Ferret gets a new ride

[the Ferret]

Since the demise of the ST, been looking for a new 2 up sport tourer. There are only 2 that qualify IMO. The BMW R1200RT and the Yamaha FJR 1300. My local dealer that I've bought a bunch of bikes from Beechmont Yamaha is a Yammie dealer so this was a no brainer for me.

TA DA! 2018 Yamaha FJR 1300

Grandkids # 3 & 4 (of 5) helped me pick it up lol

Has the features I wish Honda had added to the ST..cruise, gear indicator and heated grips all std.

I took the long way home which included riding "the Loop" (all new bikes that come to my house ride "the Loop" first day)

A lot different than the ST. Kinda like a big full dressed liquid cooled shaft drive CB1100 lol. 25 horses more and 80 pounds less than the ST. A bit taller, but I had the seat cut down on the ST by Frank at Greatdaytoride.com and will have him do this one. Need to get a trunk but waffling on brand and size. Any suggestions?

I've always said my favorite motor is the liter + inline 4,This bike should be right up my ally. although I must say the V4 on the ST was one sweet motor. I will miss it.

 

[970mike]

Nice looking new ride!! Enjoy it.

 

[Don B]

Great looking bike! If I was in the market for a replacement for my ST, the FJR would definitely be my choice. I may just ride the wheels off my ST, since I may have to quit two-wheeling before I ever replace it. I am beginning to lose my enthusiasm for riding, and my bike sits in the garage for weeks at a time hooked up to life support.
Anyway, congratulations on your choice of an excellent replacement for your Honda ST!

 

[the Ferret]

Thanks guys. Took 2 rides today toalling 95 miles. It is sooo different than the ST. Trying to get used to it. Spent 10 years on the ST and this is like learning to ride all over again lol.

 

[STraymond]

Mickey, beautiful bike! Congratulations and enjoy.

Ray

 

[BamaRider]

Nice choice. Yamaha listened to guys that ride this bike, and continusouly upgraded the FJR all the way to the top. When talking about top of the line sport tourers the FJR is always in that conversation. Now that they gave it the 6th gear, I'd say nothing left to do. I enjoy riding my 2014.

 

[Buckeye Rich]

Nice bike Ferret! I've been so tempted to buy a new FJR. Yamaha has done an excellent job updating it and keeping current with technology. Probably my next bike.

 

[sirepair]

Purdy bike! Enjoy the ride!!

I've got the Yamaha 50L top box on my FJ09 and I *think* it will lock on the existing rear rack. You are welcome to try it out.

 

[JCB]

Looks great!!! Enjoy the new ride!!! Keep it shinny!!!

 

[Georg H. Georgs]

Very nice ride, like color of the bike.

 

[dduelin]

Congratulations on the new ride. May it bring you many carefree miles.

 

[the Ferret]

Thanks again fellas. Yea it's a nice bike. After this morning's ride I'm starting to get used to it, but haven't figured out the electronics yet. Complicated for a 68 year old guy that really isn't very electronics savy.

 

[OhioDeere]

ALL RIGHT FERRET! Ride on! Nice color too.

 

[the Ferret]

with regards to paint color I wasn't exactly overwhelmed, but my wife liked it. We stopped for gas yesterday and the guy at the next pump asked if I painted it or it came like that. I said it came like that and he said he he loved the color. Hmm maybe I'm just old and used to shiny candy colors on my bikes?

 

[SupraSabre]

Enjoy!

 

[silverbub]

Interested in your comments/impressions of how your "Pretty-Manly" New Blue is "different" from your ingrained memories of riding the ST13...I presume the brakes of your FJR are not linked?... Glad you can put the very traumatic incident of rear brake random lock due to SMC fault in your "history" book!... Certainly glad you(and wife, of course) came out of that critical situation unscathed... Very sorry that your ST13 died in process of getting back home, though... now you can rightfully say: "I'm going out into the 'wild-blue-yonder'...gitty-up!

 

[Mellow]

Interested in your comments/impressions of how your "Pretty-Manly" New Blue is "different" from your ingrained memories of riding the ST13...I presume the brakes of your FJR are not linked?... Glad you can put the very traumatic incident of rear brake random lock due to SMC fault in your "history" book!... Certainly glad you(and wife, of course) came out of that critical situation unscathed... Very sorry that your ST13 died in process of getting back home, though... now you can rightfully say: "I'm going out into the 'wild-blue-yonder'...gitty-up!

From Yamaha FJR specs:
Powerful, Secure Braking
Advanced brakes front and rear provide exceptional braking power and control, and are linked via Yamaha’s Unified Braking System, for balanced braking power. ABS further boosts rider confidence by preventing wheel lock-ups in reduced-traction conditions.

 

[the Ferret]

yes they are linked but not thru an SMC. If Honda had brought out another ST, a little lighter, with cruise, gear indicator and heated grips I'd be riding a new Honda ST right now As it was I wasn't going to pay MORE for a new 6 year old 2012 ST than I paid for this 2018 Yamaha. That would be foolish. I also thought about a used ST but I didn't want to buy an 11 or 12 year old bike with no upgrades like the Yammie has, and then replace the SMC right away or worry if the one I just bought was going to fail on me when I wasn't 2 miles from home, like North Dakota, or new England. It wasn't a pleasant experience.There were a couple used ST's in the classifieds here I was considering. Okmurdogs (?) 2007 with 28K miles for example.

I loved my ST. My wife loved riding the ST. We criss-crossed the US together several times on it. 109,900 miles worth. From Bar Harbor, Maine, to Deals Gap North Carolina,to Glacier Natl Park Montana, to Yellowstone in Wyoming, to Rt 66 thru at least 7 or 8 states, to Pacific Coast Highway in California, to Bear Tooth Pass, to Pikes Peak in Colorado... 42 states in all I think. From -2 degrees to 105 degrees it never failed to start and it never failed to bring us home, even on the day it eventually died. (or I killed it lol). It still delivered us to my garage. You can't ask much more from a motorcycle than that.

Great, great motorcycle. Will be so sad to see it go, but it' s going to another forum member. He's supposed to get it Thur or Fri so it will live on here... only without me being on it.

I'll continue here on the new one as the ST-owners.com family really doesn't care what you ride.. as long as you are riding. I like that. (see my sig line)

 

[drtyrrel]

Nice bike Mickey. I like the shiny paint better too. Sounds like you got your moneys worth out of that Honda. I have a Kappa trunk on my ST. Made by Givi ,uses the same mount plate. Not as shiny and a bit cheaper.

https://tourandride.com/cases-and-accessories/kappa/cases/monokey-cases/k49nt-monokey-tech-case-47ltr-detail

 

[MNKid]

Nice bike, that may be my next one too. For a topbox suggestion, I have the Givi V46 topbox with Admore LED lights, works very well for me but does not hold 2 full face helmets.