Back in the game

[Zebratounge]

I have noticed several members chose the FZ6 as their first bike after not riding for many years.What made you stop riding? What makes the FZ so appealing? any good stories?

I had an accident on a Yamaha SR250 in 1999 that left me with a crushed left wrist and major road rash. I now have a "T" shaped titanium plate in my wrist, it's attached with 4 screws.( absolutely breathtaking when seen in an X-Ray)
8 years later I woke up one day and decided I wanted a motorcycle. When I saw the FZ in the brochure, I knew I wanted one.

 

[reiobard]

good idea for a thread.

Do you have any scans of the x-rays, i am intrigued by that type of stuff.

 

[HavBlue]

I am a bit tall at 6'2" so I still have a good deal of weight on my wrists. Do you not have any issues with this on your left wrist?

I bought the FZ6 because it was the best 600cc naked available. I also happen to be a big fan of Yamaha bikes.

 

[FZ1inNH]

I stopped riding for 15 years because I had kids... sold the toys and they all came first. Now that they are all grown and responsible for themselves, we're buying toys again! I did zero research on the FZ6. Stopped into a dealer in May 2006 and he had a zero mile 2005 holdover. I sat on it, they told me about the bike and I bought it on the spot. No regrets!

 

[Zebratounge]

I don't have any scans. Wish I did! Last time I saw it I was having a piece of tool steel removed from my arm. the tip of a punch broke off and embedded in my arm. they did an X-Ray to find the piece and showed me the prints. looked like long wood screws, attaching the plate to my bones.

 

[tolgatt]

i stopped riding bikes to finish my school (it was a huge distraction) at 1999.....i bought a car and concentrated at school until i smashed into a huge tree on 2001 ,,almost killing myself...ended up with a broken leg(femur) and 2 surgeries...i was at hospital for 21 days and doctors told me that i have to use sticks for 6 months...in the first surgery they put three 14 inch metal rods and 2 screws to put my leg together..after a month one of the rods started to hurt me real bad,,so i got another surgery to take it out...the accident happened on september 1st 2001....exactly 6 mths later on march 4th 2002 i was riding my Suzuki GS500E...i could barely walk but after those ridicilously boring 6 mths ,,i decided to go back to the freedom of motorcycles...
by the way after 7 years ,,again,,one of the rods started to hurt me,,i have an appointment with the surgeon on april,,,hopefully i will get them all out before summer...i didnt hear good things about breaking the bone again with the rods in it.........ouch..

 

[Hellgate]

I stopped ridding in July of 1988 after a very bad crash while racing at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix. Another racer was trying to pass me in a 125 mph sweeper and he took my front wheel out. The last thing I remember was my bike getting smaller as I was flying above it. The corner worker said he had the Flight for Life called before I landed. I woke up in the ER and asked for something for the pain. The nurse said I had as much morphine as she could give me. Right there I realized that I must have a few problems. Ended up breaking all of my ribs on my left side, punctured left lung, broken left collar bone, bruised spleen and a concussion.

My helmet had about 10 hit marks on it.

I tried in later years to get back on my GS1100 but I was too scared when I was riding. I had no confidence and was too scared of the cars around me.

After riding around Baghdad last year my fear of riding a motorcycle has been put back in to perspective. I realized how much I like riding and how much fun I've had on motorcycles, and that life is way too short to be afraid of things that you cannot control.

 

[HavBlue]

After reading Pete's post I actually know just how lucky I am. I've been off or down plenty of times on motorcycles as well as horses and for a variety of reasons. While I have been hurt, I have yet to actually break anything (major knock on wood.) I totally agree with Pete in that while a little apprehension can be a good thing, fearing the thing you once loved so much is not and you need to get back on as soon as you are physically and mentally capable.

Regardless of your skills being developed on a racetrack or the streets, those skills may one day save your hide so I say go for it and as always, continue to practice the things you had previously learned. Taking a refresher class may also be warranted as any fear you may have due to past incidents can then be relieved. It will also be in a controlled environment which will only help things along.

For those just getting back into the game I would suggest you go at it slowly thus allowing your previous skills to clear the rust out if you will.

Good luck to you all and stay focused..
Charlie

 

[OneTrack]

It's been a longer road back to motorcycling than I imagined it would be.
I rode bikes exclusively from 1963 to 1971 (various Triumphs and BSA's, with 2 nasty crashes that slowed me down somewhat), then (inevitably) a bike became my "2nd vehicle" when I bought a car. I started riding only sporadically until I sold my last bike in 1977. My last ride on a bike prior to 2007 was in 1982 (a friend's Yamaha "Midnight Special"). Yep...a quarter of a century ago.
I decided to buy a bike in January of last year (an XT225) when my son and his father-in-law bought bikes (a pair of KLR's). I had NO idea what to expect, but honestly thought that it would be just a case of firing the little XT up and riding off into the sunset. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Mentally, I considered myself to be a "Returning Rider", but in truth, I was very much a Newbie. In retrospect, I should have taken a Motorcycle Safety Course....it would have saved me a great deal of angst and frustration, to be sure.
After 6 months of my XT, I felt confident enough to trade it for my FZ6. I now feel that I am about as good as I used to be, albeit riding in a more cerebrial, rather than glandular fashion. Although crusty old farts like me are expected to ride a cruiser of some sort, I couldn't be happier with my FZ6. I look forward to many more years of enjoyment on bikes, and am very glad that I made the decision to return to biking.
My wife, otoh, is not so overjoyed....but she's coming around slowly.
When former riders start talking to me about "returning", I stress to them to Take The Course. They'll thank themselves for it.

 

[Zebratounge]

I have 2400 miles on mine and I am starting to get more comfortable. about once a week I force myself to take that corner that got me in 1999.I usually take it kinda slow.

 

[Hellgate]

I have 2400 miles on mine and I am starting to get more comfortable. about once a week I force myself to take that corner that got me in 1999.I usually take it kinda slow.

It may be kinda slow but the point is you are doing it. That alone says a whole lot about you. Well done! :thumbup:

 

[HavBlue]

It may be kinda slow but the point is you are doing it. That alone says a whole lot about you. Well done! :thumbup:

+1 Very well said and I totally agree.....