New Member in Philadelphia, PA, USA

[ayrton]

Got my new FJ09 Saturday.  Rode all weekend.
 
I've been riding a 1981 Yamaha Seca 750 for 34 years.  Loved it. I always was shopping but never saw anything I had to have.  I just returned from a week long tour of Utah and Arizona on rented BMW R1200RT.  What with more and more repairs, the leaky fork tube seals, the inaccessible master cylinder and bad front brakes, my old bike had just had it.  Great bike - 34  years, garage kept.  I'll miss it.
 
I wanted something lighter, not too big, still a bit sporty, and a larger frame size.  On this, I can do a some highway trips, neighborhood and some winding roads.  I tried the 2014 FZ, but that on-off throttle was a deal killer.  I'm riding in B mode for a few weeks while I get used to the bike.  I was also interested in the BMW 800 GT, but that was about $14,500.  THE FJ was a deal - $10,400, less 500 sale, less $50 rebate reduction.
 
I'm getting used to the looks.  My son says its from Star Wars.
 

[db5304]

Welcome from Pittsburgh.  I told myself I would stick to B mode too, which I only did for the first day or two.  I just don't really switch from standard unless its raining, but I also have only switched to A mode like twice.  

[jimf]

Welcome from Pittsburgh.  I told myself I would stick to B mode too, which I only did for the first day or two.  I just don't really switch from standard unless its raining, but I also have only switched to A mode like twice.  

I went a couple hundred miles before I even bothered trying different ride modes.  STD works pretty well, and is responsive enough, for just about everything (rain, dry, fast, slow, whatever). 
While I don't care either way in the rain, I find that B mode is particularly useful over rough roads.  It is a lot smoother coming off throttle so you're not jerked around if it's bumpy enough that it's hard to hold the throttle steady.  It's nice in the dirt and mud, too, and in heavy traffic where you're barely moving it's smoother.  I bet Philly has a lot of heavy traffic, just like Boston. :-)
 
I don't have any use for A mode at all.  Maybe if I were at a track, or if it worked better at low throttle openings.  It gets up and goes with alacrity just fine in STD mode, I'm a happy camper even in fast and twisty stuff.