Long distance riding on FZ6

[littlepilot89]

Well i am currentlly on the market for a new bike.....well its my graduation present.....but any way i am looking at a few different bikes that are as follows

2008 FZ6

2007 honda 919

2000-2008 harley sportster

2008 Aprilia Shiver

2008 BMW f 800 GS


i havent looked at the Aprilia or BMW yet but i plan to..... the reason for my post is to ask your opioions on the bikes. I plan to do some long distance riding and i am cunfused if any of these bike would be comfortable after like 1000 miles in 24 hours for me and a passanger with some luggage. As well as if called upon having some extra horse power and also handles very well

my top 3 are the FZ6, Sportster, nd the f 800 gs


if any one has any input on some pros or cons on any of these bike it would be awesome

 

[reiobard]

the F800 will have some luxury and some other options that will be very nice to have and would probably treat you very well. However you have posted on an FZ6 forum and I personally have seen people do that many miles and do them easily on the FZ. the FZ is more cost effective and very capable of doing anything i have ever asked it to do so it will also perform well for you.

The sportster seems to have a cult following but the small passenger seat might make longer 2-up trips uncomfortable, and the larger engine with smaller tank would have you pulling over a lot more i would think.

 

[Nelly]

:welcome:,
As Rio states we may be a little bias, ride all of them and get the one you really want.
The FZ6 is the Swiss army knife of the biking world though. Out of 5000 members only a handful have changed their bikes to a different model.
All said and done though, this is a Motorcycle forum community so stick around.

Nelly

 

[stevesnj]

The FZ stick seat sucks!!! you will have to buy an aftermarket seat or get the stock seat padded for better comfort.

 

[littlepilot89]

well yea i know it is a FZ fourm and i figured i would get the true dis advatages to that bike on this site but it is one of the msot comfortable bikes i have tried out so far. it felt very natural

 

[Wolfman]

Have ridden around most of Oz, & Europe on a large range of bikes in the last 20 years...FZ6 is as comfortable as any, and is a great bike to ride long distance...i regularly cover big distances on my bike, and have only had minor issues with a numb butt, etc.

Good riding gear, and good luggage makes a big difference, whatever you ride, fortunetaly the FZ6 carries luggage of all types in it's stride.

just my 2 cents...enjoy whatever you ride.

:thumbup:

 

[Hellgate]

Hi, :welcome:

For touring I'd strike the Sporster from your list; the fuel tank is way too small.

I think the FZ or the BMW would both be very good bikes. The BMW will give you a few more toys; ABS, etc. But for what you would save by getting the FZ you could be nice Givi luggage, and other touring related mods. Also the FZ will spank the BMW, it that is important to you. I would also guess the cost of ownership for the FZ would be much less than the BMW, insurance, maintenace, etc.

I can't stand Hondas so I can't give you constructive comments there. Why??? Hondas are traditionally much more expensive than the other Japanese bikes and for no reason.

One bike you might want to look at the the Suzuki GS1250S, that is great bike for touring and very, very reasonably priced.

Good luck!

 

[OZXJR]

Hondas are traditionally much more expensive than the other Japanese bikes and for no reason.

I am in agreement with that ,purchase price , maintenance ,you name it .

 

[D-Mac]

First, you can tour on ANYTHING.

That said, the Sportster really doesn't have the range. You'll be stopping for gas a LOT more. Wind/rain protection is nil unless you spend a fair bit on it (altering the basic looks of the bike too). Handling isn't exactly amazing either. Belt drive is nice and the dealer network is good though. I rode 1000 miles with a bunch of Sportsters last year (check out the XL-forums on the web for tons of info on these bikes) and most guys were stopping every 100 miles to stretch or get gas. Luggage options are almost all soft bags for this bike too, so you won't get truly waterproof luggage and storage will be less. I'd say comfort is lower here too than on all of your other options. If you like the image of the cruiser, this is your winner.

The BMW 800GS is a whole different bike. If you plan to go off-road, this is clearly the best choice from your list (for highway riding it's fine too, although I'd favor the 919 or FZ6). You could buy TWO outfitted FZ6s for the same price though. ABS is a good option and there are lots of ways to prep this bike for touring (none will be cheap - have your looked at the cost of Touratech parts?!) Dealer network is less extensive, costs of maintenance are higher too. This bike is NEW, which means that there are some minor bugs (ignition cutting out / stalling is known; immobilizer can leave you stranded; some minor mapping issues perhaps). Range is better (about 200 miles - small tank with great fuel economy).

Hondas are good bikes. I don't think the 919 is quite as all-around capable as the BMW/FZ6 stock. I've sat on them and read a bit, but haven't ridden one.

Aprilia? Don't know enough to comment. Dealer support and aftermarket support is gonna be an issue here.

