Road test of YamahaFJR 1300 AS et S 2008 Talk to my hand!!!

i love innovation, and I'm always on the lookout for the latest concept, the little "plus" that can change a biker's life.
For the past 2 years, I've been dreaming of getting behind the handlebars of the FJR 1300 AS and, above all, of being able to put my fingers on that famous electronically managed gearbox.
And I've done it...yippee!

The gearbox...talks to my hand!

this time, I listen carefully to Thomas' explanations of how the gearbox works. I don't feel like wallowing straight into the hangar.
And yet, the system is very simple: you start the engine by applying the front brake (like a scooter or any Suzuki), unlock the gearbox on the left-hand switch (a green dot lights up when everything is in order) and engage first gear with your thumb.
OK, but after more than 300,000 km of motorcycling, the prospect of maneuvering a beast weighing almost 260 kg without a clutch (where's that handle?) is a little nauseating... Using the same principle as on the maxi scooter (accelerate slightly while braking until you feel the rear end lift), starting up is a breeze. The adjustments made on the 2008 model to make the gearbox smoother are bearing fruit. The tight turning radius and large handlebars allow me to weave in and out of the latest Yamaha models on display in the garage. I don't want to tell you about the strike if I miss!

And the cockpit?

dazzled by this novelty, I forget to mention the atmosphere in the cockpit. Cockpit? don't we say dashboard?
Well, not this time: the very long fairing encloses a real cockpit worthy of an airplane (with added functionality). Beneath the new electronically-adjustable windscreen (which returns to neutral every time the ignition is switched off - FBI!), there's a beautiful dashboard (rare enough to be worth mentioning!).
Alongside the large speedometer, graduated up to 280 km/h, on the left is the rev counter (red zone at 9,000 rpm), which is rarely consulted, given thatwith the 134.4 Nm of torque at 7000 rpm, the smoothness of the 1298 cm³ 4-cylinder engine and the ease of use of the gearbox, you rarely exceed 7000 rpm. For the record, second gear takes you up to 160 km/h, and third gear climbs to over 200 ... in Germany!!!!
On the right, the LCD display includes fuel and temperature gauges, a clock, a gear-engagement indicator (useful for avoiding the hypothetical gearshift) and a gearshift indicator (useful for avoiding the hypothetical gearshift).vely to avoid shifting into the hypothetical six gears) and an instantaneous or average fuel consumption indicator, as well as an outside temperature thermometer. A little further down the fairing, you'll find two headlamp site settings, a glovebox containing a 12V socket that locks when the key is removed, and settings for the ever-pleasant heated grips.
It only takes a few kilometers to acclimatize to the AS system, and it's the prospect of returning to a normal gearbox that worries me a little.
Always ready to listen to its customers (especially as the FJR has become the bike of many "officials"), the problems of heat emanating from the engine have been solved thanks to an ingenious ventilation system. Wind is drawn in above the headlights and redirected under the tank to prevent the rider from feeling the heat of the mill in town.

On the road for a week...

this time, unlike my week with the Duke 3, the weather is on my side. So I'll be able to enjoy its 143 bhp/din on particularly dry roads for almost 1,000 km.
The occasional spell of rain, which I came across at random, enabled me to test the fairing's protection (apart from the feet...) and to find out about the efficiency of the bike's electrical system.the effectiveness of the electric windshield positioning system, which allows you to adjust the windshield's angle to chase away the drops.
As the Sunday Ride had scheduled a Sunday outing, I slipped in with my "big" GT between these "bad" roadsters. After intriguing everyone with my left-hand handle without a lever, I enthusiastically tell them about this system, which I believe will be a model for the future.
So here I am, at the start of a day's fast ride, mixing big and small "billiard" roads, small broken roads and, above all, wet undergrowth and mud-soaked exits from bends. The robotized gearbox and big 1300 quickly put the Speed triples and SV 1000s to shame in terms of acceleration.
Already won over by this gearbox in daily use, I'm even more enthusiastic on this sportier stage. With a flick of the finger to keep the revs just right, and both boots resting on the tips of the footrests, I don't think I used the rear brake on this run. Sport riding an FJR is like riding Benji horizontally, no sudden movements: acceleration, braking, cornering, everything happens very quickly (I was too often close to 200 km/h) but without violence.
The only thing that reminds you of the beast's weight and cubic capacity is when you reach the pump, and that's a slap in the face! For sporty use, expect 12 l/100 km, and for daily use, just under 8 l/100 km ... And yes, your fingers have a price: the more you play with it, the bigger the bill ... But for once, being able to exchange our "dear" petro-dollars for raw pleasure isn't too much to ask ... Besides, when you love it, you don't count!! And I love this FJR AS...

a flaw? A little cruise control !!! to be expected ...

a+

Oli the Belgian