Useful opinions wanted on purchase decision

[beemerdons]

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=131349&st=0 Greetings Rob, just 150 miles South of you in Woodinville, WA is the cleanest used FJR you could ever find in mint condition.

Member Niehart, Dave B., is selling his cherry 2006 for only $5,799. It is fully farkled out, has been excellently maintained and is clean as any 2006 could possibly be.

It does have 55K miles on it, but that means absolutely nothing! Half of our FJR Forum have 55K miles on our FJR's and everyone will tell you that is only just broken in!

You would think this bike has been ridden by a decrepit little Old Man, and you would be right. There is not a used 2006 FJR in better condition than Niehart's FJR is!

I've noted that you're looking for an AE, but I just don't understand the attraction of an AE. Yet, I realize their owners do love them! However, if you can live with a clutch:

 

[wheatonFJR]

<side track warning> I LOVE this post...from above...

...I don't think I could be persuaded to buy the Concours at this point. A friend works at a local Kawasaki dealer - he tells me the mechanics all groan when a Concours comes in because they don't like working on them.

THAT...tells me ALL I need to know about the Concours C14!

 

[Snoofus]

<side track warning> I LOVE this post...from above...

...I don't think I could be persuaded to buy the Concours at this point. A friend works at a local Kawasaki dealer - he tells me the mechanics all groan when a Concours comes in because they don't like working on them.

THAT...tells me ALL I need to know about the Concours C14!

This friend just called to say the dealer had obtained some 2009 ABS Concours from a dealer that had closed its doors. They're looking for $14,900 which is probably a good price on the Canadian market (something about metric dollars or somefink). That's more money than I want to spend on any bike, though. And after reading some of the discussions about heat on the Concours' forums I'm less and less interested.

 

[newowner]

Snoofus .. did you also post this question on the Connie forum?? Just wondering what kind of answers you got over there.

Rob

Actually no, I haven't. I'd have to sign up for the Concours forum yadda-yadda-yadda and the truth is my mind is largely made up already. I don't think I could be persuaded to buy the Concours at this point. A friend works at a local Kawasaki dealer - he tells me the mechanics all groan when a Concours comes in because they don't like working on them.

From what I've been reading, one of the advantages of the FJR is that it's been in production since 2001. The issues the 08 and 09 Concours owners are going through will probably be long gone when that bike's been produced for ten years, too. I don't have the $ to be considering a 2010 Concours.

I've been looking for a used FJR, but prices in Vancouver BC are nuts. There's a 2006 at a dealer with somewhere in the 30-40K mile range and they want $11K. I can buy a new 2008 or 09 for that.

I've ridden a 2008 AE and was really impressed by the auto clutch system. I'm not sure how well it will work for low speed parking maneuvers, but I what I know I like.

I'm finding it aggravating that the well priced used models start about 2000 miles from home. There are several bikes on this forum that I'd be making offers on if they were a few hundred miles away. I don't know if that's because the economy is in better shape in NW USA or what.

At the moment I'm in contact with two dealers with 08 or 09 AE models and trying to see what kind of price they'll offer. The advertized prices are often much lower than the out the door price. I'm looking at Idaho and California for good pricing on new bikes - in this case under $11K.

If anyone knows of Washington or Oregon dealers who have bikes in that price range, I'd be happy to hear about them. I have been checking Craig's List, eBay, and Cycle Trader.

Rob

 

[newowner]

Snoofus .. did you also post this question on the Connie forum?? Just wondering what kind of answers you got over there.

Rob

Actually no, I haven't. I'd have to sign up for the Concours forum yadda-yadda-yadda and the truth is my mind is largely made up already. I don't think I could be persuaded to buy the Concours at this point. A friend works at a local Kawasaki dealer - he tells me the mechanics all groan when a Concours comes in because they don't like working on them.

From what I've been reading, one of the advantages of the FJR is that it's been in production since 2001. The issues the 08 and 09 Concours owners are going through will probably be long gone when that bike's been produced for ten years, too. I don't have the $ to be considering a 2010 Concours.

I've been looking for a used FJR, but prices in Vancouver BC are nuts. There's a 2006 at a dealer with somewhere in the 30-40K mile range and they want $11K. I can buy a new 2008 or 09 for that.

I've ridden a 2008 AE and was really impressed by the auto clutch system. I'm not sure how well it will work for low speed parking maneuvers, but I what I know I like.

I'm finding it aggravating that the well priced used models start about 2000 miles from home. There are several bikes on this forum that I'd be making offers on if they were a few hundred miles away. I don't know if that's because the economy is in better shape in NW USA or what.

At the moment I'm in contact with two dealers with 08 or 09 AE models and trying to see what kind of price they'll offer. The advertized prices are often much lower than the out the door price. I'm looking at Idaho and California for good pricing on new bikes - in this case under $11K.

If anyone knows of Washington or Oregon dealers who have bikes in that price range, I'd be happy to hear about them. I have been checking Craig's List, eBay, and Cycle Trader.

