texscottyd

@betoney - Woooooowwwww... you are seriously making me reconsider Houston as a permanent residence. Beautiful!

I am so conflicted on this one... I REALLY want the Niken to be a huge success, even if I don’t think it’s for me personally. I respect any sort of true innovation in the market these days, and this certainly looks like it has the potential to be at least semi-revolutionary. But when you start talking $16K-$18K USD, there are a bunch of extremely competent ‘conventional’ motorcycles available to choose from. The uniqueness of the Niken unquestionably provides some inherent value of exclusivity, but I’m not sure the price/value/innovation mix is going to find a ton of buyers. I hope I’m wrong, and maybe Yamaha has fairly low sales volume estimates to be deemed a success... we shall see. The dichotomy I am having a hard time with is the reality that the FZ/FJ has always been a huge bang-for-the-buck proposition. Sure, the fit & finish isn’t the greatest, and there are some unfinished items that may require aftermarket intervention, but the underlying value is undeniable. For around $18K the Niken needs to not only offer the unique layout & engineering, but also the overall intangible ‘quality’ of a bike in this price bracket. I’m hopeful and intrigued, but not convinced.

Hi @marylandrider - Curious what your initial feedback is on the GPR damper. With the suspension really sorted out on my bike, I’m less convinced that it’s necessary. It’s beautiful, however, and that’s tempting all by itself.

I got out for a few hours on Sunday morning, and had a really nice time wandering around the Texas Gulf Coast...

Spoke too soon - it's up and running!Well, it took five months for us to get around to a photo of McDonald's, so... Slow start, but it seems to be picking up momentum now.

Thanks @piotrek. Those inserts are still in place for now, but I assumed they would have to come out... thanks for confirming. Is the FZ bar end all one piece, including the mounting threads? Looking at ordering parts online, it appears to be one solid piece that just threads into the handlebar... no bolts required.

I finally got around to removing the stock handguard assemblies, and personally much prefer the naked look and feel. Now I need new bar ends. I’ve heard the OEM FZ09 bar end weights are a direct bolt on... can anyone confirm?

Same lineup that came through Houston last month, @betoney. Just for fun, I took their FJ09 demo out for a spin. It firmly reinforced my belief that upgraded suspension components are the best investment you can make on this bike... I’d forgotten just how flaccid the stock bike actually is.

I guess a picture of my FJ by the local Yahama dealer’s Service Department would be inappropriate?

I really enjoy the random bits of roadside Americana I find when I’m out exploring the backroads. The FJ is the perfect companion for these outings...

Get creative! City road repair equipment... maybe a Harley-Davidson? Something tells me the interpretation of ‘good enough’ is going to be very generous

I simply love this time of year! Needville, Texas.

True, but you have to admit that those Gilles Tooling adjusters are really sexy...

Been there... how many gazillion McDonalds did I pass before the light bulb came on? So how about your FJ with the good old Stars & Stripes?

@rhpowell - This has the potential of being a lot of fun now that riding season is here for almost everyone. Water tower - West Columbia, Texas: Next: [b style=color:rgb(252, 37, ]A picture of your FJ with your home country’s national flag

@jimster - You have unfortunately discovered the reality of Yamaha’s accessories business: Many products have additional required items. If you look at the following link, it lists the hard bags (right and left sold separately, of course...) and the required lock set and lower mounting brackets. https://www.shopyamaha.com/product/details/hard-saddlebags?b=Sport+Touring+Accessories&d=48&f=2017|235&ls=yamaha-motor-company Following the links, it appears to be the 3 lock set (part number 5P5-28406-01-00) you will need, along with the lower mounting brackets (part number 2PP-F84G0-V0-00). I only have the side cases, so I have the third lock as a spare (presumably to fit the top box if I ever purchased one). They don’t match the bike’s ignition key, however, so I carry both the bike key and luggage key. There MAY be a way to rekey for all to match, but I haven’t ever looked into it. Perhaps someone else on the forum has some insights here..

Really interested in your opinion! I like the looks of that screen. I don't want to go the barn door route, and have been switching back and forth between the stock screen and nothing at all...

@micah2074 - That counts! Off topic, but... it that Mt Rainier? Beautiful scenery. So, next player: [b style=color:rgb(252, 37, ]Your FJ next to a fire truck

Me too. Hopefully with the riding season getting underway for everyone, it may have some more participation.

@britelitebob - I never said I ate there! Note I’m parked on the sidewalk just off the edge of the roadway... technically, I never made it as far at the parking lot.

And after a mere five months... submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society: It’s been like playing chess with a sloth so far, so let’s make this REALLY easy: [b style=color:rgb(252, 37, ]A picture of your FJ in/with/near the snow. (Somebody from up north that’s been whining about the weather has to have one already saved... )

Is there any other way?

A beautiful Easter Sunday morning, deep in the East Texas piney woods...

Finally! On a winding farm-to-market road somewhere east of Navasota Texas, I rolled past the 10k first tier threshold. In my defense, it’s been zero commuter or interstate miles; every one has been in Sunday morning sport ride mode. It’s been a great bike, and I’m looking forward to a bunch more miles.

Much-needed late afternoon wash in progress... going riding in the morning.