An FJR Story

[kawwikid]

About 6 weeks ago I became the proud owner of a 2005 FJR. Very clean bike, it had only 2700 miles on it. I got her at Orlando Yamaha and Kawasaki, they gave me a good deal on the price, and seemed easy to work with.

So, after about a week of taking small rides, and dealing with daily rain, the weather clears up and I get my first chance to ride to work. I notice that as I get above speeds of 45mph, the bike gets this really weird kind of twitch/shake at the handle bars, and the faster I go, the more the bars move. So, I had the shop that I trust help me set the suspension to me, still had the twitch/shake. So, then I thought, maybe the BT020s where dead, even though they only had 2700 miles on them, and the wear looked normal.

Well we went to spoon on a new set of tires, and low and behold, my rear rim was dented. And the dent was more than just the lip, it was half way across the rim :blink:

Having managed to only out 70-80 miles on the bike since I had it, I went back to the dealer, and asked them to take a look at it. They did, and desided that I hadnt done the damage, and they should have found that at check in, and would replace the rim, at there charge.

Well, the dealer has now had my bike for 3.5 weeks!! :angry2: First probiblem, the rim was on back order, which seemed odd because after a week of waiting for it, I was able to call another dealer in town (seminole power sports) and they got me a rim in 5 days, no probiblem. So, Orlando Yamaha paied me, to give them the rim from Seminole. Probiblem sloved right? Wrong, they didnt have the freaken bearings for the new wheele. Again they had to order them at there exepense. Ok, how long? 7 to 10 days?!!!! Now I find out they could have over nighted them, or second dayed them, if they had called me and gotten promission. So, now its been 3.5 weeks, closing in on 4, and I have no bike.

And here inlies my question, would you trust this dealer to finish this repair properly, and that all will work when its done or would you take the bike when there done, and sell it for a 2006/2007. My reasoning is, that when something gets this out of hand to fix something as simple as changing a rim, I lose faith in the bike...

Sorry this was so long, I guess I was trying to vent at the same time...

Sean

 

[Fred W]

And here inlies my question, would you trust this dealer to finish this repair properly, and that all will work when its done or would you take the bike when there done, and sell it for a 2006/2007. My reasoning is, that when something gets this out of hand to fix something as simple as changing a rim, I lose faith in the bike...Sorry this was so long, I guess I was trying to vent at the same time...

Sean

Glad you got that off your chest.

My take is this: Replacing a wheel is easy peasy. Even a screwed up shop would be able to get it right as long as they are using new parts. Let them finish the repair and then ride the bike. You wouldn't be able to trade the bike toward a different one until the repair is done anyway, that is unless you want to continue dealing with the same dealer. Do you really want to do that?

If you feel you want to trade up to a second gen FJR that's fine, lot's of folks do that, but I don't think that should have anything to do with your experience thus far.

There is no reason to "lose faith in the bike" when the problem has been the bike shop that you have been dealing with. After the selling dealer fixes this problem, just stay away from them for anything further. Yes, they seem incompetent, very slow, but they are making you right in the long run by paying for the repairs.

Hey, could'a been a lot worse. They could have just told you that it was you that bent the wheel rim and then you'd be out that money.

 

[keithaba]

Ahh, crap. You've waited this long. Why quit now? Like Fred said, wheel repair isn't anything truly "mechanical" in nature. Crap, If I can do it, you could train a monkey to do it better.

 

[Calimus]

You, you are in a bit of a pickle there. Best bet is let the work be completed. If everything is fine after that, just don't take it back to that shop.

I also think once your repairs are done and you get out on the first good solid ride, you will forget about trading up. There is certainly nothing wrong with trading up, but once you really get to squeeze the throttle, you won't want to let the bike go long enough for the trade.