Rob

 

[newowner]

I bought my 2010 model in Alaska because the Can. prices are unreal. I have yet to hear a dealer explain away the price discrepancy. With the dollars at par we are seeing just how badly we have been taken advantage of in the past. The 13k price tag made this FJR affordable to me, otherwise I was looking at buying a used model. I will shop in Alaska as much as I can now. I don't mind paying a premium for locals, but I hate being ripped off. A Yamaha is a Yamaha.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I bought my 2010 model in Alaska because the Can. prices are unreal. I have yet to hear a dealer explain away the price discrepancy. With the dollars at par we are seeing just how badly we have been taken advantage of in the past. The 13k price tag made this FJR affordable to me, otherwise I was looking at buying a used model. I will shop in Alaska as much as I can now. I don't mind paying a premium for locals, but I hate being ripped off. A Yamaha is a Yamaha.

Geez, New, I'm not sure if that was useful or not. What do you think, Snoofus? Mikatollah?

Me, I liked Rushes' post better.

I will not plus or minus a post ever again...

 

[Snoofus]

I bought my 2010 model in Alaska because the Can. prices are unreal. I have yet to hear a dealer explain away the price discrepancy. With the dollars at par we are seeing just how badly we have been taken advantage of in the past. The 13k price tag made this FJR affordable to me, otherwise I was looking at buying a used model. I will shop in Alaska as much as I can now. I don't mind paying a premium for locals, but I hate being ripped off. A Yamaha is a Yamaha.

I think the culprit is the distributor, not the dealers. The distributors are still pricing the bikes as if the Canadian dollar was 25% below the US instead of 5% above.

I did email a Kawasaki dealer on Vancouver Island who had a 2009 Concours advertised. I asked what his best out the door price was and referred him to various US prices. He responded with the same price advertised and said "remember, the US bikes don't come with saddle bags." Yeah, right...

So even if I my bike is sucked into the mothership with a tractor beam while in Duncan BC, I will not darken the door of this guy's dealership. What an IDIOT!!!

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Well you are off to a good start.... can't wait to hear your story when you need it worked on.

 

[Fred W]

I bought my 2010 model in Alaska because the Can. prices are unreal. I have yet to hear a dealer explain away the price discrepancy. With the dollars at par we are seeing just how badly we have been taken advantage of in the past. The 13k price tag made this FJR affordable to me, otherwise I was looking at buying a used model. I will shop in Alaska as much as I can now. I don't mind paying a premium for locals, but I hate being ripped off. A Yamaha is a Yamaha.

I hear that the Canadian models come with free health insurance.

 

[beemerdons]

I bought my 2010 model in Alaska because the Can. prices are unreal. I have yet to hear a dealer explain away the price discrepancy. With the dollars at par we are seeing just how badly we have been taken advantage of in the past. The 13k price tag made this FJR affordable to me, otherwise I was looking at buying a used model. I will shop in Alaska as much as I can now. I don't mind paying a premium for locals, but I hate being ripped off. A Yamaha is a Yamaha.

I hear that the Canadian models come with free health insurance.

Fred, and with free counseling for alcoholism too. yamafitter Bill told me so!

Thank God for dog pile Friday's! I sure hope Snoofus gets his new bike soon!

I fully agree with SacramentoMike, nobody does great posts like our Rushes!

 

[El Toro Joe]

My opinion..."buy what you like"

 

[newowner]

The thread of this post is Useful opinions wanted on purchase decisions. In MY opinion the Can prices are ridiculous. Labour too. Standing joke around here is the lawn mower mechanics (dealers) get paid more than aircraft mechanics. The consumer pays the bill in the end. I did try to buy a last year Connie (I know, but the FJR's were all gone out of the Eastern US and was told twice by dealers, "They would not sell to a Canadian". I always thought if you had enough money you could buy anything. Apparently not, unless it's in Canada, then bring a boatload of cash.

I heard lots of stories about why not to import and my experiance is far from over, but at this point (and trying to be useful while not bitter) the ONLY added expense importing was the RIV fee of $204. (and the trip to go get it, was a sweet ride back)

I had a big grin riding all the way home, I am glad I got a new FJR it runs like the high teck equipment it is, and I couldn't quit thinking about all the money I saved. My wife thinks I'm a consumer genius now. Win, win. It came with saddlebags too.

 

[newowner]

Oh yeah, regarding the free medicare it comes with, I was quoted $18k for this same bike, I paid 13, the difference will easily pay my first ER visit!

 

[BikerGeek99]

My opinion..."buy what you like a Harley"

Fixed it for ya, bud.

 

[Sinister Crayon]

Useful opinions? Well, here's mine given that I've only had an FJR for four days, of which I've only actually ridden it for three. I had a 2008 Connie ABS that I purchased new before the BMW R1150GS that I traded for my FJR. I put about 14K miles on that puppy before I traded it. So let me give you a quick comparison of what I've noticed so far, starting with the good points of the FJR;

• The FJR feels narrower than the Connie. The Connie feels pretty wide and so makes you feel a little more nervous about distance to other vehicles.
  
