Previous ST Owner Comments on His New FJR (long!)

[Carl_T]

You should try some sweepers on a softly sprung Ninja 250 doing 70-75mph at only 310 lbs. and 16 inch narrow wheels.

Not bad really (with the right tires that is), but compared to that nimbleness, the ZZR would feel like a sluggish tank. :

It's all what you get used to.

 

[glossblk06]

Rick,
Put a new set of Michelin Pilot Road 2s on your FJR, then put some miles on it. I felt the same as you about the handling between the ST & FJR. After the Pilot Roads are installed, you'll experience a whole new FJR.

George R.

 

[rickj]

During my comparison I mentioned that my rear tire was shot and I was looking forward to testing it out with a new replacement. In particular, I had been experiencing a bit of instability in long sweepers. I was having a bit of trouble holding a clean line, and it had a tendency to want to upright itself.

Well, it WAS the tire causing the instability. I mounted a new Metzeler Z6 "Interact" and rode it 280 miles today, mostly twisties. The bike no longer has that tendency in the sweepers, and I'm convinced that it was due to the fact that the original tire was very squared off.

I've also been making some adjustments on the suspension and I think I'm very close to having it right where I want it. I swapped bikes with Dan ("dmulk" of CreSTOC fame) and he commented that it was pretty stiff for his taste. I probably outweigh him by 30 lbs though.

Anyway, I'm loving this bike!

Rick

 

[steve3b3]

Rick,
Thanks for your observations on the FJR
I originally went shopping for an FJR after reading a lot about it on the Internet, and I think it was only Yamaha's PSP program that kept one from me.
I stumbled into the St and this site, and the rest is history. I'm lovin' my ST, but if things had been differert, the FJR might well be in my driveway.

OBTW, I love that color!

Steve

 

[rickj]

Rick,
Thanks for your observations on the FJR
I originally went shopping for an FJR after reading a lot about it on the Internet, and I think it was only Yamaha's PSP program that kept one from me.
I stumbled into the St and this site, and the rest is history. I'm lovin' my ST, but if things had been differert, the FJR might well be in my driveway.

OBTW, I love that color!

Steve

Steve,

I've heard that same comment about Yamaha's initial PSP program many times. I don't know what Yamaha was thinking with that program. They managed to throw a lot of business toward the Honda!

At any rate, you can't go wrong with an ST1300. Awesome machine.

Rick

 

[cmguerrero]

Very nice read! My friend just purchased a used 2007 FKR with 5000 miles for 7K. He loves it and I must admit that it's a very nice looking vehicle...

 

[rickj]

Very nice read! My friend just purchased a used 2007 FKR with 5000 miles for 7K. He loves it and I must admit that it's a very nice looking vehicle...

Wow. That's one good deal! There are lots of good deals out there for buyers with money in hhand. I paid $7400 for mine with 11K miles on the clock and a few farkles as mentioned in the original post. I'm real happy with that price, but your friend just got one hell of a deal.

I got a good price for my well-farkled ST1300A with 50K on the clock when I sold it ($7800), so I came out pretty good. It was during the initial phases of our financial meltdown though. I've probably got about $1000 - $1500 in planned farkles for the FJR, but money is too tight right now. I'm just happy to be back on a sport-touring machine.

I still think the ST1300 gets a bit better price than the FJRs. No doubt due to the Honda reliability factor.

Rick

 

[steve3b3]

Son #1 rides a red VFR up in your neck of the woods with a red Dainaise suit. Tell him his dad said to SLOW DOWN!. It'll freak him out...

Steve

Steve,

I've heard that same comment about Yamaha's initial PSP program many times. I don't know what Yamaha was thinking with that program. They managed to throw a lot of business toward the Honda!

At any rate, you can't go wrong with an ST1300. Awesome machine.

Rick

 

[dmulk]

Really a nice bike.

I'd consider purchasing one if I were in the market again for another sport tourer....

@Rickj: Now you need to bleed that clutch out and see what is causing that shifting issue.... it's *not* right.... :/

Other than that.... I really enjoyed riding it. It is quite a bit sportier than the ST with out compromising comfort.

