Road – Test Yamaha FJR1300 AS 2013: electronic facelift – A motorcycle à la carte

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Yamaha FJR1300 AS 2013 test: electronic facelift

Road - Test Yamaha FJR1300 AS 2013: electronic facelift - A motorcycle à la carte

By equipping the FJR1300AS with the latest technological refinements, Yamaha has achieved a double blow: its GT motorcycle is gaining in efficiency and relaunching the manufacturer in the electronic arms race. As a bonus, its ” 2.0 ” robotic clutch is mature. Test.

A custom motorcycle

A few kilometers are enough to highlight several obvious facts on the handlebars of the Yamaha FJR1300 2013: on the one hand, the overweight of this version "AS" (+ 7kg compared to the "A") does not help an already pronounced overweight , nor the tendency of its management to engage at low speed (read in particular our).

The FJR is therefore not an "urban ballerina" despite its short turning radius, its precise accelerator, its transparent cardan transmission and its setting on the center stand easier than before (from "30%", according to the manufacturer in tuning forks).

Partially coupled braking is as powerful as it is progressive and also offers the services of an ABS as standard. A system that shows its limits, however, only when braking hard from the front: the anti-lock system is triggered fairly early and noticeably, sometimes extending stopping distances on a dented surface (small cobbled streets, in particular).

Each capable of accommodating a large full-face helmet, the removable suitcases are also part of the original equipment: on the practical side, the FJR1300 sets the bar very high, as highlighted by the presence of a self-closing storage compartment at the back. ‘inside which is a 12V socket. Be careful, however, to appreciate the size of the suitcases: they are wider than the effective mirrors, which complicates changes in the dimensions.

The position and general ergonomics are identical to the previous model: the rider remains with his back straight and his arms stretched out towards the handlebars, sufficiently raised to save the slightest effort on the upper body. At worst, a system of removable wedges allows you to adjust the height of the handlebars.

The lower limbs are not exactly housed in the same boat: the knees are generously separated by the 25-liter fuel tank and the "Sport-GT" type position of the footrests (relatively high and back) requires a pilot over 1.75 m to place the saddle in the high position to avoid too much leg bending over long distances.

The opportunity to salute the ease of the operation, since it suffices to move a wedge under the pilot’s seat then to raise or lower a part used to accommodate the saddle mounting bracket to go from a height of 805 to 825 mm. However, we gain in comfort what we lose in insurance at low speed, since moving this 296 kg motorcycle all full on tiptoes is not easy. !

Covered with a new coating on its sides, this saddle also offers a fairly firm support, a situation that does not solve the tingling noticeable under the buttocks from 4000 rpm and which then tend to spread in the boots and hands.

At 4000 rpm precisely, the in-line 4-cylinder engine takes the crew just below 130 km / h in fifth and final gear. At this pace, the protection offered for the bust and head is satisfactory, even if this statement should be weighed since our test bike was equipped with an optional screen 103 mm higher than the original. Note that despite its greater height, this windshield does not generate too much aerodynamic thrust in the lower back at high speed.

And high speeds, precisely, the engine of the FJR1300 asks only to give you some, even amputated of 40 ch in France: MNC has reached the (not) respectable pace of 239 km / h! Ultra-elastic, the "4-legged" hiss discreetly at idle and can start again without a hiccup at 1000 rpm on the last report. Its thrust then increases continuously from 3000 rpm to 6000 rpm, a speed where the clamping cuts it off … while there remains 3200 rpm before the switch !

Reworked in terms of internal coatings and injection, this 1298 cc 4-cylinder engine finds an ally of choice in the automated management of the clutch: no more jolts and brutal reactions of the previous generation, the Yamaha Chip Controlled Ship (YCC-S) is now fully developed.

A half-turn at idle is enough to measure the extent of progress: where the previous device required a certain circumspection because of its lack of progressiveness (especially when cold), the second generation YCC-S now shows remarkable softness and precision. The synchro between the throttle management and the opening / closing of the clutch is very well controlled, almost as finely as that obtained by managing the disc slip yourself. !

Thanks to this system, it becomes even easier to wind on the large torque of the 2013 FJR1300 (120 Nm in France), simply by increasing a ratio with your fingertips to around 5500 rpm or, conventionally, by using to that "good old" selector. This finally takes the form of a shifter, which can be used to up and down gears without disengaging and without any parasitic reaction..

This positive picture is sublimated by the quality and efficiency of the suspensions with electronic adjustment. Ultra-comfortable in "Soft" mode, the FJR1300 AS 1300 becomes more rigorous in intermediate mode ("Standard") and becomes much more precise and almost sporty in "Hard" mode: the differences between each mode are clearly perceptible and benefit the pleasure. driving.

Verdict: successful update !

Certainly, the road Yamaha retains its small defects in very dynamic conduct, already noted by MNC on its "sis" with manual clutch (reread our). Its front axle locks on the brakes, its ground clearance is relatively easy to fault and its weight and engine inertia tend to pull it outside of curves..

But once assimilated, these characteristics are relatively easy to tame: you just have to be careful not to cause significant mass transfers at the entry of curves and to take advantage of the joyful resumptions of the 4-legged to extract them. And don’t be afraid to wring out the right grip: the traction control is as effective as it is discreet when it comes into action. !

Thanks to the benefits of electronics, the Yamaha FJR1300 AS 2013 progresses in practically all areas and becomes a real à la carte motorcycle: a boost is enough to transform its damping, but also its engine behavior..

This update comes at a price: at € 19,499, the FJR1300 AS costs € 1,500 more than the previous model, even if this inflation is justified by the superior sophistication and the unmistakable leap forward in the pleasure offered by the ‘robotic clutch.

The fact remains that the road flagship of the Blues at the same time enters the upper range of prices in force in the category of road motorcycles: € 19,455 for a BMW R1200RT (with heated grips, regulator, anti-skid and ESA), € 17,499 for a Kawasaki 1400GTR or € 18,870 for a Triumph Trophy SE.

Let’s hope that the sum of the progress made to this FJR1300AS 2013 and the maturity of its semi-auto transmission are enough to (re) launch his career: since its launch in 2006, the "AS" version has only passed. less than 1000 copies in France, with "hollows" at less than 100 registrations per year.

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