humanistfury Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Hey y'all - Just picked up a 2015 FJ-09 earlier this week, and am very confident this bike is gonna make a lot of sense for me over the next few years. I've been riding for about 5 years now, and most of that time has been on the 2010 H-D Sportster 883XLN I traded in. It was a good bike to learn to ride on, mainly due to the low center of gravity, mechanical simplicity, and atrocious low power/weight ratio. This past riding season I became acutely aware of the bike's limitations, and soon concluded that our relationship had run its course. My motorcycle is my primary means of transportation whenever possible, and the FJ-09 satisfied most all of my requirements for practical, reliable two-wheeled transportation. I also wanted a bike that wouldn't leave me bored & annoyed whenever I felt the need for some self-administered adrenaline therapy. I also probably prioritize safety more than most riders I know, so ABS and the D-Modes were a strong selling point for me. Finally, most all of these requirements were also satisfied by the BMW F800GS/GSA, but I quite literally walked out of the dealership when I added up the base price plus BMW's criminally high service/repair costs. Besides, Yamaha is a respected company that's definitely still rising. When I objectively compared the two bikes, it became clear to me that the added $4K, plus however much more in annual maintenance costs would be almost purely for a single feature - the logo on the fairing. Anyhow, I've definitely learned that a good, active forum is critical in maintaining, troubleshooting, and generally enjoying any bike. I hope I'm able to contribute as much as I learn. Y'all take it easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattemike Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Quite a change in bikes for sure. So you've come over from the dark side, enjoy your new ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papadage Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Welcome humanistfury! I've been riding about the same number of years, and the FJ is my first new bike. So far it's been great, but next weekend it's getting dropped off to do the recall work. Enjoy the bike, it's fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvnfardid Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris618 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Welcome to the forum. We also have an 883 in the garage. I'm sure you'll enjoy the weight reduction and softer suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humanistfury Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Basically, it's just so nice riding a bike that was designed in the 21st century. I rode on the interstate for a few hours this weekend and was struck at how nice it is being able to *see* around and over the traffic around you. Also, I'd never considered how liberating it is to be able to pass a vehicle at interstate speeds and not have it be a multi-phase operation (vs. on the Sportster, where I'd have to wait for a large break in traffic, drop a gear, tuck in,...). Even up here at >6000 ft. ASL... no engine strain at all, even with a decent amount of luggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eatpasta Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Hey y'all - Just picked up a 2015 FJ-09 earlier this week, and am very confident this bike is gonna make a lot of sense for me over the next few years. I've been riding for about 5 years now, and most of that time has been on the 2010 H-D Sportster 883XLN I traded in. It was a good bike to learn to ride on, mainly due to the low center of gravity, mechanical simplicity, and atrocious low power/weight ratio. This past riding season I became acutely aware of the bike's limitations, and soon concluded that our relationship had run its course. My motorcycle is my primary means of transportation whenever possible, and the FJ-09 satisfied most all of my requirements for practical, reliable two-wheeled transportation. I also wanted a bike that wouldn't leave me bored & annoyed whenever I felt the need for some self-administered adrenaline therapy. I also probably prioritize safety more than most riders I know, so ABS and the D-Modes were a strong selling point for me. Finally, most all of these requirements were also satisfied by the BMW F800GS/GSA, but I quite literally walked out of the dealership when I added up the base price plus BMW's criminally high service/repair costs. Besides, Yamaha is a respected company that's definitely still rising. When I objectively compared the two bikes, it became clear to me that the added $4K, plus however much more in annual maintenance costs would be almost purely for a single feature - the logo on the fairing. Anyhow, I've definitely learned that a good, active forum is critical in maintaining, troubleshooting, and generally enjoying any bike. I hope I'm able to contribute as much as I learn. Y'all take it easy! yeah I owned a GS for about ten years and did all of the work myself. If I remember correctly, an oil change was $300 (maybe 15 minutes for me and $40 in oil) and the 36k service was something astronomical like $2400 and that was only took four hours and was (relatively) fun. Ive have always wanted to do most of my own work if anything else so I can get to know the bike better and the GS at least encouraged you to work on it. It was very satisfying to do a throttle body sync and valve adjustment and notice the bike running more smoothly.....and lets not talk about the cost of their parts.... anyways, welcome to the site and congrats on the bike!! Hardley's have their place for sure, but if going slowly ain't your thing than, well what i can I say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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