“A solid reliable bike that is made for extended touring but is also quick and relatively nimble considering it weighs almost 300 kg. Although much of the weight is low down it is still a handful to keep upright when stopped, lean more than a few degrees and unless you are very strong it will be on its side, crash bobbins are one of the most useful accessories for keeping the plastics in order.
The engine is very strong with a lot of torque that in most cases means that gear changing is optional if not in a hurry. It is very economical when ridden at aboout mid range revs when I have had 50 mpg very often. Above mid range the engine sings and the power comes on strong that results in a very good turn of speed. On the autobahn crusing at 100mph is easy and comfortable sitting upright and hiding behind the adjustable screen, at this speed there is still plenty in reserve! The engine can spin the rear wheel easily in poor conditions but the traction control steps in to keep everything controlable but lets you now that things are not quite as they should be with the rear wheel!
Cornering is generally very smooth and I and have had many comment that cornering looks effortless, particularly on longer curves where it is like riding on rails. The bike is heavy making fast chenges of direction quite physical but not as difficult as perhaps one would expect considering the weight. Stopping is also without drama, I have yet to have the ABS kick in so I cannot comment on it's effectiveness.
The main criticsm I have is the rear suspension. The A version has little adjustment and set at the normal setting the rear suspension is too soft. At the hard setting the bike is very solid but this, in my opinion, produces the best handling from the bike. I have yet to make any adjustment to the front suspension but there is a possibility that a softer front suspension setting coupled to the rear suspension on normal may result in a balance that would not degrade the handling but lead to a more comfortable ride but this is just a theory at present.
I bought the FJR for its touring credentials and have not been dissapointed, covering almost 650 miles in one day was achieved with enough energy left to get off the bike with relative ease, not something I could do with my previous bike. What has suprised me is how easy the bike is to ride enthusiasticlly through twisting roads making it a lot of fun to own. Whatever bike I have next the FJR is a hard act to follow.”
