Cruiser to FZ6...thoughts?

[2000 Intruder]

Hello everyone,

I know this is kind of vague, but I'm looking for some general info regarding what to expect from an FZ6. I'll explain more below.

I rode a Suzuki VS800GL Intruder (my first bike) from September of 2007 through October of 2008. I put about 5000 miles on it, and now I'm researching the mid sized standards for my next ride. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Intruder. It was a great starter bike: not too heavy, and with enough power to keep things interesting. But after riding it for a year I decided that I wanted something a little sportier. Now, I'm not really looking for an aggressive sport bike; I'm a big fan of the comfortable, neutral riding position of the standards, which is why I've been looking pretty hard at the FZ6's. In fact, my top three (in no particular order) are: the FZ6, the Suzuki SV650, and the Honda 919.

So, I guess I've got 2 questions:

1) What are the FZ6's main selling points over the other two bikes mentioned above?

2) Having never ridden an inline four cylinder, is there anything I need to know about the transition over from a V-twin?

Oh, I should probably mention that I took the MSF BRC last year, and I even put a headlight modulator on my Intruder to increase my visibility to other drivers. Believe me, those things work. I think it kept cars from pulling out in front of me on several occasions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[steveindenmark]

Strange that I am the first to read this post because I can probably put your mind to rest about the transition.

My first bike was also a 1996 Intruder 800 and then I changed over to the FZ6. The biggest noticable difference for me was, and still is, that the FZ6 seems to be a lot smaller than the Intruder when you are sitting on it. It is also a lot faster both on acceleration and ot top speed.

They are really "Chalk and cheese" but it is not difficult to move over to the FZ6. All your cruiser mates will take the p??s but that soon settles down. You don`t have to jack the bike up to get to the battery. Which idiot designed that in.

Becuse of the 4 cylinders the ride is much smoother than the Intruder and you don`t have to clean it so much. The FZ6 has a chain and not a cardan BUT that is not a problem so don`t let that put you off.

Touring on the FZ6 is effortless.

Like you, I think both bikes are great and would not pick one over the other. It all depends what you want to ride at the time.

I like cruisers and I like touring so my next bike will possibly be the BMW R1200C because that covers both worlds very well and personally I like the BMW.

The FZ6 can be used for commuting, touring and racing, it is so versatile. But compared to Intruder the FZ6 is almost invisible and unless you mod it up a lot, it will not get noticed as much as your intruder.

I would thoroughly reccommend the FZ6 it is a great bike to have.

Steve

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Now for the other side of the coin...

My wife and I have a Kawasaki Nomad, we bought our son Bryan an FZ6 last year. Therefore I've been able to ride the FZ fairly often, short or long distance and back to back with the cruiser/tourer.

It's a personal thing that ties directly into your physical conditioning and shape Flash as well as personal taste.

See, I thought I wanted a sport tourer, thing is I just don't fit and they aren't real comfortable to me. Not just the FZ6 either, I've tried the FJR, the C14 and a FZ1 too. In every case the riding position had too much forward lean, there was too much weight on my wrists, I had to hold my head up to see forward and my legs cramped after a bit from the pegs being too far reward. My wife and I both rode the C14 and she added that she was subjected to an 'unusual' amount of wind, to the point that she described the feeling of being like a bobble head and said that she never could get comfortable and didn't think she could sit for more than 30 or 40 miles at time with out getting off the bike. I let another couple we ride with often that are about our age, he's in much better shape, and they normally ride a VTX1800. They complained of the same things. But if you think about the 'recliner' position of a cruiser, the wind protection afforded by not only the full windshield and lowers but the more upright position of the rider that shields the passenger from the elements, all of that makes perfect sense.

Am I bashing the FZ6, or sport tourers? Not on your life!!! The FZ6 is a great do it all bike and man, I really wanted the C14 to work, but in my mind and that of my wifes, the trade offs of comfort and the ability to stay in the saddle for longer periods of time outweighed the benefits of the smoother and more powerful in-line 4's, the far, far superior cornering and handling and increased fuel range.

So, there you go. Truly a case of YMMV.

Bruce

 

[D-Mac]

First, welcome!

I owned a Honda Shadow 750ACE as my first bike before moving to an FZ6 earlier this year. Here's my take:

-the FZ6 (or any sportier bike for that matter) will have MUCH better brakes than your cruiser has. Handling is far better too. Simply no comparison there.