• Although the specs say the Connie is only about 30lbs heavier than the FJR, it always felt ridiculously heavy to me. When I was in my garage, I was almost afraid to lean the bike at all for fear I was going to lose it and drop it. The FJR to me at least feels a lot lighter and I can move it around my garage pretty easily. I also used to tell people that if I ever dropped the Connie, I was probably just going to leave it there because I'd never be able to pick it up again.
  
• The mirrors on the Connie are next to worthless when you have the panniers on. The mirrors on the FJR are smaller, but at least half of them aren't blocked by the panniers.
  
• The gauge cluster comes further up in the field of view, giving you more of a feeling of sitting in the Connie. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your own preference.
  
• Styling, while subjective is (I think) better on the FJR. Both bikes are pretty damned nice looking, but I feel the FJR is a tad more subdued. The Connie just screams "Look at me, I'm fast!"
  
• As an aside to that, I think the Connie looks ridiculous without the panniers on. The FJR looks pretty damned good with or without, though the tailpipes look a little tacked on without the panniers.
  
• Damn the Connie's big. That's not all a bad thing, but I think at 5'10" I am the absolute minimum height for a Connie rider.
  
• Maintenance on the Connie is a bear. A bike with that little clearance above the engine REALLY needs hydraulic valves because valve adjustments are awful. Even an oil change is a Saturday afternoon wasted removing tupperware and heatshields.
  
• After seeing the totals for a few in-warranty repairs, I decided that owning a Connie out of warranty had the potential to be REALLY expensive. $400 for a tire pressure sensor? Are you serious? This item alone almost made my decision to trade it.
  

• For the Connie, I will admit that I'm still trying to dial in the perfect suspension settings (starting from HaulingAshe's settings) but I still feel there was a lot less diving on braking on the Connie. The Connie stops a lot flatter. Generally the suspension feels a lot more composed on the Connie.
  
• The brakes on the Connie are phenomenal. Pull that lever and prepare for "Whoah, Nelly!". Even if the ABS kicks in, the bike stops incredibly short... but then that weight becomes a bit of an issue when you have to catch the bike after heavy braking. I twisted my ankle twice doing that.
  
• The stock windshield is very good and doesn't move around much even at ridiculously high speeds. I briefly had a Cal-Sci and V-Stream on my Connie and they moved around a bit more, but made cold weather riding a lot better. I think ventilation with the stock shield is a little better with the FJR though (probably due to the height of the cowling)
  
• The Connie is sick fast and ridiculously powerful. I rode her at 130mph, two-up and with panniers on and as I've often said to my riding friends "I ran out of bottle, before I ran out of throttle."
  
• I for one never had the much-reported heat issue with my bike. However, I always ride with above-the-ankle boots which is where many people report a blast of heat on the bike. If you ride in sneakers, the heat might be an issue... but as an ATGATT rider myself I think you then have other issues...
  
• The Connie in the twisties is a monster. You can carry a LOT of speed into a corner and you can scrape the feelers off the pegs pretty easily. I will admit I haven't explored the limits of the FJR yet because I'm still getting accustomed to it (and the weather has been awful here)
  
• The panniers on the Connie are truly cavernous. They're also very squared-off in shape which makes putting a laptop bag in there dead easy. The FJR... yeah, if your laptop is bigger than a 13" I think you'll be wearing a backpack!
  

So far, I'm liking the FJR. I do still miss my Connie but then I just remind myself of the maintenance and possible out-of-warranty headaches. The KiPass I was neutral on because I never had an issue with it. It WAS nice to just walk up to the bike and fire it up without fumbling for a key with gloves on... but I did always have at the back of my mind the worry that if I lost both fobs then I was looking at a couple of grand to replace the system. This was particularly an issue for me when I DID lose one of the fobs.

Another "neutral" issue for me is that the Connie DOES have an incredible online community over at https://concours.org. I will miss that community, but this one seems pretty damned decent, too

 

[beemerdons]

I will not plus or minus a post ever again...

Well Guys, since it is dog pile Friday here on our fine FJR Forum, your Papa Chuy just thought he would bump these buns! Hombre, would I ever love to bump them!

 

[Stephen]

Snoofus:

A new Concours 14, all the way. Don't worry about any heat problem. Consider were we live. It's a very good thing.

Engine: A+

Tranny: A+

Brakes: A++

Suspension: A+

It's a Kawasaki: A+

 

[RED]

<side track warning> I LOVE this post...from above...

...I don't think I could be persuaded to buy the Concours at this point. A friend works at a local Kawasaki dealer - he tells me the mechanics all groan when a Concours comes in because they don't like working on them.

THAT...tells me ALL I need to know about the Concours C14!

The guys at my dealer, pi$$ and moan when they have to work on my FJR. I finally had the chance to throw a leg over a 2010 Concours recently. I really like it. Although, the gauges look to be about 10 years out of date.

 

[Snoofus]

I purchased a 2008 FJR from a private owner in Florence Oregon earlier this week. I imported it to Canada on Thursday, and finally got all the paperwork that the bureaucrats demand in place.

Dealing with US Customs was quite easy - the various Canadian agencies weren't quite as organized. But it's finally done and has a BC license plate installed.