John, Congratulations on your new cycle. Initial reports on the FJR were sort of ho hum, but Cycle World,in the new Sept. issue,the ST 1300 vs. FJR 1300 basically proclaimed the FJR as the real true motorcycle of the two. They went on to say that if you could only afford one motorcycle, it should be rhe FJR 1300. That says a
lot in my book. -Pete 93 48 state GTS 51,000 miles -- John Laurenson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > All new FJR owners carry on and expounds about the > thrill and the happy face > they get from the wonderfully responsive FJR1300 > torque monster of an > engine. As I also do. But, few mention one the > strongest virtues I find > the FJR displays, and the one that brings as big a > grin to my face as I ride > at any speed........it's is an unbelievable > handling, well balanced, and > graceful 600 lb. Gorilla. > > I come from, and in fact, still own a Yamaha GTS1000 > ...you remember the one > with that funny front end.....forkless. I bought > the GTS because after one > test ride on a friends GTS and I was in awe of it > handling prowess. I have > often bragged how great a bike the GTS was, and > still is, and that I would > probably never sell it. It weighs a few pounds more > than the FJR. It is a > little top heavy bike when not in motion, but once > on the move it handles > like a much smaller bike. Owners often joke about > how they often give Go > Fast Joe Rocket on his 600 cc machine a surprise on > mountain roads with the > ability and agility of the GTS to move through the > curves at speed. I just > finished a 14,000 mile ride on GTS in just over a > two weeks period, it is a > great performing bike in all respects. Every aspect > of it virtues and > strengths are still vivid in my mind and my > motorcycle sense touch is still > active from spending long hours in the saddle.. The > difference between the > GTS and FJR is still readily discernible to my > senses. My point is the GTS > is no performance handling slouch for being a 600 > pound plus Gorilla. I was > worried that the FJR would not handle as well as my > GTS. > > With that said, true, the power and torque from this > FJR1300 engine is > awesome, but just as awesome is it's handling and > balance at any speed. > Yamaha has not just built a go fast machine, but a > big bike capable of doing > donuts in a parking lot or moving down a gravel road > with ease and grace. > Wing Honda owners brag about how well that half ton > monster handles at > walking speeds and stop lights, and it does. Yamaha > has also learned the > trick. The center of gravity on the FJR has been put > down low, making it > handle like a much smaller and lighter bike from the > moment you release the > clutch. > > Not only am I smiling, as I open up the throttle to > pulling away from a > traffic light or pass a car, but I smile from the > time I push the start > button on FJR. I smile as I do a snap turn out my > driveway , or a u-turn > on a two lane road, as I flick it around at walking > speeds, or as I dive > into a corner at speeds 10 mph faster than I > comfortably did a few weeks ago > ..... It is simply a big ass R1 in all respects. I > am at one with this > machine every time I put my leg over it. > > Yamaha you have a winner. This is the most fun > bike, best handling bike, I > have ever owned. I feel like that guy in the Suzuki > Kantana TV commercial > with the bike following him around enticing him to > take it for a ride at all > hours of the day. > > > Hawke > > FJR 1300 ...... Snarly > http://homepage.mac.com/johnlaurenson/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs http://www.hotjobs.com
