The "FJR is my main ride" thread

[Harald]

...if Alan (Ionbeam) takes his bike into work tomorrow I think I will buy him a beer the next time I see him...

3°F x (1 hr x 55 mph) ≠ FUN therefore

That's damn cold riding conditions there! :cold: Is there ice to go along with the cold temps? We are "lucky" around here because usually the rain stops before the cold spell hits, so the roads are dry.

If we ever get that cold around here, I'll have to ride to work one day just to say I've done it. Kinda like lot's of challenges that people take on like running marathons or climbing mountains - you do it for the bragging rights, because you like to challenge yourself or to prove how tough you are.

My current record low is 17 degrees that we hit a couple winters ago. :yahoo: With the flaps out on the fairing, Vstrom handguards installed, Vstream shield installed/raised and heated gloves/heated liner cranking it was surprisingly tolerable for the 45 minute commute. I was really disappointed when in the middle of that cold spell the temps dropped to 15 overnight, but I couldn't ride because my son had to be taken to the dentist that day. :angry2:

 

[ahchiu]

The FJR is my main ride 99% as long as there is no ice/snow or it's too windy 40mph+ we have a Ford Explorer, I had a lifted F350 crewcab dually I got rid of it, finding parking and gas milage was bad, 250 mile per tank (38 gals) I get the same milage per tank on the FJR, also I can ride in the carpool lane.

 

[majicmaker]

My current record low is 17 degrees that we hit a couple winters ago.

YIKES!! I got trapped in 17 Degrees on a Broken Ski Lift for an hour and a half in Vernon Vally, NJ when I was a kid.

My ****** disappeared for a month after that! Won't do That Again!! :cray: :bye2: :cold:

 

[JR'SFJR]

I purchased a new GMC 9 years ago, which only has 45,000. During the same period, approx. 130,000 on bikes(RT?, LT 65,000, FJR 55,000, Alps twice), so mainly FJR now.

 

[Geno]

When I rode in the '60s, '70s, & 80's, motorcycles were my main commute vehicle, although I always had a cage for the family. Riding to work every day, no matter what the weather, took a lot of the fun out of it after awhile, but I still had fun on weekends, and my wife & I made many 2-up trips up & down the west coast & Sierras. Since I retired a year ago and don't commute anymore, my Feej is strictly for fun. I've got 12K on 'er in 6 months and am planning some long distance rides soon. Every day is Saturday!

 

[johnny80s]

Bluesman is my "Main Ride" ain't cha Bluesy...

 

[networkguy]

ya know, I dismissed this thread as I've never commuted & consider bike riding recreation.

but now that I'm retired, I rode the bike 26k mi each last 2 years, and the cages about 8k.

Does that count here???

Absolutely! :thumbsup: Nice to see quite a few here as feejer main rides!

 

[Phugedaboudet]

San Jose, California. the FJR is my primary vehicle. I only start the truck when I need to haul more stuff than I can fit on the bike or carry a non riding passenger. That includes all daily commute duties and most chores/grocery runs/etc.

 

[FJRBilldo]

I'm a new guy and just got my FJR the day after thanksgiving (2011). Since then it's been my main ride. Hardly ever get in the car anymore. I commute from Valencia, CA to downtown Los Angeles - about 80 miles a day. (Ugly ride.) Had 30,000 on my '04 GSX-R600 Before I sold it a couple years ago. Commuted on that too. Can you say "Sh!t my back hurts"? Life on the FJR is much more comfy

My car is fun though...it's a Mitsubishi Evolution MR. All wheel drive with lot's of stuff done to it. 310 horsepower at all four wheels (yes that's on a dyno.) Pulls 1G right off the showroom floor. I hardly ever drive it but when I do I am always on the lookout for our brothers and sisters on two wheels.

Lane breaking is not as easy as it was on the little 600. This damn FJR is wider at the back (with the bags on) than my buddy's full dress Harley!! Most of the time I de-bag when commuting.

