Consummated on 4/17/16

[ionbeam]

There, I said it. This picture was taken on the maiden trip on a warmer, salt free February day. Then on another day we made one more trip to FJReady's place to watch a '14ES being worked on. Two quick little trips. Then it snowed, salted, snowed, iced over, salted..... It's hard to feel like you own a new motorcycle if it just sits in the garage waiting for the trees to leaf out. Then, last Sunday we got -- sun -- plus a warm day both at the same time so we got our first real ride. The kind of ride that lets you know that you really are the owner of a new motorcycle. After a fun, day long ride that was a RTE, a tour of NH and VT plus enjoying our NERDS riding companions, we rolled home with the break-in mileage completed. Since that picture was taken there are now T-Rex engine and bag guards, TecSpec High Fusion protectors, GPS, radar detector and dropped passenger pegs. I'm waiting for some WynPro mirror/light brackets so I can get the electrofarkles installed. Hopefully when I get home tonight there will be a new windshield on my front steps

I have seats ready to go to Russell and boy do I need those seats, Sunday turned into a real pain in the ass

I'm waiting to get all this done before considering if bar risers will be needed.

In '14 I met Skooter and the Yamaha Demo truck in time to see Fred W pulling into the parking lot after his demo ride. He was jumping up and down on the pegs yelling YAHOO. Then it was my turn to ride the Red Beauty and it was love. I gotta get me one of these things! When I returned from the ride I discovered that Fred was already inside buying what was supposed to be my '14 ES

Well it couldn't have gone to a better owner. Then in '15 I took care of some $$$ matters keeping an eye on a new Red ES in NY that was still available late in the year. Finally I was ready to buy and discovered that by a week or two I was too late, the bike was sold. The scope of my shopping area increased a lot, I was looking thousands of miles away for another '14 ES. Then I found a couple in PA and one in NJ and discovered that another NERDS was looking at the very same bikes

Buy By February I was gonna buy something, no matter what its color or lack of color, heck, even AssFault Gray would do. I had noticed that a local dealer did have a '15 ES in stock so on a lark I thought I would stop in and see what would happen.

There was good news right away, Jennifer that I have known from a couple of dealerships was sitting at her desk with the '15 ES in a corner right behind her desk. It's always helpful to know your dance partner. Jennifer knows my '04, she was involved my my CCT recovery project and knows that I had 110k miles on the bike. Anyway, she offered me $1.5k more than my minimum acceptable price for my '04. So now lets dance a new dance with the '15ES. After a few twirls, without stepping on toes she suggests a price that would be a really good for a '15A. Umm, it's looking like I'm going to be an owner of The Gray Ghost. She looks at me and says YES? And I say NO. I confess I'll be buying YES elsewhere. She asks just where 'elsewhere' is. I tell her about D & H and their price. She takes a big breath and says ok, I'll match the price and our chief financial officer is gonna hate me. Jennifer was right, their financial person hated the entire deal. Purrrrrr

A couple of weeks later we got a really warm day, it was almost 32° so I rode my '04 over and rode a '15ES home. Refer back to the picture and the opening paragraph.

And that's why I wasn't buying Ed's pretty Red FJR which he listed here just a few weeks too late. However, when I was at FJReady's house he had a chance to play with the '14ES in his garage and look at my '15ES and then he says that, "this might have been very expensive..." and now FJReady owns Ed's pretty Red FJR.

Don't ya just love a story with so many happy endings.

========================================================

Picture taken at Parker River Wildlife Center at Plum Island. I guess it's time to go for a ride and find someplace nice to take a new avatar picture.

 

[rushes]

I don't care what people say, I love that color or the lack of it.

Congrats!

 

[El Toro Joe]

 

[SkooterG]

*sniff* *sniff* I love a great story, even if it is an ugly story.

Congrats my friend!

 

[FJReady]

Finally Alan, the story is told. We were all a wondering.

BTW, I pick up my 'new' ES tomorrow. NERDS Gen 3 percentage goes up a few more points...

