2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES | Road Test Review

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
The 2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES. Evolutionary changes include a new 6-speed transmission, an assist-and-slipper clutch, LED lighting and updated instrumentation. (Photos: Kevin Wing and the author)

What do a state park, an international border crossing, a dirt road and a coastal highway have in common? Together they make up the four corners of California. Linking them together in a big loop covers 2,600 miles, which I shoehorned into a little more than three days, averaging 800 miles a day, for a challenging test of man and machine aboard the new 2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES.

Since its U.S. debut as a 2003 model, Yamaha’s FJR1300 sport tourer has evolved steadily. Minor updates smoothed rough edges and addressed shortcomings. ABS was added here, aerodynamics were improved there and new technologies were introduced. A major overhaul for 2013 brought more power, the spoils of throttle-by-wire (engine modes, cruise control and traction control), improved wind protection and comfort, updated instrumentation and new styling, and 2014 saw the introduction of the FJR1300ES, with electronically adjustable suspension. For 2016, the FJR has been further refined with a new 6-speed transmission, an assist-and-slipper clutch, LED lighting and a spiffed-up instrument panel. The standard FJR1300A also gets updated suspension and the FJR1300ES gets new LED cornering lights.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
Fast and smooth is the name of the game with the FJR1300ES. The linear powerband maxes out at 128 rear-wheel horsepower, 78-89 lb-ft of torque is available from 3,300 to 8,400 rpm and throttle response is nearly perfect, with minimal driveline lash. A strong chassis and brakes, electronically adjustable suspension and graceful handling round out a solid sport-touring package.

California is a big, complicated state burdened by gridlocked traffic, high costs of living and onerous rules and regulations (as EIC Tuttle puts it, “if it isn’t mandatory it’s prohibited”). But it’s also a state of unrivaled beauty, a place where diverse topography, scenic roads and benevolent weather come together to create the ideal environment for motorcycle touring. My goal, in addition to our usual test regimen of mixed-use riding and measurements, was to ride around California in one big push, to live on the FJR from sunrise to sunset for several days and see how far Yamaha’s flagship sport tourer has come. My route, from coast to desert to mountains and back again, ran the gamut, from freezing to triple digits, from blowing sand to hammering rain, from city traffic to big freeways to empty back roads.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES saddlebag
Each removable hard saddlebag holds 30 liters (enough room for a full-face helmet) and they come with handy liner bags specially designed for the FJR.

After a few days of commuting and a photo shoot on local back roads, it was time to get down to business. I loaded the FJR’s 30-liter, removable saddlebags (which come with high-quality zippered liner bags), mounted a tail bag and magnetic tank bag, installed a GPS and hooked up a heated jacket liner. To avoid rush-hour traffic riding south through Los Angeles and San Diego, I left my house in Ventura at 4 a.m. and cruised down the dark, empty highway. Three hours later I exited at Dairy Mart Road, a narrow, busted-up road strewn with sand and gravel and swarming with fast-moving Border Patrol trucks. On the other side of a massive fence loomed Tijuana, so close yet so far. As the rising sun peeked over a ridge, I dropped the sidestand in a dirt lot at Border Field State Park in California’s southwest corner. One down, three to go.

During the nonstop freeway slog, my attention was focused on comfort and wind protection. With the FJR’s wide, flat seat in the higher of two positions, it provided firm support and adequate room for my long legs. The wide seat is comfortable on the road, but it can make it challenging to get flat-footed at a stop, especially for shorter riders. The handlebar was in the standard position (with tools it can be moved fore/aft 5mm), allowing me to sit almost upright. With the electric windscreen in the highest position of its 5.1-inch range, my upper body was protected from the wind and airflow around my helmet was turbulence-free. Lowering the windscreen directed wind blast at my chest, taking weight off my wrists, but whether high or low the screen is on the small side and wind noise can be bothersome. Expanding the lower fairing panels helped deflect wind around my legs, and though the heated grips kept my hands reasonably warm, I wondered why wind-blocking hand guards haven’t found their way onto sport tourers.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES at Imperial Dunes
Riding around California takes you to remote places and past stark landscapes. This is the Imperial Sand Dunes near the southeast corner of the state. Soft luggage is Cortech Super 2.0.

