Keyless start?

[mcatrophy]

I'm a little perplexed by this thread. The Yamaha system is not keyless, you need the key to turn on the ignition and start.

The immobiliser system as used on European and Canadian (and possibly other market) variants requires the transponder in the key to tranquillise the immobiliser.

I'm not aware of any particular unreliability in this system. Bent keys, yes. Failing ignition switches (in one way or another - I've had one where I couldn't get the key in fully) yes. But no electronic failures that I'm aware of.

So, those of us with the immobiliser need to treat our keys as if they might bend. Because they might. Do we need to worry about the immobiliser? I don't think so, unless we break or lose a key, 'cos they're expensive. And we have to look after the red key, without which we can't teach any replacement keys to the ECU.

 

[eflyguy]

Personally I won't buy another new car or truck without keyless ignition, and I'd love for it to be available for bikes *if* it was as reliable.

I hate keys. I put keyless entry on my home as well, best thing I ever did..

 

[Fred W]

IMNSHO kinda like what Yamaha has done to the FJR.

Say what?

What did Yamaha put on the FJR that people weren't asking for, or find desirable? Which option is universally agreed to be superfluous like keyless ignition on the Concours is??

The only thing I can think of is the fancy cornering LED headlights. Everything else is stuff riders want. Not all riders, but many.

 

[rbentnail]

IMNSHO kinda like what Yamaha has done to the FJR.

Say what?

What did Yamaha put on the FJR that people weren't asking for, or find desirable? Which option is universally agreed to be superfluous like keyless ignition on the Concours is??

The only thing I can think of is the fancy cornering LED headlights. Everything else is stuff riders want. Not all riders, but many.

First of all, I never said anything about "stuff riders want". What I said is IMNSHO. Which applies to me. And as we (the specific "we" which, for the sake of the put-words-in-others-mouths-types means ONLY ME and MY opinion) know, the needs and wants for all riders is not even close to being the same on all levels. Hell, this forum can't come to a consensus on how to wipe its collective *** without some detail-oriented, semantic-driven, ****-stain engineer type causing an uproar. Know what I mean?

I believe, FOR ME AND MY RIDING, which is the only thing I care about, Yamaha has accessorized and priced itself out the market. The only thing that has even remotely tempted me to "upgrade" is a cruise control, and I would be perfectly happy with the "limited" 2013 model. ES? Nope, don't want it and don't want to pay for it. LED lighting? Nope. Cornering lights? Nope. 6 speed trans? Nope. What pisses me off most is the lack of choices. Remember the days when we (the collective "we" of this forum) used to laugh at Harley's prices. Here's a news flash-- now we are those Harley prices.

 

[Bounce]

A $9999 model with +$500 for ABS and +$250 for cruise control would be my choice.

I hate keys. I put keyless entry on my home as well, best thing I ever did..

Do you check for updates and known security exploits on those door locks?

 

[rbentnail]

A $9999 model with +$500 for ABS and +$250 for cruise control would be my choice.

Exactly!!

 

[eflyguy]

I hate keys. I put keyless entry on my home as well, best thing I ever did..

Do you check for updates and known security exploits on those door locks?

Not IP connected - just digital combination.

 

[Fred W]

Buy a used older bike. You'll get exactly what you want, and maybe for less the $10k

The newer models are catering to what new bike buyers have been asking for. Personally I do not agree with some of the junk, but I'm not the typical new bike buyer, having only done it once in my lifetime.

 

[mikeames]

I rented a brand new Concours 14 about a month ago. In my opinion the "keyless" start is pretty much worthless. You still have to push a key like switch in to turn the system on every time you want to start the bike....so it's almost like having a regular key start. I guess the only difference is you don't have to get the key out of your pocket and put it in the ignition. You do have to make nearly the same motion tho...

I was excited to try it out until I found out you had to push and turn the switch every time. After that I felt like it was pointless. I still had to keep track of the fob and you need the key to get into the bags.

 

[kebo123]

Well, almost all new BMW's can be equipped (as extra of course) with keyless system. You do not need to do anything, just have a key with you and than press the button - exactly like on their cars. HD has the same. And it works very well.

