Warren
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Motorcycle No.10

Continuing the series about my motorcycles this is my current machine. The tenth and only bike I have purchased by trying to be rational rather then emotional but with motorcycles I think the latter is just as important.

Riding in Japan can be superb however not something I can access on any Sunday. I have the choice of gridlock traffic for a couple of hours to and from the nearest riding area or expensive tolls and usually more gridlock traffic on highway to escape Tokyo.

Then there is the climate. There is no dry season in Japan and winter roads are closed with snow, so if not blessed to live in countryside then you have to make the most of the ride seasons by touring.

Touring in cool to cold temperatures makes many bikes less practical. I like standard (naked) bikes best but lacking wind protection doesn’t suit going far here. Fortunately while everyone is trying to imitate Ewan Mcgregor touring bikes are out of vogue.

The FJR is further unpopular here where people who are touring choose things like Honda’s Super Bol D’or so Yamaha pitch the FJR against it not the R1200RT and price it at about $15,000 (AUD). I did think about the RT but the $20,000 saved has paid for my touring in Japan for years.

However it has not been all rosy. I had a difficult time adjusting to such a big heavy bike. I have a overly wordy review posted elsewhere and the saga of making the bike turn better. But when I factor other aspects like comfort, fuel efficient, reliable and near zero maintenance costs it has been a good touring bike.

I have never owned a bike longer than 2 years. Always had something new tug my heartstrings and the cash in Australia but if I stay in Japan there is no point to change bikes in foreseeable future. I would like a light tourer but the touring class of motorcycle is disappearing as everyone rides ADV bikes now which offer no wind protection and don’t appeal to me in a country with no dirt roads.

The FJR already has a reduced resale value in Japan but remains a great bike for what I do, namely a couple of long tours each year. I’ll most likely be on this a very long time and use the money saved to travel and ride other countries and only replaced it when age starts to become an issue – but given the build quality and longevity of FJR’s this could be my last bike in Japan.

(Update: Well this did end up to the only bike I owned in Japan. I had it for 9 years and did 110,000km touring Japan. After an initial difficult start I adjusted to the weight then made some changes to get it turning easier and found tyres that best suited it (Dunlop RoadSmart 4). I came to really enjoy touring on this bike and I would go so far to say it changed how I ride for the better. I reduced my daily mileage and mastered the slow ride which is so very rewarding but something many people never experience. I wish Yamaha had updated the FJR but they discontinued it and the MT09 Tracer is now their tourer but that bike lacks the wind protection the FJR and after trying one I would go back to a FJR before buying a MT09)

2 Comments

  1. Jeffrey Poulin

    They still have good resale value in Canada. 2004’s still going for $5K

    I think that will change over the next couple of years as they wind the programme down.

    • Yes depreciation on vehicles in Japan is sharp, particularly if higher mileage.

      I can understand people being concerned about reliability and for some vehicles that is genuine issue. A friend has an older BMW and he just gave up on it as too many things broke, but some of the Japanese bikes I think are almost bulletproof, especially their long production run big inline fours like FJR, CB1300, Hayabusa, ZXR1200 etc.

      I probably underestimate the value of how ultra reliable and cheap to own my FJR has been living in a country where I have limited communication skills. It may turn out I stay on a FJR here.

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