YAMAHA FJR1300 ЧЕСТНЫЙ ОТЗЫВ

Yamaha FJR1300 — Owner’s Review Summary

The reviewer rode his FJR1300 from about 7,000 to 32,873 km—roughly 25,000 km over a season and a half. He describes it as a well-balanced sport-tourer suited to commuting, touring, and brisk riding, but best used on good or average-quality roads.

What It Is and How It Rides

• The FJR sits between a comfort-focused tourer such as the Gold Wing and sportier, less comfortable bikes such as the Kawasaki Z1000SX. The reviewer finds it more comfortable than naked-based sport-tourers like the Z1000SX, KTM Super Duke GT, and BMW S1000XR, while remaining sportier than a Gold Wing.
• Its large engine delivers smooth, predictable power across a broad range, without a dramatic surge or especially entertaining character. The reviewer calls it “boring” in feel, though objectively fast. He found his previous Bandit 1250 stronger at low revs.
• The reviewed bike has a five-speed gearbox. It works adequately, but the reviewer often finds himself looking for a sixth gear, especially on the highway.
• The shaft drive avoids regular chain maintenance.
• The bike is heavy, with a high centre of gravity. It can be quick and capable in corners, but its weight and inertia become noticeable when ridden hard, particularly through tight or medium-tight fast turns.
• Despite its size, the FJR is relatively narrow. The reviewer estimates its widest point at the mirrors is about 750 mm. Once accustomed to the weight, he finds it unusually manageable in city traffic for its class. With panniers fitted, however, he advises taking more care when riding through gaps.

Comfort and Touring

• The riding position is relaxed, with comfortable legroom and a slight forward lean. The seat is soft and did not cause numbness for the reviewer. It is height-adjustable, but its width may make it difficult for shorter riders to get both feet flat on the ground.
• At 181 cm, the reviewer would prefer the handlebars slightly closer; risers are available. He found that raising the bars could reduce the hand protection provided by the mirrors.
• Wind protection is strong with his wider aftermarket screen: it protects the body and legs, while the mirrors deflect wind from the hands. The electrically adjustable screen can be raised for more shelter or lowered for better airflow. The original screen is described as weak; a taller touring screen he tried felt excessive and restricted ventilation in summer.
• One drawback of his aftermarket screen is that, when lowered, it can interfere with the folding mirrors.
• The FJR is comfortable for long highway journeys. The reviewer’s comfortable sustained cruising speed is around 160–170 km/h. Speeds of 200–220 km/h are possible for shorter runs, but become tiring over time. He typically wants to stop and stretch after roughly 300–350 km.
• Its protection also helps in light rain, cold weather, road grime, and insects. The reviewer rides in cold conditions when the asphalt is dry, though he finds the factory heated grips only moderately effective—even after setting them to maximum in the service menu.

Equipment and Accessories

• Side panniers are included equipment; the reviewer strongly advises against buying an FJR without them. He finds them awkward for quick access because items can fall out when they are opened, and recommends using the matching inner bags.
• He added a 58-litre Givi top box, which he finds very spacious and more convenient than the side cases for everyday access.
• Other additions include an Arrow exhaust, tank grips, protective bars, LED lighting, auxiliary yellow lights, a wider electric screen, and an aftermarket rear-fender extension.
• The protective bars are unobtrusive and effective: without panniers, the bike can rest on the bars in a fall, limiting further damage. A rear hugger is also recommended to protect the linkage and shock from road debris and help keep the rider’s legs cleaner.
• He had the seat reupholstered with gel, but noticed little benefit from the gel.
• The Arrow exhaust is lighter than the original silencers and gives the engine a pleasant, deeper sound without being overly intrusive. The reviewer also likes the engine’s intake whistle and occasional exhaust pops.
• He says the bike is highly visible in traffic, helped by its size and his lighting setup.