-I do miss the growl of a V-twin sometimes, but the smoothness of an I-4 makes up for it for me. Besides, loud pipes are only fun on shorter rides anyway and with the FZ6 I feel like I could ride across the continent. The FZ6 does have a slight buzz at around 5500 rpm, but it's nothing compared to the vibes of a cruiser.

-V-twins are also known for torque, but the top end of an I-4 will leave a V-twin for dead. My Shadow produced only about 40lbs of torque at peak, so I didn't notice any loss with the FZ6. What I did notice was that the FZ6 felt soooo much better at highway speeds and had amazing passing power compared with any cruiser I've ridden. It takes a while to get used to riding at higher rpms, but once you do it's very addictive. I must admit that I've given up a bit of the raw 'feel' of a bike with the FZ6 (sometimes I feel like I'm riding a blender), but I've got the power and quickness of a modern engine in return. The FZ6 seems to be more about the ride than the bike IMO.

-I liked the handlebar position on my cruiser and I agree with Bruce that it can be tough to get used to the more forward lean of a sportbike. The FZ6 has a much more upright set of bars than most though (just compare it with an R6 and you'll see what I mean!), but it was still a bit much for me. One of my first mods was a set of barbacks and risers from Twisted Throttle and it made a HUGE difference! Now I'm comfortable. Another plus is that the stock seat on the FZ6 is actually pretty good (YMMV). The seating position is certainly more comfortable for me than any cruiser I've ridden.

-You might be rejected by the cruiser gang if you get an FZ6. It took a few months for my cruiser-riding buddies to get over it....but they have. Perhaps it was my Iron Butt ride, or the fact that I don't have to stop and gas up every 120 miles that won them over. That and their wives seem much more interested in my FZ6 than their Harleys I've also discovered a whole new community of riders with my bike.

-another MAJOR plus with the FZ6 is maintenance. The centerstand is the greatest motorcycle invention EVER. The long valve-check interval on the FZ6, ease of doing a TB sync, and easy access to the coolant resevoir were also major pluses compared with my cruiser. Most parts are also cheaper for the FZ6 because they aren't chrome!

In a perfect world, I'd have my FZ6, a C-14, and a cruiser. Since I can only have one bike, the FZ6 does it for me.

 

[wrightme43]

Its just all in what you want man.
Anyone of those bikes it going to do well by you. The FZ and SV are both very approachable bikes. I liked the FZ best so thats what I have. I do still lust after the VFR, FZ1, and Speed Triple. Either I am never satisfied, or I need more bikes. LOL

 

[FZ6er_FSR]

The FZ6 has a more upright riding position than the SV650. The SV650 riding position requires you to lean forward to give you a slight supersport feel that most FZ6 riders hate. Insurance is cheap on both of these bikes. Comparing the two with about the same engine volume of 600cc, the FZ6 inline 4 produces more power than the SV650's V-twin. Some say V-twins are easlier to handle under low speed, but I believe it all depends on your experience as I was often stuck in traffic with my FZ6 but able to maintain balance or keep my bike straight even when my speedo was reading between 0 and 5 km/h.

In North America, you can only get the half fairing verision of the FZ6; SV650 comes naked or half fairing (SV650S), and the Honda 919 only comes naked. The fairing does help when crusing at highspeeds on the highway and adds to the sporty look.

I was told that Hondas in general are expensive to insure and the only thing the 919 had to offer compared to the FZ6 is power. (I feel Honda salesmen in my area don't know how to sell their products.)

Since you're reading off the FZ6 forums, our replies are bias; I'm assuming you've posted the same questions on a Suzuki and Honda site as well? If so, can you post what SV650 and Honda 919 owners feel about the FZ6? We have our opinions about other models, I really wonder what they think when they see riders like us!

Thanks!

:thumbup:

 

[wolfc70]

I would not worry about four cylinders, some buzz, but manageable. The vibes are of a higher frequency than that of a non 90 degree v twin. The biggest difference is getting used to the power band/RPM's. The FZ6 will run at engine speeds that would scatter a cruiser engine, and to get to that power you have to use all of the available revs. The fun begins at 10,000 RPM!:thumbup: Other than that I find the upright seating position very comfy, the bike changes direction almost telepathically compared to a cruiser.

