FZ6 your first bike? 1 helpfull tip

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signal34

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I dont remember anyone else talking about this, but i recently bought an 08 fz6 as my first bike, and the clutch has been very tricky to learn. I have stalled so many times that its killing my battery. For 18$ at the local walmart i found a 1.5 amp charger with a harness that bolts directly to the battery termnals. It makes it a lot easier to charge the battery, the plug hangs out from under the tank behind the fairing. I can just plug in the charger in after i pull into my garage, and i dont have to worry about it. It saves a lot of time when i kill the battery, and for $18 it seems well worth it for a new rider.
 
biggest thing is make sure it has a warrenty and that it 100% monitors it! if it does not turn off and on currectly it will kill your battery! Make sure it has all the features of a optimate III!

Tecmate Optimate 3 Battery Charger

I personally use the one before this it was the optimate III works great! also has the best real warranty!
 
lol you wouldn't need a battery tender if you quit stalling!!

j/k, I've heard those are a good investment.

Now, as for you stalling all the time... I have been on many bikes since I was 12, and even with a bit of experience, I stalled so many times with my new FZ6 in the first month or so that I was getting pissed.

You'll get the hang of it...
Just let your muscle memory do all the thinking, that is, YOU don't have to consciously THINK anything; you need to allow your body to use it's memory. A deep breath, let it out, feel the catch, and feel your throttle control get it going.

Chin up, m8.
 
Lol. I don't think it matters how long you've ridden. The heavy lever and short catch make it a PIA to get used to. Like Scott said, give it time. Lots of miles will help you solve the clutch "problem."
Man, I remember how bad it was when I was getting used to it. I live in a hilly area and I was getting so frustrated starting uphill (especially with impatient cagers creeping up on me)..
 
I found that loosening the clutch lever a lil bit helps you dont have to let it out so far thus not getting to the end of you fingertips. another thing is this clutch is supposed to be looser than you would think. the lever should not be snug against the perch there should be a little bit of play. I have mine a lil more than they put for recomendation just makes it a lil easier with the g/f on the back little faster engagement... if that didnt make sense let me know I tend to have a hard time 100% telling you what I am thinking...
 
another thing that helped me tremendously was a little tip I picked up frm the written test for my motorcycle permit.

When asked how many feet should be on the ground at a stop, they give you four options:
a. two
b. one
c. none
d. i don't remember the option, but there were four

The correct answer was one foot on the ground.
The logic behind it is that the bike should be in 1st gear always, and the right foot should be on the back brake always.

When you get used to starting off with your foot on the back brake, every time, it ends up being easier to manage a start from a stopped postion.
Having the bike in gear will prevent it from rolling into the intersection, (probably, so long as it stalls,) and keeping your foot on the brake also keeps tha brake light lit.

Just some stuff I thought of..
 
my first bike, was a honda trail 70 that my dad bought me and my brother. We were 6 and 9 years old, and had a blast. Then I moved to a honda nighthawk 650 with 750 carbs and heads. That was a long time ago, when I was 22, now i'm 40 and 1.5 years ago I got a honda shadow 650 VLX. It sucked so much arse that I sold it a month later and got the yamaha fz6. The fz6 has always been the hardest bike to use the clutch. I did find a good way to practice finding the friction point. use the rear brake and pull the clutch out until it starts pulling on the bike. bring the clutch back in, and let it out until it gets to the friction point again, when you feel it begin to catch, roll on a bit of throttle. keeping the foot on the brake so you dont go anywhere though. if you do that a few times you will totally be aware of where the friction catch is, and its way way out there at almost the end of of the clutch. although the friction point is so far out, the really had part is throttle management, if you throttle too early and dont have the clutch out far enough , you will over rev the engine, and if you dont add enough throttle you will kill it. thats a fine line to walk, so good luck.
 
Yup, me too and I happened to by the same exact battery minder. The diference was, I left the lights on a couple of times. It is also great for my riding mower. I second this reomendation, gonna be great for the winter storage!

