Need advise

OK, I am new to this forum, and I have a question that has probably already been asked, so I apologize if this has been answered before.

I am 51 years old and have 40 years of riding under my belt. I used to motorcross when I was a teen and did fairly well in the amateur circuit. During the 1980's and 90's I rode a Honda Custom CB 650 (4 cyl). For the last 8 years I have been riding a Yamaha Vstar 1100. I got it so I could comfortably tote my son on local trips. My wife rides a 2002 Honda Magna 750 (V4). I just recently purchased my son a Kawasaki Ninja 250 to ride back and forth to High School. He is 15 years old and has just started riding. I rode his Ninja and had a hoot!! Compared to my Vstar "lead sled", that light little Ninja was a blast to ride!! So, I have just put up my Vstar for sale and I am considering the FZ6. I want something light and quick, but being older I'm not interested in racing or lying on my gas tank. I have sat on a FZ6 and the riding position seems comfortable. I am 5'7" in height but I can (with regular shoes) get both balls of my feet on the ground. I am not overly concerned about it being to tall. My concern is that in the lower rpms (I was told by someone who has a older model) is the bike tweaky? If I sneeze and accidentally twist the throttle (in the first few gears) will it flip me off the back of the bike? I am looking for something that is fairly smooth in throttle control but still has some power. Remember I was riding a Vstar 1100 cruiser, so it wont take much power it impress me. I am just looking for something a little lighter, nimbler, and fun to ride. Should I be concerned about this 2007 FZ6 having a tweaky throttle or was that a problem with the older models? Sorry for being so long winded! Any input would be appreciated! Thanks

I don't think you have to be overly concerned about the throtte response, the bike is not that powerful at low rpms... Imo, the bike is at it's best in the 8-10000 rpm range, not saying that it is not nice at lower rpms. I have only done a power wheelie when leaning back and opening the throttle hard in first gear, so there is no need to worry I think.

I have found that when in lower gears, I hit a bump in the road or something unexpectedly, the throttle blips down instead of up. Probably means I put more pressure on the grips than I should.

Anyway, it's much harder to get the front end up on this bike than you think. Even in lower gears, you really need to try. Accidental flip is very unlikely in my opinion.

If you have riding experience, I would not be afraid of this bike in any way.

It is a beautifully crafted, comfortable and fun bike.

Much more fun than a cruiser IMO - used to ride a Vulcan 750 :thumbup:

Compared to me you have a whole world of experience behind you !! :thumbup:

This is my first ever bike and it is an absolute dream to ride ...

I am also between 5ft 6-7 and the bike is really really comfortable ...

As yet I have not pulled a power wheelie on mine and to be honest down some back quiet roads I have really let rip in 1st and 2nd on the throttle .. Don't get me wrong it is V quick but even at my limited experience level it is a very forgiving bike.

I'm sure some of the old and bold FZ6 veterans will agree you could do a lot worse than buy one of these .... I absolutely love it

:Sport:

AND WELCOME

I can pop the clutch and go wide open throttle to redline from first to third and not get the front wheel off the ground, so i wouldn't worry about flipping it.

its possible to wheelie but everything on this bike is done intentionally. there is no surprise wheelies, unless your in first gear with a passenger, then the front end gets light. but even then its a matter of throttle control. I can get the front off the street going into 2nd gear if 1st is red-lined. compared to a v-star the FZ6 is an absolute rocket ship that stops on a dime and gives you back a few cents change. in the handling department the FZ6 will outshine the v-star again, the v-star has heavier steering and limited ground clearance. I found it way to easy to drag the floor boards. although the 1100cc engine has adequate power its no match for the FZ6. the 650 is a waste of money, a ninja 250 would destroy it everywhere across the board. as far as the throttle on the FZ6 goes it is a little touchy just off idle but as you get used to the bike it doesn't seem as noticeable. but it is no where, I repete NO WHERE close to being easy to looping over on. I think you'd really like it if you give it a shot!!!
:Sport:

You will love it. I started on the ninja250, it was a great bike, and I am glad you got one for you son.
If you havent found it yet, Ninja 250 Riders Club :: Profiles is the place to go. I am wrightme43 there as well.
Really good people but they just dont abide stupidity.

You have more than enough riding experince to make great use of this bike. It is a outstanding do it all bike. I have put 8500 miles on mine since april. Deals gap twice, tons of trips to mammoth cave, and also tons to land between the lakes. It has at least 50 miles of riding on gravel roads. The only problem I have had from her is my own stupidity, in not changing the plugs when reccomended at 8000 miles.

I rode 250 miles last night and this morning with a 95lb passenger. It is very very easy to shift for comfort and smoothness.
Steve

Another "FZ6 is my first bike and no problems" here. It's been comfortable for me on 350 mi days, still fun in the twisties, enough power to keep up in almost all groups, and I could go on and on. I bet that the comment you got was more about the it being a little hard to be smooth with the throttle off-idle - not a tendancy to get you into a lot of trouble (I also haven't even come close to an accidental wheelie). The bike is pretty docile below 8k rpm and really picks up after that - you just have to keep the motor where you want to be.

Thank you very much for all of your input. You all have convinced me to go ahead and purchase an FZ6. The only problem I can see will be the one where when I walk into the garage and find that my son has taken my FZ6 and has left me his Ninja!

Uh yeah that could be a problem. LOL

I miss my little ninja though, I am thinking about buy another one for fun, and track days.

