sov
Junior Member
Having recently purchased - and put 500 miles on - a new-to-me 2009 FZ6, I wanted to share my concerns before I bought it and my impressions after purchasing and riding it.
My primary bike for the last couple of years has been a 2009 Vulcan 900 Custom. Prior to that I had a Vulcan 500 (my first bike). I also have a DR650 for dual-sport/adventure riding. I decided to get the FZ6 because I wanted to try a sport bike with an I4 engine comfortable enough for all day rides. I also really love the looks of the bike. After weeks of internet research I had a short list of concerns that almost kept me from pulling the trigger. Thanks in large part to this forum, I took the plunge and couldn't be happier.
Underpowered in the low and midrange RPMs?: The bike does NOT lack power for me for the kind of riding I like to do at any RPM. To be honest, I have yet to take it above 9k so there is still an aspect of the bike to explore. Sure, there is more pull futher up the band, but I'm not dissatisfied at all with the engine.
Seat and handlebar vibrations at highway speeds?: My first ride on the bike was 1.5 straight highway hours. When I got off the bike I noticed a slight buzz in my hands and my feet. I never noticed any vibration from the seat, but to be fair I was wearing overpants with padding. The hand-buzz went away quickly. I have since ordered grip puppies to help, but the vibes are a non issue for me. (I usually stop after an hour anyway, but I was having a blast and didn't want to get off)
Binary throttle?: I don't really experience this. The throttle is harder to move (heavier?) than my other bikes. I think the grip puppies will help there as I have long fingers. There is more engine braking than the other bikes so I work more on smooth roll-off.
Short friction zone?: Yeah, I guess - but I got use to it quickly and now I rarely think about it.
Clunky tranmission?: There is a noticeable clunk into 1st (the Vulcan has this too) and 1st to 2nd is not as smooth as the Kawi or the Zook. But it isn't something that detracts from my satisfaction with the bike. I am getting better with the 1st to 2nd shift, and I suspect things will smooth out as the bike ages (it has roughly 1400 miles on the ODO).
Sub-par front suspension?: Not an issue for my 165lbs. I haven't done agressive twisties yet so we'll see. I could maybe see replacing the springs at some point, but stock is way better than the DR stock suspension. I couldn't stand to ride the DR (wallow and nose-dive) prior to replacing the front and back springs.
So what words would I use to describe the FZ6 so far: fun, smooth ride, attractive looking, and great balance.
My primary bike for the last couple of years has been a 2009 Vulcan 900 Custom. Prior to that I had a Vulcan 500 (my first bike). I also have a DR650 for dual-sport/adventure riding. I decided to get the FZ6 because I wanted to try a sport bike with an I4 engine comfortable enough for all day rides. I also really love the looks of the bike. After weeks of internet research I had a short list of concerns that almost kept me from pulling the trigger. Thanks in large part to this forum, I took the plunge and couldn't be happier.
Underpowered in the low and midrange RPMs?: The bike does NOT lack power for me for the kind of riding I like to do at any RPM. To be honest, I have yet to take it above 9k so there is still an aspect of the bike to explore. Sure, there is more pull futher up the band, but I'm not dissatisfied at all with the engine.
Seat and handlebar vibrations at highway speeds?: My first ride on the bike was 1.5 straight highway hours. When I got off the bike I noticed a slight buzz in my hands and my feet. I never noticed any vibration from the seat, but to be fair I was wearing overpants with padding. The hand-buzz went away quickly. I have since ordered grip puppies to help, but the vibes are a non issue for me. (I usually stop after an hour anyway, but I was having a blast and didn't want to get off)
Binary throttle?: I don't really experience this. The throttle is harder to move (heavier?) than my other bikes. I think the grip puppies will help there as I have long fingers. There is more engine braking than the other bikes so I work more on smooth roll-off.
Short friction zone?: Yeah, I guess - but I got use to it quickly and now I rarely think about it.
Clunky tranmission?: There is a noticeable clunk into 1st (the Vulcan has this too) and 1st to 2nd is not as smooth as the Kawi or the Zook. But it isn't something that detracts from my satisfaction with the bike. I am getting better with the 1st to 2nd shift, and I suspect things will smooth out as the bike ages (it has roughly 1400 miles on the ODO).
Sub-par front suspension?: Not an issue for my 165lbs. I haven't done agressive twisties yet so we'll see. I could maybe see replacing the springs at some point, but stock is way better than the DR stock suspension. I couldn't stand to ride the DR (wallow and nose-dive) prior to replacing the front and back springs.
So what words would I use to describe the FZ6 so far: fun, smooth ride, attractive looking, and great balance.
