RIding with a passenger

[Mark Palmer]

New to the forum. Thought of buying a FJR a couple of years back and just did not pull the trigger.

My GF and I have been talking about a hobby we can do together. She had a Harley with her ex for a couple of years. Enjoys riding. We started looking at Street Glides. 20 freakin K.

We want to use the bike not only for some weekend touring as we have every other weekend free and live in the Southeast, but I could also use it for work now and then. So it would get some mid week use also. Realistically put 5-7k a year on it.

So I started thinking about an FJR. Used, 2007, 6k miles. 7500.00 If she wasnt in the picture thats what I would buy. She is not real fond of the sport bike but she doesnt quite understand that this is a sport touring. She likes the Harley mystic and we have freinds that have a couple of Harleys. But their wives wont ride.

So anyway my thought process is buy an FJR, make it comfortable for her, use it for a year and see how much we enjoy it. If we love riding we can make the decision to invest in a Street Glide. Ive told her we could sell the FJR at that time...although I would probably hold onto it. I like the twisties a bit.

My question is how to set it up to make it comfy for both of us without spending tons of money. Stats are I am 45, 6-4 and 235. Im short legged at a 32" inseam but tall waisted. I probably would need a taller windshield but it still might not be tall enough. She is 5-6" and 135. So we would have 370 on the bike plus gear and luggage.

She will need a backrest to feel comfy and I would imagine the rear trunk will take care of that. I wouldnt even mind one for myself. Can you ride with 2 people and have the rider backrest?

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

 

[RadioHowie]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

Let her ex- have her back???

 

[huron52]

A few things come to mind.... Russell seat for her seat, floor boards for feet, trunk for her back and carrying shoes, and maybe commications of some sort with maybe music.

There is a lot of us on here that ride two up.... and even ride long distances.

 

[SLK50]

Invest in a custom-made two-up saddle such as a Russel Day Long

and you'll both be very happy.

The acceleration, braking and handling of the FJR will

make any Glide feel like a boat anchor.

I've ridden two-up for over 30 years and the FJR is

the best bike I've ever had for the job.

 

[BikerGeek99]

I bought my FJR on a whim. At the time I had a Harley Dyna Wide Glide. It was a terrific cruiser, but sucked 2-up and was not comfortable for much beyond 250 miles a day. I know, I know...

So I bought my '04 because I wanted something kinda sporty-ish again, and I wanted something my wife (GF at the time) and we could try some touring on.

4 1/2 years and 46,000 miles later, I'd say mission accomplished.

IMNSHO, there are 2 things which will help the lil' lady:

1. A good seat. We did 550 miles in a day on the stock seat once and we were both utterly miserable. I picked up a Russell Day-Long third-hand from a seller here on the Forum and the difference is, literally, night and day. Bottom line: invest in a good, comfortable seat.

2. Back rest. I've got a Givi on mine that the wife uses for a back rest. It really helps when you grab a gear and twist the wrist when she wasn't expecting it.

There are other things which will help. A comm system so that she can tell you when she's gotta pee. Music through the comm system, if she likes to listed to music. My wife occupies herself back there by taking pictures of all kinds of stuff I never see - she rides with a camera on a lanyard around her neck. Over time, you will figure out what works best for you.

And, for heaven sakes, please stress the importance of good riding gear. I've spent enough time in the cruiser / Harley realm to know how some of those folks view good, protective riding gear. There is gear out there which is, uh, geared towards wimminz - my wife has a Revit jacket which fits her nicely, and Aerostich has recently come out with Roadcrafters cut for wimminz.

 

[Mark Palmer]

Invest in a custom-made two-up saddle such as a Russel Day Long

and you'll both be very happy.

The acceleration, braking and handling of the FJR will

make any Glide feel like a boat anchor.

I've ridden two-up for over 30 years and the FJR is

the best bike I've ever had for the job.

Is my height and our together weight an issue?

Yeah I know. The Glide is in a different catagory. Im used to faster machines. Raced off road bikes for years and raced Corvettes. I like a bit of speed and corners now and then.

 

[BikerGeek99]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

Let her ex- have her back???

THAT, coming from YOU?!?!

To the OP - just so you know, 'Howie is the KING of Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

 

[ionbeam]

One thing I will note about using a trunk as a backrest, don't automatically add a cushion to the trunk because it would put a passenger the size of yours too far forward. We use a Yamaha OEM trunk without the pad but pillion is happy because the back armor in her gear works as a pad. Some people have reworked the Givi trunk mount to allow it to slide back a bit and give the passenger more room. If you poke around on this Forum you will find that there are luggage rack plates made which offer a real backrest. Corbin (for a few bucks more) offers seats which accept backrests. The backrest alone is around $230. There are other seat manufacturers that offer a rider's backrest. Dunno if your pillion would still fit with the backrest in place.

I have also added a peg lowering kit for the passenger and on my Gen I added heel shields to keep boots from melting to the pipes and provide some heat shielding.

