FJR Owners Forum banner

I'm selling my 2019 ES

7K views 36 replies 22 participants last post by  RERJr 
#1 · (Edited)
SOLD, I'm selling my 2019 ES

The reason is I can't handle the weight of the bike.
That fact became evident yesterday at a stop sign. I tipped over to the right and had to drop it, lifting up on the RH handle bar grip was not going to save it, I'm just not strong enough so I had to let it go.
The T-Rex crash bar set saved some damage but unfortunately I was over near the shoulder and the crash bars dug into the roadside gravel so I have a few dings in the upper fairing and some scratches in the RH side pannier. The RH mirror is destroyed.

I can put up some pics later but if your up in Maine and want to make an offer I'll be more than fair. I'm willing to take some financial pain and write it off as a part of getting older.

SOLD IT
 
#2 ·
Junk, so sorry to hear of your misfortune. Kind of been going through some of the same due to back problems but I haven’t dropped mine yet. One piece of advice I took from an earlier “the ferret” post was I removed my Shad 50l topbox which really surprised me by how much top heaviness it removed, kind of surprised me plus also a surprise was a small improvement in fuel economy.

“The ferret” also removed the saddle bags which he claimed was quite noticeable, just some suggestions that may help. And if none of this helps enough then I see you have a Kawasaki GPZ 750 turbo that should be an absolute hoot to ride. Personally I regularly ride my 76 g-wing that I bought new or my 81 CBX when I don’t feel up to doing the weight of the fjr or just maybe need another feel. Good luck to you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RERJr
#3 ·
Sorry to hear also, I took a direction on a lighter bike I can enjoy just as much. GLWS.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Yea these big sport tourers can be a handful at slow speed or stopped. Dropped mine on rh side 6 weeks after I got it turning around in a gravel parking lot on a trip. Took 3 guys to pick the whale up lol. Broke my left elbow and had to ride it back toward home about 250 miles in a lot of pain. Finally had to have my wife and son meet me about 60 miles from home. He rode the bike back, wife took me to emergency room. 6 weeks off the bike in a cast and recovered just in time for another scheduled trip. Was real careful where I turned around on that one lol.



Taking off the bags and trunk make a big difference, maybe 50 pounds, getting it down to about 600 pounds maybe, but of course on a trip you need those things. Day rides are easier without them though for me. It's now close to 2 years since I dropped it, and never want to experience that again lol. I also lowered the bike 1/2" and wear waffle stomper boots so I could get better footing, but then again I am a munchkin at 5' 5 1/2" and 70 years old. Like a Keebler elf I tell ya.

Glad you weren't hurt on your drop. If you still think the bike is too heavy and want to keep riding, a change is a understandable and probably necessary. Shame, they are great bikes.
 
#23 ·
first sorry to hear of your drop and bone break :(
Second am amazed that you ride this big bike. I am 6'2" have a seat pad ( waiting on new seat concepts) and at a stop am on my toes .
Also ..life lesson time .. if you think it is going over step out of the way ! A guy at my work broke his foot trying to stop his BMW from a 1 MPH spill I dropped my 500 LBS Suzuki bandit 5 times ..saddle bag saved it every time ,,I NEVER fell with the bike .... then again I am only 57 and not 70
Have many safe rides in the future :)
 
#5 ·
I also have a 14 FJR that has gotten a bit heavy over the years. What did I do? I went and got a 2019 Versys 1000LT SE which is about 80lbs lighter than the FJR. I was going to trade the FJR in on it but just could not part with that beautiful red of the 2014 FJR. So I now have the FJR and the Versys. The Versys is taller than the FJR. I also have a 2013 V-Strom 650 which is the most comfortable, and easiest to maneuver around the garage. I tend to ride it a bit more than the others. It weighs only 460 pounds. Again a beautiful red. What are you planning on replacing your FJR with?
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Thanks guys, I appreciate the understanding and support... I could do without the horror stories tho Ferret. LMAO! Sad to hear about the elbow, must've hurt like a SOB.

No top trunk on mine to remove so no gain there for me. There was nothing outstandingly unusual about the intersection so there isn't anything that I could do to avoid it except maybe just run every stop sign. LOL. But even aside from stop signs and traffic lights, I live about 3/4 of a mile of dirt road in from the paved road.... I don't know how many Hail Mary's I go thru in my head getting back to my house.

As Passx noticed, I still have my feather weight (by comparison) 1984 Kawi Gpz 750 Turbo to keep me from quitting riding cold turkey.

If I can't sell it on my own, I may pretty it back up again and go trade it towards a side-by-side ATV with a dump bed. Not going to rush into things, buy what I absolutely need to buy (mirror) plus a fair amount of sanding, filler, primer and paint.
 
  • Like
Reactions: the Ferret
#10 ·
Thanks guys, I appreciate the understanding and support... I could do without the horror stories tho Ferret. LMAO! Sad to hear about the elbow, must've hurt like a SOB.

