Just Curious

[Shootist]

Back in May 2006 I posted that I was a 44 year old fart with little to no driving experience. I was asking the opinion of this forum if they thought the FJR was to big to be a first bike. The majority of the board stated that I needed to start with a smaller bike ( 600cc ) and work my way upward. Which I know is sound advice however, I don't want to buy two seperate bikes. I would like to buy the one bike (FJR) and take it easy on the bike until I can get use to the weight and feel of the bike.

I plan on taking the MSF course to enhance my experience.

I have noticed in my twenty years in law enforcement that when a person on a motorcycle crashes whether it is a 600cc of a FJR 1300 they all bounce and tumble the same down the highway.

And the old saying that there are two types of motorcycle riders. ( Those who have been down & Those that are going down ) Well if that is the case, If it is Inevitable that one will crash in his riding career, why not crash in style, on the bike you like and want. Especially if you could get kill doing so.

 

[HaulinAshe]

My Dad used to always tell me "Never ride a bike that you are hesitant to lay down". His message was meant to stress that you should always ride a motorcycle that is within your ability to handle in regards to weight and skill. And never ride anything that is too much money that you would think about saving the bike before saving your life.

I agree that there are only two types, those who have and those who will. I do however, count my many motocross crashes as the times "I have". I try very hard to avoid it on the pavement.

 

[Fencer]

I'm not sure I understand the question here. It sounds like you have made up your mind already. Its a sink or swim world so go for it. My life is pretty much trial by fire and usually works out ok.

 

[jayshaw91]

Because by riding a smaller bike first you lessen your chances of dying sooner on your bigger bike.

For real man, go get something small, used, and with little plastic. You will drop that bike - expensive on an FJR, cheap/no cost on El Cheapo. You will have a hard time controlling the FJR AND El Cheapo, but you'll learn more on El Cheapo faster. And most importantly, by gettin El Cheapo, which is easier to control, you have a less of a chance of killing me out there, let alone yourself.

Please believe us when we say to ride a small bike for a year or two before getting an FJR. I applaud your willingness to take the MSF, but nothing beats miles under your belt.

 

[madmike2]

Back in May 2006 I posted that I was a 44 year old fart with little to no driving experience. I was asking the opinion of this forum if they thought the FJR was to big to be a first bike. The majority of the board stated that I needed to start with a smaller bike ( 600cc ) and work my way upward. Which I know is sound advice however, I don't want to buy two seperate bikes. I would like to buy the one bike (FJR) and take it easy on the bike until I can get use to the weight and feel of the bike.
I plan on taking the MSF course to enhance my experience.

I have noticed in my twenty years in law enforcement that when a person on a motorcycle crashes whether it is a 600cc of a FJR 1300 they all bounce and tumble the same down the highway.

And the old saying that there are two types of motorcycle riders. ( Those who have been down & Those that are going down ) Well if that is the case, If it is Inevitable that one will crash in his riding career, why not crash in style, on the bike you like and want. Especially if you could get kill doing so.

1.) Crashing is not a necessary evil. Though many have done so, many haven't.

2.) Crashing a heavy bike is much different than crashing a light bike.

3.) Crashing a fully faired/plastic wrapped heavy bike is expensive.

4.) IIRC, the consensus of opinion was to start with a used 600-650cc unfaired bike (SV650, for example).

5.) The FJR, while not a sport bike, is a VERY powerful motorcycle. The power does not "shock" those who have riding experience. The shock is that is comes so steady that one doesn't realize the speed being carried into a corner. Experience to steer one's self out of problems or the time in the saddle to appreciate how deeply one is over their head becomes the issue.

Now, all of the above being considered, we really don't KNOW you. We don't know your personality, your willingness to learn, your self-control threshhold until you have gained experience. A renowned motorcyclist/journalist/ex-racer once told me the following: "I can teach you the basics and I can teach you the mechanics and techniques of street riding. What I can't teach you is perception of danger, the ability to process a situation and react properly, patience in the saddle or tolerance of other drivers whether they are on a bike or in a car or truck. I can't teach you understanding or wisdom as they apply to motorcycling and those are the things that will save your life."

There have been others who have purchased an FJR as their 1st bike and are relishing and enjoying riding theirs. We have no way to gauge you future success with this type of purchase. You very well could be the one-in-ten thousand who would do fine. We have given you our best opinion as to what WE would do or what we would hope our loved ones would do. The final decision is yours and yours alone.

We would applaud your success just as readily as we would post, "I told you so!" should you fail. As motorcyclists first and FJR owners second, seeing someone become an accomplished street rider is always (well, mostly) in the forefront of our advice when answering a question like yours. Good luck.

 

[slapnpop]

I think there's two seperate areas where new riders can have issues. (both of which the FJR quilify for)

#1. Big engine fast bike- Outcome here is entirely dependant on rider. If you're riding at moderate speeds, you're riding at moderate speeds, not matter what the bike's capapble of. In this respect I think you'd be fine.

