I am Official!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kiteman11]

OK so here it is. I've been researching, looking, feeling, etc. about this damn bike we call the FJR for over three months. Today, I finally understand what the fuss is all about. I left my house in Cleveland, GA yesterday @ 5:45am and arrive @ D&H Cycle in Cullman, AL @ 10:00am eastern (they had just opened up). I went through the orientation with Nick in the service dept (awesome dude). He spent about 90 minutes with me showing me everything about the bike. Could not say enough good things about him. Then I spent a while waiting on my paperwork to be completed. Listened to Gerold talk about politics, Kawasaki, and God knows what else. He is an interesting dude to say the least. Tried not to even figure him out. I thought they were great people. Left the dealership after 3 1/2 hours and Nick helped me load and tie down the scooter to my trailer.

Drove home to Cleveland, GA and rode around the neighborhood @ 8:30pm just to say I did.

Woke up this morning and performed my only farkle so far - removing the idiot warning sticker from the gas tank!

Suited up and took off for the twisties of Trey mountain (Hwy75 north above Helen, GA towards Hiawassee, GA). This bike is incredible.

Real quick - some weird shit happened early. At the first stop sign, while downshifting from 3rd to 1st, the bike totally shut down with no warning. It immediately fired right back up and I had no other problems like this. Then, while riding through town, I decided to take a back road to the twisties. I put on my left turn signal and the hazards came on. I thought, weird. So I kept going and tested the turn signals. It kept going to hazards. After a few miles I stopped in a church parking lot and inspected everything. I turned on the hazards, turned them off, and shut the bike off and removed the key. I placed the key back in, started the bike, and then the turn signals worked perfectly. No other problems after that.

Now, the bike. WOW. I was amazed at the braking, the handling, and the exceptional comfort of this machine. I was also impressed by the natural braking ability of the motor to slow the bike. There is a real advantage to downshifting and letting the bike slow itself and then set yourself up to accelerate hard off of a corner. Just a great bike overall. Great purchase.

I know you want photos and I'm trying to figure out how to do that on here. Here are the details of my purchase:

Total out the door purchase price for the bike - $ 11,999.00

Total for the Y.E.S. warranty - $ 389.00

I left the dealership paying $ 12,388.00

Now, I will have to pay the 7% GA tax when I register the scoot this week - about $900.00

Still an awesome deal overall. Was able to buy riding gear, gas, and some basic farkles from the money I saved.

So I'm looking forward to meeting members of this forum and riding the fabulous Blue Ridge mountains with you since I'm right here.

Talk to you soon. I will post photos when I figure this shit out.

Kite :yahoo:

 

[Ric in Sac]

Awesome! Glad to have you among us. Trust me -- it only gets better from here. There is lots of room in the performance envelope to grow into.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Kiteman,

Congratualations!!! and Welcome. This bike is a real sleeper and hard to explain until you ride one... probably the closest to being in a plane without wings. All I know is you have to repeat this often and it never gets boring.

You got a great deal from some great folks.

 

[Jagermeister]

Ha! Your note about Jerold made me laugh; he is an interesting dude, and a good one. Did he and Nick give you the Kawa Lube speech too? It actually made sense to me, although unscientific.

My experience last Saturday was similar to yours yesterday, it's definately worth the trip to Cullman. They go the extra mile to make you happy, in addition to the great prices.

That mysterious shutoff has been discussed before...I think it may have something to do with the kickstand/ignition kill switch? The hazard light thing is just weird.

What did you use to get the sticker off? I don't tried bug n' tar remover, with no success.

Now, go put some sliders on that thing!

 

[Fencer]

Your wierd stuff is prob you learning a new bike.

You prob fat fingered the hazzards and kicked the kickstand setting of the kill switch. (all subconcious of course)

I can't tell you how many times I blew the horn while learning the turn signals.

And Welcome

 

[kiteman11]

Ha! Your note about Jerold made me laugh; he is an interesting dude, and a good one. Did he and Nick give you the Kawa Lube speech too? It actually made sense to me, although unscientific. My experience last Saturday was similar to yours yesterday, it's definately worth the trip to Cullman. They go the extra mile to make you happy, in addition to the great prices.

That mysterious shutoff has been discussed before...I think it may have something to do with the kickstand/ignition kill switch? The hazard light thing is just weird.

What did you use to get the sticker off? I don't tried bug n' tar remover, with no success.

Now, go put some sliders on that thing!

Ha Ha! YES, I did receive the Kawa lube speech! That's funny.

