drgonzo615 Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 The Mrs and I went to a local demo day at the Yamaha dealer and got to do a two up ride of a fully kitted out FJ-09 (touring screen, bags, full Yosh exhaust, etc) I have to say, I quite liked it. We only got to do about a 20-25min ride around the local streets so my observations dont include freeway duty. You can definitely feel the lightness of the bike as soon as you throw a leg over. Feels very maneuverable and that extends to when in motion as well. The leverage with the wide bars is pretty great and the suspension felt pretty decent with 2 up. That motor is an absolute gem; It makes good power and is a fun mill to play around with; its got more than enough power for this type of bike. Its not a rocketship, but it seems to get you up to speed pretty quickly without breaking a sweat and has a lot of character. The exhaust (full Yosh system) was flipping outstanding. It was by far the best sounding bike out on the ride. It was loud but not obnoxiously so and the tones coming out of that pipe were the nicest sounds Ive heard outside of my own Ducati. The bit of crackle on downshifts made me crack a smile every time. The fit and finish was also fantastic, the motor and the frame is a pleasure to look at and while the styling still is a bit divisive to my eyes, everything looked and felt solid. Now to the stuff I wasnt so keen on. The windscreen. Again, this was the Yamaha touring windscreen so Im not sure how it compares to stock but it was not good at all. It felt like the turbulence from the screen was messing with the aerodynamics of the helmet (HJC RPHA-11) to the point where it shook my helmet on my head and actually forcibly closed my visor that was cracked open about 2 notches. This was only at speeds of about 65MPH at the very most. I cannot imagine how bad it would be on the freeway. The suspension for the most part felt decent but got a bit bouncy when we hit any sort of decent sized bump. Now we didnt mess with the settings at all for two up so this could very well be an issue resolved with a proper set up. Lastly, and this unfortunately was the deal breaker, the rear seating accommodations did not work out at all. Now my lady isnt huge at 130lbs. but shes got a bit of a booty. She moved around the entire ride so I could tell something wasnt working out. When we stopped the ride her complaint wasnt so much about foam density or anything like that, it was the overall width of the seat that bothered her and while the short ride wasnt that bad, she could not see doing any mileage on this bike. Yes, I know they sell aftermarket seats but I honestly dont want to open than can of worms trying different seats hoping that we find one that is comfortable for her. She also complained about the overall space and leg room. If I was looking for a bike just for myself, I would still be seriously considering the FJ-09, but unfortunately the money I would have to put into it to get it where I want it, and the fact that I actually have a deal open to me to get a Versys 1000lt for less than an FJ-09 has tipped the scales in the Versys favor. The Versys, for any issues it might have, just seems like a better starting point for what I am looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcsp Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Good to hear you were able to ride one before spending the $$. Sorry to hear the passenger provisions weren't adequate. Have you been able to demo a Versys yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drgonzo615 Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 Good to hear you were able to ride one before spending the $$. Sorry to hear the passenger provisions weren't adequate. Have you been able to demo a Versys yet? Unfortunately not. There was one at the dealer that I did the demo ride on so we were able to jump on and off the FJ and the Versys back to back. The woman definitely preferred the Versys more spacious accommodations and the wider seating area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Good and fair write up, I liked your wording with "Now my lady isnt huge at 130lbs. but shes got a bit of a booty" seems like my kind of girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drgonzo615 Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 Good and fair write up, I liked your wording with "Now my lady isnt huge at 130lbs. but shes got a bit of a booty" seems like my kind of girl.Haha, I have no complaints! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member DavidS Posted August 22, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted August 22, 2017 My opinion only, but I don't think this would be a great fit for someone who is always riding 2-up. Suspension and seat are the primary reasons, but this is a bit of a hooligan bike, riding 2-up isn't the first thing that comes to mind when buying a hooligan bike. FJR might be a better fit for your needs. Now for all those who will surely hate on me for suggesting the FJ-09 isn't perfect for everything, I think the FJ-09 is a great bike, I just don't think it is the best choice for someone who will be riding 2-up most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeg Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Should the 'a bit of a booty' provide an ample cushion to supplement the seat? Just thinking out loud ... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
root Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Ah, the value of a test ride. All fair assessments. Ironically, my wife found the FJ pillion more comfortable than the Versys 1k. Glad you were able to test it out first. Sorry it didn't fit your needs. Definitely test the Versys before you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted August 23, 2017 Supporting Member Share Posted August 23, 2017 My opinion only, but I don't think this would be a great fit for someone who is always riding 2-up. Suspension and seat are the primary reasons, but this is a bit of a hooligan bike, riding 2-up isn't the first thing that comes to mind when buying a hooligan bike. FJR might be a better fit for your needs. My thoughts exactly. The FJR is a fantastic bike. Comfortable while riding 2-up and has gobs of power for solo riding hooliganism. ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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