Cheers,

b

 

[CraigRegs]

Yup, FJR is my main mode. About 10k/year on the Feej, 3-4k a year on the pickup (gotta haul lumber, tools, and help folks move). This winter has been warm and dry, so no appreciable salt or sand on the roads, and with the heated gear, I'm commuting even when it drops in to the low teens.

 

[Low Level FJR Pilot]

Bought her with 2K on her odometer and I am now at 63K almost five years later. Sadly to say, the vast majority of those miles are commuting close to 60 miles a day round trip. This bike never gets left at home, rain or shine.

 

[TriggerT]

My FJR was my main mode of transport, then I went and got a job with a company cage. The only up side is that on days I can get away with riding the bike to work I can still use the company gas card to fill up the bike. OK, I guess having a company cage to drive when there is snow on the ground is also an up side.

 

[AVGeek]

My wife needs our only car for her job, so rain or shine, hot or cold, I'm riding. Since August though I have two choices: the FJR or the Super Tenere.

Since I bought my first street bike back in late 01, I figure I've averaged about 10K miles a year; since moving to Phoenix, my average has dropped a lot, since I spend about half my time traveling for work...usually by airplane and rental car. Though for my trip last week, I did take the FJR, rode a 1000 miles altogether.

 

[McRuss]

'09 FJR first, '07 KLR 650 next, '94 GEO Tracker as last resort (when frogs are drowning.) Then there's the wife's '74 Triumph TR6 (original with 36k) when I'm not working on it and the weather is about perfect.

And the question was asked: which would you rather ride in, 115 deg or 15 deg? Having ridden in both, (actually -15 once), I'll take the cold. There is a limit to how much clothing you can remove and still be ATGATT; electrics take care of the cold.

 

[Kevin_Ireland]

Last year I put 22,000 on my FJR and only a little over 4,000 on my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Most of the miles on the Wrangler was one trip to Ft Devens (2321 total miles for trip). My wife sold my Jeep back in November while I was in Iraq. I don't know if I'll get another car when I get back or not. I'm retiring again (from Army) so I guess it depends on where I get a job. Most Intel jobs are either in AZ, Tampa, D.C. or overseas. If I take a contracting job in Afghanistan then it'll be a year or two before I get another vehicle. I'll just plan for my vacation time to not be in winter.

Or I might just buy a Ural Patrol and ride it on the snow and ice! 3 wheels, counting the sidecar, plus the sidecar wheel is a drive wheel. Of course I'd have to get the optional machine gun mount for the sidecar.

 

[ER RN]

Sole mode 4 me :yahoo:

 

[johnny80s]

Or I might just buy a Ural Patrol and ride it on the snow and ice! 3 wheels, counting the sidecar, plus the sidecar wheel is a drive wheel. Of course I'd have to get the optional machine gun mount for the sidecar.

The machine gun mount is a must. I agree.

 

[slimsailor00]

There's a place to park in downtown New Orleans in an alley across the street from my building that is completely free (car parking is $30/day) and is full of bikes...So I ride my bike to work daily, rain or shine (I keep rain gear in one bag because it does rain frequently here). I put 50,000 miles on my truck in 3 years, and have put 2,000 on it in the past year, whereas I've racked up 5,000 miles on my feejer.

Chris

 

[huckstr]

The FJR is my main ride, but not the first bike to be that...

I commute between San Francisco and Portland as often as twice a month. If the weather stops me, with snow and ice, I fly. When I fly, I use a company bike in SF. When I have to fly, unless it's snowing, I ride to the airport. PDX has free covered and patrolled bike parking right at the front door of the terminal.

While home, the panniers and top box allow for three full grocery bags so that consistent "chore" is covered.

I do own a a 1099 Jeep Cherokee which I use for ski trips, taking the dog places, and hauling anything too big for the bike.

It's amazing what an Aerostich suit and some heated gear can do to mitigate "Bad" weather.

Riding there makes everything I do more fun and more of an adventure. I'm 68, and a bike has been my main ride since I was 17 and left LA to go to school in SF.

 

[huckstr]

Well, actually the jeep is a 1999, I got rid of the one from 1099, the wooden wheels were getting creaky...