Comments on: If I could own only one bike: Yamaha FJR1300 http://midliferider.com/blog/2008/02/21/if-i-could-own-only-one-bike-yamaha-fjr1300/ rambling through mid-life on motorcycles Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: kevin http://midliferider.com/blog/2008/02/21/if-i-could-own-only-one-bike-yamaha-fjr1300/comment-page-1/#comment-396 kevin Sat, 30 May 2009 18:10:13 +0000 http://midliferider.com/blog/2008/02/21/if-i-could-own-only-one-bike-yamaha-fjr1300/#comment-396 Rod. Thanks for your note. Leaving aside the differences between the 05 and the next generation bike (radiator, alternator are some big ones) which is what I had . . . The basic drive train is marvelous and very stout. Tons of power and torque. Transmission and final drive are nearly bulletproof. A real freight train. Equally, the suspension is beefy and well sorted (assuming nothing is bent). Same with the frame. So assuming none of the spendy pieces are fragged, you have in your garage a powerful, good looking, good handling mile eater, that radiates a bit of heat (solved with the next generation radiator), and drags pegs a bit sooner than the competition. Regardless of what you do you will want to rebuild the front forks and replace the rear unit. I didn't love the stock seat and many if not most of the FJR riders i know fiddle it in some way. I got a custom seat for example. The stocker isn't as bad as the K1200GT however. I wouldn't make that the deciding factor as sorting out the saddle isn't that difficult. I have seen a conversion somewhere that turned the FJR in the direction you have in mind. There is also pictures of an FJR on www.advrider.com somewhere with a massive tank on it that some guy prowls the back roads of Alaska on. So that should tell you something. It's a great platform Rod. I can appreciate the daunting nature of starting a new project, but that's another thing. K Rod. Thanks for your note. Leaving aside the differences between the 05 and the next generation bike (radiator, alternator are some big ones) which is what I had . . . The basic drive train is marvelous and very stout. Tons of power and torque. Transmission and final drive are nearly bulletproof. A real freight train. Equally, the suspension is beefy and well sorted (assuming nothing is bent). Same with the frame. So assuming none of the spendy pieces are fragged, you have in your garage a powerful, good looking, good handling mile eater, that radiates a bit of heat (solved with the next generation radiator), and drags pegs a bit sooner than the competition.

Regardless of what you do you will want to rebuild the front forks and replace the rear unit. I didn’t love the stock seat and many if not most of the FJR riders i know fiddle it in some way. I got a custom seat for example. The stocker isn’t as bad as the K1200GT however. I wouldn’t make that the deciding factor as sorting out the saddle isn’t that difficult.

I have seen a conversion somewhere that turned the FJR in the direction you have in mind. There is also pictures of an FJR on http://www.advrider.com somewhere with a massive tank on it that some guy prowls the back roads of Alaska on. So that should tell you something.

It’s a great platform Rod. I can appreciate the daunting nature of starting a new project, but that’s another thing.