No top trunk on mine to remove so no gain there for me. There was nothing outstandingly unusual about the intersection so there isn't anything that I could do to avoid it except maybe just run every stop sign. LOL. But even aside from stop signs and traffic lights, I live about 3/4 of a mile of dirt road in from the paved road.... I don't know how many Hail Mary's I go thru in my head getting back to my house.

As Passx noticed, I still have my feather weight (by comparison) 1984 Kawi Gpz 750 Turbo to keep me from quitting riding cold turkey.

If I can't sell it on my own, I may pretty it back up again and go trade it towards a side-by-side ATV with a dump bed. Not going to rush into things, buy what I absolutely need to buy (mirror) plus a fair amount of sanding, filler, primer and paint.
Ugggh if I had to ride a 3/4 miles of dirt road to get to a surface street I don't think own my FJR lol.

Sorry about the horror story, but I thought you might like to know you are not the only one who drops them and it could have been worse. Yea it was pretty painful. Just an afterthought now though.
 
#8 ·
Honestly, being 6ft tall and a pretty fit 190, the bike is not horrible to deal with, but if i was not those dimensions or taller i could totally see why this bike would be a handful and a half. Its totally not in the usual character of Japan as far as dimensions. The FJR feels like its made for large norseman...lol
 
#11 ·
Any motorized cycle can be too much if it gets past a certain point. The trick is to have your body keep the scooter upright without you having to think about it. If we can't do that, we will probably have to make other arrangements. After a certain number of birthdays, the weightlifting doesn't work very well any more... Good luck.
 
#12 ·
I too have been feeling the weight lately, and looking around for 'lighter'. Sat on a 2019 Ducati Multistrada 1260S and was pleasantly surprised to be able to get both feet flat on the ground. The redesigned seat, ( for '19 ) makes it so. I'm 5'9" on a good day, ( 72 yrs...) and have a 30" inseam.
The Ducati ain't cheap, and as appealing as it is, I'm loathe to give up the protection from the elements that the FJR provides...its minimal on the Multistrada
 
#14 ·
I put 7500 miles on my '19 Multistrada between Dec and June. Great bike and the weather protection is much better than you would think looking at the bike. When I got back on my FJR the weight and width of the bike was shocking and I sold it. At 5'7" 30" inseam it was always a challenge. Now riding a Super Adventure with e ridiculously high seat but the bike is lighter and the seat is narrow so I feel pretty comfortable with it.
 
#13 ·
Hey there:


I understand a heavy bike. I had a 2006 BMW K1200LT 880 lbs. with half tank of gas. Top heavy and very bad at slow speeds. I got the How to Ride Like a Pro video and learned how to use my clutch and rear brake at slow speeds and U-turns. It made all the difference even two up. Now the FJR seems like a small bike compared to the BMW. We all have to keep learning and the FJR being 200 lbs lighter doesn't hurt ;-)


Cheers,


XS110
 
#16 · (Edited)
The thought of getting a lighter bike does sound attractive and I already own the Kawi Gpz750 Turbo as my emotional support toy so like Donk and others on here I will sadly part with my FJR. It's a shame, I REALLY like the FJR. The recent mishap, although quite minor, has me convinced it was just a sign that I'm all done with heavy bikes. Yes, what just happened seems so trivial but like most mishaps it could have been so much worse as in: what if I came to a stop and tipped over into the path of a vehicle coming up along side me? That thought keeps creeping back into my mind. Heck I traded in a 900 pound Yamaha cruiser for the FJR so as heavy as we all know the FJR to be, it was SO MUCH lighter than what I was always riding before.

In summary:
Getting older sucks! 8-(
 
  • Like
Reactions: justacrossthehill
#17 ·
Getting older is better than the alternative. Giving up heavy bikes is a small price to pay, there are lots of lighter bikes out there that we can continue to ride. Knowing when to go lighter is one of the benefits the wisdom of age brings. When most of us started a 650 Triumph was a big bike yet now a days going “down” to a 650 seems small. Keep riding within your comfort zone and enjoy the fact that you’re riding. We all make too much of an issue in our own heads about it. As much as we all like the FJR it isn't the easiest bike, especially if like me you’ve got short legs. The trend in the industry is toward smaller and lighter bikes and it’s a shame some of the mid sized bikes offered in Europe aren’t available here. I’m not wishing for the good old days but maybe we need to to reset the motorcycle size meter back to our youth?
 
#24 · (Edited)
Well good Junk, I hope you still hang out here ! How about a Couple pic's of that gpz turbo, one of my favorite bikes that I've never owned.
Thank you passx,
I bought and sold and traded some bikes in the past but I just can't part with this bike:
 
#26 ·
You'll be fine. Below half-red-line the FJR is a ***** cat. Respect it and you'll be fine. If you think your skills aren't up to it (I had concerns while waiting the 6 months for my PdP to be delivered (#7xx in the US). Had a good friend out of DeKalb Tech reassure me that I'd be fine.

Over half-red-line and it wakes up and becomes a different animal.


Geeze. Auto-sensor snagged a word I wouldn't have expected. They are always funny because they highlight it for everyone instead of shining it on.
 
