On the fence

[irishcurtis]

Nice to be here ya'll. I prefer this forum to the other FJR forii I have visited.

Considering (heavily) a 2008 AE, but also considering a return to BMW twin (likely a GS Adv). Let me tell you why and you can then offer any suggestions and/or scathing criticism.

Why the Yamaha: that ENGINE!!! This would be my second Yammy, sold a 2003 RSV in Dec and it was a great experience. Reliability.

Uber-hightech auto-clutch. Bottom line it's probably A LOT more bike for A LOT less money.

Why the BMW: I'll admit to some snob appeal. This would be my second BMW, my 1981 R100/7 was also a great experience. Rugged good

looks. Go-anywhere reputation (deserved or otherwise) A prime consideration, though, is the dealership/service factor.

The local BMW shop is damn near a boutique staffed by like-minded mental deviants with a hardcore obsession with customer service. Really the kind of place you want to HANG OUT and they seem to treat their clientelle like my Lexus dealer treats me (loaner bikes, frequent events/rides, a willingness to BS an hour or more with a POTENTIAL customer). By comparison, both local Yamaha shops are cinder block holes staffed by stunted post-adolescents and the service department blamed ME for every bit of warranty work I brought in with my RSV.

So, how do I find a deserving dealership? Is there a database here of great/good/fair/poor dealerships and service departments? Can Yamaha really rival the dealership experience offered by BMW?

I hope to be around a while here. There really is a lot of useful info here and I like most of what I read. thanx in advance for any input

Curtis

 

[Barabus]

Personal preference. Cannot go wrong either way. I think one factor for me was whether or not I wanted factory warranty on all the farkles but for the 3x price. I was fine adding the frarkles myself and saving the money. I do not hang out a dealerships, but FJR forum does offer a good group of guys to ride with.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Considering (heavily) a 2008 AE, but also considering a return to BMW twin (likely a GS Adv). Yammy, sold a 2003 RSV in Dec Can Yamaha really rival the dealership experience offered by BMW?

No, and with respect to the FJR, they don't need to.

Given the two (other) bikes you've mentioned, the FJR may be excessive in the engine/performance department? :blink:

You'll never get the "Roundel Effect" with a Yamaha... (IMO).

Harley is also good at what you're looking for....

 

[Old Bear]

I looked at both the FJR AE and the BMW RT and went with the Feejer. Price was a Major consideration. I love the electronic clutch and the guy who came up with the heated grips should be sainted ABS is excellent.

The stock windshield on the Yammer really bites. Figure on replacing it VERY soon after buying! A LOT of noise and Turbulance!!!!

The RT was a great bike and I liked the features (except for the sticker price!) I've got two BMW dealers within an hour and a half. One is much as you described...A place that seems to appreciate your business, goes out of the way to help you (I just bought the wife a new set of riding gear there last week!) The Other BMW shop seemed to have "an air" about it. Almost like they're doing you a favor to even "show" you a bike. And forget about a test ride, etc. etc.

Bottom line, you can get good and bad dealers with ANY brand. I'd suggest you get the BIKE you like and then find a dealer your happy with. I've got two Yamaha dealers within 15 miles of me, but I go about 80 miles to one where they appreciate my business (and they are NOT the dealership I bought from-I bought from a large "wholesaler" type 230 miles from here because of Price!

Good luck and enjoy the ride. Remember though that the FJR and the GS are NOT really the same thing at all (the RT's closer and the K1300GT closer still). You'll be pleased with either bike, but get the one that suits YOU!

 

[rockmurf]

Since it appears price is not an issue for you I would recommend the bmw. You seem to have found a wonderful dealer and that is a rare rare commodity today. Buy the beemer and if it turns out you don't like it you can sell it and buy the fjr. I haven't pulled the trigger on a bmw due to dealers, price and reputation of late for lack of reliability. Best of luck in whatever you decide. ps I am tickled with my 06 fjr 40k miles later, still smiling large.

 

[DeweyIsgod]

Buy the BIKE - not the dealer. You can't ride the dealer.

If a reasonable yamaha dealer isn't close by, many on this forum have had great experiences with D&H in Alabama. They'll give you a great price and pick you up from the airport when you go to ride it home.

 

[RadioHowie]

I'm a bit confused by your dilemma...

Were you trying to choose between an FJR and a 1200 RT or 1300 GT, I might understand your consternation a "little" bit better, but you are choosing between REALLY different apples and oranges.

Ass-u-me you mean an 800 or 1200 GS? Wow...nice bikes, but the intended purpose between either of those models and an FJR can be measured in practically astronomical details.

Your member profile doesn't mention your location, so I'm left wondering if one of your intended purposes is to go "off road"?

In that case, buy an FJR AND a KLR. Then pocket the change.

