FZ6 as a world tourer?

[D-Mac]

Hi folks,

My 'dream ride' is to ride down to South America. I spend quite a bit of time down there for work, but it would be absolutely amazing to ride down there. Most folks who've done it ride a KLR, V-Strom, DRZ, BMW F650/GS, or KTM.

So how would the FZ6 stack up?

There are folks who've ridden practically every type of bike around the world, including a guy who did it on an R1. So anything is possible. It's a matter of riding style/patience/route selection.

Advantages of the FZ6 over other streetbikes:
-Upright riding position
-Less plastic
-Low maintenance (e.g., long valve check interval)
-High exhaust pipes reduce likelihood of drawing in water (!)
-Good wind protection
-Decent luggage options
-Good range per tank
-High quality radiator protection /engine guards are available

Obvious disadvantages of the FZ6 (vs a dual sport):
-Low ground clearance / less suspension travel (hmmm..... should be ok unless the road goes to crap)
-High compression engine (better than an R6, but would it run ok on low-octane fuel?)
-Tubeless tires/rims - easy to plug a leak, but would the rims crack under the pressure? (V-Stroms can do it, so I'm not too worried here)
-Less torque than a big thumper
-Can't fit knobby tires to it
-Headers / oil cooler exposed
-Although the modern engine of an FZ6 is a plus, if something does go wrong it might be tough to fix. I'm not sure our bike is even sold in South America (if it's not that also means a longer wait for parts).
-Front/rear fenders are close to the wheel (could clog up with mud at times)
-The cooling fan seems prone to catching rocks and burning out. An extension on the front fender should help with this.

Choosing a route carefully would be critical. In my case I want to jump the Darrien gap and ride east through Venezuela and down through the Guyanas (the less traveled route - most people head for Ecuador and Bolivia). The roads in the Guyanas are some of the worst in the world, so it would have to be done during one of the dry seasons. On the plus side, a couple on a Harley made the trip a few years ago.....although they had to wait several days for a flatbed truck in Guyana! It would be awesome to go through the Guyanas and then continue down to the Amazon. A series of boat crossings are needed, but once across the Amazon there's a paved road that goes along the river and into some pretty amazing places. From there the roads look pretty good heading south.

I'm going to try this ride someday, although I'm 50/50 right now on the possibility of using something like an FZ6 versus getting a DR-Z400 or a dual sport. By the time the trip rolls around my FZ6 will likely be getting beat up anyway, so I might just try it.

What am I missing here?

 

[codeblue]

My buddy recently went on a 50/50 ride (road/off road), he had ask me too come along but I declined due to the fact that my FZ6 has road tyres on. I did read here on another thread about using dual sport tyres on our bike. My front OEM is about due for a change (7K) but my rear is still good, I am considering getting an OEM replacement for the front. But as an alternative will be purchasing dual sport tyres for what I consider "light" off road use. I believe on ADVrider it's documented that the FZ6 is used for "off road".
With our bike's limited off road capability plus a pair of dual sport tyres, I will definitely be choosing which off roads to venture to.
Good Luck.

 

[Manx]

I think the FZ6 would be as good as anything else (perhaps better!) - bar completely messed up tracks. But if you know the limitations of your bike, just work within it. I think the advantages out weigh the disadvantages. Its reliable, flexible, and comfy.

I am just reading a book where a fella did that trip on a 1200 Triumph. If he can, anyone can. Its attitude rather than equipment that counts.

 

[nigelcorn]

I think it could do it, but I probably wouldn't want to.

The KLR is a pig compared to just about every other bike, but the reason it gets used so much is just what you hinted out; ie ability to fix it anywhere. If you are in the middle of nowhere and the FZ6 breaks down (not that it is likely, but always a possibility) you could be in for a seriously long wait.

If you are on a KLR in the same scenario, you fix it with some duct tape and spit and on you go.

From what I read, the majority of what you will be riding in South America won't be high speed, so the benefit of a faster bike (like ours) is diminished.

Then again, since you work there you know what you are getting in to. If you pick your roads carefully (like you said) you could do it.

 

[abacall]

I'm sure it can be done. Would I want to? No. I would rather have a dual-sport and not worry about roads, just go out there and have fun.
This will be a huge trip for you, why not open up as many possibilities as you can?
You might see/hear about a place/road that you want to ride but can't with the Fizzer. If it's possible to go DS on the trip, I don't see why you would limit yourself with the Fizz. It has a purpose, and serves it well. But dirt/crap roads are not its thing.

 

[rider1a]

Hi folks,

My 'dream ride' is to ride down to South America. I spend quite a bit of time down there for work, but it would be absolutely amazing to ride down there. Most folks who've done it ride a KLR, V-Strom, DRZ, BMW F650/GS, or KTM.

So how would the FZ6 stack up?

Obvious disadvantages of the FZ6 (vs a dual sport):
-Low ground clearance / less suspension travel (hmmm..... should be ok unless the road goes to crap)
-High compression engine (better than an R6, but would it run ok on low-octane fuel?)
-Tubeless tires/rims - easy to plug a leak, but would the rims crack under the pressure? (V-Stroms can do it, so I'm not too worried here)
-Less torque than a big thumper
-Can't fit knobby tires to it
-Headers / oil cooler exposed
-Although the modern engine of an FZ6 is a plus, if something does go wrong it might be tough to fix. I'm not sure our bike is even sold in South America (if it's not that also means a longer wait for parts).
-Front/rear fenders are close to the wheel (could clog up with mud at times)
-The cooling fan seems prone to catching rocks and burning out. An extension on the front fender should help with this.

