Hopeful new FZ owner soon with a few questions

[chenceza]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to riding, took the MSF course and loved it as I expected I would, got my M1, and now am in the market for a ride. After spending a number of hours in shops sitting on different bikes, and reading everything in this awesome forum, I've decided I definitely want a FZ6, 2007 or later.

I had a couple of questions, would appreciate any input. I understand that I'm trying to buy this in the "busy" season, but I'd still like to get the best deal possible.

Question 1: How many miles is reasonable for a used bike? As in, how many miles do these engines last for, assuming it hasn't been raced, stunted, etc.? If the seller is saying just normal commuting and occasional weekend riding. I've seen some that have 15K miles...is that too many?

Question 2: How much should I expect to pay for a 2007 to 2008 with up to a few thousand miles? I've seen some listed for $4000, all the way up to $6000. Assuming all of these are similar condition...

Question 3: Should I expect to be able to negotiate a lot for a 2009 brand new bike, given the dealers are only getting FZ6Rs now? A relatively local dealer has one on cycletrader for $6K, also saw a dealer in SoCal for $5K. But many dealers are still listing $7K, or near MSRP.

Again, any thoughts on any of these would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and look forward to talking more in this forum!

 

[dxh24]

:welcome: to the forum!

Personally if there was a new (0 miles) FZ6 here in NY in a dealership i'd jump on that asap.... hard to find a used one with less than 10k on it under 5 grand around where i live, dunno what the markets like in Cali though.

 

[RJ2112]

Welcome to the forum.

I'll second the vote on a brand new unit over a used bike, as this is your first motorcycle purchase. Depending on your background, mechanical knowledge, and circumstances a used bike can either be a real cost savings, or a huge disappointment.

As most people have to finance their bikes, a bike that is within say four years of brand new is going to have a lien on it, which will dictate the price. At least to a degree.

A bike with 'high' miles could be a far better purchase than one that has not been ridden regularly. You'll find a few examples of what happens when a bike is stored without preparation, here. Things get gummed up, tires might rot, and the brake fluid ALWAYS ages and can damage the brake system. Batteries also go south with time.

Depending on what you want to do with the bike, and how many miles you want to put on one and what you are able to do for maintenance should all have a say in your decision.

New, you know whatever happens to it is of your own doing. Used, you have to at some point trust someone who doesn't have your best interests at heart. Knowledge is key. Accepting the fact that you are the sole person responsible for your safety may help you make a decision you can live with.

I personally would consider a bike ridden less than 5,000 miles a year (in California) to be ridden too little. Hence, a 2007 with less than ~20,000 miles has been sitting more than it really should. That same bike with 5,000 miles on the clock means it's averaged only 1250/year. 100 miles a month? Who rides that little? That's the same as 25 miles a week, for goodness sake. Less than 5 miles a day?

I'd want to see evidence of maintenance having been performed. And I am not talking about bling, or modifications. Show me an oil drain plug that shows wear, and chain adjusters with some wear. Scuffs on the gas tank from a tank bag. I would much, much rather see evidence of use, than not at all...... because it indicates neglect to lack the evidence.

Ask the owner where the suspension adjusters are. Their answer will tell you almost as much as you need to know about how they maintained the bike.

 

[kdburtch]

Hello, I just bought a brand new fz6 and it was the best decision i have ever made buying a bike (DO NOT PAY MSRP). if new you know where you start and how the bike was broken in. You as have a 1 year warranty. I would search ebay for a new one, it would be worth the drive. As for the milage expected out of them there is a high milage club on here that gets well over 50000 miles. These bikes should treat you right if you treat them right.

 

[Jugro]

:welcome:

If you can get a new one for 5k, why buy a used one for 4k?

About mileage I wouldn't be too worried, the engine is solid. A bigger concern is how well it was looked after.

 

[DownrangeFuture]

Yep, a few guys on here in the 100k club for miles. I'm coming up on 10k myself. I may be late to work one day this week while I pull over just to take a pic.

 

[LERecords]

im sure you got most of your questions answered so

wecome to the forum

:welcome:

good luck with buying new.. i would say there isnt much wiggle room on price anymore due to supply shortages from japan.. i dunno how affected yamaha got, but 500 + or - seems reasonable.. or just ask them to throw in a cover, helmet, some other goodies.. post pics when you do get it :thumbup:

 

[chenceza]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for all the quick replies! Definitely very useful. I think if I can get a decent deal on a new 2009 I will definitely do that (the dealers here don't have any brand new ones after 2009, that was the last year they made them, correct?).

I plan to use it mainly for commuting, which isn't even that far. I'll probably ride for the most part about 20 miles a day during the week, and then when I get more comfortable with riding will probably take it out on weekend rides.

Thanks also for the welcome to the forum...look forward to reading and sharing lots more, hopefully soon!

 

[mxgolf]

:welcome: to the best forum and motorcycle. Ride safe and enjoy the ride.
Thanks,