The weight difference and narrower seat is immediately apparent.

Now that I think about it.... the only thing that sucked about Rick's FJR is that it isn't mine....

<D>

During my comparison I mentioned that my rear tire was shot and I was looking forward to testing it out with a new replacement. In particular, I had been experiencing a bit of instability in long sweepers. I was having a bit of trouble holding a clean line, and it had a tendency to want to upright itself.

Well, it WAS the tire causing the instability. I mounted a new Metzeler Z6 "Interact" and rode it 280 miles today, mostly twisties. The bike no longer has that tendency in the sweepers, and I'm convinced that it was due to the fact that the original tire was very squared off.

I've also been making some adjustments on the suspension and I think I'm very close to having it right where I want it. I swapped bikes with Dan ("dmulk" of CreSTOC fame) and he commented that it was pretty stiff for his taste. I probably outweigh him by 30 lbs though.

Anyway, I'm loving this bike!

Rick

 

[Bob Bertich]

How would you compare the fit and finish of the Honda to the Yamaha?

 

[rickj]

How would you compare the fit and finish of the Honda to the Yamaha?

Bob,

I think it is assumed that any Honda is superior to any others when it comes to quality. I also think that reputation is well deserved. However, that does not mean that other bikes are also not quality built. From my observations this current FJR is of comparable quality, and I don't feel like I've stepped down.

The differences are mainly in the engineering and the designs that drive the marketing of their machine. Clearly, the FJR is targeted at those that want a bit more performance, less weight, and an inline 4, etc. There's lots of room in the sport-touring sector and many choices due to product differentiation.

I'd recommend that you go down to your local dealer and check one out for yourself. In my opinion, it doesn't come across as an inferior bike. In fact, the fit and finish appear to be very high quality. What bike you decide on ultimately comes down to your particular requirements and which one turns you on!

Rick

 

[sagedrifter]

It was a hard choice for me, I wanted a ST13 ABS and couldn't find one at the time.

So I got on the C14 and the FJR13. The FJR just felt right for some reason. The C14 wasn't comfy for me. After 11,000 miles I'm happy with my choice and the bike is runnning better and better as I settle in. I haven't changed the bars or the pegs and I'm 6-4, the ST leg room is a bit better but, I like the seating position on the FJR for some reason.

I added highway pegs for slabbing and a whole bunch of farkles... My only complaints to Yamaha were about the failing ignition switch and ECU issues I had. But, the recalls are going on and after a 7 month wait my ECU has been updated. My bike has been problem free since the recalls. I don't remember Honda ever screwing up on ECU's causing altitude issues??? Wouldn't have been any problem for me if the parts hadn't been back orderd for many months. I was getting fairly heated after 7 months of the injection system surging and loading up on steep mountain curves, most of the time it was ok till I wanted to hit the fun stuff.

Well, my FJR is running perfect now...

 

[pepollock]

I've just gone to the dark side myself ('09 FJR) so let me add to this excellent review:

Maintenance:
ST: 8K oil change, 16k valve check
FJ: 4K oil change, 26K valve check

Brakes:
ST: 3-piston pin-slide front calipers (F-to-R and R-to-F linked)
FJ: 4-piston fixed front calipers (Rear-to-Front linked only)

Comfort:
ST: widely reported heat issues (although it didn't bother me much)
FJ: definitely cooler with better hot air management (has adjustable side panels but there is no consensus on which position is best for hot and cold days; even Yamaha doesn't say!)

ST: seat is poor and gets worse the longer you sit on it
FJ: a brick but gets better after you sit on it for a while

ST: handlebars slightly "sporty", easily cured with risers if needed
FJ: bars more "sporty", weight on wrists, improved with risers

FJ: Yamaha asks $419 for their grip warmers + installation!!!

ST: windshield awful, widely replaced to reduce buffeting and noise
FJ: smaller, less protection, but much quieter; I ride at freeway speeds with the shield all the way down. Don't know about rain protection yet. FJ shield mounts are flimsy plastic.