It all comes down to personal preference. Take one for a spin, you will know within 15 minutes if a FZ6 is right for you.

 

[reiobard]

I think that it is all personal preference, i have ridden a couple cruisers over the past year and i can definitely see where their appeal is. they seem to have much more torque which is a ton of fun but the flickability and horsepower of the Inline 4 sport bike is where my heart lies most of the time.

My wifes bike (SV650) is a ton of fun as well, it has all the abilities of the FZ with the raw torque of a v-twin. but i find it very uncomfortable to ride long distances. (she finds my FZ very uncomfortable on the other hand). If it weren't for the comfort thing, and the fact that i love Yamaha, I would own a SV instead.

I wish that they would make a FZ with an SV engine... that would be the balls...

 

[mstewar1]

When I was shopping for a bike the cc size was important to me because of the difference in insurance rates. I'm sure someone here knows the breaking point, but I think that above 750cc it gets more expensive. I wanted something a little smaller than the vfr I came from. Not that I didn't like the vfr, no, I loved that bike. Awesome engine -- gotta love the older ones with gear drive... I digress.

Again, when shopping, I'd read a review of the three standards you mention -- Fz6, Sv650, and the smaller honda standard, not the 919 (can't recall the size). The review sorta panned the honda as somewhat uninspired and over-priced. I wouldn't say that about the 919, I think that's a pretty good looking bike. But a naked, slightly de-tuned liter bike is a lot of bike. I thought it was well done style-wise but wasn't ready for a full naked bike nor one that big.

I was tempted by the sv but there was something about it that was just lacking. The styling didn't quite grab me. The big temptation for me there was the vee engine. I like the way they deliver torque. I was really close to getting one.

Then I walked into a yamaha dealer. Bought an fz without a test ride.

24k miles to the first valve adjust. Nice upright position. Not as attractive to the bike thieves since it's not a racer replica, though it gets its engine from the r6, with a slight de-tune -- great, screaming little engine by the way. Light. Clean, simple layout and access to the bits and pieces. And Yamaha's designers just do a great job with their bikes, imho.

It's a great palette upon which a rider may express their individual taste. As Steve mentioned, it's a capable little tourer. And as you'll find on this site, it can be stripped down and made into a dead sexy, full-naked ride. And there are still others who kit them out to ride on the track. Pick your poison. Some of my favorite bikes on this site: wavex, wolfman (when it was orange...), and ya just gotta see makanouchi's bike (soooooo pretty).

Riding a "standard" as opposed to a cruiser is a little more of an immediate, visceral experience. Especially one like the fz. It really does beg you to wring its neck on a regular basis...

Let us know what you decide!

 

[cmarsdavis]

I just made my switch from a cruiser (Honda Shadow Spirit 1100) to an FZ6. I was also looking at the SV650s also. Now that I've been on my FZ for a month or so, I'm really glad I switched. To me, the FZ is a lot more 'fun' than my cruiser was. The SV would have been fun too, but most folks said the SV was more aggressive (i.e. more uncomfortable). I haven't ridden the FZ for more than an hour yet, but even after that amount of time, I didn't have any pains anywhere in my body.

Pros of the FZ...it's quick, still a bit forgiving, upright riding position, fewer of them on the road, and the under tail exhaust just looks frickin sweet!

Hope this helps with your decision!

 

[S.D.Willie]

Hello everyone,

I know this is kind of vague, but I'm looking for some general info regarding what to expect from an FZ6. I'll explain more below.

I rode a Suzuki VS800GL Intruder (my first bike) from September of 2007 through October of 2008. I put about 5000 miles on it, and now I'm researching the mid sized standards for my next ride. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Intruder. It was a great starter bike: not too heavy, and with enough power to keep things interesting. But after riding it for a year I decided that I wanted something a little sportier. Now, I'm not really looking for an aggressive sport bike; I'm a big fan of the comfortable, neutral riding position of the standards, which is why I've been looking pretty hard at the FZ6's. In fact, my top three (in no particular order) are: the FZ6, the Suzuki SV650, and the Honda 919.

So, I guess I've got 2 questions:

1) What are the FZ6's main selling points over the other two bikes mentioned above?

