2023 Yamaha FJR1300ES

[Hugh Janus]

The Yamaha FJR1300ES is a stalwart in the sport-touring category. With refined power delivery, electronically adjustable suspension, and room for luggage and a pillion, the FJR is a sensible choice for sporty touring. (Yamaha/)

Ups

• The definition of a “sensible” motorcycle
• Ready to tour straight from the factory, with a comfy seat, integrated hard bags, and heated grips
• Torquey, smooth-running 1,298cc inline-four engine

Downs

• Tech package is decidedly behind the times
• More than 100 pounds heavier than the newest crop of sporty sport-tourers
• More expensive than some of the competition

Verdict

The FJR1300ES hasn’t been updated since 2016. While it’s a bit long in the tooth, for many riders it hits the right compromise between sport and touring. Perhaps not the most exciting option on the market, but certainly one of the most sensible and reliable.

Integrated hard luggage is standard. The large 6.6-gallon tank is another selling point for long-distance riders. (Yamaha/)

Overview

The Yamaha FJR1300ES is the quintessential sport-touring motorcycle: sporty enough for spirited canyon carving, comfortable and refined for piling on interstate miles, but about as youthful as a pair of pleated Dockers. Powered by a 1,298cc inline-four, the soundtrack and smooth-running nature of the FJR are as tried and true as the sport-touring category of which it’s still practically the poster child.

Considering the FJR1300 was last updated in 2016, some sticker shock may accompany its $18,299 MSRP, but the FJR still has many useful features, including electronically adjustable suspension, cornering LED lights, linked antilock brakes, an electrically adjustable windscreen, and two throttle response modes. Seven years is a long time in motorcycle development time, however, and newer models from Kawasaki and Suzuki, in particular, offer more modern electronic aids and are considerably more affordable.

We’d like to see an updated FJR with lean-angle-sensitive traction control and ABS, a TFT dash, and a quickshifter. Not to mention high-end features that are cropping up on the latest tourers, like adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection. Still, we’d venture to say that for some riders, the latest tech is less important than a comfortable seat, heated grips, a nearly-maintenance-free drive shaft, and integrated hard luggage, all of which come standard on the FJR.

Yamaha says that its goal with the FJR1300ES was to put the “sport” in sport-touring. Newer, more modern sport-touring options do a better job at that, but it’s hard to argue with the balance between performance and comfort. ( Yamaha/)

Updates for 2023

The FJR1300ES is unchanged for 2023.

Pricing and Variants

The 2023 Yamaha FJR1300ES is available for $18,299, in just one color option.

Competition

The FJR1300ES’s closest competition is the Kawasaki Concours14 ABS ($15,999). Although more expensive, the FJR is 48 pounds lighter and has more electronic adjustability.

For riders who wish to go for sportier options, the latest sport-touring entries from Suzuki, the GSX-S1000GT ($13,349) and the GT+ ($14,099 including hard bags) are higher performance and considerably more affordable. The same can be said of the similarly positioned Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX ($13,199). While the Suzuki’s and Kawasaki’s sport-bias mean they lack some of the FJR’s amenities, they’re also considerably lighter: The luggage-equipped Suzuki is 144 pounds lighter and the Kawasaki is 128 pounds lighter. What the FJR loses in performance, it makes up for with more generous passenger accommodations, a larger screen, and touring-oriented comfort features.

European riders are fortunate to get the Honda NT1100, but there’s no word if the parallel-twin-powered sport-tourer will make its way to the US. From BMW, the brand that practically invented the sport-touring category, the R 1250 RT (starting at $19,695) is a great option, though when fully spec’d it can become significantly more expensive. KTM’s 1290 Super Duke GT ($19,799) is another incredible offering.

The FJR’s 1,298cc engine is so smooth it's almost eerie, especially when in top gear. Cruising at 75 mph, the engine is barely turning 3,500 rpm. (Yamaha/)

Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The FJR1300ES uses a 1,298cc liquid-cooled inline-four cylinder engine. For 2016, Yamaha replaced its five-speed transmission with a six-speed box for improved versatility. A tall sixth gear reduces highway cruising rpm by 10 percent for better fuel mileage. First and second gear are slightly taller than before, but the engine’s excellent torque pulls them easily, and their closer spacing means less clunky gearshifts; fourth and fifth gear, meanwhile, are slightly shorter for better acceleration due to the same aforementioned closer spacing.

The FJR has never been a buzzy motorcycle, but shifting into sixth gear it’s so smooth that it’s eerie.This is aided by the fact that the engine is barely turning 3,500 rpm while cruising at 75 mph.