In regards to the sticker, I held a hair dryer to it for about five minutes and then just scraped with my fingernail. Took off the reside with Goo Gone and then went over the entire tank with some fresh carnauba wax. Slick as a baby's ass after that. Yeah, the weird stuff kinda freaked me out, but the gremlins never came back.

 

[Niehart]

Congrats! A little time on the bike & you'll be able to make it hum like that beautiful guitar. :guitar:

 

[kiteman11]

Your wierd stuff is prob you learning a new bike.
You prob fat fingered the hazzards and kicked the kickstand setting of the kill switch. (all subconcious of course)

I can't tell you how many times I blew the horn while learning the turn signals.

And Welcome

Think you're right about the kickstand thing. I was probably trying to adjust my feet. The turn signals though, I tested that several times and it did not go away until I stopped the bike, purposely turned on the hazards and then shut them off, turned off the bike and removed the key. That one was for sure nothing to do with me. But it has not happened since. I will keep you all posted.

 

[Lake Powell]

First of all welcome aboard, through out all of the novelty and uniquie characters here there is a ton of information!

Secondly, you have made a great choice, and I'm sure you will only become more excited about your FJR.

Wishing you many safe and happy miles.

 

[MrTwisty]

Congradulations, Kiteman!

Welcome to the dark side. Actually, in your case, the BLACK side.

Maybe you can make the next pie ride or something. We had a good time. Cold, but good.

 

[kiteman11]

By the way, for whatever reason, my palms (right one especially) were sore after this ride. Anybody have some suggestions on good gloves with heavy palm padding?

 

[MrTwisty]

By the way, for whatever reason, my palms (right one especially) were sore after this ride. Anybody have some suggestions on good gloves with heavy palm padding?

I like this little farkle.

Crampbuster

I recommend the thin one. That way you can put it out at the end of the grip so it doesn't always come into play.

I put my wide one on the clutch grip. It makes that side more comfy too.

 

[Jagermeister]

By the way, for whatever reason, my palms (right one especially) were sore after this ride. Anybody have some suggestions on good gloves with heavy palm padding?

Grip Puppies: Clicky I rode 323 miles back from D&H (no trailering for me ), and they helped quite a bit.

If you plan long-distance rides, you'll want cruise control, also. I got the MadCo cruise, and love it!

Unfortunately, you missed the Heli Bar group buy, but that mod should also take the stress off your hands.

 

[kiteman11]

By the way, for whatever reason, my palms (right one especially) were sore after this ride. Anybody have some suggestions on good gloves with heavy palm padding?

Grip Puppies: Clicky I rode 323 miles back from D&H (no trailering for me ), and they helped quite a bit.

If you plan long-distance rides, you'll want cruise control, also. I got the MadCo cruise, and love it!

Unfortunately, you missed the Heli Bar group buy, but that mod should also take the stress off your hands.

I'll keep riding for my break in. May try and adjust the bars with the factory adjustment built in.

 

[FuzzyRider]

Congratulations Kiteman - the FJR is an awesome bike. I've been smiling ever since I picked up my bike in June of '07.

As has been said here many times - get some sliders!!!!

Also, on the weirdness with the hazards, did you maybe have the hazard switch partially engaged? That does seem like a strange phenomenon but I'm glad to here it went away.

Now put some miles on the bike and farkle it out to your heart's content - it only gets better from here.

 

[Kevin Daly]

Welcome dude, aint it great? :shiteating grin:

 

[jwilly]

By the way, for whatever reason, my palms (right one especially) were sore after this ride. Anybody have some suggestions on good gloves with heavy palm padding?

I also recommend grip puppies, also you could try adjusting you bars to a different position and see if that helps.

Here's a link where you can buy them from a fellow forum member: Grip Puppies - PCA

JW

 

[NormK]

Kiteman

Excellent choice picking the FJR. Also it is important to buy from the right dealer. D&H assembly is first class and they spend as much time after the sale as you need. Little things like assembly of the locks for the bags. Some dealers use loctite because they can not tighten the screws. Nick told me he had to do some filing to make it fit tight and loctite should never be used here. I had the Kawi oil talk also. By the way, this is my 3rd FJR from them. I had a 03, 05 and now an 08. First one with ABS and I really like this capability. I was lucky to get a ride there in a car and rode the bike back home. It was only 180 miles and I got home just before rush hour traffic.

 

[MojaveFJR]

Congrats on your new purchase. That is a good deal on an '08, wow.

The more you ride the more you will appreciate the bike. Haven't had mine a full month and already over 1500 miles on it.

Check the head nut. Mine was loose. Bin O Facts has the torque value.