Greetings!

Howdy! New here to the Forum. Never owned a bike before, but I've been looking very seriously at the FZ6, ever since it cost $55 to fill up my car
I've signed up for the local beginner's motorcycle course, but the soonest I can start is mid-August, I may be buying a bike before then and learn on my own (after reading up on things as much as possible). Bad idea?

Anyway, glad this place exists, and looking forward to spending some time here.

First off....welcome.

I had never touched a bike before I took my MSF course and I have to say I really learned a lot from the instructors and the lessons. I won't say that it's a bad idea to buy a bike before you take the course, but I would suggest that you be extremely cautious. During my course we had two people drop their bikes on the first few exercises, after a few more failures they both decided that motorcylces "weren't their bag", and walked off the range never to return. I know that at least one of them had already purchased a bike and full gear with the expectation that after the course they were going to be a super awesome biker...in other words, they wasted a lot of money.

As far as the being able to teach yourself....well I'm still what one would call a "noob" and my experience has been that the MSF course gave me the basic skills I needed to keep from killing myself while I'm learning how to really ride a motorcycle. When you finish the course you'll be a pro and riding in circles in second gear in a closed parking lot, but you still won't know squat about riding a bike in the real world. Even after the course it takes a lot of practice on your own before you'll start to feel comfortable moving through traffic. If you try to start from scratch on your own you'll be at a bit of disadvantage and more likely to get into trouble.

That's just the $.02 of a silly noob, take em with a grain of salt.

Welcome :thumbup:

Botch,

Whether you take the course first or not, the key is to give yourself a good amount of time to get used to the bike. During this time, be mellow, be slow, be safe. No need to find the bikes limits ever, let alone during this time.

I think the manuf. recommendations to keep rpm low during break-in is a blessing in disguise. It forces you to spend some miles really getting used to your bike, before giving in the the high rpm or high speed temptation.

(Although I think I remember someone posting a 135 mph top speed ride home from the dealer - Shame on you )

I did not take the MSF, nor do I intend to.

I used to, but the more I read about it, I think it is not what I want.

I will reccomend that you get a learner bike you can by for cheap. ninja 250 is what I learned on.
Save the money to buy GOOD gear. Its the only thing between you and the road when you need it. Wear the gear. see above.

Buy several riding books, and go to the nearest parking lot and practice. Your better off learning by yourself than having a friend teach you wrong. If your friend has the books and practices the skills then learn, but if they are telling you only use the rear brake, and turn with your knees, smile, nod and go onyour way.

Greetings back at ya! I took the MSF beginner course years and years ago and if the course they give now is anything like I took then you will get the basic basics of motorcycle riding and safety. Don't get me wrong, this is a good starting point for someone who would like to explore motorcycling. When I took it I didn't know doodlie squat about motorcycle safety techniques nor did I have anyone to teach them to me. If I were you I'd take the course. It wouldn't hurt.

Steve's (wrightme43) advice on your first bike and getting books on riding is top notch. Ninja 250 is a real hoot to learn on from what I hear. Even a Yamaha Virago or Honda Rebel are good affordable choices too if you don't mind the cruiser look. If you buy a good used example of these bikes, when you get ready to move up to a bigger bike you are likely to get back what you paid for it or at least close to it. When I bought my second bike( '83 Yamaha 650 Maxim) I paid $500.00 for it. Four years later I sold it for $1,000.00 and could have got more if I hadn't been in a hurry to sell it.

As far as an FZ6 for a first bike, I can't really say if it's a good first bike or not. Many have used the FZ6 as a first bike and have had no problems. I know that if I had an FZ6 as my first bike I probably wouldn't be here typing this do to nonexistence.(I have low self-control LOL) The FZ6 has a pretty good mean streak if you know what I mean. Other than that, the FZ6 is a wonderful all purpose bike that does every thing well. If you think you can keep control you right wrist it may be okay for you. That's for you to decide.:thumbup:

Welcome! I would highly recommend the MSF Safety Course. You get alot of information and facts regarding riding & riding safety. You have the opportunity to apply what you learn in a controlled environment and get a little bit of practice in with the benefit of very knowledgeable instructors.

You can ride without taking the course, but I believe that the knowledge and techniques that you learn would be of great benefit to you.

I know that you'll enjoy riding and as you can probably tell, we love our
FZ6s.