After a  gas stop, I headed east. California is long and narrow, averaging almost 800 miles from north to south and 250 miles east to west, and its southern border is shared with Mexico—a straight line that’s just 140 miles long. Splitting lanes through rush-hour traffic took me to Interstate 8, which climbs over the Cuyamaca Mountains, crosses the Tecate Divide and drops down a winding grade into the hot, dry Colorado Desert. Paralleling the border, the terrain went from sandy and rocky to green and fertile in the well-irrigated Imperial Valley. East of El Centro, I crossed a canal and was soon riding among towering dunes as sand drifted across the road, and then a few miles south on State Route 186 took me to the border crossing at Andrade. After 400 miles and six hours of seat time, I had tagged California’s two southern corners.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES transmission illustration
The new 6-speed transmission is the same size as the old 5-speed. Space was saved by separating the shift dog from the gears, allowing room for the 6th gear (yellow).

Folks have been clamoring for a 6th gear on the FJR for a long time, and Yamaha has finally done it. But the new transmission goes beyond just an extra cog and has transformed the riding experience with exceptionally fluid and precise gear changes. By separating the shift dog from the gears, Yamaha saved enough space to allow for the addition of a 6th gear without making the transmission larger, and new helical-cut gears reduce lash and noise. The final drive ratio is slightly taller (2.693 vs. 2.773), the ratio spread for gears 1-5 is narrower (with taller 1st and 2nd gears and shorter 4th and 5th gears) and the new 6th gear reduces engine speed by about 10 percent compared to 5th gear on the previous model. The result is a bit less snap in the lower gears, quicker acceleration in gears 4-5 and more relaxed highway riding in top gear.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES clutch illustration
Ramped cams in the new assist-and-slipper clutch force the clutch plates together under acceleration (top) and relieve back torque under deceleration (bottom).

Paired to the transmission is a new assist-and-slipper clutch, which uses interlocking cams to push the clutch plates together under acceleration (assist function) for smoother shifting and lighter clutch operation, and to relieve pressure on the plates under deceleration (slipper function) to reduce back torque from engine braking. Yamaha claims lighter clutch springs reduce effort at the lever by 20 percent. The new transmission and clutch work together harmoniously, giving the FJR a very refined feel.

For the next 500 miles I crossed the Colorado and Mojave deserts, enduring 100-degree heat and sandblasting cross winds. U.S. Route 395 was my primary route north and the snowcapped Sierra Nevada served as my scenic companion. By the time I stopped to gas up in Bishop, about halfway up the state, I had logged 900 miles in 15 hours. Soon the sun went down and the temperature dropped.

Riding a little farther that night, as well as after sundown following the photo shoot a couple days before, allowed me to test the FJR’s new LED headlights and cornering lights. The headlights shine much brighter and whiter than before, and with the high beams on, the lights’ punch and spread are impressive. On the ES model, three “eyebrow” LED lights above each headlight illuminate sequentially at 7, 11 and 16 degrees of lean, measured by the new Inertial Measurement Unit, to light up dark corners inside turns. The entire lighting setup makes nighttime riding safer.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
Although the FJR1300ES tips the scales at 670 pounds fully fueled, it feels nicely balanced and responds well to steering inputs. Among the FJR’s many options for adjustability are windscreen height, handlebar position, seat height and width of the the black lower fairing panels.

After overnighting in Mammoth Lakes, I hit the road at dawn and the FJR’s temperature gauge registered 32 degrees. Up went the screen, on went the heated grips and jacket at full blast. My first set of twisties came on the June Lake Loop, which I had to myself in the early morning. The FJR’s grippy Bridgestone Battlax BT-023 tires turned in easily and the bike felt agile and surefooted. The tires got another workout riding through the West Walker River canyon and around Topaz Lake, and with the day warming up I fell into a nice groove. Then I crossed into Nevada, got a speeding ticket and got bogged down in traffic. Blurg.

