First ride after purchasing?

[shamrocker]

Just curious if your first serious ride on an FZ6 was on the way home from the purchase. I'm going to buying one in the next couple months and am nervous...about riding it home, especially if I have to travel a ways to find the perfect bike or perfect deal. I have a year's worth of riding experience and am a confident rider, but it unnerves me a little to think about jumping on a new bike and then squeezing into traffic for the ride home. Should I be nervous or am I just overthinking?

 

[Mississippi]

I rode mine for the first time home from the persons house that I bought it from. It was probably 20 mi or so in Memphis traffic. I had my wife follow me home in the car just in case something happened. Take it easy and no worries. Good luck on the purchase!! You will not be disappointed. At least I am not.

 

[OneTrack]

Just relax and trust the riding skills that you already have. The FZ6 has to be one of the most "rideable" bikes available. It's a real pussycat at anything below 5000 rpm. The only issue that I had when I picked up mine at the dealership was the rather "on/off switch" clutch. I stalled it on my first attempt to leave the parking lot, but got away nicely on the second attempt.
My previous ride was a Yamaha XT225, and I had no problem whatsoever adapting to my new FZ6. By the time I got home I felt like I'd been riding it all my life.

 

[Hellgate]

Like the others have said, take your time and get home safe. You'll do just fine but you'll need to learn the new feel of the bike.

 

[Luiz]

I rode it home right away. My only experiance was riding 250s for a short period of time and the MSF course. I stalled a few times at the lights but no biggie. Don't be too worried just get a feel for it in the parking lot for a little while before you head out into traffic.

 

[CdnMedic]

I'm nervous for my first ride on my FZ6 as well.
I've been snowmobiling, 4 wheeling and dirt biking since I was about 10 and I have 2 years of MX racing behind me and I'm STILL nervous to hit the road for the first time, after sitting on it and revving it up.
Man, I can't wait I tell ya, I don't even have the thing in my garage yet and I'm daydreaming non stop.

 

[Fred]

I trucked mine home, not because I was nervous about it, but because I wanted to break the engine in properly. Firing it up and then doing 50 miles on the interstate was not the way to do this.

Frederic

 

[Andz]

My first ever ride on a Fazer was the day I collected mine! I had a 20 year break from riding, I stupidly sold my Honda CBX550 when I got my first company car and I had a hell of a time persuading my wife that I needed another bike. I was going to buy an XJR1300 but when we went to the dealer my wife saw the Fazer and persuaded me to have a closer look. Common sense prevailed and I bought it.

 

[SovietRobot]

Since I had never rode a motorcycle on the road before, I had my dad ride it home.
But as soon as I got home I purchased insurance and spent the next 4 hours riding it around my neighborhood, learning as I went.

 

[paulinus]

My dad and mom surprised me by driving me down to the dealership the last day of July 07 and having me sign papers on my FZ. Totally blew me away. So my first ride was in tennis shoes and my dad's helmet back to my house to get my gear. I was so worried about F-ing up the break in I wouldn't hold steady rpm's for a good while, and when I was on the interstate I shifted a gear every mile or so btwn 4th thru 6th to keep the R's changing. I bet I way over reacted, but...eh. Oh, well. I was worried, but now, I have way too much fun.

Betty had her first nature bath on the first day I had her too. Went to dinner with the rents after getting her and as we ate...it rained like no other. Best to get it out of the way early, eh?

 

[VEGASRIDER]

I rode mine home right off the showroom floor!

As soon as I pulled out the dealership parking lot, rather than hitting the streets right away, I found a business with a big parking lot nearby and just rode around in their parking lot for a while It's a good idea to get a feel for the bike before you go tackle traffic. Get a feel for the brakes, the clutch (getting use to the friction zone) so you won't stall it, the accleration and throttle response.

I also avoided the freeway and just took the surface streets.

I'm sure you know, but be careful on the tires, as they are pretty slick for the first 50 miles or so.

 

[SANGER_A2]

Just curious if your first serious ride on an FZ6 was on the way home from the purchase. I'm going to buying one in the next couple months and am nervous...about riding it home, especially if I have to travel a ways to find the perfect bike or perfect deal. I have a year's worth of riding experience and am a confident rider, but it unnerves me a little to think about jumping on a new bike and then squeezing into traffic for the ride home. Should I be nervous or am I just overthinking?

As long as you're not doing 70mph for long periods of time it shouldn't ruin the break-in. Try and take smaller roads if you can so there's lots of gear shifting and rev changes. Take it easy and don't get ****y. The first ride is just you getting used to the bike - not pushing yourself or the bike ... yet! :rockon:

I rode mine home (about a half-hour journey) and then went in the house and looked at it for half-hour or so out the window. I'd had about 2 years experience before that on a 125 and a 500. Then I hopped back on and rode it for the next hour round the city. It's best to have an initial short ride and then give yourself a bit of time to compose yourself before doing a long ride. You know how pissed off you'll be if you drop it or slide out into a ditch within the first hour!

