Yamaha 3 Cylinder Sport Touring Bike

Joined
Dec 21, 2012
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499
Location
Corinth, TX
Bike
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
I keep telling you folks that there is a 1215cc, triple, shaft-drive sport touring motorcycle out there already!
Yes. But like the FJR, it is nowhere near 500 lbs. It is about the same size - around 650 lbs, same performance, same range. 6 speed gearbox, not significantly more expensive. I thought a lot about getting one instead of the FJR.
 

DirtFlier

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Dec 13, 2010
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Troy, OH
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2010 Silver NT700V/ABS
[When my daughter's car can get the same gas mileage (as a motorcycle), there's just something that seems wrong with that picture.]

Motorcycles are notoriously dirty in regards to aerodynamics and since most have full manual transmission, a lot of other variables come into the picture via the rider's left foot - and most of those are negative in regards to higher MPG. The other factor is that motorcycle makers are not under the same DOT mandate to achieve 50 mpg by the year xxxx nor do they have a CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) average they have to meet or suffer a penalty.

On a side note, I bought Elizilla's 2013 NC700X/w DCT but have yet to ride it. Daytime highs of 20-25 F are not my idea of great riding weather unless you happen to be a polar bear but I'm sure it'll soar to 35-40 one day so I can ride it. :)

Merry Christmas to all!
 
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Dec 12, 2010
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Buzzard's Breath, Ohio
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Bonneville T120
Yes. But like the FJR, it is nowhere near 500 lbs. It is about the same size - around 650 lbs, same performance, same range. 6 speed gearbox, not significantly more expensive. I thought a lot about getting one instead of the FJR.
JC,
What do you get for mileage?
I do about 48-50 mpg, ? depending on how I ride.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
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2,007
Location
Tijeras, NM
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1984 Moto Guzzi T5
if i had a motorcycle only for the gas mileage I certainly would not be riding any of these. Would probably have a scooter.

If I wanted more range then an aux tank would be my choice. But, am rarely concerned with it. 200mi real range is good enough for me. And, yes, I have carried extra gas on a trip before because I knew I would be in an area with few gas stations.

It is interesting that motorcycle mileage has not improved much. My old Guzzi (and others of that era) gets about 40mpg. 5.7gal tank. 200mi range before I hit reserve. Heck, my 1971 Honda CB500-4 got 50mpg (4.5 gal tank).

My belief is that the 200mi range is what people have come to want on most bikes (like the 300mi range target for cars), so, the mfgs can increase hp instead of mileage.
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
My 1984 Suzuki GR650 Tempter consistently returned 55-60 mpg with carbs and a choke...so I don't see the NC700 as being that much of a technological leap forward!
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
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Location
Aurora, Colorado
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19 Versys 1K SE, 14 FJR
JC,
What do you get for mileage?
I do about 48-50 mpg, ? depending on how I ride.
Based on the computer on the bike I am getting 47 to 50 mpg. Hand figures about 45 on avg. But I keep the bike in touring mode(most of the time) instead of sport mode as I don't need another ticket. Got my first Moto speeding ticket in 25 years back in Sept.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
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Aurora, Colorado
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19 Versys 1K SE, 14 FJR
Another way to look at it is: Bikes have become Larger, Heaver, More Powerful per cc, More emission conscience, and the mileage has stayed the same. Which really gives them a net improvement in fuel mileage. All with lousy Corn Gas. Give me the same fuels and emission standards we had 30 years ago and I would bet the bikes would get 10 to 15% maybe even 20% better mileage.:smile_popcorn:
 
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Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
On the other hand, I did get to test ride two of these a few weeks ago and found them to be an absolute blast to ride. Not enough range for touring, but as battery technology improves...?

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/

I do have to wonder what would have happened if motorcycles had been pushed like cars have been with regards to fuel mileage. I know my GL1200 and GL1500 got pretty similar fuel mileage - in the low 40's. On the other hand, I drove a rental Mazda SUV last summer to Chicago and back and it got better mileage than the 12 year old Chevy Prizm (Toyota Corolla clone) that I owned at the time. The Mazda was HUGE compared to the Prizm, too.
 
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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
2,007
Location
Tijeras, NM
Bike
1984 Moto Guzzi T5
Bad comparison. The CB500-4 was then considered a sport bike.

