2021 FJR is out - one more year!!

[danh600]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

They're weird.

Last year at Barber I did a couple of test rides at the Yamaha tent. By far the bike with the most interest was the Nikken. Not sure if it was actual interest in buying or people just wanting to ride something different and weird. It booked solid very quickly.

Most people seemed positive after riding it.

The guy running the rides reminded the riders it is a motorcycle. You have to put the kick stand down when you get off.

[D-Eagle]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

When Yamaha demo rides came to my local dealer the Yamaha Niken was the bike that filled up immediately for test rides. The dealer said they couldn't believe the excitement for that bike. A year later (a month ago) I'm at the same dealership and they can't get bikes in stock and their showroom is almost empty. They did have a Niken still sitting there. So they were selling everything but that.

I did wonder how much better traction the two fronts would provide. Then decided my best chance for me going faster in the curves is to ride on back of somebody else's bike.

[wheatonFJR]

Um. Me too.

[gixxerjasen]

The guy running the rides reminded the riders it is a motorcycle. You have to put the kick stand down when you get off.

Interesting that Yamaha didn't implement the functionality already in the Piaggio MP3 for that.

[FJRPittsburgh]

I wonder if the 3-wheeled bike sounds the same when falling over onto asphalt as my bike did?

[DesignFlaw06]

The Niken (and others like it) have a HUGE market segment in Europe. I didn't understand it, until I saw it.

They're weird.

Last year at Barber I did a couple of test rides at the Yamaha tent. By far the bike with the most interest was the Nikken. Not sure if it was actual interest in buying or people just wanting to ride something different and weird. It booked solid very quickly.

Most people seemed positive after riding it.

The guy running the rides reminded the riders it is a motorcycle. You have to put the kick stand down when you get off.

I did a test ride with, but only because it was different. I have no interest in actually buying one. Other than having your arms spread much father apart than you're used to, it felt like a regular motorcycle going down the road. Maybe it had a smoother ride running over those Michigan roads, but not enough of a difference where I would consider it.

The guy after me did forget to put the kickstand down when he got back and dropped it. But he certainly wasn't the first.

[Cav47]

Not to change this into a Nikken thread. But seriously, how can that thing not weigh a crap ton in the front? Four shocks, two tires, rims, fenders, brakes, and whatever else.

580lbs is what I just saw on a quick search. That is portly for a 850cc machine.

Not disputing the cool/weird/interesting concept that will likely trickle down tech enhancements in the future, but nah. Just because you can build it, does not mean you should sell it. Keep that thing in R&D. Spend some more of the marketing money or whatever residual stuff needed to make the FJR better.

[blind squirrel]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

68.

[Cav47]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

68.

I will take the over!

[ionbeam]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

68.

Well, at least you gave a whole number

[wheatonFJR]

I want predictions, how many will they actually sell in North America..

68.

I will take the over!

Sorry, no gambling here...and this is not price is right. Pick a nummer foo!

I would pick 68, but since it is already taken, I will choose 1234.

[ionbeam]

....I will choose 1234.

How did you guess my super secret PIN number?

Best sales information I've seen for the Niken are dealers that say they put 2 on the sales floor last year and today they have 2 on the sales floor. There is hope for the Niken though, for an example of what the market can do, today Edsels in good condition are worth up to $60k.

Yamaha is no stranger to selling bombs. Take the 1993 GTS1000 that took root on dealer's floors before they started crushing them.

One number I did find is from Australia where they sold 108 FJR1300s last year.

[Uncle Hud]

There you go, Alan! Buy a Niken, hold onto it for 40 years, and clear $50,000 when you sell it as an antique!

I'll bet a low-mileage, one-armed GTS 1000 is worth ... $6,000 today.

[ionbeam]

...Buy a Niken, hold onto it for 40 years...

I'll bet a low-mileage, one-armed GTS 1000 is worth ... $6,000 today.

With an impressive 40,627 miles in 27 years.

As far as holding a Niken for 40 years -- I won't live another 40 years. At this point a new roof with a 20 year warranty is a lifetime warranty for me. Most of the Niken reviews glowingly say 'it's not a terrible motorcycle' and other similar phrases.