When Route 395 crossed back into California, I entered the remote, sparsely populated northeast corner of the state. Stopping for gas in Alturas, where I wiped yet another mass grave of insects off my face shield, I had reached the halfway point. My knees and hips ached, but my backside was in decent shape and I had yet to discover any annoying quirks about the FJR. If I had to use a single word to describe the bike it would be “smooth.” How it delivers power, how it shifts gears, how its suspension responds—nothing is harsh or abrupt or unpleasant. Throttle response, whether in the more direct Sport mode or more relaxed Touring mode, feels just right. Despite its 21 possible settings, the electronic suspension has a narrow range of damping (not soft enough on the low end, not firm enough on the high end), but it keeps the bike stable and the rider comfortable. The humming in-line four could be considered dull by some, but its steady rhythm and muted exhaust note suited me just fine.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, northeast corner of California
After tagging the two southern corners and riding more than 1,100 miles from the Mexican border to Oregon, I was excited to finally reach the northeast corner, which was 12 miles up a dirt road.

To tag the northeast corner I rode east on State Route 299, over the Warner Mountains and down into Surprise Valley, then north on County Road 1 around Upper Alkali Lake until the pavement ended. I continued another 12 miles on graded gravel to a small bridge over a stream that serves as the California-Oregon border. Three down, one to go.

Route 299 took me west, over the Cascade Range, down into the Central Valley and then back up again, into the Trinity Alps, where I stopped for the night in Weaverville. My favorite part of the trip was my early-morning ride through the magnificent, winding Trinity River canyon and then descending out of the mountains to the foggy coast, where I turned north on U.S. Route 101. It was another 95 miles to the fourth corner, but what a glorious stretch of road, hugging the coast around lagoons and passing through redwood groves. Parking the FJR in front of a “Welcome to Oregon” sign, after riding 1,800 miles in a little more than two days, I tagged the final corner.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, California poppies
Fragrant bush lupine and a sea of California poppies made for a memorable springtime ride on Figueroa Mountain Road, north of Santa Barbara. With its smooth, steady power, comfortable riding position and adjustable wind protection, the FJR1300ES makes it a real pleasure to explore back roads and soak up the scenery.

U.S. 101 was my route home for the next 800 miles, along the beautiful northern stretch known as the Redwood Highway, around the Bay Area and back to Southern California. Construction delays, rush-hour traffic and heavy rain made it the most challenging part of the ride. I wanted this journey to involve some suffering and sacrifice. I wanted to be solitary. To get my mind clean and the bike dirty. To rack up miles and take photos. By the end I was tired and sore, with a butt that felt more like hamburger than iron, but I saw unforgettable scenery, explored fantastic roads and forged a deep bond with the Yamaha FJR1300ES.

We’re still racking up miles on the FJR, with 4,000 miles on the clock and counting. The bottom line is that the new FJR1300ES is better—and more expensive—than ever. It’s fast and smooth, offers premium comfort and amenities, and has generous luggage, load and fuel capacities. The new transmission, clutch, lighting and instrumentation add more polish to an already well-refined motorcycle, which becomes immediately evident whether you ride it around town or around the state.

Greg’s “Four Corners of California” Journey:

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, southwest corner of California
Three hours into the ride I tagged the southwest corner at Border Field State Park.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, southeast corner of California
California’s southeast corner is the U.S./Mexico border crossing at Andrade.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, June Lake Loop, Sierra Nevada
Pausing to enjoy the majesty of the Sierra Nevada just off June Lake Loop.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, northeast corner of California
Requisite selfie at the northeast corner, at the Oregon border on the north end of Surprise Valley.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, northwest corner of California
Tagging the fourth and final northwest corner on U.S. Route 101.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES, Redwood National and State Parks
Conditions were moody when riding through the Redwood National and State Parks.

