Considering buying my first FJ in 13 years but....

[markmartin]

Remember, it's a fact of life that if you think about ANYTHING for long enough you will talk yourself out of it.

I like it Noel.  I'm going to hold on to that one.   

[movenon]

Remember, it's a fact of life that if you think about ANYTHING for long enough you will talk yourself out of it.

I like it Noel.  I'm going to hold on to that one.   

+ 1 Now I know,,,

[yamaha fj rider]

Remember, it's a fact of life that if you think about ANYTHING for long enough you will talk yourself out of it.

I like it Noel.  I'm going to hold on to that one.   

+ 1 Now I know,,,

Also a saying from playing poker "if you think long you think wrong"   

Kurt

[ICBM]

Thanks Fred but I have no interest in an 1100. Does anyone buy these bikes on Ebay without first test riding them? Stupid question, I suppose. I am in contact with the FJ guy in Memphis so I will see if anything develops. I have never bought a vehicle off of Ebay.

[ICBM]

Noel,  I suppose that expression was intended for me? It does make sense, I must admit.

[FJmonkey]

There might be a member near the seller that can check it out for you.

[ribbert]

Noel,  I suppose that expression was intended for me? It does make sense, I must admit.

Yes it was and yes it does.
Noel

[ICBM]

Noel,  Seems like the older I've gotten the more indecisive I've become. Trying to reverse that a bit!

[ICBM]

Fj Monkey,  Iwould gladly pay a fair sum to have a local FJer check it out, but don't really know how to go about it. No worries though. Eventually, I'l get one.

[FJmonkey]

Fj Monkey,  Iwould gladly pay a fair sum to have a local FJer check it out, but don't really know how to go about it. No worries though. Eventually, I'l get one.

Just post up if you find an FJ you are considering, if a member is near by he may chose to help out. This can also work for bikes in nearby states.

[ribbert]

Noel,  Seems like the older I've gotten the more indecisive I've become. Trying to reverse that a bit!

Age does that to you a bit, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and get on with it.

You could spend the rest of you life looking for that perfect buy. We've all seen one, but how long do you wait? How much fun are you going to miss out on in the meantime?

There seems to be a good supply of FJ's around that are tidy and with a good provenance.

Personally, I wouldn't buy one without seeing it in the flesh though. It introduces an element of luck.

I paid $5000 for a tidy example (the going price for a good one at the time). A couple of years later I paid $500 for a dismantled bike as a ready supply of spares. We collected bits from all over his garage in a wheelbarrow then poured them into a big plastic tub. The engine was 100km's away at another location and I had not even seen it. I assembled it to check the motor out and to my amazement it was only missing the fuel pump and a battery. While cosmetically challenged, it rode every bit as sweet as my other bike, I couldn't believe it.

If a bike is tidy, matching, clean, has modest miles on it, the condition matches the miles and the gut feel is right, it's most likely a good thing.

If unsure, get someone who knows bikes to check out a potential purchase.

I have no idea about your mechanical skills but once demystified, there's not much to a bike and as you have no doubt seen by now, the forum offers a staggering amount of help and advice and tinkering is part of the fun.

Noel

[Arnie]

Thanks Fred but I have no interest in an 1100. Does anyone buy these bikes on Ebay without first test riding them?  I have never bought a vehicle off of Ebay.

I have agreed to buy vehicles off Ebay or other internet sales sites.  However, I do check the vehicle carefully when I get there, and if its not right I've been willing to walk away with my ca$h still in my pocket.  So far, that's not happened.
I'm much more concerned that my purchase is right and "as agreed", than a bad "feedback score".  I can always get a new ebay name.

Arnie

[ICBM]

Thanks Arnie and Noel. More good advice, as always, from the FJ group. Not too worried about the fun I will miss out on. Had plenty of that in my early Iron Butt days (back over 20 yrs. ago when it had just a few hundred members) all on an FJ. No, I never did THE Iron Butt Rally though. Your wisdom on this matter is noted and appreciated.