The NC700X, with 200 more cc, makes the same hp as my old CB500. So, 40 years later you can get a bike that has a bigger engine, same hp, and gets 10 more mpg. Not so good in my book. If not for the chain and clutch mechanism the CB was a great bike. Heck, a tuned version won the Isle of Mann.
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
I have thought occasionally as I'm commuting in the HOV lane, that if the government bureaucrats knew how poor the gas mileage is on most motorcycles, they would not let them use the HOV lane. I know that part of the reason motorcycles are in the HOV lane is for their own safety, but I suspect part of the thinking is that they want to encourage the use of vehicles that take up less space on the road and use less fuel. If they only knew.
I have a daily commute of 140+ miles. Weather permitting, I ride the Triumph ( 47-50+mpg, depending on traffic and mood) and in the winter the Subaru Legacy gets the call (26-28 mpg). Most cycles are much more efficient than an auto, pickup or suv if all you are doing is transporting one person and a laptop computer, which is all I usually see in the other vehicles. The Subie weighs 3000 pounds, the Triumph less than 600. I think the bureaucrats have done the math.

Besides, as I heard before and have repeated, when asked why I ride my Sprint, "Fast as a Ferrari, gas mileage like a Prius, and I can park it anywhere!"

BTW; I test-rode an NC700 and it almost put me to sleep. Now I have the performance I want with all the economy I need in a package that makes me smile before, during and after every ride. Isn't that what owning our bikes is all about?:)

All the best,
Patrick
 

Phil Tarman

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Greeley, CO
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2010 Silver NT700VA (ABS)
Now I have the performance I want with all the economy I need in a package that makes me smile before, during and after every ride. Isn't that what owning our bikes is all about?
That's what we all want, Patrick! Well put.
 

DirtFlier

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Troy, OH
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2010 Silver NT700V/ABS
[They are raffling off an FJ-09 Naked at the Motorcycle Sport Touring Associations Rally, to members, in June...WVRider]

DJ - that was the 2014 raffle bike. For 2015, the raffle bike is an FJR1300.
 

WVRider

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696
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Parkersburg, West Virginia, USA
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Silver 2010 NT700V
[They are raffling off an FJ-09 Naked at the Motorcycle Sport Touring Associations Rally, to members, in June...WVRider]

DJ - that was the 2014 raffle bike. For 2015, the raffle bike is an FJR1300.
Ahh yea, I posted that like March ? Will have to get my tickets for the FJR1300. I could deal with that !
 

DirtFlier

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Troy, OH
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2010 Silver NT700V/ABS
If I had to bet money on a new platform for the FZ-09 engine, I'd guess Adventure Touring. I know we all want a smaller, lightweight, powerful sport tourer but that market is just too small for a manufacturer to consider while the Adventure Touring segment keeps growing and growing. They are in business to sell bikes. :)
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
They could do both. Triumph sold quite a few 1050 motors by putting them in the Speed Triple (naked streetfighter), Tiger (Adventure Touring) and Sprint ST and GT (sport touring). Change the tune a bit, different suspension setups, swap out the sprockets to change the character and it becomes a different bike entirely. It would depend on how good the -09 motor is.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
2,007
Location
Tijeras, NM
Bike
1984 Moto Guzzi T5
This is a lot like cars. Americans throng to SUVs. And, like their bike counterpart, 90% never even see a dirt road.
 
Joined
Dec 21, 2012
Messages
499
Location
Corinth, TX
Bike
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
I haven't, but although I think the stock seat on the '13 is, well, not great, but OK for me, I would need to take the better part of a kilobuck and the bike to Russell if my wife were to ride with me. As it is, now that I am retired, my wife and I both have decided I need some "alone" time, and the bike is sort of socially acceptable. And it gets me out of the house.

Well, it is either that or golf. And that, I agree with Mark Twain: "Golf is a good walk spoiled."
 
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Messages
1,231
Location
oregon
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2011 NT, 01 Ultra, 04 VLX
I will second John's opinion. So far Saturday was my longest day so far about 2000 miles. the seat reminds me of setting on a semi flattened grapefruit. just about as uncomfortable as the NT, but not as bad as the CRF250L. On 9 January it will be at Russell at 0800 , I am giving serious thought to having the pinion seat worked on as well as putting a heating element into my portion of it. While on my Saturday ride I swung by grand daughters house and we both got on bike and took a Russell seat position picture for me to carry along with me. I told her what I was considering doing and she got all smiley!!

Temperture changed here Yesterday it was 36-40 and I rode 186 miles, today it never got above 30, and I did more like 40 and came home in middle of afternoon. I did get a pair of Hippo hands while I was out and they mad a huge improvement!
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
51
Location
Louisiana
Bike
choosing
The bike in question is in Cycle Worlds February edition. I am looking
at it. The bike shown does not have bags. Perhaps they are optional.
Meanwhile, Honda is producing some really nice scooters.
 
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