FJR1300 - 5 or 6 speed?

jaybee

Latvian rider transport!!!!!!
Premier Member
#1
Guys, looking for some guidance from you FJR owners out there.
I’m seriously considering swapping from BMWs various to an FJR1300 (a bit like moving from Windows to Mac)
Anyway, I can get an new old stock 5-speed with electronic suspension etc for £12500 or a 6-speed for £14500.
Questions:
- were there any other improvements that matter
- is a 6 speed worth £2k more than a 5.

Anything else I should be excited or worried about?
 
#2
6speed is not a big deal, but with a six speed comes better lights. I have a 5 and my riding buddy has a 6, milage wise no big deal. His lights are a lot better and the cornering lights work great
 

sector7g

Premier Member
#3
6 speed also has cruise control, heated grips, and - as Derekw68 said, LED lights. The lights are fantastic. Also, the 6th gear does highway miles with ease, though I personally haven't tried the 5 speed to compare. - Depending on the year of the 5, it may also have the cruise/heated grips.
 

Ahamay

The Joker
IBA Member
#6
No chance my wife has promised me a slow lingering death involving disembowelment and various other unspeakable surgical practices with a blunt spoon if i buy another bike but good luck with the sale:D
 
#8
ok i've got the latest 6 speed (minus electronic suspension) and ive got the old gen 2, 5 speed So the question was is the 6 speed better than the 5 or rather worth the extra money. very simple answer to me yes.

Obviously there is a bit of a gap between my gen 2 and the last of the 5 speeders and it got upgraded over the years. so it is more like the 6 than mine in all respects except the gearbox

so the difference from the gearbox is it eats motorways / autobahns etc cruising these seems easier and its better on fuel. roll on flexibility of the motor is about the same in top gear, they've tweaked the torque curve so no noticeable difference. when on twisty A/B roads i tend to find myself only going to 5th rather than top and sometimes when i do forget to go into top on the straight but there is only around 500 rpm difference between 5th and top. when i first got it i thought to many gears but i'm getting used to it I seem to remember reading somewhere the 6 speed was a marketing requirement as many owners had said it needed an extra gear. yes the 5 speeder could have handled a taller top and they may have been able to achieve similar with just better spaced gearing which would i think have been better.

Given the choice you are facing between 2 new bikes personally i would buy the 6 which ii did last April. but again don't be too surprised there is not a great deal of difference i just think the 6 is a bit better than the 5.
 

JON12A

IBAUK's retired Shop Keeper
Premier Member
IBA Member
#9
Just looked on cycle ergo and the FJR is considerably more cramped than the GSa the K1600 or even the older k1300 gt.
This may be something to consider before purchase considering how many miles you do Jon.
I know you can spend lots to try to even it out and make it more comfortable but would you not just be be better keeping the k1600 ? its a cracking bike.
 
Last edited:

GarminDave

Ex-Arkwright
Premier Member
#10
Have you done it yet?

The only thing I think about the FJR I had was being a bit cramped and coming from a K1600 this will be a big difference but then again I'm 1.91m tall, so you should be a better fit on the FJR.

I'd be interested if you have changed as to your thoughts. I do get the impression that the K1600 resale price drops fast as there are lots of tales of woe.
 

jaybee

Latvian rider transport!!!!!!
Premier Member
#11
Sorry - only just picked up this thread.
Yes I have bought an FJR AE 6 speed.
I’ve ridden it to Norway and back and am currently in Portugal with it.
Initially, I had the seat on the low setting and boy, did my knees suffer (I’m 5’8” tall) and my butt turned out to be somewhat softer than iron!
Putting the seat on high has made all the difference plus I picked up a Yamaha “extra comfort seat” on eBay which is an improvement but doesn’t beat a Russell Day-Long.
The bike is awesome - the 6 speed means that it cruises at the same revs as the 1600 but is about 5 - 7 mpg more economical at 75 to 80 mph.
My GTL with the Russell was super-comfy but the rising position naturally kept my back at 90 degrees so started to give me gyp in the coccyx after a few hours. The FJR has a slightly forward position which protects my back but also holds my shoulders in a slightly different position which means I have not had rotator cuff pain for a while.
The FjR was a route to allow me to ditch the GSA and the GTL and go down to a single do-it-all bike. I think the FJR might prove to be the perfect choice especially as my excursions off-road seem limited to 1 every 5 years. The K1600 is a higher quality machine with more toys and nicer touches but is it really £8-10k better? I’m not sure.
I love the k1600 and mine has been 100% faultless over the 25k miles I have done. If I had the GT or the Sport, maybe I would keep it but the GTL is a bit longer and lower and doesn’t really meet my handling requirements. I also think the FJR will be cheaper to run over the longer term.
I still have the K16 and ride it occasionally and it’s still a mega-bike but I have to sell it as liquidity is a bit tight.
For £9k I’ll include the Russell seat and a BMW Nav 6. Good tyres and a fresh service means it’s ready to go. Oh and it’s the GTL LE so all the toys - audio, keyless etc - but not the chrome of the exclusive.
Oh the K16OO plate will stay on it too.
 

sector7g

Premier Member
#12
@jaybee the Russell is well worth it (as you know). I absolutely love it. Funny, I've been thinking long and hard about the K1600 - it's a beautiful bike...
My '17 has been flawless and now is close to 40k miles. Easy to maintain, lower cost (every 4k mile oil change???) and good dealer network (haven't needed to utilize, but I pass by quite a few on many roads).