A or AE? That is the question.

[Flyguy]

I read somewhere that (or was it in a dream) that there is a means of adjusting the engagement rpms of the system that was quick and easy. Imagine various clutch maps for different situations all stored onboard and available at the flip of a switch, ala March F1. Coming to a theater near you . . .

 

[VanHarlan]

I had a great deal made on an 06-AE leftover - had my finanancing and everything - and pulled the plug at the last second. I opted for and 07-A model - wasn't crazy about the Wild Cherry color at first - but at the time I wasn't seriously considering the A model. Once I decided against the AE I walked into another dealer that had the 07-A sitting in the sunlight - right next to the front door - as soon as I saw it I knew that was my bike.

I think the AE shifting is a neat advancement technology wise - but I wasn't crazy about "relearning" a few things - and not having complete control of the bike in certain situations - like leaving the bike in neutral at a stop light as someone suggested earlier - not being able to feather the clutch when needed but instead breaking while under power - my decision came down to a "safety first" thought knowing that it only takes one error to become intimate with the asphalt - or like another AE owner who revved his engine while sitting at a red light (a seemingly natural habit of bikers) and ended up launching his AE under the bumper of the vehicle in front of him when the electronic clutch engaged.

Maybe I'm lazy - but I didn't feel like facing the "relearning curve" on a few things that are so naturally engrained in me.

 

[Flyguy]

VanHarlan wrote:

AE owner who revved his engine while sitting at a red light (a seemingly natural habit of bikers) and ended up launching his AE under the bumper of the vehicle in front of him when the electronic clutch engaged.

You're right in that if you have been riding a long time and are not prepared for a paradigm shift, it may not be for you. But if you muddle through the first week with an open mind and explore it's virtues, you'll never go back. It's just too easy and natural. You can even reset your GPS or trip computer while going through the gears! Or mount the cruise control where the lever used to be. If nothing else you can just enjoy the aerodynamic advantage removing the lever gives you. :huh:

BTW, you have to tell the end of the story. The bike isn't any worse for the wear and I end up with the girl in the convertible that "caused" my right hand to blip the throttle! All's well that ends well.

 

[ELP_JC]

Hey Vanharlan, I hear you buddy. I'm over the fence too, carefully considering the option. I just sold my BMW due to complexity and unknown reliability, and that's exactly what I'd get with the AE. My biggest concern is not adapting, since we can adapt to anything except death < he he>, but the fact a single sensor malfunction, and you're dead in the water. And you can't even push start the darn thing. And yes, also the control you give up, which is part of the fun in my case.

As far as color, I'm sure the '07 looks nice in the flesh. Compared to the blue, I do like how it looks, but it's impossible to match it with any gear. And although I'm not the 'totally coordinated look' kind of guy by any means, I don't want to look like a clown either. Plus not being the only bike, pefer a color that allows me to swap bikes without looking like a character, or having to buy separate gear for each bike. But at the end, waiting for an '08 seems worse than looking like a clown, so fashion police be darned.

Ideal scenario would be a swap of bodywork with an AE, but somehow I don't see that happening. Especially in this town.

I hope to be able to start making some phone calls and get the ball rolling. I decided on a new bike for sure, and since I definitely don't like blue, it'd have to be an '07A or '06AE ('07s will be too expensive), whichever I can get cheaper overall (FOB my house, that is). Thanks again for all the great comments. Having so little info about the AE, this post should be made a sticky for future owners. It has exactly the differences most of us want to know before considering such a model, as well as opposite views. Later gang.

JC

 

[kulwen]

ELP_JC, where are you located? Or, did I miss that?

I was very cautious of getting a AE when I purchased my 06AE in February. My previous two bikes were a CBR929 and Hayabusa and I enjoyed the fast acceleration. I am not what I would consider a super fast rider, but I enjoy acceleration. What I mean by I am not a super fast rider is, there are guys on this forum who corner their FJRs faster then I would make on my previous two bikes. I was worried the AE would prevent me from fast accelerations, I was wrong. It took my only hours to get the hang of the AE and only a week to get the hang of smooth fast acceleration. It is not smooth if you open the throttle full open as fast as you can.

