Test Ride Nightmare!! Could use some advice please...

[bramfrank]

I don't know where you are, but in my books when a black-painted item like a side stand or center stand gets scratched, a can of black spray paint sounds like the fix. It isn't a highly finished painted part like the fairing panel or a shiny muffler. If it is bent then perhaps it does require replacing.

A simple tip over can tweak the fairing stay. You went down while in motion.

Whenever a bike goes down there is a lot of stress pit on the fairing stay because that's where the top bits of the fairing are connected to the frame - so the cowling and the mirror both pushed hard on the stay - and that could have pushed it out of alignment (do NOT mention this little fact yto your dealer or he'll be out there measuring and having you replace those parts too - and the stay is more complex labor-wise than just the mirror and lower cowling and vent.

Since we know you can buy a bike for a lot less than what this dealer was offering and since you are going to be paying to fix his machine either way (I STILL think you should let your insurance handle it if you can).

I say you should not feel pressured into buying a machine that could be too heavy and powerful for you based on your limited experience; You may well come to regret the decision. Let this machine be fixed and wait a while, scoping out the market for your ideal purchase candidate.

Besides, you were testing some interesting machines. perhaps you really wanted one of THOSE (heaven forbid).

 

[Tailwalk]

I don't know where you are, but in my books when a black-painted item like a side stand or center stand gets scratched, a can of black spray paint sounds like the fix. It isn't a highly finished painted part like the fairing panel or a shiny muffler. If it is bent then perhaps it does require replacing.
A simple tip over can tweak the fairing stay. You went down while in motion.

Whenever a bike goes down there is a lot of stress pit on the fairing stay because that's where the top bits of the fairing are connected to the frame - so the cowling and the mirror both pushed hard on the stay - and that could have pushed it out of alignment (do NOT mention this little fact yto your dealer or he'll be out there measuring and having you replace those parts too - and the stay is more complex labor-wise than just the mirror and lower cowling and vent.

Since we know you can buy a bike for a lot less than what this dealer was offering and since you are going to be paying to fix his machine either way (I STILL think you should let your insurance handle it if you can).

I say you should not feel pressured into buying a machine that could be too heavy and powerful for you based on your limited experience; You may well come to regret the decision. Let this machine be fixed and wait a while, scoping out the market for your ideal purchase candidate.

Besides, you were testing some interesting machines. perhaps you really wanted one of THOSE (heaven forbid).

HILARIOUS!!! Thanks for the infomation, extremely helpful.

 

[terp84alum]

The good thing is that you were not hurt. I agree with a lot of folks here in that perhaps you should be looking at the FZ1. It is a great bike (I own one) and is far more manageable than the FJR, however, it is faster. You can get bags from Givi and essentially have a full-blown Sport Tour that is more nimble. I would not buy the bike you wrecked. I'm sure you wouldn't buy it if the guy before you wrecked it and the dealer repaired it. Good luck.

 

[01VFR]

One more thought for you... If you end up paying for replacement parts, you should be entitled to the damaged ones. You can at least try to get a few bucks out of them here or on ebay. The tank will get you at least a c note.

Good Luck.

Corey

 

[ShawnKing]

How many people have actually had warranty repairs done on '08 FJRs?

I had my 08 for a little over a year and in that time it was in the shop 3 times for 2 minor issues and one relatively major one.

 

[ShawnKing]

I am absolutely dumbfounded at the number of people who've spouted off in this thread, CLEARLY without reading what's already been said, and claiming to know the (WRONG) answer to questions that have already been answered.

Welcome to the IntraWebs... :dribble:

 

[user 17635]

How many people have actually had warranty repairs done on '08 FJRs?

I had my 08 for a little over a year and in that time it was in the shop 3 times for 2 minor issues and one relatively major one.

This is an anecdote. Obviously the answer is not zero. My point is that it is a gamble - an insurance policy. My FJR has never been in the shop for warranty repairs. That doesn't mean they all will either. But, I would bet that more FJRs survive the factory warranty period without needing any covered work than not.

 

[zorkler]

Like i said before i went down 2 times on my 05 i purchased the parts for 40 percent to 50 percent off retail (WHO PAYS RETAIL ) AFTER THE DEALER MARKER THEM UP AT RETAIL .I recived the check and saved alot of cash. If i find the invocie i will let you know but the guys on the forum use this dealer he might be in the midwest . IF you have to go this rt. tell the dealer you want to see the invoice for the parts and that you can supply them . Like other said to install them if you dont have the no how maybe a friend can help you out ,Were are not talking about replacing pistons here......................... I would really hate to see you get ****** on this deal and hope you do not have to go this route

 

[Spook]

I'll ask again, got pictures? I would like to see the $4000 damage done to this bike in a 5mph getoff. I'm guessing:1) saddlebag

2) Mirror

3) Lower Fairing

4) Peg

5) Possible stator cover

6) Rim

List price on those parts would add up to a tidy sum, but not $4,000. I could install that stuff in an hour, so labor isn't much of an issue. Charging list for these parts would be underhanded IMO.

One more time, got pics or at least a list of parts?

