Seems to me the deer was your Nemesis
In relation to the FJR I rode one for 8 days (1650 miles) when I brought it back to Cork for a friend in 2008 from Malaga to Cork via ferry from Cherbourg to Rosslare.
Great handling bike and it has a low seat which meant my feet were not only on flat on the floor, but even my knees were slightly bent. We did the trip from Biarittz to Granville (about 60 miles from Cherbourg) in one day just over 500 miles the way we went. It had some amount of power and the torque was awesome, it would pull like a train in any gear. When you dropped a gear without blipping the throttle properly it felt like you were applying the brakes took me a few hundred miles to get used to that.
Thoroughly enjoyed the trip, my wife loved it, but she even noticed the weight, my only issues with it were:
1. The weight, it was just a bit too heavy for me with full touring kit. Whereas the Fazer 600 or 1000 are well within my weight limits even fully kitted with touring gear.
2. The heat when the Radiator fan came on in start stop traffic. It is worse than the FZS1000, The first time it happened was in Aluminicar Andalucia in 35 degree heat, but once we hit the canyon on the back road to Granada all that was forgotten.
3. It only had a 5 speed box which was annoying on the long runs
We had a great fast run courtesy of the local cops when we asked for direction about 100 miles south of Madrid and the fellow I asked called one of his friends over who happened to be an off duty motorcycle cop (both with very good English thankfully as my Spanish was limited to about 10 words) and he said follow him he is going home the same way, I did not need a second invitation
He was riding a R1150GS with an akrapovic pipe and was clocking 115mph in places and despite his best efforts never lost me
a testament to the handling of the FJR with a full load. When he stopped to show us the way to go as he was going a different route his only comment was "good handling bike" I nodded with a grin from ear to ear.
The later models are not as bad apparently with the fan heat as there were some changes made to the fairing and the 2016 ones finally got the 6 speed box.
I would love to try that model out of curiosity
There were a few issues with the earlier 2003/4 one with camshaft end float knock suspension linkages giving trouble due to lack of grease and the usual corroded connectors. Engines are as bullet proof as the Fazers.
If they weighed less I would consider one myself, but limited strength in my right leg due to an altercation with the front wheel of an artic tractor unit in 2002 rules me out completely now.
If you do get one and you don't mind the weight, you won't be disappointed, just service the rear linkage regularly.