Ultimate Sport Tourer

[Mogan]

What bike wins these days?

I'm very frustrated with the accessory power situation on the FJR. My ideal bike is a powerful, great handling, comfortable sport tourer for four season use.

I think I slid over the frustration edge yesterday when riding with my Gerbings jacket and gloves and turning on the heated grips. The voltmeter said, "Oh no you don't!"

I'd like the flexibility to ride at night (with HIDs) when it's cold (with full electric clothing). The FJR just won't do it.

Suggestions for the ultimate replacement?

 

[yellowmagnaman]

I rode up from CT to Vermont last fall with my Gerbings Jacket/pants/socks and varied my Yamaha heated grips and stayed around 14.0Volts on the highway. I did read that Warchild said some FJR supplier had developed a 600 watt alternator though.

 

[Gleno]

Get a new Silverado....

No really. Except for the uumph factor, my R1100RT had what it took in the juice department. Great all around bike, made better with Ohlins. Used to run full Gerbings, grips, GPS, Piaas, V1, etc with noooo issues from (if I remember right) the 735 watt alternator.

However, I see you ride a 12S, and an FJR....so, Ima guess that the portly boxer isn't the answer to your quandry.

 

[radman]

I rode up from CT to Vermont last fall with my Gerbings Jacket/pants/socks and varied my Yamaha heated grips and stayed around 14.0Volts on the highway. I did read that Warchild said some FJR supplier had developed a 600 watt alternator though.

This has not born fruit AFAIK.

 

[Ignacio]

I did read that Warchild said some FJR supplier had developed a 600 watt alternator though.

That was a bust. The rewound stator did not provide any measurable difference watching the voltage drop on the Datel voltmeter.

I'd like the flexibility to ride at night (with HIDs) when it's cold (with full electric clothing). The FJR just won't do it.

If you convert to HID you can improve that certainly. If you add HID high beam lights (like the FF200) and disable the high beams (they're not needed with these flamethrowers anyway) and you're going to get a net wattage surplus of about 20 watts with about three times the lumen output.

Go with the Widders and you gain even more efficiency.

....It's still a slam dunk for me. The FJR. No question.

 

[Toecutter]

Suggestions for the ultimate replacement?

Non-electrical clothing? My gear seems pretty cozy, but I haven't ridden sub-freezing yet. At that point, around here, there would be ice on the roads.

If you are riding with heated gear and something goes out, what then? Hypothermia? And all those cords. Pass. Do the snowmobile dudes plug in?

....It's still a slam dunk for me. The FJR. No question.

 

[red2kcbr]

The UST? Right now, the closest thing, in my book, is the FJR.

Now, if Honda would just LISTEN TO ME, I'll tell them how the build the ULTIMATE SPORT TOURER. Ready, Honda, are you paying attention?

We'll be starting with an engine based on the V5 RC211V. Tune it for 180 rear wheel HP, 110 ft lbs of torque.

Shaft drive, of course. Now take a close look at the FJR. We'll need similar handling, maybe an inch or two more peg clearance, and comparable ergonimics. Adjustable seat height and handle bars. Electric windshield. A high-output alternator. Two Jastek plugs, one fore and one aft. Bags as good and easy to use as the FJR.

Option list should include sound, GPS, and ABS, without linked brakes.

Now price it appropriately, say around $12K to $13K for the base model, and watch the sport touring world ignite.

 

[Ignacio]

If you are riding with heated gear and something goes out, what then? Hypothermia? And all those cords. Pass. Do the snowmobile dudes plug in?

To be fair, snowmobilers are more the equivalent of motocross than sport-touring. You're moving around that sled generating way more body heat and can't do it day on end like you are on an FJR. After 75 miles of good snowmobiling you're sweating like a pig and wiped out for the day.

If your wiring goes out, you solve the problem, go to backup, or live without. But, more importantly, as with any farkle gone wrong, you fix it later and scold yourself because you didn't wire it properly.

And, there's only one cord (at least on the Widders). It' even less intrusive than earphones.

