Sounds like you're having some fun. I've been running around on an XSR700. Nothing trick, a full Delkevic exhaust with the long 18" can, for sound and look, no reflash needed per Delkevic. I went with suspension, snagging a virtually new used Ohlins shock for half price of a new one, and a Matris fork kit to be installed. Figure I need/want the ride more than a couple extra hp.

Most of the stuff in the XSR forum are guys bolting on covers, sticking fork gaiters and wraps (fit between the triple clamps), taking off all the rear fender (sub fender and rear fender) running nothing back there, chopping off front fenders to a useless state, painting everything black, and patting each other on the back for each other making their bike look like the rest. They want to make them scramblers or brat bikes with bolt on bits and removing fenders, then installing knobby ADV tires. Some spring for an exhaust, but seems most do it to make the bike as loud as possible. That's fine, but not much creativity. There are a few. I did more in the do-it-yourself stuff, changing out tail, head, and turn signal lights. The exhaust was for a bit of flat track look and the tone, about 87 dB at idle and around 96 dB at 5000-6000 rpm, not obnoxious to others. Playing with graphics to have a bit more traditional Yamaha flat track graphics, swapping out the white plastic rear brake reservoir for an anodized alloy reservoir rather than bolt on another cover. Keep it naked as possible. Kinda been fun and the bike is definitely fun. Seems Yamaha put the power in the real road riding zone instead of big numbers up high and it shows. Tickled me the first time the front wheel floated across an intersection a couple inches off the ground from a bit aggressive start. Makes me smile.

Do ya got anything on the FTR1200? My son-in-law has one. Had the S&S high pipes (good or bad they look absolutely great). He has had the ECU reflashed, the bike ran pretty rough initially. Which Indian forum, I can tell him.

Cheers,
Mark

 

I don't "do" the FTR. Meaning that I do not keep up with the data and knowledge we accumulate on that bike. My test ride of one ( when they first came out ) was hilarious. The Indian and Harley dealerships are next to each other, I rode wheelies past the front entrance to the Harley dealer, and got my hand spanked by the Indian dealer manager lady.. Seems both dealerships are owned by the same person/entity and she got phone calls about my antics in the Harley front parking lot..lol

Those S&S high pipes kick major a$$ on a FTR..
What's funny is that, without those S&S high pipes, the FTR never "looked right" to me. This is because all I see is a dual sport bike carrying a low pipe.. The FTR owners in the forum certainly DO NOT see the FTR as a dual sport.. I get chuckles when I tell them I'd be going offroad with one..

https://www.indianmotorcycles.net/

 

I'll have to get the forum link to Shawn. I agree, it looks totally right with the high pipes, totally wrong without. I remember you talking about your test ride here I think. Would have been fun to see. The Harley dealership in Dover Ohio, where we used to live, bugged Shawn over and over to ride one of the new Sportsters. Finally he relented and test rode it. He said they were kind of disappointed in his comments in comparison to his Indian. No suspension, not very comfortable, too much cruiser and the Indian looked better.

Have a good summer.

 

To me, the FTR is a 120 hp , 522 lb ( fully fueled ) dual sport. I can't understand anyone buying one as just a road bike. Even the Polaris commercials for the FTR show desert dune riding..

 

I think I remember Honda doing a Valkyrie advertisement sliding one on a dry lake. All I can say is it's a fun road bike not much different than a Yamaha MT-09 or the like. Just different look and the flat track-ish 18/19 wheel combination. The Polaris commercial was simply playing off the tie in with the FTR750 flat track bike. Now they are running 17s front and back. A bike for riders that like the look of the bike, one of the few that don't look like a transformer. The new XSR 900 falls in the same class, round headlight and less angular lines. If Indian had done a 750 instead of a 1200 I'd have definitely been a possible customer.

I just happen to be one of those riders who don't really care for big high horsepower bikes, as reflected in my choice of the XSR 700. I won the AMA's 2021 membership drawing for the MT-09, I sold it back to the dealer who sold me my XSR and I had deliver the bike from Yamaha. It just didn't suit me and I don't need the power with the roads we rider here in Ohio. It is fun for me to wring out four or five gears on the 700 without being triple digits on the speedo and a hell of a ticket if picked up. The 900 would be just too fast to be fun here for me.

As for a 500+ pound dual sport, that's up to the rider, Son-in-law has a CRF300L and, of course, I have the KLX. They're virtually perfect for the back roads and any trail riding here in Ohio. that and $18,000 for an FTR as a dual sport is a non-starter - at least for me for sure..

 

Link?

 

Was one of the first commercials for the FTR back when the bike was a new offering. It had two bikes being ridden in a desert dune setting. I can't find this commercial now..