Funny how things work out. When you stopped by to look under the hood of Rick's 14ES, I had no idea I'd own one someday. I was married to the idea of riding a 2016ES before deciding what year ES I'd be in the market for.

But when I saw Sno Cats bike, I started crunching numbers with my cost/benefit analysis hat on. As much as I love that 2016 blue paint, the clear winner for me was a pristine low mileage 2014. And Sno Cat is a joy to work with. I can't wait to see that new Chevy!!

See ya around the 'hood.

 

[Canadian FJR]

Good for you, congrats.

Canadian FJR

 

[Redfish Hunter]

What an awful looking hunk of crap. AssFault Gray is a terrible color. Fred's bike is much better looking.

Okay, I lied. I truly love that color on that bike. I get happier with mine every time I ride it. My compliments on your choice of a top box BTW. Are you going to add the optional cushion on the front of the V47 for Mrs. Ionbeam?

Please let us have your impressions of the Gen3 and ES combination and let us know how your wife likes the new accommodations.

I have been waiting to see how you would announce this, Very Well Done.

 

[Niehart]

Congrats, now changed your bike year. Oh and I'm jealous .... JSNS

 

[stose85]

Congrats on the new ride. She sure is a looker

 

[ionbeam]

Congrats, now changed your bike year. Oh and I'm jealous .... JSNS

Oh ya. Done. Thanks for the reminder, heaven knows I don't remember much these days. A new avatar will be coming in a few weeks. This coming weekend will be a real, literal NERDS pig-out so there will be no pixs then.

Umm, does my opening post also count as a One Picture Ride Report? :lol:

 

[Niehart]

Yes, yes it does.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Outstanding!!!

Long awaited news that's great to hear!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Congrats, now changed your bike year. Oh and I'm jealous .... JSNS

Oh ya. Done. Thanks for the reminder, heaven knows I don't remember much these days. A new avatar will be coming in a few weeks. This coming weekend will be a real, literal NERDS pig-out so there will be no pixs then.

Umm, does my opening post also count as a One Picture Ride Report? :lol:

Alan, try to have one wheel off the ground in the pic.

 

[lonerider]

Beautiful bike, hope you have many safe and enjoyable miles on it.

 

[ionbeam]

...My compliments on your choice of a top box BTW. Are you going to add the optional cushion on the front of the V47 for Mrs. Ionbeam?
Please let us have your impressions of the Gen3 and ES combination and let us know how your wife likes the new accommodations....

The V47 trunk sits so far forward, there isn't room for a back cushion but with the back armor in Mrs 'beam's coat she doesn't miss it and never had a pad on the OEM trunk of the dearly departed '04. I have seen Givi trunk relocation threads, I may have to look into this.

Based on the first 600 miles Mrs 'beam loves the bike. On the very first ride she noticed the more relaxed feel from the overall lower gear ratio and she also noticed and liked the suspension (longer rear swing arm). Having 3k miles of experience on a K1600 with ES the suspension was in the range of 'expected'. She said it would take a longer ride on Fred W roads to see how it really works.

So, last Sunday we got Fred W roads. After a fine breakfast at Fiddleheads in Hancock NH we set off for the day. Just like a Fred W day, within the first 10 minutes we were on a dirt road. After >300 miles it was clear that the suspension was up to the worst winter ravaged roads.

There are still some things to sort out for Mrs 'bearm. She was dressed for Arctic riding on a day that was in the upper 70s and it got to her legs turning them into mush and the new knee went numb. This was further complicated by the OEM seat and the T-Rex bag protectors encroaching on her foot space. By the end of the day she was unable to get off the bike, even after sliding down onto the driver's seat. We are going to have to figure something out about this. I guess we just have to go for a ride again and try something new

 

[LKLD]

Welcome to the Gen III fold, and congratulations!

 

[BikerGeek99]

Nice!!

 

[Uncle Hud]

Fine looking bike! The quickest color, and it matches beautifully with gold levers and hi-vis riding gear. Congrats, Professor!

 

[Mudslide Miller]

Out of likes for the day so LIKE! Enjoy your new ride Alan!! Post up some pics of the T-Rex bag protectors when you get a chance. Interested to see how they look.