Hi from Southern California

[dirtrider99x]

hey all... new to this forum... been riding for 40 years now... i'm looking for my next bike.  really trying to narrow down the choice.  very hard to do when we cannot test ride so many bikes because the dealers in Southern California do not allow it.  
 
I'm really considering the FJ-09... i think it would make a great stable mate to my Goldwing.
 
Now to enjoy some reading and asking questions.
 
Paul

[ULEWZ]

Where in So. Cal are you located Paul. You can test ride mine if you like. It just might be for sale also. I am in Northridge.

[oldfart]

Hi Paul. Mine IS for sale! 2015 Red, 25,000 miles, $6,500 to a forum member. I'm in Palm Desert. PM me if you're interested. It is posted here in the bikes for sale area. Still got tons of miles left in it, runs better than new due to ECU Flash, has Givi crash bars and never been down or scratched. Anyway, I say all that in the for sale post, except I'll drop the price to get it sold. Bill

[betoney]

i'm looking for my next bike.  really trying to narrow down the choice.  very hard to do when we cannot test ride so many bikes because the dealers in Southern California do not allow it.

In addition to the FJ, what other bikes are you narrowing your choices down to?   
Prior to buying the FJ, I considered and test rode the Super Tenere, FJR and FZ09, Kawasaki Ninja 1000, Versys 650 and 1000.  Every one had positive and negative traits that were revealed through a test ride.
 
Good luck with your decision.
 

[DavidS]

Welcome Paul, glad to have you join us. Looks like everyone wants to sell you their FJ-09, but I'm not parting with mine........
 
Good luck finding the right bike, and welcome to the forum

[dirtrider99x]

Hey all... thank you for your responses and offer to sell or have me test ride your bikes... i would really like to demo one so i'll PM ULEWZ to see if he stil has his available.
 
 
So far i've been able to test ride the following:
 
- Z650 and the suspension was sooo soft with a lot of fork dive under braking. The motor was also lacking. yes i know it was the 650 but the 900 was already taken on the local demo day by the time i arrived
- Africa Twin - this bike speaks to my years of dirt biking but honestly it felt a lot like the Vstrom 650 i owned a few years ago. Wasn't very exciting and the suspension was also soft. my friend owns this bike so it was fun to test ride after he bought it.
- FZ07 my son just bought one so i'm trying to sneak his bike out for a spin. that bike will be too small for 2up riding so its out but still wanna ride it.
 
Bikes i'm looking at need to handle 2up riding. not 100% of the time but 2up for a weekend here and there is best... been looking at FJR, Concours, FJ09, FZ09, BMW1200RT, Versys 1000, Ninja 1000.
 
I'm down to bike with a more upright ergo at this point. I recently bought a 2014 CB1000R and really enjoy it... but its not a 2up bike at all and the wind on highway is a little more than i like. Also the ergos are more sport bike. Its an awesome bike and well mannered with lots of power and ability to share lanes. Rode from OC to Burbank up the 5 freeway for a meeting and was able to share lanes without stress. But its just not a long term bike for me... i'm going to list or trade it in soon.
 
So honestly for me its coming down to bikes i can actually test ride. Even used bikes cost a lot of money... hate to spend a lot without being able to test ride it before hand.

[keithu]

I would think the FJR, Concours, and R1200RT would be too similar to your Wing. Smaller, yes, but still heavyish.
 
If the CB1000R is too sporty you will probably find that the Ninja 1000 is similar.
 
Based on what you've told us so far it sounds like either the FJ or Versys 1000 will fit. The Versys is probably a little better for two-up, but the FJ is quite a bit lighter (i.e. more fun).

[ULEWZ]

Hey all... thank you for your responses and offer to sell or have me test ride your bikes... i would really like to demo one so i'll PM ULEWZ to see if he stil has his available. 
 
So far i've been able to test ride the following:
 
- Z650 and the suspension was sooo soft with a lot of fork dive under braking. The motor was also lacking. yes i know it was the 650 but the 900 was already taken on the local demo day by the time i arrived
- Africa Twin - this bike speaks to my years of dirt biking but honestly it felt a lot like the Vstrom 650 i owned a few years ago. Wasn't very exciting and the suspension was also soft. my friend owns this bike so it was fun to test ride after he bought it.
- FZ07 my son just bought one so i'm trying to sneak his bike out for a spin. that bike will be too small for 2up riding so its out but still wanna ride it.
 
Bikes i'm looking at need to handle 2up riding. not 100% of the time but 2up for a weekend here and there is best... been looking at FJR, Concours, FJ09, FZ09, BMW1200RT, Versys 1000, Ninja 1000.
 
I'm down to bike with a more upright ergo at this point. I recently bought a 2014 CB1000R and really enjoy it... but its not a 2up bike at all and the wind on highway is a little more than i like. Also the ergos are more sport bike. Its an awesome bike and well mannered with lots of power and ability to share lanes. Rode from OC to Burbank up the 5 freeway for a meeting and was able to share lanes without stress. But its just not a long term bike for me... i'm going to list or trade it in soon.
 
So honestly for me its coming down to bikes i can actually test ride. Even used bikes cost a lot of money... hate to spend a lot without being able to test ride it before hand.

That was back in AUGUST!!! If you snooze, ULEWZ. Sorry, bike long gone.  

[vijay]

If weight is not an issue, there are some great deals on FJR's out there.  I sold mine with (if I remember correctly) around 140,000 miles and not a lick of problems.  I wholeheartedly can recommend it.  I've been all of the US and large parts of Canada on it.  I may be the only man alive not fond of the R1200RT.  The seating position is fabulous and comfort is perfect.  But that boxer twin vibrates, acceleration is mediocre and based on your comment regarding costs .. maintenance is expensive.  I picked up a  Versys 1000LT for a friend and rode it almost 500 miles getting to his house.  I really liked it.  It is definitely more comfortable out of the gate, certainly does 2up well and handles well.  But quite heavy compared to the FJ-09.  Where the FJ-09 is SPORT Touring by comparison the Versys is Sport TOURING.   And for the difference in price you can do a lot of mods to the FJ and it is simply more fun to ride and does 2 up fine for the occasional weekend.  But truthfully if I rode 2up all the time the Versys 1000LT would be my pick.   FZ-09 is (for me) I bent over, knee killing torture rack than handles beautifully and moves like a scalded cat.  Can't imagine 2 up. 
 
I also own Super Tenere with around 100,000 trouble free miles.  It is a wonderful Adventurer Tourer. Handles 2 up with aplomb.  Handles twisties, as well as dirt and gravel very well and I have had no vibration on maintenance/repair issues of any sort at all.  Acceleration is quite acceptable in Sport mode and weather protection (like the R1200RT) is excellent.  I will ride it most of the winter months now for that reason. But on the road ... it is simply not as exciting as the FJ-09.    I have never even at on a Ninja and have no experience at all with it.   Same with Concourse ... but I hate the Kpass system and see it as "a solution in search of a problem".