Welcome and sounds like you are a real cool dad! I don't think many of us would have been allowed to get a street bike at such a young age. Anyway, don't forget to scroll through the thread on "How much did you $spend on your fz6? $7200. Should give you an idea on how much you should be paying. One of our most recent member just got his for $7,000 for an '7 out the door. Enjoy!

DrBart2 said:

During the 1980's and 90's I rode a Honda Custom CB 650 (4 cyl).

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I think the FZ6 is a gas! I've heard it called the poor man's BMW. My last bike was an '85 CB650SC, and I got an '06 FZ6 last December. At moderate RPM's, the bike is a great around town commuter. With the stock gearing, it can sometimes be a trick to launch smoothly, but I've very rarely stalled it and never lifted the front wheel. I don't find any problems with the throttle being "tweaky;" to an experienced hand, the power rolls on quite smoothly, and as you sweep past about 9000 RPM's, things start to happen really fast. It's going to feel like your Honda had a turbo that cut in.

The riding position is going to be more forward from what you would be used to on something like the CB650, but not extremely so. I was having some problems with my right wrist cramping, and found that I wasn't leaning forward quite enough to keep my wrist from being bent. Another alternative probably would have been to raise the bars a little or roll them forward in a bit in the clamps.

Personally, I think the stock fairing works pretty well. Air is directed up onto your upper chest and shoulders, so your helmet is up above most of the turbulence (I'm about six foot). In a light rain, you can tuck down and stay pretty dry, and most of the air is actually deflected around you legs, even though there is no lower. If you're looking for something that directs the air over your helmet, you're going to need a taller windscreen.

You might not find the transmission up to Honda's standards, a little clunky (this may have improved on the '07 revision). I've never regretted buying the bike. Most of my past bikes were Hondas, but since Honda lacks a realistic choice in Euro-standard class, this is a great alternative. Easy to work on. Plenty of after-market bits and pieces available on the web. Body work is cheap if you dump it. Insurance is pretty cheap.

I might have imagined this, and someone on here will put me right if this is bull sh*t. But, I'm sure I read that the '07 model had been re-mapped to make the throttle a little less vicious.

That said, I have the 06 model & don't find any problems with it. get one, you'll have a hoot :thumbup:

pedwards89 said:

I might have imagined this, and someone on here will put me right if this is bull sh*t. But, I'm sure I read that the '07 model had been re-mapped to make the throttle a little less vicious.

That said, I have the 06 model & don't find any problems with it. get one, you'll have a hoot :thumbup:

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This is what I have found.

New for 2007:

* Even better finish quality of the upper fairing, frame, engine and swingarm back up the FZ6’s outstanding style and performance.
* Reprogramming/refining the fuel injection mapping produces smooth power and excellent response.
* A stylish new swingarm complements the bike’s Controlled Fill frame and adds to its light, precise feel.
* New, four-piston monoblock brake calipers up front provide excellent braking power and feel.
* High-tech instrument display (like the FZ1’s) features analog tachometer, digital speedometer, etc.—also a cool fade-in lighting feature with adjustable brightness.
* New passenger pegs are lower and made of aluminum for comfort and appearance.
* Redesigned fairing, windscreen and new, high-quality paint look great and reduce turbulence.
* New front fender and alumite-finished outer fork tubes add to the stye parade.
* A redesigned seat bottom and cover material feel soft but solid, and make it easier for shorter legs to reach the ground.

I just picked up a new 07 Saturday,(even trade on a heavily customized Royal Star), for my 17 year old son. He is new to motorcycling. I bought it for the very reason that it would be difficult to get in alot of trouble starting off.
The torque figures will keep things subdued a bit till the revs get up there. I have to get him into a beginner MSF class before I let him ride.

I have an FJR 1300 that i'll ride with him initially. Momma's not too keen on him riding at all if I'm not with him.

I say get the bike, its over-all abilities are well worth the price of admission. I look forward to putting some miles on it myself.

Glenn

Yes, I have ridden a lot with my son before I let him ride on his own. My wife also rides, so the three of us do a lot of local riding. At the time I am letting the cycle shop sell my Vstar for me. They figure it will sell in a week or two. It is loaded with extras, very clean, and the 1100's are real popular in this area for some reason. I prefer to wait after the Vstar is sold before I purchase the FZ6. But I am not sure how patient I can be. I am really anxious to buy and ride that FZ6!! Of course right now it is about 98 degrees outside, so riding any thing isn't appealing. I am looking forward to being a part of your FZ6 riders group!:Sport:

problem? what problem?

the only trouble i had out of my 07 fz6 was from dead stop to roll the throttle engage 1st gear. the hand clutch catches any gear really far out at the end of the clutch so if you are used to a clutch with more 40 to 50% engage you will have to adjust. I'd say out of 100, clutch catches at 90. easy to over rev before you even get the bike moving. a crampbuster really really helps to smooth the throttle at starting speeds. good luck and you cant go wrong. I moved up from a honda shadow 600. fz6 makes the honda shadow look like its on crack.

I have had my FZ6 for a week now. I have pretty much adjusted to the throttle, clutch, and basically how the bike behaves. I am quite pleased with it. It is much smoother than I expected. One of the drawbacks of buying a new bike is that no dealer in this area will let you test ride it. They will have a day where people can come down to test ride some of their bikes, but that is only one day per year! So, I have done some pretty heavy research on this bike before buying it. I have also spent some time reading these forums. Now that I have been riding it, I have found that the FZ6 is actually easier to ride than my wife's Honda Magna. Her throttle is much more sensitive, which makes it easier to accidentally give yourself whiplash in the lower gears.