Found an 04 non abs? How do I not insult this guy?

[Patriot]

Thank you everyone for responding, I will be talking to this gentlemen tonight. The bike is 1157 miles from me which would include a fly and drive, and an Ironbutt cert on the way home which is a positive, not to mention a break down of the bike when I get home to make sure nothing shifted in flight. I wish I could get the !@#$ pictures up but there not from a website they are jpegs..... Just keep the add's coming! 04 non abs. Thank you again everyone. I am new here and let me just say you folks are a stellar group. Cheers to you all. :yahoo:
Phillip

First of all my friend, this is a BUSINESS transaction...not a reunion or a family matter

he's not your mama, daddy, girlfriend, sister, or brother...and during the attempt to make a deal, he's NOT your friend

that may or may not come later

he's the one to define an insult, not you...bid or offer what you wish and let the chips fall where they may

only allow logic and no emotion into the deal until you are leaving...whether on the bike or in your cage sans bike

the emotion comes if and when you take your first ride on YOUR bike after a fair and amlicable deal you can afford with no surprises

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

OK now:

It's the age old debate of high mileage well cared for vehicle vs the low miles garage queen

Below is quotes I grabbed off forums about this question

This is just to think about and consider...I make no judgement and have purchased both kinds of used vehicles

My '04 Feej was purchased from Southern Cruiser Jay here on the forum when he bought a new '08

It had 72k miles when I rode it home in Sept '08

He was maintained it meticulously and it shows

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

My biggest concern is the fuel system. Gasoline turns into varnish after sitting for long periods of time and will foul up the small passages in the injectors. If they stored it without gas in it or drove a tank through each year, that might have prevented any issues.

Even when stored under good conditions, Japanese "rubber" parts seem to deteriorate at least as much with time as they do with use.

Cars need exercise before they become fat and bloated with corrosion and leak like a steel colander!

Any car that's been sitting for a significant length of time will need recommissioning; any part of it that involves fluids, rubber, or moving parts (which doesn't leave much out). In that regard, it doesn't much matter whether it's a new car that's been cocooned as an (alleged) investment, or whether it's a 30 year-old car that's simply been parked for the last 5 years from lack of interest.

The questions always come up for a vehicle that sits, since the lack of fluids circulating allows rubber to dry out, and parts that don't move corrode, freeze or deteriorate.

 

[Patriot]

Oh, with what I know now, I would not purchase a bike every again WITHOUT ABS...

I'm fortunate that my early motorcycle riding included racing dirt bikes...enduro which was like a car rally through the woods

My right hand and foot are still holding my dirt bike reflexes and skills learned when I ride my '04 non abs feej

I have five finger abs, but I would love if my gen I feej had stock ABS on it and my next bike definitely will; no doubt.

I'm afraid in rainy Looziana, that might rear it's ugly head in a panic stop on a low friction surface and I'll be testing ATGATT up close and personal.

 

[foshow150]

Thank you for that other thought in regards to a bike that sat to long... I will ask hime if he turns it over or takes it on short controlled bursts around town. Thank you for the different angle to think on Patriot.

 

[Texan]

I agree with the comment about ABS. Worth it.

 

[foshow150]

note taken about abs.... I had it on a bmw, and i don't have it on the harley. note taken... Thank you.

 

[James Burleigh]

Non-ABS would be a non-deal for me.

 

[El Toro]

Will it melt my stich to my leg? I hope not I have got a hook up on a heat blanket project at home so... I will cross my fingers :dribble:
Thanks for the reply!

Phillip

The pipes on my FJR melted synthetic pants until I learned how to keep my legs further out. The heat never bothered me, but it made short work of the pants.

The synthetic would melt and stick to the pipe, where it would get chipped off.... It took a couple of weeks to sort this out, and it got sorted out by me adjusting my natural riding position to a different one.

 

[El Toro]

I agree with the comment about ABS. Worth it.

I have had ABS on a lot of bikes, including the FJR, and it has always seemed like a waste of money .... until last week on the new Rocket III, which does not have ABS.

In the second ride in the rain, before the pads were bedded and the tire was scuffed, I tapped the brakes on a downhill approach to a light in traffic, and it felt like a tractor trailer jackknifing. Stuff locked. The rear was coming around to my left, and the front felt like it was folding. I let go of both brakes, and got righted without going down, then downshifted and tapped again - this time even more gently. That's the first time I've ever wished for ABS on either two or four wheels. Maybe I'm exaggerating. I might have liked ABS on ice in the cage a time or two.

I nearly pulled both hips out of joint in the righting maneuver. Getting 800 pounds to go where you want is exciting. I think the low cg helped with this save though. The bike wanted to be righted, and I just had to do some coaxing.

They've put ABS on the Rocket III Roadster, but its not on the Touring.

In any event, the next dry ride was spent scuffing tires and bedding brake pads. It feels much more progressive now. I can't wait to give it a go in the next rain event.

As for the point of this thread, i.e., FJR prices, the dealership I traded with had sold an 06 with super low miles the week before for $6500. Trade values have been dropping like a rock in KBB this spring (much to my chagrin). Retail used values have held up, but that may be in part due to the lag in reporting sales.