 

[cadman]

Let the shop complete the repairs. they don't stock parts they don't sell on a frequent basis,probably the first FJR they've had to work on...

it is very tough to spend your hard earned money and have to wait to enjoy your purchase...in a few days all the bad feelings you have towards the shop will be behind you, and you will enjoy the FJR. ride it for a while before you decide to get rid of it...the 05 fjr is the best year of the 1st gen in my opinion...

enjoy your ride, sir

alan

 

[Richouse]

My reasoning is, that when something gets this out of hand to fix something as simple as changing a rim, I lose faith in the bike...
Sean

Changing the rim is not that hard. Sounds like the dealer didn't plan ahead and have all the stuff they needed, which is the dealer's problem not the bike's. Be glad that they said they would fix it at their cost, no it should not take this long. Wait for the repairs and see how it rides. I bet the first time you get on the throttle and it accelerates as smooth as silk through 100mph then you will forget all about that.... Good Luck

 

[Waaane]

Maybe I am all wrong here but it seems to me that if this bike has bad "head shake" and a seriously distorted rear rim. I would want to be looking at the front end very closely before I rode it very far.

The rear wheel usually travels where the front wheel has allready been. I would be suspecting that the front wheel may have been damaged and allready changed but other front end components may have been affected as well.

I hope i am wrong and this bike turns out to be fine.

Good luck

 

[Bounce]

And here inlies my question, would you trust this dealer to finish this repair properly, and that all will work when its done or would you take the bike when there done, and sell it for a 2006/2007.

my question would then be, if you don't trust the bike after they work on it, how can you (in good conscience) sell it to another person?

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

that when something gets this out of hand to fix something as simple as changing a rim, I lose faith in the bike...

Sean

Makes me wonder how the bike was treated and what it went through (get it checked at a good shop). It also makes me wonder how much herb the dealer is smoking. Everything in moderation, but they seem a bit overly incompetent for it to be natural stupidity and laziness.

 

[kaitsdad]

So - if the rear wheel is visibly bent - what did that bike hit? And keep in mind that the front wheel hit it first -

Assuming, of course, that it wasn't rear-ended by a cager - :blink:

You may want to have a heart to heart talk with the dealer that sold it to you. Just for grins, you might try a car-fax on the VIN number. Might turn up nothing, or might turn up a past history.

 

[Fred W]

So - if the rear wheel is visibly bent - what did that bike hit? And keep in mind that the front wheel hit it first -
Assuming, of course, that it wasn't rear-ended by a cager - :blink:

You may want to have a heart to heart talk with the dealer that sold it to you. Just for grins, you might try a car-fax on the VIN number. Might turn up nothing, or might turn up a past history.

Good point. Did anyone do a run-out check on the front wheel after seeing the carnage to the rear?

 

[kawwikid]

Thanks for all the replies about this. I just came back from the dealership where the bike is being fixed at, and I had them check the front rim. I stood there a watch the rim on the balancer and it rolls straight and true. Then they pulled the tire, and theres no visible damage. Then while the tire was off the bike, we checked it again, it rolled straight and true. I then had them check the forks, and the steering bearings, all seemed ok. I was thinking about how the rear rim only could have been bent. Maybe the previous ower curbed the bike? Or hit a pot hole just right? The bike is in super clean shape, and only has 2700 or so miles on it. Its never been down, and the frame and parts under the plastic all look clean and not abused..Dont know?

 

[ionbeam]

I was thinking about how the rear rim only could have been bent.

Rear ended?

 

[Scab]

It's really hard to say. Maybe the previous owner was a bit "supersized." That and a "supersized" S.O. and one little pothole would be all it took.

 

[Fred W]

It's really hard to say. Maybe the previous owner was a bit "supersized." That and a "supersized" S.O. and one little pothole would be all it took.

Hey! Hey! What kinda talk is that?

First we have guys throwing the "N" word around.

Now your dissing people of girth?

What sort of a forum is this any way?

We better shut this thread down fast.

Not because I'm one o' them, mind you, cause I'm not. Really.

But I know some of them and they are just like you and me on the inside.

[edit] :devil:

 

[El Toro Joe]

WHA WHA WHAT???

 

[zorkler]

what did your title say ? it could of been a totaled bike put back together.

 

[kawwikid]

I just checked my title, and its clean, no re-build/repair on it..The state of florida is pretty hard core about that stuff. If your a dealer and you sell a car or bike down here with out disclosing that it was in a wreck/rebuild you not only can get fined, but you have to return the money to the buyer and you might lose your lic..