The 2014 FJR1300 - Woo-hoo!

[Wlfman]

Upon thinking about this suspension stuff more....... if the non-ES is the same as the '13, I'd rather have full damping controls in both forks. The ES has that. If you watched the video, I believe (don't quote me) there are 3 or 4 preload settings with 7 damping adjustments in each. Rear is ES too. So, for 1K, why not go for it. IF you find the springs are a tad light, fork springs are cheap enough, and somebody will come out with one for the rear. Again assuming the rear spring rate is same as the '13, are we finding those adequate or not...... Last EOM Ohlins mentioned electronic is the way things are going, so they might have an aftermarket electronic at some point?? I think for 1K you are getting the value, and am gonna bet they don't sell too many non-ES's. They also didn't bring in a lot of '13's so may not be many left over.....
All you might need with a '14 is a new saddle........ time to buy would be at the end of the '14 season once they announce the '15 colours.......... red being the fastest, of course.

About the warranty thing, Honda's 3 year warranty sounds good, but the price of the bike is still a lot higher than a US FJR with Y.E.S..... not that I'm a fan of extended warranties in the first place......

From Yamaha website: https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport/products/modelfeatures/689/0/features.aspx

In order to make this electronically adjustable suspension function possible, upside-down front forks with independent right and left damper mechanisms is adopted. In this independent right and left damper design, the compression stroke damping force is generated in the left fork and the rebound stroke damping force is generated in the right fork, just like the suspension proven on the YZF-R1®

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Over on st-owners they are discussing whether they could set up a "Group Buy" from Yamaha. That's funny right there I don't care who you are.

When the ST1100 and ST1300 guys are this excited over a Yamaha that says a lot about the FJR and about how disgusted they are with Honda.

 

[nankoweap]

Over on st-owners they are discussing whether they could set up a "Group Buy" from Yamaha. That's funny right there I don't care who you are.

When the ST1100 and ST1300 guys are this excited over a Yamaha that says a lot about the FJR and about how disgusted they are with Honda.

hehehe. ouch.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Over on st-owners they are discussing whether they could set up a "Group Buy" from Yamaha. That's funny right there I don't care who you are.

When the ST1100 and ST1300 guys are this excited over a Yamaha that says a lot about the FJR and about how disgusted they are with Honda.

hehehe. ouch.

Ouch is right. I have been walking past my faithful but outdated ST1300 for the last 24 hours telling myself I still love it. I am not sure either of us is convinced anymore.

 

[nankoweap]

I have an 07 ST13 that isn't going anywhere just yet. But when I get completely comfortable on the FJR, I will find it another good home.

 

[David Foley]

Just spit balling here - but Yamaha needs to go bigger. The K1600 is not going away and frankly Yamaha could do a better job. I am a looking for a bike that I can take from Dallas Texas, to Bar Harbor Maine, Vancouver BC, Key West Florida and San Diego CA - What I call a Four Corners Motorcycle. The 2013 FJR, as fine as it is - is not the bike - yet. Yamaha is the Toyota of Motorcycles - its time they became the Lexus of Motorcycles.

No offense, but go buy a K1600GT. I don't want the FJR to become like that pig. For me, with a few farkles, it will do a Four Corners ride easy-peasy, and then do it all over again. I don't want it to become a Lexus! But this isn't really a thread to discuss what we want the FJR to be. We have plenty of those around here and each person wants the FJR to be something different. If you don't like the FJR enough as-is, there are BMWs, ST1300s, C-14s, VFRs, Triumph Trophies, and I am sure a plethora of other fine motorcycles out there to choose from.

This thread is about the changes (or lack thereof

) to the new 2014 model FJR.

BTW, interesting that you mentioned 'Toyota'. I bet most are not aware that Toyota owns xx% of Yamaha, and Yamaha owns a smaller xx% of Toyota.

Of course - you are right Skooter - what I'm talking about has nothing to do with the FJR but another bike entirely - another conversation and one that I hope Yamaha will lead.

I do like the FJR "as is" and it will not leave my garage.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Just spit balling here - but Yamaha needs to go bigger. The K1600 is not going away and frankly Yamaha could do a better job. I am a looking for a bike that I can take from Dallas Texas, to Bar Harbor Maine, Vancouver BC, Key West Florida and San Diego CA - What I call a Four Corners Motorcycle. The 2013 FJR, as fine as it is - is not the bike - yet. Yamaha is the Toyota of Motorcycles - its time they became the Lexus of Motorcycles.

