sell or trade?

[rushes]

I absolutely LOVE my new FJR. And now I need to part with the old Concours. But I'm having a tough time. I know I'd be $ ahead selling it, but I hate the thought of someone else touching it. If I trade it in in for a playbike for the Grandkids I'll take a loss but I won't have to think about what happens to it. To me it's like dropping a dog off at the pound. Just turn and walk away.

What to do?

 

[LDRydr]

I too "loved" my '04 Harley, until I really started putting in some saddle time on the FJR. Wasn't long before the H-D was just sitting in the garage, never getting to go anywhere. I felt a little sorry for it, but dang it, the FJR is just so much more fun to ride, and any more I only need to impress myself, not others (not that I ever tried to do the latter much).

When I finally got around to running an ad on Craigslist and a nice couple from Seattle bought it, it did feel a little strange watching somebody else riding it away, but I got over it pretty quickly, especially after the check arrived. :yahoo: Now I have a pile of farkles sitting in the garage waiting to get installed, and I never think about the Harley at all. A new H-D P&A catalog showed up in the mail just the other day and after a quick look-through it went in the recycle bin.

I say take the time to sell the Connie. You'll get more for it because you'll convey the passion you have for it to the new buyer. He'll feel it and it will be easier for him to part with the money. Everybody ends up happy. AND, he'll get to know how well you've taken care of it (I'm assuming here, since you did use the word LOVE), and he'll want to take care of it, too.

 

[FJReady]

Over the years I've sold two Connies and buried a third. Don't worry, you'll get over it.

Maybe by a small dual-sport or just use the money to farkle the bejeesus out of your Feejer.

Or just save it for gas and tires.

Or take a long trip on your bike and enjoy yourself.

Or throw a party for all your FJR friends that give you good advice on the internet.

Just a suggestion or two

 

[burninrice]

Suggestion: First, put some more saddle time on your FJR. I had a nice '95 Connie, wine red, a real beauty at the time and enjoyed it a lot. I find though, that when faced with separation anxiety, the more you like the new bike, the easier it is to part with the old. Case in point, my neighbor has a really nice 2000 Connie and I took it for a ride last summer and couldn't understand why I loved my old one so much. The FJR just made it feel like a 1986 bike, which is basically what it's always been.

Second, if you can't stand to see 'er head down the road, then don't. Find a dealer you like and have them consign it for you. You shouldn't lose near as much as trading and you won't need to see it go. I did that with my '93 GTS. I couldn't stand to get rid of that beast, so I let someone get rid of it for me. Dealers like it because they don't have a dime into it. It's all pure profit for them, no insurance, no interest payments on a floorplan, etc. Just a thought.

 

[rushes]

All good ideas.

I'll talk to my dealer today when I'm picking up oil and a filter for the first change.

I also ought to ride the Kawi again now that I'm settling in on the FJR.

May not be as attached as I think.

Thanks!

 

[Fred W]

I had an '01 Conk when I bought my '05 FJR. I knew right away that the Connie was then redundant and infinitely inferior. I put it in the local Craigs list and a fellow offer me a trade for an '05 KLR in partial payment. We agreed on the relative values and he gave me some cash and his dual sport for my old Kaw. Win win.