2013 Yamaha FJR1300A Preview - Motorcycle.com
FJR loyalists can revel in the numerous updates Yamaha has unveiled for the 2013 FJR1300A, including restyled bodywork, ride-by-wire throttle control, new instrumentation, and the addition of traction control.
For 2013 Yamaha also announced some minor changes to its naked roadster, the FZ8, which you can read about here, as well as plans to develop a new three-cylinder engine using the crossplane crankshaft from the M1 MotoGP bike and the R1.
A face-lift, new windshield and TC top the updates
Starting at the front, the FJR’s menacing cat-eye headlights now have LED daytime running lights, a la Audi’s A series cars. The front fairing is restyled for improved aerodynamics as well as a sleeker but more aggressive appearance.
New, smaller faired-in LED turnsignals replace the incandescent bulb signals on the previous model, while new leg panels feature a tool-less adjustment that allows for redirecting hot air from the engine compartment away from the rider’s knee and lower leg area.
Most significant of the changes to the front is a wider, more rigid windscreen operated by an all-new motor that raises and lowers the shield at twice the rate as the previous shield, according to Yamaha. And, bonus, the screen now remains in position when the ignition is off, rather than defaulting to the down position, as was the case on the previous model.
Switchgear is updated to include electronic cruise control, and the starter button is integrated with the start/stop switch. Heated grips carry over from the previous model but now allow the rider to select temperature ranges for each (high, medium and low) of the settings.
Yamaha’s Chip Controlled–Throttle (YCC-T) has been a feature on the R6 and R1 for several years, and for 2013 it makes its way on to the FJR. The throttle body is redesigned, and the shape and length of the exhaust pipe have been changed to suit the YCC-T system. Yamaha claims smoother throttle response from YCC-T, and on the sport-tourer it will integrate with electronic cruise control and Yamaha’s two-mode (sport and touring) drive-mode selector, called D-mode – both new features for 2013.
Rounding out electronic rider aids is a simplified, single-level traction control system that works on a similar premise (cuts ignition, as well as the throttle valve and fuel) as the TC found on the Super Ténéré, according to Yamaha’s Mike Ulrich. Although the FJR lacks the Super T’s three-level TC, the FJR rider can, if desired, disable traction control altogether.
Finally, the fully adjustable 48mm fork receives a new aluminum piston rod and plunger and new spring rate, while the shock’s damping and spring rates are revised. The modest suspension tweaks are claimed to improve the FJR’s sporty handling without compromising ride comfort.
A quick spec chart comparo between the 2012 and 2013 models reveals the new model has shed 7 pounds from the previous bike’s fully fueled, ready-to-ride weight of 644 pounds California 2013 models will weigh 639 pounds.
Yamaha staff said the bike’s engine received a number of minor updates and refinements but declined to go into detail at the time of the FJR’s unveiling. Expect full details from the bike’s soon-coming press launch.
FJR1300 fans may have hoped for a sweeping redesign to the aging Yamaha sport-tourer, changes that might have included a more complex traction control system or the increasingly popular electronically adjusted suspension systems like those seen on Ducati’s Multistrada or BMW’s K1600GTL/GT. However, such high-end features come at a cost.
Although the FJR’s 2013 updates are more akin to a mid-cycle revamp, they are worthwhile, functional improvements that only add an insignificant $300 to the previous bike’s MSRP.
The 2013 FJR1300A will hit dealers this month, in Stone Gray color scheme, with a $15,890 price tag. No sign of the little-loved auto-clutch AE version.
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