So, the FJR Yamaha. Yeah, I got my hands on one a while back. Wasn’t brand new, mind you. Picked it up used, looked decent enough. First impression? Heavy. Like, really heavy just pushing it around the garage. Made me think twice, honestly.
First Rides and Getting Used To It
Took it out for the first real spin. Once moving, that weight kinda melts away, which is nice. The engine, smooth power, lots of it. Almost too much at first, had to get my wrist recalibrated compared to my old bike. The adjustable windscreen? Fiddled with that a lot. Found a spot that mostly worked, stopped the wind hitting my helmet directly. Still got buffeting sometimes, depending on speed and trucks nearby. It’s not perfect.
Handling was okay for a big bike. Definitely not flickable like a sportbike, obviously. More like guiding a big, comfortable missile down the road. Took some effort in the tight twisties, felt its size there for sure. The brakes are strong, linked brakes took a bit of getting used to, but they haul it down quick when needed.
Making It Mine
The stock seat wasn’t doing it for me after an hour or so. Felt like a plank. So, first thing, swapped that out. Got one of those aftermarket touring seats. Big difference. Spent a whole Saturday fitting it, bit fiddly with the brackets, but worth it.
Then the handlebars. Felt a bit low, leaning me forward more than I wanted for long rides. Got some risers. Put ’em on myself. Wasn’t too bad, just had to be careful with the cables, make sure nothing was stretched too tight. Took a couple of tries to get the angle right.
Maintenance Stuff
- Oil changes are straightforward. Filter’s easy to get to. Did that myself.
- Checking the shaft drive oil level, simple enough. Good not having a chain to mess with all the time.
- Tires wear out, like any bike. These big tourers chew through rear tires if you’re heavy on the throttle. Had to replace the rear sooner than I thought.
- Had a weird electrical gremlin once. Turned out to be a loose connector under the tank. Took ages to find, pulling plastic off, checking wires. Real pain that was.
Hitting the Road
Did a few long trips. That’s where this thing shines, mostly. Eats up highway miles. Packed the saddlebags full, strapped a bag on the back seat. Handled the weight fine. Rode through rain, sun, wind. The fairing does a good job keeping the worst of the weather off you. Heated grips are a godsend on cold mornings. Cruise control is nice on long, boring stretches of road.
It’s not all perfect, though. Still feels top-heavy at slow speeds, parking lots can be tricky. And fuel economy isn’t amazing when you’re pushing it. But for covering distance in comfort, it does the job. It’s a tool, a big, comfy, fast tool. Gets me where I wanna go, usually without much fuss, once I got it set up right for me.