I checked one out today and I have to agree. It wouldn't have taken much to make this a decent adventure tourer.That is the same impression I got when I sat on one. I think it is mostly the shape and location of the handlebars that makes it feel that way.I got to sit on one today at a local dealer and the S10 sitting next to it. The FJ-09 seemed like a 7/8 sized S10 rather than a FJR.
Maybe Yamaha will bring that variation out next year.
The things I didn't like were the seat and the handlebars.
For a sport tourer the seat was too thin for my butt and the bars were too wide. I think you would catch an awful lot of wind at 80mph with your arms spread out that much. I'm sure both items would be aftermarket correctable.