New Bike Choice

[saread]

I'm going to buy a new bike in 2022. It will be a sport tourer and not an ADV bike. That's where my proclivity lies and that's how I roll. I only know two things for sure, it will have a shaft and it will be blue. I hate chains and I love blue. That really pushes things towards the venerable FJR or a BMW offering. Obviously, I know and love my Yamaha and would have no problems throwing a leg over a new blue one. But, my engineer's brain would turn itself inside out if I didn't evaluate alternatives. The stock answer seems to be that the only viable alternative would be a R1250RT with a nice tech bump and a very nice $10k or so premium. But, damn, that thing is a barge and it is tough to find $10k of value over the known quantity. It seems to be more akin to a Goldwing than the FJR. But, if we dial it back a bit and add some goodies to the R1250RS, we get a bike that tracks pretty closely to the beloved FJR in terms of features and appearance. It for sure carries a premium, but it has a bit more advanced feature set and doesn't look like a whale. So, here's comparison of features, common and not, that shows how close and how far apart they are:

FJR1300 - $18,200 Hard Luggage Heated Grips Linked ABS Brakes Traction Control Cruise Control - not adaptive Throttle Modes - 2 Slipper Clutch 12V Outlet Electric Adjustable Windscreen - infinite Electronically Adjustable Suspension Lean Angle LEDs

R1250RS - $22,200 Hard Luggage Heated Grips ABS Brakes - Pro (adaptive) Traction Control - adaptive Cruise Control - not adaptive Throttle Modes - 3 Slipper Clutch - no clutch shifting, dynamic engine braking 12V Outlet Manually Adjustable Windscreen - 2 positions Manually Adjustable Suspension Tire Pressure Monitoring System Keyless Security Steering Damper TFT Display

This list isn't comprehensive, but pretty much hits the high spots. As you can see, they are very comparable rides with the Beemer maybe being a bit nicer if electronically adjustable suspension isn't all that important to you. The real question is if there is $4k worth of value with the RS. Of course the comparison doesn't factor in things like dealer support, aftermarket support, reliability, community, cost of maintenance, etc. But, all things considered, to me it looks like the GS1250RS is a very good option and it makes it very hard to choose.

 

[infrared]

Saread,

Map out all of the BMW dealers near you, and in the states around you. Do the same for the Yamaha dealers.
Call your local BMW dealers, tell them you have some imaginary problem (for your imaginary bike), and see when they can get around to fixing your bike. Do the same for the Yamaha. Check the on-line reviews for their shops.
Price out a new front rim (as in, maybe you hit a curb), for each bike. We will ignore the shipping concerns, for now.
Price out the insurance rates, tags, and yearly taxes for each bike.
With good research, you can make your best decision.
Happy hunting.

 

[RossKean]

Sit on both for a while. Ergos are important.
You should expect the BMW will cost you a lot more to maintain - reliability, parts cost and shop rates...
Anybody's guess but I suspect this MAY be the last model year for the FJR. (But I thought the same last year.)

Both will do the job.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Great responses above. Like they said, do the math, sit on each, take your time. Having my FJR for 13 riding seasons and 80,000 miles, and having a friend and riding buddy whom has owned a succession of BMWs (several GSs and an XR), I know the way that I would lean. (See what I did there?)
Good luck, and let us know when you decide.

 

[kebo123]

Your pre-selection is very good and I fully agree with @infrared recommendations before you will decide.
Have both bikes in my garage - FJR is mine (third FJR in row), RS is my wife‘s machine. RS is lighter, super easy to handle (Silvia weight is 51 kg - that‘s an evidence), a lot of fun from very well performed engine, looks good and have more features than FJR. Weather protection is almost the same on both bikes. Service intervals are similar and there were 0 issue with both bikes. Maintenance cost of BMW is higher, but not too much. If you ride alone most of the time, you will love both. If you will ride two, than FJR is more comfortable way to go. I personally like FJR design more. I am considering new ST bike as well (as I do not like adv bikes), shaft drive is a must and I want more S than T. FJR is not available here in Europe any more, I am still dreaming that Yamaha will reincarnate it again but I am afraid no… As there is not too much alternatives (which fulfill my requirements) on the market, it is possible that there will be two RS in my garage soon.
Good luck with your choice, but with those bikes you can’t go wrong.

 

[kebo123]

 

[mophead]

Don't forget about the Honda ST1800. You will never have to replace fork seals again.

 

[hppants]

The 2022 FJR comes with electronic suspension.

For a seasoned sport touring rider, this is apples and oranges. The RT is an excellent motorcycle. It will cost more to buy and maintain, but presumably, it gives more in the desired areas for the money. Things like more advanced ABS, more electronic gizmos, etc.

The FJR is more sporty and more basic, for good reason. It's a proven reliable design that has been altered very little over the years. It works, and Yamaha chose not to mess with it much.

I like the R/T. I've ridden several of them over the years. Again, they are solid motorcycles - ride very well. But they aren't sporty enough for me. The forward position of the FJR with the neutral foot pegs is a great combination - good compromise for the highway, and excellent feel for the weight of the bike in the twisties.

