First FJR sold in USA

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Barabus

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I did the search, but do not get the answer I want. I guess the first FJR sold in the USA was in spring 2003?

 
It was mid July '02 if I remember correctly. The guy worked at a dealer. You might still be able to research the info on the Euro board. At the time, it was the main FJR board. I can almost remember his name, but not quite. (The mind is a terrible thing to lose) I'll bet somebody else comes along here shortly with who he is. I do know he no longer has it.

 
I know a guy from Tulsa got his in June of '02, but don't know what number his was for delivery to the USA.

 
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Just to muck things up: There was at least one person who shipped one over from Europe the year before they were sold here. I remember it being discussed on the Concours listserv.

 
There was an interesting development with the delivery of the 03's as I recall....which is why I ended up with my bike. The last shipment of bikes was supposedly caught up in the dockworkers strike on the west coast and they sat in a ship for quite awhile waiting (somewhere) to be unloaded. As a result of a lot of 03 waiters gave up as the riding season ended. Mine was one of those that the original owner refused the bike since it had not arrived by late October. It came into the dealer in Michigan in late November along with quite a few others that were caught up in that last shipment that was delayed. I picked it up two days after it came in and rode it home on the 23 of November....in a snow squall. At least that is the story I heard.....works for me since I got an 03 out of it even though I missed the early order requirement.

 
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Just to muck things up: There was at least one person who shipped one over from Europe the year before they were sold here. I remember it being discussed on the Concours listserv.
the europe-only fjr was quite the talk on the fj list back in 02 (i think?). that summer during the fj rally, a bunch ofus were pulling into that gas station/food mart in tellico plains, tn, you know, the main one there, and there's this bike parked there; and our jaws drop in our helmets, as we realize it's an fjr. dude went over to europe, for some reason i'm thinking france or germany, and shipped it over in parts, so he could be the first one to have an fjr here in the states. he was from the area, tellico plains or somewhere near the smoky mountains. he said it took several months and 5 or 6k dollars just to get it done. he was real accommodating, and let those of us who asked sit on the bike and get pics of it and all. that was either in may or september of that year.

 
I got mine (#276) delivered on July 31st, 2002. Picked it up the next day.

I believe that first one in the U.S. was a red one, wasn't it?

 
My 03 FJR was ordered the last week of the PDP. I saw a pic of it in my Motorcycle Consumer News, and went down and ordered one, came home and got on the internet to find out what I had just done to myself. I'll never forget seeing that pic and reading the stats about that bike. When I got to the 145HP, I knew I had to have it. Mine also got caught in the dock strike, and what should have been a September/October delivery was pushed back to at least December. One night in early September I was looking in the paper, and what would you know, A local BMW dealer had a used one with 1,000 miles on it. I called him and put a depost down on the phone, and picked it up the next day. It cost me my 500 depost, but I just couldn't take it anymore. The Old board was alive with the guys getting their bikes, and the thought of losing the whole season was just to much. Best $500.00 I ever gave away. I believe the bike I ordered was VIN ending in 1284. I wonder where it is now......

 
I don't know where mine is on the list but I ordered it in feb 02 and got it in early july in wash. it is #218

 
Correct TWN. It was Roachman who took claim to the first delivery on 7/11/2002. As far as I know, he was the first PDP bike delivered in the states.

 
Correct TWN. It was Roachman who took claim to the first delivery on 7/11/2002. As far as I know, he was the first PDP bike delivered in the states.
Dat's what I'm remembering, too. Seems that this same question came up on .ws many moons ago.
I bet Roachman was king of bike night for a few months!!! Wonder why they call him Roachman? Hopefully, drugs and not bugs. LOL.

 
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There are still some pics of the delivery over on the registry. The '03 I ended up buying used was VIN 0501. Is that familiar to anyone? It was well on it's way to being a ticker when I sold it, I would love to find out it's story over the last few years.

When he took delivery and posted the pics, I remember thinking that there was a guy who was luckier than a guy dating Miss America and winning the lottery all in one day. :lol:

 
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I may have the dubious honor of having the last '03 -- #1324. Dealer called late Nov/early Dec and I rode it home abt the first of Jan 03. This was in N. MN (abt 100 mi from the Cdn border) -- but, we had one of the rare warm spells that happen once-in-a-while and the roads were clear. Needless to say, it sat inside for several months after getting it home.

 
Yeah, he was a dealer in Mount Pleasant, SC. He sold me my bike. He no longer works for that dealer, and just before he left the dealership he was looking to trade up to an '04; don't know if that happened. (and for the life of my can't remember his name, or wait a minute, I'm thinking it was David Roach) And yeah, there used to be a picture of him and the bike on the 'other' forum.

 

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