2) Having never ridden an inline four cylinder, is there anything I need to know about the transition over from a V-twin?

Oh, I should probably mention that I took the MSF BRC last year, and I even put a headlight modulator on my Intruder to increase my visibility to other drivers. Believe me, those things work. I think it kept cars from pulling out in front of me on several occasions.

Thanks in advance.

I'm in the same boat with my Vulcan 1600 classic. Great bike, but its time for a change, hence me being on the FZ forum. Did i buy one yet? nope, still waiting till summer next year since my vtwin will be paid off by then. Im still deciding on an FZ6, Ninja 650R or Bandit 1250S. Hopefully within the next few months i will have made up my mind already.

Good luck. The FZ6 sure is a looker.

 

[2000 Intruder]

Thanks for all the feedback! That's a lot of great information.

I have to say I'm leaning towards the FZ6, especially after the comment about the FZ6 having a more comfortable, upright riding position than the SV650. Comfort is high on my list of criteria. I've sat on both bikes at dealerships, but it's hard for me to get a good feel for the riding position without taking a bike for a spin, and I haven't found a dealer who would grant a test ride on a new machine.

Someone asked about feedback from other forums, and this is the first one I've posted on so far. I'll re-post if I get some responses elsewhere.

I'm excited about getting a new bike. When I sold my Intruder in October, I knew immediately that I'd have to replace it...and soon.

Thanks again for all the information. I'll keep you posted on what I end up with.

BTW - if anyone knows of any used FZ6's for sale, please let me know.

 

[2000 Intruder]

I thought I'd post a picture of my old bike.

 

[CrioGeniC]

The only real downside going from the Intruder to the FZ6 is, you are going to spend a lot of time looking for the curviest roads you can find. The FZ will feel like a Ginsu knife in your hands and you will be wanting to carve everything in front of you.

 

[Smittyboy]

The underseat exhaust is totally sweet looking! However, don't expect cheap aftermarket. My bud's dad has that bike. Really cool little relaxed cruiser, but the fz still has my heart... It's really schitzophrenic. At the lower to mid rev ranges it's a relaxed tourer that has awesome breaks. High RPM's and you're hanging on to a curve carving rocket. All depends on how you're feeling at the time...

 

[oogie]

I have a 2004 Vulcan 1500 that I've put 34k on since buying it new, the cruiser is great at what it's designed for. As far as comfort, I can ride the FZ a lot longer without lower back pain that I experienced with the Vulcan after a few hours. The lounge-chair, legs forward seating of a cruiser doesn't provide for spine support like the stance assumed on a bike like the FZ IMO. As far as the power and fun-factor, there's no comparison, these things handle night and day differently from what you're likely used to on the Intruder. As has already been said it comes down to personal preference, but I have enjoyed the lil FZ more than any bike I've owned so far.

 

[Hellgate]

Sell it to the scrap yard, cruisers suck. Have a nice day. :thumbup:

J/K, not really. Cruiser are generally...overpriced for the performance and quality of compents you get; eg drum brake vs. disc. one front disc vs. two, lean angle, speed, etc, etc.

The FZ is a much better bike. Buy one and be happy.

Oh...:welcome:

 

[pooty]

i came fromt the 1760 warrior-still have it. tons of grunt but really uncomfortable. hurts my back now--fz doesnt. really like the riding position of the fz.

 

[2000 Intruder]

Hello everyone. Thanks for all the great feedback. Just to let you know, I bought a blue 2007 FZ6 today!

I found a good deal on a used one at a dealership about 60 miles from where I live. I've still got to get it insured, so I won't pick it up until next weekend, but I'll let everyone know how my first ride goes. I'll post some pictures too after I get it home.

Thanks again for all the input. It really helped with my decision.

Happy 2009!

 

[cmarsdavis]

Hello everyone. Thanks for all the great feedback. Just to let you know, I bought a blue 2007 FZ6 today!

I found a good deal on a used one at a dealership about 60 miles from where I live. I've still got to get it insured, so I won't pick it up until next weekend, but I'll let everyone know how my first ride goes. I'll post some pictures too after I get it home.

Thanks again for all the input. It really helped with my decision.

Happy 2009!

Sweet! You won't regret it at all. I've been converted for almost 2 months and I haven't thought twice about it. Now it's time to start modding