Ready to pull the trigger

[Fred W]

The AE is just not being imported to N. America at least for 2010. It is available just about everywhere else in the 2008 Gray color and 2009 Black A color.

It is not entirely clear if this is the case. In the other country's web sites they are still showing '09's.

I have not seen a 2010 AE anywhere, including other countries. Which all makes sense. If they were still making them, they would still be bringing them to the US.

Naturally, they are down playing their dropping the AE model. Maybe by shelving them for 2010 they are trying to create a big demand for 2011? I have not read any sort of a position statement from Yamaha one way or the other.

I don't get what the big deal is about an added ECU and clutch actuator . Some people seem freaked out about technology and anything new. I guess we should go back to carbs, no ABS, chain drive etc as the only options?

What people are "freaked out" about isn't the new technology. It's the idea of having this new technology fail and not having a dealer support network that is capable of fixing them. Fuel Injection, ABS and drive shafts are all mature technologies and pretty well understood. They seldom fail and the shops seem pretty capable of working on them when they do. There have been more than a few cases of debilitating "Shift Errors" on the AEs where the dealerships and Yamaha tech support network seem unable to diagnose and repair the problems.

 

[fastpappy]

Welcome from the Big Apple. :clapping: Love my 09AE. :yahoo: Pay no attention to the Nay Sayers. Those F1 open wheel racers don't consider themselves losers as they paddle shift around. Beats the hell out of all that lever action in traffic andI don't believe the AE is gone for ever. Just resistance to new ideas.

 

[cruppelt]

It's just always funny to see how some of the guys on this board are ranting about the AE and it's "high failure rate". Never mind the Looser picture that gets recycled every so often. Please note that these guys do not ride AEs themselves. Yes, there are some guys out there having had trouble with their AEs, one in particular I have heard and read about here on the board with a 2006 who had lot's of electrical gremlins after he did a whole bunch of farkling himself, but there are a very big bunch of AE riders out there that DO NOT have problems with their bikes or shift errors, and you don't ever hear from them about the AE being prone to trouble...

Fred,

Your post prompted me to look at a whole bunch of Yamaha sites, including their Japanes sales, and both the Yamaha Germany and Yamaha UK websites.

First off, the Japanese website does not list ANY FJR anymore, old or new. They only list the naked version, XJR1300. No difference between A and AE model on that one!

The AE is called AS in Europe, 17.995 Euros (way to much IMHO; the A is way up there as well with 16.995), and they show the AS as a current model in 3 different colors. They don't show the model year clearly in the listing, but when you click on the PDF, it's the 2009 document. The point is though that they also only show the 2009 A pdf!!! They did update most other bike listings to 2010.

The only websites I could find clearly listing the current FJR as 2010 where the US and Canada sites. I don't think that the picture is very clear yet in any way about what FJR models where in the world.

 

[Fairlaner]

Having ridden both bikes several times I would have to say that the AE SUCKS................

R

 

[cruppelt]

Having ridden both bikes several times I would have to say that the AE SUCKS................

R

You are all allowed your own opinion.

I'm just glad we are all getting along and respect each others bikes.

 

[Fred W]

It's just always funny to see how some of the guys on this board are ranting about the AE and it's "high failure rate". Never mind the Looser picture that gets recycled every so often. Please note that these guys do not ride AEs themselves. Yes, there are some guys out there having had trouble with their AEs, one in particular I have heard and read about here on the board with a 2006 who had lot's of electrical gremlins after he did a whole bunch of farkling himself, but there are a very big bunch of AE riders out there that DO NOT have problems with their bikes or shift errors, and you don't ever hear from them about the AE being prone to trouble...
Fred,

Your post prompted me to look at a whole bunch of Yamaha sites, including their Japanes sales, and both the Yamaha Germany and Yamaha UK websites.

First off, the Japanese website does not list ANY FJR anymore, old or new. They only list the naked version, XJR1300. No difference between A and AE model on that one!

The AE is called AS in Europe, 17.995 Euros (way to much IMHO; the A is way up there as well with 16.995), and they show the AS as a current model in 3 different colors. They don't show the model year clearly in the listing, but when you click on the PDF, it's the 2009 document. The point is though that they also only show the 2009 A pdf!!! They did update most other bike listings to 2010.

