Attention All FJR AE Owners and Prospective Buyers

[FJRPittsburgh]

I just got off the phone with Yamaha Corporate in California. I was inquiring whether or not the AE will be available in the US soon. I figured if I made the effort to at least request the bike, it couldn't hurt. I was asked to send a letter to their corporate offices stating my strong intention to purchase a new AE. If you are interested in having the AE back in the US, please follow through and do the same. They didn't have an email address, only a snail mail one. It would sure be nice to have the opportunity to buy another new AE with all the innovations currently added to the newer models.

If you want to join me in this effort, please send a letter to the corporate office at this address:

Yamaha Motors Corporation
6555 Katella Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630

I don't think we'll ever see the AE again without a little extra effort.

Thanks!

[gixxerjasen]

Maybe this time they won't shoot themselves in the foot and release a herkey jerkey model that gets bad press and turns potential customers away from it.

[bungie4]

Oddly, I've never ridden an AE. I have ridden Honda's DCT and that shit is unbelievably good.

Anyway, squeaky wheel gets the grease! Mail away!

[FJRPittsburgh]

Well it certainly can't hurt to make it known to Yamaha that there are buyers for the new AE. You don't have to march in the streets wearing a hat with female genitalia, just send a letter showing your interest in buying one. Wouldn't it be great if we could make this happen?

[bungie4]

You don't have to march in the streets wearing a hat with female genitalia

.. what.. an odd thing to say.

[FJRPittsburgh]

Bungie, Being I'm your brother from another mother and you've met me in person, I find it hard to believe that you'd find anything I've said as odd.

[gixxerjasen]

I think it's the coincidence of this post and his latest hat purchase that he finds odd.

[raYzerman]

I wish it was DCT, I did like the AE I rode for a short distance. Wanted it in Root Beer but they never brought it over.... I thought I have bought my last FJR....... I feel my wallet getting an erection..... damn you Jeff for posting.

[Festus]

Doesn't that hypershift thing do the same thing? Seems like $350, you can have it on your bike now. A lot less expensive than $17,000 for a new one.

[FJRPittsburgh]

I don't believe so. The great thing about the AE is there is no clutch lever whatsoever. You simply toggle the finger shifter or use the foot shifter without ever pulling in a clutch lever. There isn't a clutch lever as the clutch operates automatically. In heavy traffic, it's a dream. Do you have a link for the Hypershift thing you're talking about? I believe it allows you to upshift without using the clutch lever.

[FJRPittsburgh]

I did find the HM Quickshifter which may be what you're referring to. It does allow you to upshift and downshift without the clutch lever, but you still have a clutch lever and have to use it at times. The AE also allows the rider to use the paddle shifters on the left side of the handlebar near the left grip to shift with your thumb and forefinger or forefinger only and never touch the foot shifter. I use the paddle shifter exclusively.

Also, HM doesn't make a Quickshifter for the FJR.

[Festus]

Also, HM doesn't make a Quickshifter for the FJR.

Sure they do!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uSN4ScrD3w&t=137s

I've never seen the AE or ridden one, so my knowledge base on that has a huge void

[FJRPittsburgh]

Oh OK. No biggie. I got my information from HM's website. Different company. That's cool, but it still wouldn't turn an FJR A into an AE. Good info though. Thanks for that.

[gixxerjasen]

Where its amazing is putt putting along in stop and go traffic. No aching clutch hand. Roll on the throttle and it engages the clutch and off you go. Come to a stop and the rpms get low enough and it disengages the clutch for you.

I made this boring video a while back showing the FJR AE in the nasty bit of traffic I had to deal with before getting on the freeway.
https://youtu.be/9no4Q_o8ouI

[Festus]

I made this boring video a while back showing the FJR AE in the nasty bit of traffic I had to deal with before getting on the freeway.

Your windshield is dirty and you forgot to signal your lane change

Interesting, that's pretty nifty. Definitely different than the quick shifter thingy.

[gixxerjasen]

I made this boring video a while back showing the FJR AE in the nasty bit of traffic I had to deal with before getting on the freeway.

Your windshield is dirty and you forgot to signal your lane change

Interesting, that's pretty nifty. Definitely different than the quick shifter thingy.

A. My windshield is clean, you should have seen it this afternoon.
B. This is Dallas, signaling is entirely optional. In fact, it's often frowned upon it seems.

[wheatonFJR]

I just got off the phone with Yamaha Corporate in California. I was inquiring whether or not the AE will be available in the US soon. I figured if I made the effort to at least request the bike, it couldn't hurt. I was asked to send a letter to their corporate offices stating my strong intention to purchase a new AE. If you are interested in having the AE back in the US, please follow through and do the same. They didn't have an email address, only a snail mail one. It would sure be nice to have the opportunity to buy another new AE with all the innovations currently added to the newer models.

If you want to join me in this effort, please send a letter to the corporate office at this address:

Yamaha Motors Corporation
6555 Katella Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630

I don't think we'll ever see the AE again without a little extra effort.

Thanks!

C'mon guys, these AE guys would like em back. I was a naysayers when they first came out...but some of these guys swear by them. It would be great if those guys could upgrade to GEN3 as well.

[gixxerjasen]

C'mon guys, these AE guys would like em back. I was a naysayers when they first came out...but some of these guys swear by them. It would be great if those guys could upgrade to GEN3 as well.

Let's make our Christmas list while we are at it. A whole new Gen 4 with DCT for the AE model. I mean, we wished hard enough and got a freaking 6th gear, we can do this!

[palerider]

I just got off the phone with Yamaha Corporate in California. I was inquiring whether or not the AE will be available in the US soon. I figured if I made the effort to at least request the bike, it couldn't hurt. I was asked to send a letter to their corporate offices stating my strong intention to purchase a new AE. If you are interested in having the AE back in the US, please follow through and do the same. They didn't have an email address, only a snail mail one. It would sure be nice to have the opportunity to buy another new AE with all the innovations currently added to the newer models.

If you want to join me in this effort, please send a letter to the corporate office at this address:

Yamaha Motors Corporation
6555 Katella Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630

I don't think we'll ever see the AE again without a little extra effort.

Thanks!

I love my AE for all the reasons stated--what a pleasure--and there are more reasons to get a Gen3 AE than just to get a paddle-shifter. But for whatever reason (personally I blame Yamaha's lousy marketing) it immediately became a specialty item. It was always a low-sales item, and in later years it became a no-sales item. I have for a while wondered whether it would be more palatable for Yamaha to offer the new AE on a Pre-Deposit Program (PDP), like the FJR was on when it first came out. That way dealers wouldn't have to worry about having to pay to buy and keep them on their showroom floors indefinitely. People who knew what they were and knew what they wanted could come in, put down a deposit, and pick up the motorcycle when it arrived.

[FJRPittsburgh]

That's a interesting idea and no commitment on the dealer side. If you send Yamaha a letter, please enclose that idea. I would pay full retail just to have the opportunity to buy a new one and keep it for many years.