New Owner, A Couple of Questions

[dasadab]

I only have about 50 miles on my new Black '09. I am sooo glad I transistioned from my former BMW R1200GS. It's great to be back in the sport-touring mode and out of the let's-take-the-crappy-road dual sport mode. Questions:

1. I am definately getting noticable heat in the lower shin area, stronger on the right. Enough heat where I would think about wearing my taller boots if I was going to be in city traffic on hot days. Today was probably in the mid to high 80s and I was on surface streets. Should I move the faring forward of the knees outward? Will that help? Maybe the bike will run a little cooler after it breaks in. BTW, I never heard a cooling fan. As I recall, there is one. The heat is not terrible or anything, I just want to minimize it.

2. My long big feet make shifting a little tricky unless I point my toes ballerina style down first. At 6-1", I have the seat in the high position and maybe if it was an inch higher, it might be a little easier to shift. Anyway, I don't really want to fiddle with moving the pegs back as I have seen in other threads because my leg position feels comfortable. What I really need is a longer shifter. Anyone have any ideas. I was thinking maybe I could get a shop to cut, add a sleve, and weld.

3. Bonus review. My new Vstream shield is fantastic. Night and day better than stock. I am very picky about windshields and hate turbulence and back pressure. The Vstream is first rate.

Dean

 

[Patriot]

Big Congrats on your Black Beauty...

I only have about 50 miles on my new Black '09. I am sooo glad I transistioned from my former BMW R1200GS. It's great to be back in the sport-touring mode and out of the let's-take-the-crappy-road dual sport mode. Questions:
1. Should I move the faring forward of the knees outward?

try it, it's free and can't hurt

I never heard a cooling fan. As I recall, there is one.

yep, it's there. On mine, it starts up and runs when the temp gauge hit's the fourth bar on my Gen I

2. I was thinking maybe I could get a shop to cut, add a sleve, and weld.

sounds good to me; I'd purchase a spare one from a web seller or used off ebay to work on

3. Bonus review. My new Vstream shield is fantastic. Night and day better than stock. I am very picky about windshields and hate turbulence and back pressure. The Vstream is first rate.

kewl

Dean

Cheers,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[Panman]

I have a 07 and size 13 shoes, I just moved the shifter lever up by pulling the lever of the actuator on the motor an moving it a couple of clicks made a big difference.

 

[mcatrophy]

...1. ... Should I move the faring forward of the knees outward? Will that help? Maybe the bike will run a little cooler after it breaks in. BTW, I never heard a cooling fan. As I recall, there is one. The heat is not terrible or anything, I just want to minimize it.

The fairings are supposed to make a difference, different riders will give you different stories. Try it yourself and see, my take is that at slow speeds (tootling in city traffic) they make no noticeable difference, at higher speeds I find it warmer with them out.

As for the fans, on a Gen II (as yours is) they come in on about 7 or 8 bars on the temperature gauge (don't be confused by Patriot's reply above, his is a Gen I with only half the number of bars we have). On mine, it takes several minutes of stationary running to bring them on. It's a good cooling system.

...2. My long big feet make shifting a little tricky unless I point my toes ballerina style down first. ... Anyone have any ideas...

The shift lever is adjustable, may help. It's in your driver's handbook.

Good luck, and enjoy.

 

[rider47]

More break-in miles will probably help the bike run a little cooler.

 

[Jer]

I only have about 50 miles on my new Black '09. I am sooo glad I transistioned from my former BMW R1200GS. It's great to be back in the sport-touring mode and out of the let's-take-the-crappy-road dual sport mode. Questions:
1. I am definately getting noticable heat in the lower shin area, stronger on the right. Enough heat where I would think about wearing my taller boots if I was going to be in city traffic on hot days. Today was probably in the mid to high 80s and I was on surface streets. Should I move the faring forward of the knees outward? Will that help? Maybe the bike will run a little cooler after it breaks in. BTW, I never heard a cooling fan. As I recall, there is one. The heat is not terrible or anything, I just want to minimize it.

2. My long big feet make shifting a little tricky unless I point my toes ballerina style down first. At 6-1", I have the seat in the high position and maybe if it was an inch higher, it might be a little easier to shift. Anyway, I don't really want to fiddle with moving the pegs back as I have seen in other threads because my leg position feels comfortable. What I really need is a longer shifter. Anyone have any ideas. I was thinking maybe I could get a shop to cut, add a sleve, and weld.

3. Bonus review. My new Vstream shield is fantastic. Night and day better than stock. I am very picky about windshields and hate turbulence and back pressure. The Vstream is first rate.

Dean

I have found that when it is really hot it helps to have a pair of riding pants over levis etc. When I say really hot I mean over 90 degrees, and avoid stop and go traffic as much as possible.

I have a fused left ankle and was unable to release the shifter to the next gear. The dealer did a little shifter adjusting and the problem was solved. I am sure the same can be done for you.

I am sure you will work all of these problems out and enjoy your FJR as much as I do mine.

Jer

 

[rockmurf]

Your going to get some heat around your ankles. I find it on my left ankle more so. I don't find it that bad after coming off an st1300 and riding the gen 1 fjr. I am in fl and the only time it is bothersome is in stop and go. Good luck on your new bike. They are the best.