After working fairly hard trying to make my '05 FJR more 'Wing-like for the long-distance riding I've been trying for the past 2 years, and losing a few months of prep time for this year's running of the Butt-Lite, the wife agreed that moving up to a 'Wing was just the thing (groan).
Anyway, after a few weeks of research this listing for a 2012 Airbag model shows up and I call down to make a deposit, then start debating between a fly-and-ride from (remember, the bike's in Florida, and I live an hour north of New York City) or taking the shipping route. Wanting to see this second-hand bike first-hand instead of blindly mailing a big check, I finally find a reasonable one-way airfare out of Hartford, CT (2 hours east.) God bless my wife, who agreed to leave the house at 5:00am last Saturday and drive home from there.
Arrived in Orlando, Fl just after 11:00am, then a shuttle van trip that only Gilligan himself could have plotted, had keys in hand the this beautiful 2012 with, get this, only 3,259 miles on her! Wanting to quickly do something about this dearth of road time, I finally headed north by 4pm. Stopped for dinner at a Chinese food place in Ocala, and stayed in a hotel just north of Augusta, GA before completing the 1,350 mile long trip home.
FWIW - this story made it's way around the office and and I felt like Ferris Bueller with all the rooting, back slaps and offers of help finding my way down to FLA on such short notice. Then the Monday morning showing up with the new (to me) ride, I felt like Barney Stinson retelling the legend -wait for it- dary story of the fly and ride. (Most of my co-workers just don't get the lure of long-distance riding)
So, I now have this great ride, and will be doing a lot more research, and almost certainly asking a lot of questions of this community. Get ready, there's only 9 weeks until the ride out to Denver for BL-VIII!
Anyway, after a few weeks of research this listing for a 2012 Airbag model shows up and I call down to make a deposit, then start debating between a fly-and-ride from (remember, the bike's in Florida, and I live an hour north of New York City) or taking the shipping route. Wanting to see this second-hand bike first-hand instead of blindly mailing a big check, I finally find a reasonable one-way airfare out of Hartford, CT (2 hours east.) God bless my wife, who agreed to leave the house at 5:00am last Saturday and drive home from there.
Arrived in Orlando, Fl just after 11:00am, then a shuttle van trip that only Gilligan himself could have plotted, had keys in hand the this beautiful 2012 with, get this, only 3,259 miles on her! Wanting to quickly do something about this dearth of road time, I finally headed north by 4pm. Stopped for dinner at a Chinese food place in Ocala, and stayed in a hotel just north of Augusta, GA before completing the 1,350 mile long trip home.
FWIW - this story made it's way around the office and and I felt like Ferris Bueller with all the rooting, back slaps and offers of help finding my way down to FLA on such short notice. Then the Monday morning showing up with the new (to me) ride, I felt like Barney Stinson retelling the legend -wait for it- dary story of the fly and ride. (Most of my co-workers just don't get the lure of long-distance riding)
So, I now have this great ride, and will be doing a lot more research, and almost certainly asking a lot of questions of this community. Get ready, there's only 9 weeks until the ride out to Denver for BL-VIII!
