What`s so great about these bikes?

[stevec]

OK, I have to find out :huh: ? Whats so good about these bikes that dealers don`t keep stock, you can`t test drive one let alone sit on one, and you have to preorder with a nonrefundable $500.00 deposit. I never heard of this, this ain`t a Harley.! I need some help. I`m looking for a new ride, all I ever really rode was BMW`s , nice bikes but new ones are way too much money, want to try an FJR but whats the deal where do you find one to try? Maybe I just bite the bullit and get the new K1200gt when to comes out, at least BMW gives test rides

 

[sl_1300]

Find someone that has one and will let you ride. I just did that and now I want one even worse. The FJR is a very fast ride and loads of fun.

 

[dcarver]

OK, I have to find out  :huh: ? Whats so good about these bikes that dealers don`t keep stock, you can`t test drive one let alone sit on one, and you have to preorder with a nonrefundable $500.00 deposit. I never heard of this, this ain`t a Harley.! I need some help. I`m  looking for a new ride, all I ever really rode was BMW`s , nice bikes but new ones are way too much money, want to try an FJR but whats the deal where do you find one to try? Maybe I just bite the bullit and get the new K1200gt when to comes out, at least BMW gives test rides 

Great questions. Don't own one (yet) but come to think of it... I'm going through more hoops to get the FJR than I did my FLHTCU back in 91.. Perhaps Yamaha has learned through Harley; limited supply = increased demand = $$$.

 

[sparky3008]

Yamaha in the beginning of the fjr over seas didn't think there was a real market for this bike in the USA. They have brought bikes to the US before that didn't sell and they lost big.

They decided to try the market here for a Touring bike such as this but didn't want to get burned again so the $500 down payment before one arrives.

This also is good for retail once you own the bike as they are hard to come by.

I have only had this bike since July and twice I have had guys come up to me and say "That's my dream bike".

No test rides on many bikes are not uncommon and some dealers don't do it at all.

The dealer where I got mine has calls for the fjr all the time so I know if they had more they would sell but Yamaha hasn't been convinced yet.

Our numbers are increasing though.

 

[ionbeam]

Whats so good about these bikes that dealers don`t keep stock, you can`t test drive one let alone sit on one, and you have to preorder with a nonrefundable $500.00 deposit. I never heard of this

Ever heard of the early ‘90’s Yamaha GTS1000? Yamaha misjudged the market with a radical bike, mistimed the introduction during a market downturn. Yamaha had to crush new motorcycles because they couldn’t give them away. Current speculation is that they are giving the FJR the PDP treatment so that same problem won’t happen again. Now that the FJR appears to be selling well there is no understanding why Yamaha persists with the PDP. Worse yet, it is spreading – go check out Triumph’s new PDP on their bikes.

A nonrefundable deposit sure does slow down impulse buying! I guess Yamaha thinks that the $500 will produce only serious buyers. Then again it may scare off just as many potential buyers.

My FJR has been sort of an ‘ambassador’ bike, many potential buyers have had a chance to see and sometimes ride my bike since they couldn’t find one at any dealers within the region.

Bad Yamaha, PDP [SIZE=14pt]SUCKS![/SIZE]

Alan

 

[red2kcbr]

As a not-so-patient waiter last year, I'll take a stab at these questions.

First, it's not really to keep prices up that Yamaha does the PDP program, rather, it's to keep prices down. If they know EXACTLY how many bikes they will sell, they can plan to hit a definite number, not a moving target.

Second, if you look at the market, the FJR is an incredible value. Look at similar products from BMW and Ducati. Both fine manufacturers, both building a very good sport-tourer. But they are priced considerably higher than the FJR. Triumph has a candidate, but still not a front-runner. Only Honda can approach the price/perfomance point of the FJR, and they miss by a pretty good margin, in my opinion. And I'm a Honda man.

Finally, the FJR fills a difficult niche with the least compromise. Because sport-touring IS a compromise. It ain't a full-on sport bike, and it's not a Goldwing or other luxu-tourer. Yet, it manages to do both very well. Will it corner-carve like an R1 or a CBR1000RR? Nope, but damn close. Will it provide the plush ride and ergos of a Goldwing, the acknowledged leader in touring? Not really, but it's very comfortable. You see, this is a very hard target to hit. It's easier to build a bike for a single purpose. Yamaha has done a fine job in getting the right mix between sport and tour.

As a former sport bike guy looking for a sporty two-up tourer, the FJR is the best offering I've seen.

Now, if Honda (or anyone else) would provide a V5-powered, shaft-drive, sport-tourer with the comfort AND HANDLING of the FJR and about 180 HP at the rear wheel, sign me up!

Until then, we're stuck with the FJR. I love this effin' bike! :clap:

 

[sparky3008]

First, it's not really to keep prices up that Yamaha does the PDP program, rather, it's to keep prices down. If they know EXACTLY how many bikes they will sell, they can plan to hit a definite number, not a moving target.

Resale is good on these compared to other Japanese bikes. I was not talking of original sale...

 

[tripletango]

Some dealers have beat the systrem and ordered the bike under pseudonyms. You usually pay through the nose for those. I don't think they qualify for Yamaha funding after that either.

Wait and deal with the closest dealer that has a good discounted price.

 

[sparky3008]

I didn't have to go through this myself. The dealer I got mine at had someone do the PDP and at that same time they put one under a false name. 2 months out I got onto that deal and didn't have to wait as long.

Battley Cycles in Gaithersburg Maryland has one sitting on their floor that they did the same thing on and it has been sitting there for at least 6 months.