FZ6. Obviously I'm a bit biased, since I own one. As others have said, the FZ6 is an excellent all-around bike (unless you plan major off-road trips - it just isn't designed for that although the upright seating position makes it possible to stand on the pegs for short trips down dirt roads). It's comfortable, has good range (safely 200 miles) and there are TONS of aftermarket luggage options available. I disagree with the previous poster about the stock seat - I think it's the BEST on any bike I've ever owned. I did 1067 miles in one day a couple of months ago and the stock seat was great for me. I've done a couple of 500-mile days as well with no problems. The FZ6 really shines on paved twisties, but it's also a good bike on the high-way too. I love the seating position on the FZ6 and it's very reliable. Maintanence intervals are long too (longer than all of the others you listed except for the Sportster). For your $$ I think this is the best value. You even get a centerstand as stock.

You might want to consider a V-Strom 650 as well. Good all-around bike that's more capable on dirt roads than anything you listed (except the 800GS of course, but the V-strom is much cheaper than the BMW to fix when you drop it). The Versys is also a very capable bike if you're tall enough for it. The Buell Ulysses is also an interesting animal as well. You'd get the HD belt drive + a sporty ride. On paper the Ulysses is excellent, although in reality the reviews vary (I found it fun to ride, but they are known to have a variety of maintenance issues - especially with stalling, sputtering, backfiring; the cooling 'fan' is also a beef with owners....if you ride one you'll either hate it or buy one).

The FZ6 is also different since it's an I-4 engine. It'll have less torque than the other bikes but similar or more HP. When I was looking around, I decided I wanted to try an I-4 over another V-twin or Parallel twin, so that helped tip the balance for me.

Your leading 3 choices are really quite different. FZ6 is much cheaper than the other two and falls somewhere in between in terms of style and substance.

 

[githianki]

For touring I'd strike the Sporster from your list; the fuel tank is way too small.

I'f you get a custom with the 4.5gal tank. Its a GREAT bike for touring. I regularly got 160-180 miles to a tank before reserve. :thumbup: And the sundowner seat that HD makes for the sportsters, makes the seat this bike comes with look like a bed if hot nails.

Take em all for a ride before you make your decision :thumbup:

 

[reiobard]

well yea i know it is a FZ fourm and i figured i would get the true dis advatages to that bike on this site but it is one of the msot comfortable bikes i have tried out so far. it felt very natural

On that note i would like to advise that if touring seriously you would be best suited to try the stock seat, for some like me it is great, for others it is unbearable for long distances, the good news is that they do make a few seat options, there is the yamaha comfort seat, a Gel insert, and also Corbin makes an amazing seat for this bike. FZ6inNH has tried both the comfort seat and corbin so maybe he can chime in here. But i am perfectly fine with the stock seat, so it depends on your build and riding style/possition.

Another common complaint with touring on the FZ is the vibration in the handlebars at extended highway speeds, but this can also easily be remedied by getting some grip puppies (Big foamy grips) that are awesome and also allow an easy installation of heated grips. See below.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/9031-heated-grips-less-than-50-a.html



Happy searching and i doubt that you would not be dissapointed with either the BMW or the FZ. i personally don't like the sytling of the F800 and i would not have one as my main bike, looks too much like a dirt bike for me.

 

[mastakilla]

The FZ stick seat sucks!!! you will have to buy an aftermarket seat or get the stock seat padded for better comfort.

that is bullsh$t my friend. I have a 2007 FZ6 with stock seat, and it's wonderful, it feels like my $ss is on a cloud.

 

[agmom98]

that is bullsh$t my friend. I have a 2007 FZ6 with stock seat, and it's wonderful, it feels like my $ss is on a cloud.

It all depends on your build and your butt, my friend. I have ridden multiple long days on the FZ (600-800 mile multiple back-to-back days) and can say that for MY particular butt, the stock seat is miserably hard, and the Yamaha comfort gel seat is even more miserably hard. Both create two hot spots, right on my ischeal tuberosities (look it up) from the seat's lack of anatomical conformation. Significantly larger, heavier riders may find the seat more comfortable as their weight compresses the padding considerably more which would spread their weight out across the seat, but for a smaller lighter rider such as myself the seat is agony.

