John, John, John, You sound almost like you've rejected the GTS and left it an orphan! And after the long talk you had with it to explain the coming of a new stable mate. ;^)
I'm in total agreement. Yesterday I took my FJR on some local roads that are really tight. Even after almost 150,000 miles in the saddle of the GTS these roads still gave me some angst because of the top heaviness and general cumbersomeness of the bikes at slow speeds. On the FJR it was no sweat at all. All the anxiety is gone when it comes to slow speed maneuvers. And the high speed handling is really good also. At this point, I still like the suspension of the GTS better, but then I haven't finished personalizing the FJR. After it's set up for ldriding, I may have CircuitOne work some of their magic on it. I'm not going to abandon my GTS's, but I can see that the FJR is going to get the majority of the miles logged on it. Roger ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Laurenson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2002 4:45 AM Subject: FJR1300 awesome > 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/ >
