FJRiders.com

Fontanaman

Born in Spokane, raised in SeaTac. Mom is from Priest Lake Idaho.
Grandpa ran a wheat ranch off the Columbia River, south of Arlington Oregon.

Rode it 435 miles for a good cause…and with 2 great people. My violin hit triple digits.
60, 68, Cherohala, 129, Wayah, 28. Might have passed a few vehicles, maybe.

Today, this morning, I rode the dog gone thing.

I'm getting ready to leave for 2 months and the DR gets to take the ride. Honestly, since I returned from Florida for FWG 3.0, I do not think the FJR has been ridden 300 miles. So I woke up early, soaked the T-shirt, and took the red pig out for a spin. About 60 miles through the country roads behind my house - I've literally ridden that stuff 500 (or more) times. But a little unseasonable high cloud cover early this morning shielded the sun, and it was tolerable.

On Hwy 82, there's a 3/4 mile stretch of straight. Sugar cane fields on each side of the road with NO access. I've NEVER seen a police vehicle there in 50- plus years. This is a perfect squid pad. I pull up behind an Infiniti - the one that is built on the 350Z platform. He's got the coffee cans sticking out the rear bumper. As I approach him, he down shifts and one of the cans "pops" a little. The entire 3/4 mile is clear as a whistle.

OK dipshit, let's play.

At about 40 mph, I downshift to 2nd. I shift lanes and give her the juice. Dipshit was a bit late on the throttle so I released the throttle just a smidge and for one instant, I hold it at about 6,000 rpm in 2nd. I screw it back down and at 9K, shift to 3rd. Now I'm at his front bumper. Again, I release the throttle just a smidge to make him think this is possible. But it's not possible. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.

I hear the horse singing just about right and I merge right, shift to 4th, and glance down at the gages. The first number was clearly a 1. And the 2nd number is also a 1. The 3rd number is irrelevant, so I didn't waste another tenth of a second studying it. By now, coffee can boy is completely in the left mirror, and he is getting smaller and smaller.

I roll it off, shift to 5th, and wave at him in a friendly way. He flashes his lights at me, and stuck his left hand out of the window. Since I was looking in my mirror and still popping along at "going to jail speed", I can't be 100% sure of his gesture, but I'm going to go with the "peace" symbol. Of course, I could be off by one digit.

Yes, I acted like a squid. Guilty as charged.

I filled up the tank about 3 miles from home and now, I guess I'll plug in the battery tender and let her sit until I return.

The FJR is so fun to ride. For the first mile, it feels as heavy as it is, but thereafter, it feels much better. At 87,000 miles, I can't find anything to complain about except the fact that she eats tires like potato chips. But alas, that is my fault, not the FJRs'.

I thought about getting a new FJR as a retirement gift to myself. But I just can't justify it now. I really like the one I got. Of the 3 I've had, by far, I like this one the best.

Hppants wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:43 am

I thought about getting a new FJR as a retirement gift to myself. But I just can't justify it now. I really like the one I got. Of the 3 I've had, by far, I like this one the best.

I thought about that too. I would really like a new ES. Plus I love the blue on the new ones.
However mine still runs fine. So I decide not to trade.
All Yamaha would have to do is put one on the show room floor at a dealer near me and I might just buy one. Having to do a long distance deal kind of cools my heals.
When you do a search there are not that many in stock.

I have been in Spokane Washington 4 years and have been mostly riding solo. I met Dale Isley at CFR and found a group of riders in the Spokane area. Went out for a ride with these fellows today. It was a good ride and we had a nice lunch in Wallace Idaho. Looking for next Tuesday ride with this group of retired folks.

I met Dale in another sandbox, he gave me some ride suggestions..... then met him in person at CFR. He seems to know the area like the back of his hand, maybe almost as good as fontanaman..

I had committed to keeping my 2018 until 2023. Then they put a 22 on the floor nearby. The rest is history.

danh600 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:43 pm

Hppants wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:43 am

I thought about getting a new FJR as a retirement gift to myself. But I just can't justify it now. I really like the one I got. Of the 3 I've had, by far, I like this one the best.

I thought about that too. I would really like a new ES. Plus I love the blue on the new ones.
However mine still runs fine. So I decide not to trade.
All Yamaha would have to do is put one on the show room floor at a dealer near me and I might just buy one. Having to do a long distance deal kind of cools my heals.
When you do a search there are not that many in stock.

Hppants wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:43 am
OK dipshit, let's play.

At about 40 mph, I downshift to 2nd. I shift lanes and give her the juice. Dipshit was a bit late on the throttle so I released the throttle just a smidge and for one instant, I hold it at about 6,000 rpm in 2nd. I screw it back down and at 9K, shift to 3rd. Now I'm at his front bumper. Again, I release the throttle just a smidge to make him think this is possible. But it's not possible. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.

I hear the horse singing just about right and I merge right, shift to 4th, and glance down at the gages. The first number was clearly a 1. And the 2nd number is also a 1. The 3rd number is irrelevant, so I didn't waste another tenth of a second studying it. By now, coffee can boy is completely in the left mirror, and he is getting smaller and smaller.

