A review under less than ideal conditions.

[lineman]

Good morning. My name is Dustin and I reside deep in the lower end of southern California, where, some claim, it never rains. I was fortunate enough to acquire an fj-09 four days ago, and last night my commute home gave me the chance to test her mettle. I ride forty miles each way, from San Diego to Vista, CA, almost entirely on the wide grey slab of either the 5 or the 15.
 
Sunday night was a rare, actual rain event for the area, and as I left work at 20:00 the skies were just starting to open. The rain was coming in from the north-west, and it seemed that the east route on interstate 15 was the better choice. Whichever I had chosen, the bike would not have complained. From moderate rain, to driving rain, to a (very light) hail around Miramar air base, combined with sidelong gusts up to 40 mph, all in rather dense fog at night, I never once felt uncomfortable with anything the bike was doing or saying. I'm 6'2", and with the windscreen full up and a very slight crouch I was out of the waterfall, hands dry. I love Michelin, but these Dunlop D222's only floated once, very briefly and controllaby, at about 64mph when I hit a flooded expansion joint. She was in B mode, but even painted lines in our slurry sealed parking lot were a non issue. And I wasn't pushing it, but no TC light the entire way. The headlights, which almost no bike reviewer ever talks about, are bright as hell and saved me a couple of mistakes. Oh yeah, as I write this in the garage, I remembered I neglected to put the temporary registration in a ziplok in the underseat bin. Two small drops of wet on one corner. Can't guarantee that for everyone, but I am bloody impressed.
 
So yeah, that's my intro/review, any questions or comments? Let me know. Thanks.

[ULEWZ]

Nice intro, and welcome from the other So. Cal. in the SFValley.

[papadage]

Welcome aboard! That just tells you how great motorcycle traction is in the wet, as long as you avoid metal and painted lines. I did a 600 mile run from Savannah, and made it to NoVA before having to stop due to rain and cold once it got dark. All slab, so no real maneuvering. Not one skid, despite no ABS, and 250 miles of rain. I expect the FJ-09 to be even better.

[Guest eatpasta]

Good morning. My name is Dustin and I reside deep in the lower end of southern California, where, some claim, it never rains. I was fortunate enough to acquire an fj-09 four days ago, and last night my commute home gave me the chance to test her mettle. I ride forty miles each way, from San Diego to Vista, CA, almost entirely on the wide grey slab of either the 5 or the 15. 
Sunday night was a rare, actual rain event for the area, and as I left work at 20:00 the skies were just starting to open. The rain was coming in from the north-west, and it seemed that the east route on interstate 15 was the better choice. Whichever I had chosen, the bike would not have complained. From moderate rain, to driving rain, to a (very light) hail around Miramar air base, combined with sidelong gusts up to 40 mph, all in rather dense fog at night, I never once felt uncomfortable with anything the bike was doing or saying. I'm 6'2", and with the windscreen full up and a very slight crouch I was out of the waterfall, hands dry. I love Michelin, but these Dunlop D222's only floated once, very briefly and controllaby, at about 64mph when I hit a flooded expansion joint. She was in B mode, but even painted lines in our slurry sealed parking lot were a non issue. And I wasn't pushing it, but no TC light the entire way. The headlights, which almost no bike reviewer ever talks about, are bright as hell and saved me a couple of mistakes. Oh yeah, as I write this in the garage, I remembered I neglected to put the temporary registration in a ziplok in the underseat bin. Two small drops of wet on one corner. Can't guarantee that for everyone, but I am bloody impressed.
 
So yeah, that's my intro/review, any questions or comments? Let me know. Thanks.

 
  aww bummer about your paperwork!    but then again, who actually cares about that when you have a brand new bike!  Even if you have to slog it through the rain twice a year - SUCH a bummer you had to when it was brand spanking new.
    There are tons of us in SoCal.  At least three in LA and Im sure there are more around.
 
welcome to the site!!