Test Rides

[Patriot]

Dealer called this afternoon, the guy traded her in today so I went down to see her. She's gorgeous... the two brothers cans (carbon fiber) sound awesome and the throttle response with the power commander was... snappy.
Negotiated the price down a bit as well but "the owner has to approve the deal and he's not here right now... we'll call you tomorrow."

I put $300 down to hold her until I can close the deal on the 10th. It's going to be a looong 12 days.

cool and congrats...only advice is make sure they run the VIN and take care of any recalls

ask them to print out the report for you when you pick it up

I might have tried to negotiate a free install of heated grips, but many would rather heated gear like a vest and gloves

 

[chivvalry]

Bags are still in the boxes....

 

[etcmjoe709]

Lovely machine...and she's barely broke-in!

 

[phroenips]

dood, your saddlebags are missing!

 

[dustyrains]

I thought shifts were jerky and unpleasant and I kept reaching for the shift lever. Didnt like the hand shifter or the foot shifter.

Yeah, maybe I was unduly grouchy. Just wanted to say you should not blame the bike for jerky and unpleasant shifts. That was operator inexperience. The bike shifts very fast and smoothly with a little practice and the correct technique. Too bad you did not like the bike, but then you probably did not have the time and miles to tune in to the correct technique. And how could you not like the foot shift? How is it's action or movement any different than the manual clutch model, other than the fact that neutral is before 1st? I have never ridden a manual clutch fjr, so maybe there is a difference in feel?

I rode them both, one right after the other, and I felt there was enough of a difference that the regular shifter won. First time I had ever ridden an electric shift like that so, yes, inexperience was likely a key there. Toward the end of the ride I figured out that it seemed to work better if you didnt let off the gas much (if at all) when shifting. Still just didnt feel good to me.

Ya might have had a better experience on it if you had done a little research on how to get the most out of it before your test ride. Clicky

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

It's a nice and clean machine....but I repeat the above....This does come with saddlebags right?

Dealers normally just take the bags off the new ones, to keep them from getting scratched up......so what is the deal with this one?

 

[RadioHowie]

dood, your saddlebags are missing!

It's a nice and clean machine....but I repeat the above....This does come with saddlebags right? Dealers normally just take the bags off the new ones, to keep them from getting scratched up......so what is the deal with this one?

Man, you guys don't read fer shit!

Bags are still in the boxes....

 

[chivvalry]

Ya might have had a better experience on it if you had done a little research on how to get the most out of it before your test ride. Clicky

Yep, mebbe. Explains it a bit for sure. S'ok though... I'm already in love (lust) with her. Think I'm gonna call her Zoe....

 

[chivvalry]

dood, your saddlebags are missing!

It's a nice and clean machine....but I repeat the above....This does come with saddlebags right? Dealers normally just take the bags off the new ones, to keep them from getting scratched up......so what is the deal with this one?

Man, you guys don't read fer shit!

Bags are still in the boxes....

Hehehe... Howie is on target. They are also trying to track down the books for the bike, pipes, PC... they might actually be hiding in the bags. I didnt get a chance to dig the bags out and go over them but they were still wrapped up, in the foam, in the boxes... doesnt look like the guy ever put them on the bike.

 

[Bogus]

I came from the VTX world also and sold mine outrite for 7500.00 bucks with all the aftermarket stuff on it. It was an '06 with about 15k on it and this was in '08 so it was 2 years old. Several of my friends were absolutely positive that I would be very lucky to get 5000.00 for my VTX. I sold it in less than a week to the first guy that looked at it. Throw it on craigslist and cycle trader and see what happens. You have nothing to lose. Good luck

Wow, I must have done really good on mine. I traded in my '02 VTX 1800 C on a 00 miles '08 FJR, and got $7500 trade in for it. Plus I pulled off a lot of goodies off the VTX, and sold them on the VTX forum forum :yahoo:

 

[chivvalry]

I came from the VTX world also and sold mine outrite for 7500.00 bucks with all the aftermarket stuff on it. It was an '06 with about 15k on it and this was in '08 so it was 2 years old. Several of my friends were absolutely positive that I would be very lucky to get 5000.00 for my VTX. I sold it in less than a week to the first guy that looked at it. Throw it on craigslist and cycle trader and see what happens. You have nothing to lose. Good luck

Wow, I must have done really good on mine. I traded in my '02 VTX 1800 C on a 00 miles '08 FJR, and got $7500 trade in for it. Plus I pulled off a lot of goodies off the VTX, and sold them on the VTX forum forum :yahoo:

Hehe, sounds good... but depends on what you paid for the feej too. I'm concentrating on three numbers with one being paramount. What I pay for the FJR, what I get for my trade, and most important... what the difference between the two is. I think these guys have been fair and reasonable even with their opening numbers and, most important, the deal we have verbally arrived at makes me comfortable and is line with what I was prepared to pay going in.

