Motorcycle.com's 2009 Sport-Touring Shootout

[Jimm]

Lots of nice things to say about the FJR.

https://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2009-...tout-88641.html

 

[marcusorelius]

For a bike going on 10 years after design, it's still holding up against the others just fine!

 

[SockMonkey]

"Perhaps no other S-T is a better choice than the FJR for the aging and wise who’ve parked their sportbike for the last time."

Aging perhaps, wise not so much....

 

[Shane Stump]

The review's conclusion actually echoes my own experience so far with my 2009 BMW 1300 GT.

The 1300 GT is a lot more refined, comfortable for touring, and much, much more ergonomic than the FJR!

Best regards,

Shane

 

[RadioHowie]

I just don't get the "hate" on the auto-retract windshield. From the article, or from many on this forum.

It's just not that hard to find that "sweet spot" again. Not like you have to stop at the side of the road, say "****, not again!" and pull out a bunch of tools to get it back where it was.

Someone e'splain it to me.

 

[DELETE-PLEASE]

"Perhaps no other S-T is a better choice than the FJR for the aging and wise who’ve parked their sportbike for the last time."

Not aging here. But the FJR is possibly the wisest decision I've made in a long time....

Alexi

 

[johnny80s]

Great article. Thanks for posting.

 

[colin]

Great article. Thanks for posting.

agreed.

was a nice read....cheers.

 

[TruWrecks]

I knew there was a reason I got another one.

 

[bmwhd]

The review's conclusion actually echoes my own experience so far with my 2009 BMW 1300 GT.
The 1300 GT is a lot more refined, comfortable for touring, and much, much more ergonomic than the FJR!

Best regards,

Shane

It was without doubt one of the most balanced reviews I've read in a long time. However, they do fail to mention two huge issues with the BMW - lack of dealers and the death spiral BMW has been in for years regarding reliability. IMHO (and as a loyal BMW owner), BMW engineering has outstripped the pace their manufacturing, dealers, and technical training staff can maintain.

Even if you get your mind around the huge price differential, the lack of dealers in many parts of the country (world) is a real issue for the touring rider. Add that to this simple fact - the leading K series forum has 4 sticky posts at the top detailing faults with the platform that can leave you stranded by the side of the road. I'll keep my FJR and my old Airhead thank you very much :yahoo:

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Not to pick nits, but I have to wonder about this entire article when I see things written that dont make sense to me. I have a 2008 model, and understood that the only difference between the '08 and '09 were the wheels and trim. If that is indeed the case then there are 2 "facts" that motorcycle.com state that are blatantly different than my experience...1. concerning the Kawasaki .."• Only bike with a convenient oil sight-glass window". MY 2008 model has an oil sight glass...did they do away with this on the '09 model??

2. concerning the Yamaha .. "• Clutch engages near end of clutch lever travel". My '08 model starts to engage immediately when you release the lever, right at the BEGINNING of the travel...If I remember correctly, so did my '04 model. Was this also changed on the '09??

 

[Fred W]

I don't think you could go wrong with any one of the 4.

But... 104HP from the Honda ST1300? WTF? My Honda VFR800 makes 100 hp.

Oh, and "end of travel" might mean the end of travel as you pull it in? Dunno...

 

[Shane Stump]

The review's conclusion actually echoes my own experience so far with my 2009 BMW 1300 GT.
The 1300 GT is a lot more refined, comfortable for touring, and much, much more ergonomic than the FJR!

Best regards,

Shane

It was without doubt one of the most balanced reviews I've read in a long time. However, they do fail to mention two huge issues with the BMW - lack of dealers and the death spiral BMW has been in for years regarding reliability. IMHO (and as a loyal BMW owner), BMW engineering has outstripped the pace their manufacturing, dealers, and technical training staff can maintain.

Even if you get your mind around the huge price differential, the lack of dealers in many parts of the country (world) is a real issue for the touring rider. Add that to this simple fact - the leading K series forum has 4 sticky posts at the top detailing faults with the platform that can leave you stranded by the side of the road. I'll keep my FJR and my old Airhead thank you very much :yahoo:

BMWHD,

I don't have enough time on the 1300 GT yet to determine long term reliability. As far as dealers, when my problems began with my FJR, my bike was in 3 DIFFERENT Yamaha dealers garages for over 6 months so the # of dealers at this point is almost meaningless to me if they can't diagnose / fix the problem a bike is having.

I have had two of the issues on 1300 GT (switch failures which many have reported and BMW had already fixed). When I had the ignition switch failure, here is how it was handled since I was over 100 miles from home:

1) BMW Roadside assistance towed bike to dealer,

2) Dealer ordered new switch.

3) I got a hotel and submitted the bill to BMW roadside assistance

4) Picked up bike next day and have been happily riding.