The only websites I could find clearly listing the current FJR as 2010 where the US and Canada sites. I don't think that the picture is very clear yet in any way about what FJR models where in the world.

What's even funnier is all the AE owners that feel compelled to justify their choice.

Hey, if you like it, good for you. That doesn't mean it's going to suit everyone. Nor does it make it "superior" in any way.

The fact that the majority of model year leftovers are the AEs sends a clear message to anyone open minded enough to see it.

And the guy you are referring to (Shane Stump) did not have a "heavily farkled" bike. That was what the inept dealers tried to tell him. But in the end they realized the problem was in his bike and not with (or due to) the added accessories. Nor is he the only AE rider to have SHIFT error problems that were hard to diagnose.

It is very clear that there will be no AE in the US for 2010.

The only thing that is not clear is why all of the other countries don't show any 2010 FJR models.

 

[thewoodman]

Sailrider,

I purchased my 2008AE in September 09. I was little reluctant but could not pass up the price and after riding it a few miles I found it to be just fine. You just have to learn a couple new techniques for u-turns and low speed turns in general.

I have just over 1400 miles on mine including a trip to CFO last September. The bike was great with the exception of the seat which is common for me on all bikes I have ridden.

The only negative if you want to call it that is the lack of being able to pull the clutch in and coast to relax the right hand a bit. Going down hill for instance. This is not a big issue with a crampbuster and will be taken care of in the next couple months with the installation of a CC.

Just for reference, I picked mine up here in Wisconsin brand new from a dealer for $9900.00 plus Tax, title and lic. No other fees. I think it was around $10500.00 OTD.

I heard later about the questions regarding the warranty. I called Cypress with my VIN and was told my bike is under full warranty and eligibale for the Y.E.S. I was told that if the bike was shipped from Yamaha the full warranty applied. If the bike shipped to the new dealer from another dealer the bike still carries the mechanical warranty but they will not cover cosmetic damages. That's what they told me anyway. I don't remamber what she said about the Y.E.S on the dealer to dealer bikes.

One more thing, if you jump back on a clutch bike you will most likely stall it a few times at stops. This happens when you forget about the clutch and let go of the bar in first gear . It makes for good laugh from your fellow riders. DAMHIK.

Hope this helps.

Greg

 

[dustyrains]

If you buy the AE, get the YES. More complexity, more to go wrong. I have had some problems with it, but YES replaced the entire clutch actuator. But then I have the first year AE. Others have had 0 problems with it. The damn thing is just funner than hell after you spend an hour or so adapting to it. Full throttle runs up through the gears make you feel like a hero. About two hours ago, the tire tech at Vicious Cycle in Portland was finishing up mounting my new PR2's. He pushed it out of the service area to take it for a safety check ride, so I wandered over and gave him a 30 second instructional on the paddle switches. He took off and went wherever he goes to make his ride check, came back, and said, and this is an exact quote, "Damn, that was great. Who needs a clutch?" I just grinned and said, "Fun, ain't it?" Fun factor aside on the open road, purring around in city traffic is great. You can use your left hand to eat a candy bar, pick your nose, flip someone off, put your visor up, put your visor down, without any concern of accidentally stalling the engine. And you will feel like a genius when you get hung up in a freeway stop and go situation. So I say, don't listen to the naysayers, take a chance on something different. You won't regret it.

 

[cruppelt]

What's even funnier is all the AE owners that feel compelled to justify their choice. Hey, if you like it, good for you. That doesn't mean it's going to suit everyone. Nor does it make it "superior" in any way.

The fact that the majority of model year leftovers are the AEs sends a clear message to anyone open minded enough to see it.

I guess I am in agreement with you on the AE not being a better bike in any way, just different. If I would have gotten a similar A bike with the same amount of farkling done to it for the same price I might have chosen that instead of my 2006 AE.

But I do have a very different take on why there are so many AE leftovers in the US as in comparison to Europe, and that is all the dealers in the US that advertised the AE over the years as a bike with an automatic gear box. Another reason just might be other FJR owners talking about it as a lesser bike. There is plenty of that to be found here on this board for potential new buyers looking. Also, I wish that somebody would have some hard numbers on how many AEs had gearbox related issues compared to how many were sold here in the US. I just don't think the percentage is really as high as folks think.