Good luck and enjoy! :thumbup:

 

[Fz6Sa]

Picked mine up (brand new) from the dealer 16 minutes after I got my licence . I took a chance and ordered it for delivery the same day my driving test was booked.
Sure I was a bit nervous taking it into traffic, but a little bit of nerves can keep the ecstatic feeling you get a bit in control ....

Look at it this way: You have to take it into traffic at some stage, - so might as well get it over with!

Good luck and congrats on the new bike!!

 

[Stumbles06]

When I bought mine, I hadn't ridden a Motorbike for nearly 10 years.
Just got on it and rode home.

You've got experience, so (as other have said), just relax and be cool. The bike is really really easy to ride.

 

[Nelly]

When I bought mine, I hadn't ridden a Motorbike for nearly 10 years.
Just got on it and rode home.

You've got experience, so (as other have said), just relax and be cool. The bike is really really easy to ride.

A bit like Stumbles except I hadn't ridden for 6 years.
Man I was as nervous as a first date. It rained like mad and visibility was very limited. I remember getting on it outside the dealer and thinking don't stall or drop it :spank:.
Just trust your skills and consider Vegas suggestion of finding a parking lot just to get to grips with it.
One of the best things about my first ride was using my new gear. I couldn't believe that they actually made motorcycle gear that was waterproof, brilliant.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Nelly:thumbup:

Nelly

 

[Fz6Sa]

Ohh,- just came to mind:

Get yourself a pair of Frame Sliders asap. I dropped my bike 6 days after I got it, - without frame sliders .........
I could have killed every living thing in a 3000sq/km area surrounding the crash site, - until then the bike did not have a mark on it!
Had to replace fairings, indicators etc. to get it back in shape.

Anyway, - my point is: Get the Frame Sliders, and get them asap.

 

[rjo3491]

Purchased mine from a fellow on the other side of town (while I was in my MSF course). When I took ownership, the ONLY experience I had on ANY bike was the 10 or so hours I had in MSF. The seller was a really bright kid - hated to get rid of the bike (needed the money for school - a very wise choice in my opinion) and offered to ride it the 40 miles to my house in very heavy metro Detroit traffic, I think for, "one last ride".

Anyway, it had to sit in the garage for almost two weeks, because he (the seller) had misplaced the loan release letter he received from Yamaha credit upon his payoff and I couldn't purchase plates without it.

So I finally get plates on my FZ and am ready to go (remember, I've never exceeded 30 MPH on a bike and was paranoid I'd dump it in front of the neighbors, or at the least, stall once or twice on my way out. I managed to get off my street fine and proceeded through the subdivision at 25 MPH getting the feel of a, "real" bike.

I finally got out on to the main roads and made it to over 50 MPH on my first ride (being careful to assure that the idiot override function was fully engaged on my 48 year-old brain). I didn't ever fully understand the concept of, "press and roll" as I had never gone fast enough to steer a bike in that fashion!

Now, eight months later, my FZ sits alone in the garage again (through one of the most miserable Michigan winters in recent memory). It's different now though, as I have more than 4K miles under my belt (no drops or crashes)! Having children myself, my guess is that I take it easier than many riders on this forum, but am having a great time (and have on one occasion, pushed into three digit territory)!

I do see myself migrating to a bigger bike (perhaps in the Spring of 2010), but believe I made a great first bike choice.

Be safe out there all !!

 

[shamrocker]

I'm nervous for my first ride on my FZ6 as well.
I've been snowmobiling, 4 wheeling and dirt biking since I was about 10 and I have 2 years of MX racing behind me and I'm STILL nervous to hit the road for the first time, after sitting on it and revving it up.
Man, I can't wait I tell ya, I don't even have the thing in my garage yet and I'm daydreaming non stop.

Thanks everyone for you opinion. It sounds like I will feel more comfortable than I thought. Will definitely take for a spin around a parking lot before coming home.

CdnMedic, I'm glad I'm not the only one who has been daydreaming about this for such a long time!

 

[simonwb]

Picked mine up (brand new) from the dealer 16 minutes after I got my licence . I took a chance and ordered it for delivery the same day my driving test was booked.

Confident, or what? :rockon:

 

[Fz6Sa]

Thanks everyone for you opinion. It sounds like I will feel more comfortable than I thought. Will definitely take for a spin around a parking lot before coming home.

CdnMedic, I'm glad I'm not the only one who has been daydreaming about this for such a long time!

Make sure to post some Pictures of you new Pride And Joy once you get it