Dare I ask on this forum................

[100milesaway]

Mr Nok  you dont honestly think that there is an hire company on earth that would rent you a bike after the last one you had ended up scattered across the country side do you? You would be lucky if you could get a    Oh for the record I had test ride on a  FJR  and it felt like a bit of a whale, plus I dont know if there was something wrong with it, but it handled like a flock of sheep.

[Nok12rs]

Mr Nok  you dont honestly think that there is an hire company on earth that would rent you a bike after the last one you had ended up scattered across the country side do you? You would be lucky if you could get a    Oh for the record I had test ride on a  FJR  and it felt like a bit of a whale, plus I dont know if there was something wrong with it, but it handled like a flock of sheep.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mr 100MA.  Actually, I spoke with another, larger, hire firm yesterday after seeing the purdy pic of the Cheltenham FJR.  Anyway, explained my accident, emphasizing mea culpa, and the £2k excess I paid.

Nice man said "No problem Sir.....oh! and our excess is only £1k.    But true.

I hear you say " He probably praying that you will write off that  ing FJR that all his customers hate"   

[100milesaway]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mr 100MA.  Actually, I spoke with another, larger, hire firm yesterday after seeing the purdy pic of the Cheltenham FJR.  Anyway, explained my accident, emphasizing mea culpa, and the £2k excess I paid.

Nice man said "No problem Sir.....oh! and our excess is only £1k.    But true.

I hear you say " He probably praying that you will write off that  ing FJR that all his customers hate"   

Blimey we should stop talking  about smashing bikes up, about 15 minutes ago my mate phoned to tell me that he had just turned his FJR1300 into a jigsaw. He was coming back to Leyburn from a day in the Lakes, and dropped it on some loose gravel. Fortunately he is OK, but it's game over for the bike

[Nok12rs]

Jeeez! from here on.

Very sorry to hear this and commiseration to your friend 100M.

Good night.

[mecki]

Blimey we should stop talking  about smashing bikes up, about 15 minutes ago my mate phoned to tell me that he had just turned his FJR1300 into a jigsaw. He was coming back to Leyburn from a day in the Lakes, and dropped it on some loose gravel. Fortunately he is OK, but it's game over for the bike

Another new member soon? 

[2kwacks]

 Mr Nok12rs curiosity got the better of me..! so got to ask this question. why are you hiring bikes? just go to a dealer and tell them you want to test ride the bike you want to buy. also tell them a quick ride around the block is about as much use a ashtray on the bike, so you will need it for a few hours to see if it's suitable for you. I've done this a few times and use the dealers insurance with only a £400 compulsory excess applied. I just pay for the petrol I used

[Kevin]

As you may have seen elsewhere we had both then sold our GTR and kept the FJR. I still think the GTR is the better bike - more spacious, more 'toys', better handling as stock, better wind protection. The comments about the FJR's stock suspension are spot on as well and new ones are over-priced.

Why did we change? Our FJR was originally intended to be our Winter bike but I wanted a GSA and couldn't really justify two bikes that were as similar as the GTR and FJR in the garage so one of them had to go. Our FJR is very well sorted including an Ohlins shock which makes a huge difference to the handling, it has a 6k service interval compared to the GTR's 3750 miles, our local Yamaha dealer (Alfords in Folkestone) is excellent and the GTR was worth more. It took a lot of thinking about before we made the decision and Asif will tell you we'll be back in the GTR fold at some point. I'm sure he's right but probably not for the next year or so. This will be our first year campaigning non-GTRs in IBA rallies so it'll be interesting to see how the FJR and GSA do.

Oh, and the FJOC forum is one of the friendliest and and most helpful forums around; it's on a par with this one.

Kevin

[zedmeister]

Massey Ferguson

John Deere

JCB

Stevensons Rocket

Take your pick there all better than the very agricultural FJR. I believe Blue Peter buried one in a time capsule to show the future kids how bad engineering became.

[Nok12rs]

Thank you for that Kevin.   

Really interesting.   Can you comment on which bike best suits a tall 6' 4" bloke?

The Ohlins, as you suggest, transform the bike.  What did they set you back?  £1,800?

The FJR does seem to be overpriced and is, at least electronically, out of date.  It begs the question: How come they sell in sufficient numbers to justify their existance?  I guess they don't; they are probably subsidised by the better selling Yams.

The GTR14 does seem to offer much better value and is an all round better bike.   The FJR is, I feel, also very good looking but looks alone maketh not the bike 

Hey ho, as has been suggested: You pays your money............................

[Nok12rs]

Massey Ferguson

John Deere

JCB

Stevensons Rocket

Take your pick there all better than the very agricultural FJR. I believe Blue Peter buried one in a time capsule to show the future kids how bad engineering became.