I have had zero issues with my AE in the 6K I have put on the bike since it was delivered 3 months or so ago. I purchased my new 06AE for $11K and paid $650 to ship it to Nevada. If I had to make the choice again I would choose the AE again. My only complaints have already been brought up, I wish there was the ability to coast, and it took some time to get the hang of slow speed maneuvers.

You might find a good deal from this post I made some time back. I heard last week from a friend they still had a new 06AE.

Link

 

[ARFJR]

12K on my 06.

When asked I always say, "There are times when I wish I had the clutch lever, but I've never missed it".

The AE clutch in practice is intuitive. It works just fine.

I just can't snag 2nd gear the way I'd like.

 

[DrSticky]

Make sure you see the Black Cherry color in the sun as it looks very different. I was okay with a Maroon bike, but the dealer kept calling it "Black Cherry". I didn't realize until I was driving away from the dealership staring at the bike and almost crashing what they meant.

 

[FJRocket]

12K on my 06.When asked I always say, "There are times when I wish I had the clutch lever, but I've never missed it".

The AE clutch in practice is intuitive. It works just fine.

I just can't snag 2nd gear the way I'd like.

ARF, Jr. are you saying you just can't get a wheelie like you used to? :lol: :lol:

My AE will slam dunk the clutch and lift the front end. Then again, in second, it's more like run it up over 4 grand, let off and then twist the money grip. Mine comes right up.

The more I ride my AE, the more I like it. Just wish it was a couple hundred pounds lighter.

 

[ELP_JC]

John, I live in El Paso, TX, zip 79922. I think I posted it some posts ago. I started calling dealers, but decision makers don't seem to work on Mondays; couldn't talk to anybody.

I think $11K is reasonable for an '06AE, and I wouldn't pay more than that. Then I have to deal with the shipping. Hey, let me ask you a question: Did Yamaha shipped your bike without having to be present to close the deal? That'd be a deal breaker for me, as the expense would be too high. Even shipping alone is forcing me to pay more than I had to, to the point I need to determine how much more I'm willing to pay somebody local to avoid the inconvenience. Will read your link after hitting the send button on this. Thanks buddy.

Once I have quotes on both '07A and '06AE, and respective shippings, the decision should be obvious. Yes, the '06 would be a year older, but it's the same as '07 (they were rebadged, I understand, hence same color). And the color I like. Later gang.

JC

 

[Ignacio]

John, I live in El Paso, TX, zip 79922. I think I posted it some posts ago.

You might put the El Pasco, TX in your profile so you're not asked again.

 

[James]

Instead of shipping I would consider flying/busing to the dealer & riding it back. A lot more fun & often cheaper. If far enough away schedule an oil change on the way back. I flew to Chicago for mine & rode the ~750 miles back to KS. At the time the ticket was only $39.00, but I did get the full search as a lone male w/a bag of tools taking a one way trip . At least thats what I think the reason was...

James

 

[ELP_JC]

You might put the El Pasco, TX in your profile so you're not asked again.

Thought I did, but must have been one of the many other boards I subscribed lately ; done buddy. Oh, and I've never lived in EL Pasco < ha ha>. Just kidding.

Hey gang, I was given a pretty good quote of $11,900 for an '07A from my preferred dealer (105 miles away), but said Yamaha claims not to have any more '06s left. He also gave me grim news: he's not ordering any more FJRs. And don't want to service mine if I buy it, which I'd probably not do anyway, due to distance. He has spent tons of hours chasing ghosts on 3 out of the 5 bikes. And unfortunately, he's not going to get paid by Yamaha for over 40 hours spent on them, so he's not motivated to work on them at all. I tought manufacturers always paid you for time spend on warranty problems. Yes, I knew it wasn't the shop rate owners want, but thought that at least they paid you. Apparently not so. He commented on 2 of those 5 having the fueling issues, and not even a PCIII fixed it. And I consider this guy VERY knowledgeable. He was a mechanic and a racer at one point.

