06-12-2015, 12:18 PM
Turning up at a CB rally with an FJR is like turning up at a party with, well.... errrr .... ahhh .... ummm. Methinks that it is best left to your own imagination. You will note that in the group photos at the rally the FJR, and Cormanus’ ST, were quietly pushed aside. Bit like the mad aunts at a family gathering. However that is not the point. On taking delivery of the FJR at Eaglerider Marietta I did a walk around with the store manager. One of the things I did note was the condition of the tyres (tires?). Well, they were good, looked on the right side of half-life with good grooving all the way to the centre (center?). Please note that I am endeavouring to become familiar with the North American spelling conventions, just so we are all on the same page, so to speak.
A day later, under the guidance of ride4now, I was gradually getting the “wrong side of the road” under control and by the time we had wended our way up to Neels Gap I had a reasonable appreciation of the FJR. Not as nimble as a VFR750, or quite as torquey as the CB, but agile enough and with more than adequate power. Keep the revs up and the power coming on when established in the corners and it was a lot of fun.
So three days later I had had a lot of fun. Just under a 1000miles added to the FJR. On the Sunday, Cormanus and I followed SanPete up the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was feeling a little slow. My 70 year old brain and body, despite a lifetime of almost puritanically healthy living and total devotion to asceticism, was becoming a little weary. But that was not my main concern. I felt, when nicely established in those wonderful BRP sweepers, that if I tightened up the line with any vigour (vigor?) the back end seemed to slide a little. Nothing serious but just more than necessary.
After saying goodbye to SanPete we made our way back to Stechoah. At one stage we encountered some heavy rain. A passing thunder storm. Cormanus was leading and for one reason or another came to a halt, a red light maybe. I applied brakes and noted that deceleration was not quite as effective as expected and that the ABS was operating. My line was to his left side so I wasn’t going to rear end him but I did stop about a half wheel length alongside him. This was not real good. Unnerving in fact.
On reaching the Iron Horse I took a shufti at the rear tyre (tire?) and guess what?
![[Image: 41e0f342364f89e686b043c7c1d95ed4.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201506/41e0f342364f89e686b043c7c1d95ed4.jpg)
After another couple of hundred miles on Monday, including the Dragon, the rear end was becoming quite active. On Tuesday we checked out of the Iron Horse and I had the rear changed at Wheelers in Robinsville when it looked like this:
![[Image: f67b6bc135310b31b6a3d5c2e0a03896.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201506/f67b6bc135310b31b6a3d5c2e0a03896.jpg)
As an aside this tyre (tire?) is a ContiMotion. Continental make some beaut products however the ContiMotion is described, by Continental, as a “Sport Touring radial for the price conscious rider”. Get what you pay for I guess.
Both Eddie at Eaglerider and Ken Wheeler couldn’t do enough to help. They were fantastic. I rolled into Wheelers and around thirty minutes later I saw this, a Bridgestone Battlax.
![[Image: 920107dd34e961c78a4523d34fd30e26.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201506/920107dd34e961c78a4523d34fd30e26.jpg)
I scrubbed the Battlax in on 129 south out of Robinsville. At our first stop Cormanus commented, “Got your dancing shoes on again?” Yes, I had.
Cheers
A day later, under the guidance of ride4now, I was gradually getting the “wrong side of the road” under control and by the time we had wended our way up to Neels Gap I had a reasonable appreciation of the FJR. Not as nimble as a VFR750, or quite as torquey as the CB, but agile enough and with more than adequate power. Keep the revs up and the power coming on when established in the corners and it was a lot of fun.
So three days later I had had a lot of fun. Just under a 1000miles added to the FJR. On the Sunday, Cormanus and I followed SanPete up the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was feeling a little slow. My 70 year old brain and body, despite a lifetime of almost puritanically healthy living and total devotion to asceticism, was becoming a little weary. But that was not my main concern. I felt, when nicely established in those wonderful BRP sweepers, that if I tightened up the line with any vigour (vigor?) the back end seemed to slide a little. Nothing serious but just more than necessary.
After saying goodbye to SanPete we made our way back to Stechoah. At one stage we encountered some heavy rain. A passing thunder storm. Cormanus was leading and for one reason or another came to a halt, a red light maybe. I applied brakes and noted that deceleration was not quite as effective as expected and that the ABS was operating. My line was to his left side so I wasn’t going to rear end him but I did stop about a half wheel length alongside him. This was not real good. Unnerving in fact.
On reaching the Iron Horse I took a shufti at the rear tyre (tire?) and guess what?
After another couple of hundred miles on Monday, including the Dragon, the rear end was becoming quite active. On Tuesday we checked out of the Iron Horse and I had the rear changed at Wheelers in Robinsville when it looked like this:
As an aside this tyre (tire?) is a ContiMotion. Continental make some beaut products however the ContiMotion is described, by Continental, as a “Sport Touring radial for the price conscious rider”. Get what you pay for I guess.
Both Eddie at Eaglerider and Ken Wheeler couldn’t do enough to help. They were fantastic. I rolled into Wheelers and around thirty minutes later I saw this, a Bridgestone Battlax.
I scrubbed the Battlax in on 129 south out of Robinsville. At our first stop Cormanus commented, “Got your dancing shoes on again?” Yes, I had.
Cheers
Maybe it's the vegamite.