GAMBLING ON A USED FJR?
While on vacation in California, on my way to Reno Nevada for a weekend,
I just bought a 2004 FJR with 17K miles on it.
AND,
I bought that FJR without even a test ride.
Reno was the wife's idea as a weekend getaway ...
mostly because we had never been there before,
and we were already near by, at Lake Tahoe.
I'm not really much of a gambler ...
although buying a used bike without a test ride could be considered "gambling".
So, considering the odds below as I saw them, I decided to take that gamble ...
and a week later, after riding the FJR home to Canada and registering it here in BC, it looks like I won.
?GAMBLING ON AN FJR?
1.] The FJR was being sold by an elderly gentleman with several bikes in his garage,
all clean and shiny and looking like new ... even the dirt bike!
This seller was a mature, experience rider who kept his equipment CLEAN!!!
2.] Vendor's stated reason for selling the bike was
" I'm getting too old to ride much, I haven't put more than a few thousand miles on it in the last few years, and the plates and insurance expire in a few weeks."
A quick check of the oil change/maintenance records confirmed the oil/mileage.
3.] His garage floor was cleaner than my fridge, and every tool was EXACTLY where it should be.
4.] The asking price, before the dickering started, was close to the Blue Book WHOLESALE of a clean/lo mileage FJR!
5.] I've owned two other FJRs.
SO,
there you have it ...
the proverbial FANTASY / DREAM used bike deal.
MINT looking bike,
LO MILEAGE,
"ONLY RIDDEN ON WEEKENDS BY A LITTLE OL' MAN"
I checked the oil [ a little dark with record indicating 2000 miles since last change ],
I checked the tires for pressure and wear [ 40/40, with some tread wear at the rear, and some slight cupping at the front, but enough tread to ride home on]
and I asked about the battery [ two years old ...
he was the kind of guy who started up the bike every month or so to keep it charged ].
Then I started up the bike fro myself,
and listened to the throaty sound of the REMUS exhaust pipes burbling away.
I was sold!!!!
A bit of dickering,
"TIRES ARE WORN/BATTERY IS IFFY/CASH!!!!",
we agree on a price,
I hand over the CASH, grab the Pink Slip and a quick bill of sale,
a quick gathering up of all the loose bits that went with the FJR
[ including a NEW shop manual ... and he let me use his soon to be expired CAL plate and insurance ]
AND,
I hopped on that FJR and rode it to RENO for the weekend.
Then, I rode it 1500 miles back to Canada.
Day 1 of the ride North was a 12 hour day. ZERO problems with the FJR. Judging by my rides on my previous FJR [ 1" risers and CORBIN seat ] I expected to be a bit sore in the back and shoulders, but I was pleasantly surprised the next morning to find that a stock FJR seat and bars fit me perfectly.
In between the riding, I spent a day in Bellvue, Wa, getting the notorious TPS recall done. This recall [ and the Recall Clearance Letter ]was an absolute necessity to allow the FJR to be properly imported into Canada and then properly registered here in BC.
Got home safely,
all the paper work has been done,
and now I am riding around on a MINT 2004 FJR at a price that was considerably less than I would have paid locally.
I think I'll call my new FJR
"SERENDIPITY".
Sometimes,
on the way to some where else,
you just get lucky!
Next week,
after an oil change and some new Pilot Road 3 tires,
we are off to the Horizon's Unlimited Rally in Nakusp, BC. We will probably ride at least 2K that trip, and judging by my previous experience with FJRs, it should be comfortable, pleasant, and trouble free riding.
[;{)
LAZ 1