Anyway, I don't shy away from problems, but my common sense is telling me to shy away from the AE due to the real potential problems on this bike, which could be severely exacerbated by the AE. The fueling problem at low speeds could be disastrous without being able to modulate the clutch. And likewise, the clutch problem where the clutch doesn't disengage, and requires blipping the heck out of the engine to separate the plates the same thing. Sooo, if I go with this bike, it'd have to be the A. I'm bummed, but will think about it a little bit. Owner also says he's extremely disappointed at Yamaha on how it's handling all the problems (he didn't elaborate anymore). And he didn't have an answer on why all the problems on the '07s, when they didn't have to change anything until next year (when '08 emissions take effect), if at all.

Oh, forgot. James, I'd also do that with 750 miles, but not 2K. Besides, it's never a good idea to embark on such a trip on a brand new bike. I've had problems on brand new bikes (not lately though) that if I had been on the road, they'd have turned into a major inconvenience. With most manufacturers mostly worried about making money for investors, I don't trust any of them that much anymore. Take care.

JC

 

[Silverbullet]

Interesting. I'd say he did you a favor. Run, don't walk to a different dealer. I'm curious, has anyone had a failure with any of the AE components yet? I've got 12,000 miles on mine, and not a single problem. In fact, on all three FJR's I've had, the only problem I've experienced was the tick on the '04 which was immediately corrected by Yamaha/Desert Powersports. Oh yeah, The TPS recall. Maybe I'm just a lucky sort of guy, and should be knocking on wood, but my FJR's have never given me cause to worry about leaving me stranded anywhere. And, YMMV, but for me, the Customer support from Yamaha and my dealer have been completely positive. I can't say the same for my experiences with my Hondas.

 

[Cdogman]

I'll Swap ya colors. I got a silver AE

 

[DaSpyda]

I would also question the motive/remarks of a dealer who is sour on the AE because it cost him money. And, yes, Mother Yammy will pay for repairs under warranty.

Seems like this guy loves to alienate customers...

FWIW, I bought my 06 AE off EBay a few weeks ago for $11,250, picked it up, and then spent 1,500 miles on it through GA and the mountains of NC (including an afternoon of fun with two sport bikes) over the next five days. It took a few hours during stop 'n go to get used to it, but it's second nature now. As in anything new, be overly cautious at first...

And, I've only been riding two years, w/18k miles...

 

[ELP_JC]

Hey guys, just came back from a dealer 5 miles from my house that just opened; didn't even know it was there. Saw the AE on Ebay, and location Sunland Park, NM??? It's a different state, but my neighbor's back yard is in NM already.

Anyway, he had a very good point. I've known the other dealer for years, and I trust him, but he's a big, multi-line dealer. This new dealer is just Yamaha, and the guy said who do you think will be able to better fix these machines? The answer is obvious. Plus they've sold 4 FJRs, and zero problems. And you know the best part? They WILL Let me test ride BOTH machines <yeeehaaa!>. Only bad news is they have a shop in Las Cruces, NM, and they're legendary for not dealing at all, so doubt they'll come remotely close to the prices I have quoted. We'll see.

Since I'm a nice guy, I told the salesman to talk to the owner, who will come tomorrow and ask him if he'd have a problem me riding his bikes, and if the difference is huge, buying somewhere else. I could just ride them and send him to hell, but I'm not like that... unfortunately. I like to reward a dealer who let me ride his bikes because any doubts I may have about these machines will be erased right there, and that has a price, but not of several hundred, or even thoousands of dollars.

I saw the red in the flesh, and even sat on it. Just don't warm up to it. So yes, Cdogman, you have a deal if I buy that one buddy. And are you serious?? I took a CO tour last September, and would love to make it to Torrey this time, which is close to SLC, but don't know if I'll be able to. Where could we do the swap? It's probably better in person, no? We could meet halfway or so, and do a 'panel swap' party, if we can find a member who lives Pagosa Springs, Tahos, or a place like that. What do you think???

Only thing on that bike is somebody left the stupid left bag unlatched, and fell off. Fell on top of another bike's tire, except the edge which hit the fender, then landed on the floor, but rightside up, so the only battlescar is a scuff near the top of the bag. But I REALLY doubt I'd end up with that bike.

Won't ask more questions on operation of the AE because I hope to ride it soon. It's downpouring today, so doubt even tomorrow will be fine, but I'll try < he he>.

