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Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

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I ride with my friend from work and he owns the BMW 1200GT. About 6 weeks ago we rode out to Yuma, AZ. from El Cajon and he guns his BMW and pulls away from me just after Pine Valley on Interstate 8 so I gunned the FJR to catch up. I took it up 135 mph going uphill and was gaining on him really fast so I rolled off and settled in behind him cruising at 85. The FJR is plenty fast enough for me and there seems to be this sweet spot were it accelerates like crazy over the 6k rpm mark.

I'm the type of rider that likes to follow something, either a car or bike that has a good pace. I can play chase the rabbit all day. So as far as me pulling out in front and holding the lead, it’s just not my style….but I’ve been confident that I can pass whenever I wanted.

Edit: He rides a 1200RS

 
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I've yet to encounter a GT on the road. Seen 'em parked, in the showroom or on the lift, but never actually on the road...

Oh, here's Darth Vader's S, though:

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Inquiring minds want to know huh? My previous bike was a 83 V-65 Magna. Bought it new and for some reason had the urge to sell it last summer.......Since, I've experience various stages of remorse as I've always owned a bike going back to age 13......(40 years) and all HONDAS and I feel mentally void without one...

The 83 V-65 was the fastest production bike produced back them....0-60 in 2.4 seconds with a top speed of 152 mph. The reason I bought it was because of the big front tire as it keep the bike from wondering on rain groves that were so prevalent on the highways back then........Needless to say over 20 years I got used to the power, never did more than 120mph on it, but did test the 0-60 claims as often as I could. The reality was, it make other motorcycle feel like my old 10-speed Scwhinn Varsity bike. I remember once riding my sister's boyfriends HD RoadKing and I honestly thought the bike was running on one cylinder and immediately turned around in hopes of making it back without having to push it.......He assured me it was running like it was supposed to....Never have understand how anyone could of enjoy that thing....My Schwinn was faster...

Anyway, immediatley outfitted my V-65 with a windshield, cigarette lighter (radar detector), beer holder, cruise and highway pegs.....took it to Colorado several times....the only time I ever got scared was after spending 3 weeks cruising around the mountains, I was coming into Dallas headed southbound on 35 and hit hwy 635, a 8 land super slab, around rush hour......for some reason even with most my riding being right here in the middle of it all, I got scared..........I blame it on the mountains....not having anyone close to you for a couple of 1,000 mile then to have an 18 wheeler on each side of ya with their tires only a foot away from you shoulders with this feeling you could gonna be sucked into either one of them at any second I imagine would be tough for the most seasoned road warrior....Never have enjoyed city driving since.....Now, I get up around 6:00 Sun morn and ride for a hour or so only to head home before the church crowd wakes up & hit the road... Have subscribed to Rider Magazine for years and love reading about road trips......Yea, I have dreams and high hopes of hitting the road again after my little girl (4 yrs) won't miss me.....I picked up on the FJR after checking out the Iron Butt website, and reading all about they're adventures and how they loved the bike...

The plan is to check out of this crazy place ( U.S ), take my money and head down to Mexico.....I enjoy their culture, matter of fact I've even learned Spanish knowing it's a must to communicate to make such a trip.......Yea, I really get off on smoking a little weed, enjoying a cold Mexican beer along w/ having several young Mexican hookers at my side who are more than willing to do WHATEVER I ask. And you're not some freaking criminal for just living life as it's all legal down there too!.... Hell, ain't got no crime down there...nothing against the law......my kind of place. And evidently I'm not alone, as there's a couple of million more Americans who also have found it a nice place to live too... (Search " Lake Capala" (outside Guadalajara) on Google). There's a party going on,,,,,and it ain't here, that's for sure...

I’m gonna stop now, said enough…..thanks for asking, Adios

sorry for the long story.........you ask

 
I have never ever seen a production anything hit 0-60 in 2.4 seconds. My 02 Hayabusa was 2.8-2.9 I think according to magazine times.

 
Then the 84 Yamaha VMAX was unleased which was like a 100th of a second faster than the Honda v-65, so it then the VMAX became KING of the streets. Remember, this was 20 years ago and these bike were the 1st bikes produced in the 120hp range...They were more like street dragsters than sport bikes. Yes, that was back when Hayabusa was just a twinkle in Suzikis eyes....

 
The VMax started life as a 145hp motor in 1985. It stayed at that output through 1986. When it made its return in 1988 it was detuned to 133hp due to emissions and noise regulations. It was dropped further to 125hp in 1997, again at the behest of the EPA. The ’85-’86 bikes are the fastest and they get a little slower as you come forward in time. The 1985-86 have moved into the collector status already.

 
totally different beasts. My FJR stops and turns. My Vmax was a 10 parts motor and 3 parts frame/brakes/suspension. I had an 89 with the smaller 40mm forks (grew to 43mm in 93 or 94 with the update) I braced everything I could on the bike, had a nice set of brakes from a 900RR, revalved and resprung the front forks, replaced the rear shocks with a nicer set and it handled slightly better. It was still a hand full. I went with a full 4 into 1 Holeshot, retained the Vboost and went with an agressive stage one jetting and pulled about 125 rwhp with it. a 13hp increase over my baseline but with a much better power curve and more torque through out. Honestly, I really miss the Max. The FJR is pretty close powerwise (I'd give the nudge to the FJR) The FJR cleans house with handling and braking though. There's no getting over the fact the Vmax is a 21 year old design. Even with the update with 93-94. I'd still choose it over the power cruisers of today. Even though the Vmax is a standard to me.

I hope this is the revamp:

ti8_IMG_1400.jpg


 
The VMax started life as a 145hp motor in 1985. It stayed at that output through 1986. When it made its return in 1988 it was detuned to 133hp due to emissions and noise regulations. It was dropped further to 125hp in 1997, again at the behest of the EPA. The ’85-’86 bikes are the fastest and they get a little slower as you come forward in time. The 1985-86 have moved into the collector status already.
I've never heard that before. Do you have any links describing these changes?

I know that some people argue that the exhaust on the 85-86 was the least restrictive and that the Vboost intake plenum runners on the 88-89 where the largest and flowed the best, but i have never seen anything factual to suggest that was true.

 
I ride regularly with a buddy on a K-RS (not the new uber-bike). He's got a Remus pipe and reprogrammed injection (forget if that was just a chip or other technique). Anyway, when he's in his sweet spot, we do this on highway on-ramps, we're darn close for acceleration. He doesn't get away from me but if I'm faster it's not by much!

Now I outweigh him by a solid +100 lbs so that probably goes a ways toward evening things up. And he does need to be 'on the cam' where we notice the FJR's acceleration isn't so sensitive.

We both pull noticeably harder than our other friend on his completely stock ST1300. But even then the differences are not like I disappeared in the distance. :)

 
Damn hot bike there........Yea, I miss my V-65 too.......It'll problably become a collector bike next year and be valued for about 10X's for what I sold it for...
the good ones always do. That's on my top 5 of all time bikes I'll own again.

 
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