Unsatisfied with my FJ-09

[wal]

The Versys 1000 is smooth as butter ..The 650 is a twin where the 1000 in an inline 4..big difference. I have an FZ-09 and almost bought an FJ to have a bike that is better for longer rides , after riding the FJ and the Versys i bought the Versys. There is no comparison, The Versys is a much better and much more refined bike

I had briefly considered the Versys 1K before quickly returning to my senses (...'stay with the program', the voice in my head repeated)...the Versys felt top heavy and a bit of an oinker to be moving around in my garage. Nice looking bike though and a decent value too.

ive ridden the versys 1k too, it is nice, but the extra weight/size was a no go for me, i wanted something around the same weight as the 650 Versys, the Tracer is only a few lbs heavier than the 650  

[ULEWZ]

This bike is not for everybody. If you normally update suspension, exhaust, fueling, then this bike will be no different. If you hate it now, you will hate it more later. Advice I have given before, sell it now, take your lumps, and get what you want. Some actually come back after realizing it wasn't that bad.

Who me?! 
In regards to your brother's Street Triple it is the standard by which all others are measured.  The fueling and suspension are perfect.  Only problem is it is a naked bike that is very hard to dress up.  If you want some weather protection its all but impossible to add. 
 
I bought a Multistrada after the FJ-09.  I did not need to remap the bike, didn't touch the suspension, but it was a pile more money than the FJ-09.  Not sure its worth the difference as both bikes provide the same amount of fun and are great all day bikes.    

Ha, too transparent I guess. My wife has a street triple and absolutely loves it. The fueling is good, but the suspension is lacking for my weight (180 lbs). I also don't like the feather light throttle. Makes the throttle erratic over bumps (moves the throttle with my hand on it). Another gripe on the ST3 is the lack of wind protection. At 80mph and above you feel the wind pressure pretty uncomfortably. Love my FJ so far, but mine is far from stock. Just remember to lean forward over 130 mph (on the track of course).
 

[alejandro]

Almost everything has already been said here, but...
 
I have zero complaint about the transmission and clutch. Neutral to first can clunk a little, but everything else is smooth, to the point where I will shift up and down without using the clutch much or most of the time, even sometimes for downshifting from second to first.
 
For what it's worth, my previous bike was a 2013 Street Triple R. Here's my comparison:
 
- FJ has way more useable power at low RPMs. No need to rev...although I do look for reasons to!
- Triumph is definitely smoother, yes, especially on light throttle. But FJ can be okay smooth on light throttle, with the right touch, and FJ is fine on heavy throttle.
- FJ's seat lets you move around way more than Triumph. Def better for longer rides. I love the legroom on the FJ too. Would prefer a slightly more "sportbike" lean angle on the FJ, but maybe I don't care too much cause I haven't done anything about it and I've had 5k miles.
- FJ has better wind protection, esp once you replace the incredibly noisy stock screen.
- FJ has much better low-speed handling. It is a bigger bike but is certainly manageable for me.
- Triumph sounds beautiful, and feels more high-end. And I love the analog tach with shift lights. Yamaha sounds fine though, and has been more reliable.
 
It sounds to me like you got a bad FJ. Too bad it would be hard for you to sample some others.

[dndfindley]

For the money there isn't a better machine on the market. I purchased the first FJ-09 sold in my area. It was among the first sold in the U.S. (VIN ending 044). I took delivery in December 2014. I have not had a single problem with it and have no complaints whatsoever. It will run with sportbikes but yet allows me to easily do a 400 mile day in relative comfort. I am 6 ft , 200 lbs and 64 years old.  And btw - my machine is still stock, 100% stock.

[Guest autobiker]

I always keep in mind that the FJ-09 was built to a price point. Some corners had to be cut, and IMHO Yamaha chose well. Things like windscreen and suspension are very dependent on the physique of the individual. I'd rather pay less for the machine and upgrade it with aftermarket bits that suit me, than to pay more for better-quality factory parts that were designed for a rider who is 30lbs heavier and 3" taller than I am.
 
If the FJ-09 had top-shelf components all around (e.g. Brembo Monobloc brakes & braided SS brake lines, fully-adjustable Showa/Sachs fork and shock, GS-quality windscreen), I'd be paying the price of a F800GS minus a couple grands of Roundel Tax. And the expensive bits may not even work for me. My last bike was a fully-optioned 2014 R1200GS. It was a great bike but I didn't like it because the ergos were designed for a much bigger and taller rider. I sold it at a significant loss and used the proceeds to buy a used FJ-09. I think I'll have plenty of leftover money for gas, tires and oil changes after I customise it.
 

[clint]

For the money there isn't a better machine on the market. I purchased the first FJ-09 sold in my area. It was among the first sold in the U.S. (VIN ending 044). I took delivery in December 2014. I have not had a single problem with it and have no complaints whatsoever. It will run with sportbikes but yet allows me to easily do a 400 mile day in relative comfort. I am 6 ft , 200 lbs and 64 years old.  And btw - my machine is still stock, 100% stock.

