Dickf
Well-known member
Recently a poster inquired about long term reliability of the FJR. I am an owner of an '06AE. I like the motorcycle, and consider it a typically well engineered and well-built Japanese motorcycle.
However. All of this new equipment is heavily reliant on electronics, including a large number of electrical connectors. Further, there are a number of "safety" reasons the manufacturer placed inhibit switches on the motorcycle (think sidestand). I recall a car magazine reporting that a fellow (magazine writer) was visiting a buddy over a weekend and prepared to leave Sunday night. The car would not start. These two mechanically adept guys couldn't even find the coil. Monday they contacted the dealer. Seems the problem was the "distributor" which contained the coil among other things. $800. The car was just out of warranty, but the manufacturer (Mazda) goodwilled it. At the end of the article, the writer pointed out that if the car had been, say, a 1950s vintage, he would probably have gotten home on Sunday night, rather than the following Wednesday.
The point I am trying to make is that I expect this sort of trouble with any kind of new equipment, especially after a few years. Without this electronic complexity we would not have the outstanding combination of power, low emissions, rideability, and gas mileage we get with the FJR. Nothing to do about it except get the YES warranty.
My 2 cents.
Dick Frederick
However. All of this new equipment is heavily reliant on electronics, including a large number of electrical connectors. Further, there are a number of "safety" reasons the manufacturer placed inhibit switches on the motorcycle (think sidestand). I recall a car magazine reporting that a fellow (magazine writer) was visiting a buddy over a weekend and prepared to leave Sunday night. The car would not start. These two mechanically adept guys couldn't even find the coil. Monday they contacted the dealer. Seems the problem was the "distributor" which contained the coil among other things. $800. The car was just out of warranty, but the manufacturer (Mazda) goodwilled it. At the end of the article, the writer pointed out that if the car had been, say, a 1950s vintage, he would probably have gotten home on Sunday night, rather than the following Wednesday.
The point I am trying to make is that I expect this sort of trouble with any kind of new equipment, especially after a few years. Without this electronic complexity we would not have the outstanding combination of power, low emissions, rideability, and gas mileage we get with the FJR. Nothing to do about it except get the YES warranty.
My 2 cents.
Dick Frederick