I think the price of all used bikes come down during this time of year....Nearing the end of the riding season for many. If you are in the market to buy then good for you. If your happy with your bike and arent planning on getting rid of it... then what does it matter.Even (God Forbid) the price of used Harleys have come way down. There was a time that a used Harley with low miles could command more money than a new Harley because the Motor Co. limited production so that created a waiting list for new bikes.
Glide ....
Thanx for the observations, but I think you are incorrect when you say that many are "... nearing the end of the riding season". It's August 9th for cryin' out loud ! The only people that are nearing the end of their riding season are above the Arctic Circle, eh !
I ride year round here in Southern New England (CT-land). If the roads are clear and dry ... I ride. So, I don't think buying a bike at this time will lower the sale price much, maybe a little. Plus, much of the country rides thru December.
So, I don't buy your opinion regarding the time of year. BTW, golf season is still ongoing, m'friend.
Here's what I think ... and don't get me wrong here. I think the FJR is one hell of a bike. It's very strong, very fast, agile, excellent braking and handling. And, it looks terrific. Even with bags. It's relatively EZ to work on and service. It's also relatively inexpensive to own ... and, to some ... to purchase. And, it's a blast to ride fast in the twisties. Acceleration is WOW ! for a bike like this. Yeah, the C14 may be a tick faster .... BFD .... the wrinkles are not worked out with the Kawa yet either.
I believe that folks may have grown tired of S/T bikes. They used to not be available here in the US at all. Then they dragged over a couple thousand. Those that liked them compared to sport bikes and BIG tourers bought them. Eventually, most of the S/T segment of the US became saturated .... and now, there are at least 4 or 5 contenders where there was once only 2. Maybe too much competition, now? But, the FJR gets little respect except from the hard liners here on the boards and from the early magazine 1st rides. Altho, it's a terrific bike, it has quirks (not as many as BMW by any sense of the word) that are difficult for some of us to master. Mostly, it's the riding position and comfort that puts most of those that find the bike intolerable off.
Yes, riding fast is nice. But, you can ride fast on lots of bikes for much less than the FJR. It's the S/T thing that I'm interested in. Fast Touring. I think Yamaha built this bike to be fast .... and only secondarily looked at the comfort level of the bike for the 'middle sized person'. S/Ting bikes should be sporty, but when you add some bags and call it a touring bike .... one expects excellent comfort outa the box, too. I can not find a good comfort level out of the box for the FJR. I'm very disappointed with this. I had hoped the S/T bike that Yamaha produced would be more comfy for me. I know that MANY find the bike comfortable. I'm very happy for you. I wish it were true for me. I'm not comfortable even with lots of aftermarket farkles ... custom saddle, risers, riser plate, grip puppies, larger windscreen, yada, yada. It's just me. I'm sure many would throw a leg over my bike and ride for days without a problem.
Anyway ... I think the low price on pre-owned FJRs and the length of time (often) to sell at a reduced price is a function of the dissatisfaction with the bike in general. I hope I am wrong.
I'm sorry ... I do go on. I apologize for my bloviating. And, altho I am not happy with my FJR, I still think it is a great bike in many ways. If only I could be comfortable on it .... (sigh)