How do you know if the mileage on your bike is true???

lharrell79 · Feb 4, 2010

I went to a local dealer today to look at a 2006 fjr1300. It was listed as having 12,264 miles. The bike looked great, and I thought we were going to make a deal until I started going through the service records. I asked the salesman if the bike had the ignition, or altitude recalls done, and he said he didn't know. He then told me the manual was in the side case, and we could look. He had not looked at it yet himself. Anyways, we start going through the records which were very meticulous. I get to the service card, and it had services performed up to 24,000 miles. That's odd??? Well, it turns out the speedometer was replaced under recall at 12,800 miles. So the bike actually had 25,064 miles on it. The saleman was a little embarassed to say the least. I told him I was very dissapointed, and I'd have to think about it.

So I'm looking on craigslist right now, and I run accross this:

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/mcy/1574919659.html

1500 miles on a touring bike??? It just doesn't seem right. Is it possible that this bike had the speedo replaced also? And if so, how can I tell. Can I run the VIN through yamaha somehow to get the recall records??? Also, what years did this recall cover?

Thanks, Lucas

johnny80s · Feb 4, 2010

I think you can give a yamaha dealer the vin and have them look any recalls that were done. There was not a recall on the speedos that I remeber but I could be wrong. I have a Gen II so the speedo recall might have been for gen I bikes.

lharrell79 · Feb 4, 2010

In the maintnance records it said speedometer recall, and I believe the receipt for the work said recall/warrenty. So it's possible this was warrentied.

ionbeam · Feb 4, 2010

Only the early to mid '06 FJRs had a recall for the instant gas mileage showing a constant 17 mpg. The entire cluster had to be replaced which resulted in the mileage getting reset to 0. The dealers that did this work were supposed to put a mileage sticker on the bottom of the glove box door, open it and look. They were also instructed to put a mileage sticker on the owners manual if one was available, check the back page or the inside the first page.

Any Yamaha dealer can look up the VIN and tell if the gauge cluster was replaced. Only a dealer could do this work. If it was replaced and there is no sticker under the glove box door or on the owners manual then be very suspicious about the actual mileage.

Geezer · Feb 4, 2010

There was a recall that required replacing the entire instrument cluster, so bikes got new speedo's. It was related to the instant mileage reading, or something like that. It is mentioned in the Bin-O-Facts.

HJHFJR · Feb 4, 2010

There was a recall on the Instrument Panel assembly as the average fuel milage calculation would not go over 17.1 mpg. Mother Yamaha replaced the whole assembly and of course the new milage was zero. There was suspose to be a sticker placed on the bike with the existing milage so that in the future a person would know the actual milage on the bike

lharrell79 · Feb 4, 2010

I didn't check the glove box. This bike was at a harley dealership. They took it in on a trade. I doubt the sales people knew about this until we discovered it together. Otherwise, they wouldn't have had the records in the bike.

On a second note, should I be leary of 25,000 miles on this bike? Before I sold my 2002 R6, it has 53,000 miles, and it was still running strong as ever.

BkrK12 · Feb 4, 2010

There was a recall on 2006 models to fix the "instant mileage" readout. The entire gauge cluster had to be replaced and that included the odometer. Any dealer can look up the VIN and see if it was done. There is also supposed to be a sticker placed (in the glovebox, I believe) idicating that the odometer was replaced and what the original mileage was before the replacement.

Sorry for the duplication - didn't type fast enough.

Ignacio · Feb 4, 2010

lharrell79 said:
Is it possible that this bike had the speedo replaced also? And if so, how can I tell. Can I run the VIN through yamaha somehow to get the recall records??? Also, what years did this recall cover?
Thanks, Lucas

That's a flash from the past. I was going to link you to the well-written issue post we compiled about it....but found it hadn't actually done one for this old issue.

Fear not! I created FJRF010: 17mpg Readout with Early '06 Bikes just for this occasion and it should include the details you are looking for.

The short answer is it affected about 1600 '06 models and no other years.

Ignacio

Big Sky · Feb 4, 2010

To answer another of your questions, 25,000 miles on an extremely well cared for, or even well cared for, FJR isn't much. There are several running around with over 200,000 and no major failures. Mine has 57,000 and no problems except a bad fork seal. It sounds like the previous owner of this one did his maintenance by the book. Maybe the dealer would give you his (her) name and you could speak with them. I wouldn't fear 25,000 if regular service was documented. In addition, you are now in a very strong bargaining position with this dealer.

lharrell79 · Feb 4, 2010

Big Sky said:
To answer another of your questions, 25,000 miles on an extremely well cared for, or even well cared for, FJR isn't much. There are several running around with over 200,000 and no major failures. Mine has 57,000 and no problems except a bad fork seal. It sounds like the previous owner of this one did his maintenance by the book. Maybe the dealer would give you his (her) name and you could speak with them. I wouldn't fear 25,000 if regular service was documented. In addition, you are now in a very strong bargaining position with this dealer.