:thumbup:

gmickey2001 said:

Botch,
(Although I think I remember someone posting a 135 mph top speed ride home from the dealer - Shame on you )

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WHO???? me????(lol) be it known I've been riding motorcycles since I was 8 years old, riding on the street since I was 16, so despite the FZ6 was new I am not. I say this just so a newbe doesn't think "sportrider" did it so, I can too.( ok, enough blowing smoke up my ***)
As a new rider there are many new things to learn, having no experience, I'm a firm believer in the term "start small", it is possible that you "could" learn on a FZ6 but I would recommend something less powerful and more beginner friendly e.g. the Ninja 250R. I recently purchased one for my Wife, compared to the FZ6 its slow, however turn in is actually quicker or in the very least easier. I was impressed with how agile and how much usable power the little Ninja really has. the bike rewards perfect lines making corner carving a blast!! yes it has less power than the FZ6 but a skilled rider could easily out ride a less experienced rider on a more powerful bike.
The reason I tell you this is, if you buy a bike you're potentially intimidated by you will learn a lot slower than on a bike that forgives small mistakes and helps you learn the skills it takes to go fast. I say buy a Ninja 250 ride it for a couple years then you may be ready to move on to bigger and better things. I know this is an FZ6 forum but to recommend a bike just for loyalty to it, I think would be an injustice to a potential rider in the long run!!!:thumbup:
by the way, Welcome Aboard!!!

I had to leave earlier and wanted to cover a few more points.
These are only my opinions and not the opinions of this board or possibley anyone else on the planet.
A motorcycle will do exactly what you tell it to.
If you tell it to kill you, it will.
When you are learning to ride a motorcycle it is very very easy thru lack of knowledge, inexperince, operator error, to tell the bike to kill you.

The FZ6 has 98 horsepower, wieghs less than 500 lbs. That is a power to weight ratio aproaching insane.

I would highly highly highly reccomend you go to Ninja 250 Riders Club find a ninja 250 and learn on a very very forgiving, sporty, fun, nimble, cheap, reliable, and easy to sell bike. I got $100 less than I paid, 8000 miles later.

I really just don't see that happening with my FZ. I love it. I love it very much, but I can say with out a doubt some of the situations I put myself in learning on the 250 that scared me, would of been wrecks on the FZ, one may of ended my life.

You start of motorcycle riding with a bag full of luck, and a empty bag of experince.
Fill up your experince bag, before you empty your luck bag.

How full is your luck bag? I dont know about mine either, I sure am doing my best to fill my experince bag. I have over 14,000 miles since Jul 24th of last year. I live in Ky and we have a winter, I rode as much as I could in the cold as well.

God man I dont want to run you away from the FZ.
It was the first bike I looked at. I took a picture home and stared at it, but I bought a ninja 250. I am glad I did.
I hope this helps you in some way.

sportrider_fz6 said:

:thumbup:
WHO???? me????(lol) be it known I've been riding motorcycles since I was 8 years old, riding on the street since I was 16, so despite the FZ6 was new I am not. I say this just so a newbe doesn't think "sportrider" did it so, I can too.( ok, enough blowing smoke up my ***)
As a new rider there are many new things to learn, having no experience, I'm a firm believer in the term "start small", it is possible that you "could" learn on a FZ6 but I would recommend something less powerful and more beginner friendly e.g. the Ninja 250R. I recently purchased one for my Wife, compared to the FZ6 its slow, however turn in is actually quicker or in the very least easier. I was impressed with how agile and how much usable power the little Ninja really has. the bike rewards perfect lines making corner carving a blast!! yes it has less power than the FZ6 but a skilled rider could easily out ride a less experienced rider on a more powerful bike.
The reason I tell you this is, if you buy a bike you're potentially intimidated by you will learn a lot slower than on a bike that forgives small mistakes and helps you learn the skills it takes to go fast. I say buy a Ninja 250 ride it for a couple years then you may be ready to move on to bigger and better things. I know this is an FZ6 forum but to recommend a bike just for loyalty to it, I think would be an injustice to a potential rider in the long run!!!:thumbup:
by the way, Welcome Aboard!!!