 

[Shadowfax]

>Do the snowmobile dudes plug in?

Yes.

Heated grips, heated vest. One wire from the side zipper on the 'stich down to the rear-set Powelet socket thats hooked up to the HeatTroller in the dash.

Good to 35deg at highway speeds.

Vest 33watts on high, but the troller is usually set just below 1/2 way

HeatTroller for grips set to about 3/4 when it's 35deg?

I pack a pair of silk glove liners in case the grip-warmers die. I figure if I slow down to 55MPH I should be plenty warm to get home if the vest goes out, tho I pack the extra cord needed to run the vest from the always-on rear Powerlet.

It would also reach the always-on dash Powerlet if I loose both rear sockets.

As Ignacio said, Widders + HID would solve your power issues.

 

[rocketdoc]

My quick answer/suggestion would be to pick between the heated gloves or the grips, kill one and see what you have. To question whether this bike is the ultimate sport touring machine because you are diss'd with the amount of juice you can suck is a tad narrow I think. And if you really need all that stuff turned on, ride your K1200S, on the other hand you will need all that stuff turned on riding the K.

Truly though, most of us were surprised and disappointed with the '06 upgrade not including a fatter alternator.

 

[Toecutter]

Truly though, most of us were surprised and disappointed with the '06 upgrade not including a fatter alternator.

Has that been confirmed? Last I heard there was speculation that the R-1 alternator (560 watt output) may have been put into the '06.

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

Anyone ever found out how the LEO's get enough juice out of the FJR???

 

[Scab]

Being the poverty-stricken individual that I am, (2 ex-wives and 5 kids, need I say more?) the purchase of the FJR was about as far as the bilfold would stretch. What farkles? If the bike didn't come with it and I can't make it, I probably ain't got it. I ride dang near every day, 100 miles per day, just to go to and from work. Granted, I live in N.E. Alabama, but it still gets a little cold some times. I regularly ride in the low thirties and have ridden when it was only twenty degrees. I have 3 pairs of gloves; one leather, one insulated leather, and one pair called "skitech" from Wal-Mart that cost $8.00. I wear a $29.00 Wal-Mart "Starter" brand 3-in-1 jacket that has a goose-down liner. I also wear a pair of home-made insluated chap-like things for leg warmth. The bike is stock, even the windshield. At 6:30 a.m. every morning, if there is no ice on the roads, I ride. It just ain't that bad. One thing that I have discovered, and this will sound strange, but it is more comfortable at speeds of 75 + than at lower speeds. It creates a better insulating bubble of air around me and I get less cold wind on my body. I am more comfortabe (temperature related) riding the FJR that I was on the GoldWing that I came off when I purchased this Yammy.

Originally, I had considered purchasing some electrically-driven warmth gear, but I now doubt that I ever will. I am just going to save my money. After all, an ex may need a new house or something.

 

[Shadowfax]

$30 for heated grips goes a long way towards making it always comfortable to ride.

 

[Toecutter]

Truly though, most of us were surprised and disappointed with the '06 upgrade not including a fatter alternator.

Has that been confirmed? Last I heard there was speculation that the R-1 alternator (560 watt output) may have been put into the '06.

And this from another discussion:

"I took off the stator cover yesterday, and to my dismay saw the stator was missing!!! I saw the wires there when I received up the engine, but they ended just inside the cover.

From pictures it looks like the same as the one on the R1, so I may be able to find one cheap on Ebay...."

 

[twowheelnut]

Suggestions for the ultimate replacement?

Try a warmer state. It's on it's way to 75 degrees today.

 

[rocketdoc]

I think if Yamaha had beefed up the alternator, we would have heard about it in the initial press release. That would be worth touting don't you think?

 

[Ignacio]

I think if Yamaha had beefed up the alternator, we would have heard about it in the initial press release. That would be worth touting don't you think?

That's exactly my thinking and why I have a $20 even money bet with one of the members here--payable at WFO. If Yamaha upped the wattage I'm sure it would be listed on Yammy's website.

 

[spine60]

I think you should buy a Mercedes Benz S-500.