Opinions on used 2005 FJR

[Happytrails63]

For sale locally there is a 2005 FJR non ABS with 18,000 miles. Have only seen photos so far so I really dont know what kind of shape the bike is in but they are asking $4700. No other farkles that I can notice on the bike from photos and thats ok. Wouldn't mind if it came with a tail trunk though. So what do you think price wise? Bike is about an hour from me and I am considering taking a ride over just to look at it. Anything in particular to look for? I like the low price and low miles but I had been actually saving for maybe a slightly newer model say 2009'ish. Just been watching this bike sit on the for sale block for the past few months and hasn't moved. I'm sort of up in the air about ABS. Always said my next bike would have it but my current bike doesn't.

 

[audiowize]

With mileage that low, you should be happier that it doesn't have ABS.

The '05's are very reliable, but it wouldn't hurt to know what (if any) recalls have been done. (If it ends up being a ticker, gen2 heads aren't hard to find, nor are they expensive)

I don't see any modifications on the bike at all, which is a good sign as a prospective buyer. I'd say go for it!

With such low mileage in so much time, you might be able to find something silly like a leaking fork seal or old tires that can help you bargain a little harder.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

With only 18K miles and that picture it looks like it has been locked in a time capsule. It is almost strange to see a bike that old still looking brand new and all stock.

Lots of refinements and upgrades have been done since the 2005 Gen1. If you have the money, the '13 and later bikes are really nice. Still, if that bike is as nice as the pics show, you can go coast to coast with that comfortably and reliably. That is a great platform.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Low miles and decent pricing, you might have found a gem there.

Good luck!

--G

 

[Happytrails63]

Have to ask, whats a ticker?

If it ends up being a ticker, gen2 heads aren't hard to find, nor are they expensive

 

[Happytrails63]

With only 18K miles and that picture it looks like it has been locked in a time capsule. It is almost strange to see a bike that old still looking brand new and all stock.
Lots of refinements and upgrades have been done since the 2005 Gen1. If you have the money, the '13 and later bikes are really nice. Still, if that bike is as nice as the pics show, you can go coast to coast with that comfortably and reliably. That is a great platform.

My thoughts as well. I think I'd like to at least have a looksee at this bike. If its very clean and runs well I might have to make a tough decision. But in the back of my mind I'm still thinking 09 or newer. Still saving and it just snowed a little more this morning so no hurry. I will just keep filling my piggy bank.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Have to ask, whats a ticker?

If it ends up being a ticker, gen2 heads aren't hard to find, nor are they expensive

A "ticker" is a Gen 1 that had valve guide issues causing an audible ticking sound. Most of them have already been fixed. I cannot remember if there were any '05s that actually had that issue, I thought it was with the very early Gen1 bikes.

A very friendly suggestion would be for you to master the Google search function for this forum. Our search function is sometimes not so good, sometimes it finds everything you want. Terms like that one get thrown about and we can be...Harsh to newbs that do not search. Save yourself some misery and do some silent research.

Good luck with your bike hunt. I do not think you can go wrong with this platform. In many ways it is more a matter of color preference than anything. You may want to spend some time in the Comparison Matrix going over the subtle and not so subtle differences between year models.

 

[Barn Boy]

I was fortunate to find a 2005 with 6,500 miles on it a year and a half ago. I have ridden for many years and every time I throw a leg over it, I get a grin on my face. The FJR platform is an amazing balance between performance, comfort and handling.

As far as the Gen I, II or III and refinements, you will get a lot of opinions about which one is best and why. I like my '05 so much that I convinced my son to buy an '09 FJR. I have got to ride it for a few miles. IMO the differences between the two bikes is not significant or a deal changer. There are a couple of things I like about his bike, but not enough to make me consider moving up one or two generations.

The non ABS might be a sticking point. My '05 has it. It is the first ABS bike I have owned and I am impressed with it. However don't let that be a deal breaker for you.

Go look at the bike. If it speaks to you, take it home. You won't ever regret being an FJR owner.

 

[ionbeam]

Have to ask, whats a ticker?

If it ends up being a ticker, gen2 heads aren't hard to find, nor are they expensive

A "ticker" is a Gen 1 that had valve guide issues causing an audible ticking sound. Most of them have already been fixed. I cannot remember if there were any '05s that actually had that issue, I thought it was with the very early Gen1 bikes.

A very friendly suggestion would be for you to master the Google search function for this forum...

To add on the RedFishes' correct statement... Ticker is a term coined here on the Forum, technically it is 'valve stem rattle' in the valve guides. Rarely found in the '03, even more rare in early '04 and almost unheard of in the '05. What if it is a ticker? How serious is it? What causes ticking? How is ticking fixed? Read this. And, the friendly suggestion to go to Google and type in MY SEARCH WORDS site:fjrforum.com is very good. After your search term you must type site:fjrforum.com exactly like that.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Go for it!...I'd see if you can get the price down a little.

 

[Fred W]

I agree, nice bike (I had one just like it once), but the owner is too proud of it. Get it down to closer to $4k. Otherwise, for not much more money, look what you could buy just across the border in OH. (5 years younger, less miles and some useful farkles for only a couple of grand more. That deal is a great one.

 

[timk]

Never thought of my 05 as old. Now I'm sad. 8O(

 

[FJReady]

I love my '05. finest bike I've owned. But I have to agree with Fred. Given its age and lack of ABS I think the asking price is too dear. That Ohio bike is a pretty nice deal.

Good luck. You'll love whatever FJR you end up with.

 

[hppants]

Also agree with Fred - That bike is priced about $800.00 over market.

