What did you do to your FJR today?

[El Toro Joe]

Washed 3456 miles of my trip to SD and back off of the bike, only to discover that following a group on chip sealed roads will leave a mark...actually a lot of marks.

[bungie4]

Washed 3456 miles of my trip to SD and back off of the bike, only to discover that following a group on chip sealed roads will leave a mark...actually a lot of marks.

Its that damn Gen III soft paint I tells ya!

I gave my bike a wash a few weeks ago, just a quick one. It needs a good sit down and drink beers while cleaning it wash.

[Redfish]

I rode mine into Baton Rouge to Cycle Gear where I bought a front axle tool and put my hands on the new PR5s. Oddly, they are round and black and sticky much like the PR4s. And the PR3s. And the PR2s. And the PR... Does this mean I am getting old?

Also did some shopping for a Dual Sport helmet... Did any of you know that Scorpion makes a MODULAR dual sport helmet? It is actually pretty damned awesome.

Then I rode it over to visit Pop. He was smoking several racks of ribs. Mom made him send a couple racks home with me because that's what Mom's do.

[gixxerjasen]

No pics of the ribs? Damn you suck.

[fontanaman]

Rode my FJR 250 miles on July 4th to enjoy some great twisty roads north of Spokane. Even rode two ferries. I feel a ride report coming on.

Drained the oil when I got home.

Redfish where those PR V's sticky as Dunlop RS3's?

[Redfish]

No clue. Never touched a set of RS3s and I did not spend much time fondling the PR5s at Cycle Gear. No sense in those folks getting the wrong idea, watching me stroke a set of tires.

Cav47 tells me that the RS3s stuck well and the mileage was good too. Cav is a good bit faster than me so I am considering RS3s.

[fontanaman]

The RS3's are good tires at a price much less than PR 4's. I got about 9500 miles on my first set. I have 4k on the second set and a third set is in my garage waiting to be mounted. The rebate process is much less desire-able than the tires. I am arguing with Dunlop right now over an order. I ordered tires on 4/23/18 and 6/2/18 and still don't have payment. This sucks.

Today I finished changing the oil in my FJR.

[BkerChuck]

Rode it to work for my first day back following my Spearfish trip. Wanted to just keep on riding but reluctantly turned in to work. Day 474 consecutive.

[Hppants]

B/C - you are certainly now in a pickle. You are just about 1/3 the way into your 2nd year of riding every day. Now - it's almost like you have no choice but to keep going!! I'm sure you'll get another 75-ish days of ride-able weather before the cold shit rears it's ugly head.

Ride on, my friend!!

[bill lumberg]

Since I wussed out of a possible BBG, I rode it on a consolation run through the mountains in north Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina today. Rode a pretty much empty Cherohala Skyway and Dragon. Still spent almost an hour waiting on a wreck between a Wing and a VW van. Wing appears to have gone wide and hit the van pretty much head on. Guy was alive. Bike and van were totaled. In all the time the roadway was blocked for the wreck, only a few vehicles accumulated on either side of the scene. The trooper that responded to the wreck was the only law enforcement presence I would see at all on the Cherohala or US129. Otherwise a terrific ride. Icing an aggravated wrist and drinking a beer. Spot can’t manage to display the track right now or I’d post a link.

[Redfish]

I rode it to look at KLRs and KLXs and DRZs and CRF250LRallyes and Africa Twins and VStroms and Versys'.

The main problem with all of those bikes is that they all suck and they are all a POS compared to the FJR. Everything feels (and is) inferior after the FJR.

To hell with a KLX250. That was awful. I could be tempted by an Africa Twin or a VStrom, Versys. But never as a primary bike.

[gixxerjasen]

Ride them all in the dirt, including the FJR, and then see if you still feel the same way.

[budzrex]

No pics of the ribs? Damn you suck.

I was thinking the same thing, at least an address so I can come get some good ribs when I am back in BR in a few weeks

[fontanaman]

Ride them all in the dirt, including the FJR, and then see if you still feel the same way.

My busy fall retirement schedule is full otherwise I'd be thinking seriously about a 2018 Africa Twin. I am a stones throw from Idaho where there is some fantastic dual sport riding. I still have favorites in my GPS from an forest fire aborted ride from a few years ago. Hell just visit Big Dog Adventures to find some great ride and farkle ideas. The Magruder Scenic Corridor and Lolo Trail Motorway beckon but time is tight. I tell ya the sacrifices / choices in retirement are very difficult.

[Cav47]

To hell with a KLX250. That was awful.

Hater!

[Redfish]

To hell with a KLX250. That was awful.

Hater!

My Friend, no insult to you was intended. The new KLX looks like a full bore Motocross bike. There is no way it was designed for a full grown man to ride. No way.

I would hate to offend anyone but...

The seat was long and thin and narrow and soooo hard. It went up the crack of my butt and it hurt me. No way I could ride that thing.

So far all of my research into Dual Sport bikes tells me that our FJRs are Awesome Bikes.

[baowow]

To hell with a KLX250. That was awful.

Hater!

My Friend, no insult to you was intended. The new KLX looks like a full bore Motocross bike. There is no way it was designed for a full grown man to ride. No way.

I would hate to offend anyone but...

The seat was long and thin and narrow and soooo hard. It went up the crack of my butt and it hurt me. No way I could ride that thing.

So far all of my research into Dual Sport bikes tells me that our FJRs are Awesome Bikes.

Have you tried the wr250r? I'm planning to ditch my klr650 for the wrr.

Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk

[bungie4]

The fjr does does okay in the gravely bits. But when you need to get turned around in gravel, by yourself, it reminds you that you aren't as young as you once were.

[Redfish]

Have you tried the wr250r? I'm planning to ditch my klr650 for the wrr.

Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk

Looked at the WR250R and it is a fine bike. A little too hard edged for me. The other Yamaha 250 dual sport, the XT250 is just a little too outdated and too expensive for what it is.

Ditching your KLR? While I may end up with a KLR I think a ditch is a good place for that ugly ba$tard.

I hate to say it but right now the front runner is the Honda CRF250L and CRF250L Rally.

[Hppants]

Those are fine front runners, and were I in the market (and I'm not.... yet), I'd have those two bikes on my short list as well.

This morning, I looked at my FJR and had a moment of silence.

My Redfish friend and I have been discussing his dual sport itch and it is great fun watching him agonize over the decision. That of course is what he does. He's an educated man and in this particular realm, experienced as well. No, he's not an experienced dirt rider, but he's ridden motorcycles enough to qualify. He's been here and there and a little bit of everywhere. He's had this one and that one and he knows what he should be looking for. And he knows how to find out what he doesn't know. You have to ask the right questions to the right people.

Watching this from the front row is intriguing. When you take a step back and look at it from 30,000 feet, you start to put things together. We all know that there will never be the "perfect" motorcycle. At best, any "all around" machine will really be just a series of relatively small compromises in all areas. But they will be compromises, none the less. An experienced rider learns to either live with the compromises, or refuse to compromise and add more bikes to his/her stable. There really is no other choice in the matter.

Which brings me to my FJR. For the riding I like to do, it really is the best bike for me. If I crashed it today (impossible because I won't ride it today), I'd go back to the drawing board and see what's available. However, I'd likely end up back at the FJR. It's just that good for me.