As previously mentioned, I suspect that the 2021 FJR is a 2020 FJR with an updated ID tag and nothing else new including the color. I would be surprised if there is a 2022 FJR, so get 'em while they are still here. It's a sad though, but likely to be true. There is probably some guy in Phoenix that's looking to make a lifetime buy of as many FJRs as possible to go along with the dozen or so he already owns

[raYzerman]

At last year's bike show they had a Niken on the show stand and one laying on it's side so we could see all... the Yamaha rep said it was a marketing experiment, they really don't expect it to sell (more than 30-50 total)... just showing off some innovation. My local dealer has one at nearly an FJR price. I'd be willing to be they are all on consignment/or dealer doesn't have to pay until actually sold.
As CAV says, all that hardware up front baffles me, I mean 4 forks and 15" wheels to keep the height down, portly is a good description. I sat on one, I get the idea, it's not bad, tank and plastic are wide to hide all that, just can't see me or too many owning one. Yep, R&D. Piaggio did better IMHO.

[raYzerman]

As for numbers..... Wheatie probably fat fingered his number with an extra digit.......... in the back of my mind (when figures were available), ST1300 sold 2500 per year at introduction, which tapered off quickly to 250 a year. Surprising since there were lots of them around... and no updates except a different colour every year after.
It was speculated the FJR may have done the same in the earlier years, but methinks it may have slowed up after '07 somewhat. The update years got things kickstarted again.... If I had been CEO, I would have done something different with colours (kinda similar to EU/GB).
I think all Kawi had to do was put cruise on the C14 to keep it going stronger, their excuse was no throttle by wire, however, my Goldwing didn't have throttle by wire, less sophisticated cruise, but it worked (much like the Audiovox retrofits we did)....

Would it help to estimate how many sales in each state and add them up?

[wheatonFJR]

Im amazed that the FJR is around for about 20 years if they've only sold in the 3 digits each year for North America. With all the generational updates as well. Glad I got me a Gen3 before they shut it down.

[Uncle Hud]

I’ll bite and say 704 units in North America.

Calculation:
50 US states at 10 per state = 500
10 Canadian provinces at 7 per = 70
3 Canadian Territories at 2 per = 6 (Nunavut — with no paved roads? — Yukon, and Northwest)
32 Mexican states at 4 per = 128
Total = 704

That makes 1,234 seem pretty high. And I’ll guess fewer than 150 Nikens sold in North America in 2021.

[raYzerman]

I am on 3 FJR forums and just taking a swag at what I know (or don't know). It's all a guess since no numbers are published, can only go by gut feel, and there is no right or wrong answer. Just fun guessing and seeing what everybody thinks.

I will go back to 2014, Canada got a Root Beer A and a black ES. I don't believe either sold that well, even with the introduction of the ES. I know of 5 Root Beers in Canada. When I went to get mine, it was in Dec. 2016 and Yammy was handing out $1500 to the dealers (passed along to me) to get rid of them. I asked another local dealer about one since he had advertised one in 2016, he didn't have it in stock like his picture showed, but "he could get me one"... at the wrong price of course. The supply stock is held at Yamaha's warehouse, dealers order when they want one. I could have had a leftover '15 (black or gray choice). I know of one '14 black ES here. I would guess Canadian total sales were around 20 units then, more recently even less.

When the red '14's came out in the US, if there was 2 sold in each state (as an average).... in your riding in your state or various states, or at gatherings such as EOM's one would have thought you'd see many..... I do think that was a good selling year.... how about 100 in all of USA, do you buy that? How many Connie 14's ... even less.

OK next assignment, get close to a Yamaha sales and marketing guy and ask him what the real numbers are. Maybe pump the Yammy guy at the next demo ride event.....

[gixxerjasen]

Don't forget all the ones you don't see because they are hardly ridden yet the owners think their five year old bike is worth $$$, like the guy who tried to sell me his 1500 mile FJR for about $3000 more than average selling price way back when I was shopping.