Is The FJR1300 Dead? No 2025 Model?

[SkooterG]

Went to a Yamaha dealer today to get some yamalube and filter.

While I was there I noticed the sales manager was free. So I walked over and asked about the FJR. Basically he said that he does not believe the FJR is done. He seemed to think they sell enough units generally. He said his dealership actually does well selling FJRs. He declined to say how many. It is his belief that there are just too many 2023 and 2024 in the pipeline for Yamaha to start building 2025s. He said there would probably be an announcement later, maybe even in the spring. He thinks there will be a 2025 model.

I think that is entirely plausible too. If they can reduce inventory to an acceptable level then make a small run of 2025 USA FJRs later in the year. I think that will be largely dependent on how many current '23/'24 FJRs there are sitting at dealers already - one's that a dealer that has none but wants, but can't easily get, and how many '23/'24 FJRs are sitting in a Yamaha warehouse waiting for a dealer to ask for one.

[Panman]

The AE's were Cerulean Silver..... doesn't that sound better? Had a hint of blue in it.
It is not "dried blood red", it's always been Lipstick Pink.
Here's my Black Cherry the day I brought it home...by day and later that night..... beooooteous!

Still the best looking bike Ray, still have my low mile (135,000) 07.

I kinda miss dog pile Fridays, this getting as boring as the erections.

[Bugnatr]

I just spent some time looking at Yamaha's line up of motorcycles vs Honda's line up.

Just by models offered it looks like Yamaha isn't really that keen on motorcycles anymore.

Bummer.

[Festus]

For me, personally, discontinuing the standard model and only offering the ES lost me. It's possible I would have been a buyer, but I don't want a ES and you don't give me any options for what I want. The standard model gave an amazing price point (especially by hungry sellers) for an incredible bike. The ES bumped up into the $18,000 area, and the standard model was normally a couple grand less. I think that move might have hurt their sales and be partially responsible for the excess inventory.

[D-Eagle]

That 2007 color was ok. It's like they threw out the cheap red to see if anybody would buy a red bike before investing in the expensive beautiful red of 2014.
Hey it's Friday, ducking and running.....

[Hppants]

I perused the motorcycle websites for all Japanese brands, BMW, etc.

The sport touring market as we know it is dead. Into the future, if I want to hold on to this, then I'll have to submit to the lure of the Barvarian Sirens.

Dammit....

[FJRoss]

I perused the motorcycle websites for all Japanese brands, BMW, etc.

The sport touring market as we know it is dead. Into the future, if I want to hold on to this, then I'll have to submit to the lure of the Barvarian Sirens.

Dammit....

It irritates the crap outta me to consider BMW for a newer bike. The lack of an available service manual, expensive parts and sparse dealer network makes this (at best) an undesirable choice for me.

[BkerChuck]

That 2007 color was ok. It's like they threw out the cheap red to see if anybody would buy a red bike before investing in the expensive beautiful red of 2014.
Hey it's Friday, ducking and running.....

Discounting your obvious lack of good taste here.....

The first FJR I got to ride was at a demo event back in 2008 or 9? Can't recall exactly. What I can recall is how impressed I was with what the bike offered in terms of performance, comfort, carrying capacity, and it's all around capability to do what I wanted a bike to do. I spoke with the Yamaha demo fleet guy and he asked what would stop me from buying one. Answered him straight out "the color". It was black and while that looks nice and when clean they're definitely sharp I just don't own black vehicles, it's just not my color. The blues have been nice but we've seen them for how many years now?

I've now owned a 2007, 2013, and 2014 and the one thing they have in common is that each was a one year only paint color. I like something a little different. I wish Yamaha would have offered more than one color each year. I've said it before and will say it again, if they'd ever bothered to offer the old Yamaha/Kenny Roberts livery on the FJR that would have pried my check book open in a heartbeat. They did it with the Super Tenere. I just wish they done it on the FJR.

D-Eagle, don't you have a Goldwing to go wash or something?

[gixxerjasen]

I've said it before and will say it again, if they'd ever bothered to offer the old Yamaha/Kenny Roberts livery on the FJR that would have pried my check book open in a heartbeat. They did it with the Super Tenere. I just wish they done it on the FJR.

As a long time lover of yellow bikes and four wheeled vehicles, I used to think as you do. Then, back in the day, someone posted a picture of their custom painted yellow FJR, and wow, was it ever a turn off for me. It's strange but the design of the FJR just really doesn't lend itself to a bright color like yellow. I'd never do it.

Proof that I love yellow. This one was a LOT of yellow.



Traded that one in on less yellow.







Did some custom painting in yellow too.







Yamaha Kenny Roberts you say?



My latest yellow bike.

[raYzerman]

[BkerChuck]

I like that rendering of the FJR in the Yellow/White/Black. I like that enough it might have gotten me to buy a new FJR. I like yellow as well.



Old pic of mine in front of its birthplace



In New Hampshire back in the late 1990's when I rode it to Laconia

[gixxerjasen]

That lower fairing is a definite no.

[SkooterG]

For me, personally, discontinuing the standard model and only offering the ES lost me. It's possible I would have been a buyer, but I don't want a ES and you don't give me any options for what I want. The standard model gave an amazing price point (especially by hungry sellers) for an incredible bike. The ES bumped up into the $18,000 area, and the standard model was normally a couple grand less. I think that move might have hurt their sales and be partially responsible for the excess inventory.

For '14 and '15 the ES was only $1,000 more than the A model. And worth every penny imho. From '16 on the ES was $1,600 more than the A model and you also got the nifty (not) cornering lights.

I really like the ES. But then, I also really like my A models with custom suspension.