#2. Large mass top heavy machine you stradle- The weight of a motorcycle takes getting used to at low speeds and while stopped. The FJR is a heavy bike, and top heavy at that. Most cruisers have a lower center of gravity, and most sportbikes are much lighter. Now matter how responsibly you ride, you have to deal with the weight every time you ride. This is where the cheep/easier bike comes in to play. After riding for a few years on smaller bikes, I still had a few scary moments when I first got the FJR. It's a massive machine the deserves respect. I fall into the camp of recommending a smaller bike to learn on, if nothing else than getting use to the weight of a motorcycle for a few months. Buy cheep, you won't be keeping this bike.

 

[Pappy]

The way I look at it, it's all about power (I mean acceleration). I rode for a long time in the eighties (+40k miles) then laid-off for 18 years. My first re-entry bike was a 1200 Bandit.

One day after having the bike for a few weeks, I'm getting on a limited-access state road and firewalled the throtlle. I was already in a shallow right turn merging onto the road and didn't have the sense to tighten the turn as I accelled. I came a hairs-breadth from straining myself through a guard-rail before I realized what was happening and corrected.

Compared to the FJR, that Bandit had puny abilities. The point of my story is that a bike with the FJR's capabilities can kill you before you know what's happening. Too much power can break a wheel loose in a turn. Too much power can get you to a speed you're not ready for too fast.

Go ahead and buy the FJR but get yourself a old, used beater to learn some lessons on. Be careful and don't let reason get clouded by desire.

To Madmike you listen my young Padawon. You've gotten several similar replies to your inquiry.

Pappy

PS - The MSF course deals only with low speed maneuvers. It WON'T help you deal with:

5.) The FJR, while not a sport bike, is a VERY powerful motorcycle. The power does not "shock" those who have riding experience. The shock is that is comes so steady that one doesn't realize the speed being carried into a corner. Experience to steer one's self out of problems or the time in the saddle to appreciate how deeply one is over their head becomes the issue.

 

[twowheelnut]

Make sure your life insurance is paid up if you go with the Feej. In my 9 years of riding, this is my sequence of bikes:

250 Rebel

600 VLX

800 VFR

1100 ST

1800 GL

1450 FLHRC

1300 FJR

Get the picture?

I ain't bustin' or preachin'; just sayin'. Good luck.

 

[luvtoride]

Back in May 2006 I posted that I was a 44 year old fart with little to no driving experience. I was asking the opinion of this forum if they thought the FJR was to big to be a first bike. The majority of the board stated that I needed to start with a smaller bike ( 600cc ) and work my way upward. Which I know is sound advice however, I don't want to buy two seperate bikes. I would like to buy the one bike (FJR) and take it easy on the bike until I can get use to the weight and feel of the bike.
I plan on taking the MSF course to enhance my experience.

I have noticed in my twenty years in law enforcement that when a person on a motorcycle crashes whether it is a 600cc of a FJR 1300 they all bounce and tumble the same down the highway.

And the old saying that there are two types of motorcycle riders. ( Those who have been down & Those that are going down ) Well if that is the case, If it is Inevitable that one will crash in his riding career, why not crash in style, on the bike you like and want. Especially if you could get kill doing so.

You're kidding right? If it's inevitable that one will crash why not do it in style? Do you really think that way???

#1 - A minor drop/dump is going to cost big bucks on an FJR compared to an older cheaper "naked" bike. (Naked meaning limited body plastics) Almost all beginners have those silly little oopsies that break off mirrors, scratch fairings, hard bags, blinkers, etc. & that's just in a drop... that's not going full out sliding/tumbling across the pavement. It just makes sense to get a bike that's not brand new & has minimal plastics where damage will be minimalized. Seriously, even if you're big enough to hold her up really well... there could always be that slow right hand turn... what's this? The guy in front of you is putting on his brakes... DAMN ya' gotta' stop. You *** the front brake & there you go... down on the left hand side. Just when you thought that you'd been riding long enough & thought you were past that point. On a smaller bike a big guy might be able to save that. It is seriously doubtful that you'll save the FJR. The general rule is once it starts going past a certain point get out of its way.

#2 - flat out it is going to be easier to learn on a bike that doesn't weigh 600+ pounds.

It's easier to control a smaller less powerful bike until you learn, too.

I don't think that it'd be impossible to learn on an FJR. Obviously it's not... a few have done it & I'm betting the learning curve has been a long road, too. I just don't think that it's the smart/educated thing to do... & hands down definitely not the easy way to learn.

You're gonna' hear a lot on here... but bottom line... do what you want. Just be ready to accept the consequences.

Heidi

 

[jdog109socal]

Good question :clapping:

I started in the 80's

Honda 400-4

Honda Intercepter 750

off for about 15 years back to it on a

2005 FJR with the ABS

See a trend here, I think most riders have started sml and worked up. Good luck and watch out for every one else on the road cause they are looking for you.

And definitely get ready to do this :***: cagers

Jdog

Make sure your life insurance is paid up if you go with the Feej. In my 9 years of riding, this is my sequence of bikes:
250 Rebel

600 VLX

800 VFR

1100 ST

1800 GL

1450 FLHRC

1300 FJR

Get the picture?

I ain't bustin' or preachin'; just sayin'. Good luck.

