Potholes, roadkill, speed bumps, and long cracks

[Night Ryder]

The roads down here suck. The further south of I-10 you get, the worse it is. Especially in Vermilion Parish.

I'm considering trading my V-Rod some sort of long travel BMW, but I'd would try the FJR if I thought it would handle these roads well. So would an FJR ride at speed on roads like this like these every day?

 

[MEM]

So would an FJR ride at speed on roads like this like these every day?

Hell, yeah! The Feej is exactly what you need for dodging those potholes !

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

As an FNG, don't listen to a damned thing this woman is telling you! She's a nut-job who frequents this forum just to wreak havoc and interrupt communications! That's not even her in her avatar, that's her friend Barb!

I suggest if you really want an honest reply, try giving Bustanut Joker a PM.

I'm not sure if you're talking about frequently hitting or driving through some rough potholes versus the occasional one, but I'd venture a guess at saying that with repeated hard hits on the tire and suspension that no matter how well built or designed, sooner or later it's gonna take it's toll.

As for general, rough roads, the FJR does a pretty good job of absorbing them.

 

[MEM]

As an FNG, don't listen to a damned thing this woman is telling you! She's a nut-job who frequents this forum just to wreak havoc and interrupt communications! That's not even her in her avatar, that's her friend Barb!

Hey Buster, watch who you're calling a nut job :bb2:

I just got off work. Between the bloody ORs tonight and the heat & humdidity, I'm feeling a little ....punchy

 

[Patriot]

The roads down here suck. The further south of I-10 you get, the worse it is. Especially in Vermilion Parish.
I'm considering trading my V-Rod some sort of long travel BMW, but I'd would try the FJR if I thought it would handle these roads well. So would an FJR ride at speed on roads like this like these every day?

absolutely...and I have for years with a Gen I stock suspension. The only improvement now is replacement fork springs.

ride through the city of New Orleans with me anytime...shoot, many, many roads are much worse that those pics

thank gawd they finally resurfaced I-10 between the Industrial Canal and Lake Ponchartrain

the middle and right lanes were basically unrideable

I would get in the left lane, whether alone or leading a big group, and stay there as the cages and trucks gave me the one finger love sign as they passed on the right. There was no choice in the matter for me 2006-2009.

Our friend ****** named Katrina is obviously still kicking our *** in some ways even today.

Look me up. I like rides to Venice (Fort Jackson past Port Sulphur), Lafitte, Cocodrie, and maybe best, Grand Isle (just go sloooowwww through Golden Meadow which ain't so golden if you exceed their ridiculous limit). Just 2 weekends ago, it was a lunch ride to Bubba's 2 in Houma.

and then there's Abbeville (your stomping grounds, I presume) and Lafayette.

Jay (SouthernCruiser) here rides an '08, lives in Eunice, and I believe works in Lafayette.

 

[BikerGeek99]

"Long cracks."

With that in the title of this thread, I wasn't sure what to expect. Glad to see it's G-rated.

Anyway.

To the OP - yes, the FJR will do fine. After riding the goat-paths up in Quebec whilst attending CFR a coupla weeks ago, the FJR will handle that just fine.

And go riding with Patriot if for no other reason than to witness first-hand his horn-mounting.

 

[kaitsdad]

I think this serves as a testament to the FJR's abilities.

Clicky Here

 

[El Toro]

Looks like the road from Princeton to Barre in central MA.

Looks like it would be a job for Super Moto!!!

Lighter is better on this kind of stuff. A 650 pound bike, no matter whose brand, is going to be aggravating.

I recently traded my R1200GS and my G650 Xmoto, but either would have been at home on this sort of road. Of course you have to be an NBA starter to climb on either of them.

The FJR can handle this sort of stuff, and may have an advantage because of its strong wheels to avoid wheel damage (the Honda ST also has very strong wheels and can take impacts of this type most of the time). However, this is not the sort of daily drive that Yamaha had in mind when they designed the FJR.