That last $25 seemed to kill them though... "OMG... you're murdering me here... the owner's gonna think I'm nuts!" Love the dramatics... ROFL

Since I have a few days to close the deal the X is up on craigs and a couple of forums as well. If she goes before the deal closes for a few hundred more than the trade then so much the better.

 

[mr.paul]

Get the bike! Only one problem. The blue ones are faster. The black ones just get dirty faster. But yours has clean bags! no boot marks yet. How cool!

I say that you shouldn't worry about a few hundred bucks. Get 'er done. Easy to say when it isn't your own checkbook, but you will likely have this bike a very long time. It is that good! Sell your VTX privately if you have the room. Mama may not like it in the short term, but she obviously cares about money. I have always viewed trade ins as a convienience cost. The dealer has to make a living and has to buy your bike for much less than he thinks he can sell it for. That is just business. You are paying him the difference for the convienince of getting rid of it. Whether he takes that money off the new bike or gives it to you on the old one doesn't matter. He has to make money to stay in business. If you can wrangle the time and space, sell it yourself. If the money doesn't matter as much as the hassle, trade it in.

I did have a hard time when I went from my Vmax to the FJR. I absolutely loved the Vmax and wanted to keep it. But realistically, the FJR was a more intelligent choice, and I didn't have room for them all. Everytime I went into the garage and hopped on the FJR, I swear my Vmax would look lonely. Moving it on to a good home was painful but ultimately the right thing to do since the FJR was getting all the riding time.

I have a 2006A and with the factory heated grips added. I like them so much I will never have a bike without heated grips again. Way nice! The Yammy ones are very pricey but I got them when the bike was new and wanted them to be part of the original purchase. If I did it now, used, I probably would go aftermarket because of the cost. I like the fact that theYammy ones don't draw much wattage at idle, and they work great once they warm up. Heated grips and gloves might be nice, but I use the grips with a few different gloves. I originally thought I would use the grips on only the coldest days, but I find I in fact use them variably through about 62 degrees or if there is dampness in the air. Hey, they are adjustable and already there, why not be comfortable?

Enjoy getting the best bike in the world. Yeah, my opinion, but I like it!

mr.paul

 

[chivvalry]

Get the bike! Only one problem. The blue ones are faster. The black ones just get dirty faster. But yours has clean bags! no boot marks yet. How cool!
I say that you shouldn't worry about a few hundred bucks. Get 'er done. Easy to say when it isn't your own checkbook, but you will likely have this bike a very long time. It is that good! Sell your VTX privately if you have the room. Mama may not like it in the short term, but she obviously cares about money. I have always viewed trade ins as a convienience cost. The dealer has to make a living and has to buy your bike for much less than he thinks he can sell it for. That is just business. You are paying him the difference for the convienince of getting rid of it. Whether he takes that money off the new bike or gives it to you on the old one doesn't matter. He has to make money to stay in business. If you can wrangle the time and space, sell it yourself. If the money doesn't matter as much as the hassle, trade it in.

I did have a hard time when I went from my Vmax to the FJR. I absolutely loved the Vmax and wanted to keep it. But realistically, the FJR was a more intelligent choice, and I didn't have room for them all. Everytime I went into the garage and hopped on the FJR, I swear my Vmax would look lonely. Moving it on to a good home was painful but ultimately the right thing to do since the FJR was getting all the riding time.