Also, it appears that the windscreen and the seat are not stock, neither of which is a bad thing.

I had the same bike you are considering. Rode it almost 60,000 miles - enjoyed every single bit of it (except just one day, but that is nit picking).

I will never have a motorcycle again without ABS. Period.

Low mileage doesn't mean she's maintenance free. If I bought this bike, here's what I would do before I make the first long ride:

1. Tires - check the date codes. If the tires are more than 5 years old, pitch 'em regardless of mileage. They are hard, possibly dry rotted, and if you are not super careful (without ABS), they are going to be hard to handle at some point (DAMHIK)

2. Brake and Clutch flush with fresh fluid

3. Lubricate and grease all pivot points including clutch and front brake handles, rear brake pedal, shifter assy, center and side stand, and the rear swing arm.

4. Pull the air filter and examine. If dirty, replace. If not, reverse blow with medium pressure air and reinstall.

5. Throttle body sync.

6. Replace rear end differential fluid and grease the drive shaft splines.

7. Examine fork seals. If leaking, replace with new bushings. If not, flush old fork oil and replace.

8. Examine cam chain tensioner. If not the "Blue or Green Dot" variety, replace. The part is $75.00, takes an hour to replace, and is wonderful insurance.

9. Coolant system flush and fluid replacement. Examine the radiator for bugs and dirt. Do NOT blow with compressed air. Instead, flush with copious amounts of garden hose water.

10. Change the engine oil and filter.

11. Start the bike and warm it up to full operating temperature. Verify cooling fan kicks on at 4 bars, then cycles off at 3 bars.

12. Put a DMM on the battery and verify 13.0-ish volts at idle, 13.7-ish volts at 2500 rpm. Clean and re-tighten the battery terminals.

13. Pull the windshield motor cover off and lubricate the worm gear. Remove the windshield "auto-retract" jumper and pitch it.

14. Pull all light bulbs (head light, tail light, turn signal) out. Put a little di-electric grease in each bulb connector and re-insert the bulb.

IMO, you can wait to replace the spark plugs until your first valve check at 26,000 miles.

If you are even a mediocre mechanic and have a decent set of tools, you can do ALL of this over a weekend for about $200.00 plus the cost of the tires. Each one of these items has at least one thread on this forum on how to do it, some with explicit pictures and step-by-step instructions that EXCEED anything you can find in a service manual. We can also help you out with anything along the way.

Please don't get discouraged by this list. It's all a bunch of simple **** that you really should do to any used bike you buy. Take care of the FJR, and she will take care of you for many thousands of miles.

Good luck.

 

[FJReady]

Thorough list, pants. Nice work.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Thorough list, pants. Nice work.

Yeah, but Good Gawd! Am I supposed to be doing all that to my bike too? I may just drop mine off at hppants' house, leave a couple hundred dollars on the seat and pick it up later!

I was hoping that hppants and Fred W would chime in here as both of them put lots of wonderful miles on their '05 FJRs. I have lots of respect for that platform. As hppants will tell you, I never was able to keep up with him in the curves when he had his '05. That was a beautiful motorcycle.

I loved the '05 and will not attempt to discourage the OP from getting this bike. I will sort of disagree with Barn Boy though. While there may not be enough difference to the casual (or serious) rider to warrant an upgrade from the Gen1 to the Gen2, the Gen 3 is a whole other animal. I love all the FJRs but if I were given a choice, I will take the Gen 3 any day. Too many good things were done from '13 forward.

 

[deagle]

Bike sure looks clean. Personally I agree with a few others that for a "little" extra you could move up a few years and maybe lower miles (not that 18k is anything on this bike). As a former ticker owner, I am not a fan of the Gen I, even though it had the best seat and best gauges in my opinion. I know others have had wild success with them.

But otherwise no "huge" difference between the 3 generations outside of cruise control (which I find crazy valuable). And yes, it's my opinion and yours may vary.

(edited to add: Yes, the Gen III is the best of the bunch, but it does come with a substantial price bump and is not for everybody at this time)

 

[Big Sky]

I owned an '03, put 75K on it and sold it to brother-in-law, then bought an '05 with 21K and put 35K on that one, then bought an '05 last spring with 9K+ for $4,900 but it had the Yamaha factory trunk and mounts ($800?) and Beowulf mufflers ($550 retail). I just moved all my farkles from FJR #2 to #3. I have had zero mechanical issues with any of them. I am completely satisfied with my '05 set up just the way I like it. The FJR, in my onion, in any generation, is one of the best designed and engineered motorcycles of all time; tough, reliable and durable. There is a reason they are top choices and top finishers in the Iron Butt. They do everything pretty well and will do it for 200-300K and maybe more. What a fine combination of sport prowess, all-day comfort and drag racer power. The 650 lb. girl will power wheelie from a roll in first gear and with a spirited upshift you can lift the tire in second, too. Price: I agree with the others, too high. I'd take $4,000 in currency with me (if you're real serious) and spread the bills out and tell him that's how much you have for a purchase, take it or leave it...then actually be prepared to walk away. Nothing talks like a big stack of bills - 40 Benjamins! If you buy this, I don't think you'll ever regret it. If you want to spend more money, go for a newer one.

 

[Happytrails63]

I agree, nice bike (I had one just like it once), but the owner is too proud of it. Get it down to closer to $4k. Otherwise, for not much more money, look what you could buy just across the border in OH. (5 years younger, less miles and some useful farkles for only a couple of grand more. That deal is a great one.

Thanks for the link Fred! Appreciate that. Fits my budget too. Unfortunately the silver color just doesn't do it for me. Maybe that sounds lame but its just personal preference is all.