And at 82K miles, I'd still take my FJR anywhere tomorrow and really not worry about getting back. On the R/T, I wouldn't have that same confidence. Too much electronic nit picky crap to go out 500 miles from anything, and I'm stuck like Chuck. That's just my $0.02 worth.

Good luck.

FWIW - I plan to buy a new motorcycle in 2022 as well. It's not gonna be an R/T. It's gonna be FJR number 4.....

 

[Prosolar]

I've read that BMWs are not as reliable as they used to be...

https://www.bikeshala.com/blog/are-bmw-motorcycles-worth-the-money-with-service-cost/

 

[Archer]

http://www.beemerboneyard.com/ I checked and they have room for new membership and are offering free spline lube this month!

 

[juniorfjr]

Ride them, which one stirs your soul. Life is short, piss on cost difference.

 

[[email protected]]

I'm going to buy a new bike in 2022. It will be a sport tourer and not an ADV bike. That's where my proclivity lies and that's how I roll. I only know two things for sure, it will have a shaft and it will be blue. I hate chains and I love blue. That really pushes things towards the venerable FJR or a BMW offering. Obviously, I know and love my Yamaha and would have no problems throwing a leg over a new blue one. But, my engineer's brain would turn itself inside out if I didn't evaluate alternatives. The stock answer seems to be that the only viable alternative would be a R1250RT with a nice tech bump and a very nice $10k or so premium. But, damn, that thing is a barge and it is tough to find $10k of value over the known quantity. It seems to be more akin to a Goldwing than the FJR. But, if we dial it back a bit and add some goodies to the R1250RS, we get a bike that tracks pretty closely to the beloved FJR in terms of features and appearance. It for sure carries a premium, but it has a bit more advanced feature set and doesn't look like a whale. So, here's comparison of features, common and not, that shows how close and how far apart they are:

FJR1300 - $18,200 Hard Luggage Heated Grips Linked ABS Brakes Traction Control Cruise Control - not adaptive Throttle Modes - 2 Slipper Clutch 12V Outlet Electric Adjustable Windscreen - infinite Electronically Adjustable Suspension Lean Angle LEDs

R1250RS - $22,200 Hard Luggage Heated Grips ABS Brakes - Pro (adaptive) Traction Control - adaptive Cruise Control - not adaptive Throttle Modes - 3 Slipper Clutch - no clutch shifting, dynamic engine braking 12V Outlet Manually Adjustable Windscreen - 2 positions Manually Adjustable Suspension Tire Pressure Monitoring System Keyless Security Steering Damper TFT Display

This list isn't comprehensive, but pretty much hits the high spots. As you can see, they are very comparable rides with the Beemer maybe being a bit nicer if electronically adjustable suspension isn't all that important to you. The real question is if there is $4k worth of value with the RS. Of course the comparison doesn't factor in things like dealer support, aftermarket support, reliability, community, cost of maintenance, etc. But, all things considered, to me it looks like the GS1250RS is a very good option and it makes it very hard to choose.

View attachment 853View attachment 854

The one thing not mentioned here is the gas tank & range. I have a friend who has a 1200RS & he is BMW all the way but I don't like the looks of the RS as much as I do the "sleek" lines of the FJR - I don't like that it doesn't have an electric windshield & I don't like the cost of maintenance ($400.00) for his 1st service & not as many dealers & the fact that on a trip out west from Florida 3 different times we had to turn back for gas (so he could fill up) as he didn't have the range that I had.

 

[sloppy]

I agree with juniorfjr 100%. get exactly what YOU want! Try to ride it first though. Personally I had a BMW car (actually several members of my family had them at once) and we did have more problems with them than we did our other cars and I am a bit weary of their long term reliability. But that's just me. One last thing, I know that the R1250 has some neat features like a TFT, keyless security and others but they are not that significant to me. However I did not know that they did not have an electrically adjusted windscreen. I absolutely love that on my FJR.

 

[MotoMike]

If you can get past the fact of the chain drive, here is another blue option for you in 2022: https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/suzuki-introduces-2022-gsx-s1000gt-sport-tourer/

 

[MotoMike]

Chain drive and green will get you this for $16,660Canadian ($13,130USD): https://www.kawasaki.ca/en-ca/motorcycle/ninja/sport/ninja-1000sx/2022-ninja-1000sx/ax-configurator
The $5,000USD difference in price versus the 2022 FJR1300 would buy you a real nice custom blue paint job. You just have to get past the chain drive.

 

[user 90243]

The 2022 FJR comes with electronic suspension.

For a seasoned sport touring rider, this is apples and oranges. The RT is an excellent motorcycle. It will cost more to buy and maintain, but presumably, it gives more in the desired areas for the money. Things like more advanced ABS, more electronic gizmos, etc.

The FJR is more sporty and more basic, for good reason. It's a proven reliable design that has been altered very little over the years. It works, and Yamaha chose not to mess with it much.