I have a 2006A and with the factory heated grips added. I like them so much I will never have a bike without heated grips again. Way nice! The Yammy ones are very pricey but I got them when the bike was new and wanted them to be part of the original purchase. If I did it now, used, I probably would go aftermarket because of the cost. I like the fact that theYammy ones don't draw much wattage at idle, and they work great once they warm up. Heated grips and gloves might be nice, but I use the grips with a few different gloves. I originally thought I would use the grips on only the coldest days, but I find I in fact use them variably through about 62 degrees or if there is dampness in the air. Hey, they are adjustable and already there, why not be comfortable?

Enjoy getting the best bike in the world. Yeah, my opinion, but I like it!

mr.paul

Blue is my favorite color... my X is dark blue and she's real pretty. I think that would be the only thing that would make this deal even better.

Definitely going to get 'er done. I'm buying this bike... I just have to wait till bonus is paid and wife has clearly stated that "there can be only one" bike in the garage at a time so if the X doesnt go before the 10th then she goes to the dealer. Loved the heated grips on the AE... after sliders, a GPS mount, and mebbe a trunk... damnit... farkling already and I dont even have her.

On a side note... my 9 year old decided to come along last night and now desperately wants a dirt bike... LOL

 

[Fred W]

Congrats on your upcoming purchase. She's a beauty for sure.

I kind of like the looks and the sound of the 2 Bros exhaust.

But I have to ask, where was it in the marriage contract that "the wife" gets to decide how many bikes are in the garage?

Next she'll be telling you which weekends you can't ride...

 

[chivvalry]

Congrats on your upcoming purchase. She's a beauty for sure. I kind of like the looks and the sound of the 2 Bros exhaust.

But I have to ask, where was it in the marriage contract that "the wife" gets to decide how many bikes are in the garage?

Next she'll be telling you which weekends you can't ride...

..and I even paid that preacher extra money to make sure the "obey" part was in there when we got married. She's so strong willed she said "I promise to love, honor... and maybe to obey..." He stopped and MADE her say it right! ROFL!!

Didnt stick though...

 

[Bogus]

Congrats on your upcoming purchase. She's a beauty for sure. I kind of like the looks and the sound of the 2 Bros exhaust.

But I have to ask, where was it in the marriage contract that "the wife" gets to decide how many bikes are in the garage?

Next she'll be telling you which weekends you can't ride...

..and I even paid that preacher extra money to make sure the "obey" part was in there when we got married. She's so strong willed she said "I promise to love, honor... and maybe to obey..." He stopped and MADE her say it right! ROFL!!

Didnt stick though...

Funny! We are all in the same boat whether or not we admit it!! Did you have any aftermarket goodies on your VTX , like seat, pipes,etc.? If you did, and have the replacement parts to put back on if needed, pull them off and sell them on the VTX forum if you were on one. If you are trading it in, I don't think the dealer is going to give you any more for the farkles. Good luck on "gettin her done".

 

[highcountry]

Sweet looking ride! She will make you proud. :drinks:

 

[dustyrains]

Ay. Go fast, have fun, don't die.

 

[chivvalry]

Funny! We are all in the same boat whether or not we admit it!! Did you have any aftermarket goodies on your VTX , like seat, pipes,etc.? If you did, and have the replacement parts to put back on if needed, pull them off and sell them on the VTX forum if you were on one. If you are trading it in, I don't think the dealer is going to give you any more for the farkles. Good luck on "gettin her done".

Yah, I put the X up on craigs and immediately someone came to look at her last night. He's looking at another X today. He did seem pretty interested but he wants one already geared for two up and the C seat isnt that and I dont have a sissy on it. If it goes private party then I will toss all the stock parts and extra farkles in the deal but if she goes to the dealer then I will sell some of them on the VTX forums.

Salesman called last night trying to convince me to do the deal now... says the owner may not want to hold the bike until the 10th. :angry2:

Might be that I go sign papers, give 'em the X, and put Zoe on "layaway" or something. They sell her out from under me and I'm gonna be really upset.

 

[Pale Rider 07]

I only have a few hundred miles on my AE, but I have to say that I love it. It's been several years since I rode, so perhaps muscle memory used for shifting had faded and that made the switch easier. I find the shifting very smooth with the exception of 1st to 2nd. I'm still looking for the sweet spot on that one, but the rest are like glass. As much as I try to avoid it, I still hit some rush hour traffic and I really love the fact that I'm not working a clutch back and forth as we inch forward. Either way the FJR is a wonderful bike and I'm sure you will enjoy your new ride!