Back in 2019, the European market bid farewell to Yamaha’s venerable FJR1300 with a special Ultimate Edition. Resplendent in black and gold, it was a fitting way to pay tribute to the long-running sports tourer before it finally rode off into the sunset throughout Europe and the U.K.
In December, 2021, Yamaha just announced a special 20th Anniversary edition FJR1300 AS and A that’s about to roll out in the Japanese market. It, too, is black with gold accents, most notably a special gold FJR 20th Anniversary Edition emblem on the top of the fuel tank, as well as contrasting gold saddle stitching, a gold FJR logo painted on the bodywork next to the saddle, and gold three-spoke wheels. Additionally, the fuel filler cap, levers, foot pegs, and bolts all feature a blacked-out finish.
As with Europe’s Ultimate Edition, the 20th Anniversary Edition changes are purely cosmetic, with the mechanical bits remaining unchanged underneath the skin. For those unfamiliar, the AS features an electronically adjustable suspension, while the A does not.
Yamaha wanted to go out with a bang, which is why it’s putting out this very classy-looking 20th Anniversary Edition colorway as the FJR1300’s final appearance in Japan, according to Young Machine. The bike should roll out to dealerships across Japan on February 10, 2022. The FJR1300 AS will run ¥1,980,000 (approximately $17,355), while the A will cost ¥1,650,000 (about $14,462). Those prices represent slight premiums over the base AS and A prices, which are ¥1,800,000 ($15,777) and ¥1,500,000 ($13,147) respectively.
It’s not clear what this could mean for the future of the FJR1300 in North America, which is currently listed on both the American and Canadian websites as a current 2022 model. As we’ve seen before, just because an OEM discontinues a particular model in one or more markets doesn’t necessarily mean it goes away everywhere. That said, its disappearance from the European market shortly followed by the Japanese market can’t help but make you wonder. We’ve reached out to Yamaha, and as and when we have any additional information, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.