Whole ordering process for BMW bikes is more less the same like for cars - there is a list price and than you order extras (ESA, heated grips, heated seats, TPS, Cruise control, Quickshifter, Alarm, Remote controls for bags, Different versions of seats, Keyless, blouetooth, radio, GPS, all their "packets" ...). Than owner can decide what he wants and what he want to pay for (cost with all extras can be easily up to 50% more than base list price). Than also bikes are build more less JIT (no stock).

It is obviously not a strategy of Yamaha and most of other bike producers. They offer bikes as they are out of factory for certain models (already equipped) - without an option of ordering "extras". You can of course purchase OEM accessories, but they are as addition to your already build bike from the factory. Reason is easy to understand -> cost and logistic...

Back to topic - it will be "nice to have" feature like keyless on FJR, but within Yamaha way of business it will bring additional cost and as already mentioned here, not all are willing to pay for. That is my point of view.
If Yamaha will use better material for their keys (not this **** what is bending all the time) I am perfectly OK with FJR without Keyless.

 

[RossKean]

Not sure why so many people seem to have trouble with stock keys bending, wearing out etc. I have the two original keys for my 164,000 mile, 10 year old FJR and have only used one of them.

As far as keyless ignition is concerned, I'm really neutral on the subject. If the system was virtually 100% reliable (unlike the Connie) and didn't add to the cost, I guess I would go for it. I certainly wouldn't have keyless ignition as pert of the decision matrix when buying a new bike and wouldn't be tempted to add an aftermarket solution.

 

[kebo123]

Not sure why so many people seem to have trouble with stock keys bending, wearing out etc. I have the two original keys for my 164,000 mile, 10 year old FJR and have only used one of them.

Did not have a problem with my '07 FJR keys too. But keys on my '13 and '15 are noticeable weaker - so easy to bend, specially when unlocking side bags and sometimes you leave the key in.

 

[Bounce]

Twice a year PM of all locks on all bikes.

 

[Harald]

IMNSHO kinda like what Yamaha has done to the FJR.

Say what?

What did Yamaha put on the FJR that people weren't asking for, or find desirable? Which option is universally agreed to be superfluous like keyless ignition on the Concours is??

The only thing I can think of is the fancy cornering LED headlights. Everything else is stuff riders want. Not all riders, but many.

Hey, wait a minute there. The cornering lights are one of the main reasons I'd consider upgrading to a new bike! Obviously you don't ride at 5am, in the dark, on super twisty roads that you can no longer see when a car approaches and you must dim your high beams.

The 6 speed and slipper clutch are not even on the radar for me. Interesting how we all have such different needs?

 

[Fred W]

I'll agree, I'm not the guy that needs the fancy cornering lights. And I'll agree that some riders would find that a valuable feature.

The six speed has been on the list of things that new owners nd magazine test riders whined about since the bike first came out. Not me, mind you, I like the old 5 speed just fine.

The slipper clutch was never asked for, as far as I remember, but now that I have one I do like it a lot. It is a design change that adds zero cost to a new bike, results in lower clutch lever pull, improved friction zone and clutch grab under acceleration, and the aded feature of the slipper in fast riding, so why not? I wouldn't buy a new bike for that feature, but it is worth the < $300 it cost me to put it on my older model.

 

[rbentnail]

Hey, wait a minute there. The cornering lights are one of the main reasons I'd consider upgrading to a new bike! Obviously you don't ride at 5am, in the dark, on super twisty roads that you can no longer see when a car approaches and you must dim your high beams.

The 6 speed and slipper clutch are not even on the radar for me. Interesting how we all have such different needs?

Ha! Maybe on the left side of the continent it's darker at 5am than it is here at 1am on my commute home from work. Shadow of the mtns vs. the expanse of the ocean type of thing, eh?

 

[wabill]

For 50 years of motorcycle ownership and never having had a bike stolen or an ignition key problem, I'm for "Simple is Better". I experienced a Smart Key failure after refueling when the key wouldn't unlock the ignition switch. Moving the bike away from the pumps didn't help. After 30 minutes of trying the key, it finally turned. Rode the bike to the dealers where it worked just fine and hasn't repeated the failure, of course. .

 

[Bill Lumberg]

The locks on my FJR are some of the poorest quality keyed locks I've ever dealt with. I'd use keyless if it came standard, but I'd have a plan on working around it in case of a failure. I have a friend with a Concourse. He was stranded when his keyless system failed.