Totally agree! I bought mine 2 years ago on Dec. 30, 2014, my wife's birthday! No regrets, but far from stock now. (rofl)  
I drove 5 hrs to buy the first one and got it at $9550 out the door. I kept watching these videos while I waited for it to come into the dealership in Romney, WV. Love at first sight!
 
 
[video src=https://youtu.be/W5EnU60l4oc] [video src=https://youtu.be/ZUGKbVAfekU]

[Brick]

I too had no pretense that upon getting the FJ-09 it would be perfect. I too like to buy at a price point so I can modify to my liking.
Drove from western North Carolina Traverse City Michigan to purchase my red FJ-09. Used but lightly used 1775 miles and $2,000 of accessories. All for $8K. Worth every penny and every mile I traveled to get it!
 
?

[ULEWZ]

For the money there isn't a better machine on the market. I purchased the first FJ-09 sold in my area. It was among the first sold in the U.S. (VIN ending 044). I took delivery in December 2014. I have not had a single problem with it and have no complaints whatsoever. It will run with sportbikes but yet allows me to easily do a 400 mile day in relative comfort. I am 6 ft , 200 lbs and 64 years old.  And btw - my machine is still stock, 100% stock.

I remember your VIN, it is the same as mine, 044.  

[Guest]

Let's do it by the numbers
 
Say you buy a bike for $9500.
Full exhaust and reflash $1000.
Suspension $1200.
Seat and windshield $ 500.
 
So for about $12,200 you've got a bike sorted to your liking that will hang with most anything in the real world.  Not too bad.  What else can you buy for that money never mind the fact you're going to throw money at whatever else you buy to make it right for you.  You could spend $20K on a BMW or Ducati, ones much worse the other not significantly better, trust me on that one.  So if you are disappointed with some things about the bike you can sort it.  If you just don't like the bike then sell it and cut your losses because no matter what you spend your still not going to like it.   It's just a motorcycle not worth fretting over.

[Guest autobiker]

Let's do it by the numbers 
Say you buy a bike for $9500.
Full exhaust and reflash $1000.
Suspension $1200.
Seat and windshield $ 500.
 
So for about $12,200 you've got a bike sorted to your liking that will hang with most anything in the real world.  Not too bad.  What else can you buy for that money never mind the fact you're going to throw money at whatever else you buy to make it right for you.  You could spend $20K on a BMW or Ducati, ones much worse the other not significantly better, trust me on that one.  So if you are disappointed with some things about the bike you can sort it.  If you just don't like the bike then sell it and cut your losses because no matter what you spend your still not going to like it.   It's just a motorcycle not worth fretting over.

Your numbers are the same as mine. When I sold my R1200GS and bought a used FJ-09, I cashed out $7,800. So far I've [em]spent[/em]:FJR bags $500Givi windscreen $100
And I [em]intend to spend[/em]:Renthal handlebars $100ECU flash at local race tuner $200Andreani/Ohlins suspensions $1,200Customize seat at local upholstery workshop $200Braided SS brake lines $300
By then I'd have spent $2,600 and have a bike that fits me like a glove and performs as least on par with the GS on the street. The remaining money could buy me a lot of gas and tires.
 

[paddingtonthebear]

I think I've calmed down a bit over the holidays. I'm going to get a new set of tires (likely Pilot Sport 4s), and have the dealership do a once over on the bike with a focus on the cam chain tensioner. I'll see how the bike is after that. I do enjoy it a lot, but all the long stop and go commutes give me way too much time to nitpick about little things I don't like on the bike.
 
Rather than lose more money by selling the bike and getting something else, I'd like to hold on to it for as long as possible...so I'll likely start getting various mods for it to help me enjoy it. Exhaust, side bags (to go with top case), various mods to reduce vibrations, maybe better suspension, ECU, etc.
 
I've considered springing for the Ducatti Multistrada, BMW S1000XR, Aprilia Caponord, or Triumph Tiger...but that's a lot of money brand new
 
 

[fj09chris]

but all the long stop and go commutes give me way too much time to nitpick about little things I don't like on the bike.
 
 

I'm curious to hear your ride satisfaction with new tires report.  I'm thinking if you're nitpicks center around poor fueling I would strongly recommend a reflash to the stock exhaust.  From what I've been reading this will offer you almost all the improvements of a pipe and reflash without the expense.  I believe the tuners will reflash for no additional cost if you later purchase an exhaust.

[Guest]

I think I've calmed down a bit over the holidays. I'm going to get a new set of tires (likely Pilot Sport 4s), and have the dealership do a once over on the bike with a focus on the cam chain tensioner. I'll see how the bike is after that. I do enjoy it a lot, but all the long stop and go commutes give me way too much time to nitpick about little things I don't like on the bike. 
Rather than lose more money by selling the bike and getting something else, I'd like to hold on to it for as long as possible...so I'll likely start getting various mods for it to help me enjoy it. Exhaust, side bags (to go with top case), various mods to reduce vibrations, maybe better suspension, ECU, etc.
 
