New, with 2 FZ6's

[Fastwagon]

I've been riding a Vstar 650 and wanted to try something sportier, and had been looking at the FZ6. My Wife just got her license so I figured what a perfect excuse to get a second bike! So I bought a brand new Black '09.

...Now the problem was I didn't like riding the Vstar after getting a taste of FZ, no problem, my wife will ride the Vstar right....? yeah for one day, then she took the FZ for a spin and didn't want to go back either.... Fortunately I found another FZ locally and did an even trade 07 Vstar for 07 FZ6!!

A question to you fazer guru's according to the manuals, the 07 and 09 have all the same specs, but the 07 seems shorter when I sit on it, anyone able to tell me the differences between the years?

I know TTIWWP, but I can't post pics from this PC, I'll get some up tomorrow!

 

[Kazza]

:welcome: to the forum!

You and your wife are going to love those bikes.

Do you mean the 07 seems "lower"? Maybe one has aftermarket suspension. You'll get more answers from forum members later, especially once you've posted pics

Can't wait for the pics. We like pics here :thumbup:

 

[Fastwagon]

...ok so I figured out how to access my photobucket from this computer, here's what I've got handy.

 

[krid80]

Oh NO! someone stole the blinkers off the black one!

Bikes look good!




aaaaand hello to YOU!
:thumbup:

 

[fureinku]

the blue is definitely lowered in the front, notice the fork tubes appear about 15-20mm above the top triple clamp

 

[Fastwagon]

Yes I see that now, Thanks! Is that common, or of great benefit to lower the front? because we're both pretty tall so neither of us mind the extra height.

As for the signals, they are there, but I've put on smoked flushmounts in the stock positions... sadly they can't be seen very well in the daylight, so I'll be swapping them out for something more practical.

 

[mongol777]

Nice! And she's got the Fast color!

 

[mongol777]

Did you guys take pictures at the Lake on the Mountain park? Lake on the Mountain

 

[08fz6]

...ok so I figured out how to access my photobucket from this computer, here's what I've got handy.

One lucky guy right there! Shes pretty and willing to ride her own bike!!!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::rockon::rockon::rockon:

 

[mxgolf]

:welcome: This is a fantastic forum. Everyone is great. Enjoy your new FZ6's and be sure to ride safe and ATG ATT ( All The Gear All The Time).

 

[Motogiro]

:welcome: Fastwagon and Wife!

Great new rides. You will love them!
This is a great lot on this forum! Have fun! Gear up!

 

[fureinku]

Yes I see that now, Thanks! Is that common, or of great benefit to lower the front? because we're both pretty tall so neither of us mind the extra height.

if she can ride at stock height, i would put it back.. its just 4 allen screws, can easily be done with one person

my fz6 is pretty much lowered as far as it will go in the front, hyperpro 30mm lower in the rear, seat shaved, my feet still arent flat.. but, im way more confident in my safety this much closer...

benefit? some may, and will argue that it ruins the geometry and handling, but lets face it, im not running my fz6 in motogp... so theres a huge benefit to me, if i could ride it stock, i would

 

[Popeye70]

Yes I see that now, Thanks! Is that common, or of great benefit to lower the front? because we're both pretty tall so neither of us mind the extra height.

I would check to see if it has been lowered in the back as well before raising the front. There are some not so tall riders (like me) who lower the bike front/back to get better confidence when standing still or moving slowly. Knowing that I can flatfoot on level ground, or at least get a toe down in a sideway camber (is that the correct term?) gives me better confidence and I enjoy the ride more than if I were uncertain that I could stop and control the bike on any normal street/road.

Just lowering the front makes for a more "nervous" bike, that will turn quicker. The angle of the front fork will be steeper than stock. Lowering the back as well will cancel some of this nervousness, as the ride geometry isn't changed as much as with just a frontal lowering.

 

[rsw81]

As mentioned before, I would check to see if the rear was lowered as well to justify lowering the triple tree on the front. Another hypothesis is that the older bike's springs have just settled in further than the newer bike or was ridden by a heavier person than the newer bike. In which case, time to replace the springs if you ask me.

 

[krid80]

As mentioned before, I would check to see if the rear was lowered as well to justify lowering the triple tree on the front. Another hypothesis is that the older bike's springs have just settled in further than the newer bike or was ridden by a heavier person than the newer bike. In which case, time to replace the springs if you ask me.

Eh the springs wearing out?

Just make sure the back spring is stock and raise the front back up. Boom. Problem solved.

 

[oso2k]

Yes I see that now, Thanks! Is that common, or of great benefit to lower the front? because we're both pretty tall so neither of us mind the extra height.

As for the signals, they are there, but I've put on smoked flushmounts in the stock positions... sadly they can't be seen very well in the daylight, so I'll be swapping them out for something more practical.

Lowering the front is a matter of taste (how much weight feels good on the front end). Kind of how many heavier riders prefer to increase the preload on the rear shock (the only OEM suspension setting that is adjustable).

 

[oso2k]

Eh the springs wearing out?

Just make sure the back spring is stock and raise the front back up. Boom. Problem solved.

Springs will (occasionally) crack under load (wheelies, stoppies, hard landings from wheelies or stoppies, rough terrain, etc), and do lose their decompression capabilities (just like fork internals).

 

[krid80]

Springs will (occasionally) crack under load (wheelies, stoppies, hard landings from wheelies or stoppies, rough terrain, etc), and do lose their decompression capabilities (just like fork internals).

sure, everything fails, but let's not lead the new guy to believe that a 3 year old bike already needs a new spring.

 

[oso2k]

sure, everything fails, but let's not lead the new guy to believe that a 3 year old bike already needs a new spring.

I'll tell you what, I had my 07 R6S for less than 18 months and had put ~9K miles on it. 3500 of which had been my Angeles Forest/Angeles Crest route to work (YouTube - RideToWork20090715.02.m4v). And since then, I've needed new forks (and I think my rear starting to wear out too) even though I have no visible leaks. But, because I've done less than 1K miles in the 18 months since hitting 9K miles, I've slacked off on getting that work done. Point being, the right type of riding can & will wear your suspension quickly. And, apparently, some R6 riders notice wear in their bikes in the first 4K miles (but they ride it that hard). You just don't really know who was riding it if you bought it used.

 

[krid80]

I'll tell you what, I had my 07 R6S for less than 18 months and had put ~9K miles on it. 3500 of which had been my Angeles Forest/Angeles Crest route to work (YouTube - RideToWork20090715.02.m4v). And since then, I've needed new forks (and I think my rear starting to wear out too) even though I have no visible leaks. But, because I've done less than 1K miles in the 18 months since hitting 9K miles, I've slacked off on getting that work done. Point being, the right type of riding can & will wear your suspension quickly. And, apparently, some R6 riders notice wear in their bikes in the first 4K miles (but they ride it that hard). You just don't really know who was riding it if you bought it used.

That is the exception and not the rule. Also, your bike had seeping seals on the forks, right? It needed the fork seals changed and not "new forks." Forks never need changed unless damaged, but can need rebuilt if subjected to either high mileage or severe riding.