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Any Regrets??


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Really having a hard time pulling the trigger on this FJ 09. Currently ride a 2013 Ducati Multistrada that I love.
Just want to add a bike to the stable to give me less miles on the Duc and give me some variety.
Been looking at this and the Versys 1000 and I go back and forth. Test rode both and love both of them.
 
I am tall so this style of bike suits me the best. I will be using the new bike for mostly day rides and canyon carving (not blasting just carving).
Let me know if you have any regrets and what mods you feel are mandatory for the FJ.
Thanks
RC
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Bike history = '78 KZ650, '77 CB750, '03 EX500R, '04 SV650S, '01 Bandit 600, '05 DL650K, '09 Speed Triple, '07 919, '15 FJ-09
 
Wife wasn't happy touring on my last two bikes, so I needed a sport touring bike that was good for long miles 2-up, but would still deliver when I want to get stupid solo. As we all know it is hard to find a single bike that does it all.
 
My short list consisted of the '14 V-Strom 1K, '15 Versys 1K, and '14 Tiger 800, and '15 FJ-09.
 
The Strom was everything you expect from one of the best adventure touring bikes on the market. It did everything right, but nothing outstanding. The Tiger was the most similar to the FJ, but the engine lacked the "Wow" factor when you wind it up, and it felt less like a sport bike compared to the FJ-09. The Versys is a torque monster, but felt too heavy by comparison for my tastes.
 
If the FJ-09 didn't exists, I would have ended up with the Versys 1K. It's hard to argue against that Ninja DNA.
 
Regrets...
 
The only very minor "regrets" so far is the lack of a hydraulic preload adjuster in the rear, excessive buffeting, and lack of aftermarket support.
 
I commute every day, and take the wife out on weekends. Fiddling with the rear preload using the C-spanner is a pain. I eagerly await aftermarket options for suspension upgrades that don't cost an arm and a leg. The wind coming off of the stock screen and hand guards drowned out my Sena 20S with wind noise and wore my neck out on longer rides. I solved 60% of the wind problem with a PUIG Windscreen Visor, and I am watching the screen threads on this forum to see which aftermarket option turns out to be the crowd favorite.
 
Once the aftermarket catches up these minor nits will be easily fixed, but the bike is so new it will take some time.
 
That being said the FJ-09 is damn near the perfect motorcycle. I smile every time I throw a leg over and thumb the starter. If I want to ride aggressive, sedate, 2-up, commute, long miles, or any combination there of, it delivers. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
 
 
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You mentioned you wanted variety, but I don't think adding a FJ to the stable with a Multi is much of a variety. They both reside in the same niche of motorcycling genres.
 
In my opinion the Multi looks better, the FJ is better value and more reliable, but it has it's short comings as well (windscreen, suspension, tuning). Why not keep the Duc and add a different style of bike (sport, cruiser, dirt bike, adventure, etc.)? Or better yet sell the Duc, buy an FJ, and get a different second bike. ;-)
 
Of course this advice is coming from an admitted motorcycle whore who currently has an '08 Triumph Sprint, '11 Husky TCX-449 (street legal), '03 R6, and the '15 FJ-09 in the garage.
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Really having a hard time pulling the trigger on this FJ 09. Currently ride a 2013 Ducati Multistrada that I love. Just want to add a bike to the stable to give me less miles on the Duc and give me some variety.
Been looking at this and the Versys 1000 and I go back and forth. Test rode both and love both of them.
 
I am tall so this style of bike suits me the best. I will be using the new bike for mostly day rides and canyon carving (not blasting just carving).
Let me know if you have any regrets and what mods you feel are mandatory for the FJ.
Thanks
RC
No regrets. It was the FJ-09 or a Hyperstrada. Never ridden the Multistrada, but I'm sure that it is a wonderful bike. Prior rides were a ZRX1200R, Speed Triple and Tiger. 
STUFF EVERYTHING - I'VE ALWAYS GOT MY BIKE!
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You mentioned you wanted variety, but I don't think adding a FJ to the stable with a Multi is much of a variety. They both reside in the same niche of motorcycling genres. 
In my opinion the Multi looks better, the FJ is better value and more reliable, but it has it's short comings as well (windscreen, suspension, tuning). Why not keep the Duc and add a different style of bike (sport, cruiser, dirt bike, adventure, etc.)? Or better yet sell the Duc, buy an FJ, and get a different second bike. ;-)
 