I like the R/T. I've ridden several of them over the years. Again, they are solid motorcycles - ride very well. But they aren't sporty enough for me. The forward position of the FJR with the neutral foot pegs is a great combination - good compromise for the highway, and excellent feel for the weight of the bike in the twisties.

And at 82K miles, I'd still take my FJR anywhere tomorrow and really not worry about getting back. On the R/T, I wouldn't have that same confidence. Too much electronic nit picky crap to go out 500 miles from anything, and I'm stuck like Chuck. That's just my $0.02 worth.

Good luck.

FWIW - I plan to buy a new motorcycle in 2022 as well. It's not gonna be an R/T. It's gonna be FJR number 4.....

"I'd still take my FJR anywhere tomorrow and really not worry about getting back." Says it all. Well, plus acceleration, braking, rock solid at speed, corners better than me! Plus, costs of maintenance. That Beemer is gorgeous, though. KISS.

 

[saread]

Boy, if I could get over chains, the Cow and Zook are kind of nifty. There's blue too. I have to say if I was thinking chains, I'd have to throw a Multistrada on the table as well (I know, but who doesn't love a Ducati?). But, and this is a big But, I'm done with chains. Too old, too fat, too crotchety to be ******* around with lube, adjustments, chain breakers, sprockets and all that crap. I'm not god's own mechanic, but maintenance on my bikes is done in my garage. To me that's part of the experience and I get to pick the parts of the experience I enjoy. Chains ain't that, YMMV. Valve checks on the Feej aren't that much fun either come to think of it. Better if you've got PAIR plates, and that's not an option on the new model AFAIK. Much easier on the Beemer from what I can see.

Maintenance and reliability do weigh on my mind for this. There is no question that the FJR is first rate here, the afore mentioned valve checks not withstanding. But thinking back, there are a couple of things to note. My current 2008 caught the ignition switch recall, I have a whole new front cowl because the headlights crazed, and I got a ground spider bite that took a whole new wiring harness. All of which put the bike in the shop. The last one for about a month. The Yamaha dealer network is extensive and parts are generally available and reasonably priced, if you shop. However, I think at some point we have all noticed that not all shops in the system have a tech that is versed in Feej. While there may not be as many bratwurst and beer joints spread around the country, you can bet they all have techs that speak the language and can fix your bike. For every person that relates a BMW reliability story, there's another one that has owned 20 of them over 50 years with no issues. I can say that my FJR has never left me stranded or let me down - the total loss of power from a spider bite, in traffic, on I-90, on Mercer Island, during rush hour, that still has me picking seat out of my ass, aside. All things considered, it's pretty much a wash between the two from my point of view. The Feej has it's own maintenance quirks and reliability issues and realistically, the Beemer looks about the same. The Gen 4 second gear issue is a giant black eye for Yamaha. I think a bit of a difference here is that Yamaha has generally stood behind us with its issues and from what I've been able to see, the Bavarian bean counters haven't been as forthcoming. Then there's extended warranty issues to consider...

At this point, cost of ownership isn't really an issue (not entirely true, but isn't the biggest concern). I can afford my hobbies. Ergonomics are indeed important. It took me a bit to fully appreciate the FJR in that regard, but I do like the riding position - can you say "Yoda". I will definitely try all the bikes I look at to see how they fit. The worst thing about the FJR was the seat. But that is expected and from what I can tell, seats are uniform across all generations and the Rich's on my Gen 2 will fit on a Gen 4. That's a big plus. The RS has a smaller tank than the FJR, but I don't think there's a motorcyclist alive that hasn't managed fuel stops - for their own bike, or others. The times I've ridden through a tank of gas on the FJR has pretty much sucked. I'm a big guy and it's OK to get off every couple hundred miles to stretch your legs, clear your head, and pee. If you get gas at the same time, OK.

The very biggest knock on the FJR from non-believers is that it has no soul. Achiu is riding a well farkled FJR that my brother owned for less than a month because it just didn't speak to him. Fair enough. To each his own. I really do like mine and to make the choice to move away to some other brand/model is going to take something extraordinary. It certainly is fun to figure this out though. Thanks for the advice and information. Keep it coming.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Re: Ninja 1000SX; You just have to get past the chain drive.

Bigger than the chain drive for me is the lack of a centerstand. At least if there's a centerstand, lubing or cleaning the chain is a snap, not to mention rear tire changes. Doing any of those on a trip, which happens a lot, is a royal painus in the anus. That is a bike that is first on my list right now, but I won't buy one until they add a centerstand.

 

[hppants]

I certainly get where you are coming from - you wouldn't be the first FJR owner to get lured away by the Bavarian Sirens. They do tease you with their perky ****ies and what not.

 

[dfp21]

I had a 2007 FJR with the no-clutch shifting, which I LOVED. I've been waiting for Yamaha to offer that feature again, but no luck. I would consider a BMW or Honda just because they do offer no-clutch shifting. It is that cool.