 

[agmom98]

Well i am currentlly on the market for a new bike.....if any one has any input on some pros or cons on any of these bike it would be awesome

I can speak to a few of your choices, since I have ridden some of them. If you like the relaxed, feet-in-front-of-you riding position, the Sportster is actually not a bad choice. A rider placed in the top ten in the Iron Butt Rally last year (11,000 miles in 11 days) on a Sportster so don't let anyone tell you it's not suitable for long distance riding. I once owned a Sportster Custom as a second bike, and it has a remarkable range, getting 60 mpg and well over 200 miles to a tank of gas, greater range than the large V-twin Harleys. Sportster gets a bad rap, but remember its roots: flat track racing. It's a quick little bike, plenty of torque and top end. I took many long trips on that bike, but could not recommend it for two-up traveling. I sold it to buy the FZ since I really don't like the ergonomics of a cruiser, often riding with my feet on the passenger pegs because I didn't like that feet-forward riding position, which tends to rock you back on your tailbone. Not comfortable for a long day.

I have been riding BMW's for a few years and it is one of the "premier" long distance touring bikes. F800GS would not be my choice from their stable for long trips. It is more suitable for mixed on-off road ridiing, not touring. Did you consider the F800ST? I test rode that bike and it would be a great candidate for what you're looking for and price is great for all that you get with that bike.

I have my FZ set up with Givi's and have taken a couple of very long trips with her. It is, in my opinion, the best all-round bike of those on your list. Put the taller Yamaha windscreen on it, add some luggage, and it will do everything you ask of her. I have had the buzziness issue in the handlebars but must thank the person who suggested grip puppies...I'm going to try those, as that's about my only complaint about the bike on a long trip...well, that and doing chain maintenance in a dark motel parking lot. Everyone has a different opinion about the stock seat, so your experience may differ, but with a little investment that problem can easily be solved.

 

[Hellgate]

I'f you get a custom with the 4.5gal tank. Its a GREAT bike for touring. I regularly got 160-180 miles to a tank before reserve. :thumbup: And the sundowner seat that HD makes for the sportsters, makes the seat this bike comes with look like a bed if hot nails.

Take em all for a ride before you make your decision :thumbup:

Didn't know that option was available; how much??? $750+?

 

[agmom98]

Didn't know that option was available; how much??? $750+?

No option, it comes standard on the "Custom" model, like the 883C or the 1200C.

 

[pottie]

If you re looking for long haul touring then I would suggest you get bigger bike
FZ1 or F800 RS from BMW, The GS is for adventure dirt bike
I wont go with complete naked bike like Honda 919 cz you ll be tired holding up the wind while you travel, you gotta find bike with fairing and upright sitting...if you go with 600cc then you need to invest on the seat...
The 1000 is a good & less vibration...I ve been looking for upgrade for 1000 and I want the bike that simple and easy to manuver half naked...
Bike that I have in mind is 07-08 FZ1 or Ducati Multistrada
Good luck with your purchase and congrat for new bike

Well i am currentlly on the market for a new bike.....well its my graduation present.....but any way i am looking at a few different bikes that are as follows

2008 FZ6

2007 honda 919

2000-2008 harley sportster

2008 Aprilia Shiver

2008 BMW f 800 GS


i havent looked at the Aprilia or BMW yet but i plan to..... the reason for my post is to ask your opioions on the bikes. I plan to do some long distance riding and i am cunfused if any of these bike would be comfortable after like 1000 miles in 24 hours for me and a passanger with some luggage. As well as if called upon having some extra horse power and also handles very well

my top 3 are the FZ6, Sportster, nd the f 800 gs


if any one has any input on some pros or cons on any of these bike it would be awesome

 

[ozzieboy]

G'day mate. One of the first things i did on my FZ was a long camping/fishing trip of short duration (Left on a Thursday at 1AM and returned on Saturday)
Swag on the back, back pack on with rods and gear in it and off I went. 550km each way. No probs:thumbup:. A little numb on the way back but just stood up for a bit. Chafed some paint of the seat handles with my swag but hardly notice it and it would probably happen with other bikes too.

No stretching to reach from servo to servo which was good as a lot weren't open at that time of night. I actually achieved 4.6 litres /hundred at one point:jawdrop: (very strong tail wind).

It was horrid weather and without a windscreen the 40knot headwind coming back drilled me but was otherwise fine.

Have since done days of 500km+ in the twistys in the Adelaide hills.:rockon:

I commute every day through light city traffic, and go for a strap in the hills most weekends and this bike takes everything I try to do and turns it into gold.( how's that for biased...LMAO)
Cheers
Mike

 

[stevesnj]

that is bullsh$t my friend. I have a 2007 FZ6 with stock seat, and it's wonderful, it feels like my $ss is on a cloud.

Sorry but it's not comfortable in my opinion. For a sport tour bike yamaha dropped the ball on the seat comfort. This opinion is supported throughout this forum. So stick that in your 'cloud'y $ss!! lol j/k

 

[rene]

they cant make one to fit all im affraid. For one rider its to hard for the other its to soft.

Personaly the one i had for a test ride was fine over 15 miles (not picked up my bike yet)