[redeye]

Today after slightly more than 10,400 miles, my Honda CBR250R left the garage for the final time and made room for a “Rapid Red” 2014 Yamaha FZ-09. I learned a lot about motorcycling on the CBR and consider her a wise choice. I decided three motorcycles in the garage is plenty; I also have a Suzuki TU250X for my daughter and a Yamaha CP250X Morphous maxi-scooter that my youngest daughter likes most for our two-up riding. The CBR was a great bike, but one had to go.

At 414 pounds, its weight is in between my formerly owned Honda Silver Wing maxi-scooter (over 500 lbs.) and the CBR (about 360 lbs.) which was a very important specification for me. The standard seating position, not unlike the TU250X’s, was also very important, and the Yamaha demo days that I attended in the last couple of years helped me to learn, perhaps not so much what I preferred, but what I didn’t prefer via process of elimination.

For now, here is a picture of the Yamaha, which already has the seal of approval from my youngest daughter.

 

[baconrocket]

Congrats! Looks like either e dealers haven't sold out as quickly as we'd expected, or the next shipment is starting to move.

 

[v2Bob]

Congrats. What is your production number?

Looks like a future forum member there.



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[Trey Yama]

Congrats, it looks like both Yamaha and the rider got the colors right: red and gold.

 

[redeye]

Congrats. What is your production number?

Looks like a future forum member there.

218. My youngest seems more interested in four wheels than two. Maybe that will change, but for now she loves to travel two-up with Dad, which suits me just fine!

 

[eolith]

Awesome. Congrats, and welcome!

...from my phone...

 

[Too Old]

Way to go! Same color I have on order. You can never have to many motorcycles. Congrats

 

[AHR]

Congrats! I love the rapid red. Very nice.

 

[Willowbilly]

The more pics I see, the more I like the red. How did that beige truck slip in there? It looks like red is the color of choice in your driveway.

 

[triplethreat]

Congratulations Redeye........I've got a Rapid Red myself and I really like the color. I get lots of compliments on the bike and I'm sure that you will too.

 

[Yoyodyne]

redeye, is that a 2000 Civic EX coupe in the background? We've had ours for over 13 years and 190,000 miles, fantastic little car!

 

[redeye]

redeye, is that a 2000 Civic EX coupe in the background? We've had ours for over 13 years and 190,000 miles, fantastic little car!

Nice catch, Yoyodyne. It's actually a 1998 with a five-speed manual and sunroof (gotta have a sunroof!), but the Gen 6 Honda Civic was pretty much the same from 1995 to 2000. I picked this up two summers ago for my college age daughters when they are home for the summer. It has about 225,000 miles but has a replacement dashboard, so the odometer reads about 470,000 miles. This Civic is a rock solid and ridiculously economical car.

 

[redeye]

The more pics I see, the more I like the red. How did that beige truck slip in there? It looks like red is the color of choice in your driveway.

Linking the picture just before posting, I had the same thought! You're right on my vehicle color preference, but somehow that Ram snuck in the driveway without red paint.

 

[redeye]

Congratulations Redeye........I've got a Rapid Red myself and I really like the color. I get lots of compliments on the bike and I'm sure that you will too.

Thanks, Vern. You are one of the first people I came to know on this site. Your knowledge and enthusiasm about the FZ-09 helped me decide to buy what I wanted, even though I was hesitant at first to make it happen. I'd like to ride with you one day. Yes, the FZ-09 gets some appreciative looks and some outright gawking. I will quote part of an e-mail text describing one of my first rides to the recipient.

"I have a few (hopefully) humorous observations. Riding through Gettysburg on Friday (note: 10/18/13, a couple hours after buying the FZ-09), the air temperature on the LCD display was showing 63 degrees. Having stopped and after several seconds at a traffic light, I noticed the temperature rising into the seventies. After a few moments, I realized some of the engine heat was rising up past the display, something that does not happen while the FZ is in motion. Leaving the traffic lighted intersection, the air temperature quickly dropped back to 63 degrees. Again riding through Gettysburg on Saturday, I encountered several groups of Boy Scouts touring the town and battlefield. I couldn't help but notice some of the tours paused momentarily as scouts lost focus on their lesson as a bright red motorcycle with an unusual exhaust note rolled by. The exhaust and mechanical sounds, not loud but seemingly unique while accelerating from a stop in first gear, turn heads. And finally, riding slowly through the square, I passed a soda and ice cream shop and noticed an elderly gentleman seated outside at a bench on the sidewalk with (presumably) his wife. He was intently studying the FZ-09, head and eyes following my progress and leaning progressively forward from the bench, when from my peripheral vision I saw him suddenly lose balance and nearly tumble to the sidewalk. If I had thought of it in time, I would have stopped and let him have a close-up look."

The FZ-09 an awesome ride.

 

[redeye]

Six years (plus a day), 26,000 miles, an early retirement, and several states farther south later, I still look forward to riding my FZ-09. Hopefully, I can find the original post photo and re-link.

 

[shamrock]

Cool beans red, where did you finally settle down?
Oh, and congrats for the retirement but sorry that you're an old man now!

 

[redeye]

Cool beans red, where did you finally settle down?
Oh, and congrats for the retirement but sorry that you're an old man now!

Not quite a grumpy old man yet, but I'm working on it! ;-)
After a year of renting in western North Carolina and expecting to buy there, we changed plans and purchased a mountain cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia, not far from Blue Ridge Lake.