Pertaining your comment about the AE owners being especially defensive... I do want to remind you about how "normal A owner" members react when their bike gets bashed (what was that chicks name again? :dribble: ).

And the guy you are referring to (Shane Stump) did not have a "heavily farkled" bike. That was what the inept dealers tried to tell him. But in the end they realized the problem was in his bike and not with (or due to) the added accessories. Nor is he the only AE rider to have SHIFT error problems that were hard to diagnose.

I do not want to comment on this. I heard a very different version of this story from a fellow board member.

It is very clear that there will be no AE in the US for 2010. The only thing that is not clear is why all of the other countries don't show any 2010 FJR models.

That statement is quite right. I had just wondered that you questioned that the AE might not be continued in other countries as well.

All is well.

 

[ScottyUSN]

I own a 2008AE.

If I went to the dealership, and both versions of the 2008 (A and AE) were available for the price I paid... I would have bought an "A". Why? Because I was used to a motorcycle with a clutch. Do I miss the clutching at times? Sure.... But that is offset by the occasions I am stuck in stop and go, or even in town traffic with the AE.

After a few hundred miles with my new AE I had no regrets with my purchase. Especially considering what I paid for it.

AE's have simply not caught on well in the US. I suspect in a few years this option will be used and excepted by more.

I do agree the YES warranty to any FJR is a wise purchase, but more so to the AE.

 

[dustyrains]

I own a 2008AE.
If I went to the dealership, and both versions of the 2008 (A and AE) were available for the price I paid... I would have bought an "A". Why? Because I was used to a motorcycle with a clutch. Do I miss the clutching at times? Sure.... But that is offset by the occasions I am stuck in stop and go, or even in town traffic with the AE.

After a few hundred miles with my new AE I had no regrets with my purchase. Especially considering what I paid for it.

AE's have simply not caught on well in the US. I suspect in a few years this option will be used and excepted by more.

I do agree the YES warranty to any FJR is a wise purchase, but more so to the AE.

+1 what he said above. Motorcyclists are actually a fairly conservative group, IMO, as a whole when it comes to accepting new technology, e.g., there are some around that still question the value of ABS on motorcycles. I guess I am one of the "bleeding edgers" that welcome new motorcycle technologies. Like the on-the-fly adjustments to suspension, fuel mapping, traction control, ABS, etc that BMW and others are introducing. Remember back when electronic ignition was being introduced? How many of us older guys in motorcycling had our doubts about that? What, no points? I don't trust that electronic black magic ****. Give me something I can repair myself on the road. Sounds funny now.

 

[dustyrains]

I own a 2008AE.
If I went to the dealership, and both versions of the 2008 (A and AE) were available for the price I paid... I would have bought an "A". Why? Because I was used to a motorcycle with a clutch. Do I miss the clutching at times? Sure.... But that is offset by the occasions I am stuck in stop and go, or even in town traffic with the AE.

After a few hundred miles with my new AE I had no regrets with my purchase. Especially considering what I paid for it.

AE's have simply not caught on well in the US. I suspect in a few years this option will be used and excepted by more.

I do agree the YES warranty to any FJR is a wise purchase, but more so to the AE.

+1 what he said above. Motorcyclists are actually a fairly conservative group, IMO, as a whole when it comes to accepting new technology, e.g., there are some around that still question the value of ABS on motorcycles. I guess I am one of the "bleeding edgers" that welcome new motorcycle technologies. Like the on-the-fly adjustments to suspension, fuel mapping, traction control, ABS, etc that BMW and others are introducing. Remember back when electronic ignition was being introduced? How many of us older guys in motorcycling had our doubts about that? What, no points? I don't trust that electronic black magic ****. Give me something I can repair myself on the road. Sounds funny now.

Just had another thought along these lines of the acceptance of new tech in motorcycles. I am going to stick my neck out and predict that in a few years, the new Honda VFR1200 with the duel clutch option, which allows manual shifting with a finger paddle, like the AE, or allows completely automatic shifting, will outsell the standard manual version.

 

[Fred W]

I think there is a really big difference between an auto clutching system and ABS, Fuel Injection or Electronic ignitions. In the case of the former the old method (manual clutch) really doesn't have a problem that needs to be "fixed". All three of the latter items are "improvements" over the older technology from safety and equipment performance standpoints.