WesWood151
 
As 08FZ6 has said, adjustment of the clutch lever can help. Because of my short hands, I have a problem reaching the end of the clutch lever travel, so I had to use the adjustment knob to shorten the travel to fit my hands. After i did this, I take off so much smoother and no longer stall.
 
i started on the fz6 as well

one thing i found tho was after getting used to the clutch on the fz6....every other bike is so simple it feels like an automatic haha
 
I don't understand. The FZ6 is my first bike as well, I had never even ridden dirt bikes or anything. I've had her for 3 months, put 3000 miles on her, and have stalled no more than twice. And I don't rev her like a fool at all. What's so hard about that clutch? Just feel it.
 
People are all different.

Another good drill for clutch work is the slow speed roll. Get in a parking lot, and see just how slow you can go. Slipping the clutch, draggin the rear brake, and modulating the throttle.
 
signal34 said:
I dont remember anyone else talking about this, but i recently bought an 08 fz6 as my first bike, and the clutch has been very tricky to learn. I have stalled so many times that its killing my battery. For 18$ at the local walmart i found a 1.5 amp charger with a harness that bolts directly to the battery termnals. It makes it a lot easier to charge the battery, the plug hangs out from under the tank behind the fairing. I can just plug in the charger in after i pull into my garage, and i dont have to worry about it. It saves a lot of time when i kill the battery, and for $18 it seems well worth it for a new rider.
Click to expand...


And an excellent thing to hook up when you store your bike for the winter too.

Do you have pics of this setup? can it be left plugged in for a long time?
 
Get one that is known for quality and meant for long term charging if you live where the bike needs to be winterized. I use only the Deltran Battery Tender Jr. I have the lead run up to my steering head where I can now use it as an accessory outlet. Rob, I'd be happy to help you install it if you buy one. Just drive over with less than half a tank of gas. We can even mod your airbox too (I did this Saturday but haven't been out for testing due to weather). The lead to the battery is permanent, universal and very useful.

Another option for the airbox mod Rob? You can try my modded cover on your bike if you want to know what it does for you... before cutting into your cover. :thumbup:

As for the clutch, I don't have any trouble and cannot remember the last time I stalled the bike. I practice with finesse and without using the throttle at all for starts. Often at a stoplight, I'll sit and just ease the clutch out to create some muscle memery for where the friction zone starts. Keep practicing this way and it soon becomes so natural you don't even think about it... stalls are history!
 
i don't understand either. my fz6 is soooo easy to take off. the only times i've stalled it was when i accidentally left it in second at a stop sign.
 
Scott64a said:
another thing that helped me tremendously was a little tip I picked up frm the written test for my motorcycle permit.

When asked how many feet should be on the ground at a stop, they give you four options:
a. two
b. one
c. none
d. i don't remember the option, but there were four

The correct answer was one foot on the ground.
The logic behind it is that the bike should be in 1st gear always, and the right foot should be on the back brake always.

When you get used to starting off with your foot on the back brake, every time, it ends up being easier to manage a start from a stopped postion.
Having the bike in gear will prevent it from rolling into the intersection, (probably, so long as it stalls,) and keeping your foot on the brake also keeps tha brake light lit.

Just some stuff I thought of..
Click to expand...

that is interesting. when they had us stop at the MSF course, we had to have both feet on the ground (AFTER having stopped and shift down to first of course). but stopping and then relying on only one foot could be pretty risky as the bike could be harder to balance with just that one foot. and leaning everything on that one left foot would be extremely sore and tiresome for it i would think. :confused:
 
GodSpeedLuc said:
that is interesting. when they had us stop at the MSF course, we had to have both feet on the ground (AFTER having stopped and shift down to first of course). but stopping and then relying on only one foot could be pretty risky as the bike could be harder to balance with just that one foot. and leaning everything on that one left foot would be extremely sore and tiresome for it i would think. :confused:
Click to expand...

ur not leaning everything on that foot, ur just keeping the bike balanced, the weight of the bike is still resting on its tires as it is straight up and down.
 
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