Normal Wear?

[LStuckey]

I am looking for an FJR and have found a very clean late '04 (titled as an '05) at a dealership. The bike displays 6,131 mile on the odometer and it is in near perfect condition. The only non-stock parts I see are the grips.

There is something peculiar though that is nagging at me. The front foot pegs and shift lever seem to be worn way beyond what I would consider normal for the mileage shown. Is this typical? I guess the PO could have worn some unusually aggressive boots or something. Maybe I'm over thinking this, any thoughts?

 

[FJReady]

I agree, something fishy going on there. My foot pegs looked better than that with 75,000 miles of riding on them. Most of those with Oxtar Matrix boots. What your photos show looks like extraordinary wear to me for a bike with such low alleged miles.

How about the other areas around the frame (foot peg mounting brackets, etc) where the riders boots would normally rub?

 

[Patriot]

definitely wrong

folks here have had to replace their dashes with odometer starting back to zero

somebody needs to check how many owners and insurance claims and yamaha history records by VIN

or just pass and keep looking

low miles are as bad or worse than high miles anyway

machines are designed to run and not sit up long periods

fuel systems dont tolerate non use

 

[Ignacio]

Fishy, fishy, fishy. I replaced my toe pegs and clutch rubber at 100,000K and slightly less wear.

 

[madmike2]

Concur with the above posts. Mine are worn like that, including the shifter rubber, and I replaced them 40k miles ago.

Get a Yamaha dealer to run the VIN through the system. I'm betting the instrument cluster has been replaced. It should be logged or noted someplace.

 

[allrider]

I wonder if you can find out what the PO did for a living or where they lived. I 'm thinking some sort of chemical on your shoes could wear the rubber like that. What else would do that?

 

[carlson_mn]

When I bought my 04 with 20k miles the footpeg rubber was almost that worn but still not that bad. I replaced it. The brake side looks fine still at 43k miles. My shifter looks nothing near that worn still. I concur with the above posts that it is nearly impossible to get that kind of wear after 6k miles, or at least I have no idea how it would happen.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Yup...Somethings wrong. My bike has 40k, and looks nothing like that. If you find that the mileage is being misrepresented, get away fast. If they lie about one thing, they'll lie about something else.

 

[RadioHowie]

 

[escapefjrtist]

Take a pass on this bike. Agree with everyone...something is very wrong to display that much wear on the pegs and shifter and with a whole 6,XXX miles, NOT! I'm betting the dealer is wanting some premium too since this is such *low* mileage bike.

Keep looking. With a little patience, there are much better bikes out there to be had.

Good luck with the search!

--G

 

[redtail]

Most FJR's are treated pretty well. Goes with the type of rider who buys them.

My '05 is always getting comments on how good it looks (40,000 miles). But there are quite a few of these machines that have seen more than 100,000 miles. Also goes with the type of rider who buys them!

Gotta agree here and say wait for another. You don't want to be on two wheels and wonder about whether it's been rode that hard already.

 

[LAF]

Most FJR's are treated pretty well. Goes with the type of rider who buys them.

My '05 is always getting comments on how good it looks (40,000 miles). But there are quite a few of these machines that have seen more than 100,000 miles. Also goes with the type of rider who buys them!

Gotta agree here and say wait for another. You don't want to be on two wheels and wonder about whether it's been rode that hard already.

Well I would ask to speak to the former owner. Any bike I have traded I made sure the dealer had my information so I could speak to perspective new owners. I would be truthful and honest about the bike and good and bad and how and what I did to the bike. If you can call the former owner ask why the pegs look like that? Are the bottom feelers scrapped up? As other asked, wear indicators on other plastic parts?

I am not sure what profession would have chemicals that eat rubber on their boots that melt rubber? Auto Body, Radiator Shops, gas station, just not sure but I would think quite a lot of guys work in industries where they walk through or around harsh rubber eating chemicals.

On the other side if the display was changed and it is not marked or documented then RUN Forest Run. It would be totally unethical of the seller and dealer not to disclose that and besides being illegal is immoral and punishable big time.

If I could not get the answer then run away and wait on some of the Winter deals that will come up. Economy is in the tank and people are hurting, so bikes will be sold at reasonable prices. I wish this on no one but my bike would have to go if I could not feed the family or pay the mortgage.

If you can not get a satisfactory answer wait on "your pitch, don't chase the ball".

Good luck but patience will pay off.

 

[UHOH]

Grips were worn out and replaced, hmmm. Then this:

6000 mile claim is laughable ... bet more than 100,000 miles.

 

[madmike2]

Grips were worn out and replaced, hmmm.

6000 mile claim is laughable ... bet more than 100,000 miles.

Not necessarily 100k. I'm on my third set of grips (OEMs were changed to gel grips around 8k) and my second set of foot pads @ 91K miles.

A good part of my riding is done commuting with my work boots on. Pleasure riding is spent on winding and twisty roads so the foot pads are getting a workout.

 

[Knifemaker]

My shifter rubber looked about that worn at 10k, but the peg still looks pretty new. Not sure why the shifter is so worn, but the photo you posted of the footpeg looks suspisous tone for that mileage, even if the owner wears aggressive soles.

Ask to see his riding boots, perhaps they are made from 60 grit....

 

[LStuckey]

The owner of the dealership is an acquaintance and pretty well regarded in the local riding community. I have not approached him about the pegs and/or seen the title to confirm any odometer issues. Truth be told, I came to you folks to verify my misgivings about the bike prior to asking him about it and will be moving on in my search. The bike is listed at around $7500 and I am sure that I can find one that won't keep me awake worrying for similar $$.

Thanks for all the comments and insight!

Larry

 

[wingshot]

I agree, something fishy going on there. My foot pegs looked better than that with 75,000 miles of riding on them.

+1

 

[SkooterG]

Larry, the FJR is a 2005 model since it is blue. Just because it has a build date of mid to late 2004 it is still a '2005 Yamaha FJR1300'. And $7500 is WAY too much for a 2005 FJR even if it was in perfect condition. No, those rubber bits are not anywhere near indicative of 6100 miles. I would like to see photos of the rest of the bike, because I bet there are some other tell-tale signs of a lot higher mileage. In reality, those three rubber pieces are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace.

 

[Neil San Diego]

Definately alot of miles on those rubber parts. Mine looked like that at 40,000 miles, but 90% of my riding is commuting in heavy traffic - alot of shifting. As mentioned, those parts are very easy to replace.