maximo

I just removed the bar risers from mine. The position fits me better, but interestingly enough, I got a whole lot of new buzz in the handlebars. Seems like one of the functions they played was to absorb extra vibrations.

I agree with the pretext stop/fishing expedition. He may have seen you quickly accelerating, and thought you may do something that is actually stupid, so he stopped you on a pretext to better asses the situation. Seeing that it was a nothingburger, he "graciously" lets you off with a warning.

Welcome back, again! "Tracer, why can't I quit you?"

I currently still have my K bike ('07 K12GT), and the '15 FJ. For me it's been a rough transition, but then again, the T9GT is a much better bike than the 1st year 1st Gen FJ, which had a few issues that needed sorting out. If I were to anthropomorphize my bikes, the K12GT is the CEO of a financial firm, solid, competent, and surprisingly agile for its weight. My FJ is a 15 year old ADHD boy that is wound up tight, full of energy, and in some ways unpredictable. My FJ can be a load of fun, and sometimes there's no other bike I'd want to be on; other times it tries to kill me. One of these days I have to try a newer Tracer, Tgoo, or T9 model.

That's what your arse is for, no? In unrelated news, I'm heading off to the courthouse to pay another speeding ticket.

Thanks everyone! I hadn't heard of Baboon to the Moon. I want to buy one just from the ad alone! For me, based on what I'm seeing and hearing, seems like 30L would be about right. I do a lot of backpacking so I have all the packable gear, and maybe even room to toss in a few dehydrated meals in there as well. My base gear is Sea to summit pad, quilt, a 2P Slingfin Portal, and MSR pocket rocket embedded inside a titanium 1.3L pot. It all packs down fairly compact. I'll use my saddlebags for my clothes, rain gear, and flat tire thingy.

Ever since reading @redfjniner's Colorado ride report, I've been scheming a way to do it myself. I currently only have the saddlebags, and I think I'd like to take a duffle bag/dry bag to go over the back seat for additional capacity. I looked at all the usual places, and there seems to be no shortage of bags to fill the niche. I thought I'd check in here w all y'all to see if anyone has a favorite. My requirements are fairly basic: easy to strap down, waterproof, and spacious enough to hold my camping gear (even tho I'll probably stay in hotels, I'd like the option of camping in case the mood hits or the location begs for it). Suggestions? Recommendations?

The 1000GT+ looks really good. On paper, tho, it seems like the Ninja 1000SX scratches the same itch, and since it has a couple of years head start, has worked out the bugs and added a few extra farkles. But certainly one of these bikes is on my radar, along with the R1250RS, as a potential replacement for my FJ.

This is fantastic! I just found out that my summer vacation plans got canceled, and I'm looking for something to fill it in. I was already thinking of going east to drop in on some family in Utah, I may just borrow your GPS file and retrace your steps!

Definitely go out 36 and pop out on Titlow Hill Rd in Willow Creek. The road's name at 36 is FS1, right at Mad River. Then when you're up in 299, follow it until you hit Douglas City, then stay on 3 southbound, through Hayfork (you're in for a treat). It'll connect back to 36, and you'll head back home from there. https://goo.gl/maps/2QGYrLibNEDZhKJZ8

Duckie, I know the area really well, so I can give you ideas on where to ride. Just let me know how many hours you want to ride, and I can set you up with some magic routes. As for 32, it's an ok road. The first 25 miles out of Chico as you noticed is kind of boring. Then once you pass the road to Butte Meadows and the 32 drops into the canyon it gets fun pretty fast. Until you hit that first hairpin and it bites you in the rear end. I know exactly which curve that is. Even though I know it's there, its easy to get sucked into the rhythm of the curves before, and them BAM! your pegs are scraping as you lean further and further to keep it between the lines. The good thing about riding 32 first is that it gets you ready for all the other roads nearby that are more better.

It's always a risk buying the first year model, or the first year major overhaul... I'm living with a '15 model that needed a bunch of fixes in order to be rideable. Sorry you're stuck in this mess. It's so frustrating!