Of course this advice is coming from an admitted motorcycle whore who currently has an '08 Triumph Sprint, '11 Husky TCX-449 (street legal), '03 R6, and the '15 FJ-09 in the garage.
as above, sell the Ducati and use the money to buy an FJ09 for the commute and a 2nd fun bike for times when you want a different bike experience.  
For me the Tracer (FJ09) satisfies most needs for commuting and touring but sometimes I'd like to have a proper, lightweight trail bike for a bit of green laning or a sports bike for the odd track day and Sunday morning hoon (my knees wouldn't tolerate using a GSXR1000 as a touring bike but a 100 mile round trip on a Sunday morning would be bearable)
This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is.
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I replaced the suspension (front and rear) and now my only complaint with the bike is I am not finding a good wind screen solution. However, that seems to be a common complaint on every bike on every forum, so nothing unique to the FJ.
I'd just ride the Multistrada and not get another bike that is similar, but has a lesser motor, suspension and brakes. If you want variety, get an 848 or a Daytona 675.
Cheers
2015 FJ-09
2006 Triumph Daytona 675
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  • 4 weeks later...
I bought my Tracer after selling my Honda Blackbird. I wanted to keep the Blackbird but money was tight.If I had my time again I would have bought the cheaper FZ 09 and been able to keep the Honda .
I use the Tracer for a bit of commuting and the twisties .Its like my hooligan bike . After touring on the Blackbird the Tracer seems like hard work . Don't get me wrong I like it but not as a tourer. Its too twitchy and uncomfortable for long rides for me .
 
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No regrets - zero - zip - nada. I have about 6000 miles on mine and love it. I have done no modification whatsoever. It is still 100% stock. I don't get all the whining about this and that i.e. suspension, windscreen etc. For those of you wanting to change everything why didn't you get a machine more to your liking in the first place? The FJ is light and handles so well you really don't have to do anything - just think it - and the bike is there. Handles like a bicycle in a parking lot. Although some say the brakes are middle of the road I have to say they are great. I had to haul it down from 80 mph in an emergency stop where I had both brakes squeezed as hard as possible and I had to change lanes at the same time. The FJ did as it was told with nary a complaint and I was able to maintain control. That would not have been the case with previous bikes I have owned.  Bottomline:  You might find a better machine but you will pay a lot more and even then - was it worth it?
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Don't get me wrong I like it but not as a tourer. Its too twitchy and uncomfortable for long rides for me .
See, your problem is that you used to have a bike that was actually good for touring.  I used to tour on a Daytona 675.  After doing that for eight years going on tour on the FJ is like the physical incarnation of the Second Coming. 
 
2015 FJ-09 (Mary Kate)
2007 Daytona 675 (Tabitha, ret.)
1998 Vulcan 800 (Ret.)
2001 SV650S (Veronica, Ret.)
2000 Intruder 800 (Ret.)
 
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Out of curiosity, what speed did you tour at?
I have just returned from a 2700 mile tour in 12 days, the longest of which was 480 miles in a day. My least favourite thing about this bike? Nothing!  On motorways I was mostly sitting at 80-90, with high speed weave stopping anything above 110 (which was no bad thing!).
I got to within 3 miles of home, opened it up in 3rd, and grinned from ear to ear.  After being on it for 2697 miles in 12 days!!  My (joint with a Tiger 1050?) favourite bike to date, think it's my 8th.
Bike is mostly stock with Givi screen, top box and tankbag, FJR panniers and grip puppies.
I can do a write up of my gallop around Europe if anyone is interested... but certainly no regrets!
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Don't get me wrong I like it but not as a tourer. Its too twitchy and uncomfortable for long rides for me .
See, your problem is that you used to have a bike that was actually good for touring.  I used to tour on a Daytona 675.  After doing that for eight years going on tour on the FJ is like the physical incarnation of the Second Coming. 

And although my 675 Street Triple R was slightly better for touring than your Daytona, on the FJ-09 I can do much longer days than I ever did on the STripleR. IMHO, it's the wide bars that make the FJ-09 seem initially twitchy. Once you get used to using small inputs at the bars it won't be twitchy at all, in my experience. YMMV. 
Jim, if you don't get to ride Hurricane Road before darkness today it's because you spent too much time posting here this morning, instead of riding! :P
 
FJ-09, 690 Enduro R.
Back Roads. Period.
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See, your problem is that you used to have a bike that was actually good for touring.  I used to tour on a Daytona 675.  After doing that for eight years going on tour on the FJ is like the physical incarnation of the Second Coming. 

And although my 675 Street Triple R was slightly better for touring than your Daytona, on the FJ-09 I can do much longer days than I ever did on the STripleR. IMHO, it's the wide bars that make the FJ-09 seem initially twitchy. Once you get used to using small inputs at the bars it won't be twitchy at all, in my experience. YMMV. 
Jim, if you don't get to ride Hurricane Road before darkness today it's because you spent too much time posting here this morning, instead of riding! :P

Hah.  I got there in plenty of time, even after riding Tracy Road three times.
2015 FJ-09 (Mary Kate)
2007 Daytona 675 (Tabitha, ret.)
1998 Vulcan 800 (Ret.)
2001 SV650S (Veronica, Ret.)
2000 Intruder 800 (Ret.)
 
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