BamaRider
Guy
Poised for Long Tour
My brother and I finished prepping the FJR last Saturday. We dropped the break in oil in the crankcase and final drive. Both operations are ridiculous easy. Unlike the ST the oil filter is right out there for a joker to twist off without gettin oil all over the exhaust etc.
We wired the zumo 390 and installed the mount. I have it between the handlebars like my other 2 rides but not with ram mounts. I failed to find a ram solution so went with a custom fabrication from a place called Twisted Throttle. Its a little more elaborate than a ram, and seems to work well. The bracket is rock steady, and easy to adjustment. It oughta be, set me back 80 bucks.
I made a executive decesion to leave ALL my cold weather home. Winter gloves, insulated vest, heated gear, turtleneck and sweat clothes all staying put. Look, its mid august I'm not gonna find 25 degrees in America this time of year, even in the Rockies. And if I do, it will be only for a short time (like early morning) but anyway I'm not lugging all that stuff for 5000 miles, makes no sense.
For now the GPS is hard wired right off the battery, but the plan is fuzeblock soon as I return. I have one on the ST and really like it. My set up means not on switched power, and I really don't like it that way, but I went this route just to get by for this tour. If I left the unit in the cradle anyone know how long before it would drain the battery?
All my routes are planned and in the 390. This is not a true cross country ride, more of a Midwest specialty. Highlights will be Rocky Mtn National Park, and Badlands NP in South Dakota, also have friends in Colorado Springs that wanna see me so stopping in there. I look for the tour to come in about 5000 miles.
My camping gear is packed. I load the FJ same manner as the other 2. Tent, fly, drop cloth, poles, pegs, plexus all go in the right pannier. The ST bags are slightly larger because I fit all that plus my winter vest and shop towel in ST. Can't get the last 2 items in the FJR bag, gotta do something else with them.
Downloaded 3 tv shows to my Ipad from the Tivo box for campgound entertainment.
Put the tag on.
It took awhile but I mastered the menus on both the Yamaha and garmin.
The included bag liners on the FRJ are fantastic. Well made and thought out. Look really nice and work well. I stuff the left bag with clothes I'll wear off the bike. Just put what ya need in the bag and it will fit in the pannier.
Not rode the FJ at night, so I still don't know how it will do, but I'm confident.
Tomorrow I'll pack the Motofizz, and my bedroll and sleeping bag and finish loading the bike. I'll take a pic of if I can remember to.
My brother and I finished prepping the FJR last Saturday. We dropped the break in oil in the crankcase and final drive. Both operations are ridiculous easy. Unlike the ST the oil filter is right out there for a joker to twist off without gettin oil all over the exhaust etc.
We wired the zumo 390 and installed the mount. I have it between the handlebars like my other 2 rides but not with ram mounts. I failed to find a ram solution so went with a custom fabrication from a place called Twisted Throttle. Its a little more elaborate than a ram, and seems to work well. The bracket is rock steady, and easy to adjustment. It oughta be, set me back 80 bucks.
I made a executive decesion to leave ALL my cold weather home. Winter gloves, insulated vest, heated gear, turtleneck and sweat clothes all staying put. Look, its mid august I'm not gonna find 25 degrees in America this time of year, even in the Rockies. And if I do, it will be only for a short time (like early morning) but anyway I'm not lugging all that stuff for 5000 miles, makes no sense.
For now the GPS is hard wired right off the battery, but the plan is fuzeblock soon as I return. I have one on the ST and really like it. My set up means not on switched power, and I really don't like it that way, but I went this route just to get by for this tour. If I left the unit in the cradle anyone know how long before it would drain the battery?
All my routes are planned and in the 390. This is not a true cross country ride, more of a Midwest specialty. Highlights will be Rocky Mtn National Park, and Badlands NP in South Dakota, also have friends in Colorado Springs that wanna see me so stopping in there. I look for the tour to come in about 5000 miles.
My camping gear is packed. I load the FJ same manner as the other 2. Tent, fly, drop cloth, poles, pegs, plexus all go in the right pannier. The ST bags are slightly larger because I fit all that plus my winter vest and shop towel in ST. Can't get the last 2 items in the FJR bag, gotta do something else with them.
Downloaded 3 tv shows to my Ipad from the Tivo box for campgound entertainment.
Put the tag on.
It took awhile but I mastered the menus on both the Yamaha and garmin.
The included bag liners on the FRJ are fantastic. Well made and thought out. Look really nice and work well. I stuff the left bag with clothes I'll wear off the bike. Just put what ya need in the bag and it will fit in the pannier.
Not rode the FJ at night, so I still don't know how it will do, but I'm confident.
Tomorrow I'll pack the Motofizz, and my bedroll and sleeping bag and finish loading the bike. I'll take a pic of if I can remember to.
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