There are plenty of bikes out there for sale. Don't worry about insulting a seller. No one else is.

 

[madmike2]

1.) Your 'Stitch will be fine. Many FJR riders wear them without issue.

2.) ABS vs. non-ABS. That's your call. I didn't have it on my '04 but do have it on my '05. Yes...it has saved my bacon one time during an emergency stop when a young lady pulled out of a gas station driveway. My fault, as I should have anticipated and planned. :blink:

ABS may save you in that kind of situation but if you can use it as leverage to pry the price down..... :dntknw:

3.) PRICE is the issue. I agree with the general consensus of this thread that the particular '04 is a bit overpriced. There are others available, including the Classified Ads on this forum.

In the end, any decision is yours and ours alone. After that, we are here to enable help you with the necessary farkles, etc., and then we ride. :yahoo:

 

[foshow150]

Again the joy of reading other folks thoughts, well as luck would have it I have a meeting with a guy that has an 05 abs version 20 minutes away from my house and that just might be the the one. I thank everyone for their replies. and take care of yourselves.

Phillip

 

[fljab]

They've put ABS on the Rocket III Roadster, but its not on the Touring.

That doesn't make any sense - to me at least; the touring model is the one you'd want it on the most as you're more likely to be riding it in the rain and basically unpredictable conditions as you, you know, tour...

 

[foshow150]

They've put ABS on the Rocket III Roadster, but its not on the Touring.

That doesn't make any sense - to me at least; the touring model is the one you'd want it on the most as you're more likely to be riding it in the rain and basically unpredictable conditions as you, you know, tour...

Well I had a choice with the bmw but, the harley came to me under a different situation.

 

[James Burleigh]

I commute every year in the winter, in a lot of rain. I don't like it; in fact I hate it, but it's better than taking the BART metro. (Whenever I hear the silly phrase that motorcycle riding is about freedom, I realize for me it's the freedom to come and go to work as I please, on my schedule.)

Anyway, I'm not smart or experienced or skilled enough to not lock up my brakes in a "panic" stop while commuting in the rain, so I'd just as soon have mechanical help. (Not that it wouldn't be useful on dry or sandy surfaces too--just last week while doing my usual lunch walk around the campus perimeter, I noticed a street on my left that slopes downward right to the stop sign, and in the center of the lane, about 10 feet long by 4 feet wide, was a swath of sand, and I thought of my ABS.)

So bottom line, now that I know about ABS, I wouldn't buy a bike without it.

DD

 

[rogerfjrfaster]

MadMike

Said it best its your desion,every thing else is a opinion. ABS is well worth having as my 04 did wish I still had it but followed someone elses idea and sold mine and it was loaded to the hilt.

rogerfjrfaster :yahoo:

 

[El Toro]

They've put ABS on the Rocket III Roadster, but its not on the Touring.

That doesn't make any sense - to me at least; the touring model is the one you'd want it on the most as you're more likely to be riding it in the rain and basically unpredictable conditions as you, you know, tour...

I think it is a matter of evolution. The Roadster is the latest model, and they're realized they ought to have ABS, so it got on the Roadster. When they've sold down the Touring model inventory, I would be surprised if ABS weren't included there too.

Another oddball decision that we might ponder is that the Roadster's gas tank capacity is larger than the Touring model. This could be a matter of styling, or a matter of the fueling program. I am getting 40 mpg with the Touring on real 87 octane gasoline (no ethanol).

If I were starting with a blank sheet, I would put the bigger tank and the ABS on the Touring model, not the Roadster. The British M/C industry has always been full of surprises.

FWIW, I'm a big guy, and the R3T is the most comfortable bike I've ever been on. The power to weight ratio sucks compared to the FJR, but the torque curve makes everyone elses claims for tractor-like performance pale in comparison.

 

[SkooterG]

MadMikeSaid it best its your desion,every thing else is a opinion. ABS is well worth having as my 04 did wish I still had it but followed someone elses idea and sold mine and it was loaded to the hilt.

rogerfjrfaster :yahoo:

I think I saw your old FJR listed on Craigslist the other day......

 

[bikerkash]

My advice would be to find an 06 or newer. Yamaha made many refinements starting with the 06 modle year. I just purchased another new 08 AE for $10,500.

 

[foshow150]

:yahoo: Well folks found an 03 with 38oo miles on the ode, and started farkin' this is a awesome bike and an awesome forum. Thanks for everones input.... Happy riding!!! :yahoo:

 

[pjm204]

:yahoo: Well folks found an 03 with 38oo miles on the ode, and started farkin' this is a awesome bike and an awesome forum. Thanks for everones input.... Happy riding!!! :yahoo:

What did you have to give for it? (I'm continually trying to justify the amount I paid for my '03 with 3300 on it)

 

[RadioHowie]

:yahoo: Well folks found an 03 with 38oo miles on the ode, and started farkin' this is a awesome bike and an awesome forum. Thanks for everones input.... Happy riding!!! :yahoo:

What did you have to give for it? (I'm continually trying to justify the amount I paid for my ticking, busted-*** '03 with 3300 on it)

Just helpin' ya out! :lol: