decision on which to buy

[art miller]

Kinda sounds like Jstewart needs to see a card reader or a psychic. His quandary is way beyond our pay grade!

 

[jstewart]

Kinda sounds like Jstewart needs to see a card reader or a psychic. His quandary is way beyond our pay grade!

Yeagh I probably deserved that. Sort of an embarasment of riches decision. I can afford to do either as long as I sell or trade the ZX14R so I have room for another bike. At any rate thanks for the advice, this is a great forum.

 

[maggot]

Kinda sounds like Jstewart needs to see a card reader or a psychic. His quandary is way beyond our pay grade!

Yeah, first world problems for sure. I just got an 07 and I'm stoked about it. I wish I could afford his dilemma...

I'd get the new one, rid the HD and ZX, get a DR650 and a 1 litre sport.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Sounds like dilemma resolved to me...... get the '14!

 

[jstewart]

Sounds like dilemma resolved to me...... get the '14!

Dilemma resolved, I am back. Bought a new 2014 FJR-1300ES from local dealer today. Paid $15,096.00 + tax & license, looked like a fair price to me. Sold the 2012 ZX-14R to a friend.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Congrats, enjoy the new ES!

--G

 

[Bokerfork]

Wait, what happened to the Subaru Outback?

Damnit, did I miss something?

 

[DHS1981]

Logic prevails...save the $10k and buy your '08 back. Use the funds for suspension, fuel, tires and trips!

--G

I'm with escape, but FWIW, there's one more thing to consider: it's not just the difference in purchase price. You need to factor in depreciation. For example, 5 years from now, if you decide to sell your FJR, it will cost you a lot more in depreciation on the 2014 than the older bike. That '08 won't be losing much value from this point forward. That is cold hard cash that you will have to give up to own the newer bike. I drove the '14 ES a couple weeks ago at Daytona. You asked if the difference was worth the money. For me: absolutely not. Consider this: buy your old bike back, and ride it for a couple years. If you're still sure by then that you'd be interested in a '14, you can pick one up for something like 10-11k at that time and save a bundle. You get to let somebody else cough up the big loss in depreciation: their loss becomes your gain. You'll own the same bike for a lot less money. If money was no object, I don't believe you would have asked the forum.

The bike itself: what's it got that your older FJR doesn't have? A bunch of stuff, as you are well aware, but the real question is, how much is that stuff worth to you? For me, I could care less about things like adjustable suspension. I don't adjust the suspension I have. It's wonderfully smooth, sucks up bumps like a vacuum cleaner, and goes around corners like it's on rails. My Gen 1, with what many on this forum say is a worn out shock... has far more handling capacity than I'll ever use. What more could I want? Traction control? Why? I'd most likely never use it. The cruise control? Granted: nice. But 7000 dollars nice? Not for me. There's more, I know, but again: how much are these items worth to you?

Just my opinion.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[DHS1981]

Not sure I did the quote thing right -- forgive me if I messed it up. I'd like to hear more about the ride impressions regarding the FJR1300ES. I'm looking at both an A model and the ES. The dealership will make me a very attractive deal on the 2014 A model now, or I can wait another month to test the ES. I'm on the fence about how valuable the ES suspension will really be to me. Out here on the plains the roads are straight and flat, and when I do get into the twisties I'm not much of a peg-dragger. The dealership owner, who I think is a straight-shooter, has opined that the difference between the ES and the A is not all that much for the average rider who isn't looking to push the bike to the edge of its capabilities. Having never ridden the ES, I'd welcome some objective opinions.