No offense, but go buy a K1600GT. I don't want the FJR to become like that pig. For me, with a few farkles, it will do a Four Corners ride easy-peasy, and then do it all over again. I don't want it to become a Lexus! But this isn't really a thread to discuss what we want the FJR to be. We have plenty of those around here and each person wants the FJR to be something different. If you don't like the FJR enough as-is, there are BMWs, ST1300s, C-14s, VFRs, Triumph Trophies, and I am sure a plethora of other fine motorcycles out there to choose from.

This thread is about the changes (or lack thereof

) to the new 2014 model FJR.

BTW, interesting that you mentioned 'Toyota'. I bet most are not aware that Toyota owns xx% of Yamaha, and Yamaha owns a smaller xx% of Toyota.

Of course - you are right Skooter - what I'm talking about has nothing to do with the FJR but another bike entirely - another conversation and one that I hope Yamaha will lead.

I do like the FJR "as is" and it will not leave my garage.

Honestly, of the bikes I have sat my (wonderfully shaped) butt on, the FJR is one of the few I could confidently take off on a 4-corners tour straight from the showroom. Obviously it is not a GoldWing. If you are hoping to see Yamaha compete with the GoldWing, I fear you are in for a disappointment.

 

[David Foley]

Redfish - Anybody taking a FJR bone-stock from the show-room on a 4C tour - I'd pay to see it.

And this does not negate what the IBR riders over the years have done on this platform. They have done wonders - heavily modded of course.

 

[Ed Sidders]

I'm gonna bite but this is way out of my SS check range ... I hope I can depend on forum member donations to bail my stupid ass out.....Soon as I buy it I'll set up a paypail account and send Y'all some pictures

 

[Fontanaman]

Hell after a few farkles my 09 has everything I need less a cruise control. And who expected YamaMomma to change anything for 2014 after a significant change in 2013? Thinking of the big 4, Honda's ST1300 is from 2002 or so, Suzuki has nothing to offer and Kawi has the Concourse (nice bike not my cup of tea).

Be happy Yamaha is still in the game as of the big four Kawi is the only significant and reasonable competition.

BMW is too damn expensive and not reliable. If you got spare coin, go for it!

 

[Fred W]

I'm gonna bite but this is way out of my SS check range ... I hope I can depend on forum member donations to bail my stupid ass out.....Soon as I buy it I'll set up a paypail account and send Y'all some pictures

Yeah... good luck with that.

Hell after a few farkles my 09 has everything I need less a cruise control. And who expected YamaMomma to change anything for 2014 after a significant change in 2013?

See, Yamaha was sneaky smart on that one. By not releasing the electronic suspension on the non-AS model last year, holding it back and releasing it this year to the North American market along with some different paint colors, it merely looks like a new model bike.

Apparently the AS's never hit the showroom floors in Europe this summer, according to mcatrophy , so maybe next year there will be another new (two year old) model released in the US?

 

[@rjen]

Apparently the AS's never hit the showroom floors in Europe this summer, according to mcatrophy , so maybe next year there will be another new (two year old) model released in the US?

Not true. The first AS in the Netherlands was delivered to the new owner in June 2013. I know one new owner, and he is quite happy with the new toy.

By the way: the first ride reports and tests of the AS are quite positive, specifically on the new Electronic Suspension: seems to do what it promises. I like the new colour and the suspension option of the ES.... I won't trade in my Midnight Black 2013 though.

We are awaiting the news from Yamaha Europe on the 2014 FJR. So far we have not heard any news over here...

 

[mcatrophy]

Apparently the AS's never hit the showroom floors in Europe this summer, according to mcatrophy , so maybe next year there will be another new (two year old) model released in the US?

Not true. The first AS in the Netherlands was delivered to the new owner in June 2013. I know one new owner, and he is quite happy with the new toy.

...

Yes, I did say in the UK, clearly almost as underprivileged as the USA.

 

[@rjen]

It seems that Fred W confuses the UK with all of Europe...

 

[airboss]

It seems that Fred W confuses the UK with all of Europe...

Clearly the UK is not Europe, ask any Brit. Please don't piss the British off, you know what happen last time we did that.

They sent us Fairlaner!