Handling, Suspension, and Brakes

• The electronically adjustable suspension offers front settings described as Hard, Normal, and Soft, plus rear load settings for solo riding, solo with luggage, and passenger with luggage. These are adjustments rather than dramatically different riding modes; setup should reflect rider weight, load, and preference.
• The reviewer values being able to adjust the suspension quickly when adding a passenger or luggage. He says changing the rear setting also adjusts the front accordingly. He also uses the adjustment to compensate somewhat for suspension wear.
• He strongly prefers the inverted fork version. He reports that conventional forks on some model years can develop guide problems that require repeated replacement. The FJR’s suspension is not perfect: he feels it lacks high-speed rebound control, particularly when carrying a passenger or heavy luggage.
• The bike is not well suited to broken roads. Its weight and suspension behaviour make rough surfaces unpleasant; the reviewer recommends considering another motorcycle if poor roads are unavoidable.
• The brakes provide strong stopping power for normal touring and city use, but he finds their lever feedback less precise than that of good European motorcycles. He says the ABS intervenes early, even in conditions where he believes more braking grip is available.
• The FJR has linked or combined braking. The reviewer warns that forceful use of the rear brake during emergency braking can also affect front braking, and recommends relying mainly on the front brake in that situation.
• Brake-pad choice matters. He uses Nissin RS pads, which provide good initial bite once warm but wear the discs faster. He contrasts his own disc wear—around 30,000 km—with another owner’s reported 100,000 km, attributing the difference to riding style.

Fuel Use, Maintenance, and Reliability

• Fuel consumption is relatively high by modern standards:
  • About 7–8 L/100 km when riding gently and keeping to around 120 km/h.
  • Around 7 L/100 km on a steady touring run at roughly 120 km/h, which he says can yield about 350 km from the tank.
  • Over 10 L/100 km in moderately fast city riding; hard riding can empty the tank in roughly 150–200 km.
• The tank holds 25 litres.
• He reports no major breakdowns during his ownership. One minor issue was a failed brake-lever switch; cruise control could still be cancelled using the clutch.
• He stresses that reliability does not mean maintenance-free ownership. Keeping the bike in good condition requires regular servicing. Over roughly 25,000 km, he estimates spending about 450,000 rubles on maintenance and modifications, including tyres.
• He changed from Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 tyres, which lasted about 5,000 km but felt more fun, to Angel GT tyres, which last longer but feel less playful to him.
• He changes the front-fork oil about every 10,000 km and says the suspension’s condition and setup matter.
• The service menu allows adjustments and self-diagnostics. He used it to identify the need to clean and synchronise the throttle bodies.
• The finish on frequently used buttons wears, especially with washing, and small fasteners can corrode. This is particularly relevant when riding near the start or end of winter-salted road seasons.
• The factory heated grips have three settings, configurable through the service menu, but even at maximum they are weaker than Oxford grips or those on BMWs.

Model-Year Advice

• The reviewer advises against buying the earliest generations, arguing that the cost of bringing an old, neglected bike up to standard can approach the price of a newer, better-condition example.
• His preferred value choice is a 2013–2015-era bike like his, with a five-speed gearbox, inverted fork, and electronic suspension.
• For newer, six-speed models, he recommends choosing one with an inverted fork and warns against versions with conventional telescopic forks. If electronic suspension is not important, he says an earlier generation can provide much the same experience for less money, though with fewer features such as cruise control.
• He says the used market has few genuinely good examples, so condition is important.

Overall Verdict

The reviewer recommends the FJR1300 as an excellent single-bike solution for commuting, city riding, and long-distance travel on decent asphalt. Its standout qualities are comfort, wind and weather protection, smooth power, luggage capacity, versatility, and manageable width for a large tourer.

Its main compromises are weight, high fuel consumption, a five-speed gearbox on the reviewed version, less engaging engine character, imperfect brakes and suspension, and poor performance on rough roads. It is not his choice for broken rural roads or sustained aggressive riding.

He is selling his own bike not because of a mechanical problem, but because he now spends more time outside the city, where the local roads are too rough for the FJR.

Ratings: No numerical ratings or score were given.

Speaker’s perspective: The video presents one owner’s firsthand assessment; no other speakers contribute a separate view.