Hi v65, sorry I didn't get to your question sooner,

I don't have pictures yet, but I plan on getting them Thurs, Frid, or Sat. along with a copy of the waiver I signed. Incidently, I've also test ridden BMW motocycles and had to sign a waiver then as well....I'm going to find out what theirs says too.

Here's a list of the damaged parts (I visually saw each piece he was refering to):

Left handlebar

end, grip

holder damper

bolt, hex skt head

grip warmer

rearview mirror

upper cowling assy

fuel tank comp

visor side

body front lower

cover crankcase

gasket crankcase

side stand

bolt

main stand

muffler assay

I checked the prices with another dealer and my dealer's parts were all a couple bucks less, I also got a labor estimate which was 3.5 hours less than my dealer.

I also found out that there's typically a 30-40% markup on all the parts. All this information will be very helpful when I negotiate repairs if I don't buy the bike.

Also to clarify details of the accident, I slowed to about 5 mph before making the turn onto the onramp, I accelerated onto the onramp and into the turn and estimate I was traveling 10-20mph when the bike slid out.

Thanks

David

Looks to me like you only need two or three of those parts to ride the bike the rest are just show. Get his price down you are going to be out 4K that is 1/3 the cost of the bike ya might at least get something out of it.

 

[beacher]

Your "handle" says it all; you're an honorable guy dealing with a crappy situation. I hope this all works out for you, and no matter what, you're a great addition to the group. Good luck!

 

[FJRBluesman]

I don't think any more posts will add too much to the advice portion of this.

You've talked to three lawyers and they all gave you same info.

I would say this is none of our business; however, you posted this whole thing so....

So what's going on? How is the dealing going? And which deal are doing?

Your parts list is not that bad IMO. A fuel tank complete? I have no clue how bad all said damage is since there are no pix. What is it, a minor dent and crape on the tank? Why a complete tank, and I interpret this to mean fuel pump, hoses, vent, cap, lock, brackets, etc.

If you can live with the minor scrapes and dents etc on some of these items, you'll spend minimal $$ on this and only have to negotiate a purchase price OTD, if... you go that route.

I would guess if you fight this with a lawyer, you'll spend some descent $$, or no lawyer will take the case.

Good luck keep us posted.

 

[Tailwalk]

Hi Everybody,

Once again, let me just say thanks to all of you who have offered me your insights and knowledge. So here's an update on where I'm at now. After collecting all the information I had and crunching the numbers I went back to the dealer on Saturday and hashed it out.

Needless to say, negotiating under these circumstances is not so much fun. Normally, I love to negotiate with dealers but obviously in this case, the balance is skewed in the dealers favor because we both know that I'm either paying for the damages or I'm buying the bike.

Option 1

I owe Polarnut and JimNTexas a [SIZE=18pt]HUGE[/SIZE] thankyou because I contacted the dealer they worked with in Oklahoma and that dealer emailed me a price quote of $10798. I was then able to find another local dealer with a New 08 FJR AE and get them to quote me for $200 less at $10598 for the bike with a 1 year warranty before tax and license.

I brought this to my dealers attention and he matched the price of $10598. Then add $636 to replace the most obvious damaged parts at his cost, no labor. Add $400 for a 2 year Y.E.S. agreement. And finally tax/license for a total of $12800. (paying $400 for a 2 year YES warranty is not matching the other dealer, so that doesn't sit well with me.....if I decide to purchase, I'm going to counter-offer to pay $200 for the 2 year YES agreement)

Option 2

I took the parts list to another Yamaha dealer and had them price it out parts and labor. Parts were priced about the same but the labor was less at 7.5 hours.

After a bit of discussion, my dealer said he'd sell me the parts at 15% off and reduce labor to 6 hours.

Total $3400 plus tax.

I'm still undecided on this........going back an forth. Crazy!! Financially this is not the best time for me to buy a motorcycle but if the economy continues to improve and I bust my ass I should be able to afford it.

Some additional info:

I was the first person to test ride the bike, there was 10 miles on the odometer.

I confirmed that he is offering me the "real" 2 year YES agreement, which a dealer can choose to offer on bikes without the 1 year warranty.

I confirmed through multiple sources that Yamaha does sell NEW motorcycles at auction without warranties when the bikes are priced below a certain threshold (%25 or more below a certain value). As was explained to me by another friendly dealer (D+H in Alabama), Yamaha does this because it doesn't want those lower priced units to directly compete with newer bikes that have the warranty.

Thanks

David

 

[beemerdons]

David, you are obviously a very smart individual and you will make your own best decision. But, my two cents from the peanut gallery is that I really hope that you do indeed buy this bike from this dealer. This post of yours reassures me your dealer is a straight shooter and he is doing his best to work with you. And you are obviously a very straight shooter and our own FJR Forum will be a better place with you joining us as a regular member.

One of the nicest things you have going in your favor is you live in Seattle, Washington surrounded by some of the nicest guys on our FJR Forum! Niehart, Panman, ahchui, Barabus, sportsguy, escapefjrtist, and the list of really good FJR guys goes on and on and on. Hope you do indeed buy this bike and stay with FJR Forum!

