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darty411

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I had a 2007 and then went the Harley route for a few years and now I have a chance to buy an 2004 with only 11,000 miles at a good price..Any issues or concerns with the 04? thanks in advance.....

 
Yeah. Why's it only got 11,000 miles on it. What was wrong with it that it couldn't be ridden?

:p

 
my '04 has been fun and steady.

But, you asked for concerns: you're in So. Carolina, reputed land of muggy, hot weather.

The '03 - '05 didn't have the improved heat management of the '07 you had; my guess, without good basis,

is that if you ride in stop and go traffic in your region, you will feel the engine dumping heat a lot more than on your old '07.

I recall a reference to threads here about how to place insulation in an '04 to closely duplicate the heat management

of an '07, but I've never read them myself.

I do find the '04 stock seat (still in use at 63,000) is bit more comfy than the newer FJR seats I've sat on.

welcome back.

 
Since you already had an '07, then you're familiar with all the quirks of the platform. Myself, I'd do a careful inspection and make sure the fluids aren't too murky and there isn't rust in the gas tank.

The GENI's can also develop exhaust valve guide wear and become a *ticker* as they're referred to. The odds are pretty slim...but the potential is there. You're also in for a lot more engine heat in the fuel tank area.

--G

 
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What's a good price?

Better replace all fluids and tires if they have been on the bike for years. With only 11k it may become a ticker, mine did at 10k. Not all Gen 1's had the tick.

Best color and will be faster than the genII :lol:

 
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

 
"War and Peace" and you didn't even mention the price. Sheesh!!!

Tell us how much you paid for your "new" 04 so more of us can hate you. :p :p :p

 
Look up 2004 FJR/Clean/Low Mileage in the BLUE BOOK,

look up the WHOLESALE price,

then deduct a few hundred ...

[;{)

BUT then,

add in about $ 400 for importing the FJR into Canada,

add in the cost of an oil change and filter,

PLUS the cost of a set of Michelin Pilot Road 2s,

plus the 2 days of hassle involved in sorting out the Recall Letter and US/Canuckistan cross border stuff,

end cost ...

still a GREAT deal!

As for the ride home from Reno to Port Angeles ...,

PRICELESS!!!

 
Look up 2004 FJR/Clean/Low Mileage in the BLUE BOOK,

home from Reno to Port Angeles ...,

PRICELESS!!!
Which book? "Kelly" Blue book?

There are several 'books' you can use. KBB is generally falsely high.

NADA is the one dealers use in my experience.

 
So,

how much did you pay for your wife's wedding ring???

[;{)

LAZ 1

 
Its going to be one of those 'If I tell you I'll have too shoot you' deals..... I can see it coming already.... :assassin:

 
I hesitated, but here goes...I love my '04...has 142k miles on it

You used to own an '07...it had ABS stock...my '04 doesn't and my next bike definitely will

I would purchase an '04 in a heartbeat, but it HAS to have ABS

ok there...

 
Well,

according to my local Canadian BMW dealer's Blue Book,

at a fair market RETAIL resale value of $ 8500 Canucklehead Bucks,

my near mint 2004 FJR is worth a bit more than your wife's engagement ring ...

and the much smaller depreciation on the FJR makes it a much better investment than your engagement ring

SO,

subtracting the PLUS 4 % exchange rate

[ exciting multi colored Canuck Bucks to drab, boring, old monotone US bucks ],

plus the $ 400 extra to import the bike into Canada,

plus the $ 500 for oil & filter the NEW Michelin Pilot Road 2 tires,

plus the $ 100 spent on meals and gas having my brother in law put me up and drive me around while the TPS recall was getting done,

AND,

by WAG [ wild assed guess ] I guesstimate that the FJR came in at about 50 % of current Canadian RETAIL resale value.

Or,

to put it another way,

if I mark up the FJR 100% over what it cost me

[ same as your local used bike dealer would do ]

why then,

given the square root of PI,

and the fact that here on Fantasy Island we can ride our motorcycles all year round,

and given that the law of supply and demand will over ride all else,

I might actually make a few $$$ when I sell it.

Maybe!

Perhaps?

SO,

Any body want to by a mint 2004 FJR at FAIR market value??

AND NO,

I will not trade the FJR for an engagement ring.

My wife is very happy with her engagement ring ...

the FAUX diamond set heart shaped silver ring,

that we found on a beach,

next to a grave yard,

after a hurricane,

when we were down in Mexico on vacation.

PRICELESS!!!

[;{)

LAZ 1

 
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And to think that the OP only wanted to know if there were any issues with the '04 model. A borderline NEPRT question. :blink:

Regardless, I think this thread has outlived any semblance of usefulness and if people want to blather on...they should PM, set a date for afternoon tea, or get a room. <_<

 
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