hppants
Well-known member
In deference to the original question - I've had both the Gen I and Gen III. I suppose the Gen I might have been a smidge (I mean a SMIDGE) faster than my current '14, but the difference in the suspension and the increased ride quality from the longer wheelbase negates all of that an more.
With all due respect to the OP, this discussion is ridiculous. A 600 pound motorcycle that makes 140-ish horsepower is not powerful enough?
Really?
Really?
Magazine road test numbers are bench marks, but even these are subjected to HUGE variables that cannot be referenced and standardized between one bike and another without exhaustive and painstaking measures. And NONE of those numbers can be duplicated on the Street.
The unloaded FJR will run a standing quarter mile in the low 11 second range all day long. That is stupid fast for a street bike.
Loaded or unloaded, a rider can hold the FJR at 100 mph all day long and stand upright at the end of the day. No sportbike can even touch that.
These issues are not mutually exclusive. If you want to quibble and split hairs over 1/5th of a horsepower here, perhaps 0.002 seconds there, NEPRT is the place to do it. And I suppose if you ever find yourself riding with 10 other FJRs on a track day, that might correspond to lowering your lap times by 1.45245 feet and give you bragging rights at the club house. It MIGHT, mind you - if you don't miss a shift, blow a curve, overheat the clutch, or otherwise cut a fart.
But in the REAL world, it won't amount to a hill of beans. You will need a HUGE improvement in performance to actually use it on the street. To get into the sub-10 second category, 2 things have to happen:
1. You have to substantially lower the weight of the bike. Like 150-ish pounds (25%) or so. Doing that comes greatly at the expense of much of what the FJR was designed for in the first place. Forget the saddle bags - there's 25 pounds. You pillion has to stay home - we can't afford to bring her 120 pounds with us. Etc etc. etc.
2. You have to substantially alter the aerodynamics of the motorcycle. You have to get MUCH lower and out of the wind. That sail of a fairing that is SO wonderful when it rains or its cold or its windy or there is plenty of traffic??? Nope - it's got to be replaced with a dinner plate and a fly screen. Electronic windshield that does such a wonderful job of blocking the buffeting? Forget about it. Neutral position footpegs and handlebars? Not a chance - we've got to stretch ourselves out now and lower the center of gravity by a lot.
So if you want to go faster in the REAL world, then you have got to completely remove the "touring" part of the sport-touring motorcycle. You guessed it - you've got to sell the FJR and by a SPORT bike. Even the stock 600 cc sport bikes will provide an ample increase in power. If you have the budget and the balls to buy a liter sport bike, and you ride that bike to its potential, I'm quite certain your problem will be fixed.
Or here's another thought.....
The next time you pull up right behind that farm truck on the 2-lane highway, and you peek just to the left and determine that the truck is 4th in line behind 3 other knuckleheads going 10 under, pull the clutch in and stomp down on the gear shift twice. Take another peek left and when the yellow line goes dotted, and the coast is clear, just lean left and twist your right wrist. Don't worry about carpal tunnel syndrome - you won't have to hold it there long. If you must, take a peek at the tachometer as you zip past the 2nd car. When the needle gets in the neighborhood of 12-oclock, go ahead and shift once. Now you are past the 4th car and after a quick check in the mirror and a flip of the turn signal, you can merge back. If the mood suits you, take a gander on the big dial in the center. Yeah that's right, you are now north of the ton and you are going to need to back down a little. If you don't, and your luck runs out, one of two things is gonna happen. At worst, bambi is going to bring you to a screeching halt and there won't be anymore discussion about the power of motorcycles or anything else. At best, you and your wife are going to be staying somewhere tonight without reservations. And it's not the honeymoon suite.
Ok - I'm just pulling your chain a little. After all, it's Friday.
Ride more, stress less.
Ride more, stress less.
Ride more, stress less.
(huuummmmmmmm)
With all due respect to the OP, this discussion is ridiculous. A 600 pound motorcycle that makes 140-ish horsepower is not powerful enough?
Really?
Really?
Magazine road test numbers are bench marks, but even these are subjected to HUGE variables that cannot be referenced and standardized between one bike and another without exhaustive and painstaking measures. And NONE of those numbers can be duplicated on the Street.
The unloaded FJR will run a standing quarter mile in the low 11 second range all day long. That is stupid fast for a street bike.
Loaded or unloaded, a rider can hold the FJR at 100 mph all day long and stand upright at the end of the day. No sportbike can even touch that.
These issues are not mutually exclusive. If you want to quibble and split hairs over 1/5th of a horsepower here, perhaps 0.002 seconds there, NEPRT is the place to do it. And I suppose if you ever find yourself riding with 10 other FJRs on a track day, that might correspond to lowering your lap times by 1.45245 feet and give you bragging rights at the club house. It MIGHT, mind you - if you don't miss a shift, blow a curve, overheat the clutch, or otherwise cut a fart.
But in the REAL world, it won't amount to a hill of beans. You will need a HUGE improvement in performance to actually use it on the street. To get into the sub-10 second category, 2 things have to happen:
1. You have to substantially lower the weight of the bike. Like 150-ish pounds (25%) or so. Doing that comes greatly at the expense of much of what the FJR was designed for in the first place. Forget the saddle bags - there's 25 pounds. You pillion has to stay home - we can't afford to bring her 120 pounds with us. Etc etc. etc.
2. You have to substantially alter the aerodynamics of the motorcycle. You have to get MUCH lower and out of the wind. That sail of a fairing that is SO wonderful when it rains or its cold or its windy or there is plenty of traffic??? Nope - it's got to be replaced with a dinner plate and a fly screen. Electronic windshield that does such a wonderful job of blocking the buffeting? Forget about it. Neutral position footpegs and handlebars? Not a chance - we've got to stretch ourselves out now and lower the center of gravity by a lot.
So if you want to go faster in the REAL world, then you have got to completely remove the "touring" part of the sport-touring motorcycle. You guessed it - you've got to sell the FJR and by a SPORT bike. Even the stock 600 cc sport bikes will provide an ample increase in power. If you have the budget and the balls to buy a liter sport bike, and you ride that bike to its potential, I'm quite certain your problem will be fixed.
Or here's another thought.....
The next time you pull up right behind that farm truck on the 2-lane highway, and you peek just to the left and determine that the truck is 4th in line behind 3 other knuckleheads going 10 under, pull the clutch in and stomp down on the gear shift twice. Take another peek left and when the yellow line goes dotted, and the coast is clear, just lean left and twist your right wrist. Don't worry about carpal tunnel syndrome - you won't have to hold it there long. If you must, take a peek at the tachometer as you zip past the 2nd car. When the needle gets in the neighborhood of 12-oclock, go ahead and shift once. Now you are past the 4th car and after a quick check in the mirror and a flip of the turn signal, you can merge back. If the mood suits you, take a gander on the big dial in the center. Yeah that's right, you are now north of the ton and you are going to need to back down a little. If you don't, and your luck runs out, one of two things is gonna happen. At worst, bambi is going to bring you to a screeching halt and there won't be anymore discussion about the power of motorcycles or anything else. At best, you and your wife are going to be staying somewhere tonight without reservations. And it's not the honeymoon suite.
Ok - I'm just pulling your chain a little. After all, it's Friday.
Ride more, stress less.
Ride more, stress less.
Ride more, stress less.
(huuummmmmmmm)
