Potholes, roadkill, speed bumps, and long cracks

[SouthernCruizer]

I ride daily the roads in St. Landry, Evangeline, and Acadia parish (I live right in the corner of all 3 parishes) and the roads look about like what your pics show. I ride both a FJR and a Suz GSX650F, and I find that the FJR handles the road much better than the lighter Zuk. Bottom line is, any bike will bounce you around on those roads, so I think your riding position is a key factor in how well it handles. Being able to comfortably stand on the pegs to absorb the shock is key. The FJR allows you to do this.

Good luck in your search!

 

[shiloh]

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.

I live in Quebec and yes, the roads are horrible here (and that's an understatement!), but the FJR manage them just fine.

cheers

 

[Geezer]

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.

I live in Quebec and yes, the roads are horrible here (and that's an understatement!), but the FJR manage them just fine.

cheers

:lol: Yes, some of the roads in Quebec are very bumpy, with the bumps all over the place so you can't work your way around them. You have to just ignore the bike chattering under you and ride a little slower than on a smooth road, but not a lot slower. In fact I was very pleasantly surprised at how aggressively we (the CFR crew) were riding on those bumpy roads without incident.

 

[Night Ryder]

Hey thanks for all the input guys. You've gone a long way towards convincing me that the FJR is the right bike for me.

 

[Phugedaboudet]

what's sad is even in the land of "high tech" and government sucking tax money out of everything, our roads STILL look like this when you're not in the fancy neighborhoods.

In fact, there's reason to suspect that there is a reason the best moto backroads are either deterioriating faster than other roads, or why tar snakes show up in areas that have no cracks...and part of it is because SUV and Euro luxo barge owners with the "retreat" properties out of town aren't inconvenienced by such things.

 

[Bellerophon]

I didn't realize how well my FJR rides until I rode my friends VTR1800 Honda. I had to reinstall my kidneys after a ride across town. That's another reason I'm not a cruiser type motorcycle rider.

 

[jmdaniel]

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.

The grooved pavement on 70, between Denver and Idaho Springs, put the permanent pucker in place last week....

I didn't realize how well my FJR rides until I rode my friends VTRX1800 Honda. I had to reinstall my kidneys after a ride across town. That's another reason I'm not a cruiser type motorcycle rider.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[user 213]

While the FJR will be far above the HD for those roads, test ride a GS1200 too. Much more suspension travel, wide, smooth power band and wider lock to lock steering swing. You my also find you prefer the seating position after the HD. The FJR is more sporty, but for those roads, that might not be an issue.

 

[Willie]

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.

Actually looks like the good section of RT 32 out of Royalston MA to NH

Willie