Misc:
ST: fairing pockets make hot meals in 20 minutes
FJ: sorry, barely warm, but only one pocket

ST: panniers are the best-in-class; large, blended into body shape, tucked in tight; bike looks awful without them
FJ: Not as big as ST, look added on; bike looks fine without them.

ST: good tip-over protection, saves $$$ and makes good tie-downs.
FJ: uses mirrors, panniers and fairing in a tip-over; $$$ouch!$$$

ST: has excellent forum for support (yay!)
FJ: couple of good forums, but not this good.

ST: 720 lbs
FJ: 641 lbs

ST: 3-year warranty
FJ: 1-year warranty (what's up with that?)

I'm waiting for the next-gen ST.

pete

 

[rickj]

Pete,

Thanks for adding to the thread. Great information!

Man, I'm loving this bike, especially in the twisties! I'm getting re-dialed in to the inline-4. The ST's V4 is one awesome engine, but the FJRs inline-4 gives me more "wow" factor.

I'm actively making plans for an extended ride up in the Sierra passes in about 6 weeks with a couple of my ST buddies. I just wish I had a larger farkle budget! I definitely need something to offset the lack of tip-over protection. Hopefully, I'll have some highway pegs before the Sierra run.

Rick

 

[ksievers]

just got my ST1300 yesterday, so I have no right to an opinion (yet!).

but I sold a perfect DL650 to get the ST. The DL was too vulnerable to wind in anything but ideal conditions.. like a bicycle with a motor. Great in so many ways, but after some $$ mods it was still knocked around a lot and the buffeting is endless.

My wife and I looked at the usual suspects, the C14, FJR, and ST. Could not find a FJR dealer in our area that got our attention, so that is a factor, but the pegs on the FJR are too close together.. she'd have been stuffed in there behind me (not a petite woman but a marathoner, so she's in shape), and I am average sized 6 footer and 175.

The Honda dealer is mighty impressive; that's a factor of course. the bike was just "smooth all over." Quiet, smooth torque curve, and they ALL have lots of power for pete's sake. My old bike (years ago) was a KZ900 which was a JET at the time, and this one is nearly a 1300 cc engine. It's enough already!

and even reading wind protection issues on this site, ride a DL650 if you want to experience wind issues..

The C14 was clearly awesome, but also clearly buzzy in the pegs and bars, and too "sport" oriented in posture for me. But it is an awesome bike (so is the FJR).

as for handling, they are all great. and the brakes are great on all 3 too.

Ride it (any of the 3) a lot and it'll feel like "your bike."

with my complaints about the DL650 it became "my" bike and totally comfortable in terms of confident handling. But it's still too tall, and has inherent design issues that no amount of farkling will cure.

to me it's the "total is greater than the sum of the parts" with the ST.. and of course, to each his/her own... but I'm excited for the possibilities available to me as a solo rider, and to my wife and me together, with the ST.

I will install grip puppies and a throttle boss asap, and likely try risers, but otherwise will ride it as is for a while.

have fun - be safe -

 

[RaYzerman]

Well, after a couple of thousand miles and PASTOC, I am certainly loving my '07 FJR. Great review, Rick, very objective. I was never a Metzeler fan with other bikes, but after experiencing the Z6's, I am a full convert. Supposed to be the best wet and dry tire, and I will put the Interacts on when these go. Unbelievable confidence and this bike can be flicked around very nicely. The weight and COG factor are its biggest selling points. I would have thought lighter would have meant a feeling of less planted, but it's the opposite.

The suspension is 3-way adjustable on the front and 2-way on the back. So many combinations, and I am still tweaking to suit me. I think I have it a bit firm at the moment, but I will say, this bike sure soaks up bumps very well.

The seating position and forward pressing on the bars takes some getting used to, and I think Yamaha actually did quite a bit of engineering on this. The seat could be made perfect with a little more width, flatness and firmness. I am going to try a Corbin here shortly.