 

[xbmwscoot]

Nice to be here ya'll. I prefer this forum to the other FJR forii I have visited.
Considering (heavily) a 2008 AE, but also considering a return to BMW twin (likely a GS Adv). Let me tell you why and you can then offer any suggestions and/or scathing criticism.

Why the Yamaha: that ENGINE!!! This would be my second Yammy, sold a 2003 RSV in Dec and it was a great experience. Reliability.

Uber-hightech auto-clutch. Bottom line it's probably A LOT more bike for A LOT less money.

Why the BMW: I'll admit to some snob appeal. This would be my second BMW, my 1981 R100/7 was also a great experience. Rugged good

looks. Go-anywhere reputation (deserved or otherwise) A prime consideration, though, is the dealership/service factor.

The local BMW shop is damn near a boutique staffed by like-minded mental deviants with a hardcore obsession with customer service. Really the kind of place you want to HANG OUT and they seem to treat their clientelle like my Lexus dealer treats me (loaner bikes, frequent events/rides, a willingness to BS an hour or more with a POTENTIAL customer). By comparison, both local Yamaha shops are cinder block holes staffed by stunted post-adolescents and the service department blamed ME for every bit of warranty work I brought in with my RSV.

So, how do I find a deserving dealership? Is there a database here of great/good/fair/poor dealerships and service departments? Can Yamaha really rival the dealership experience offered by BMW?

I hope to be around a while here. There really is a lot of useful info here and I like most of what I read. thanx in advance for any input

Curtis

I have owned quite a few R series BMW scoots 1150 and 1200 RT's mostly.

PM me, I'll give you my phone#, and we'll talk.

realize though, that after BMW, I NOW own Yamaha.

 

[becoyote]

I currently own both. I had a 1200GS and now have my 00 1150GS back that I did the translab on and Alaska. My FJR is an 08.

It is an awesome combination but if I had to pick one I would keep the GS. While the GS is not the burner that the FJR is, the FJR just can't go the places that I've had my GS.

Nice to be here ya'll. I prefer this forum to the other FJR forii I have visited.
Considering (heavily) a 2008 AE, but also considering a return to BMW twin (likely a GS Adv). Let me tell you why and you can then offer any suggestions and/or scathing criticism.

Why the Yamaha: that ENGINE!!! This would be my second Yammy, sold a 2003 RSV in Dec and it was a great experience. Reliability.

Uber-hightech auto-clutch. Bottom line it's probably A LOT more bike for A LOT less money.

Why the BMW: I'll admit to some snob appeal. This would be my second BMW, my 1981 R100/7 was also a great experience. Rugged good

looks. Go-anywhere reputation (deserved or otherwise) A prime consideration, though, is the dealership/service factor.

The local BMW shop is damn near a boutique staffed by like-minded mental deviants with a hardcore obsession with customer service. Really the kind of place you want to HANG OUT and they seem to treat their clientelle like my Lexus dealer treats me (loaner bikes, frequent events/rides, a willingness to BS an hour or more with a POTENTIAL customer). By comparison, both local Yamaha shops are cinder block holes staffed by stunted post-adolescents and the service department blamed ME for every bit of warranty work I brought in with my RSV.

So, how do I find a deserving dealership? Is there a database here of great/good/fair/poor dealerships and service departments? Can Yamaha really rival the dealership experience offered by BMW?

I hope to be around a while here. There really is a lot of useful info here and I like most of what I read. thanx in advance for any input

Curtis

I have owned quite a few R series BMW scoots 1150 and 1200 RT's mostly.

PM me, I'll give you my phone#, and we'll talk.

realize though, that after BMW, I NOW own Yamaha.

 

[happyPuppy]

Are you shopping for a bike or a dealer? Pick the one you want to ride a GS Adv. is not an FJR. I have not had any dealer issues and I expect the bad ones are what you hear about most of the time.

 

[kbacon]

Irishcurtis--earlier comment said it all--"pick the bike, not the dealer". I'd much rather ride my FJR than have my back scratched by the dealer. What will you do for the dealer when you are out of town? Either bike offers a good ride but for me there was no contest when all factors were considered. Enjoy your choice and ride safely.

Irishcurtis--earlier comment said it all--"pick the bike, not the dealer". I'd much rather ride my FJR than have my back scratched by the dealer. What will you do for the dealer when you are out of town? Either bike offers a good ride but for me there was no contest when all factors were considered. Enjoy your choice and ride safely.

 

[markjenn]

Tough comparison as the FJR is a big, open-road, fast-as-hell, strictly pavement bike, while the GS Adv is the ultimate utility, swiss-army-knife bike. If you really intend to ride the BMW as it was designed (as an adventure bike on many different road surfaces), get the BMW - it will do a ton of things that the FJR won't, while still being a very acceptable highway tourer. But if all you are going to be doing is highway touring, why not get the FJR - it's smoother, more powerful, more comfortable, has better wind protection, cheaper, and probably more reliable.