I've considered springing for the Ducatti Multistrada, BMW S1000XR, Aprilia Caponord, or Triumph Tiger...but that's a lot of money brand new
 

Good move.  I sold my first FJ-09 and ended up with a Multistrada.  Great bike but it too has its quirks.  On the read there really isn't enough difference to justify the price.  Keeping the Multi but searching hard for another FJ-09.  The miles and smiles per dollar are tough to beat and I really enjoy modifying the bike to make it my own.  Good thing about mods is you can do them one at a time and enjoy each improvement on your way to the finished product. 

[Cruizin]

Felt like making a post about my FJ-09 after almost 2 years, my apologies if this is rambling a bit, so... [strong]TL;DR[/strong]: my FJ-09 seems overly rough, I'm getting sick of it, no one else complains about the issues I have, QQ.
I purchased my FJ-09 brand new sight unseen back in May 2015; I live in Hawaii and the only Yamaha dealership on the island wouldn't bring any FJ-09s in unless you put a deposit down. I test rode a FZ-09, and really liked the engine, shifting, etc. I wanted a bike for daily riding, so I opted to go for the FJ-09 as I saw it as being better for commuting (not much touring to do when 30 miles in any direction puts you in the ocean!, but mounting a 58L Givi Trekker Top Box on it is easier). I now have a little over 12k miles on the bike, and I'm starting to get annoyed at how rough this bike is.
My first impressions were alright; wasn't super impressed with the looks, but I felt like this bike would get the job done. Initially, this was fairly true. The engine was very smooth, but the transmission was very disappointing to me. It is VERY clunky, when shifting both up and down, it really feels like it is slamming into gear. Not to mention that at times when shifting from first to second, it would float into neutral instead of getting into second. Then, when I shifted up to second, it would make a bad grinding sound before getting in. It hasn't done this much recently, but it was pretty annoying when this happened.
I had the shifter shaft recall done and this didn't affect it much (didn't expect it to). I tried using different brands of synthetic 10w-40 oil (Yamalube, Silkolene, Castrol), but it only made the transmission feel smoother for a week or so before it started to get more "clunky." I've tried "pre-loading" before shifting, but it really doesn't help much.
Now, the engine too is starting to get less than thrilling. I swapped out my spark plugs a couple weeks ago, and the engine felt smoother for a while, but it too is starting to get rough and anemic (maybe I'm just used to the power now with the bike.) Something that has been bothering me is when the FJ-09 first fires up, there is an almost knocking sound coming from the engine that goes away once it has been warmed up for 5~ minutes. It sounds worst than the normal sewing machine sound, but the fact it goes away means this is probably nothing and I'm worrying too much. And when I drop it into neutral at a light, the transmission itself starts to make a louder "rattling" noise until I shift it back into gear...not sure what to think of that.
Anyways, the nail in the coffin with my FJ-09 is because of my brother's old 2013 Triumph Street Triple R. That thing is buttery smooth in all aspects, especially the shifting. It's quite a stark contrast to me how it glides into gear and doesn't feel like the transmission is going to drop out below me. I'm not a stranger to notchy shifting, but my FJ-09 drives me crazy with its unpredictable transmission. Sometimes it is smooth, other times it clunks hard. I tend to rev match pretty well most of the time, but maybe I need to perfect this more?
Do I simply need to "man up" and enjoy the roughness? Am I over thinking this? I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but this bike is my daily ride and it gets to be annoying after a while. I would have traded this long ago for a Triumph, but depreciation on brand new bikes is fantastic (that's another post in the making about never buying bikes brand new if you expect not to instantly lose 40% of its value...). My old '07 Ninja 650R was smoother than my FJ-09...
Anyone else feel the same about their FJ-09?
 

 
Would you please consider changing the title of this post?
 
I'm just sick of seeing it. It's the fj09 forum and reading "unsatisfied with my fj-09 " is getting old. You are entitled to your opinions but at the same time, I'm sick of that unsatisfied sentence headlining my fj09 website. You bought the wrong bike for what you need. Sorry, so go get the bike you want.
 

[carey]

but all the long stop and go commutes give me way too much time to nitpick about little things I don't like on the bike. 
 

I'm curious to hear your ride satisfaction with new tires report.  I'm thinking if you're nitpicks center around poor fueling I would strongly recommend a reflash to the stock exhaust.  From what I've been reading this will offer you almost all the improvements of a pipe and reflash without the expense.  I believe the tuners will reflash for no additional cost if you later purchase an exhaust.

A reflash will smooth it out. I had mine reflashed by Ivan's Performance and am very happy. Per Ivan, his flash will work with both OEM and aftermarket exhaust.