 

[Tailwalk]

David, you are obviously a very smart individual and you will make your own best decision. But, my two cents from the peanut gallery is that I really hope that you do indeed buy this bike from this dealer. This post of yours reassures me your dealer is a straight shooter and he is doing his best to work with you. And you are obviously a very straight shooter and our own FJR Forum will be a better place with you joining us as a regular member.
One of the nicest things you have going in your favor is you live in Seattle, Washington surrounded by some of the nicest guys on our FJR Forum! Niehart, Panman, ahchui, Barabus, sportsguy, escapefjrtist, and the list of really good FJR guys goes on and on and on. Hope you do indeed buy this bike and stay with FJR Forum!

Thanks Beemer

 

[johndaub]

Option 1I owe Polarnut and JimNTexas a [SIZE=18pt]HUGE[/SIZE] thankyou because I contacted the dealer they worked with in Oklahoma and that dealer emailed me a price quote of $10798. I was then able to find another local dealer with a New 08 FJR AE and get them to quote me for $200 less at $10598 for the bike with a 1 year warranty before tax and license.

I brought this to my dealers attention and he matched the price of $10598. Then add $636 to replace the most obvious damaged parts at his cost, no labor. Add $400 for a 2 year Y.E.S. agreement. And finally tax/license for a total of $12800. (paying $400 for a 2 year YES warranty is not matching the other dealer, so that doesn't sit well with me.....if I decide to purchase, I'm going to counter-offer to pay $200 for the 2 year YES agreement)

Option 1 sounds good/fair to me. The next time I test ride, I will make sure I understand the waiver and check with my insurance on coverage during the test ride.

 

[terp84alum]

Nice work by you and the posters here. Buy the bike.

 

[Patriot]

David, you are obviously a very smart individual and you will make your own best decision. But, my two cents from the peanut gallery is that I really hope that you do indeed buy this bike from this dealer. This post of yours reassures me your dealer is a straight shooter and he is doing his best to work with you. And you are obviously a very straight shooter and our own FJR Forum will be a better place with you joining us as a regular member.
One of the nicest things you have going in your favor is you live in Seattle, Washington surrounded by some of the nicest guys on our FJR Forum! Niehart, Panman, ahchui, Barabus, sportsguy, escapefjrtist, and the list of really good FJR guys goes on and on and on. Hope you do indeed buy this bike and stay with FJR Forum!

Thanks Beemer

yep, +1

I believe you will receive a blessing, karma, mojo from making up your own mind and doing what you are able and what your conscience of integrity dictates. You do well in a "mob rules" environment. Kudos sent your way. Definitely hope you stick around.

:yahoo:

 

[user 18638]

I'm late to the party as I just started reading all of this.......and Lord knows you need more advice......but it seems to me you should start negotiating on the price of the bike at the dealers cost - what he paid for the bike, freight and any tax. He really has very few options. Assuming he had insurance to cover the loss, he can only collect what he has in the bike less whatever his deductible is. Or, he could fix it and sell it it on his show room floor at whatever he can get for it, assuming he makes full disclosure and I don't think it will approach $9k. I think an offer at his cost , and make him produce all his invoices, plus the repairs and warranty is where I'd start with this guy. I'll bet he did not pay more than $7,500 - $8,500 for the bike - just a wild guess on my part based on the fact you can buy a new one with warranty for $10K.

 

[Hudson]

One of the nicest things you have going in your favor is you live in Seattle, Washington surrounded by some of the nicest guys on our FJR Forum! Niehart, Panman, ahchui, Barabus, sportsguy, escapefjrtist, and the list of really good FJR guys goes on and on and on. Hope you do indeed buy this bike and stay with FJR Forum!

Just don't ask us to let you ride our FJR.... :yahoo:

 

[chivvalry]

Option 1I owe Polarnut and JimNTexas a [SIZE=18pt]HUGE[/SIZE] thankyou because I contacted the dealer they worked with in Oklahoma and that dealer emailed me a price quote of $10798. I was then able to find another local dealer with a New 08 FJR AE and get them to quote me for $200 less at $10598 for the bike with a 1 year warranty before tax and license.

I brought this to my dealers attention and he matched the price of $10598. Then add $636 to replace the most obvious damaged parts at his cost, no labor. Add $400 for a 2 year Y.E.S. agreement. And finally tax/license for a total of $12800. (paying $400 for a 2 year YES warranty is not matching the other dealer, so that doesn't sit well with me.....if I decide to purchase, I'm going to counter-offer to pay $200 for the 2 year YES agreement)

Option 1 sounds good/fair to me. The next time I test ride, I will make sure I understand the waiver and check with my insurance on coverage during the test ride.

+1 on that... Option 1 sounds like the way I would be resolving this... and I'm calling my insurance company as well prior to a test ride. I'm eagerly looking forward to getting a chance to test out an FJR but sure as heck not looking forward to all this hoopla if something goes wrong. Only dropped a bike once (20+ years ago on snow) and have no intention of doing it again but if it does happen I dont want to be out the money I need to actually buy a new feejer!