ST1300 vs FJR1300 Test Rides

[idahorider]

As mention in my introduction a couple of days ago, I am picking out a bike.

Today I took the Girlfriend Unit down to the Yammaha dealer to test ride a bike before placing our order for an ST at the Honda shop. Oops. The '08 FJR was beautiful, simply beautiful. We took it for a short ride and came back with huge grins on our faces. Then we went to the Honda shop and test rode the ST for the first time. More grins, but the shiny black 06 we road didn't have the look of the 08 FJR.

We are taking the Honda Shadow Sabre we own to Phoenix next week and I plan to perch her on one of those red '08 ST's if I can find one while we are there.

The skinny: Both bikes were plenty fast, the FJR hit 100 mph by accident (of course) between lights, and the ST hit 114. I liked the electric shift of the FJR and I didn't anticipate that I would. The ST had noticeable drive train lash, while the FJR was tight.

The ST felt like the type of bike I am used too, the power seemed available at much lower RPM's, while the FJR nearly jumped when it hit 7000 rpm. I like the low RPM power - I really don't plan to ride this bike in an aggressive manner as I will be riding two up almost always.

Sound: This is big for me. The ST SOUNDS like a motorcycle and I love it! Actually, it even feels more like a motorcyce - I think it is the different type of vibration, to the extent that it vibrates. The FJR sounds like a car. Neither bike vibrated much on the road but our rides were short.

Weight: Never noticed a difference and I did push the ST around a bit at the shop. Brakes: Both excellent. Comfort: Both good.

Wow! Tough choice. I have gained a lot from all the kind replies posted when I asked about these bikes a week ago. Thanks to each of you. I will let you know where I end up. My guess is it will be the Red 08 ST1300, but that FJR was one fine bike.

I am ruling out the BMW - dealership too far away and these other options are so good. I plan to try the Moto Guzzi Norge Monday . . .


Alan

[Lorien]

You may wish to check out FJRowners.com web sight. It looks a t lot like this one in some ways and has many discussions about the FJR.

Lorien

[Blrfl]

The ST had noticeable drive train lash, while the FJR was tight.

The ST's throttle can best be described as "accurate." It rewards excellent right-hand technique and gives you a clunky ride otherwise. Liberal use of the friction zone at low speeds is also a must. Time on the bike helps smooth it out.

Both bikes are really, really good products, and whichever you decide to buy, you'll probably be happy. The ST has a practical streak a mile long, which is one of the reasons I prefer it over the Feejer.

--Mark

[saaz]

Have a look over on www.fjrforum.com as well. Some of the comments on the earlier model FJRs don't apply as the problems have been solved. A few schools of thought over the electronic clutch, but if you find no problems in starting off and low speed manouvres no big deal. I envy your choice between two great bikes, you can't go wront. I assume you have knocked out the GTR14 Kawasaki? It is more sporting but very capable. Try www.concours.com

[aka Yamadog]

Liberal use of the friction zone at low speeds is also a must.

--Mark

Mark,
please describe

[sherob]

Mark,
please describe

Use your clutch (friction zone)... to moderate your throttle ;) Depending on your speed, 2nd gear might be a better choice than 1rst too ;) I found that 2nd wasn't as "touchy" as 1rst :rolleyes:

http://www.st-owners.com/forums/showpost.php?p=389863&postcount=13

[pala4evr]

when you visit phoenix, coyote honda has two 08's sitting on floor.buy the honda.

[Blrfl]

please describe

What Rob said.

To elaborate a little: The friction zone is the range of lever travel where the clutch is neither fully engaged nor fully disengaged. The slippage serves as a way to soak up abrupt throttle movements. If your riding isn't incredibly jerky, you probably use it and don't know it.

--Mark

[t-bone]

I did not get to test ride either of the bikes but read lots of reviews, it seems to me from what others in reviews that have actually ridden both is the fjr is a little more sport than touring, I had a 600 ninja a few years ago and it rode nicely with one person so I used what I learned from that bike to see what I wanted in another bike, It looks like the st has more touring capability than the concourse and fjr, More low end torque which is good for 2 up

[the Ferret]

Here's a review I wrote after test riding an 07 FJR (I ended up buying a leftover 06 ST):

