Giving up the R1100gs

[tom444]

Hi all currently riding a r1100gs just finished up a November cross country ride from New York to Arizona yes wind, rain, deer, and trucks.... I left the bike in AZ and flu about but I must say there's some great deals fj-09 out there One of the dealerships in Phoenix has one for just under 8K I read about as much as I can about these bikes but as you know nobody let's you demo them I think I will fly back in February and do a deal I must say I do several cross country trips per year all weather and it's definitely on my price bracket thanks

[wessie]

Hello. Will you replace the R1100GS or is it a keeper? I think they will become a classic of the future as they were a great bike but did not sell in the numbers that the R1150GS sold in, after the Ewan & Charlie effect.
 
I'd get the FJ as a cross country tourer and keep the R-GS for trips out into the hills & deserts.

[wessie]

You asked for a comparison of the R1100GS and FJ9/Tracer. I owned an R1150GS so it is very close.
 
Please be aware that in between selling the R1150GS I owned a Yamaha Super Tenere for 4 years before buying the Tracer (the UK name).
 
All of these bikes are excellent and I enjoyed owning them. I sold the R1150GS as the main flaw is that it makes less than 80bhp. The Super Ten makes very similar power to the FJ/Tracer but delivered in a different way as it is a 1200cc twin compared to na 850cc triple.
 
What you will notice most about the FJ is the much lower weight and the power to weight ratio will be so much better that you will notice a huge difference in top speed and especially acceleration.
 
You will need to get used to riding conventional forks. The telelever front end insulates you from the bumps in the road. I loved this and it took me quite a while to recalibrate on the Super Tenere. You may find the narrower seat less comfortable.
 
Yamaha dealers seem very variable in the US - you won't get the BMW showroom experience, assuming they are like UK ones. Of course, this service costs you in a higher purchase price and hourly rate in the workshop.
 
I have had Yamahas for 5 years now and one for 3 years previously. The bikes have been more reliable than any other brand I have owned.
 
You will have to get used to chain maintenance - hardly an onerous task and use a auto-oiler if you are making long trips. This is where Yamaha save some money and weight compared to using a shaft drive.
 
Brakes are superb, lifted straight off the FJR & Super Tenere with ABS as standard. You also get traction control so the extra power won't catch you out as the safety blanket will protect you.
 
The bike has standard sized wheels so you can use a wide range of tyres from super sticky to long lasting touring tyres. I think you can even get off road tyres to fit if you ride on muddy tracks. Just don't skimp on ground clearance.
 
Lots of luggage options - this bike is selling very well and every accessory maker is cashing in. A good job as Yamaha cannot keep up with demand for their own stuff. Like the R-GS you can carry a pillion and luggage but it won't be so comfy.
 
If you have more questions just fire away.

[tom444]

i will keep the tractor

[tom444]

Thanks for your reply But I must say the one thing that I'm concerned about is all the high-speed wobbling business I hear about what about fork stabilizer?

[redfjniner]

i will keep the tractor

Nothing wrong with that.

[redfjniner]

Thanks for your reply But I must say the one thing that I'm concerned about is all the high-speed wobbling business I hear about what about fork stabilizer?

The wobble, I have had it once on the FJ and it was like this BMW GS's wobble. 
My conclusion was that it is related to the tires.  I also had a GPR4 installed at the time.
 
 

[clint]

Thanks for your reply But I must say the one thing that I'm concerned about is all the high-speed wobbling business I hear about what about fork stabilizer?

Saddlebags mounted @ 130 mph (closed course).....no wobble.

[keithu]

One thing to remember is that the FJ-09 is a sport touring bike, it's not an adventure bike and isn't designed for off road. Think of it as a more affordable, more comfortable, and much faster VFR or Sprint.

[ericm]

My more recent road bikes were a 2007 BMW GS1200 and 2000 BMW GS1150. I also spent a lot of time on a first year BMW GS1100 in '95.
 
The FJ isn't quite as sure footed as the GSes on bumpy roads. Not surprising given the shorter suspension travel. I'm still adjusting the suspension on mine. On both my GSes I installed Wilburs shocks as I found the stock ones wanting. I'll probably mod the FJ's suspension too.
 
Having regular forks again is taking some getting used to. Mostly when I'm coming to a stop and the forks dive then rebound where BMW's telelever didn't move. However it's not noticeable while riding.
 
I've not noticed a wobble but I've not fitted bags.
 
The engine is much more responsive than even the GS1200, which had a lighter flywheel than the 1150 and 1100. It'll pull from just as low but then it's a nice linear power curve. On the 1200 6k rpm felt like a lot, on this engine it's still got lots left. I've owned about 30 motorcycles and ridden many more; this one's got a very sweet and rideable motor.
 
Braking is significantly better than the GSes. Parts prices are much lower than BMW parts. Yamaha publishes a very nice shop manual. It feels like Yamaha intends the bike to be maintainable by a reasonably mechanical owner, where BMW seems to assume most bikes will go to the dealer for maintenance.