ST vs FJR

[LongRanger_imp]

Ferret, you've owned your FJR for a bit over a year now. Given the choice, for the same money and for the type of riding you enjoy, which do you prefer and which would you buy again?

 

[the Ferret]

Wow, tough question getting tougher all the time as I learn the idiosyncrasies of the FJR. Remember I rode the ST for 11 years and 110,00 miles to all four corners of the country. We were old friends. The FJR just celebrated it's first birthday with 15,000 miles. It hasn't quite proven itself to me yet, but I imagine it will get there.

The ST fit me better. I rode in the ST, I ride on the FJR. The ST had a better windshield system, more range of motion. The FJR has some awfully nice features like ABS, Traction control, tour and sport modes, cruise control, heated grips and a 6th gear none of which the ST had. The FJR is by far easier to change the oil and oil filter on. The ST was a pain in that regard. I get better gas mileage on the FJR by about 5 mpg and it takes regular where the ST required premium, however the FJR holds 1.1 gallon less fuel so there is less range overall. The FJR has a better linked braking system as well, less complicated. Then again for some goofy reason the FJR has 4 sets of front brake pads. I just bought a set of replacement pads for it to keep in stock and they were nearly $300. OUCH! I think I preferred the ST's saddlebags. The FJR looks better with the saddlebags off though. I find them both equally smooth in the rev ranges I ride in and like the CB I find myself riding between 2500-3500 rpms on both the ST & FJR. The FJR weighs less by some 80 pounds, but it's so tall it's really top heavy. 26,000 mile valve inspections on the FJR vs 16,000 on the ST. The FJR is much easier to put on the center stand. I think fit and finish on the Honda was slightly better. I ride them both equally fast (or equally slow, depending on your perspective)

I take the FJR in Thursday the 17th to get some Soupy's lowering links installed in place of the stock dogbones and to drop the back end 1/2". I've already dropped the front 3/8". I won't lower it any more than that due to possible issues with the side stand and center stand. If that isn't enough to suit me I will send my seat to GreatDayToRide.com and let Frank lower the seat another 1/2" and put some of his long distance foam in it. He did my ST seat, dropping it an inch and adding LD foam to both front and rear seats.

I am more of a Honda guy. If Honda brought out the ST with the improvements that were made to the FJR, for me it would be a no brainer, I'd buy another Honda, but as things are now old ST vs new FJR, a guy would be foolish to buy the old ST.

At least that's my opinion.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

That's interesting, thanks. Before reading your rationale, I was anticipating you'd favor the ST, not for any objective reasons, just from your bonding experiences.

 

[VLJ_imp]

The ST1300 has Honda's usual 16K valve-adjustment interval, not 8K.

 

[alprider]

dont forgett..the 1300 pan is from 2003 or some like that..ferrets fjr from last year....You can not necessarily compare really the technical details

 

[the Ferret]

The ST1300 has Honda's usual 16K valve-adjustment interval, not 8K.

Oh yea, it's the CB that has the 8000 mile valve inspection.

dont forgett..the 1300 pan is from 2003 or some like that..ferrets fjr from last year....You can not necessarily compare really the technical details

Well, technically no, they are not comparable, but both are the latest that their manufacturer produced. The ST was last produced new in 2012 but basically there were no changes or updating in the ST from my 2006 to the 2012 model.

 

[Lord Popgun]

At the very least they could have added cruise control to the ST. A mod a lot of owners, including me, did.

 

[misterprofessionality]

follow up:

would you say, ferret, (or any other sport touring owners) that the FJR1300 is the all-around best (for the money) sport touring platform in production today? if not what would you have?

 

[the Ferret]

hmm interesting question. There are not a lot of choices..in shaft drive big bore bikes you have BMW 1250 RT, or 1600GT, you have the new Honda Goldwing which is downsized and more sporty but still not a sport tourer IMO, the Yamaha FJR, the Kawasaki Concours, in chain drive you have the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT, Ducati would probably list their Multistada as a sport tourer

in mid size, chain or belt driven bikes (nothing shaft drive) bikes like the Yamaha Tracer 900 GT, and the Honda VFR 800, BMW F800GT

then there are bikes you can put some soft luggage on like the Suzuki SF 1000 or 750, Suzuki SV 650, Honda CB 1100, Honda NC 750X

I think for the buck for a full size, 2 up capable sport tourer the FJR is awfully tough to beat, but if you are willing to ride mainly back roads almost any modern bike 500cc and larger can do the trick.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I'm not sure about the others, but the F800GT and VFR800 are now out of production.

 

[the Ferret]

Yea i think there are some left over VFRs available, not sure about the Beemers though. Didn't know they were out of production. Wonder why, seemed like a decent bike. I have ridden 2 of them and both were nice.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

In the BMW's case, the F-model line-up has grown to 850 (853cc) and the engines are now sourced from Loncin in China (as opposed to Rotax in Austria). They've only introduced chain-drive models thus far and the rumor is the upcoming F850GT, if it ever appears, will also be chain drive. As you may know, the discontinued F800GT was belt drive. I understand the new 850 engines are smoother and more powerful than the outgoing 800's, which is a good thing.

 

[the Ferret]

Chinese BMW's..what is the world coming to. Wonder how they will be received.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Chinese BMW's..what is the world coming to. Wonder how they will be received.

If history is any indication, the analogue is Mexican VWs. It turned out, eh? :-/ ( ... and that Hemi ... )

 

[Cormanus]

If the Chinese-made Beemers are good bikes, they’ll be welcomed except by the very curmudgeonly. If they have problems, particularly mechanical, we can probably all recite the lines that will issue.

 

[the Ferret]

Well I just googled BMW motorcycles made in China,and a report came up that there is a recall that the connecting rods on the initial run of engines were not installed properly in the engines and may cause a crash, thus delaying sales to the USA.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I've learned that buying the first year of most BMW bikes can be a learning experience... for BMW. 3 year /36,000 mile warranty provides some comfort.

 

[Stichill]

I work for a German company and we have many German suppliers as well as German customers. In my experience German companies really struggle to get a new product launched without lots of teething problems. There’s always something that’s not quite finished, something overlooked, some mistaken assumption about reality, some hasty rework, etc. Once the kinks are worked out, German companies are awesome at executing very consistently from that point forward.

 

[jimgl3_imp]

the Honda website makes it look like you can still find 2010's new at dealers. wonder what one can be had for?

 

[the Ferret]

The last list price I saw on left over 2012 ST 1300s if one could be found was $ 12,999. The 2018 FJRA listed for $16,300. I bought my 2018 FJR for $14,500 so 6 years newer with all the updated features for $ 1500 more than the left over ST1300.