 

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES.

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES Specs
Base Price: $17,990
Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles
Website: yamahamotorsports.com

Engine
Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse in-line four
Displacement: 1,298cc
Bore x Stroke: 79.0 x 66.2mm
Compression Ratio: 10.8:1
Valve Train: DOHC, 4 valves per cyl.
Valve Insp. Interval: 26,600 miles
Fuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injection w/ YCC-T
Lubrication System: Wet sump, 4.2-qt. cap.
Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated wet assist-and-slipper clutch
Final Drive: Shaft, 2.693:1

Electrical
Ignition: Digital TCI
Charging Output: 590 watts max.
Battery: 12V 12AH

Chassis
Frame: Aluminum diamond type twin-spar w/ engine as stressed member & cast aluminum
swingarm
Wheelbase: 60.8 in.
Rake/Trail: 26 degrees/4.3 in.
Seat Height: 31.7/32.5 in.
Suspension, Front: 43mm USD fork, electronically adj. for rebound/compression damping, 5.3-in. travel
Rear: Single shock, electronically adj. for rebound damping & spring preload, 4.9-in. travel
Brakes, Front: Dual 320mm discs w/ opposed 4-piston calipers & ABS
Rear: Single 282mm disc w/ 1-piston pin-slide caliper, UBS & ABS
Wheels, Front: Cast, 3.50 x 17
Rear: Cast, 5.50 x 17
Tires, Front: 120/70-ZR17
Rear: 180/55-ZR17
Wet Weight: 670 lbs.
Load Capacity: 441 lbs.
GVWR: 1,111 lbs.

Performance
Fuel Capacity: 6.6 gals., last 1.5 gals. warning light on
MPG: 86 PON min. (low/avg/high) 37.7/42.9/48.0
Estimated Range: 283 miles
Indicated RPM at 60 MPH: 2,900

2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES engine
Adding an extra gear would normally require a larger transmission case, but Yamaha’s clever engineers made everything fit in the same space. The 1,298cc in-line four runs like a Swiss watch.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
New LED headlights project very bright white beams, and the “eyebrow” lights above them are LED cornering lights that illuminate sequentially as lean angle increases.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
Instrumentation updates include a new tach and center LCD design, gunmetal gray panel color and anti-reflective faces.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES dyno run
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES dyno Run

7 COMMENTS

  1. What a shame this article was more about California than the motorcycle. The Yamaha FJR1300 comes with so many standard features (and a couple of glaring omissions) that should have been described. How many people will read this to learn about California’s scenery? On one hand, the FJR1300 is somewhat dated, but the upside to that is refinement and reliability. This is one of maybe a dozen modern motorcycles well known to last 200,000 miles with nothing more than the prescribed maintenance.

  2. I search out reviews of the FJR (I’m on my 2nd one, a 2014 ES) and somehow never came across this one until Facebook highlighted I for me just now.

    To address a couple of points:

    1. Yamaha offers hand guards for the grips in foreign markets (Canada among them) as well as accessory footguards that I have found invaluable for protecting my tootsies from flying rocks and becoming soaked while riding through torrential downpours. Both are fairly pricey, and I admit to never having bought the hand guards, and most riders install hand guards from the V-Strom, which are dead cheap. I gather there is little demand for these accessories in the US.

    2. For $270 in parts and a few hours invested, anyone who owns an FJR can retrofit the slipper clutch into previous model year machines. I liked the clutch on the ’06 I used to have better than the one on my current ’14ES. I test rode a ’16 this summer and if anything I’d prefer to go back to the ’06 clutch arrangement.

    3. The new LED lighting is apparently very bright. But LEDS don’t lend themselves to headlight modulators which, in my book are a non-negotiable requirement for motorcycles. I have had them on my rides since about the turn of the century and they have saved me a number of times. What I have on my ’14 is a pair of Hella Micro DE Xenon HID driving lights slung below the mirrors to provide additional nighttime road illumination. Out back I have a Whelen Dominator-2 police light bar set up for 4-flashes-then-solid operation when the brakes are activated and they go into full police mode if the hazards are engaged.

