> Rudi! Give us some riding impressions in a couple of weeks!!
I'm sure I will. Infact ever since I've been playing with the idea of
selling the the GTS for the FJR I subscribed myself to a FJR Mailing list
that was/is in its infancy but a french contributor just described his first
impression of the FJR when he had a testride this weekend:
<...
'What do you ride ?' asks the salesman. I tell him a Bandit 600. 'OK,'
he says. 'Just remember, this bike has torque. Lots and lots of it. So
be careful.'
We get on the bike, and I start her up. I'm aware of how much smoother
she is, than a Bandit. But power. I can sense the power. Annie gets on
the back, and immediately comments on how wide and comfortable the saddle
is. The FJR feels right away, that it's a bike made for doing miles and
miles of road. Touring. Yeah, touring's where it's at. Expressions
like 'Paris to Seville', or 'Paris to Athens', start to come to mind.
Clutch in, first gear. I slip the clutch a little, just to see where she
'bites', and am surprised when the bike pulls, with absolutely no throttle
input. Wow, I think ... the pulse is racing, already.
We pull out, six of us. Four testers, and two salesmen, in front and
behind on a couple of 600 Fazers. Down ave de la Grande Armée, towards
Porte Maillot, and pull onto the Périphérique (the large orbital road,
circling Paris). First to second is smooth, with a sexy 'clunk', higher
in pitch than the Bandit, and without the front of Annie's helmet
smacking into the back of mine. The rest of the gears come as silky as
thick Cadbury's.
I take it easy for the first couple of miles, sitting in fifth, at about
60 mph. I want to pass the coach in front of me, but damn, I forgot to
adjust the mirrors, and I can't see what's behind me. Lean forward a
little, nothing there, indicator on, and pull out. I twist my right hand,
and just for a fraction of a second, there's a buzz from the huge
four-cylinder powerplant, and then ... take off. No exagerration, this
bike goes. The only way I can describe it, is when I get on a plane and
we're taking off. Effortless, seemingly boundless power. If I keep the
throttle open, will she ever stop going ? Warp factor nine, captain. I
mean, like ... wow ! Are those stars I can see melting before me
? Commander Data, set course for home. Aye, sir ... Earthbound
metaphors no longer suffice. I'm no longer moving from right to left, but
from starboard to port. Flaps up. Request permission to climb to flight
level 29 ...
I glance down at the speedometer, bloody hell, 110 mph. It must have
taken no more than a few seconds ! I start to play with the
windscreen. Fully extended, it buffets a lot, and the noise is pretty
hefty. Lower if a couple of inches, that's better. Still, we're on a
bike, not in a car. At 100 mph, I have less wind than at 50 mph on a
Bandit.
I close the power a little bit, and the FJR jerks. Not too smooth, but
then, I don't know her, and I was probably a little brusque.
The salesman moves over, and allows us to open her up a little. 120, 130,
140 mph. Solid as a _rock_. Annie is starting to get a little nervous
behind me, but I've rarely felt so at ease. Damn, do I really need to
give this thing back ..? Is Seville _really_ so far ..?
Salesman flashes lights, right-hand indicator on, pull off A13, and turn
round, direction Paris. I see the road sign, 'Paris, 35 km (21 miles),
and wonder, is that a misprint ?
Get nearer Paris, and the traffic builds up. Hazard warning lights on,
and filter between two lines of cars. Envious looks from the drivers, but
nary a moment when she feels anything less than steady, controllable, and
my God, _so much power_ !!!
Pull off the Périphérique, turn right at lights. I note that when I'm
stopped, my shins touch the lower edge of the fairing. Hmm ... But is
this a big, wieldy beast ? Big, yes. Immensely powerful, yes. Silky
smooth, yes. Heavy ? No. At least, her weight is well distributed, and
I have no trouble moving in between lines of cars.
Back to the dealership, and a debriefing. What did I like, and what did I
not like ?
For :
Power. Lots of it. I mean, _lots_ !
Smoothness
Protection
Saddle for passenger
Against:
Fairing touches legs (but then I'm 6'4")
Windscreen retracts each time ignition is turned off
...>
