the insurance is gonna be hard to cover. I remember being 21, and the only things that got paid reliably were my rent, truck, and insurance payments, so make sure you have enough to own the bike and still have fun.

You can look at other bikes besides Yamaha also. Truth be told, the Triumph Sprint 1050 is a Hellavua fun bike, is less money, smaller, feels much sportier, and looks very cool without the bags. She also sits a little lower and is less weight than the FJR. No matter what you buy, there will be some compromises.

As far as reliability, sometimes around here, we do ***** about things, but for the most part, 35k on the odo of an FJR is nothing. Good luck, and post pictures of whatever you get.

 

[allrider]

Go to a dealer and take one for a ride to see if that's the bike for you. It's basically a sportbike with bags, but the insurance is much cheaper. The heat issue can be resolved. Some don't even think it's enough of an issue to worry about. I cost me $30 worth of materials and an afternoon to fix my Gen I better than the Gen II fix.

The bike your looking at has all the bells and whistles you would want for a while, even race tech'd the forks. Someone that puts that much into her usually takes good care of their toys.