Road the new FJ yesterday

Had a chance to ride a 2013 FJ yesterday, very comfortable, but couldn't wait until I got my V12 back. I felt it was a lot more Goldwingesc then CBRish. I'm glad Honda decided to fill the gap, I really like this bike.

 

I hear you.
Not knocking the FJR as its a very good bike but the I-4 motor is just so, ho-hum and she's a big girl who's gained a few pounds since her arrival on the ST scene. Still very competent and will go as fast or faster than any sane person could want on any road, but that V4 motor is THE BUSINESS ! It really is one of the things for me that separates it from all the other bikes I've owned over the years (can you tell it's my first V4?).
I even like the chain drive feel Big Red built into the shaft drive system (that's the cool part, they did that by design).

 

Was this a factory sponsored ride where Yamaha rolls up to the local dealer with a semi full of demo bikes or did the dealer let you ride one of their bikes??

I did a demo on a FJR last summer where the factory came in and furnished the bikes. It was such a crappy experience it was definitely the reason I didn't buy a third FJR. Before the ride the Yamaha ride leader gave us all a little sermon on ride rules. No exceeding posted speed limits, no passing, no quick starts or stops ect. His last warning was that if anybody violated his rules they better have a cell phone to call someone to come pick them up because he was going to stop the ride, take your key and leave you standing beside the road.

We rode in single file never exceeding 45 MPH. Couldn't tell you if the 2012 FJR was any better than my 2005 or 2008 FJR. To top it off the FJR demo had low front tire pressure. That bad experience was one of the reasons I ended up with a new 2013 VFR instead of another FJR.

 

Glad you stick with Honda :wink:
That demo does not sound like a good ride......My BMW stealership will loan me or anyone with the bike of your choice for 24 hours test ride. No string attach. Half of them end up keeping the bike :thumb:

 

Hi John, no I've never been to one of those events. I delevoped a pretty good relationship with the local dealer over the years and when I take my bike in he let's me take a demo for the day. I'm sure he's trying to be a bit of a temptress; think it would be easier to convince my wife to let me get a second bike then to get me to trade my VFR.

 

I been very close to pull the trigger on an FJR. Both times I declined based on the transmission, does the bike has a six-speed tranny now?

 

I'm involved in a thing called Sportbike Northwest". One year we had the Triumph guys. The national sales manager is was on hand. Ex-roadracer and Prez of my MC.. The local sheriff is a bike type guy and kind of looked the other way. Maybe the difference was in the location. SBNW is held in a relatively low population area. Took a ride with the group on a Thruxton..

OTOH, one year we had the Aprillia guys there. This SBNW is held on the Washington side of the Columbia River. The HMFIC of the Washington Staters is a money maker and got wind of some possible revenue and so sent some of his troops to the area to deal with us miscreants. The main dude from Aprillia got a ticket for being some over the limit..

I sold bikes years ago. The bikes have changed. The Saturday tirekickers and "test riders" have not. Same dudes that hang out a Harley dealers, computer stores, camera stores and WalMart.

It's a lifestyle...

 

Billy, I wish we had something like that here. I will be 71 years young next March and have partisipated in a lot of mfg demo rides over the 54 years I have been riding. Never experienced anything like that Yamaha factory demo ride held at the dealer here in Louisville I bought my 08 FJR from. I got a good trade offer from my dealer after the ride but was so pissed off at the juvinile treatment I walked away. My dealer was embarrased but had no control over the Yamaha factory reps.

The best factory demo rides I have experienced were BMW rides. It's been a few years since I have been on one but they took us out for several hours on back roads and the pace was fast enough to get a real feel for how the bikes handled.

For the most part dealers around here do not offer demo rides (liability issues they say). The two exceptions are the Ducati/Triumph/KTM/Suzuki dealer & the two HD dealers locally.












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