Test Ride: 2015 Yamaha FJR1300

Today, I test ride the 2015 Yamaha FJR1300. The big touring bike is the choice of long distance riders and law enforcement around the world. This is my first time riding a large Japanese touring bike and I really enjoyed the experience. The bike feel smooth on the highways, has great power, and is very comfortable. The FJR1300 would be a great choice for any rider looking for a touring machine for thousands of miles. Check out the video and experience the review. SUBSCRIBE TODAY!!!
-Wicked Devil

[@ComfyDadShoes]

I have a 14” and came from a 6 speed. I definitely don’t miss the 6th gear at all. It does just fine on the highway with 5 gears.

[@jaysrides6901]

Awesome video, you make me want to buy one. Subbed.

[@jesseirwin6478]

OK review for someone that has never been on one before. You kept mentioning the Honda ST 1300......even back in 2015 the FJR was a better bike. Now of course the ST isn't even in production. ....FJR has many more features including std. ABS, now heated grips, cruise control. FJR is the sportiest of all the sport tourers. All are great bikes and usually comes down to rider preference. I have an 06 and will upgrade in a few years. Love my bike, but want the 6th speed as well as cruise and heated grips. If I had a second bike in the stable it would probably be the Super Tenere' or perhaps the new Honda equivalent ........something Africa......Ridden the Yamaha and very impressed.

[@26Noire]

You did a short ride with max 50 mph! How can you say it needs a sixth gear???

[@lovetoflylovetofly3843]

It's called torque, something your 250 has never heard of!

[@turbo311]

Also, that's me on the black FJ-09 in Arai helmet and Alpinestar jacket on your left haha I just noticed!

[@MrPolymers]

I just purchased this 2015. My local dealership had it for 5 grand off. So far, love the thing. Lots of power and my wife thinks it's a crotch rocket. LOL. She's not necessarily wrong..

[@purplemongoose4887]

I love mine. And, it's cliche, but you won't miss the sixth gear when riding. For those that absolutely must have that extra cog, it's there on the 2016. For a 643-lb bike, it accelerates, and brakes, very quickly. And, you might be surprised to find how it handles the turns, once you've had a chance to play around and get the suspension set up.

[@daisy8luke]

I was reading a review on the newer FJR with the 6 speed tranny, and they said they hardly ever used it. It's such a tall gear that it would only be used on the wide open flat and straights. Most of the time they spent in 5th gear. My big concern is the low pull below 4,000 rpm. It seems like to get the balls out of it, you gotta really feed it the throttle. Still interested in getting one, but I might just find an older one with the 5 speed and save some money.

[@purplemongoose4887]

You don't need to concern yourself with torque under 4k. From 2k it will pull just fine. A bit of twist pretty much anywhere will get you going.

[@rijden-nu]

I'm getting the my model 2017 ("AE" version) in a few weeks! 6 speed... Gonna ride it as a company bike, as I'm totally sick of sitting in traffic jams in my company lease car. Can't wait! :) Boss thinks it's a nice eye catcher as well.

[@THE-APEX]

SadBunny what kind of job do you have to allow that. Pretty cool boss

[@rijden-nu]

@@THE-APEX Hey! Yeah, I actually got it and I've been riding it ever since. Here's a pic: imgur.com/WNIPnpJ

[@rijden-nu]

@@THE-APEX I'm a typical "IT consultant"... Which just means temp worker with double pay, but anyway... I help teams and companies deliver value through software, blahblah, so mostly work as a scrum master and/or (preferably and) continuous delivery engineer.

[@rijden-nu]

Bike's got > 60.000 km's on the clock by now (3.5 years and going) and still purrs like a kitten. I had the chance to trade it in for a new one (lease was 3 years) but it felt so much like home and it was so not done yet that I just kept it.

[@daisy8luke]

I disagree that it "needs" a 6th gear. It could use a slightly taller 5th gear. Most of your around town riding is going to be done in 1st -4th gears anyway. And it accelerates the way it does because it's NOT a racing crotch rocket. It's a sport TOURING bike, which is exactly how it's marketed. It's also one of the best built and most dependable bikes in the world. You forgot to mention that !

[@Texarmageddon]

daisy8luke more like it’s just a touring bike

[@robjohnson7806]

I have the chance to trade my CBF1000 for one of these [3 on sale at same sealer]. I am very tempted but how heavy us it to get onto the centre stand? How does it compare to my CBF for example? Mine is dead easy to get up, with my damaged shoulder [pinned and plated] but this is my major concern before test riding, soon hopefully.

[@nukadog1969]

Having ridden ST1100s, ST1300s, Connies, and now as a happy owner of an FJR, I can tell you that the only one of those that feels like a sportbike is the FJR. BTW, I chose it over the FZ1 because the FZ1 was more buzzy and less capable of 1000+ mile trips.