K

]]> By: ROD O'DONOGHUE http://midliferider.com/blog/2008/02/21/if-i-could-own-only-one-bike-yamaha-fjr1300/comment-page-1/#comment-393 ROD O'DONOGHUE Fri, 29 May 2009 04:12:27 +0000 http://midliferider.com/blog/2008/02/21/if-i-could-own-only-one-bike-yamaha-fjr1300/#comment-393 ACQUIRED A 2005 FJR1300 TWO YEARS AGO FROM A MOTOR DEALER.WAS AN INSURANCE CLAIM.THE GUY FLIPPED IT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DOWN A GRASS EMBANKMENT.ENGINE GOING WHEN I PURCHASED IT.DAMAGE WAS BACK END........EXHAUSTS,MUDGUARD,TAIL LIGHT AND SEAT.DEEP DENT IN THE TANK,AND THE FAIRING CRACKED AND BROKEN.MANY YEARS AGO,AGE 23 I BUILT A 1941 HARLEY DAVIDSON 10/12 (1200cc)EX ARMY FROM BITS AND PIECES I SCRONGED ALL OVER SOUTH AFRICA.I BUILT IT INTO A CHOPPER AND DID A TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA ON IT.IN THOSE DAYS NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN A CHOPPER IN THIS COUNTRY,SO THE RESPONSE TO THE BIKE WAS ENORMOUS IN ALL THE CITIES I VISITED.I HAD TWO CITY POLICE ESCORTS INTO PORT ELIZABETH AND CAPE TOWN,JUST OUT OF CURIOUSITY FROM THE CITY POLICE BIKE RIDERS.NOW I AM 57,AND HAVE THE DESIRE TO RIDE AGAIN.BUT THIS FJR1300 HAS BEEN MOTHBALLED IN MY GARAGE FOR TWO YEARS NOW. I CANT SEEM TO GET THE SAME ENTHUSIASM TO BUILD IT UP AGAIN LIKE I DID WITH THE HARLEY.YOUR ACCOUNT OF THE BIKE AND YOUR PRAISE FOR IT,HAS STIRRED A FEELING,ENOUGH TO RELATE MY STORY TO YOU.I AM WONDERING IF I SHOULD CUSTOMISE IT (WITHOUT FAIRING,AND A MODIFIED BACK END AND PETROL TANK) OR BRING IT BACK TO STOCK STANDARD.I WOULD LIKE TO GO TOURING AGAIN AROUND SOUTH AFRICA,WITH MY FIANCEE.HOW COMFORTABLE IS THE SEATING ON A STOCK BIKE?APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IF YOU REPLY REGARDS ROD ACQUIRED A 2005 FJR1300 TWO YEARS AGO FROM A MOTOR DEALER.WAS AN INSURANCE CLAIM.THE GUY FLIPPED IT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DOWN A GRASS EMBANKMENT.ENGINE GOING WHEN I PURCHASED IT.DAMAGE WAS BACK END……..EXHAUSTS,MUDGUARD,TAIL LIGHT AND SEAT.DEEP DENT IN THE TANK,AND THE FAIRING CRACKED AND BROKEN.MANY YEARS AGO,AGE 23 I BUILT A 1941 HARLEY DAVIDSON 10/12 (1200cc)EX ARMY FROM BITS AND PIECES I SCRONGED ALL OVER SOUTH AFRICA.I BUILT IT INTO A CHOPPER AND DID A TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA ON IT.IN THOSE DAYS NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN A CHOPPER IN THIS COUNTRY,SO THE RESPONSE TO THE BIKE WAS ENORMOUS IN ALL THE CITIES I VISITED.I HAD TWO CITY POLICE ESCORTS INTO PORT ELIZABETH AND CAPE TOWN,JUST OUT OF CURIOUSITY FROM THE CITY POLICE BIKE RIDERS.NOW I AM 57,AND HAVE THE DESIRE TO RIDE AGAIN.BUT THIS FJR1300 HAS BEEN MOTHBALLED IN MY GARAGE FOR TWO YEARS NOW. I CANT SEEM TO GET THE SAME ENTHUSIASM TO BUILD IT UP AGAIN LIKE I DID WITH THE HARLEY.YOUR ACCOUNT OF THE BIKE AND YOUR PRAISE FOR IT,HAS STIRRED A FEELING,ENOUGH TO RELATE MY STORY TO YOU.I AM WONDERING IF I SHOULD CUSTOMISE IT (WITHOUT FAIRING,AND A MODIFIED BACK END AND PETROL TANK) OR BRING IT BACK TO STOCK STANDARD.I WOULD LIKE TO GO TOURING AGAIN AROUND SOUTH AFRICA,WITH MY FIANCEE.HOW COMFORTABLE IS THE SEATING ON A STOCK BIKE?APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IF YOU REPLY

REGARDS

ROD

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