But I have a couple more questions:

- can you disable the stupid switch that prevents you from opening the glove box without the key? I understand if it locked with the bike under way, but when parked? Come on. Shouldn't be too hard to defeat that switch, no?

- The little plates that go where the bag mounts: Are they meant to be put on and off easily, or are they for people who definitely won't use the bags at all? Just curious. That bike had 6. 4 are obvious, but 2 smaller tabs, bent in the middle didn't know where they went. Maybe at the bottom, where the bag actually latches?? Or if you remove the grab handles?? Just curious.

FJRs look SHARP folks. Wish it had LEDs on the rear taillights, but no biggie. It looks very well integrated, but what a PITA it'll be to do anything. It's TIGHTLY packaged. I want to know if we can bleed our own brakes without a computer interface. Well, I know we can, but the better question is if an interface to force the pistons out is not required. The answer depends where the inlet and outlet are located. If both are on the same side, piston would have to be activated to flush the fluid inside, or it'd never flow out. If opposite, good fluid would push out most of the old fluid, and it wouldn't be necessary. Hope I'm making sense. The other questions is how to flush the AE's clutch.

The best news of all is that BOTH A and AE are on the table again. Especially with the offer from Cdogman. I also liked the factory heated grips of the AE. The riding positon seems perfect. Maybe even a bit too upright, but if I push the bars a bit forward, the angle would be perfect, plus they'd push me forward a little. That should do it, but would try it just like it is first. I could almost flatfoot, but couldn't, which means the Corbin should put me barely flatfooting, which is perfect. Didn't like the stock seat, but will try it as well, after learning I'd have to shell out a whopping $800 for the 2 freaking seats (geez). Am very excited to try this bike. And by the way, after owning a BMW, I'm not scared of a few problems gentlemen. Throttle is stiff as hell indeed, but I'd take care of that the first afternoon the bike spends in my garage. The beauty of being able to ride the bikes is I'm going to experience the AE's first hand, plus I'd be able to tell of any fueling problem right away (I hope). If I get that problem, I'm confident I'd be able to erase it with the PCIII; have no doubt in my mind. Any fueling problem can be corrected with it. It's not like Yamaha just put a motor together, and it's their first attempt at running the engine. Come on. My buddy is wrong there. I'd just have to add some fuel in the lower rpms and it should clear any problems. Enough for now gang. Take care.

JC

 

[kulwen]

Hey, let me ask you a question: Did Yamaha shipped your bike without having to be present to close the deal?

Yes, the bike was shipped without me being present.

When you test drive the AE try using all methods for shifting:

Foot lever

Hand lever with both the + and -

Hand lever with the + and by pushing the + level out (I use this method)

 

[ELP_JC]

Hand lever with the + and by pushing the + level out (I use this method)

Can you explain this buddy?

And for the 3rd time, where is the link to the 'special' AE features? Don't intend to use any abusive (to a new machine) methods when I test ride the bike, but would like to know. It was for speedshifts and other things. Thanks.

JC

 

[Flyguy]

ELP_JC wrote:

I like to reward a dealer who let me ride his bikes because any doubts I may have about these machines will be erased right there,

You're on track now except one thing - It would be very unusual for you to acclimate yourself to the AE on a test ride. It simply takes more time than that to "become one" with the bike unless you are unusually adaptive or perceptive. It seems the greater the experience level, the more this is true.

Good luck!

 

[ELP_JC]

I'm completely with you there Flyguy. I won't even attempt to perfect my shifting or anything like that. Will definitely play with the engagement at minimum possible speeds, since that's what it's not going to change. Better shifting only comes with practice, even with most clutch models, so am not worried about that. But more than anything, I want to see if I feel any fueling issues like the many reported (4K' here). Also want to see how the pedal works on the AE; felt weird, and STIFF compared to the A. The worst part is Yamaha didn't put a 'snick' so you could feel when the computer 'gets' the signal to shift. Guess you just have to throw your foot until the lever hits its limit either up or down. The manual lever feels perfect. Is it as quick (or slow) as the pedal?? Just curious.

Hope I can do this tomorrow. Later gang. And thanks again for everything.

JC