Help!!

[stryken]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forums and I need a little help here, forgive me if this shouldn't be posted here but I am new so seems like a good place to start. I just got into riding on the street in may of '08 and while looking for my first bike I sat on a FZ6 and it did not fit me at all. I should point out that I am vertically challenged and at 5'6 with a inseam of about 30 inches as I new rider I wanted something a little lower. In the end I went with a ex500, which I might add was the perfect choice for a first bike. I still love riding it but am ready for something more, its not so much the extra power that I crave but i want something a little nicer looking with better components, shocks ,brakes ,etc. than the outdated ex500. So here is the thing, I have been looking at the fz6r and I really like it, and I know all the negative things that have been said about it and I have posted how I feel about that on another thread but that's not for here. So today I went and re looked at the both of them FZ6 and R and I find myself still really wanting the FZ6. The only thing is I want it to sit the same height as the FZ6R. HOWEVER, comfort is more important to me than how much better the FZ6 is over the R so....
I have written this stupidly long post to ask this simple question, Can the FZ6 be lowered 1 or 2 inches??? I have read all the posts and website and I hear YES then NO , YES, NO YES, NO. SO I need someone who REALLY knows and can direct me to PLEASE show me the truth. I know about seat shaving but I am talking about a true lowering, I was much more comfortable sitting on it this year than last because I have some experience now, but long term I would still like to be able to lower it an inch or two if I am gonna buy it. I AM TREATING YOU!!!! If I can not get some help soon I WILL BUY THE FZ6R!!!:jawdrop: Thanks for any help guys/gals!!

 

[jrf]

I know i have seen it on here ( I think it was here maybe FZ1 forum) but I think you can lower the FZ6.

I personaly like the look of the new FZ6R with the full fairings. If they made the FZ6 with the fairings I would take a really good look at buying one, but I do like the extra HP.

If you can't lower it, getting the R wouldn't be a bad thing, like I said the full fairings on it are awesome:rockon:

 

[Fz6Sa]

You can get a lower seat (or shave the stock one).
That will lower it 1 inch.
As to lowering the rear shock and the front fork to get it even lower, I would advice against. If you do that, you will mess with the general driving characteristics of the bike, - and you need to be a hardcore bike builder or lucky as hell to get away with that.

 

[Fz6Sa]

Ohh,- and before I forget (again):

:welcome::welcome::welcome::welcome:

 

[stryken]

Wow!! Another HGTTG Fan. don't find many of those around anymore. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Fz6Sa]

Wow!! Another HGTTG Fan. don't find many of those around anymore. Thanks for the reply!

How can you not be a fan of Douglas A. ?

 

[wrightme43]

HHGTTG rocks.

I saw a the FZ6R in person today. I like it. I would ride it. I like the FZ6 better though.

I am sure a dedicated person could safely lower the FZ6 with the understanding that you are giving up ground clearance and turning.

You can always practice the one foot stop on your EX500 till you get it down pat, then just leave the fz6 alone.

 

[davidsa1]

:welcome::thumbup:

I would think that you would be fine with just getting the seat.

 

[SANGER_A2]

Checkout the site in my signature. It's got the full lower fairing and a lowered seat. I also moved from an ex500 like you are planning too. I got back on the ex500 a month later and it seemed tiny, slow and with awful brakes compared to the FZ6. I still love it too though.

I'm 5'8" though with a 32" inseam - so a little taller than you. I managed with the stock seat but with it lowered a bit it was soooo much better for pushing the bike around as it's heavy. The FZ6R reminds me of one of the cut down-sportsbikes like the ER-6F.

 

[Nelly]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forums and I need a little help here, forgive me if this shouldn't be posted here but I am new so seems like a good place to start. I just got into riding on the street in may of '08 and while looking for my first bike I sat on a FZ6 and it did not fit me at all. I should point out that I am vertically challenged and at 5'6 with a inseam of about 30 inches as I new rider I wanted something a little lower. In the end I went with a ex500, which I might add was the perfect choice for a first bike. I still love riding it but am ready for something more, its not so much the extra power that I crave but i want something a little nicer looking with better components, shocks ,brakes ,etc. than the outdated ex500. So here is the thing, I have been looking at the fz6r and I really like it, and I know all the negative things that have been said about it and I have posted how I feel about that on another thread but that's not for here. So today I went and re looked at the both of them FZ6 and R and I find myself still really wanting the FZ6. The only thing is I want it to sit the same height as the FZ6R. HOWEVER, comfort is more important to me than how much better the FZ6 is over the R so....
I have written this stupidly long post to ask this simple question, Can the FZ6 be lowered 1 or 2 inches??? I have read all the posts and website and I hear YES then NO , YES, NO YES, NO. SO I need someone who REALLY knows and can direct me to PLEASE show me the truth. I know about seat shaving but I am talking about a true lowering, I was much more comfortable sitting on it this year than last because I have some experience now, but long term I would still like to be able to lower it an inch or two if I am gonna buy it. I AM TREATING YOU!!!! If I can not get some help soon I WILL BUY THE FZ6R!!!:jawdrop: Thanks for any help guys/gals!!

Welcome to the site,

I am in the same boat as you in the height department lol.
5'6", I have the standard seat and a 29" inseam, I seriously don't have any problems with it.
I think that you have hit the nail on the head with your thread.
You state that the FZ6 feels better this year because you have more experience.
That my friend is the key. You can get a lowered seat which will help. I personally would not like to sacrifice ground clearance for seat height.



Nelly

 

[SANGER_A2]

I think it will turn quicker with lowered suspension too - which is bad for someone without lots of riding experience. This can be helped a bit with a steering dampener (pretty expensive). You don't wanna get into a tank-slapper and spoil your new bike!

 

[stryken]

Wow!! hello SANGER .... Small world!! I never spoke with you but I read several of your posts on the ex website and used your blue LED dash Idea, but i went the easy route and used replacement bulbs. I think there was one other Idea I snatched from you also, but don't remember which, maybe the dremaling the rear fender. Thanks for all your useful posts on the other website, It was a lot of help and fun looking at all your mods. The seat looks great, did you have any trouble getting the covering stretched tight around it again?

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

just remember if you end up lowering it... you will have cut/bend the kickstand as a lowered bike with a stock kickstand will make the bike be too close to 90 angle and cause it to tip easier...

i had a buddy do a 1" drop last night and we had to lean his bike on a forklift, then take the kickstand off, cut it, weld it, and put it back on... had to take 2" off the kickstand to allow for a 1" drop... strange how angles work out...

 

[SANGER_A2]

Wow!! hello SANGER .... Small world!! I never spoke with you but I read several of your posts on the ex website and used your blue LED dash Idea, but i went the easy route and used replacement bulbs. I think there was one other Idea I snatched from you also, but don't remember which, maybe the dremaling the rear fender. Thanks for all your useful posts on the other website, It was a lot of help and fun looking at all your mods. The seat looks great, did you have any trouble getting the covering stretched tight around it again?

Yay! Another Ex-EXer. I think there are quite a few of us in here! Although, until I sell mine I'm still an EX-er. :rockon:

I did redo the seat after doing it half-way the first time. That was partly because it was a bit loose but mainly because i used crap light-weight staples first. As long as you stretch it over hard and have a decent stapler and staples do it a bit at a time it's fine.