There really is a first time for everything

[08FJR4ME]

She takes pictures and cooks too! what a keeper. Waiting for the next ride report.

Dave

 

[hppants]

This is good stuff, man.

Damm good stuff.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Fred, you have just become the high point of my entire day. There is something special about being the one person to do the initial break in. There is a certain comfort in knowing exactly the entire history of the motorcycle. I am so glad that you got to experience that feeling with such a wonderful new motorcycle.

I just had to explain to my wife some of that desire. You are not helping at all.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

That picture of you smiling says it all. Congrats to you sir!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Most excellent Fred. Hope there are many (s)miles ahead of you and the new scoot!

--G

 

[Uncle Hud]

Fine looking bike, sir!

 

[Chiefblueman]

Fred, you look like a great big little kid who just got that bicycle he was dreaming about. I didn't get a new motorcycle today but you had me grinnin' along with you

Thank God we never really grow up. Enjoy the toy, boy!

 

[bluejag]

Congrats Fred on the new ride! It looks like you three will be enjoying some great times together. I'm sure you will have it comfy for Josie in no time. She said something about a tripod farkle for her camera?? Sorry I missed the homecoming I was on the coast Big surf searching, (nothing great) and you were prolly on mile 180 when I got to Casa Fred. I think that smile will last for a long time!!

 

[ZOOOMM AGAIN]

I agree with everyone above, the picture of you at the dealer is priceless. Looking forward to stopping by the next time we head out for lobsta rolls and see your new beauty and hear more about your trip. Go team Red!

 

[Geezer]

Did I miss something or did you forget to tell us about a few miles of dirt road?

 

[CA G-Man]

Love the new avatar Fred - looks good on ya!

 

[Tanker]

Fantastic Fred!

Can't wait to hear your on-going impressions of that new scoot.

 

[SkooterG]

Woo-freaking-hoo!!!!!!

Ya *******!

 

[mcatrophy]

If you can't tell from the photo, I am in heaven. Ask anyone. I am actually not a big smiler, but could not help myself there.

I know that feeling. Congrats.

 

[Fred W]

Hot off the press... Reporting the early returns, the 2014 ES wins by a landslide!!

As was sensed in the 10 mile test ride, the 200 mile "cherry popping" ride yesterday confirmed that the bike is infinitely more refined in almost every way over the (once superior) First Gen.

In the T (touring) drive mode it is like having a 1st gen bike with the Power commander III set very rich. Ultra smooth launching from a stop, and overall off to on throttle control, but without the nasty emissions side effects. And, with the added advantage of being able to just pull in the clutch, hit the mode switch once and instantly be in full rip-snorting sport mode.

Speaking of Power Commanders, I have felt absolutely no lean surging on the new bike. Seems they figured a way to meet emissions without having the mixture be overly lean. The only other fuel injected bike I have ever ridden that did not have that problem was my old 1998 VFR800 and it did not have an O2 sensor (it was open loop type fuel injection only).

The throttle spring is very light, due no doubt to the Fly By Wire control. I rode it yesterday without my throttle rocker, but have decided to go ahead and put one on again. Old dogs and new tricks... All the other controls work just as well. I feel like there is more braking power on tap than on my old 1st Gen, but all the rest of the controls feel very very familiar, which is to say good.

Rode with the windshield down mostly yesterday and it was blissfully smooth. Did try raising it a few times and it (naturally) gets a bit buffetty as the shield is not big enough for my torso height to get the wind up to the top of my head. Looks like a bigger winter windshield will be needed in the future.

The seat... ouchie. My Candy Butt has become spoiled on Russells. I'll be calling them, on Tuesday (after the holiday) to see how long the back log is and how quickly they can make a set of seats for me.

These 2nd gen (carried forward) mirrors suck. How you second genners have put up with these things all these years is beyond me. I get an awesome view of my hands and elbows. To see what's goin on behind me I need to both move my head and pull in my elbow. This must be changed. Yeah, I'm also spoiled at having run the FZ1 "antenna" mirrors on my 1st Gen since about the first month of ownership. More on this in the future, no doubt.

Here's the big win... When I knocked the suspension down to "one up" preload and then set the damping to either soft or normal, the bike swallows up the New England crappy roads almost as well as my long suspension V-Strom does, but it isn't as squishy soft on corners or when braking/accelerating as the ADV bike is. How dey do dat?

Dunno, but I sure do like it!

If I had bought the A model I would have missed out on that. I am soooo glad I spent the extra grand.

That's it for now. More to come as miles accumulate.

 

[MCRIDER007]

In the T (touring) drive mode it is like having a 1st gen bike with the Power commander III set very rich. Ultra smooth launching from a stop, and overall off to on throttle control, but without the nasty emissions side effects. And, with the added advantage of being able to just pull in the clutch, hit the mode switch once and instantly be in full rip-snorting sport mode.


Here's the big win... When I knocked the suspension down to "one up" preload and then set the damping to either soft or normal, the bike swallows up the New England crappy roads almost as well as my long suspension V-Strom does, but it isn't as squishy soft on corners or when braking/accelerating as the ADV bike is. How dey do dat?

Dunno, but I sure do like it!

If I had bought the A model I would have missed out on that. I am soooo glad I spent the extra grand.

Fred, I think you will find that you do not have to pull in the clutch to change modes, just roll off the throttle and hit the mode switch. As for the suspension, I really can't see much (any) difference between the ES in the rider plus luggage and the A model in the shock's soft position. They both have the same spring rates in the forks and appear to have very similiar spring rates in the shock (about 800 lb spring). The damping curves (and ride) also appears be be very similiar. The only difference is that the ES seems to be a "tighter" package than my 13A and whether that is due to differences in mileage, the inverted fork, or Yamaha working some magic in one year is yet to be determined. Have fun (and the GEN1s were never superior to the GEN2s).

 

[Allen_C]

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Sounds like Fred is in lust and has been converted to the ways of the ES.

I just hopped on mine last night for a 10 mile errand and it felt so good and smooth compared to the '08 we rode in California...the two bikes are so different..

 

[BanjoBoy]

 

[RadioHowie]

I CANNOT believe this "Early Ownership Report" from our own FredW.

(yes, Fred, you ARE "our own")

All this grand and glorious talk about farkling and money spending and not a word...not ONE mind you...about putting thread locker on the bag lock screws.

What the hell is wrong with you? Or, miraculously, did the dealer do it???

*******!

I CANNOT believe this "Early Ownership Report" from our own FredW.

(yes, Fred, you ARE "our own")

All this grand and glorious talk about farkling and money spending and not a word...not ONE mind you...about putting thread locker on the bag lock screws.

What the hell is wrong with you? Or, miraculously, did the dealer do it???

*******!

 

[dcarver]

I've been around the Fred for all of 3 days back at NERDS and never once did I see a genuine, bug-swalloing smile. Then the not so Frugal Yankee buys a new bike and he's grinning like a with 10 dollars at a dime candy store! That my friends, is good stuff!