 

[Patriot]

"Long cracks."
With that in the title of this thread, I wasn't sure what to expect. Glad to see it's G-rated.

Anyway.

To the OP - yes, the FJR will do fine. After riding the goat-paths up in Quebec whilst attending CFR a coupla weeks ago, the FJR will handle that just fine.

And go riding with Patriot if for no other reason than to witness first-hand his horn-mounting.

course, I forgot, I don't speak French... :yahoo:

 

[wfooshee]

There's a law in Louisiana, isn't there, requiring a minimum 1.75-inch step from a roadway onto a bridge span? And I think that step has to be proportional to road speed as well, i.e. bigger step for faster highways.

That's the impression I've had whenever travelling through there. Getting to Texas would be so much easier if Louisiana was . . . . elsewhere.

 

[rickcorwn]

I think the biggest advantage the FJR would have over the V-Rod are the ergonomics. With the FJR your foot pegs are right under you so you can transfer your weight to the pegs or even stand up a bit and absorb any rough roads. As opposed to the general cruiser style foot forward seating where the pot holes just try to pound your seat up your a$$.

Oh and the FJR will dodge the bad stuff much better too.

 

[Geezer]

As said above, the FJR will handle those road conditions pretty easily. It is not the best bike for that job. If all you want is to ride beat up roads then a dual sport is a better tool. Maybe a V-Strom or a nice Versys with dual sport tires.

If you want to do some other things with the bike, then the FJR will take you to far away places at any speed you like with ease, and still handle the bad roads when asked to do so.

 

[Bokerfork]

You sure you didn't take those pictures in California?

Looks like a lot of our finer hiways.

When the roads get like that for more than a mile or two at a time I prefer a cage or DS. Roads like that take

all the fun out of any pure street bike.

Good luck,

Mark

 

[RadioHowie]

So would an FJR ride at speed on roads like this like these every day?

Problem here -- the "At Speed" in those pics is 15mph.

Hell, my Dixie Chopper can handle those minor imperfections at 15mph.

 

[Night Ryder]

Right. Anything can handle this at 30mph, but at 60, it's less fun.

How about turning? How will an FJR handle rough roads and potholes mid corner?

 

[El Toro]

Right. Anything can handle this at 30mph, but at 60, it's less fun.
How about turning? How will an FJR handle rough roads and potholes mid corner?

Anybody who tells you that traversing this kind of mess with an FJR is a cake walk is blowing smoke, and they've drunk their own Kool Ade.

Mid corner pot holes are never fun ON ANY BIKE.

How well you handle them is pretty much up to the rider.

If you see it, anticipate its impact, compensate for it, and don't get into sand or oil, you can get away with more than if you don't see it, don't anticipate the impact, don't compensate for it, and hit sand or oil.

Its pretty much common sense. Two wheels is NOT the same as four wheels. If you hit a serious pot hole either in a corner, OR on a straight, it can get exciting.

The lighter the bike, and the greater the available suspension travel, and the better matched the damping and suspension stiffness are to the specific input, the better you will cope with the mess.

These aren't legitimate sport touring type roads. Any bike will handle them if you take it through deliberately enough. But that doesn't mean its going to be fun.

 

[rushes]

Right. Anything can handle this at 30mph, but at 60, it's less fun.
How about turning? How will an FJR handle rough roads and potholes mid corner?

Make sure you get one with ABS...

 

[Patriot]

Right. Anything can handle this at 30mph, but at 60, it's less fun.
How about turning? How will an FJR handle rough roads and potholes mid corner?

it'll turn fine, but ya balls will fall off in the process :yahoo:

 

[CRMH Eagle]

I hit a BIG pothole on I-70 in Denver... put a gouge in both the front and rear rims. Thankfully the tire beads can be seated with no issue. If I'd gone slow enough would've fallen into it and gone straight to China.