Considering FJ-09 — How is it on the highway?

[mrelb]

Hi and thanks for reading.
 
Got back into riding a few summers ago after a long hiatus from motorcycling, and really glad I did. I've got a 2011 Kawasaki Versys 650 that I often go for two 3-to-4-hour-long rides on per week during riding season here in Wisconsin (roughly April-October). In most ways, I love the Versys. It's a great machine, especially for the money (paid $4k barely used). Coming off a sportsbike, the upright riding position, abundant legroom and relatively light weight are a dream. With the leverage you get from the bars, it's super nimble and my favorite thing is to lean it a good way over in turns (within reason, of course). It's also very well made (solid!), with a nice, positive transmission (if a bit unrefined). And the engine, while not powerful by performance-bike standards, is an eager, high-revving (10,500) parallel twin that pulls nicely. I also like being active on my bike, and the smaller engine forces you to shift often, which I actually enjoy. I think it's almost certainly true that it's more fun to wring out a moderately powerful bike than to hold back on an overly powerful one.
 
But the Versys isn't without its flaws. Mainly... The downward slope of the seat makes it quite uncomfortable after an hour or two (fixable). The brakes are so-so at best, offering next-to-no feel (but I'm no racer, so this is quite tolerable). Wind protection is just a few steps better than a naked. There's no gear indicator (but I easily added one).
 
But the bike's one serious Achilles' heel for me is the high-rev vibration during highway riding. Highways here are about 70-85 mph, and you need to use them if you really want to get well out of town to where the best roads are. Given the bike's modest power, revs are around 6,000-8,000 at those speeds. Maintaining it for 20 minutes is fine, 40 minutes is tolerable, and anything more is increasingly unpleasant. Longer trips are just no fun at all, unless you plan on using backroads the whole way.
 
Enter the FJ-09 (yes, I've finally got around to it). From where I sit, it's a better Versys. Both are tall, light, flickable, ADV-style bikes with a complete street bias (17" front wheel! No need for offroad for me). Both have decent suspensions and brakes, but not top tier. And, yes, the FJ-09 has ABS, more than basic electronics, modern instrument cluster, etc. The FJ is also better looking. The FJ is also a bargain for what you get.
 
But the difference that matters (to me) is the engine. Obviously, the FJ's triple puts the bike in a whole other league than the Versys. It's loads more powerful, torquey and responsive. Everyone seems to love it. But more speed isn't really what I'm after. It's smoothness and ease at those 70-85 mph highway speeds. At the same time, I really don't think I want a 600-750 lb. sport-touring bike that excels on the freeway but isn't exactly the picture of agility on the twisties I so enjoy.
 
So, assuming I upgrade the FJ's hard stock seat and install a windshield with better coverage, will I be happy on the highway? Any annoying vibes coming through the bars and footpegs? 
 
Is the bike aftermarket cruise-control worthy?
 
Let me know. I greatly appreciate your time and look forward to your feedback and guidance.
 
Thanks so much,
 
ELB
 

 
 
 

[DavidS]

No issues with the FJ-09 on the freeway, rides great, and you still have a fun bike to ride in the twisties when you get where you are going. I can't speak to the cruise control, but many, many folks on the forum have added it with good results. I think there is even a thread on the cruise control somewhere if you go search for it.
 
 

[xcsp]

Hi mrelb,
 
Welcome to the site! Look around and you'll find a lot of information for any of your questions.
 
With a different windscreen, you should be fine on the highway. Some go to a lower one, some go higher to find that sweet spot. I currently run a medium height CalSci screen and it works very well for me.
 
The McCruise cruise control seems to be the choice of many. It can be paired with a oem Yamaha Super Tenere handlebar control for a factory-installed look & use.
https://www.mccruise.com/collections/yamaha/products/yamaha-mt-09-tracer-fj-09-new-throttle-by-wire-mccruise?variant=17467294276 
 
In regards to any vibrations in the bars or pegs, I don't notice any in the bars but have in the pegs, at that 70-75mph range. I have changed them out to the style that comes on the Yamaha FJR1300 with some relief, but some is still present.
 