 

[BikerGeek99]

Is my height and our together weight an issue?

Nah. There are quite a few FJR folks out there who are ... uh ... how to put this ... um ... well ... let's just say, not gonna have to worry about their modeling career.

You may need a few tweaks to get a good 'fit' on an FJR, but it can be done. I'd guess you'll definitely be wanting a taller-than-stock windshield and bar risers. Inseam shouldn't be an issue for ya.

 

[RadioHowie]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

Let her ex- have her back???

THAT, coming from YOU?!?!

To the OP - just so you know, 'Howie is the KING of Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

Andy, I hope you're just joking...

I'd give her back to her ex- in a New York minute!! I DREAM of the possibility!

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Me, 6'3", 215, her, 5'4", 130. No problem at all. Comfort-wise, we fit well. Stock seat (although she likes her little AirHawk cushion), and a factory trunk. No issue with room, but she does do a pretty good job of keeping her feet (in the cutest little Sidi Race Vertebrae) back enough so that when I'm on the balls of my feet (almost all the time), we don't interfere. Since you like the corners, you'll love the FJR two-up in the twisty stuff. This all depends on your passenger's experience, obviously.

Good luck.

 

[Mark Palmer]

Here is a link to the bike if anyone is interested on giving input.

https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2007-Yamaha-FJR1300A-104911445

I would offer 7400.00 out the door. I live in GA so the tax is in state.

As you can see it has a Corbin seat but it sounds like the Russel would be the way to go. Im sure I could sell the Corbin.

Then I figure we would spend about another 2k getting it set up and then another 2k in gear. Helmets, Jackets, etc So I am at about 11k and ready to go riding.

Then the first trip to the Keys.

 

[Mark Palmer]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

Let her ex- have her back???

THAT, coming from YOU?!?!

To the OP - just so you know, 'Howie is the KING of Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

Andy, I hope you're just joking...

I'd give her back to her ex- in a New York minute!! I DREAM of the possibility!

I dont mean to sound like an ***** but truthfully guys my girl and I have not been getting along real well and this is an attempt to do something together that will help. If I was alone, as I stated, I would purchase an FJR. The last thing I want is to be single and on a freaking 20 thousand dollar street glide. If things dont work out then I have a bike I can ride single with ease.

These things are on my mind....

 

[Auburn]

Invest in a custom-made two-up saddle such as a Russel Day Long

and you'll both be very happy.

The acceleration, braking and handling of the FJR will

make any Glide feel like a boat anchor.

I've ridden two-up for over 30 years and the FJR is

the best bike I've ever had for the job.

Is my height and our together weight an issue?

Yeah I know. The Glide is in a different catagory. Im used to faster machines. Raced off road bikes for years and raced Corvettes. I like a bit of speed and corners now and then.

Moer than likely you will need to get after market rear shock and have the front resprung and add GP or Racetech cartridges to them so the bike is suspended properly for 2 up riding. Especially if you explore the sportier side of the FJR.

We do at least one long trip (10-12 days, 4000+ miles) each summer. It is a great bike. We are set up with everything that Bikergeek99 suggested. In addition I pull a trailer and we camp on our trips entirely.

This year we did a SS1000 as part of our trip going from pasco, WA to Williams, AZ in one day. It was 1135 miles in just over 18 hours. We do have the Russell Day Long saddles and she has a backrest on the factory trunk. Neither of us had sore butts at all.

We ride 2 up about 95% of the time and it is time just for us. If you need something more toward the touring, I would consider a gold wing. they are relativly cehap and offer a lot of creature comforts, but they are heavy (over 900 lbs). The harly is too limited in ground clearance IMO and you will be dissappointed if you try to maintain any pace at all through twisty roads. The FJR can maintain the pace (suspension mods help a lot here).

 

[Blind Squirrel]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

:whistling: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=148956

 

[RadioHowie]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

Let her ex- have her back???

THAT, coming from YOU?!?!

To the OP - just so you know, 'Howie is the KING of Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

Andy, I hope you're just joking...

I'd give her back to her ex- in a New York minute!! I DREAM of the possibility!

I dont mean to sound like an ***** but truthfully guys my girl and I have not been getting along real well and this is an attempt to do something together that will help. If I was alone, as I stated, I would purchase an FJR. The last thing I want is to be single and on a freaking 20 thousand dollar street glide. If things dont work out then I have a bike I can ride single with ease.

These things are on my mind....

WOW...not sure we wanted to know THAT much about your personal life, but okay...

As to the bike, took a look at the ad. I've hung around forums like this for a LONG time, and the concensus I've determined over the years is that while many LIKE their Corbin seats, most HATE them! Apparently they are VERY hard and take two millenia to "break in". Another thing, that 2007 has the Muzzy 4-to-1 system on it. Many who added this system to their bikes found the header/collector would touch down easily and dangerously on right-hand turns. I believed Muzzy corrected the problem on later units sold, so I'd recommend a good look at the collector right where the header pipes join up to see if there is any "touchdown" problems with that particular pipe.

