2004–2005 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Superbike Power, Touring Stamina
The RP 11 FJR1300A is a sport-tourer built around a proper engine and a stiff chassis, with the luggage bolted on afterward. Its 1298 cc liquid-cooled inline-four makes 147 hp and 99 lb-ft and sends it through a 5-speed gearbox to a shaft final drive. It hangs in an aluminum twin-spar frame, and the suspension is adjustable at both ends. ABS, an electrically adjustable screen, a center stand and a factory luggage system come standard. You don't get a bagger dressed up as sporty here. You get a fast, serious road bike that can also carry your stuff across a country.
This generation comes into its own on the open highway, where it holds a line at high speed with calm, heavy-footed stability. Just as important, it ages very well. Build quality is solid and reliability is among the best in the category, so the FJR suits riders who log real miles and don't want to worry about them. The caveat is that the tech is from its era. ABS is the only rider aid, the gearbox has five speeds, and at 582 lb (264 kg) wet it asks for some respect at parking-lot speed. Budget for a few known quirks too: a starter that can struggle when hot, a cam chain tensioner that can rattle, and clutch drag after the bike has sat.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 147 hp (108 kW) @ 8,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 99 lb-ft (134 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1298 cc |
| Engine | Inline-fourMotorcycles With Inline-Four Engines → |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | ShaftMotorcycles With Shaft Drive → |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 60.8 in (1545 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.7 in (805 mm) |
| Wet weight | 582 lb (264 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.6 gal (25 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Over the years I've heard a lot about the FJR1300A: in paddock conversations, over coffee with owners, on club nights, and in the messages riders send me directly. For this RP 11 generation the pattern is clear. Owners praise the engine, the way the bike corners and how little it asks of them over the years. Their complaints show up almost entirely at walking pace.
The engine comes up first in nearly every conversation. Riders describe superbike-level pull, effortless acceleration and a high-speed cruise they say outclasses most rivals. The handling comes up almost as often. Owners consistently report agile cornering and confident lean angles on the 17-inch wheels, which surprises people on a tourer this size. Riders with well past 62,000 miles (100,000 km) on the clock describe trouble-free ownership with little beyond fluid changes, and they say valve adjustments rarely come due.
The gripes are fewer, and they come up in the lower gears. A recurring complaint is an abrupt on/off throttle at low revs, which owners find intrusive in stop-and-go traffic. Some have smoothed it out with an aftermarket ECU reflash. A few riders add that tight U-turns take deliberate clutch and throttle work.
Starter motor failure when hot
The starter motor may struggle to crank or fail to turn over once the engine is warm, often requiring a rebuild or replacement. Symptoms worsen on hot days.
Cam chain tensioner noise (blue dot CCT)
A mechanical rattle at idle, especially when warm, can indicate a worn or outdated cam chain tensioner. Upgrading to a later‑generation (green dot) CCT often resolves the noise.
Clutch drag / difficulty engaging first gear
After sitting unused, the bike may resist shifting into first gear with a loud grinding noise, possibly due to dry clutch plates. An oil change and clutch soak often restore normal operation.
Where this Yamaha FJR1300A pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the FJR1300A is actually built for.
This is squarely your bike. It's upright and fast, with the screen and bags to string 300-mile days of coastal highway and mountain curves together, and you won't feel beat up when you park it at night.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
For long hauls through changing weather, the FJR's stability, shaft drive and reliability work in your favor. Two-up it copes fine. Just know you ride without cruise control or heated grips.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
It'll get you to the mountains in comfort and it's no slouch once you're there. On tight, repetitive switchbacks, though, you'll feel the 582 lb (264 kg) every time you change direction.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
