In between seeing my son off, visits to factory outlets and kitchen places I managed to get to a couple of dealers in Sydney. (Thanks for the advice guys. Read your posts but couldn't get on to reply. )
To cut a (very) long story short. I didn't get the test ride on the ST because the guy who had it before me took it and didnt return for two hours. So no ride of the Sprint (but I have ridden one).
But it wasn't wasted. Got to ride an FJR for the first time. It was an 01. It had only 17K kms on it and it was a decent price (14K oz).
I was ready to be impressed. I wasn't. I was totally underwhelmed. In fact I thought it was a total dog and couldn't understand why anyone would want to ride this thing instead of MY 6 year old sprint with 50K kms, let alone a new 1050. It handled poorly. Steering was awful. It had buzzing throughout the rev range that made my 955 feel like a Rolls Royce. I just didn't get it. People rave about these things. It had the dreaded FJR tick and the FI was really bad. One positive. Di thought the pillion seat was great although she thought the footpeg vibes would be a problem on longer trips.
Well that's it then. Strike out the FJR. I am willing to compromise for my pillion but I ain't riding one of those.
Anyhow. I couldn't stop thinking about how bad the thing was. It was an 01. Maybe I should just try a later model. We just have enough time cos Bikebiz close at 5.
So I went to Bikebiz and rode the '03 with 37K kms on it. Wow! Now this I like! I could not believe I was riding two identical bikes albeit two years apart. It steered it went. No vibes. I was very impressed. (Steve. If you are out there you were right!). All I gotta do now is fend off the phone calls from the salesmen who were really "paramatta road".
Having said all that, its no Sprint. Its big and heavy. And while the 2nd FJR was quite managable at low speeds, it couldn't carve a roundabout anywhere near as good as my Sprint. Of course I'm sure if I was out on a bumpy sweeper at high speed the FJR would come into its own.
I could get used to one I'm sure. Here is the rub: For me (repeat) For me: It had a sort of "pipe and slippers feel to it that I cant really explain. Very subjective of course.
Anyway. Won't make any decisions right now. The main factor with FJRs is that they cost quite a bit more than a Sprint. I could only afford a 2nd hand one.
Of course I wouldn't even bother looking at the FJR if I only ever toured with my mates and didn't do much pillion. With my wife now talking about learning to ride perhaps I'll just hold off to see how that goes before I make any big decisions.
FOOTNOTE. Spoke quickly to the guy who brought back the ST too late for me to go for my ride. Instead of ripping his head off (ahem! he was a big guy) I put a metaphoric microphone in his face and asked him how it was. He said that he had tagged along with his mate on his bike( cruiser) when they swapped bikes. His mate was just about to order one. He was so smitten by the ST that he was about to go into the shop and order one too! But then of course this would be not surprise to us Sprint lovers would it!
Sorry its so long
Steve
To cut a (very) long story short. I didn't get the test ride on the ST because the guy who had it before me took it and didnt return for two hours. So no ride of the Sprint (but I have ridden one).
But it wasn't wasted. Got to ride an FJR for the first time. It was an 01. It had only 17K kms on it and it was a decent price (14K oz).
I was ready to be impressed. I wasn't. I was totally underwhelmed. In fact I thought it was a total dog and couldn't understand why anyone would want to ride this thing instead of MY 6 year old sprint with 50K kms, let alone a new 1050. It handled poorly. Steering was awful. It had buzzing throughout the rev range that made my 955 feel like a Rolls Royce. I just didn't get it. People rave about these things. It had the dreaded FJR tick and the FI was really bad. One positive. Di thought the pillion seat was great although she thought the footpeg vibes would be a problem on longer trips.
Well that's it then. Strike out the FJR. I am willing to compromise for my pillion but I ain't riding one of those.
Anyhow. I couldn't stop thinking about how bad the thing was. It was an 01. Maybe I should just try a later model. We just have enough time cos Bikebiz close at 5.
So I went to Bikebiz and rode the '03 with 37K kms on it. Wow! Now this I like! I could not believe I was riding two identical bikes albeit two years apart. It steered it went. No vibes. I was very impressed. (Steve. If you are out there you were right!). All I gotta do now is fend off the phone calls from the salesmen who were really "paramatta road".
Having said all that, its no Sprint. Its big and heavy. And while the 2nd FJR was quite managable at low speeds, it couldn't carve a roundabout anywhere near as good as my Sprint. Of course I'm sure if I was out on a bumpy sweeper at high speed the FJR would come into its own.
I could get used to one I'm sure. Here is the rub: For me (repeat) For me: It had a sort of "pipe and slippers feel to it that I cant really explain. Very subjective of course.
Anyway. Won't make any decisions right now. The main factor with FJRs is that they cost quite a bit more than a Sprint. I could only afford a 2nd hand one.
Of course I wouldn't even bother looking at the FJR if I only ever toured with my mates and didn't do much pillion. With my wife now talking about learning to ride perhaps I'll just hold off to see how that goes before I make any big decisions.
FOOTNOTE. Spoke quickly to the guy who brought back the ST too late for me to go for my ride. Instead of ripping his head off (ahem! he was a big guy) I put a metaphoric microphone in his face and asked him how it was. He said that he had tagged along with his mate on his bike( cruiser) when they swapped bikes. His mate was just about to order one. He was so smitten by the ST that he was about to go into the shop and order one too! But then of course this would be not surprise to us Sprint lovers would it!
Sorry its so long
Steve
