I'd just as soon see the s10 lose weight and then perceived power would take care of itself. ::008::
I loved my FJR's...I had both an 04 and an 08. Twisting the throttle as I dropped down the on ramp onto the freeways was a rush I'll never forget. So was dropping a gear and passing a long line of slow moving cars on two lane desert highways. Cruising at 80+ was "FJR-nominal"; I thought I'd always have one in my garage. But notice I said "had"...once the ST made its way to my garage, my 08 FJR saw less and less road time. The 08 left my garage at the end of 2013, and in the time since, I can count on one hand the number of times I've missed it. And I haven't done anything to the ST to improve motor performance...yet!copb8 said:As I read your posts it does become clear to me that I may be barking up the wrong tree. Rasher nailed it that Yamaha chose a niche and is not trying to be all things to all people. I also realized that after 11 years of FJR ownership Yamaha didn't do hardly anything motor-wise and never upgraded to a 6 speed transmission, so why would I think they'd significantly re-engineer the S10, especially considering how much it contributes to their overall sales.
As far as being a horespower junkie, that a bit true. But I'm a car and track guy and while I have a decent horsepower it isn't nearly the fastest thing out there but it's reliable, raw and fast enough to scare you when pressed. That's what I ultimately would like my S10 to be.
The KTM thing is just a bit of flirtation for me. When I bought the S10 I was drooling over the Ducati 1200S Pikes Peak bike. But I knew reliability and service was going to be a bitch and that I'd be far to careful with a $20+K bike to really enjoy it off roads. I realize the same is true of the KTM but it doesn't hurt just to look and fantasize.
In the end the decision will be made once I'm down to just the S10 for some period of time. Will I miss the the FJR more than I think I will? I hope not. I like the potential of turning down any road that interests me even if that's not what I intended the ride to be when I left the house. With a bike like the FJR your committed to the tarmac for the whole ride.
PS: If you didn't catch it yet and you're looking for a pristine '13 FJR PM me!
What kinds of speeds do you travel at? What aerodynamic farkles do you have on your bike?RonH said:I have nothing against more power, but I get 50-55mpg and the motorcycle has ample power for me, but I'm not riding with the wife, as the wife would rather not ride on the back of a Tenere. As to the KTM1190, yea more power, but read over at ADVrider about that thing. There are 255 or so threads, 250 of them on various problems, and not problems such as a burnt headlight harness. That bike is a real winner, a race bike. I can't argue that, but I would rather have a street bike.
I cannot wholeheartedly agree. Maybe it's the fact that I came from an FJR, but more is always better when passing two-up on a two-lane road (uphill, with a headwind...)Random ride said:To the OP,
When you learn how to ride the 100 hp it has now ::021::
The only thing hp numbers are good for is the swinging dick party ::002::
I had a 2007 FJR and found it totally useless in this country. It was so smooth and powerful that every time I looked down at the speedo I was running 90mph. It was a ticket waiting to happen when I took it out for a ride.Vanderwho said:I cannot wholeheartedly agree. Maybe it's the fact that I came from an FJR, but more is always better when passing two-up on a two-lane road (uphill, with a headwind...)
::26::
+1 I had a great '07 Feejer and loved it. But it was "sneaky fast". I'd be cruising along @ 60 or so on a quiet country lane, look down and see the speedo bouncing off 90 ???. That bike was gonna cost my my license! Seriously, a great bike, a lot of fun, but really a bit much for the daily grind. I think my old Ducati was as fast, but on the Duc you Knew you were hauling A.. while on the FJR you really couldn't tell a difference between 60 and 90 based on noise or other inputs. Anyway, wound up on the S10 and love it. Does everything I want a bike to do, and I've been on 'em since '67. I found a long time ago I can have more fun on a bike I have to "ride" to get the best out of than one that is simply warp drive fast. I'd ask you to be brutally honest with yourself, and ask if you can REALLY ride an S10 at 10/10's.....I'd suspect there are Very few folks who can actually ride any 80+ HP bike at the 10/10's level, much less one of the 150 horse "superbikes". Anyway, I doubt big mama Yama will plug in more horsepower for the S10. If you REALLY wanna go fast, buy an R1....Random ride said:I had a 2007 FJR and found it totally useless in this country. It was so smooth and powerful that every time I looked down at the speedo I was running 90mph. It was a ticket waiting to happen when I took it out for a ride.
I find my 2013 has just the right kind of power for my riding style. It grunts down low really well, has great mid range roll-on, and just enough punch in the upper revs to have a spirited ride in the twisties. It carries my 300lb arse, my wife's 130lb carcass, and all of our gear quite nicely. I guess I'm not in that big of a hurry these days
I will say the having avc reflash the ecu made the bike more enjoyable to ride. The way his reflash cleaned up the only part of the power delivery I didn't like really finished the bike off.
That's a very good point you're making, oldbear, but "anyone" riding at a level that starts getting uncomfortable for them, and/or mistakes start to happen, is at "their" 10/10ths, not the bike's. Rule of thumb is, unless no one else your size and weight can ride the same bike faster than you in an identical situation, the bike is not being ridden at its 10/10ths.oldbear said:I'd ask you to be brutally honest with yourself, and ask if you can REALLY ride an S10 at 10/10's.....I'd suspect there are Very few folks who can actually ride any 80+ HP bike at the 10/10's level, much less one of the 150 horse "superbikes". Anyway, I doubt big mama Yama will plug in more horsepower for the S10. If you REALLY wanna go fast, buy an R1....
That's one of the main reasons I put my FJR up for sale after owning it for about two weeks. It took almost no skill to ride it fast. The bike was so good, it did not need a skilled pilot to fly it. The guy who bought it from me also proved that point. As he followed me on his test ride of the FJR he reported back that he was a little nervous following me into one of the corners at speed. Then he realized the bike just breezed right through it like it was nothing.oldbear said:+1 I had a great '07 Feejer and loved it. But it was "sneaky fast". I'd be cruising along @ 60 or so on a quiet country lane, look down and see the speedo bouncing off 90 ???.
Here, fixt it for yaRamseybella said:Buy something that will feed your need, I think KTM falls in that category more Balls than you will ever need and if you have deeper pockets than most, have at the BMW. ::024::
All needling aside answer your question is NO they have tapped this big bike for HP.
I never looked at this bike as a peg scrapping knee dragging fast acceleration 10 car passing machine.
I looked at it for what it is, a truly dependable as long as you replace your cam chain tensioner Dual sport that gets me places in dirt.
then keep the FJR or buy the KTM and accept the issues that come with it.I'm sure I could get my needed adrenaline fix from an FJR
Here's where I'll agree with you. I owned a VZR1800r for a short while. It had 125bhp but compare that with the S10 in regards weight, it had less bhp/kg. However, it also had 125 ft/lbs and when I went to overtake, I kind of did it without a thought and all I can say is; WOW! Before I knew it the offending vehicle was barely a blip in the mirror. So yes, I get it. But overall, I can choose to ride the S10 differently where it is always in the 'powerband'.copb8 said:This has been a great thread with really thoughtful answers. So I'll address a few of the comments.
Regarding riding 10/10th of the BIKES capabilities, almost no one here can do it and even if you can no one here SHOULD try and do it on a street. That said, riding 10/10th isn't the only reason to like more horse power. More horsepower allows you to pass more easily (regardless of your riding skills) and could let you cruise at a higher speeds with less RPMs. I cruise very typically in the 90+mph range here and I'm not alone. That's comfortable with a ladened FJR but works the S10 much harder and kills mileage.