    4. I never felt the need for a 6th gear on my bikes, even though previous rides I’ve owned have had that many. Having spent all of an afternoon riding a ’16 I have decided that I prefer the five speed of the older machines – not enough that I wouldn’t take a ’16 if someone gave it to me, but certainly not enough that I would spend a lot of money to make my bike newer – not to mention that the headlight problem would keep me away.

    I am not all that tall (5’10”) and I keep my seat in the upper position (when I’m riding alone the back seat is replaced with a Corbin Smuggler). I can’t get out of the noise unless I seriously duck down – had the same thing with the ’06, tried the touring screen and hated it – so buffeting is an inconvenience I live with, mitigated to a large degree by the Westone W3 IEMs I have plugged into my Sena 20s audio system.

    Would I buy another FJR if mine were to require replacing (some of these things have gone 300,000 miles, so I have a long way to go before it wears out, but you never know if it might be involved in an accident or be stolen) and the answer is that if I won the lottery I might buy a K1600GTL, but I’d keep a FJR in the stable.

  3. Gordon thanks for the imput…I have a K1600GT and its in the shop with 3 cracked pistons and none available in this country and back ordered in Germany….So if you get that 1600 best get extended warranty and BMW reliability has nose dived….I ‘m looking at the FJR for a replacement after they fix the beemer when ever that may be….Sorry to hear that its tough on the knees as I’m 6’2″ and I really don’t like wind noise either! But I want to ride one and see if it may be the one….The Beemer is quite comfortable after a good replacement wind screen and a seat….Sadly a 28 K motorcycle still has to be personalized….I do like mineOr I did but I can’t have faith in this MC at 53 k miles had to be rebuilt…..Safe travels too ya!!!

  4. To Garry Euler’s comments about the K1600… I spent a week in the Swiss, Austrian, and Italian Alps, riding a ’17 K1600 GT. Bluntly put, it was a big mistake. The bike simply has no bottom end, even in 1st, when negotiating, for example, Stelvio’s 48-turn road. On open curvy roads the K1600 was back in its element.

    Which brings me to why I read this review. It’s easy to find the basic specs, and comments about how the bike does on a modest test ride. This review addresses directly one of my questions about the ES: what it’s like to spend days on it. This article answers the question quite nicely.

    I’m in the market for a quick touring bike that’s not an RT (spent a week on a ’16 RT and don’t want to see one again). I’m down to Connie vs. FJR. Based, in part, on this review, the FJR has moved ahead of the Connie. Now to find a ’16 ES I can afford…

  5. Darn. This really made me miss my ‘03 FJR, which I gave to our son 6 months ago.
    The refinements & additions described only supplement the already solid and enjoyable platform that has been the FJR for a decade and a half.
    Thanks for the tour of the Golden State. Reminds me that there are a couple roads still to be enjoyed.

  6. I rode my 04 FJR for seven years and only sold it because my wife wanted a Goldwing. BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE! Then I went to an RT and now on a VTX1800C. I spent a couple of hours on a K1600GT and loved it almost as much as my FJR. However, I am concerned about the reliability of the big BMW. I’m not a guy that can typically afford two bikes but I’m seriously thinking about picking up a used FJR. The FJR was Hands-down my favorite bike ever and I’ve had about a dozen over the years. You can’t go wrong with an FJR.

  7. I’m really back and forth on the purchase of a newer FJR. My ‘12 has served me well, but with almost 50,000 on the clock, I want to upgrade to the newer gen. It’s probably a ‘15 or ‘16…most likely the ‘15. A few LED’s and a 6th gear; not enough for an extra $1000 or 2. And, I won’t even think of an RT. The expense is over the top, the FJR out performs it and the farkly for the FJR easily available for less money.

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