They are a BMW, Harley, Ducati, Yamaha dealer and they must just be asking too much and not willing to deal. That is why I didn't buy it.

They are out there on showroom floors you just have to be willing to travel and look around.

I am personally glad I got my 05 and not the 06 (my choice not trying to say anything bad about the 06). And the nice thing with the 06 coming is people must be wanting it and not the 05 so they seem available...

 

[jestal]

del

 

[MCRIDER007]

They have no risk in building bikes to fill PDP orders so any extra costs they incur building above and beyond the planned production volumes since they know each one is sold

I am not disputing anything that you have said but it is my understanding that dealers place orders for new bikes at the annual dealer shows that are held in the fall and Yamaha bases its production runs on those orders so in effect all the bikes are "sold" before they are produced. I would think the dealers would like the PDP program because they do not have any flooring costs but the dealers I have talked to dislike the PDP because they think they are loosing a lot of sales (which they are) and hurting customer relations. All that being said, I could see why Yamaha wanted to make sure they didn't overproduce in 2004 (Yamaha Venture sales in 1984 and every year after were way below 1983 sales) but if the dealers were willing to assume the risk for unsold models after 2004 then they should have been allowed to order as many as they wanted.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

.....dealers I have talked to dislike the PDP because they think they are loosing a lot of sales .....but if the dealers were willing to assume the risk for unsold models after 2004 then they should have been allowed to order as many as they wanted.

Sad to say, dealers are "not the sharpest knives in the drawer" -- most on this board know way more about FJRs than the avg. dealer. And, the dealer's insatiable greed will just ruin it for Yamaha Corporate -- like they did with the 650 Seca, GTS1000, TDM, etc.....

 

[painman]

Here's a link that might get you a ride on a 06 FJR 1300A. Possible Test Ride Hope the helped. Painman.

 

[jestal]

del

 

[MCRIDER007]

And, the dealer's insatiable greed will just ruin it for Yamaha Corporate -- like they did with the 650 Seca, GTS1000, TDM, etc.....

I am not sure what you are talking about here. The dealers didn't kill the sales for those bikes, they didn't sell because the public didn't want them, at least not at the price that Yamaha was asking. Production levels used to be determined by Yamaha headquarters with very little imput from the dealers and they would fill warehouses in the US hoping that the dealers would sell the inventory. Dealers would often have bikes "forced" on them that they didn't want but had to take to keep their franchise. It is quite a bit different now, sometimes dealers cannot get certain models from Yamaha because they didn't sell any of that model the previous year. My dealer was not "allocated" a 2006 FZ1 this year becuase they didn't sell any 2005 FZ1s. It makes about as much sense as the PDP.

 

[Bounce]

Maybe I just bite the bullit and get the new K1200gt when to comes out, at least BMW gives test rides.

And, at those prices, they need to give a reach-around too!

Where have you been? The PdP is an FJR pre-order program that (good, bad, or indifferent) has been around in the US and Canada for more than 3 years now.

 

[Knifemaker]

I am not defending the PDP thing here and given the sales of this bike in the past, I feel it may be uneeded now. But rather than speculate on why they do it, what I have seen is that the buyers of this particular bike are not the type that walk into a showrooom to pick something out... but instead have done research, read repprts-both in cycle mags and from owners- , looked at specs and photos available and decided this was the bike they wanted. Many have also joined forums like this to get more information and owners opinions.

In many circumstances , alot of other bikes are bought the same way...you know what you want befroe walking into a dealership. The FJR is not a first timers motorcycle , the buyers of these bikes are usualy quite knowledgable of motorcycles in general and usualy have at least a few years experiance on something simular in weight and performace.

Alot of dealers do not give test rides, BMW dealers might more than others, given the high price of these machines. But for insurance reasons, most dealers do not. For almost any bike made , there is plenty of information one can find on how the bike performs, handles, etc... so having an actual bike to look at on a dealers showroom floor is in most cases, not going to make a potential buyer of the FJR change his mind either way , as he or she has already made their mind up before walking in.

Yes... it would be nice if they just had one there you could sit on..my sales guy brought in his own 05 for me to look at. But if one was not available , I am pretty sure I would have plunked the $500.00 down anyway. Because after reading all the information I could on the bike, along with testimonials from owners, and seeing photos of their bikes ...I knew this was the bike for me.

I do believe that at some point , there will be a few "loose" 06 models floating about that will end up on showroom floors somewhere.

The 500 bucks does make the statement that you are "commited" to owning one of these bikes..But I am very sure that those that do put the money down were already commited before they even wrote the check.

KM

 

[sparky3008]

One last thing from me.

What does it really matter. No 06's are out yet anyway. Not like you could walk in anywhere and get one because they don't exist yet right.

From what I understand also is if you don't want it when it arrives you still get your money back. Although you aren't going to get a test ride either way from a dealer.

I will say that if you buy one and don't like it try and stay close with your salesman/girl.

I would be willing to bet if you go back to them to buy a different bike and ask them to send any people looking for an fjr your way you will sell that thing in no time with very little loss. I am not out in public places with my bike much. It is usually home, work, gas station and on the road. I don't visit bars with it and shopping malls etc and I have already had a few people come up to look/ask about it because they have been wanting one...

Guys on CBR1000 and the like too...

 

[Bugnatr]

Do as I did. Buy a slightly used one. Save $$. Most sellers will let you ride it first or at least sit on it. Chances are it will have some extras and even a YES warranty. Don't worry about the tick issue- Yamaha put a new head on my 04 at 12,500 miles and 6 mo. out of warranty. Great bike, way better value than a Bring My Wallet.