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Let's Talk Handling !


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I LOVE how this bike handles. The wide handle bars make all the difference. The slightest intention and you're carving corners. They might make lane splitting slightly more awkward, but for those of us who live in a world where that is SUPER illegal, it doesn't matter ;) 
The stock suspension bounces you around on bumpy corners, but I've never felt unsafe. Except that one time I forgot to go from A mode to STD before getting hard into the twisties. An unexpected bump in A mode causing your wrist to twitch will definitely lurch you forward enough to make you glad you wore clean underwear.
Yeah, have to agree with the above. The bike feels okay on light winter washboards and washboards at the end of corners with STD/TCS on. Has anyone but me tried changing tire pressures? I noticed that the FJ carves corners quicker with about 38 psi in the rear tire as opposed to 42.  Manual says for full load, 36 front, 42 rear.  I weigh 260 in gear. Am I courting disaster by letting out a little air for 50-60 mph twisties? Scooting forward and keeping a little more weight on the front has kept me from feeling a steering shake all the way up to about 90 with side bags.  Bike's better than I am. 
2015 Grey FJ09 with a few tweaks, 2007 HD Street Glide - Good Bike + Good Friends = Good Day.
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I'm in California (bay area) and have only had my FJ09 since Tuesday. I LOVE the handling. For me, this bike begs to be leaned into corners and is very civil in the city.
 
The hands guards are huge... adds 5 inches of width for splitting. Splitting was surprisingly manageable with the guards since they are a good height but I did immediately rip them off when I got home. Much better! Now the mirrors are the widest point on the bike. May look into smaller profile ones but so far they have not caused me any grief riding around town.
 
The torque is great and the bike moves whenever asked. I've been riding my SO's KTM 950sm the last 6 months or so and I don't in any way feel like the performance of the FJ is a step down. While the 950 is certainly more flashy and turns more heads with its unbaffled Leo Vinces, it also has a much smaller fuel tank and the seating is far less comfy, even with a seat concepts on the ktm. The fj09 is the perfect sleeper sport bike that is still comfortable and pleasant to ride on surface streets. I love love love it. High and low speed handling is very easy for me thus far.
 
Between work and the SO's mom being in town for mother's day I haven't had the chance to ride it on anything fun, but my SO put his mom on the back yesterday and I followed on the 950 through the Oakland hills for a bit. From my perspective, the ride looked pretty smooth and he was able to lean well around tighter corners with a passenger. She had a blast, way more comfortable than riding 2up on the 950 I imagine (I've been both passenger and pilot 2up on the ktm and its pretty awful, especially on the pilot's nether regions).
 
No buyers remorse here as of yet.
 
 
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Just a quick one.
 
I have just swapped the new Tiger Sport 1050 for the FJ09/Tracer, that felt like a boat after riding the Tracer, i have got it to shake its
head a couple of times due to to much power and being heavyhanded on the bars.
 
It handles fine for me, could spend money on fork springs/oil and a new rear shock but only when i win the lottery or need to replace originals.
love Triumph triples, but Yamaha has a brilliant bike in the Tracer.
 
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  • 4 months later...
Hey, Rummy, where are you based and where is your top pic from? I need to hit that road! I'm from the East Bay and now live up here in WA. I miss the weather, but get to ride 96 from I5 to Orleans annually. Ever been on 36, and if so, is it as great as they say?
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I been riding 25 plus years and ride the wheels off of my 2012 S1000RR and my 2013 Daytona 675R, guess I'm partial to sport bikes. I bought the FJ simply because I was looking for a comfortable bike to do some serious miles on. I find the Fj a bit cumbersome at low speed and tight turns, could be I haven't ridden mine that much since I keep it at my summer house. It's kind of tall for me which I think plays into my low speed turning issues. This is my second ADV type bike and I think I'm just more comfortable on a sport bike
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Ok, let me add some fodder to the discussion.
 
A 44yr old, retired amateur motocrosser and have been on the street since my early 20's. Ridden all sorts of bikes and am pretty quick when I want to be. I just came off a 2008 Buell Ulysses, XB12XT and it was one of the most sorted bikes I have ever ridden. It takes time to dial in the suspension on any bike and that Buell, once dialed was excellent. Very smooth and forgiving on the highway and it was ROCK STABLE at high speed sweepers and at tight corners. Didn't have the most powerful brakes, so it behaved under heavy (for a Buell) braking loads.
 
Jumping on the FJ, meant I had to compromise on the suspension and handling. It is good for what it is (an economical, middle-weight touring bike) and will be plenty for most. Down the freeway, it could be more compliant and when pushed, it needs (IMO) more composure. I did induce some headshake and will shop for a steering stabilizer soon. BTW- my Buell (both of them) never exhibited headshake at any time. Very solid bikes. But I digress...
 
Turn in is quick and the bike feels light. Mid-corner bumps are not scary (like on my old, stock SV650s), but you can feel the bike is unhappy. The chassis is firm and for me, (6'03", 210lbs geared up) feels undersprung and underdamped. I will definitely replace the rear shock and look at some drop-ins for the forks. The throttle is better than the original FZ-09, but still can be abrupt and actually, throttle map-B is best for handling and composure. I will admit that map-A with the TCS disabled is fun- license-revoking kind of fun, but map-B is smooth and smooth makes the chassis happy. Brake dive in the forks is acceptable.
 
Overall I rate the bike 7- good for most, with room to grow.
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Hey, Rummy, where are you based and where is your top pic from? I need to hit that road! I'm from the East Bay and now live up here in WA. I miss the weather, but get to ride 96 from I5 to Orleans annually. Ever been on 36, and if so, is it as great as they say?
36 great?   Yes. 
But I found another road that is maybe more fun and it is only about 24 miles long.  CA245, south from CA180.  I counted the turns: 464, usually 10-15-20 and maybe 25-30mph corners, and you aren't going to be able to do much over 60 anywhere.

Ken, Candy Ass L.D.R. Sleeps 8 hours
(2)2005 FJR1300abs:  230,000 m
2015 FJ-09:  114,000 m (Replaced engine at 106K)

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