If you don't mind two bikes, get the FJR and a 650 Strom. About the same money and the best of both worlds.

I'm actually seriously considering culling my herd from seven bikes (three are classics) down to two. The only bike I currently own that I will keep is my DRZ400S. But all the rest would be replaced with one: A BMW R1200GS Adv. But it only makes sense if you want to do everything with one bike.

- Mark

 

[WBill]

The dealer/shop at home is an important consideration, that's for sure. But it's the dealer far from home that can make or break a trip. That's where BMW fell short for me. WBill

 

[beemerdons]

irishcurtis: RadioHowie hits the nail on the head, you are looking at two completely dissimilar motorcycles in your searching.

Since you are asking this peanut gallery for our two cents, why don't you pick up an R1100GS and a Generation One FJR?

"Mi Mexico Mule" a 1996 BMW R1100GS is sitting out in my garage with 111,000 miles on him and is good for another 111K!

"Miss Lucy Liu" my 2003 FJR is the nicest motorcycle I have ever owned bar none, this is from a guy that got his first BMW in Augsburg, Germany in 1969 and has put over 500K miles on Beemers. I do intend to buy a 2010 BMW K1300GT for my return to Guatemala City to attend the Moto Clubs Mexico Rally being held in State of Chiapas from October 15 thru 22nd.

But regardless of buying the new K1300GT, I'll never/ever give up my Lucy. They will bury her with me, she's my favorite!

If you are absolutely hung up on needing/wanting/desiring the auto clutch of an AE then this advice is just a tinker's damn.

But you can find cherry R1100GS's for $5K and sweet GEN I FJR's for $7K at www.cycletrader.com Have best of two worlds!!

 

[jjsC6]

I agree with the other posts above. One more thing to consider - my FJR is almost three years old and has 34,000 miles on it. It has been in the shop exactly once in those three years. So how important is the dealer? I don't mean to over state that - I buy my Hondas from a dealer owned by a guy who has been a friend for many years.

On the other hand, from what I've heard about BMW's (and have one friend with one), having a good BMW dealer might be important because they seem to need to go back more frequently.

 

[Fred W]

A couple of thoughts:

If you're buying an Adventure bike, one would assume that you'll be going on Adventures. As in: Far away from your local dealership. Probably far away from ANY dealerships for that matter. If you really plan on this kind of riding, you should probably be at least half way competent at making your own repairs. Or carry some really good hiking boots.

If you aren't buying the Adventure bike for Adventures, you are probably after a particular image. But that's OK, lot's of people buy expensive bikes to achieve one kind of an image or another.

A bike that is a "jack-of-all-trades", will be a "master of none". So if you will be primarily using the bike a particular way, there are probably better choices available for less money.

I've owned my FJR for 3 years now and it has never yet seen the inside of a dealer's shop. The fact that there are no great dealerships near home doesn't really bother me much, so long as they stock, or can get, parts. However, the likelihood that there is a Yamaha dealership (of some kind) nearby when out on the road is a bit better than with BMW.

 

[Jimusma]

Curtis-

I own both an FJR and a BMW R1200GS.

I own both of them because they do different things. Both are wonderful bikes that have taken me on numerous adventures. Bottom line up front: You can't go wrong with either bike.

That said, IMHO, the BMW is superior in fit, finish, overall build quality. This is not a put-down of the the FJR, as it has proven itself a reliable, steady runner. However, I believe that components and fasteners used on the BMW are of superior quality to the FJR.

Of course, you pay a premium for the BMW. Certainly, a strength of the FJR offering is the highly capable package at a very attractive price-point. Said another way, the FJR is a lot of Bang for the Buck!!!

I tend to use my BMW GS on the East Coast, where we have tighter roads, and more varied conditions in closer proximity to each other. I tend to use the FJR out on the West Coast, where I find more wide open spaces, and longer distances to cover.

There is a sense of community amongst BMW riders. In general, BMW riders seem to be interested in serious, long distance riding. They tend to be more concerned about the function of a motorcycle, rather than the form. The FJR community of riders seems to share these interests, and when I have ridden my FJR to gatherings of BMW riders, I have felt comfortable and included. BMW Corporate seems to actively promote this sense of community among its subscribers, though I have not witnessed Yamaha Corporate try to do the same.

Once again, both are great bikes. You will not be disappointed with either. Do the logical thing, and get both!!!!

Good Riding!!!!!

Jim

Albany, NY

 

[Rls]

Might check on how good the BMW dealer is at fixing leaks from the BMW rear end assembly. Sorry

 

[RadioHowie]

Might check on how good the BMW dealer is at fixing leaks from the BMW rear end assembly. Sorry

You might want to redefine "leaks from the BMW rear end assembly."

Some consider a little bit of oil seepage around a cam cover gasket, for example, as "leaks".

Others consider the catastrophic oil loss in failed BMW final drive units as "screen doors in submarines".