Voted most helpful review
Reviewed on January 16, 2007
I am one of the dice-rollers that got the FJR phenomenon started. My 2004 model has the heat issue on hot days in heavy traffic. Even with a winter in the garage and on the optimate charger, the battery failed me in less than 36 months. With no options other than heated grips, dealer mounted, I was...
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I am one of the dice-rollers that got the FJR phenomenon started. My 2004 model has the heat issue on hot days in heavy traffic. Even with a winter in the garage and on the optimate charger, the battery failed me in less than 36 months. With no options other than heated grips, dealer mounted, I was chagrined to be bump started by friends on much older beemers. Am particularly annoyed by the weight bait used in early ads offering 521# dry weight figures. This bike is big and with a high center of gravity once wife and top case are on it. Wife is petite and only 130#, so I think it is the bike. As the months have rolled on, magazine side bar stat sheets have rolled up the weight to 687 wet. That is with bags but no top case. Add in the Yamaha top case, and it is a 700# 'sickle. Also, I've discovered a laminar flow effect with top case in place riding solo: at critical speed, about 115 mph, wind spilling off the sides of the case oscillates and causes a dangerous front end wobble. Throttle action is positive, but unduly stiff causing my aging wrist carpal tunnel issues after an hour of riding, so I invested in a Throttlemeister. Not perfect, especially in the hills, but a vast improvement. Low speed maneuvering is a challenge, but ALL is forgiven once over 20 MPH. Then it's just one great adrenaline machine. Miles after 500 per day for me have been outside any rational comfort zone. Even with a gel seat pad, my butt and legs take on the familiar road induced burn. Tall windshield eats into gas mileage, but makes for silky smooth wake all the way to the back seat perch. Biggest surprise: all those miles and not one ticket....yet. High marks to saddle bag mount and closure, and those bag liners are a gift from the Gods. Gotta go-whooooosh!
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