Is it weird, or uncommon for my age to want one?

[FJR&R]

I really think that a lot of riders want their FJR to be so special that a 17 year old rider couldn't handle it. If you have 6,000 miles on your 636 then you have about 6,000 more miles than many of the FJR riders that I know had when they bought their FJR. Heck, you have more miles on your 636 than a few FJR riders have had in the last two years on their FJRs!
Where you are lacking is in years of experience that will enable you to read situations better, understand options better, and snap to corrective action faster. Never get complacent on a bike, in, or out of traffic. Be safe Jon.

To me, it sounds like you are a good candidate for the bike.

The down payment, the good gear...all that goes a long way in case the unexpected occur. Good thinking. The less credit you are in, the better. Most times credit = slavery so use it wisely and keep your freedom.

By the way, when I was your age it was 1984 and I absolutely drooled over the following bikes:

BMW R100RS. R100RT

Honda Gold Wing and Silver Wing

Yamaha Seca 750 with fairing and sidecases

Kawasaki Spectre 1100

If wanting a powerful, sport touring, or touring focused bike is odd at your age, you aren't/weren't the only odd one.

Kudos on the Seca 750! She was my first love. Bought her new in '81 when I turned 16. Stolen when I moved to Portland in '87.

 

[sirfonners]

At 17 years old, if you get the FJR, we're gonna read about you in the paper, aren't we? That would be because, due to your FJR, as already mentioned, the MILF's will look at you and the young girls won't. But that means you will end up nailing your teacher, and that my friend will make national news!
I hope she's as hot as Ms. Miller was from my high school days! That would have been worth it!!!

lol i thought you were going to suggest me in the obituaries

but i like your idea better

 

[exskibum]

Saving to pay in full is good advice, but it pales in comparison to this wisdom:

oh..one last thing....DO get the FJR before you get married.....MUCH easier to get something like that when you don't have to justify it to an S.O.

If you don't, you may have to wait until you get divorced. (Disclaimer: there is a small chance you'll find an understanding woman, but don't count on it.) If you OWN it (no payments) when you get married, and you're able to maintain it yourself (less community property dollars going toward it), then all you have to do is hold out insistently as if she is talking about cutting your testicles off (she is) when she decides there's a better community property use of the money tied up in that motorcycle.*

*[SIZE=8pt]I know of a well beloved '78 Suzuki GS1000EC (among other separate property possessions) that met just such a fate once upon a time.[/SIZE]

 

[djsmith1000]

Insurance and the bike price itself are factorsI have already looked into, when I check progressive it was only $180 something a month for good coverage

Geez, maybe being old ain't so bad!!!!! Mine's just over 400 buck for a year! Comprehensive, collision, liability, yada yada. Just turned 50.

Oh, and get the AE.

[Thread hijack] DJS, Does it get weird switching around bikes and having to remember that neutral isn't at the bottom any more? [/Thread hijack]

NOPE!!!! It just sucks having to hold the clutch in at intersections! I dont typically use much of neutral anyway. The AE is so different that I kinda have separately developed reflexes for each type of shifting. Makes it easy to switch.

 

[ponyfool]

DO get the FJR before you get married.....MUCH easier to get something like that when you don't have to justify it to an S.O.
Ray

I told my wife, "I'm about to enter my mid-life crisis years, I need something to ride, make me happy, and have fun with! You decide whether it will be a girlfriend or a motorcycle." She picked the motorcycle!

Of course, the conversation didn't quite go like that, but that's how I'll always remember it!

 

[RayW]

DO get the FJR before you get married.....MUCH easier to get something like that when you don't have to justify it to an S.O.
Ray

I told my wife, "I'm about to enter my mid-life crisis years, I need something to ride, make me happy, and have fun with! You decide whether it will be a girlfriend or a motorcycle." She picked the motorcycle!

Of course, the conversation didn't quite go like that, but that's how I'll always remember it!

:rofl:

I've got to say I think I've got the best wife in the world. Last year, we were discussing the cost of gas and how much I was spending for gas to take my truck to work every day. I was being a smart ass and told her that the savings in gas alone would make the payments on a new(er) bike. Next day we started looking at bikes!!!

I was being a smart ass again when I pointed out the add for the FJR, which was really more than we wanted to spend, and told her it was my dream bike. She called me at work the next Friday and asked if I wanted to go look at it!!

I think I'll keep them...the wife and the FJR ... :yahoo:

Ray

 

[quietguy]

"I think I'll keep them...the wife and the FJR ... "

I'll keep the FJR.. but I dumped the wife 3 years ago - both excellent choices.

 

[sirfonners]

i guess maybe i was wrong

every girl i have show a picture of the bike too

has told me it is awesome looking

and that they want a ride

this pic does do the feejer a great service imo

 

[blackarrow]

Alright, so I am 17 years old, I turn 18 in may. I have been riding for about 3-4 months now have about 6 thousand miles on my current 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R. I love riding, and I am so glad i got into it. Recently i have been riding too my mom's in sacramento from my dad's in san jose. It takes me about 3 and a half hours taking back roads(i take) or 2 hours from the freeway(dont take)

Hi and welcome! Hang out awhile here, it's a great place to be. Most of us are a little fanatical about our FJR's, but that's because they really do inspire that kind of enthusiasm and devotion.

It's such a coincidence you wrote this. You are not alone. Really, I mean literally. Two weekends ago I was out joyriding and ended up at Fort Gibson dam. They opened the flood gates because of heavy rains recently and it was awesome. I took a walk and when I came back there was a very nice young man admiring my FJR. He was 17 and on a Ninja 650. It was a mutual admiration because I think there's a lot to like about his (your) motorcycle. At any rate he wanted something heavier and more comfortable to take trips on. And he was tired of hauling everything in his backpack all the time. FJR's are quite rare in my neck of the woods (I have yet to spot another one). Mine was the first one he saw and it was love at first sight.

Whatever you decide, have fun and enjoy life!

 

[Rogue]

DO get the FJR before you get married.....MUCH easier to get something like that when you don't have to justify it to an S.O.
Ray

I told my wife, "I'm about to enter my mid-life crisis years, I need something to ride, make me happy, and have fun with! You decide whether it will be a girlfriend or a motorcycle." She picked the motorcycle!

Of course, the conversation didn't quite go like that, but that's how I'll always remember it!

:rofl:

I've got to say I think I've got the best wife in the world. Last year, we were discussing the cost of gas and how much I was spending for gas to take my truck to work every day. I was being a smart ass and told her that the savings in gas alone would make the payments on a new(er) bike. Next day we started looking at bikes!!!

I was being a smart ass again when I pointed out the add for the FJR, which was really more than we wanted to spend, and told her it was my dream bike. She called me at work the next Friday and asked if I wanted to go look at it!!

I think I'll keep them...the wife and the FJR ... :yahoo:

Ray

Well I had a bike when we dated, had a bike when we got married and she knows I love her but she also knows if it was a choice between being single and being bike less I'd have a bike.

 

[Rondo777]

Do it! Theres nothing wierd, you know what you want and how you want to ride. I've had only cruisers since 17 and all my friends have been on crotch rockets. Believe me, any trip over an hour or 2 and your buddies will be offering you to trade bikes for a while. I'm 45 now and just went from my 1993 Suzuki intruder 1400 to my new FJR and coundnt be happier. A group of 5 of my friends all bought R1's and R6's just a week before I made my change and there already jealous. As far as your being able to handle the bike, Im 5'7, 230lb, years and years of working out so stronger than the avarage but you'll find it a piece of cake to handle. I'm tippy toed on the thing, you got and inch or 2 to spare?

Good luck and be safe with whatever you decide upon