What you say about the VFR dual clutch autoshifter may very well come true. By design (if not implementation) it is superior to the Yamaha incarnation of auto clutches. But there will always be curmudgeons out there like me who just wanna do it ourselves.

I'm sort of shopping for a replacement cage for the spousal unit. We both prefer manual transmissions, as neither of us will drive the car in city traffic very often, but the number of cars and especially small SUVs than can be had with one is severely limited these days. :glare:

 

[RPrice]

Been a member of this great group of pooled expertise for awhile. Same for the ST1300 and the new Nt700 forums as well as the BMW R1200RT. I am looking for the right re-entry point. Long time rider, but that was a long time ago. Empty nester, sort of retired and well, the itch for the ride is back. Been an avid bicyclist for a long time too, and see those motorcycle groups out there enjoying the same country roads, but not having to work so hard for the view.
Re-took the Motorcycle Safety Course to a) see if this was just a passing fling (now convinced that its not just a fling, its the real itch); and B) to update overall safety awareness and current rules of the road. Good program, learned alot.

Although I have not found the dreamland that one can go and test drive all his favorite rides to make a final selection, I'm about to pull the trigger: the FJR1300 is my current favored target. I'm very impressed with the AE electric clutchless shift. There are several unsold 2008 and 2009s out there in dealer-land. There are several used 2006+ A models on Craigs List, et al. I like the AE because - well just because these 59 yr old hands are starting to show some wear and might even have some early arthritis. So not having to pull the clutch is interesting, and the paddle shifter and / or the foot shifter still offer the fun of selecting your own gears, as the mood fits.

So I've used this slicko forum to poll a few questions from this extraordinaire group of experts. And of course, would welcome your comments - especially from someone who has had both the A and AE models and can speak about which they prefer and why.

Thanks!

I too strongly considered the AE due to the great deals. Heck, there's still a brand new '07 AE at the dealer here! I ended up with an A, but I've talked to (and rode with one person) who has an AE and he loves it!! I too am getting arthritis in my hands, but I still have no trouble with my '06 clutch, even though it's a heavier pull than the 08's and 09's.

Regards, Bob

 

[FJRless]

Having ridden both bikes several times I would have to say that the AE SUCKS................

R

I understand your anger little man. You probably paid retail plus, along with a hefty dealer prep fee and doc fees up the ying yang for that clutch lever and now you're having trouble shifting because your arthritic fingers are brittle from writing those big monthly checks. Have heart, you only have 71 months to go and she'll be yers..

 

[RPrice]

Having ridden both bikes several times I would have to say that the AE SUCKS................

R

I understand your anger little man. You probably paid retail plus, along with a hefty dealer prep fee and doc fees up the ying yang for that clutch lever and now you're having trouble shifting because your arthritic fingers are brittle from writing those big monthly checks. Have heart, you only have 71 months to go and she'll be yers..

Brutal!!

 

[RadioHowie]

:jerry:

 

[FJRBluesman]

Having ridden both bikes several times I would have to say that the AE SUCKS................R

I don't get Brit speak sometimes, tell me what you really mean. :lol: :rofl:

 

[dustyrains]

I think there is a really big difference between an auto clutching system and ABS, Fuel Injection or Electronic ignitions. In the case of the former the old method (manual clutch) really doesn't have a problem that needs to be "fixed". All three of the latter items are "improvements" over the older technology from safety and equipment performance standpoints.
What you say about the VFR dual clutch autoshifter may very well come true. By design (if not implementation) it is superior to the Yamaha incarnation of auto clutches. But there will always be curmudgeons out there like me who just wanna do it ourselves.

I'm sort of shopping for a replacement cage for the spousal unit. We both prefer manual transmissions, as neither of us will drive the car in city traffic very often, but the number of cars and especially small SUVs than can be had with one is severely limited these days. :glare:

If the dual clutch Honda becomes a big success, it may start the ball rolling in the same direction with motorcycles. So neener neener.

 

[copron]

We live in a country that believes the answer to motorcycling is Harley Davidson. Therefore, in most circles the AE is considered alien technology or black magic voodoo.

After 43 years of riding bikes I like the AE just fine.