I roll it off, shift to 5th, and wave at him in a friendly way. He flashes his lights at me, and stuck his left hand out of the window. Since I was looking in my mirror and still popping along at "going to jail speed", I can't be 100% sure of his gesture, but I'm going to go with the "peace" symbol. Of course, I could be off by one digit.

Yes, I acted like a squid. Guilty as charged.

Atta boy!

I search dealer inventory once every week or so. Yamaha just put one in Charlotte NC. I would not be able to resist.
Might even trade a decent FJR and a pristine MT09 in to sweeten the deal.
You think they read this board?

bill lumberg wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:23 pm I had committed to keeping my 2018 until 2023. Then they put a 22 on the floor nearby. The rest is history.

danh600 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:43 pm

Hppants wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:43 am

I thought about getting a new FJR as a retirement gift to myself. But I just can't justify it now. I really like the one I got. Of the 3 I've had, by far, I like this one the best.

I thought about that too. I would really like a new ES. Plus I love the blue on the new ones.
However mine still runs fine. So I decide not to trade.
All Yamaha would have to do is put one on the show room floor at a dealer near me and I might just buy one. Having to do a long distance deal kind of cools my heals.
When you do a search there are not that many in stock.

danh600 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 5:22 pm I search dealer inventory once every week or so. Yamaha just put one in Charlotte NC. I would not be able to resist.
Might even trade a decent FJR and a pristine MT09 in to sweeten the deal.
You think they read this board?

bill lumberg wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:23 pm I had committed to keeping my 2018 until 2023. Then they put a 22 on the floor nearby. The rest is history.

danh600 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:43 pm

I thought about that too. I would really like a new ES. Plus I love the blue on the new ones.
However mine still runs fine. So I decide not to trade.
All Yamaha would have to do is put one on the show room floor at a dealer near me and I might just buy one. Having to do a long distance deal kind of cools my heals.
When you do a search there are not that many in stock.

I think you need a test ride from I-40 to Hot Springs... Just to check it out.

IN!

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 5:44 pm

danh600 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 5:22 pm I search dealer inventory once every week or so. Yamaha just put one in Charlotte NC. I would not be able to resist.
Might even trade a decent FJR and a pristine MT09 in to sweeten the deal.
You think they read this board?

bill lumberg wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:23 pm I had committed to keeping my 2018 until 2023. Then they put a 22 on the floor nearby. The rest is history.

I think you need a test ride from I-40 to Hot Springs... Just to check it out.

Packed it to leave later today after work. Heading to NY state to follow the shoreline of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie for the next leg of our IBA Lighthouse Challenge. SPOT link below goes live sometime around 5 pm today. Hoping to visit and photograph 21 lighthouses this weekend.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outl ... reserved=0

BkerChuck wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:42 am Packed it to leave later today after work. Heading to NY state to follow the shoreline of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie for the next leg of our IBA Lighthouse Challenge. SPOT link below goes live sometime around 5 pm today. Hoping to visit and photograph 21 lighthouses this weekend.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outl ... reserved=0

...will your travels take you into Ohio?

El Toro Joe wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:49 am

BkerChuck wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:42 am Packed it to leave later today after work. Heading to NY state to follow the shoreline of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie for the next leg of our IBA Lighthouse Challenge. SPOT link below goes live sometime around 5 pm today. Hoping to visit and photograph 21 lighthouses this weekend.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outl ... reserved=0

...will your travels take you into Ohio?

No. I have a few lighthouses in OH saved in Basecamp but not hitting them this trip. Might be brutally hot this weekend so I think my planned route is about as much as I want to attempt.

BkerChuck wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:43 am ... Might be brutally hot this weekend so I think my planned route is about as much as I want to attempt.

Close to triple digits down here...

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:49 am

BkerChuck wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:43 am ... Might be brutally hot this weekend so I think my planned route is about as much as I want to attempt.

Close to triple digits down here...

Supposed to be around 96 when we leave later today with a "real feel" of over a hundred. We started planning this weekend a couple of weeks ago and booked hotels and scheduled a vacation day for tomorrow so we're pretty locked in. Changing our original plan a little in that we're going to be on the road earlier in the mornings so we can be done earlier each afternoon.Made sure to get hotels with pools. Will make sure to stay hydrated too.

Good luck buddy!

This global warming shit is pissing me off!

Hppants wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:18 am This global warming shit is pissing me off!

Used to be called "Summer"

Festus wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:22 am

Hppants wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:18 am This global warming shit is pissing me off!

Used to be called "Summer"

Ummm....yeah. Back in the olden days, before hot summer weather was anything but hot summer weather, I worked outside everyday landscaping in OK City, OK. Summer of 1980...>30 days in a row of 100+F temps. Didn't take any days off, didn't cry about the world coming to an end...just weeded, trimmed, planted trees and shrubs like it was a normal thing. Of course it was hot...it was summer, and a hot one. Grab some water, find shade where you can, and deal with it. My Swedish farming grampa would have been ashamed of me if I called him up at the Farm and told him it was too hot.

Me, I'm going to wash my FJR this weekend. It's time to get the last year and a half of grunge off the bike.