Heated grips come standard on Canadian FJR's. The adjustable fairings for heat (out for warmer) don't do much in my brief test. Once you get moving over 50-60 mph, the heat isn't there. However, if you want to warm up, just stop and leave the engine running for three minutes, as soon as you start moving the accumulated heat in the fairings nicely warms up your legs from the knees down, for a few minutes, then it's all dissipated. Way less heat than my ST1300 from my memory.

Crash protection - I have installed rear sliders from Belgium, and have a set of front crash bars coming from Racing905. They have rear ones also but they are fugly. This will give protection comparable to the ST1300, especially if you put a small slider on the front bars.

I am in the process of installing a dash shelf to mount the GPS, TPM and heated gear controllers, so this can be a serious ST machine.
I think Yamaha did a nice job of the GenII FJR's and what's not to like? I agree about the fuel injection surging at low rpms, and so far moving up to 89 octane has fixed all of that. There was no ECU change for my bike, although I'm not sure about the ones out west in the mountains......

Oh, did I mention if you haven't found the afterburner switch, just crank it over 6000 rpm in third. Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Pete, you are right about this forum, absolutely the best!!!

 

[patiodadio]

A good friend let me put 200 miles on his FJR and I pretty much agree with everything Rick said. I think the FJR feels a little lighter and maybe more sporty. The ST is smoother tho. Both are great bikes.

 

[sagedrifter]

The adjustable fairing puts warm air to your lower legs when positioned out. Yes, they work just fine. I leave mine in till its below 50 degrees. Americans can get the Y.E.S extended coverage for less than $400.

I have the Sargent saddle on mine, works for me..... good option if you don't want to wait on a custom seat..

I'm over 16,000 miles on my year old (2007) FJR and no regrets, try the Pilot Road II's for tires too. My two favorite tires for ST's are Road Smarts and Road II's... The Pilots last longer.

Why not put the Honda heated grips on? Many do just that, cost much less than Yamahas... The Yamaha heaters do cut off below 3,000 rpm... FYI. I've had no issues running all my heated gear. The 590 watts does the trick for my stuff.

I wanted something with more sport in a ST and the FJR delivers, after 40 or 50K on this one I'll probably be ready for more comfort... GoldWing anyone???

 

[rickj]

Crash protection - I have installed rear sliders from Belgium, and have a set of front crash bars coming from Racing905. They have rear ones also but they are fugly. This will give protection comparable to the ST1300, especially if you put a small slider on the front bars.

Great comments, Ray.

I've also been looking at the Belgium sliders. I'm definitely going to put them on the back, but I'm debating the Belgium front sliders vs. the Racing905 crash bars. The Racing 905s on the back are not an option. Can you post some pictures?

I've got a leather Corbin rider's seat on mine and like it a lot. I also have the stock seat, but the Corbin is a better long distance seat, even though it's initially pretty stiff. The combo of Corbin front and stock rear looks mismatched though. I'm going to eventually get the rear Corbin as well.

I'm going to get THIS setup for the highway pegs soon.

I've found the after-burner switch a couple of times. It definitely has enough power for me!

Rick

 

[rickj]

just got my ST1300 yesterday, so I have no right to an opinion (yet!).

Congrats on the new ST! That's quite a step up from the DL650! After I sold my ST1300 my only bike was a BMW F650 GS Dakar. Great bike, but I yearned for a large displacement sport-touring bike. The Dakar was also challenging in winds as it was very tall and had the hard saddlebags. I sold it in favor of the FJR.

My wife and I looked at the usual suspects, the C14, FJR, and ST. Could not find a FJR dealer in our area that got our attention, so that is a factor, but the pegs on the FJR are too close together.. she'd have been stuffed in there behind me (not a petite woman but a marathoner, so she's in shape), and I am average sized 6 footer and 175.

When I bought my '03 ST1300 ABS, my wife's comfort was the main criterion, and it was the right bike at that time. My previous FJ1200 was NOT great with both of us on it! I think the ST is a better two-up machine than the FJR, and I may have opted for another one if my wife still ride with me. She has sat on the FJR and said it was comfortable, but hasn't ridden with me yet. She's pretty petite though.

Congrats on the ST purchase again and thanks for the comments.

Rick