Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

no cold-start levers or chokes necessary. The smooth action of the hydraulic clutch is immediately noticeable when you first pull it. Engagement is extremely linear. The five-speed gearbox shifts as cleanly as you're likely to find in any Yamaha, which is to say that it's pretty damed good. Get on the gas and the FJR1300 really impresses, though, barking cleanly through the lower rev ranges and pulling just as hard through the middle. The FJR will rev out (what inline four won't?), but the oomph gets thinner much sooner than would be required of an all-out performance engine. The easy-to-read analog tach located in the left third of the instrument pod starts to read in the red at 9000 rpm, giving you a good indication that the bike prefers to be shifted early. Do that, however, and you'll be extremely pleased with the FJR's easy-going ability to take up the slack. With all that big-block torque on tap, snapping from corner to corner or passing that next car on the interstate is as easy as rolling your right wrist. During freeway jaunts, the FJR1300 was showing about 4650 rpm on the tach at 80 mph - well within the meat of the powerband and with plenty left on the table. During our time on Ortega, and also whilst scratching around in the hills above Palos Verdes for an impromptu photo shoot, we got quite comfortable with the FJR1300's handling traits, which offered little in the way of surprises. With a wheelbase (60.6 inches) that is nearly six inches longer than an R1, and a claimed dry weight (521 pounds) that is almost 140 pounds heavier, the FJR1300 is not going to be easily mistaken for a sport-touring version of our Open Sportbike Shootout winner. Still, the FJR amazes with its ability to effortlessly carve its way through the twisties. Side-to-side flickability is definitely on the lighter side of deliberate, and front-end feedback is excellent, allowing you to pretty much rail any corner at sane velocities that are nonetheless well above a given posted speed limit. Of course, the rangy wheelbase also means that the FJR1300 is an absolute rock in a straight line - the feeling probably intensified somewhat by the inertial forces of the shaft drive. The FJR's ergonomics are worthy of high praise as the bars-seat-pegs relationship proving to be acceptable for a variety of statures. The wide seat is extremely comfortable on shorter trips and gives no reason to believe that it would not be as cushy over the long haul as well. The controls and switches are all easy to use. Speaking of controls, we really dig the one that operates the electrically adjustable windshield. While the FJR is not the first to sport such a device BMW has been doing it for years - the movable screen, which offers a 20degree range of tilt, is certainly welcome. Simply by thumbing the two buttons on the left bar, you can alter the height to suit your tastes, from a sporty wind-in-your-face angle on up to a more all-weather windbreak. About the only thing that isn't so hip is the fact that the screen automatically servos back to the sportier down-angle position when you shut off the key, meaning that you have to adjust it every time you get on the bike. Cooler yet are the FJR's saddlebags, which may be worthy of being labeled the best bags to be found on a production sport tourer anywhere. Capacious enough to carry a full-faced helmet, yet compact enough to be unobtrusive, the European-made cases are easy to get into and even easier to take on and off the motorcycle. We love 'em! The bags are also indicative of the tremendous fit and finish that the FJR1300 exhibits. That liquid silver paint was definitely the perfect color for this bike, enhancing the sleek, opulent fairing and bodywork. Just check out the jewel-like, set-in appearance of the taillight and turn indicators. Gorgeous stuff. Of course, any self-respecting publication would be remiss if its testers could not come up with at least one nit on any given bike. After all, it's not our job to love each unconditionally. I found two: one functional and one philosophical. First of all, while the FJR1300 is a pretty smooth package, it emits far too much vibration through the bars· especially the throttle side. During extended droning, I found myself constantly having to alternately shake both hands out in order to keep them from going completely numb. It's simply not acceptable for a bike that is supposed to be a longdistance vehicle. With its 6.6-gallon fuel tank and a range of around 240 miles, the FJR will outlast you. As for the philosophical issue, I'm wondering if the FJR is a great bike that could be a stellar bike if Yamaha had not elected to go with shaft drive. The once-dreaded "suspension-jacking" due to driveline lash is not so much an issue with the FJR, but the shaft is certainly noticeable in offthrottle instances, as it creates a definite drag on the motor. Being a sportbike fan, I take exception to this form of drivetrain on any high-performance two-wheeler, which the FJR is. Alas, all that tells me is that I'm probably not the customer that Yamaha envisioned for the FJR1300. Is that customer out there in any appreciable numbers? An experience that I had on the way back from my photo shoot that day might provide a clue. It was while inching my way into line from the 110 to the 405 South, in rush-hour traffic, that a middle-aged guy in a silver Toyota pickup with Arizona plates came screaming up alongside me and rolled down his window. I spotted the drool on his chin immediately. "Hey, how did you get yours so quickly?" he jealously growled. HUh, it's a magazine test bike." "Oh man, they are so cool. I've got my deposit in for one in Oregon. I'm going to pick it up there and ride it 2003 Yamaha FJR1300 ENGINE Uquid-cooled inline four-cylinder VALVETRA1N DOHC, four v~lves per cylinder BORE x STROKE .................•..................... ..79 x 66mm DISPLACEMENT _ 1298cc COMPRESSION RATIO 10.8:1 CARBURETION ..........•........................Electronic fuel injection IGNmON Digital, ECU TRANSMISSION _.. _. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .s·speed CLUTCH Hydraulic multiplate FRAME ..............................•• _. __ •...... Twin-spar aluminum WHEELBASE _. . . . . . . . . .. . .60.6 inches RAJ

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