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Oh and by the way this hippy posted while I was typing and I didnt even see his post till mine posted. LOL :Sport::thumbup:
Great minds think alike OR
Warped minds think alike. You decide. LOL

wrightme43 said:

Oh and by the way this hippy posted while I was typing and I didnt even see his post till mine posted. LOL :Sport::thumbup:
Great minds think alike OR
Warped minds think alike. You decide. LOL

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LOL I agree completely:Im With Stupid: (lol)

Hey guys (and gals?),
First off, thanks for the warm welcome! Secondly, I really appreciate the good advice, very possible that you saved my life. I looked in the classified ads in the local paper last night, there's a 2001 250-class Kawasaki (can't remember the exact model) with 1,500 miles, $1,200, that I'm going to look at, after reading all your testimonials I agree it may be best to pick that up instead, and get a year or so under my belt first before going to the FZ. (I'll also keep an eye out for a 250 Ninja).
I'm pretty cautious, but I'm also a tad uncoordinated at a new skill, so this'll probably be best. I also do a lot of downhill skiing, and although I'll take just about any path, I do ski safely (I've skied the Men's downhill route at Snowbasin used in the 2002 Olympics, all except the very top portion, which is only 15 degrees off of vertical! ). I'm still taking the motorcycle course, but they're swamped and I don't get to start until mid-August; if I get a smaller bike now I can at least putter around the neighborhood and get used to it a bit.
Again, thanks for all the help, and I'm looking forward to hanging here! :thu:

There is a huge difference between the other 250s and the ninja250.
The others are barely able to reach 60 mph. The engines are very lowtech.
The ex250 ninja is able to go 105 mph, is making 38hp from 250cc. It is a sporty standard. If you can find one, I promise you will be amazed.

If you like skiing you will love motorcycle riding.
I hope you find one

eBay Motors: Kawasaki : Ninja (item 290132984542 end time Jul-02-07 15:16:49 PDT)

Check on ebay. Check on Ninja 250 Riders Club you will find one. I promise you will not be disapointed.

I wasn't accusing you sportrider.

I just remember one of the threads talked about engine break-in.

Someone posted "I know you're supposed to keep the rpm below xyz but couldn't help doing 135 mph on the way home when I picked up my bike."

I didn't spend the time to look up who it was. And really, it was a shame on that person for the putting the engine at risk* more than a shame on them for safety.

* BTW - Never did get a response from genuineyamahaparts regarding the manuf. break-in versus that web site calling it bogus.

Hey Steve - Did you call me a Hippie?

Yep, dont worry its a term of endearment. I call my niece a tree hugging granola eating hippy.
She is 4 will be five in a few days, and she says.
I dont like nola.
I aint no hippy.
LOL

I will change the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers avatar soon, to avoid further stereotype risk.

(I really don't like the way hippies smell, but I like to laugh at them!)

Botch said:

Howdy! New here to the Forum. Never owned a bike before, but I've been looking very seriously at the FZ6, ever since it cost $55 to fill up my car
I've signed up for the local beginner's motorcycle course, but the soonest I can start is mid-August, I may be buying a bike before then and learn on my own (after reading up on things as much as possible). Bad idea?

Anyway, glad this place exists, and looking forward to spending some time here.

Click to expand...

Been riding for over 20 years.... here's my advice.

Buy a good used bike or a new bike, but ride with a buddy who knows what he/she is doing and doesn't squid around like an idiot. Pay attention to your surroundings. NEVER trust a cager and always identify an escape route. Sign up and TAKE THE COURSE. Ignore the people who tell you not to take the class, they're likely to be the largest percentage of the fatalities you'll read about in the paper.

The advice about the 250cc class is good. If you want to see what those bikes are capable of, find a MotoGP 250 class race on speed tv or espn. Amazing stuff.

gmickey2001 said:

I wasn't accusing you sportrider.

I just remember one of the threads talked about engine break-in.

Someone posted "I know you're supposed to keep the rpm below xyz but couldn't help doing 135 mph on the way home when I picked up my bike."

I didn't spend the time to look up who it was. And really, it was a shame on that person for the putting the engine at risk* more than a shame on them for safety.

* BTW - Never did get a response from genuineyamahaparts regarding the manuf. break-in versus that web site calling it bogus.

Click to expand...

No Worries, I know what your supposed to do, I was just demonstrating how hard it can be to do it at times!!! oh and I know you weren't accusing because I know it was me (LOL):Sport:

Just to make clear. No one reccomended not taking the BRC.
I said that I will not be taking it. I have my reasons, they are well thought out, and only apply to me since I am the one responsible for my riding skills.

The rate of fatalities evens out after 6 months either self taught or trained by the BRC. I bought and read their book, thats all I have to say about it in a public forum.

I went back and reread this. It sounds rude. It is not meant to be rude, It is not a attack or a attempt to start a flame war. I hope that it will be read as my understanding. Please do not take it wrong, its just the way I feel, and the statistics as I know them.