Farewell to FJR; Welcome to XT

The somewhat dreaded day has come and gone: The FJR has left the stable. The day after my lovely wife and newborn daughter returned from the hospital, I took the sport-touring hooligan machine to the dealership where I (essentially) traded it in for a new 2008 Yamaha XT 250.

Both machines are dual-purpose in their own way.
The FJR (above) is a capable sport machine and tourer.
The XT (below) is a capable on and off road machine.

For most people, this would make absolutely no sense. Experienced riders tend to trade upwards – to bigger and faster or more capable bikes. Many people consider the XT a beginner’s bike. In car terms, I traded in a Corvette for a Geo Metro.Using the car analogy, why would a person give up a sports car for one of “lesser” performance? Many reasons, all practical:

• lower value means less depreciation for resale,
• higher mileage,
• lower maintenance costs,
• lower insurance costs,
• greater utility for practical matters.

All the above considerations came to mind when I considered the switch.

• The XT will likely never drop below a value of $1500 to $2000 (35-50% of original cost). The FJR is currently worth about 40% of its original value with its “high” mileage (60,000 miles young) and nearly six years old.
• The XT gets incredible mileage as it is a small displacement, lightweight bike. The first ride showed over 70 mpg and the bike isn’t even broken in yet! To the contrary, I averaged 40 mpg on the FJR, which varied with use of throttle and luggage.
• There isn’t a single maintenance task I cannot perform at home with my existing tools, and the maintenance parts (and chemicals) are few and inexpensive. A single major maintenance for the FJR puts me back between $400 and $600 every 25,000 miles, not including oil changes and tires. The XT won’t require replacing $400-$500 in tires every 10,000 miles either. I won’t need a special machine to mount the tires, either!
• I now pay one fourth the insurance – full coverage – as compared to the FJR. It’s cheap enough to be a no-brainer. Why not have it? I know people that pay two or three times a much each month for their car or motorcycle!

I had to make compromises for utility:

The FJR is great on the highway and makes an excellent commuter for longer distances. The hard luggage serves as an excellent place to store a helmet and riding jacket. It has a nice luggage rack and back seat for all kinds of additional luggage capacity. The adjustable wind screen reduces rider fatigue by limiting wind blast on the rider. But the FJR has several disadvantages: It gets hot in the summer time and even hotter in summer highway traffic. Having a radiator blast heat onto your legs and a fuel tank simmer in your crotch does not strike me as a good time. It’s top-heavy, making it a handful at slow speeds. I did manage to become very confident handling the bike, but that didn’t make it any more fun on slow back roads. The FJR wanted to be out in front – always, inspiring aggressive riding.

The FJR (above) is a blast two-up on fast roads.
The XT (below) is a blast on trails and unpaved roads.

The XT doesn’t have lockable luggage or the ability to eat up miles easily at 70+ mph. But it can carry luggage on the tank and luggage rack. The seat is narrower, though not necessarily more comfortable. The XT is air cooled but won’t cook the rider even in slower traffic. Its light weight makes handling easy at any speed and can travel on any road, paved or not. Both bikes are “buzzy” in the handlebar, though the FJR offers more comfort and protection from the elements.

The FJR lockable luggage (above) comes standard on all US models.
The XT (below) has excellent grab rails and other spaces excellent for attaching soft luggage.

For an experienced rider to move to a much, much smaller bike requires a certain fortitude of character that says it doesn’t matter how big or flashy the bike is, a rider is a person out on two wheels. For me, I’m moving towards a simpler riding lifestyle. I want to commute more. I want to appreciate the world around me instead of flying by it. I want the freedom to travel down a dirt road without fear. I’m ready for the lower costs of low-tech transportation.

The FJR dash (above) has all the instrimentation you'd expect on a sport-tourer.
The lightweight digital dash on the XT (below) provides the bare necessities.

The FJR and I have parted ways. It was a good run with its share of spills and thrills. I did a lot of things that could not have been done with any other bike. I’m grateful for the experiences I never would have otherwise received. I’m a better rider for all of it. Now I’m heading off to a new chapter in my riding life. The lifestyle which has tested me so much has not gone away, but instead morphed into a new expression. I look forward to the street and dirt roads in my future!

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Thanks and apologies to:
FJR Info
Yamaha Motor Corp

Solitude and other thoughts

It's been a while since I've posted. I usually try to keep this blog about riding even if I'll occasionally throw something in about education, too. On the other hand, my life is going to change dramatically soon: I have a baby daughter on the way! So that combined with the summer heat, I'm less prone to riding - and I've had less to talk about.

