Talk me out of it. Please.

Downeaster

Downeaster

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Long, cold winter. Boredom. Mind wanders. Passing thoughts get WAY more consideration than they merit.

So...

Daughter has a '16 Yamaha Bolt. She regrets it, wants to go back to something lighter, sportier. Thinking Ninja 300. I approve. Leaves her holding the bag on the Bolt tho, would take an ass-whipping on a trade.

You may recall I had the hots for the scrambler version before I bought my FJ. I STILL like the look of the darn thing, just can't handle the seating/riding position on the Bolt, kills my back and hips. So, here's the random idea:

Take over payments/refi the Bolt and customize it. Subframe for enduro-type seat (been done, but not commercially available at the moment) to get the seat height up for us non-midgets. Different bars, sportier exhaust. Perhaps a re-flash for a little more snot. Maybe some dual-purpose tires.

Pluses: Gives me something to ride when I'm not feeling the hooligan-cornercarver thing. Satisfies my need to mess with motorcycles.

Minus: Money. Lack thereof, other needs for.
 
Sorry, can’t talk you out of it. Sounds like a fun project. That’s a good engine in that bike and I like scramblers. And helping your daughter out is a plus.
Win win! :thumbsup:
 
Until you run some numbers, your decision will be based more on heart than head. How big of a hit will your daughter take on a trade or outright sale? (if there is a private market for it). Maybe just help her with cost of the depreciation and move on. If you were to take it on, do your mods and then want to sell it, is there a market for that result?
If you take it over and do your mods, will it still be a poor fit for your riding needs?
If you were to put the same amount of modification money into an older Dyna or Sporty, you would always be able to sell it.
All of the above ideas presented respectfully...
 
Right on all counts, Lakeview. Can't hardly GIVE a Bolt away, or trade it.

Priced some stuff, that let the air out of that balloon quickly. Minimum of $2000 worth of mods, probably $7000 total with pay-off, for a bike I might be able to give away for $2-3K.

Not to mention the shitstorm it would create with SWMBO...
 
Many can ride the FJ09 conservatively. Some even eschew the "A" setting. But once that triple starts to sing, all the good intentions of dawdling along seem to vanish.
 
Modding a late model is a losing proposition. Buy so she can find a nice lo miles ninja, wait til spring sell the bolt. Find an older bike with some "existing patina" to mod.
Post looking a for a trade lots of folks going the other way?
 
lakeview said:
Many can ride the FJ09 conservatively. Some even eschew the "A" setting. But once that triple starts to sing, all the good intentions of dawdling along seem to vanish.
Click to expand...

Too true. I can't believe I haven't gotten a felony-class ticket with it yet. Actually, no tickets at all, altho I've gotten a few friendly waves and a blink of the blues from the po-po...
 
Downeaster do you have a FJ09? I am seriously looking at a Tracer GT. I have yet to try out but man does it ever look great! Me on one last fall in Dartmouth NS while at Liberty C&C. I am a sucker for all rims with a red pinstripe. Just looks awesome!
20181026_161659_HDR.jpg
 
You could have a couple sweet vintage bikes for that new Bolt. Getting a nice xs650 will be a good investment and they only go up every year . In 50 years we might be seeing a stock running xs650 sell for $20k I'm estimating.

Xs650 > depreciation
Bolt < depreciation
 
Paul: I’m with Lakeview. Hard as it may be, I’d try to to make a fact-based rather than an emotional decision while helping family as much as possible.

Pete
 
FJsmall.jpg


@Superjet - Yup, a 2016. Most fun I've ever had with my clothes on. I took some of the more "transformer-ish" plastic off and run it naked. Had the ECU flashed, upgraded the front suspension, added a tail-tidy and a Corbin seat, moved the handlebars up and back a tad. Fast enough to induce pucker-factor, tractable enough to make a pretty good tourer.

@MaxPete - Yeah that idea got abandoned after a little thought and some price checking. Like I said, boredom-induced random thought, quickly evaporated in the presence of reality.
 
I did like the look of the "scramblerized" Bolt, (SCR 900?) Especially the XT500 inspired paint job. But when looking at the spec sheet, I was no longer interested. Loooong wheelbase, ridiculously heavy, and not much power. A Ducati Scrambler 800 would run circles around it all day, on any surface. So you're definitely making a wise decision, staying away from it. Spend the $$ on gas and tyres for the FJ900 instead :)
 
SAM_4316.JPG
Here is mine all decked out to go to Vintage Yamaha Rally at Ironhorse 2016. Comfy tourer even with stock seat and bars. And the thrills are only a twist away. Ordinarily I just use a top box for around town as in my view a senior with a back pack is just wrong.
"Best Bike Ever"
 
Wow great looking bikes Downeaster and Lakeview. I do like this and I am a big fan of the triple with all review online people can't stop smilling after they ride it. I want to be one of those guys! :D:D:D
 
The power train on these is perfection in my view.
The triple pulls from any rpm. I have started off in third from a light (senior's moment) more than once and apart from it seeming sluggish, it pulled away no sweat.
Three driving modes, ABS, TC, fuel injection what more do ya need. Especially when you have an XS to keep your maintenance skills up to date!
 
Downeaster said:
Long, cold winter. Boredom. Mind wanders. Passing thoughts get WAY more consideration than they merit. So...
Daughter has a '16 Yamaha Bolt. She regrets it, wants to go back to something lighter, sportier. Thinking Ninja 300. I approve. Leaves her holding the bag on the Bolt tho, would take an ass-whipping on a trade.
You may recall I had the hots for the scrambler version before I bought my FJ. I STILL like the look of the darn thing, just can't handle the seating/riding position on the Bolt, kills my back and hips. So, here's the random idea:
Take over payments/refi the Bolt and customize it. Subframe for enduro-type seat (been done, but not commercially available at the moment) to get the seat height up for us non-midgets. Different bars, sportier exhaust. Perhaps a re-flash for a little more snot. Maybe some dual-purpose tires.
Pluses: Gives me something to ride when I'm not feeling the hooligan-cornercarver thing. Satisfies my need to mess with motorcycles.
Minus: Money. Lack thereof, other needs for.
Click to expand...

Hi Downeaster,
right now your daughter still owns the Bolt and is still making payments on it but she regrets the deal and would rather have a Ninja 300.
And you approve her Ninja 300 decision but reckon it's cost-prohibitive to make the changes you'd need to ride the Bolt in comfort if you took it over.
There is no easy answer.
Let the repo men take the Bolt? There went any equity she had in the bike and her credit rating along with it.
Arrange for the Bolt to be "stolen"? Most likely get caught so not a good idea.
Learn to love the Bolt and keep riding it? Least hassle option.
Keep up the payments, park the Bolt and buy a beater Ninja for Dad to fix because he's bored anyway? You up for that?
 
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