If the failure had been on my FJR, it would have been handled like this:

1) I PAY for tow truck to take me to a dealer.

2) Dealer probably tells me they never heard of switch failure but they can schedule it sometime in the coming month to fix it

3) I PAY to get my ass home...

4) I keep calling Yamaha Customer Service + Dealer asking when my bike is going to be fixed.

5) Repeat #4

6) Finally get bike and hope it is working!

I realize my experience with my FJR isn't normal, but it is going to take a LOT of breakdowns on a BMW to even begin to touch MY Yamaha experience :dribble: :dribble:!

So far though, I am enjoying my new 1300 GT! The FJR was an AWESOME bike, too, until I started having problems!

Best Regards,

Shane

 

[Shane Stump]

I don't think you could go wrong with any one of the 4.
But... 104HP from the Honda ST1300? WTF? My Honda VFR800 makes 100 hp.

Oh, and "end of travel" might mean the end of travel as you pull it in? Dunno...

All the bikes will get you a "ticket" on the blink of a wrist turn !

We are very lucky to have such a great selection of rides!

Happy Riding!

Shane

 

[RadioHowie]

Not to pick nits.... concerning the Kawasaki .."• Only bike with a convenient oil sight-glass window". MY 2008 model has an oil sight glass...did they do away with this on the '09 model??

Ah what the hell....let's pick nits.

Oil sight glass. When I read the article, I almost reacted the same way you did...."HUH?!"

But the author DID qualify by saying "convenient". Haven't looked at the Kaw side by side with my FJR to compare, but I wouldn't call the FJR sight glass "convenient". At least not for me. Too low, and "shaded" by hardware and tupperware. I have to get down on hands and knees to see it.

NOT convenient for someone who's had 6 knee operations, 4 back operations and 5 abdominal operations, not to mention being old, overweight and outta shape.

So taking the comment in context with the word "convenient" I'd have to agree, but it still beats pulling the filler cap and using some sort of dipstick, plus like I said, I haven't seen the sight glass on the Kaw so I can't comment on that, but if the Connie is anything like my ZRex, than yes, the Connie would be more convenient than the Feej:

 

[Bustanut joker]

I have to get down on hands and knees to see it.
NOT convenient for someone who's had 6 knee operations, 4 back operations and 5 abdominal operations, not to mention being old, overweight and outta shape.

Ah ******** Howie! You're used to that position, ain't that the best way to a manatees erogenous zone?

Oh! Wait! I was thinking of zillas friend the armadillo..

Sorry :blush:

an this gem

I just don't get the "hate" on the auto-retract windshield. From the article, or from many on this forum.
It's just not that hard to find that "sweet spot" again. Not like you have to stop at the side of the road, say "****, not again!" and pull out a bunch of tools to get it back where it was.

Someone e'splain it to me.

I believe it has to do with Spastic Colon Syndrome... That or some have never ridden anything older than my underwear..

:jester:

 

[RadioHowie]

I have to get down on hands and knees to see it.
NOT convenient for someone who's had 6 knee operations, 4 back operations and 5 abdominal operations, not to mention being old, overweight and outta shape.

Ah ******** Howie! You're used to that position, ain't that the best way to a manatees erogenous zone?

Oh! Wait! I was thinking of zillas friend the armadillo..

Sorry :blush:

:jester:

Yep...you were thinking of ZillaDillo.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

The review's conclusion actually echoes my own experience so far with my 2009 BMW 1300 GT.
The 1300 GT is a lot more refined, comfortable for touring, and much, much more ergonomic than the FJR!

Best regards,

Shane

It was without doubt one of the most balanced reviews I've read in a long time. However, they do fail to mention two huge issues with the BMW - lack of dealers and the death spiral BMW has been in for years regarding reliability. IMHO (and as a loyal BMW owner), BMW engineering has outstripped the pace their manufacturing, dealers, and technical training staff can maintain.

Even if you get your mind around the huge price differential, the lack of dealers in many parts of the country (world) is a real issue for the touring rider. Add that to this simple fact - the leading K series forum has 4 sticky posts at the top detailing faults with the platform that can leave you stranded by the side of the road. I'll keep my FJR and my old Airhead thank you very much :yahoo:

Well, I finally read the article and didn't think it was (much) balanced at all. As you say, there were very few critical comments against the K1300GT. But, most of all, they repeatedly referred to the other bikes in the test by their model names (FJR, C-14, ST) and, more often-than-not, kept calling the K1300GT by "BMW" -- there's a lot of cache' with that name (or, at least there seemed to be with the 'zine editors?).

And, finally, from the article:

"... the BMW is the clear winner"

 

[RadioHowie]

Well, I finally read the article and didn't think it was (much) balanced at all.

Bet you would if you rode a K13!

[SIZE=8pt](but only "if")[/SIZE]