I'm going to try this ride someday, although I'm 50/50 right now on the possibility of using something like an FZ6 versus getting a DR-Z400 or a dual sport. By the time the trip rolls around my FZ6 will likely be getting beat up anyway, so I might just try it.

What am I missing here?

Here is the video on the dude that road an R1 AROUND the world. He says the R1 engine was in excellent condition upon completion of the trip and a testament to the great quality we have come to expect from Yamaha mothership. The FZ6 is no exception.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThO-w9SCM8I]YouTube - Clymer Road Trip: Around The World On A Yamaha R1 Motorcycle Adventure Trip Sjaak Lucassen[/ame]

If you check the Adventure Rider dual-sport forum you can find all sorts of bikes, including a guy who rode his Yamaha Vino scooter from Alaska to the tip of Argentina i.e. Tierra del Fuego.

It all depends on the level of comfort and abuse you believe your bike can handle. If you want to prove your macho determination, then by all means go for it. But I think you will be better served with a dual-sport friendly bike like the KLR which is very easy to repair to perhaps a V-Strom 650 with a set of Metzler Tourance and a set of hard cases. Having been all over South America and the route you suggested, the roads are very rough. The low clearance etc. on the FZ6 will get a lot of abuse. Whatever bike you use, you will need a decent belly pan made from metal. I vote for the V-Strom 650.

Fred

 

[wildman]

I'm sure it could be a possibility. I have a friend who has a 650 Vstrom and he will smoke me anyday on a gravel road. Granted he does have the knobby tires on, but still.

The Vstrom/BMW GS/KLR are in a whole different class then the FZ.

If you plan on touring long distances and have any chance of lots of gravel / dirt roads, I'd purchase a GS or Vstrom (obviously the Vstrom is the cheaper price of the 2). And for your trip down to SA, I would make that buy. Then you will have nothing to worry about.

 

[jtarkany]

Now, I know you didn't list it but I would do the BMW R 1200 Adventure :drool: for a trip like that. I have done 20,000 on my FZ6 with everything from short trips, less than 500 mi, to mid-range, 500 - 1,000 mi, to one long but burner 3,000 mi all in the US. If I am heading to Central or South America, I want the BMW :thumbup:.

 

[D-Mac]

Now, I know you didn't list it but I would do the BMW R 1200 Adventure :drool: for a trip like that. I have done 20,000 on my FZ6 with everything from short trips, less than 500 mi, to mid-range, 500 - 1,000 mi, to one long but burner 3,000 mi all in the US. If I am heading to Central or South America, I want the BMW :thumbup:.

I had meant to list it. It's a great bike, but it would be tough to pick up and it's pretty $$$. If I could afford one, it would be in my garage right now.

 

[D-Mac]

I'm sure it could be a possibility. I have a friend who has a 650 Vstrom and he will smoke me anyday on a gravel road. Granted he does have the knobby tires on, but still.

The Vstrom/BMW GS/KLR are in a whole different class then the FZ.

If you plan on touring long distances and have any chance of lots of gravel / dirt roads, I'd purchase a GS or Vstrom (obviously the Vstrom is the cheaper price of the 2). And for your trip down to SA, I would make that buy. Then you will have nothing to worry about.

I'm a huge fan of the V-Strom (especially the 650). I almost got one instead of the FZ6, but realized I wouldn't be doing any dirt riding for a while and I wanted to try an I-4 for a change.

 

[jtarkany]

I had meant to list it. It's a great bike, but it would be tough to pick up and it's pretty $$$. If I could afford one, it would be in my garage right now.

Without a doubt! If I could afford it I would have one too :thumbup:

 

[Soap]

Nick Sanders (I think that's his name) who went around the world on an R1 and who I had the pleasure of meeting said that even in the deserts of Africa his bike didn't stop when the air filter was clogged up with sand.

I'd go for it as long as you can replace it if things go wrong. Do it or you may never get the chance to again!

 

[rider1a]

Now, I know you didn't list it but I would do the BMW R 1200 Adventure :drool: for a trip like that. I have done 20,000 on my FZ6 with everything from short trips, less than 500 mi, to mid-range, 500 - 1,000 mi, to one long but burner 3,000 mi all in the US. If I am heading to Central or South America, I want the BMW :thumbup:.

The drive-shaft tends to burn out "fairly" frequently on the large GS, intermittent electrical issues, expensive parts and scant dealer network makes this choice less desireable. It is much better to stick with chain which is easy to repair. If you want the BMW allure, break down and buy the new GS800 by BMW.

A cheaper choice is the GS650 Dakar which they don't make any more but has the very durable Rotax engine. You will see them advertised on Craigslist from time to time. I test rode my friends GS800 and loved it but the V-Strom 650 does feel smoother on the highway, at least for me, but the wind buffeting on the V-Strom needs to be fixed with an aftermarket bracket called Maadstad or something like that.

Fred