Roger that!! I think i'm going to call harley in a few, and see what we can work out.

I'll keep you guys updated.

SkooterG · Feb 4, 2010

johnny80s said:
I think you can give a yamaha dealer the vin and have them look any recalls that were done. There was not a recall on the speedos that I remeber but I could be wrong. I have a Gen II so the speedo recall might have been for gen I bikes.

As usual, talking out your *** and knowing nothing of which you spew.

:****:

As for the original topic, 06 speedo replacements notwithstanding, one could take a low mile gauge cluster off one FJR, and put it on another high mileage bike and *PRESTO*, it's newish again!

In fact, I don't have over 200k on my 04 FJR! It's only got 23,464 miles. Really. And I'll sell it to you for cheap!

lharrell79 · Feb 4, 2010

Well, this deal went south really fast. I talked to the salesman, and told him I was worried about the mileage issue, and the title. How would the mileage be shown on the title. He said he'd have to talk to the title people at the dealership, and he would get back to me. So he calls me back and this is what he said. The title people told him that the title would say, "mileage discrepancy". As for the number of miles shown on the title, they told him it would have to have the number of miles on the odometer right now, plus the number of miles from the last time it was titled.

Well, the bike currently has 12,264 on the odometer. The guages were changed out at 12,700. So the bike currently has 24,964. However, the last time the title was transferred was a year ago, and the seller wrote 24,000 on the title. Which was probably correct mileage at the time. However, his title people at the dealership are telling him and me, if I buy the bike, the title will show "24,000 + 12,264" for a total of 36,264 and it will have a notation of "mileage discrepancy".

So basically I'd be buying a bike with 24,964 miles, but the title will show 36,264. The salesman actually said, "If I were in your shoes, I'd walk away from this deal". I told him thanks for his honesty, and yes I walked.

Back to the bike: 2006 FJR1300, only mods are frame sliders, and Givi 46L topcase. Odometer shows 12,264, bike has 24,964, and the title will show 36,264. If I persued this bike, what should I offer. We had originally agreed on 7250 OTD when everyone thought it had 12,264 miles. Now, things have changed, and they might possibly be desperate to unload this bike. What should I offer them? Or should I truly walk away.

Thanks, Lucas

Fred W · Feb 4, 2010

No. You should run away.

Those chowderheads are as ****** up as a soup sandwich.

But at least the sales guy was honest. Send him a Xmas card.

lharrell79 · Feb 4, 2010

Fred W said:
No. You should run away.
Those chowderheads are as ****** up as a soup sandwich.

But at least the sales guy was honest. Send him a Xmas card.

Thanks for the honesty, you'll be getting a xmas card as well.

cota95 · Feb 4, 2010

I'd still try to make a deal. From the mileage you said you had on your previous bike it appears that you ride a bit so you should have no trouble getting the odo mileage above the title number before your ready to upgrade to the 2012 FJR. I had 45k on my 06 when I gave it to my son. If the bike is as well taken care of as it appears from the records, just get the HD boys down a little on the price and ride on.

cwa · Feb 4, 2010

Anyone trading this awesome bike at a Harley dealership, something is for sure wrong.

dustyrains · Feb 4, 2010

lharrell79 said:
I went to a local dealer today to look at a 2006 fjr1300. It was listed as having 12,264 miles. The bike looked great, and I thought we were going to make a deal until I started going through the service records. I asked the salesman if the bike had the ignition, or altitude recalls done, and he said he didn't know. He then told me the manual was in the side case, and we could look. He had not looked at it yet himself. Anyways, we start going through the records which were very meticulous. I get to the service card, and it had services performed up to 24,000 miles. That's odd??? Well, it turns out the speedometer was replaced under recall at 12,800 miles. So the bike actually had 25,064 miles on it. The saleman was a little embarassed to say the least. I told him I was very dissapointed, and I'd have to think about it.
So I'm looking on craigslist right now, and I run accross this:

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/mcy/1574919659.html

1500 miles on a touring bike??? It just doesn't seem right. Is it possible that this bike had the speedo replaced also? And if so, how can I tell. Can I run the VIN through yamaha somehow to get the recall records??? Also, what years did this recall cover?

Thanks, Lucas

Yes, it is possible. I found my 06 AE on the Portland Cragslist about 2 years ago with, get this, 600 miles on it. I have since put about 27k miles on it.

dcarver · Feb 4, 2010

Honestly, you don't know. I've had two mileage 'resets'.

One being the 17 mpg instantaneous reading recall, and a stupid sticker was placed inside the glove box lid.

Then I had a deer strike - and guess what was damaged, the stupid sticker / glove box.

..and, like SkooterG sez, buy a new inst cluster, presto whamo..

BTW, my 06 is only showing 28k or so, wanna buy it?

How do you know if the mileage on your bike is true???

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