Offroading an FJR? ...or...InFeDeLiTy...*gasp*!

[sportsguy]

I may be having a crisis...

I love my FJR, and rightly so. It's fun, stable, powerful, comfortable, etc., etc.

... but I can't help think I'm missing something...

I hate flies. With a passion.

But that didn't stop me from building Jeeps and offroading them. I LOVED that stuff! It was so much fun to see a road leading off the pavement and know I *could* explore, because I had the right equipment. And that I could explore deeply given time, permission and access, without fear of breaking down or getting stuck (yes, I had ALL of the gear & experience).

Now, I'm concerned because I seem to be missing those feelings. I fear this may lead to... Oh Lord Yamaha forgive me, for I am about to blaspheme... but I fear these stirred feelings may lead to... a GS, or something of that ilk.

I am shocked that in the middle of my farkling of my beloved FJR, the thought of trading it in or selling it popped into my mind. WTF - begone foul temptress! How could I have such thoughts? Perhaps it's just Spring Fever... but wait. I own one of the best bikes on the planet and ride frequnetly, so how the hell could this be Spring Fever?!

Am I nuts?

Perhaps it's better to redirect such thoughts into a skidplate for the FJR? Maybe some more dirt-oriented tires? ...and start exploring the back roads on the Black Barge... I shall rename her the World's Heaviest Dual Sport and henceforth she shall conquer fire roads in a flurry of flying gravel and power slides! Pot holes will become launch ramps and half our time together will be spent in the air.

Am I nuts?

I mean, maybe I just need to find some new areas to ride or something, because I have been spending all my time at advrider.com instead of here lately. That can't be a good influence.

Was my choice of the FJR (a relationship) the wrong one? Should I have went for the Multistrada (a fling) and built it for offroading?

LOL - the real question is would my wife and I ever really have ridden two-up on the Multi. Methinks the answer to that is no... For sure I'd have missed out on one of the best forums online if not for the FJR.

Maybe just having "talked this through" will let me get past it...

Am I nuts?

 

[marcusorelius]

Just get yerself a drz400s to fix the dirt cravings (I did)

 

[Ignacio]

FJR is Japanese for "Fudnundo Jihongo Rhimasu" which translates roughly into "Dual Sport...Kinda".

I and Skooterg have found the FJR is very good offroad....certainly better than various BMW RT, Triumphs, and tips over less than even GSes! Clicky here for our testing of suspension and bearings. It's the rider.....mostly.

Bristlecone is too a favored destination for FJRs and only exeeded in offroad ability by the Harley Sportster ridden by Brett Donahue...which is Wisconsin-speak for dual sport.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

QUOTE (Ignacio @ Apr 6 2010, 11:19 AM) FJR is Japanese for "Fudnundo Jihongo Rhimasu" which translates roughly into "Dual Sport...Kinda".

It's the rider.....mostly.

...for FJRs and only exeeded in offroad ability by the Sportster...which is Wisconsin for dual sport.

Which is (a little...) like an FJR:

 

[rickcorwn]

Just get yerself a drz400s to fix the dirt cravings (I did)

...or a KLR a couple grand can get you a good DS ride. I am thinking about trading the KLR for a DRZ they're easier to pickup.

Bristlecone is too a favored destination for FJRs and only exeeded in offroad ability by the Harley Sportster...which is Wisconsin for dual sport.

:lol2: :lol2:

 

[Patriot]

just like I learned about my first hound dawg...the Feej would readily like a friend to share her life with

an appropriate DS would be welcome by all

:yahoo:

 

[Geezer]

I have no problem riding dirt roads on my FJR. The ground clearance is not adequate for anything too bumpy, and it is very heavy to pick up off the ground and expensive to repair cosmetic issues if you want to keep it looking nice. As others have said, a second, purpose built, bike is a better idea.

 

[happyPuppy]

get yourself a cheap KLR the little 400ccc Yamaha DS or similar. dents are OK they add character. Big bikes are way too heavy ( in this old farts opinion) to do much off the road. Dump your FJR and it is $$ . Dump a protected "beater" and what the heck. (and you will dump it doing single track) but it is fun.

 

[bkmcj]

All of the large adventure bikes will go on dirt roads and are great for riding down to So. America but they don't really do well on single track trails. Best of all worlds (that has been stated above) is a 350-600cc dual purpose bike. Then you can still use the FJR for everything else. I am also into Jeeps and backcountry travel and know that if I had a GS or V-Strom or whatever I would take it places it does not belong and probably cause myself and the bike problems.

With all that said I really want a Husky TE 610/630!!!!

 

[Auburn]

I may be having a crisis...
I love my FJR, and rightly so. It's fun, stable, powerful, comfortable, etc., etc.