Check with some Yamaha dealers in your area and see if they will let you take an FJ out for a ride.
 

[root]

Wind is my biggest complaint of the FJ on the highway and that's really rider dependent on where the wind hits your helmet. Standing up to get in clean air or hunching down in behind the windshield helps, but depending on your height you may go through a couple windshields like I did to get the wind noise down to an acceptable level. I personally don't have any vibration issues. There's some vibration there, but it doesn't bother me. Some on the forum have switched out the foot pegs for ones with rubber pads on them to cut them down a little but the topic of vibration doesn't come up much on the forum, indicating not many people have issues with it. Electronic cruise control is expensive and the one vendor I know that was making it have said they are no longer going to make it and just selling existing inventory. There's rumors cruise will be added to the 2018 or 2019 model. I've done 500 mile days before with significant portions on interstate highways with no real issues. I was very happy to have my aftermarket electronic cruise control on those days. I even use it for shorter trips just to give my right hand some extra freedom at times. I've done a test ride of the Versys 650 and the FJ is really just a faster, better Versys. The FJ more directly competes with the Versys 1000 where the FJ is more the wild child and the VS1k is more the stately gentleman when comparing the two. The FJ has a bigger power to weight ratio than the VS1k even though the VS1k has more horsepower meaning the FJ will accelerate faster in most circumstances. The FJ is more flickable in the twisties with the lighter weight but the VS1k is more at home on the highway being heavier and slightly better wind management from what I hear. The carrying capacity on the FJ is also pretty low for the sport touring market. So, given all that, I absolutely love my FJ. Great power delivery, no nonsense, fun bike that I can load up with luggage to get to a fun destination and quickly strip the luggage off to enjoy the destination once I get there. The best advice I can give you is find a dealer that will let you take it for a test ride. That will tell you all you need to know.

[Esperance]

I have removed the hand guards so I had a little more vibration in the bars, especially in the 5-6000rpm range. It was easily fixed by ramming some lead shot into the bar ends. Now no noticeable vibes. The seat and screen do need a fix for long ride comfort for most people. If you are heavy then suspension might also need some work.
 

[Guest kernowjim]

I'd like to be able to say that the FJ-09 (MT-09 Tracer 900 here) is smooth at highway cruising speeds but it isn't as good as it could be.  I came from a much heavier Triumph Tiger Explorer and that was much smoother at speed - no vibration at all.  My FJ-09/Tracer buzzes through the footpegs and saddle mostly and at times it's annoying.  I have improved it greatly by adding gel insoles into my boots and swapping out the metal footpegs for the Yamaha adventure type versions which are rubber topped.  It's a great bike but it's not perfect straight out of the box (like most bikes really) and needs a bit of time and money to get it right.  If you want smooth (and therefore a bit bland) - give the Tiger Explorer or Tiger 800 a try and then come back to the FJ-09 as it's the better bike! 

[norcal616]

I do own a FZ-07 and understand the revs on long highway trips which I why I got the FJ-09 to suit the long highway trips/ multi day trips
 
It's a superb bike all around for the price...this little motor punches well above its displacement into 1000cc land for comparison...
 
The windscreen- it's a windscreen not like a car windshield which some ppl want - I removed the windscreen and voila problems solved till it gets below 45°
 
Seat- it's a personal thing depending on a few variables
 
Vibrations- very smooth for me unless one of the handguards gets a little loose-I only notice the vibrations if I "death grip" the handlebars
 
On the freeway I put it in B mode for more throttle control( cruise control is getting installed soon) than in A mode which is Race mode/ hair trigger like throttle for my bike with it's setup
 
As for the ABS and Traction Control, they help out... I'm not a fan of ABS personally but can't tell if it kicks on... Traction Control for the FJ-09 is actually the anti-wheelie feature till you turn it off... I have put the Traction Control thru it's paces with my aftermarket LaunchControl, it won't let the front wheel get more than knee high...

