2007 Yamaha FJR 1300A

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Background

I have been riding motorcycles for nearly 10 years now. Its hard to believe it has been that long. I still have my first bike; a 1981 Yamaha XS650. I even still have my second bike; a 1980 Yamaha XS1100. Both these bikes have something in common... They are both antiques and both require plenty of maintenance.

That is not to say I dont like my old Yamaha bikes. At this point though, I just want to ride motorcycles. I am less interesting in restoring them and maintaining them. This is partly because if any little thing on the bike is not perfect, it drives me crazy. And lets face it, it's easy to find imperfections on bikes that are as old as I am.

I decided it was time for a newer bike I could still easily get parts for, and better yet, one that should not require any parts for a long time. My criteria was simple, the best bike for me would have:

1. Hard luggage that was removeable
2. An option for a rear luggage backrest
3. Shaft drive
4. Fuel injection
5. Be comfortable for longer road trips
6. Be comfortable for quick trips to the store
7. Get 35+ mpg
8. Be new enough to require very little maintenance for a while
9. Be at least 1/2 as sexy as the XS line (still some of the best looking bikes in my mind)

It was clear I was looking for a sport touring bike. The last requirement goes without saying, the bike had to be in my pricerange. That knocked out BMW and Triumph (to bad too). Although I appreciate Harley's I can't see myself on one. This left the Yamaha FJR, Honda ST, and Kawasaki Concours. The Kawasaki was very attractive due the length of production. I think Moses even rode one. I just didnt like the looks of the bike and the overall bulk. It felt much bigger than the others. The Honda may have been a sensible choice, actually too sensible. It was lacking emotion. It felt very much like a Toyota Corrola, something you drive to get you from A to B without any fuss. The FJR on the other hand was good looking and had a slight bad boy streak. It was comfortable to sit on for both Nikki and I and had enough storage without feeling like a Goldwing. It was just what I was looking for.

Now the problem was to find one that was in my pricerange. I determined early on I needed, yes needed, a 2006 or later as Yamaha eliminated the early model's heat related issues. I absolutely loved the Black Cherry color for 2007 which was also about the most recent year I could afford. I spent a few months casually looking for just the right 2007 until one day Nikki decided to get a new car. She got an Edge with a tow package which allowed me to sell the Bronco and raise some money for the FJR.

In the end I found the perfect FJR in northern Pennsylvania. It was a 5 hour drive both ways but it was worth it. The bike is awesome. It feels brand new and still have an extended factory warrantly left on it. The previous owner was a great guy and I doubt very much there will be any surprises... expect of course how fast that tach shoots up when you open her up :)

Vital Stats

1. ABS (a)
2. Manual shift, not automatic (ae)
3. Color: Black Cherry

Pictures

Maintenance Log

Modifications