Now, as to the relationship? Personally, MINE is so ****** up any and all advice I give would be suspect, but if I was in your shoes, i.e., in a troubled relationship, I'd MUCH rather drop a grand on a 7 to 10 day cruise with her than 8 grand on a motorcycle that "might" heal things. Not only do you save money...you'll find out about 5 days into the cruise whether or not you want to spend the rest of your lives together....or want to throw each other overboard!

 

[Mark Palmer]

Invest in a custom-made two-up saddle such as a Russel Day Long

and you'll both be very happy.

The acceleration, braking and handling of the FJR will

make any Glide feel like a boat anchor.

I've ridden two-up for over 30 years and the FJR is

the best bike I've ever had for the job.

Is my height and our together weight an issue?

Ive heard we probably need to re-spring and a new shock. I am hoping we dont need that right away. Would rather wait until we are sure this is something we are really going to get into. Im hoping its still ridable with the stock suspension and whatever adjustments it has?

I actually had a Wing once. Back in 06 a guy owed me about 11k. He had a 03 Wing with 1700 miles. I took it in trade and rode it for about 8 months and put about 5k on it. It was fun and all but its just so big and heavy and kind of, hope im not offending, an old mans bike. Im 45 and not quite ready for the couch on wheels. The looks I would get when I pulled up to a stoplight with Metallica blaring on a Gold Wing....lol

Yeah I know. The Glide is in a different catagory. Im used to faster machines. Raced off road bikes for years and raced Corvettes. I like a bit of speed and corners now and then.

Moer than likely you will need to get after market rear shock and have the front resprung and add GP or Racetech cartridges to them so the bike is suspended properly for 2 up riding. Especially if you explore the sportier side of the FJR.

We do at least one long trip (10-12 days, 4000+ miles) each summer. It is a great bike. We are set up with everything that Bikergeek99 suggested. In addition I pull a trailer and we camp on our trips entirely.

This year we did a SS1000 as part of our trip going from pasco, WA to Williams, AZ in one day. It was 1135 miles in just over 18 hours. We do have the Russell Day Long saddles and she has a backrest on the factory trunk. Neither of us had sore butts at all.

We ride 2 up about 95% of the time and it is time just for us. If you need something more toward the touring, I would consider a gold wing. they are relativly cehap and offer a lot of creature comforts, but they are heavy (over 900 lbs). The harly is too limited in ground clearance IMO and you will be dissappointed if you try to maintain any pace at all through twisty roads. The FJR can maintain the pace (suspension mods help a lot here).

I am hoping that we can get away with the stock suspension for a while until we figure out if this something we want to get serious about.

Hopefully with a little bit of suspension adjustment we can make do. I am sure I wont be real agressive out of the box.

I would imagine moving the pegs around with some extensions will help with foot position.

 

[Mark Palmer]

What else can I do to make it comfortable for her?

Let her ex- have her back???

THAT, coming from YOU?!?!

To the OP - just so you know, 'Howie is the KING of Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

Andy, I hope you're just joking...

I'd give her back to her ex- in a New York minute!! I DREAM of the possibility!

I dont mean to sound like an ***** but truthfully guys my girl and I have not been getting along real well and this is an attempt to do something together that will help. If I was alone, as I stated, I would purchase an FJR. The last thing I want is to be single and on a freaking 20 thousand dollar street glide. If things dont work out then I have a bike I can ride single with ease.

These things are on my mind....

WOW...not sure we wanted to know THAT much about your personal life, but okay...

As to the bike, took a look at the ad. I've hung around forums like this for a LONG time, and the concensus I've determined over the years is that while many LIKE their Corbin seats, most HATE them! Apparently they are VERY hard and take two millenia to "break in". Another thing, that 2007 has the Muzzy 4-to-1 system on it. Many who added this system to their bikes found the header/collector would touch down easily and dangerously on right-hand turns. I believed Muzzy corrected the problem on later units sold, so I'd recommend a good look at the collector right where the header pipes join up to see if there is any "touchdown" problems with that particular pipe.

Now, as to the relationship? Personally, MINE is so ****** up any and all advice I give would be suspect, but if I was in your shoes, i.e., in a troubled relationship, I'd MUCH rather drop a grand on a 7 to 10 day cruise with her than 8 grand on a motorcycle that "might" heal things. Not only do you save money...you'll find out about 5 days into the cruise whether or not you want to spend the rest of your lives together....or want to throw each other overboard!

have done 2 cruises in the last 15 months. Nobody went overboard so I guess we have that going for us.

Plus if it doesnt work god forbide I have a bike I can ride alone...lol. I have a very flexible work schedule and can work from almost anywhere. It would probably get put to good use either way

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Mark,

Here are some other options for you locally:

https://www.wowmotorcycles.com/Bikesearch.aspx?pricefrom=0&priceto=300000&keywords=fjr

Good Luck with your purchase...