Dam TWN i would love to video tape you on the rebel :lol2:

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

You could get an FJR, or you could be cool and get something unique:

All time coolest starter bike

 

[SilveradoSlick]

There are several people on this forum who have done (so far successfully) what you're proposing. It's certainly not impossible, but still the best advice is still to buy a relatively small beater bike. Drop it a few times during low speed maneuvers. Goose the throttle in the middle of a turn and crash it. Fail to notice the gravel in a turn and crash it. Ride six months, become overconfident, and crash it. The smaller, lighter, less powerful bike is less easy to crash, but you can still do it. It's cheaper to fix when you crash, and if it's totaled you haven't lost that much money. And if you can ride it for a year without crashing it, then you're ready to see if you can avoid crashing the bike of your dreams.

 

[twowheelnut]

Dam TWN i would love to video tape you on the rebel :lol2:

It was, um, quite the picture. But that little bike was a hoot!

 

[zorkler]

Many good points on this subject . How about , what would hurt more a 315 lb. bike or a 665lb bike on top of you .

 

[smokeFJR06]

This spring I sold my V-Star 1100 Classic to a person that had never riden and was just getting their license through the MSF Course. After getting their license, they rode the bike 45 miles and sold it because it was too much for them. I advised them to get something smaller than my 1100 but they insisted that it was what they WANTED and they thought they could handle it.

Now, that person bought a Honda 250 Rebel to ride for the remainder of the season. They got the bike for $1500 with 1200 miles on it.

So, as you can see, my advise is that same as everyone else above. I'm not saying you need to start with a Rebel, but something 600cc or less. My first real bike was a 550 Suzuki way back in 1980. It's easy to get caught up in what looks cool and what's most desirable. I won't deny that the FJR meets that criteria. But you won't look very cool if you go down and get hurt, possibly killed.

For me, going from a 1100 to my 06 FJR I was blown away at the power difference. My first impression was YIKES, I could get hurt very easily on this thing, I better be careful. I can't imagine jumping on an FJR with no other bike experience and being a new rider.

My advice even would be to take the course before you buy anything. This is probably not what you want to hear, but you asked and we're not going to BS you here. Good luck on your decision.

Smoke

 

[Geezer]

You really can't lose by buying a well used starter bike. You ride it for a year and, if you don't mangle it, get most or all of your money back when you sell it and buy the FJR. There are plenty of good serviceable used bikes in the 500 to 650 cc range available for $2000 or less.

Regardless of how you decide to go with your bike purchase, get a comfortable helmet that fits you well and some decent protective pants, jacket, boots, and gloves.

 

[XLR8]

It's your life and your decision. If you have the balls and cash, go for it.

However, if the FJR is your first bike, I'm not saying you'll crash it, but you most certainly will tip it over somewhere. Get some frame sliders and put them on first thing. You can thank me later.

-r

 

[git-r-dan]

There are a few of us exploring the FJR for our first bike. You will be reading comments, as I did at first, to decide on something more learnable, to grow into the bike. While waiting on the AE, I read a post from JimLor that he purchased the FJR for his first bike about a year ago and was doing fine. Having read posts from another newb having trouble w/ driving skills on his new FJR leads me to my not-so-knowledgable point. When I was taking the MSF training to get my license, our group was asked by the instructor if anyone had any motorcycle experience and raising my hand awarded me a brand new Yamaha to ride. My past experience was riding other's bikes for short periods which included driving a 500cc dirt bike twice around a very good dirt track a long time ago. As the MSF class went on, there was one guy in the class struggling with riding skills but he was determined. Then all of a sudden, he was down on the pavement picking up the bike and dusting himself off. His father-n-law, right next to me, said, "He shouldn't be riding motorcycles. He's not coordinated enough." Then, the next day, he went down again. This time it was pretty hard and he gets up with torn jeans and some red stuff oozing out. They take him off for medical attention and then, 30 minutes later, he's back on the motorcycle riding again. One guy failed the course but it wasn't this guy. This guy's going to be out on the road. :blink: The instructor came up to me and said to get his business card at the end of the class because he wanted to ride when I got the new FJR. No doubt about it, ego aside, I was the best in the class and my 1st bike would be an FJR (can you feel a little ego there? OK, humbly speaking?). I can't see that other guy driving an FJR or any other motorcycle on a public street. As one forum member put it, "You can get into trouble pretty quick on an FJR."

I take this very seriously and will continue learning riding skills until making the decision to quit riding or die first. I have my health, life, auto and motorcycle insurance policies in order and most importantly keep myself "prayed up" cause you don't know what's around life's corner. So, Shootist, make good decisions, ride safe & good luck. Word out.

gitterdan :beach:

 

[JohnB]

How about if we compromise. Buy both bikes. Every man should own at least 2 bikes anyway.

Start riding the smaller, lighter "starter" bike first. Get some saddle time on that, especially in the twisties. Every now and then, treat yourself to a ride on the FJR, perhaps on a longer, straighter highway/parkway/expressway type road. If you still feel like you want to sell the starter bike in a year, go ahead. You may find that you like having a smaller, lighter bike in addition to your FJR and decide to keep it.

John