When my beautiful wife posted about the Spurs ending their run for the national championship, she placed a picture of a Spurs onesie instead of a picture of the team members. So in that spirit, (with apologies to motorsport.com) I present to you my regret for the heat of summer making it too hot to ride during the day:

Quick thoughts on riding

It's been a while since I've posted. Considering that I'm selling my bike and my riding career has an uncertain future, you may understand why I've been a bit quiet lately.

That said, I've had a few quick thoughts I wanted to share:

I just had lunch for less than one gallon of gas. The dollar menu at Wendy's is awesome, but I don't ever remember having to pay less than $1 for a whole meal back in the day!

I'm precariously close that that $20 fillup. I used to get mad when I had to pay more than $10 at the pump to fill up - on premium. A $20 weekend went a long, long way just a few years ago. Now, motor sports has become much more expensive and I'm less likely to "blow away" so much money to go for a ride.

Road rage lives on. I rarely get so upset at another driver for driving recklessly that I feel something needs to be done. When I saw a Jeep Wrangler consistently endanger another rider, I knew I had to take action. I got a good look at the driver and memorized the license plate. I reported the @#$% to the local police department and filed a complaint. One of the people (read: the driver) in the vehicle was using a cell phone and didn't seem to notice that he was driving 20+ mph over the speed limit and tailgating everyone.

Having to sell the FJR got me riding this week. I've enjoyed every moment of it (even though I got very upset at the aforementioned incident). Riding for the sake of commuting really is fun, even if the temperature isn't regulated. It's nice to just be "out there." And getting more miles for the money is a good feeling, too.

Not that'd I'd be opposed to a smaller bike with even better mileage!

Sentiments

As I've been preparing the FJR for selling, my neighbor has dropped by occasionally to check on my progress.

He told me recently that if he won the lottery, he'd buy my FJR. He'd even keep it in my garage. He just didn't want to loose his riding partner.

That was very nice of him to say.

But I replied with, "If you were a true friend, you'd buy me a new KTM Adventure."


Good thing we're friends since I was just kidding! What a great guy!

Getting Ready: The first step

So I've decided to sell the FJR. Yes, it's come to this, but I know that it's the right thing to do and for once I feel good about it. In the best case scenario, I get to keep the bike, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

But before I sell, I need to accomplish a number of tasks that all boil down to one simple concept: bring the bike back to as close to stock as possible.

So all the blue fairings have to go. The glove box has to go. I get to keep the PIAA 4000's! (Yay!) The handguards and bar ends have to go. The heated grips will probably have to stay. The custom wiring with the battery monitor, cigarette lighter and controls for accessory lighting will probably have to stay (because it will be very difficult and time consuming to remove). The car horns have to go. (Now, that was a blast!)

The FJR has no clothes!

It wasn't easy, but I managed to leave the radiator
on and still have access to the headers.

I had recently acquired a replacement exhaust, so I'm adding that to the bike. The old set is dented, scratched and worn. This new set will make this six year old bike with 60,000 miles look much newer. (I brought the old gal home in October of 2002!)

Aren't those new pipes pretty?

I removed most of the plastic last weekend. I couldn't stay in bed this morning, so I decided to "get productive." I removed the old exhaust and replaced the headers. I had to drain the coolant (I'll have to replace it; It was old anyway. Besides, recommended replacement is every two years!) My father taught me that if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right. So I replaced the exhaust gaskets, too. But I did manage to save myself some work by leaving the radiator on the bike.

With the new exhaust on the bike (okay, it's actually "low mileage") and a solid cleaning, the FJR will look her best since a long, long time. Only one more thing to make her perfect: the right saddlebag needs to be "touched up." A bit of road rash has taken its toll cosmetically. Next paycheck may get this painted.

I wrapped the headers a few years ago, which really
cut down on the heat cooking my legs.

Yeah, there's some discoloration there.
Riding in the rain has worn some of that wrap, too.

Soon she can stroll onto Craigslist and I'll finally get my asking price.

A Monday Ride

One of the nice things about working at a motorcycle shop is having Mondays off. You get a weekend day and a week day to do... well, those things that need to be done.

For me, Sundays are still Sundays. But Monday is my Saturday. This Monday, I took my first real ride in over a month. So much for the chronic rider, eh?

I started off taking Loop 1604 to Bandera Road. (After seeing the terrible traffic there, I'm a bit surprised that I took that same path to school for 3 1/2 years...) Bandera West dead ends into Scenic Loop Road. A left onto Toutant Beauregard drops you off at Tx 46 and I-10, next to Starbucks.

Taking 46 west to 16 north, I took a quick break Bandera. A little farther north, I caught 470 west, which I don't take very often. It's a pretty ride with a semi-technical turn or two, but it has a few straightaways that are good for... stretching my legs.