In other reports I've heard it stated as "certain variants of the Goldwing..." which I took to mean the ones that aren't fully decked out (like the FB6 model). I can't imagine Honda would give up its 25 year throne of luxury touring with such little fanfare.

If you like to ride NorCal roads, here's another one to add to the list: Platina Road. I've been by it a million times, but I've never taken it. Coming up from Chico, there's no real reason to take this road, since it leads away from the good stuff from my vantage. But I wanted a short ride to shakedown my new handlebar position, so I went on it. Turns out to be fantastic! There are sections that follow a creekbed, other sections that hug the side of the ridge, and another section that rides the ridgeline for a while. Some sections are fast sweepers, and other parts are tight, technical corners. There are wide sweeping views, the pavement is in surprisingly good condition, and zero traffic. This is as desolate of a road as I've been on in quite some time. I give it a strong recommendation to add it to your list to mix and match with other roads in the area. https://goo.gl/maps/CumhgYDszNeNVeTY7

I feel some of this. The magic of the FJ that so many of you feel continues to elude me. On paper it's the perfect bike, it checks every box I have, but that doesn't translate to the riding experience. I just took off the bar risers and rotated the bars forward to create a little more fwd lean. I'll take it out tomorrow for a few hours to see if that helps. I'm this close (imagine my thumb and index not very far apart) to throwing in the towel and selling it to someone who will give her the love she deserves.

Sheesh, you guys going on about $5+ gas are making me envious. Today I filled up my sedan and paid $7.09 a gallon. I'm on a riding slump as of late. I took a new job and it is impractical to commute on the bike any more. This job requires long days and more often than not weekend work as well. So no commuting on the bike, and very little time on the weekends after the honey-dos are done, means that I put on a grand total of 7k miles on all my 3 bikes combined. Ouch.

FWIW, I have 5" bar risers w/the stock bars, and that allows the bars to swivel to almost horizontal, so the upward bend sweeps back, not up. Still not comfortable. LOL

I am a chain/sprocket abuser. I hate cleaning/lubing with a passion, so I just don't do it. Well, the cleaning part anyway. I do have a bottle of spray lube in my saddlebag and whenever I remember, I'll spray some on while I'm stopped to rest on a ride. Could be weekly, monthly, or maybe never if I don't remember. I've replaced chains/sprockets at 5K miles, and none lasts more than 10K miles. I'll happily drop a couple of hundred here and there in exchange for not cleaning my chain. If I were tight on funds it'd be a different story, but I'm fortunate enough that this little bit of willful maltreatment doesn't hurt the pocketbook much. And if it did, I'd get a paper route to fund the excessive changes. I'd rather do that than to clean and lube the chain.

I have a '15 model and don't have the wobbles. My suspension is stock, but I have taken off the handguards and use a taller windscreen. I don't often get into triple digits MPH, but the times I have, I've never had a wobble.

Every night at your local watering hole, no?

Getting to far away tracks is something I'll do in retirement. Meanwhile, I'll have to watch on TV.

I apologize if I sounded dismissive. I just meant to say that the cost wasn't an issue. Your description is what I was after. I've only ridden K bikes, I have no point of comparison to the R bikes. Your description was super helpful.

I already have a big German money pit... The idea I'm noodling on is replacing the big GT and the FJ-09 with an RS, and have that bike serve double duty. I really love my GT, but I haven't yet gotten to that level of fondness with my FJ, and I'll probably eventually accept that it's just not the bike for me. I'm going to try one more mod (more compact handlebars and take off the bar risers) to see if a little bit more lean and tucked in arms makes it fit me better), but after that I'll probably sell and try to fill that niche with something else.

Looking forward to your experiences.

I'm considering some bike consolidation, and the R1200/1250RS is on my radar. Have any of you owned one of these bikes? I'm interested in how it would do as both a touring rig and a weekend canyon carver.