 

[Geezer]

I was hoping that Yamaha would offer the electronic suspension on a non-AE version. And I was hoping for a nice bright red. This is going to be difficult for me to pass up. We'll see what my bank account looks like in the spring, and how well the discounters do on the price.

I had heard rumors that Ohlins was looking at ES for a future FJR. When I saw the ES announced last year on the AE version in Europe I was thinking that it was indeed the Ohlins stuff, and that it is the same Ohlins stuff that we now get in the USA. Am I being overly optimistic?

 

[NightShine]

It seems that Fred W confuses the UK with all of Europe...

Clearly the UK is not Europe, ask any Brit.

Right. Any school kid knows that the UK is just a set of small islands off the coast of France...

 

[lnewlf]

I'm gonna bite but this is way out of my SS check range ... I hope I can depend on forum member donations to bail my stupid ass out.....Soon as I buy it I'll set up a paypail account and send Y'all some pictures

Anything left over send to me and "fund my dreams"

 

[HotRodZilla]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="David Foley" data-cid="1093023" data-time="1378615137"><p>

Redfish - Anybody taking a FJR bone-stock from the show-room on a 4C tour - I'd pay to see it.<br />

<br />

And this does not negate what the IBR riders over the years have done on this platform. They have done wonders - heavily modded of course.</p></blockquote>

Why is that? Because of the seat?? I've been across the country 4 or 5 times and am still on the stock seat of my '07.

My first trip to eastern Tennessee, the only farkle I had was a little Nuvi GPS. Didnt need a GPS as I can read a map. So, you cough up some money, and I'll ride a bone stock FJR on a four corners ride.

I can understand some people not liking the stock seat, or wanting an improvement. BUT when I hear, "That's the most torturous device ever put on a bike" it makes my bullshit meter go crazy. The person is either a whining liar, or has never ridden very many bikes.

Same goes for the windshield and handlebar adjustments and suspension...Give me a break.

I actually still have my OEM shield, seat, and handlebar position. I've upgraded my suspension...Yamaha has done a pretty dammed good job of making one of everything fit numerous people relatively comfortably.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="David Foley" data-cid="1093023" data-time="1378615137"><p>Redfish - Anybody taking a FJR bone-stock from the show-room on a 4C tour - I'd pay to see it.<br />

<br />

And this does not negate what the IBR riders over the years have done on this platform. They have done wonders - heavily modded of course.</p></blockquote>

Why is that? Because of the seat?? I've been across the country 4 or 5 times and am still on the stock seat of my '07.

My first trip to eastern Tennessee, the only farkle I had was a little Nuvi GPS. Didnt need a GPS as I can read a map. So, you cough up some money, and I'll ride a bone stock FJR on a four corners ride.

I can understand some people not liking the stock seat, or wanting an improvement. BUT when I hear, "That's the most torturous device ever put on a bike" it makes my bullshit meter go crazy. The person is either a whining liar, or has never ridden very many bikes.

Same goes for the windshield and handlebar adjustments and suspension...Give me a break.

I actually still have my OEM shield, seat, and handlebar position. I've upgraded my suspension...Yamaha has done a pretty dammed good job of making one of everything fit numerous people relatively comfortably.

I'm going to go with my grouchy friend from New Mexico on this one.

David, you are a super nice guy, you are a breath of fresh air to this forum and I don't like picking on you. So... I am trying to be gentle here.

The FJR right off the showroom floor is a marvelous piece of equipment. It is a highly refined, extremely reliable, and extremely comfortable motorcycle. Most of the members of this forum can remember having to KickStart a motorcycle. Most of us remember when a Vetter Windjammer fairing was the best thing to happen to a cross country motorcycle. Have you ever been on a 1975 GoldWing? How about a 1981 XS Eleven? Perhaps the 75th Anniversary 1978 Electra Glide? Each of those bikes was considered a wonderful long distance mount in its day. I personally know a man who rode a Triumph Twin from Muenster Texas to Seattle Washington in 3 days. In 1974! I can tell you that none of those bikes is even in the same class as a Gen 1 FJR, much less a Gen 3.

I think your idea of what a long distance bike should be is not based on the reality of what other motorcycles actually are but on some imaginary standard. Sorry, I don't mean to insult you. I maintain the FJR is one of the best right out of the box.

I don't have the vacation time left this year, but if you are willing to pay the money, I will take a bone stock FJR on the Four Corners Trip. Any Gen.