#27 ·
I think I met the man that bought your bike. I was at a rest stop on I-80 on the west side of Ohio and and he pulled up to get gas. I had to stop by and tell him how much I liked the bike, and he mentioned that he had just bought in Maine and was headed back to Wisconsin. I'm sorry to hear that you had to part ways with it. He seemed to love the bike!

That's quite an introduction ride!
 
#28 ·
Yup, That sounds like the guy I sold it to, a real good guy so that took some of the sting out of selling it.
 
#29 · (Edited)
I sold my Behemoth Concours 1400,, no centerstand and liteweight delkevic can..great bike...I've a seriously bad back, just got a 2006 gen 2..(which is much lighter than the gen 3).installed delkevics, took off 13 lbs. contemplating taking off the centerstand, 13 lbs...The FJR is just smaller than the Connie to make a difference for me, though I'm 6'1" 210 lbs. its about 10% lighter and smaller than the connie...perfect..Around town, not traveling; I never have the side bags on....Going up to the Smokies in 1 month...cant wait...
 
#30 ·
I've got a bad back too. I couldn't do more than 100 miles on my '02 Goldwing without a back belt on. But the riding position of the FJR doesn't hurt it. I picked up the FJR March 2, 2013, and haven't had the back belt on since. I finally stopped carrying it last year.
 
#31 ·
Lean forward position seems to be beneficial. When I made the mistake of carrying a 38lb backpack between cities on my sport bike, I realized that leaning farther forward took more stress off my shoulders and back. Sitting straight-up, basically turns your spine into apart of the suspension system. So the bumps hit the tire, hit the shock, hit the seat and finally, your back! Lean forward... it's not just an NBC slogan. 😉
 
#33 ·
Lean forward position seems to be beneficial. When I made the mistake of carrying a 38lb backpack between cities on my sport bike, I realized that leaning farther forward took more stress off my shoulders and back. Sitting straight-up, basically turns your spine into apart of the suspension system. So the bumps hit the tire, hit the shock, hit the seat and finally, your back! Lean forward... it's not just an NBC slogan. 😉
I rode the Goldwing for eleven years, and it was OK for the first few. Then my back started killing me on long days. I could get some relief with the back belt, and leaning forward and resting my forearms on the bars helped.

I noticed though that the ZRX didn't hurt my back, so I went to http://cycle-ergo.com/ and compared a stock ZRX and FJR with my height and inseam, and they were near identical. When Yamaha added cruise control in 2013 that sealed the deal.

When I tell my Goldwing buddies that I'm more comfortable and can go further on the FJR they think I'm nuts. :wink2:
 
#32 · (Edited)
Junk, that is one seriously sexy 750 turbo, it is one of my favorites, just a beautiful bike, enjoy it! it’s funny how some just tug at the heart.

Intuit, Yepper it’s funny how people look at me when I tell them that I prefer riding my bike over driving the car because it’s way more comfortable because the forward lean takes the pressure off my lower back. I can ride for hours on the bike but a ride in the car across town has me squirming.

On the 75/76 Goldwings they came with lower bars while they went with higher bars (mini apes) on the LTD in 76 and the 77 and on bikes, I can ride my 76 a long time but my 76 ltd (mini apes) becomes painful quickly. It’s all about that forward lean. But not to much.
 
#35 ·
I have dropped both my Vulcan 1500 and my fjr1300 multiple times. I honestly don't get embarrassed anymore. I just flip the kill switch and get to it. Put your butt on the seat, grab the side of the bike and handlebars and walk the bike upright. The more I do it the easier it gets :p . It's like life; you fall down, you pick yourself back up again. The Vulcan is 40lbs heavier but feels like 100lbs heavier. Must be the weight distribution and the angle at which the bike rests on the crash bars (I have a lindby bar on the Vulcan and I have T-Rex ones on my FJR). Now mind you my T-rex bars were new and untouched from the previous owner... Now they look a bit like ****. That's ok, because once I get more confident and stop dropping it so often, I can have them powder coated again.

I find people put too much pride in not dropping their bike. It happens! We are imperfect creatures. No need to feel defeated or like you've damaged your pride... Until you get used to the balance and weight of bike, you will make mistakes. I had to get used to moving the bike around without me being on it. The bike is too tall to sit on it and push yourself back. You have to get off the bike and balance it while moving it around. Either with both hands on the handlebars, or only one hand on the bar and one on the seat. A good tip to backing it up is to have it turned off and in gear. Used the clutch like a brake. Once you get it moving backwards.. you need to have the ability to stop it.. Just slowly let the clutch out and the bike stops. I have once had my vulcan in neutral and tried backing it up.. almost lost it in a ditch! Had to use my foot under the tire to stop it haha.
 
#37 ·
Dropping an be a PITA. I had a zero mpg drop in my yard. So fast. I fell clear. Canyon cages saved the bags. Frame sliders saved the Tupperware. The mirror survived but the mirror extenders took out the “stay” and the nose. I did the work myself but took time. I don’t ride on grass any more.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top