2021 FJR is out - one more year!!

[bill lumberg]

My two ongoing flirtations are with the Kawasaki Vulcan voyager and the Super Ten. Insane, I know. But I just like the FJR too much to switch to either. I continue to be amazed at how much an R5GT makes FJR feel 100 lbs lighter. In motion, anyway.

[gixxerjasen]

The chain is not as hard to keep up as I though. I don't do two up so the smaller size might be fine.

Modern chains are pretty amazing. With a chain tool, changing one out isn't a big deal, but the amazing part is, if you dig through posts and data, those who meticulously take care of their chains, seem to get about the same mileage out of them as those who neglect them.

[raYzerman]

True enough. 0-ring and X ring chains keep the lube sealed in, you just keep the grit off them for the most part. But I use a chain lube, I do believe it will last a hair longer if you do.

[Steel_Gin]

Very happy to see this being built for another year but disappointed there is no A model and a different color.

[escapefjrtist]

Yeah, the A Model would be the only one for me. Did 2020s have A Models?

2019 was last year for the basic "A" model. Same color combo as my fantastic '15...SWMBO will never know when I upgrade to a '19!

~G

[escapefjrtist]

Awesome news we keep the FJR... same machine that we know and love lives for another year!

~G

[raYzerman]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

[D-Eagle]

If they want to sell in bunches they will have to do some kind of update and color change. Not saying it needs either one, but an engine bump would at least get people talking and put it back in magazine reviews.

[danh600]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

I probably have a skewed view because I mostly go into small semi-rural Yamaha dealerships. I never visit the ones in big cities. I seldom see an FJR in the dealerships. The one in Ocala did have a new old stock 2016 for awhile. Before that I didn't see on there for a year or more. Most of the small dealerships seem to make a living on 4x4s, dirt bikes and a few sport bikes. Even the MT09 I got had been sitting on the floor for months.

Unless the big city dealers are selling more I can't see that many at all being sold in Florida. Unless they are special ordered and never hit the floor. I think maybe "Adventure touring" is eating up the sport touring segment.

[Uncle Hud]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

Speculation? About 75% of what they’re projecting.

[danh600]

If they want to sell in bunches they will have to do some kind of update and color change. Not saying it needs either one, but an engine bump would at least get people talking and put it back in magazine reviews.

Part of the problem is the FJR has become pretty refined over the years. It's loved by people that own them. Any change is probably going to bring as much wrath as love.

The FZ MT platforms have been through some very positive changes over the last five years. Early on they were criticized for poor suspension and choppy throttle. Yamaha has slowly improved that platform. They got better review as time went on.

Really not sure what they could do to the FJR to create a positive buzz.

But you are correct they could at least do a color change every year.

[raYzerman]

Wild theory, they brought out a redesigned Tracer 9 GT with a lower seat and gadgets to lure those out of the pretty much dead sport touring market. FJR is a blah colour that only a few will buy and it is vitually unchanged since 2016 except for colour. Europe a smaller market for the FJR but they had colour choices and a couple of different homologations (3 models). That's done now with Euro5 emissions, who knows if there will be a 2022 in North America. The FJR is built in a batch based on sales projections plus a couple extra for stragglers. Will they announce a special model like they did for EU as the last hurrah?
My question of interest was simply having some fun guessing what that number is. We don't have access to sales numbers for the last 5 years. I have an opinion what happened in Canada and US, kinda gleaning from posts on various forums who posted up they bought a new one and what used ones are selling. So, I have a a guess number or two in my head but I don't want to spoil the guessing.... we'll tally up later, just for fun.
For more fun, my spin on Gen3/4.... 2013 new colour, throttle by wire, cruise, lots of hype, sold some. 2014 make it red, a bunch jumped on that. 2015 asphalt grey, very shortly after introduction heavily discounted A and ES... bargoons, sales slow, resale values dropped on all FJR's. 2016 blue six speed LED's, sold some more. Later models not so hot colours except for matte blue, don't think they sold all that many. Just my spin... what's your guess?

[D-Eagle]

Exactly Ray. The 2013 revision seemed to jump sales. 2016 improved the transmission and other refinements. Blue, gray, black all look great, but have been done over and over. Give a guy a reason to upgrade, as least a fresh color. That white model that Europe had, the root beer that Canada had.....something different. I get that the bike is fantastic. But those that wanted a FJR have had 19 years to buy one. These bikes don't wear out fast enough for most people to need a new one.

[Hppants]

My spin is this:

"All we have to do is replace the VIN tag. That's it. We've got all of this leftover stock from 2020 that nobody bought. Let's roll it out as a 2021 and once we get rid of these leftover chassis and parts, then we move on. The Tracer 9 GT will be our S/T platform for the few old geezers still hanging on. Otherwise, we'll push the Teneres and the sport bikes."

(quoted by no one)

[Uncle Hud]

Gotta agree with Pants and the Deagle.

(a) Except for CollingsBob, no current FJR owner is interested in getting rid of what they already have. If it ain't broke ...
(b) There really isn't a big bunch of buyers for touring or sport touring bikes. Lots more buyers for ADV bikes. (Super Tenere or Tenere 700?)
(c) As us old sport touring guys get older, we're looking for smaller and lighter bikes to feed the habit. (Tracer 9 GT? sportbike for day rides?)
(d) There are no potential sport touring bikers in the younger generation. Not sure why, but they're just not there.

I love my FJR, but I can't see a future market in it for Yamaha. That said, they spent a buttload on developing the Niken for somebody's imagined market sector ... so, who knows?

[Hppants]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

[Uncle Hud]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

They're weird.

[ionbeam]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

They're weird.

Having been to Europe fairly recently, I will concur that what they ride and how they ride is different from us. They are weird and it's weird too. In the cities, as you sit outside having a 4 hr long meal you get quite a show of bikes, bicycles, skate boards, skate boarding dogs and clumps of people, each with a twist on dress fashion and accessories that circle around and around a few block area.

[raYzerman]

On my quest for a lighter FJR replacement, the pickin's are slim in "that style" and you end up looking at older machines. You could go Versys 1000 or Ninja 1000, not so bad.... bottom line is nothing is touching an FJR for a sport tourer IMHO, if ya can handle the weight. I still can, but I'd rather go lighter now and enjoy it more than doing it later.
PS, Root Beer was available multiple years in Europe, they called it Magnetic Bronze over there. They had (have) the AS (our AE but Gen3) and if they had brought it over here, I woulda been one of the first in line. Didn't happen, WTF.

[gixxerjasen]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

They're weird.

Having been to Europe fairly recently, I will concur that what they ride and how they ride is different from us.

I'm not so sure that Americans can comment on the weirdness of the motorcyclists in other countries, but they certainly are different from the typical American rider.



Let's not forget that Sport Touring riders in the US might ride a total of more miles than all the cruiser riders, but we don't buy as many bikes or spend as much on them, despite what we might think. Every year we get another FJR is a win in my book, even without upgrades.