Despite a 642-pound curb weight, the FJR is well balanced and can be shuffled through corners with confidence. The biggest limiting factor is cornering clearance. (Yamaha/)

Chassis/Handling

The FJR uses a twin-spar aluminum frame, a shaft drive, and electronically adjustable suspension. Despite weighing 642 pounds (wet), the FJR handles very sportingly. It’s only when you push it hard into a corner that you’ll sense its heft and slight lack of cornering clearance.

The electronically adjusted suspension has four preload settings, three damping settings, and seven damping adjustments. While electronic adjustability is a convenient feature, the system looks outdated next to the semi-active electronic suspensions we’ve grown accustomed to.

Brakes

The FJR uses Nissin calipers that grab dual 320mm discs up front and a 282mm disc in the rear. Linked ABS is standard.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

No fuel economy data is currently available for the FJR1300ES.

The FJR’s electronically adjustable windscreen can be raised 5 inches with the touch of a button. (Yamaha/)

Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility

The FJR’s riding position is “just right” and only a bit cramped from seat to peg for long-legged riders—easily rectified by raising the seat to its higher position, which takes mere seconds. The seat itself is plenty comfortable, an important consideration on a bike with a 6.6-gallon gas tank.

The FJR’s seat is adjustable over 0.8 inch, the handlebars can be set in three positions, and the windscreen is electronically adjustable over a range of 5.1 inches.

Other practical features include: integrated hard luggage, cruise control, heated grips, cornering lights, adjustable fairing side panels that direct airflow, and a fairing-integrated glove box with a 12V outlet.

The FJR’s dash is a blend of LCD displays and analog gauges. TFT dashes may be all the rage these days, but for visibility and ease of use, there’s nothing wrong with the FJR’s old-school setup. (Yamaha/)

Electronics

The FJR1300ES has a ride-by-wire system and includes basic traction control and two throttle response modes. While it uses an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to control the cornering lights, it’s not integrated with the antilock brakes or traction control, meaning there’s still room for improvement. Until then the FJR1300 will remain somewhat dated, awaiting further refinement. The analog and LCD dash also looks dated but is very functional.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The FJR1300ES has a one-year limited factory warranty.

Quality

Yamaha’s reliability is renowned. Unlike the regular care required of a chain final drive, the FJR’s drive shaft is virtually maintenance free, making long-distance travel especially convenient.

2023 Yamaha FJR1300ES Claimed Specs

MSRP:	$18,299
Engine:	1,298cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled inline-four; 16 valves
Bore x Stroke:	79.0 x 66.2mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/shaft
Fuel Delivery:	Electronic fuel injection w/ YCC-T
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate assist-and-slipper
Engine Management/Ignition:	Ride-by-wire/TCI
Frame:	Twin-spar aluminum
Front Suspension:	43mm inverted fork, electronically adjustable rebound and compression damping; 5.3 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Single shock, electronically adjustable spring preload, rebound and compression damping; 4.9 in. travel
Front Brake:	Dual 320mm discs w/ Unified Brake System and ABS
Rear Brake:	282mm disc w/ Unified Brake System and ABS
Tires, Front/Rear:	120/70-17 / 180/55-17
Rake/Trail:	26.0°/4.3 in.
Wheelbase:	60.8 in.
Ground Clearance:	4.9 in.
Seat Height:	31.7 or 32.5 in.
Fuel Capacity:	6.6 gal.
Wet Weight:	642 lb.
Contact:	yamahamotorsports.com

Source

[yen_powell]

Doesn't seem to be available new in the UK. I assume it doesn't meet the latest emission bollocks here.

[Pedro]

10 hours ago, yen_powell said:

Doesn't seem to be available new in the UK. I assume it doesn't meet the latest emission bollocks here.

It’s available here and you still see a few about, new and old.

 

Just checked, it’s not on their website anymore so I was wrong.

[yen_powell]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

It’s available here and you still see a few about, new and old.

 

Just checked, it’s not on their website anymore so I was wrong.

It's a shame, they seem to be a well thought of machine.

[XTreme]

Very capable machine......but pretty much a dinosaur today.

[Pedro]

12 minutes ago, yen_powell said:

It's a shame, they seem to be a well thought of machine.

A friend of mine has one. Feels heavy and a little lazy around interesting roads, and not really frugal on motorways at normal speeds. An oldschool touring bike I think, he misses his Strom 650 except when taking his wife for Sunday morning coffee.

[XTreme]

27 minutes ago, Pedro said:

he misses his Strom 650

When you're a Strom guy it's difficult to find something that matches up to them as an all purpose machine.

You always keep going back to them!

[Six30]

Don’t like it … big touring bikes look soulless