Got lent the FZ6 as a courtesy bike...

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Looks like my bikes twin "sister", (but with a fat a$$-top box!) :thumbup:

 

[rideslikean00b]

Looks like my bikes twin "sister", (but with a fat a$$-top box!) :thumbup:

Has two purposes - carries the bag with my lunch/visor wipes etc on the way in, while I'm there it keeps my helmet safe so no bugger can scratch it or try to wear it in the break room. :thumbup:

 

[rideslikean00b]

Not regretting the decision to keep this bike. At all. It's lovely. Today for a few hours we got some proper sunny weather and dry roads and even taking it easy I had an absolute blast. This excels in all the ways my XJ-6 did not and looks better doing it too. It's seriously improving my skills as a rider.

I notice I'm taking better care of her than the Divvy too. If I get back from a ride and it's been raining but stopped I tend to wipe the bike down and get the cover on straight away. With the Divvy I was less bothered. I suppose I really want this bike to last!

Next weekend the crash bars and Pilot Road 3s are going on. Weekend after it's the full service and valve clearance (no charge on both of those, part of the conditions of the sale) as the bike is over 29K and it hasn't been done yet.

 

[FZSexy]

congrats on the "new" bike, rideslikean00b. its good to see another new FZ6 rider so excited about the bike. we have a few recent members of the board just as enthusiastic. you will also find this board to be very helpful with tips, tricks, and repair advice, etc. several posters here are quite pro with helping others. but most of the time no help is needed, its just gas and ride. if you look around at the forums here most "problems" with this bike are very minor and easily gotten at

this bike really is a great one imo. i like when i ride it around my city on roads unfamiliar to me. its a very forgiving bike for an experienced enough rider. just yesterday i was doing a short trip from one place to another in a good amount of traffic. just across town. but it was over a bridge and around some bends and on some highway and through a small village and well, the bike was just kicking ASS! made more exciting by the unfamiliar roads and the people turning their heads to look as the bike screams in second gear at 70mph with room to spare :rockon:

i think you will find the bike exciting to ride, and smooth and comfortable as well. here is a very short video of a FZ6 pitted against a bike like the one you just gave up. which is called the FZ6R here in the states. as you can see, its NO CONTEST!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfNkwCpZktA

and drag racing a 'busa lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRtOQAPdLzY

0-130mph. its pretty fast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDma1CtPiIA


so far as your "old" bike, i like the naked version and wish Yamaha had sold it here. i'd have it for a second bike, sure. but based on its looks, not so much on its performance or comfort. an around town bike, save wear and tear on the S2. pretty sure the faring can be taken off the FZ6R and a kit can be ordered to simulate the look of the naked version sold elsewhere, but who knows?

the swingarm is horrid but otherwise i think its sweet. if you look around your new bike you'll notice the upgrades to the swingarm, forks, and brakes in comparison to the xj

 

[yamihoe]

i think you will find the bike exciting to ride, and smooth and comfortable as well. here is a very short video of a FZ6 pitted against a bike like the one you just gave up. which is called the FZ6R here in the states. as you can see, its NO CONTEST!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfNkwCpZktA

and drag racing a 'busa lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRtOQAPdLzY

0-130mph. its pretty fast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDma1CtPiIA

I love how your first 2 youtube links are of ME and MY FZ6 :thumbup::thumbup::rockon::rockon:

 

[rideslikean00b]

congrats on the "new" bike, rideslikean00b. its good to see another new FZ6 rider so excited about the bike. we have a few recent members of the board just as enthusiastic. you will also find this board to be very helpful with tips, tricks, and repair advice, etc. several posters here are quite pro with helping others. but most of the time no help is needed, its just gas and ride.

It is something else. The more I ride it the more I like it. The feedback it gives the rider is great too, you really feel when it's losing grip i.e. when caught in the rain and can compensate straight away. I'm more enthusiastic after two weeks with this bike than I ever was at any point with my XJ-6, as much as I like it. The FZ6 S2 is just so much more alive.

made more exciting by the unfamiliar roads and the people turning their heads to look as the bike screams in second gear at 70mph with room to spare :reckon:

Yep, cranking open the throttle in lower gears can lead to some brilliance, it always manages to hit triple figures way sooner than you realise, quite impressive for a 600cc bike actually. Nice and noisy to encourage slower cagers to move their cars over a bit for you, more so than the XJ-6.

i think you will find the bike exciting to ride, and smooth and comfortable as well. here is a very short video of a FZ6 pitted against a bike like the one you just gave up. which is called the FZ6R here in the states. as you can see, its NO CONTEST!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfNkwCpZktA

It is surprisingly comfortable, a few more seasoned bikers I know have called it a middleweight sports tourer with more emphasis on the sport due to the power to weight ratio being just right. And it whips the other bike here that's like my old one in short order - doesn't the front end lift on the last few seconds of the clip? Definitely a time to grab some tank.

and drag racing a 'busa lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRtOQAPdLzY

I knew the Hayabusa would pull away, but what surprised me is not as much and not as quickly as I guessed. Also it's able to brake later because of the lower weight. Like I'm fond of writing, nimble!

0-130mph. its pretty fast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDma1CtPiIA

Faster still. 235kph (an impressive 146mph) in this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDaqRFvmvtA

:rockon::Flash:

---

On a slightly different note I must say it's nice to see American riders getting the most out of quality Japanese bikes here. The stereotype for American bikers always involves cruiser/chopper style...

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

The last point re American riders- choppers, etc is somewhat true..

Down here at least HD's, cruisers are probably 75% of the bikes on the road.

There's not many (if any other FZ6' in my city). I like having something DIFFERENT than an HD, etc, especially when its bullets proof.. :thumbup:

I've done HD's, cruisers, touring, etc but the FZ fills all the niches I would need two or more bikes to fill in the past..

I think this is longest I've ever owned a particular bike (6 years) and have NO intentions of getting anything else.. If I wrecked this, a new FJR would be in the garage, but this suits me better.. :thumbup:

 

[rideslikean00b]

The last point re American riders- choppers, etc is somewhat true..

Down here at least HD's, cruisers are probably 75% of the bikes on the road.

Here in my part of the UK it's quite the opposite - seeing a chopper is quite rare, even if it's a Triumph or Japanese made version of a Harley. I can see the appeal of a slower cruiser but it's just not for me, the riding position is all wrong. A lot of those engines do sound beautiful when they're purring though, I'll concede that!

There's not many (if any other FZ6' in my city). I like having something DIFFERENT than an HD, etc, especially when its bullets proof.. :thumb up:

Same story where I am, I don't think I've seen more than one or two in my area. Lot more common to see GSXR750s, BMW GS types, Honda Hornets etc. This one is a little more rare.

I think this is longest I've ever owned a particular bike (6 years) and have NO intentions of getting anything else.. If I wrecked this, a new FJR would be in the garage, but this suits me better.. :thumbup:

Yeah I get that impression about it. I suppose where I'm doing really high mileages I'm able to improve as a rider a lot more quickly than those who just do it for leisure - for example, I put 8,000 miles on my 125 in 6 months and 12,000 miles on my XJ-6 in about 5 months. I've not quite been riding a year yet (end of March it will be) and I've done 20,000 miles so I guess I've found the FZ6 at the right time and hopefully won't outgrow it as quickly as the other two!