I had scheduled an extended ride today on an 07 FJR at my local Yammie dealer in anticpation of putting a deposit on an 08. It seemed on paper to be the perfect bike for my wife and I to go extended rides on. So we show up with our helmets. The bike is gassed up and ready to go. I ask if there is anything specific that I need to know and the dealer tells me it's just like my FZ1 except for the electric windshield. My wife and I mount up and I fire it up. The clutch pull is a lot heavier than the FZ1's even though it is hydrauic and the throttle is really stiff compared to the FZ1 (I had read about the stiff throttle on the FJR boards but it was much stiffer than I had imagined). Anyhow the bike sounds big and powerful as we take off. First thing I hit is the freeway a couple blocks away. On the freeway we can feel the comfort in the ergos (seat good, pegs good, bars are ok) and play with the windshield full down it feels like my FZ1 with the air hitting me in the chin, up the airstream moves to the top of my faceshield and it becomes a lot quieter and with a whole lot less air. In between full down and full up sucked and really buffeted my head and was noisy.This bike is fast and hard to keep at the speed limit even on the freeway. I only go 10 miles or so and my right arm is already tired of holding that stiff throttle open. We jumped off the freeway and hit some twisties. The bike feels ponderous and not at all flickable. I make the side to side transitions with some effort. Again the bike wants to run faster than I want and the stiff throttle is making me work extra hard and so is the stiff clutch. Would hate to get caught in stop and go traffic on this bike. By the 27 mile mark my right elbow hurts and my right thumb and first two fingers are tingling. After another 10 miles of twisties I am not enjoying this ride at all. However my wife is loving it. The rear seat is very comfortable for her, she has plenty of room and the footpegs are not positioned too badly at all for her knees. We hit some straight 2 lane with notorious expansion joints and the FJR takes them in stride, much smoother than any other bike we have ridden. Coming up on a small town we stop at the big yellow M for lunch. I tell my wife how dissapointed I am in the bike. At this point my right shoulder, and right elbow are both hurting and the numb finger thing isn't making me happy, and my left bicep is getting sore to boot from the stiff clutch. My wife is loving the passenger accomodations and is ready to write a check for the bike.

After lunch we head down the 2 lane for another couple miles playing with the windshield some more before hitting the twisties back toward the shop. Again I am not comfortable with the general bulk of this bike and my inability to make left to right to left transitions comfortably.Honestly it feels like a tank to me. We pull into the shop and are met by the dealer. I express my regrets but this won't be bike #47 for me. I am really dissapointed.

**As a side note, I understand Yamaha worked on the throttle on the 08 FJR

[t-bone]

rode a bmw lt for 2 days and the high f1rst gear had us almost tip over one day starting out from a dead stop

[idahorider]

BLRF: What a riot that you would mention the sensitive throttle. What I didn't mention in my write-up is that when we rode the FJR I was intimidated at first, ice just off the roads and lots of gravel, new powerful bike riding two up etc, so I was careful. When we rode the ST an hour later I was feeling more confident and playing with the throttle. We banged helmets more than once. After the ride the Girlfriend Unit's #1 complaint was how rough the ride was. I know it was my fault and told her so. A buddy at work told me the same thing you did after the fact. I am used to a carbureatored V-twin and was not used to the responsiveness of the ST.

[idahorider]

Ferret: The O8 FJR had an excellent throttle. Not like your experience - apparently it is fixed.

[scottm89]

I agree with the use of friction zones at low speeds on the ST. In fact, I almost never use 1st gear more than 10ft down the road from feet up.( Unless I am proving a point to someone else on the road.) I cannot remember the last time I was in 1st gear for any turn at any speed. I have found that as long as I am rolling at all, the ST will bring me out of any slow speed turn in 2nd gear. And 2nd gear is far less destabilizing with clutch out.

Maybe I have not refined my skills enough, but either way, that is what I have found works for me.

----
Just paid a little more attention to how I ride this morning.... I use 1st gear a little more than I thought; but still do not use it very much. I still find 2nd gear quite a bit at slow speeds.

[kindofblue]

I've had an 05 ABS FJR and an 06 AE FJR before selling the AE, getting an 07 Tiger, then selling it and getting an 05 ST1300 ABS. I sold the AE because after a while the "launch" characteristics bothered me more and more compared to the 05. It always felt like a scooter taking off from a light. The electronic shifter is the smoothest thing imaginable once underway though.

The ergos of the ST fit both me (6'4") and my wife (5'5") much better than the FJRs. The stiff throttle on the FJR is easily fixed by taking one wrap off the main throttle spring (there are 3).

Both are great bikes though so whichever floats your boat...

[roginoz]

Both are great bikes. The ST is probably better suited for traveling, and the FJR might be a little "sportier." You, and the Girlfriend, will probably like the ST better at the end of a long day. Before you buy an "automatic" FJR (actually just clutchless electrical shift) be sure to do some low speed parking lot manuevers. The lack of a clutch has been a problem for some in this respect. That said, if you like the clutchless version, you should be able to negotiate a better deal. I hear that the dealers are having a hard time moving them.

[STingray]

Here's a discussion about the '08 FJR...starting at post #15

FWIW

http://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38929

[Shutterbug]

Assuming Highway speeds, what sort of fuel economy do you get on a FJr compared to the ST?

[STingray]

Funny, I filled up the bike when the reserve started flashing. Took 4 gallons (almost exactly). Rode about 140 miles on it, not too hard, as they were mostly freeway miles, but did some twisties. When I gave it back, it was almost back to the reserve light again. So, if I could've gotten 150 miles...on 4 gallons, that would = 37.50mpg