... but I can't help think I'm missing something...

I hate flies. With a passion.

But that didn't stop me from building Jeeps and offroading them. I LOVED that stuff! It was so much fun to see a road leading off the pavement and know I *could* explore, because I had the right equipment. And that I could explore deeply given time, permission and access, without fear of breaking down or getting stuck (yes, I had ALL of the gear & experience).

Now, I'm concerned because I seem to be missing those feelings. I fear this may lead to... Oh Lord Yamaha forgive me, for I am about to blaspheme... but I fear these stirred feelings may lead to... a GS, or something of that ilk.

I am shocked that in the middle of my farkling of my beloved FJR, the thought of trading it in or selling it popped into my mind. WTF - begone foul temptress! How could I have such thoughts? Perhaps it's just Spring Fever... but wait. I own one of the best bikes on the planet and ride frequnetly, so how the hell could this be Spring Fever?!

Am I nuts?

Perhaps it's better to redirect such thoughts into a skidplate for the FJR? Maybe some more dirt-oriented tires? ...and start exploring the back roads on the Black Barge... I shall rename her the World's Heaviest Dual Sport and henceforth she shall conquer fire roads in a flurry of flying gravel and power slides! Pot holes will become launch ramps and half our time together will be spent in the air.

Am I nuts?

I mean, maybe I just need to find some new areas to ride or something, because I have been spending all my time at advrider.com instead of here lately. That can't be a good influence.

Was my choice of the FJR (a relationship) the wrong one? Should I have went for the Multistrada (a fling) and built it for offroading?

LOL - the real question is would my wife and I ever really have ridden two-up on the Multi. Methinks the answer to that is no... For sure I'd have missed out on one of the best forums online if not for the FJR.

Maybe just having "talked this through" will let me get past it...

Am I nuts?

This is why we have 5 dirt bikes, one dual sport. So we can take care of the off road urges and leave the FJR for it's primary purpose. They are cheaper to fix, usually only break levers in crashes. The best part is you get more bikes to farkle up.

Although, gravel doesn't slow me down too much depending on the size of the potholes. B)

 

[sportsguy]

This is why we have 5 dirt bikes, one dual sport. So we can take care of the off road urges and leave the FJR for it's primary purpose.

Primary purpose - what's that? As an educational tool for us micreants who drop by to look at a disassembled FJR?

 

[Auburn]

This is why we have 5 dirt bikes, one dual sport. So we can take care of the off road urges and leave the FJR for it's primary purpose.

Primary purpose - what's that? As an educational tool for us micreants who drop by to look at a disassembled FJR?

That is the maintenance phase so there are no issues on the road. When fully assembled...

 

[Pepperell]

What!!??? The FJR isn't a dirt bike??!!! NOW you tell me!!

<--- My driveway. White dot in the middle is the street. I get lotsa dirt ridin' in.

 

[biknflyfisher]

Not sure about the FJR being dirt capable, but it IS one pothole dodging machine.

Try "Old Highway 49" between Catheys Valley and Ben Hur Road (in the general Mariposa CA locale).

Been there once recently and that'll do for the balance of my lifetime.

Wow.

biknflyfisher

 

[escapefjrtist]

I may be having a crisis...
I love my FJR, and rightly so. It's fun, stable, powerful, comfortable, etc., etc.

Am I nuts?

Am I nuts?

Am I nuts?

Although, gravel doesn't slow me down too much at all depending on regardless of the size of the potholes. B)

@sportsguy -- Yes, yes and yes...

Fixed it for ya Auburn! :blink:

--G

 

[user 213]

Ignore all of the previous advice.

Go for a ride.

Realize that only 2% of ADV guys ride anywhere, the other 98% just post to the forum. Those 2% though, they freaking ROCK! Everyone can't be them.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Gravel and cintered roads are fine. Muddy trails down a slope can be tricky...

 

[Silver Penguin]

Ask RenoJohn if the FJR is a dirt bike, or DCarver. RJ has posted some pretty cool video of what the FJR can do but...... for the price of the copay on your back surgery (after picking the big girl up a few times) and the repairs to the tupperware, you could have bought a used dual sport.

I doubt that any bike will ever replace the FJR in my affections but I'm actually having a ton of fun with a G650GS as well as a Honda CRF230L. I can even pick up the latter on my own (and have done so many times over). There is a whole different kind of pleasure involved with riding off road. I'm learning to like smelling the roses and staying away from cell phone wielding soccer moms. A 35 mile day can be just as enjoyable as a 350 mile day.

 

[madjackdog]

Am I nuts?
Am I nuts?

Am I nuts?

I assume these are rhetorical questions?