This is what happens when you let a friend ride...

[Greg 03]

I had four different KLR's, a 600 Bandit, and a 1200 Bandit. When I was looking at my new to me '03 FJR I let my neighbor ride it to give me his thoughts. That same day he started calling around to find a brand new 2012 model and we're heading to go pick it up today. He's putting his BMW up for consignment sale! I think that speaks volumes about the FJR.

 

[clocklaw]

Mr. Breeze just traded his 2011 off in Chattanooga....It was in immaculate condition, if he's interested I will find out who he traded it to and your friend can contact them to see if they still have it.

Always good to see more local riders!

 

[Dudewado]

Hah! Not the outcome I had expected, but completely understandable. It only took one test-ride for me to be sold.

For me, it was a piece of paper with a photo of the FJR.

WheatonFJR: It just takes less for some of us hit our peak! I probably bought 10 bikes before I finally found the one I could stick with. I admit to being a bike whore and usually change bikes every 2, but I've had the FJR 4 years with no thoughts about changing. Maybe stepping up to a 2007 one day.

I think Wheatie is referring to the PDP all of us early buyers had to endure? Mark?

I had no idea what a PDP was, but in the summer of 2002 I visited a dealer thinking that I was going to re-enter the mcy touring world on some sort of cruiser...cuz that's all I saw in the showrooms. The sales rep said...nah, that's not what you want....THIS (handing me the brochure) is what you want.

I took one look at that brochure, reminded me of my ol XS Eleven...but with a sport touring look and fell in love. I said...where do I buy it, he said ...ya gotta ORDER IT. I'm scratching my head thinking...what?

So, I left the dealer and kept the brochure, and kept the dream. My wife and I had discussions, she was never going to agree to us getting a brand new bike...so I kept it on the back burner for awhile.

Fall of 2003, I went back to the dealer, he said yep, you gotta order one...none in stock. I said okay...but give me an out the door price to think about. The next day, I went to a dealer 10 miles away that in a previous iteration sold me my XS Eleven. I walked in and said, " I know you don't have any of these...but can you give me a price on one for comparison?"

The salesman's ears perked up, he walked in back with the manager, they both came back and said, actually, we DO have one. My jaw about dropped off my head. I said, I'll take it.

I waited from 10am to about 2pm....so I waited about 4 hours told for my FJR in October of 2003. After getting online and hearing other people's "waiter" stories...it didn't seem fair.

But in truth, I waited a lot longer than that...I waited while I finished college, waited till after we we saved up for a house, waited for kids to arrive, waited till they were a little bit older, I waited enough doggone it...so I came home with the bike, and asked forgiveness later.

She has since forgiven me and then some....clicky

I did my waiting too, Wheaton. I sold my Yamaha Vision in '91 when the kids were small and the house payment was big.

I bought a Bandit 600 in '99 to see if I was still interested in riding-I definitely was.

After my wife died, I decided I was going to get the bike I always wanted; I just had to decide which one that was.

I was thinking BMW, then saw the new FJR and ST1300 were coming out.

I waited until the first reviews came out, although after I saw a picture of the FJR the contest was pretty much over unless it turned out something was terribly wrong with it.

Something about this bike has always looked "right" to me.

By then it was late December 2002 and I was resigned to the fact that I was going to have to PDP a 2004.

I looked on E-Bay and saw a 2003 with 200 miles on it nearby in Bend. The guy had ordered it expecting to get it in the summer, but hadn't gotten it until November. He bought a new Harley(!?)

during the summer, picked up the FJR and rode it home from the dealer and put it up for sale.

It turns out that I made the right choice; this WAS the bike I always wanted. I have ridden to many beautiful places; camped, explored, had adventures, scared myself silly, laughed inside my helmet, and met a bunch of people almost as crazy as I am. I still open the garage door sometimes just to look at it and smile.

 

[johnny80s]

For me I rode the BMW gt 1200. I loved it but knew I could never afford the 22k price tag. I started looking at the Japanese sport tourers and found the st and the fjr. The st looked like an old guys bike so I test rode a 2007 fjr and loved it. Not only did I get a great bike but great group of friends that came with it.