[carioca]

Not much to add to the above.
 
I sit 2 hrs on a motorway everyday.
 
At a constant 70mph, you will get almost 60mpg (UK gallons).
 
Almost 220 miles to a tank. 30 miles on emergency.
 
Wind and comfort are not perfect. If you want that, go to a Pan or GT bike. If you want better handling, go to a big engined supermoto (RIP KTM990SM).
 
To paraphrase Samuel L Jackson. This bike is the ak47 of bikes.
 
When you absolutely positively have to nail every motherf@cking aspect of riding, accept no alternatives.
 
 

[koth442]

I've ridden a Versys and an FJ09. The FJ beats the pants off the Versys every day of the week in every aspect.

[superfist]

I get no vibes through the foot pegs, but my boots could be soaking some up. You also have plenty of wiggle room to play with the rev range at highway speeds. For me to get to the twisties, it's about 90 miles of riding and I'll spend 4-7 hours out in a single day. At 60mph, you can drop it down to 3rd and nail it 'till you hit 12k RPM somewhere around 90MPH, and it will get there in a hurry. This means that if there's a buzzy spot for you around 5k in 6th gear, you can always drop to 5th or 4th. I'll sometimes glance down on the interstate and notice I'm in 5th. I don't think I've ever tried to shift into 7th. The gearing is pretty good and I think you'll be fine on the highway.
 
Like another user stated, the ABS and TCS are nice and I find them to be unintrusive. The TCS keeps the front wheel down, unless you keep it pinned and play pogo stick with the front wheel. TCS can be turned off while stopped, if you need dank whoolies to forget your feelies. ABS is not switchable, but you stated no off road needed so it shouldn't be a big deal. I've felt the rear ABS kick in with a small clunk, but I've never felt the front kick in. I've been hard enough on the front brakes at thresh-hold that the rear end gets light and wiggles side to side and front ABS hasn't kicked in (it didn't need to).
 
Also, you can't wander through this forum and not notice an amazing little community here =) If you need a bike that specializes in one something, the FJ-09 isn't quite there. If you need one bike to rule them all, the value in the FJ-09 can't be beat.

[krupted]

I can only compare to my previous bike, a 2003 Kawasaki KLR650 (single cylinder)
 
I don't notice much vibes on my 2015 FJ-09.  A bit through the pegs at highway speed (115kph - 71mph) but not much.  KLR was vibey.
 
The seat I have is a Corbin, came with the bike when I bought it.  I rode for 6 hours almost no stops a few weeks ago and my butt was feelin' fine.
 
Wind protection, buffeting control...  It's great in my opinion, but again, I'm comparing to my KLR which was terrible at it.  My FJ has an Ermax windscreen and I have it adjusted to the lowest setting, and at speed the wind hits my helmet roughly at nose level.  I'm 6'1.
 
Hand grips, After maybe 4 or 5 hours of riding, my clutch hand got a agonizing pain in it whenever I'd pull the clutch.  I think it is to do with the angle of the pull (I had the levers on the KLR at a roughly 30degree down angle, wheras the FJ09 has them roughly level). 
 
But, all of the above is just my take, and any of it could just be me and YMMV.
 
 
My brother has a 2008 Versys 650.  He loves it and says that he would buy another if he had to replace his for whatever reason, but he has also admitted that he can't ride it for more than 2 hours straight because the vibes numb his butt.  He doesn't have any issue with his hands, or the wind though, with OEM seat and windscreen but aftermarket levers and grips. 
He's 6'2, just for reference.
 

[Guest kernowjim]

I think the motor smooths out with more miles on too - a few people have said to me that after the first service and a few thousand miles it gets better.

[vinnie]

I rode for like 15 hours in one day on the highway (a worthy sacrifice for the awesome roads I got to check out on my way out and on the coast), on my way back from the west coast and I was comfy with my aftermarket windshield, ear plugs, and throttle lock. Although, my friend has an FZ8 2013 with an inline 4 and that thing is noticeably smoother than my FJ.