[danh600]

For me, personally, discontinuing the standard model and only offering the ES lost me. It's possible I would have been a buyer, but I don't want a ES and you don't give me any options for what I want. The standard model gave an amazing price point (especially by hungry sellers) for an incredible bike. The ES bumped up into the $18,000 area, and the standard model was normally a couple grand less. I think that move might have hurt their sales and be partially responsible for the excess inventory.

For every FJR guy like you there might be one like me. I love the ES.

[Festus]

For me, personally, discontinuing the standard model and only offering the ES lost me. It's possible I would have been a buyer, but I don't want a ES and you don't give me any options for what I want. The standard model gave an amazing price point (especially by hungry sellers) for an incredible bike. The ES bumped up into the $18,000 area, and the standard model was normally a couple grand less. I think that move might have hurt their sales and be partially responsible for the excess inventory.

For every FJR guy like you there might be one like me. I love the ES.

That's why you have 2 options, 1 for you, 1 for me

[gixxerjasen]

For me, personally, discontinuing the standard model and only offering the ES lost me. It's possible I would have been a buyer, but I don't want a ES and you don't give me any options for what I want. The standard model gave an amazing price point (especially by hungry sellers) for an incredible bike. The ES bumped up into the $18,000 area, and the standard model was normally a couple grand less. I think that move might have hurt their sales and be partially responsible for the excess inventory.

For every FJR guy like you there might be one like me. I love the ES.

That's why you have 2 options, 1 for you, 1 for me

Until Yamaha takes one of the options away.

Or both.

[fontanaman]

I was thinking a BMW might be in my future, but after reading this updated maintenance schedule for BMW driveshaft, the allure is decidedly subsided.

The executive summary is driveshafts for 1200/1250 models through model year 2023 and earlier will be replaced at BMW expense every 36500 miles.

The new 1300GS model driveshaft must be replaced every 49,600 miles at the owner's expense costing about $1000.

It is nice of BMW to replace the older units. Hopefully the dealer is nearby and is able to do the work without creating issues. I'd rather be riding my bike than having sit in the shop.

So much for the advantage of shaft drive vs chain drive.

[dcarver]

My 62 year old R60/2 has no final drive issues, and I have very detailed FSM to support owner maintenance. So F the current BMW strategy..

[Toter]

I was thinking a BMW might be in my future, but after reading this updated maintenance schedule for BMW driveshaft, the allure is decidedly subsided.

The executive summary is driveshafts for 1200/1250 models through model year 2023 and earlier will be replaced at BMW expense every 36500 miles.

The new 1300GS model driveshaft must be replaced every 49,600 miles at the owner's expense costing about $1000.

It is nice of BMW to replace the older units. Hopefully the dealer is nearby and is able to do the work without creating issues. I'd rather be riding my bike than having sit in the shop.

So much for the advantage of shaft drive vs chain drive.

It's a pretty simple procedure, less intensive than replacing chain and sprockets on other bikes. BMW stepping up to grease these driveshaft splines every 12,000 mi., and replace them at 36,500 mi at their expense is pretty amazing in my book. Especially, when you consider that this covers all liquid cooled 1200-1250 bikes from 2013 thru 2024. I think the issue shows up more with people that ride difficult terrain, do a lot of water crossings, tour extensively in all weather, or where the bike lives outside in wet climates. My bikes are pretty pampered compared to those scenarios. It really should have been a 12,000 mi. service item since 2013. Crazy not to make that change years ago. Look at the cost this entails now. Some heads should roll for this. I would not let that deter me from trying some of the Berlin koolaid, not a 1300, too new. In the words of Clark Griswold, "It's good, it's good".

[FJRoss]

I was thinking a BMW might be in my future, but after reading this updated maintenance schedule for BMW driveshaft, the allure is decidedly subsided.

The executive summary is driveshafts for 1200/1250 models through model year 2023 and earlier will be replaced at BMW expense every 36500 miles.

The new 1300GS model driveshaft must be replaced every 49,600 miles at the owner's expense costing about $1000.

It is nice of BMW to replace the older units. Hopefully the dealer is nearby and is able to do the work without creating issues. I'd rather be riding my bike than having sit in the shop.

So much for the advantage of shaft drive vs chain drive.

It's a pretty simple procedure, less intensive than replacing chain and sprockets on other bikes. BMW stepping up to grease these driveshaft splines every 12,000 mi., and replace them at 36,500 mi at their expense is pretty amazing in my book. Especially, when you consider that this covers all liquid cooled 1200-1250 bikes from 2013 thru 2024. I think the issue shows up more with people that ride difficult terrain, do a lot of water crossings, tour extensively in all weather, or where the bike lives outside in wet climates. My bikes are pretty pampered compared to those scenarios. It really should have been a 12,000 mi. service item since 2013. Crazy not to make that change years ago. Look at the cost this entails now. Some heads should roll for this. I would not let that deter me from trying some of the Berlin koolaid, not a 1300, too new. In the words of Clark Griswold, "It's good, it's good".

Might be easy to do and nice that it is on BMW's dime but I would rather not trust a drive train where the shaft is considered a consumable. Hell, I get better life out of sparkplugs on some vehicles! Not only that, but my closest BMW dealer is two hours away and appointments can't be made on short notice - they are asshats anyway. Unlikely to have a "while you wait" service. (Maybe OK for an annual or semi-annual replacement but for a 12,000 mile inspection a couple or three times per year?) What are you supposed to do on an extended road trip?

Edit: I like my F700GS for what it is but I can do just about any necessary work on it myself. The newer bikes (including boxers and new parallel twins) are a different matter. Service manuals are no longer available from BMW or aftermarket and stuff like the drive shaft are enough of a concern that I would not lean in that direction. Beautiful bikes, but I'll choose to spend my money elsewhere.