View Larger Map

I passed Tarpley and turned south on 187 and dropped into Lost Maples Cafe for lunch. The place was full of locals. They all stopped talking to turn and stare. Though it was somewhat awkward, I went and found a table and relaxed a bit for lunch.

Once I was ready for the ride home, I headed back up 187 to catch 337 east. My brother and I caught this road once and spent some time taking pictures. Even with the greyness of winter upon the hill country, this road was scenic as ever.

I caught 16 south, passing through Medina and the apple orchard. Pretty soon an apple festival will be under way. It seems in Texas, all kinds of festivals are held for all kinds of food. (We just had the rodeo in San Antonio. The strawberry festival is coming up, too.)

I detoured and took 2828 east and 173 back into Bandera. 173 really is highway, even though it goes to two lanes near Bandera. Taking 16 back to loop 1604, it alternated between two and three lanes until it finally settled upon four. Naturally, I caught 1604 to return home.



I had the odd feeling that there was a certain lack of "special" in the ride itself. It was nice to get out and get some sunshine (which is a rarity in and of itself). But, the roads we so very familiar. It struck me how I used to be filled with awe every time I rode highway 16 into the Hill Country and see the hills unfold before me. I used to marvel at the sweepers and tight turns of those back roads. I appreciated how lightly traveled those roads are during the week.

I did appreciate the light traffic this time. But the ride itself fell a little flat. I didn't really enjoy the scenery so much this time. There was a spot or two that felt really good to concentrate on the technical parts. But for the whole, it was lacking something.

Perhaps the wonder of the ride is gone. The mystery of unexplored places left. My favorite stops no longer had familiar faces. The $15 in gas seemed a little less worth it. The best part of the ride was feeling my lower back straighten itself out; it felt better after the ride than before it.

I've determined to sell the FJR. It will cover expenses when my beautiful wife is unable to work when she has our baby girl. I will miss the sportiness of this ride, but not the expense.

I'll probably pick up another bike - a small dual-sport - when time and money permits. The economy and fun factor of those bikes still amazes me. I am NOT giving up riding... just putting a little time aside for more important things.


The past month or two has shown me that I can live without riding all the time. In some ways it's even better. (Air conditioning is a good start!) The motorcycle has been a way of life for me for... at least seven years. I will still support organizations like the AMA, even when I'm not riding. I think perhaps it's time for me to grow up a little and reorganize my priorities.

Has the bike become an idol for me? Perhaps. Has it allowed an emotional escape for me? Surely. Are there other, healthier pastimes I can take up? Yes.

I'm thinking I should get into better shape so I can do more hiking. And on a side note, it's a lot easier to transport backpacks, hiking boots and walking sticks in a car than a motorcycle!

Riding Pants

Riders start out with two or three basic articles of protective gear: the helmet, jacket and gloves. The additional "coverage" comes from shoes or boots and blue jeans, which are considered par for the course.

However, riding pants and boots tend to arrive much farther down the line. They require a much more specific fit, cost a lot more than their non-riding counterparts and may not be used much by a casual rider. These items just aren't justified to many people.

Most non-riders will notice the "spaceman" - a biker with a helmet and a textile jacket. But only another rider will really pay attention to riding pants and boots.

I called up my neighbor today. "Have you looked outside? Isn't it gorgeous!" He agreed to a short ride after work. We just tooled around town, visiting a couple stores he works with. Afterwards, we parted and I headed to a non-remarkable fast food joint, hoping to grab a taste of their "Big Deal."

I pulled in to discover a BMW 1200 GS parked out front. Among my circles, BMW riders are an odd lot, and supposedly the GS riders are the quirkiest.

I came in and ordered my sandwich. The other rider was sitting in a corner, talking on a cell phone. I let him ignore me; It was the polite thing to do. After he hung up, he called across the room, "Hey! What are you riding?" This spurred a friendly conversation that lasted much longer than either of us anticipated. He told me of how his desire to leave cruisers behind led him to the big dual sport, of some of his off-road adventures, and how he lusted after the new KTM's - but was disappointed in the short supply of quality dealers. I shared the story of the older gentleman who traveled all over on his old BMW R-bike, logging hundreds of thousands of miles, yet never had the desire to draw attention to himself by writing a book, posting on the internet or even bragging about it.

Eventually, he pointed out that I was wearing riding pants. I told him, "Might as well be comfortable." I noticed his riding pants and boots as I passed him in the restaurant; we were both decked-out in full riding gear. It gave a certain measure of validity to each of our stories and added to our respect for one-another. We both admitted to our hooligan sides, but we weren't squids. After a while, we both headed our own way, edified by the company of a civilized rider.

We notice the little things that separate or unite us. This time, the riding pants were more important than the ride.