Thanks for that Mr Z.

You are speaking from personal experience of the bike I take it.

[Winston Smith]

NoK's - were you hit on the head in the RTC?

Look at the FJR next to the GTR.

It is NOT a pretty bike in comparison.  It is not a pretty bike - period!

[Kevin]

<snip> Can you comment on which bike best suits a tall 6' 4" bloke?<snip>

Not without growing 7"! The FJR is much smaller than the GTR so I imagine the latter would be better suited.

The Ohlins, as you suggest, transform the bike.  What did they set you back?  £1,800?

I bought a second-hand shock from the FJOC forum then had it rebuilt. It was more knackered than I expected so needed a lot more work; I think the total cost was somewhere around £900. If I'd realised how much the total was going to be I may have taken a different path but it has transformed the bike so I've no regrets. I really like Ohlins suspension but it is very expensive kit. If I was buying new I'd probably buy Wilbers as they have a very good reputation and are much cheaper.

Kevin

[Ziderman]

Take your pick there all better than the very agricultural FJR. I believe Blue Peter buried one in a time capsule to show the future kids how bad engineering became.

Did you own one, did you do 8k + on one..I did. It's no where as near as bad as you make out in my opinion. Take out the handling & it does what it says on the tin. Like the Diversion...totally bullet proof engine, with never a glitch. Never ever let me down & was powerful when touring...used to tour well loaded with x wifeee & swung through Alps & Scotland without a problem. Worse thing ever happened was a bolt came loose on a foot rest. Now that cant be bad can it?

Most motor cycle press slagged it from day one. Unless it was a cop killing pan or an over priced BMW with more problems than you can shake a stick at , they did'nt like it.
It was put up against these bikes & in my opinion it was never supposed to be a top cruising tourer. Nor was it supposed to be a ZZR or Blackbird..In between I guess. Sporty enough for most & plenty good enough to tour on. It's very much in a class of it's own. Guess the GTR is too. As often slagged as a tourer. But like many , how many miles do we do touring a year...depends I guess. Me , not to many. So Gtr fits the bill. Great for a blast & a tour & a fanny magent too boot , or is that me... 

It's all about personal preference, but I am not convinced it's not as bad as some make out. Think lot worse out there.
Sure I prefer the GTR , handling for one. Mind , getting at the GTR is harder. Spark plugs for example, so if your a DIY biker , then the FJR may well be the one to have. You could have a fun weekend fitting Ohlins..

[Nok12rs]

Thank you Ziderman and all who have contributed ,with grace and tolerance and valuable experienced based knowledge on what is, I accept, rather cheeky use of a GTR site.  It almost "morally" obliges me to buy one

I realise that I have been a rather stick in the mud; riding (and loving) the same bike for thirteen years while you guys have had various and multiple ownership and riding experience. 

I believe that I was so pleased to have found a bike (1999) that accommodated my height/leg bend so well and allowed me to commute (all year all weather) so dexterously through heavy traffic in the madness that is London and then take me and "she who must" across Europe, NSEW, in such fatigue free comfort and joy, that I just stuck with her and paid the price in repairs.  Later BMs that I tested, right up to the current 1300GT, failed to cut it for me in terms of comfort- despite their techno advances.

Re suspension, when my stock shocks eventually began to show their age after many many load-limit two up brisk touring miles, I took her to Germany where Wilbers were fitted at their HQ.  The following 4,700 miles (12 month) was great until the gear box munched itself. 

This has bought to an end a lifetime saga of quick wearing clutches and "failed gearboxes".  I, and to be fair, BMW, have poured so many thousands down the BMW drain that it has to end now.  I will enquire as to the transferability of the Wilbers with a view to sell but I am not holding my breath (copy of transmission history available on request)

My post on the GTR (short test)    indicates that shortly after, I was full of praise for the GTR.  Of course, a recent post enquired as to my cranium condition at test end 

So, in conclusion  I shall not test the FJR, BMW has already been dismissed, and the Pan and I have too much in common, tooth-wise. All of which leads me down the long and winding road to the the GTR door ...I should not leave her standing there..........

................should be up for a dealer test ride in a week or two...........you can have too much armchair biking.....NO! Not a Goldwing 

[viper]

I spent two hours on a new GTR and two hours on a New FJR and in that short time preferered the handling, the feel and the styling of the FJR.

The price, the advanced technology extras and pillion riding position made my opt for the GTR, but i guess i will never really know if i made the best choice.

I love the GTR , so im happy, however I do refer to it as a hugely capable  and comfortable  fat ugly pig.