[@tldhthompson]

+David Valdez I agree with you that the FJR is amazing...i have a 2015ES myself. However, my buddy has a 13 connie, and it, too, feels like a sport bike. You sit a little higher, but the riding position is more sportlike to me. More power too...i'll admit it. ;)

[@nukadog1969]

+Tommy Thompson I just can't get over how big the Connie looks. I know it shouldn't influence me, but...

[@richardshort4587]

David Valdez David, have wanted a FJR for a while but found the colour choices pretty lame and hate been told by manufacturers what I have to accept. Same with the C1400. So I have been looking for a used ST 1300 and found a 2007 with only 8K on it. So my question to you is what did you like/dislike about the ST and made you purchase a FJR. Thanks

[@nukadog1969]

The ST1100 (which is the one I had) was a great bike in the day, but I was running into needing a new suspension to meet my sportive desires and that was going to end up being over $1500, plus new rubber, plus new brakes...etc. When I tallied the maintenance/upgrade costs, it became clear to me that an FJR would do everything, and would only cost about $3000 more, which tallied to the cost of the maintenance required. So, I sold the ST for $3000, then added the budgeted $3000 and bought the FJR. Also, the 2007 Burgundy FJR was by far my favorite color. To your question directly, while I've ridden an ST1300 on several occasions, I don't think I'm qualified to really differentiate between the two. I believe you'll find the FJR to be more aggressive, more sportive overall, and less comfy. STs are build as sport-TOURING bikes and it feels to me like FJRs are SPORT-touring bikes. One good example is that the FJR's rear subframe has weight restrictions without third-party reinforcement. I never saw anything like that on an ST. Without reinforcement, you risk cracking your subframe just using a top box and side boxes concurrently?!

[@SwordofDamoclese1]

David Valdez true about the subframe but a small price to pay... I got Givi's aluminum top rack and an e450 topcase... works great

[@TheSaneRider]

Hey this is the dude from chemical guys! Recognize the voice and bike ha

[@maul7474]

the "eco mode" isnt a actual mode its just a light telling you that youve driving a eco friendly way. it doesnt actually do anything

[@johnjones3648]

And is fairly annoying.

[@rijden-nu]

​@@johnjones3648 Yes. This is by far the stupidest feature on this bike. And it's not even indicating eco-friendliness, it just lights up every time you ride a steady RPM. So according to this bike, going 10 minutes in first gear at exactly 8.000 RPM is "eco". Don't get me wrong, I love my FJR, but whoever came up with this blatantly ridiculous indicator should be working for some cheap-ass Chinese company selling electronic weight scales or something, not designing top-notch Japanese sport-touring motorcycles.

[@pdlynch4330]

Too bad you knew so little about the bike before riding it. It has numerous features that you failed to discuss because you hadn't done your homework. Not sure I would judge a bike by whether or not it has a 6th gear, but rather how it uses those gears, the rpms at cruising speed, the power and grunt. In addition to the numerous creature comforts (i.e. heated grips, electric windshield, USB plug in etc.), it has 21 different suspension settings (you managed to find three), and 4 load dampening, all electronic. Also has ABS, stability control and traction control.

[@pjmtts]

USB? Stability control? These Are not featured on this bike Maybe you should do your own homework before you grade another persons report

[@turbo311]

I don't think I've ever seen a US cop on an FJR. But UK and French police seem to use them, maybe other Euro countries or Australia. It's one of the best sport touring bikes on the market. Hopefully see you at the next demo event, maybe Yamaha will bring a 2016 model with the new 6spd and full LED lights.

[@kramerdm]

I have seen these as a police bike platform in the U.S.

[@johnnoble3119]

Saying it’s great is one thing. Telling specificity why is the guts of a professional review

[@randypennel6961]

As of 2016 the sixth gear was added and this narrator repeats a lot Of The Same Sentences over and over again.

[@NonApplicable1983]

The 2016 model has six gears!

[@bobgc1954]

As I have the 5 speed model, please could you tell me what the difference actually/really is. I understand the fashion statement,. and that a 50cc 2 stroke that has a powerband of +/- 500 revs does benefit from more gears. But with the torque of the Yam 1300?

[@atizeg]

+bob cbr The 3rd 4th 5th are closer (afaik). In the 6th it revs less than the previous model in 5th (saves fuel/engine). Also the cuts of the teeth are angled not strait so shifts smoother.

[@bobgc1954]

Thank you for the information. For Me. The sixth gear is an "overdrive" (too high geared for the power of the engine) and my speeds are less than 80mph. plus I like to be "lazy" and not "change down a gear to overtake. (I have the same situation on my BMW R1150RT in 6th) -too high gearing for the power available) although does add a 1 mpg advantage- (not enough to make a worthwhile difference. However if I were to be buying a "new to me " FJR I would happily accept those shortcomings) for the other advantages (in My Opinion) that the newewe model gives.

[@atizeg]

I guess it revs 500 less at 80mph. It's a "bike-life extension" for couriers. :)

[@MrHeepspo]

Never seen police on this "toring" bike

[@pdlynch4330]

+MrHeepspo Asia

[@kramerdm]

Big police bike platform in the USA also