Comments on: MD First Ride: 2013 Yamaha FJR1300A (Bike Reports) (News) http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/ Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews Sat, 18 May 2013 14:54:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Vf6cruiser http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-137226 Vf6cruiser Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:39:29 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-137226 I've just spent 4 years on my Gen 1 FJR and its by far the best all around machine I can think of. I just hit the 50 year mark on 35+ bikes and this one is the best all around. Wings, cruisers, nakeds and a Valkyrie all fell just a little short of what the FJR can do. What you have is a cruise missile with plenty of range to actually go out and ride without a gas station stop every hour. Just got back from Death Valley and rode with a gorgeous chromed hog, a new 1600GT and a 2010 K1300GT Beemer and the FJR showed them all the way around the sand piles. We always knew we would be stopping soon for the hog.......lol.....but actually it did ok for a paint shaker. I’ve just spent 4 years on my Gen 1 FJR and its by far the best all around machine I can think of. I just hit the 50 year mark on 35+ bikes and this one is the best all around. Wings, cruisers, nakeds and a Valkyrie all fell just a little short of what the FJR can do. What you have is a cruise missile with plenty of range to actually go out and ride without a gas station stop every hour. Just got back from Death Valley and rode with a gorgeous chromed hog, a new 1600GT and a 2010 K1300GT Beemer and the FJR showed them all the way around the sand piles. We always knew we would be stopping soon for the hog…….lol…..but actually it did ok for a paint shaker.

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]]> By: GuyLR http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-124790 GuyLR Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:56:34 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-124790 The retail on the non-ABS 2003 FJR1300 was $11,499 but the Japanese Yen was at around 115 per each US Dollar. Now it's 82 Yen per Dollar or about a 29% slippage. So the 2013 with ABS and the other improvements at $15,890 is about on the money. The retail on the non-ABS 2003 FJR1300 was $11,499 but the Japanese Yen was at around 115 per each US Dollar. Now it’s 82 Yen per Dollar or about a 29% slippage. So the 2013 with ABS and the other improvements at $15,890 is about on the money.

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]]> By: Jake http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-124525 Jake Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:21:44 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-124525 x-planer says: "getting old enough...for...improvement in comfort, range and ride quality that the bigger bike offers." Untrue...bigger / heavier bikes are just bigger & heavier. Comfort lies elsewhere -- usually, ergonomics. Bikes like FJRs just offer more (useless) accessories / toys. (when you get even older -- you may want to re-think the benefits of "heavy"?) 'Course, in America, bikes can hardly be too big or too heavy..! x-planer says: “getting old enough…for…improvement in comfort, range and ride quality that the bigger bike offers.”

Untrue…bigger / heavier bikes are just bigger & heavier. Comfort lies elsewhere — usually, ergonomics.
Bikes like FJRs just offer more (useless) accessories / toys.
(when you get even older — you may want to re-think the benefits of “heavy”?)
‘Course, in America, bikes can hardly be too big or too heavy..!

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]]> By: x-planer http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-124280 x-planer Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:32:28 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-124280 I completely agree that the FZ1 is sportier than an FJR, no argument there. BUT, with a little focus, you can hang right with 'em at a sane pace. I grew up on FZR's and R1's so I'm well aware of how much more street speed a sportier bike can generate. I'm probably just getting old enough that I'm happy leaving the real toe dragging for the track. I'm ok leaving a little pure sport capability on the table for the immense improvement in comfort, range and ride quality that the bigger bike offers. But hey, I could live with an FZ1, they're really nice bikes. ;-) I completely agree that the FZ1 is sportier than an FJR, no argument there. BUT, with a little focus, you can hang right with ‘em at a sane pace. I grew up on FZR’s and R1′s so I’m well aware of how much more street speed a sportier bike can generate. I’m probably just getting old enough that I’m happy leaving the real toe dragging for the track. I’m ok leaving a little pure sport capability on the table for the immense improvement in comfort, range and ride quality that the bigger bike offers.

But hey, I could live with an FZ1, they’re really nice bikes. ;-)

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]]> By: mickey http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-122403 mickey Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:19:21 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-122403 Trade bikes and see if you both feel the same way. I have ridden an FJR and compared to an FZ it is a top heavy boat. It is more sporting than a lot of its direct so called sport touring competition but no way does it compare to a bike 150 pounds lighter when tossing them around in the curves. There is a guy named Yellow Wolf that rides a GL1800 on the Dragons Tail as fast or faster than most guys on pure sport bikes, but that doesnt mean the GL1800 can also be considered a sport bike. Trade bikes and see if you both feel the same way. I have ridden an FJR and compared to an FZ it is a top heavy boat. It is more sporting than a lot of its direct so called sport touring competition but no way does it compare to a bike 150 pounds lighter when tossing them around in the curves.

There is a guy named Yellow Wolf that rides a GL1800 on the Dragons Tail as fast or faster than most guys on pure sport bikes, but that doesnt mean the GL1800 can also be considered a sport bike.

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]]> By: x-planer http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-122289 x-planer Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:39:19 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-122289 I run my Gen II FJR all the time with a Gen II FZ1 and I can say for sure the FJR does far better than "adequate" in a sporting role. I run my Gen II FJR all the time with a Gen II FZ1 and I can say for sure the FJR does far better than “adequate” in a sporting role.

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]]> By: x-planer http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-119402 x-planer Sun, 25 Nov 2012 23:13:39 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-119402 Ray says: "This is not a sport touring bike." Sorry, you are 100% wrong. I've had FJR's on the peg feelers all day and I've taken one to Barber for a track day. I've toured on 'em for 1,000's of miles with plenty of stuff in the bags. FJR's are right in the bullseye of sport touring. And they are pretty much bulletproof. You can go on all you want about your favorite bikes no one bought but there's a reason they're no longer being sold. Ray says: “This is not a sport touring bike.”

Sorry, you are 100% wrong. I’ve had FJR’s on the peg feelers all day and I’ve taken one to Barber for a track day. I’ve toured on ‘em for 1,000′s of miles with plenty of stuff in the bags. FJR’s are right in the bullseye of sport touring. And they are pretty much bulletproof.

You can go on all you want about your favorite bikes no one bought but there’s a reason they’re no longer being sold.

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]]> By: x-planer http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-119400 x-planer Sun, 25 Nov 2012 23:04:42 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-119400 Who cares who did it first? BMW put IL4 engines in their bikes but weren't first with that. Who cares who did it first? BMW put IL4 engines in their bikes but weren’t first with that.

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]]> By: x-planer http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-119399 x-planer Sun, 25 Nov 2012 23:01:54 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-119399 "DaytonaJames says:the Sprint ST and the Duc ST3 are the only ones that qualify for me. Sadly, they’re both gone." Apparently the market has considerable disagreement with you there. For any sane activity on the street, FJR's are very hard to beat, imho. “DaytonaJames says:the Sprint ST and the Duc ST3 are the only ones that qualify for me. Sadly, they’re both gone.”

Apparently the market has considerable disagreement with you there. For any sane activity on the street, FJR’s are very hard to beat, imho.

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]]> By: x-planer http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/11/md-first-ride-2013-yamaha-fjr1300a/comment-page-1/#comment-119202 x-planer Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:37:18 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=24802#comment-119202 Bummer about the lack of stereo. Wouldn't it be cool if you could have a small device with all your music on it that you could operate with a remote control and have really good headphones that also worked to block out external noise? Oh wait, you can get all that, really cheap too. Bummer about the lack of stereo. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could have a small device with all your music on it that you could operate with a remote control and have really good headphones that also worked to block out external noise?

Oh wait, you can get all that, really cheap too.

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