New FZ6 Rider

[Dave in Houston]

Greetings!

I've been hanging around the forum for a few weeks while shopping for motorcycles. I had pretty well settled on an FZ6, and made the final deicion today. I bought this bike:

Yamaha | eBay

The bike is like new with only 7400 miles, all stock except the frame sliders and no evidence that it's ever been down. I'm the third owner. The woman that I bought it from had it for about 2 years, rode it very little, and always kept it garaged.

It's missing the right front turn signal lens, but she supplied a replacement pair. It seems like I need to get in and lube the cables and such, but I think I made a good purchase.

I'll try to post a few pics when I get a chance.

I'm looking forward to learning a lot more from the forum in the coming weeks and months.

Dave

 

[2006_FZ6]

:welcome: Nice choice of the faster red version. Great forum and people here from around the world. You will learn a lot from them.

 

[Dave.TX]

Congratulations, Dave! :welcome: Dave here in Elgin (east of Austin). Looks like a very nice bike that has been well taken care of. No mods to keep you guessing.

I too purchased a bike last Thursday, so welcome to FZ6-dom. Enjoy.

I love all colors and am partial to red. My last two trucks have been red. Good luck trying to catch me on the faster-than-the-speed-of-light Raven bike, though. Other colors may be "faster" and such, but the speed of black is immeasurable. :BLAA:

See ya around, Dave!! [Yes, you need to post pics. Not doing so is a sin.]

 

[mxgolf]

:welcome: Dave, I'm sure you will enjoy your new toy one heck of a lot. Ride safe and enjoy the ride. :thumbup:

 

[Humperdinkel]

Congrats on the bike :cheer: & :welcome: to the forum , ride lots & post often :thumbup: And pics , we all like lots & lots of pics

 

[texcollect]

Congratulations on the new ride. If you are looking for a good shop in Houston give Patrick a look at Motorcycles Unlimited. He offers a monthly FREE motorcycle maintenance class which will save you a fortune on the little stuff.

 

[callmegandhi]

Nice ride! Now time to get a good jacket, gloves and helmet! If you haven't done so already! :thumbup:

 

[Dave in Houston]

Thanks for the welcome!

After I posted here, I figured out that I probably should have posted in the New Members section, but General Discussion is the main part I've been reading.

I had to work late this evening, but maybe tomorrow afternoon I'll be able to get out and take a pic or two. But I promise, it's a dead stock red bike. It looks like the brochure. (I guess I could take a picture of it in the garage next to the Nighthawk, that would be more interesting.)

When I took the MSF class, the teacher recommended Motorcycles Unlimited. I'm on the far southwest side, so it would be a long ride for me, but I'll have to try to make it up to one of the maintenance classes.

Regarding gear, a friend whom I trust told me, "I just think about what I want to be wearing when I'm sliding across the pavement at 60 mile an hour." That makes sense to me.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Next really DO get gear ands lots of it. Gear will help you ride more comfortably in weather or cold and more confidently all the time knowing one get off will probably be OK.

Helmet: IMO, get one which does what you want. For me, that is fit, airflow, anti-fog and last sunshade

Jacket: Waterproof/Breathable, good vents, CE or better padding, good abrasion resistance, zipper or velcro to pants, good fit to prevent flapping in breeze or filling like a balloon

Pant: Waterproof/Breathable, good vents, CE or better padding, good abrasion resistance, zipper or velcro to jacket, good fit to prevent flapping in breeze or filling like a balloon, flex zones at hip and knee, good fit of knee pads to knees.

Gloves: I would prefer gauntlet gloves for protection, but wrist length fits me better. I like a pretty tight fit so I can feel the levers well.

Boots: Good fit for riding and for shifting. Walking comfort would be a bonus!

 

[callmegandhi]

Your friend is right! A friend of mine rides a Harley. he looked at me while I was wearing armored pants, jacket, gloves and helmet, and told me looked like I was planning to have an accident. I told him that I am perfectly at ease with my abilities to ride a motorcycle with my 25 years of experience. But in the unlikely event of an accident I'm prepared, you're not! I'll come visit you in the hospital! I did tell him that he and his wife look really cute in their Harley outfits!

 

[Dave in Houston]

I took a few pics.

As I was putting the bikes back in the garage, I noticed that the Corbin saddle on the Nighthawk is way more comfortable than the stock seat on the FZ6.

 

[HPTuner]

Aahhh...the pretty red one.I'm kinda partial to red myself. I've only had mine 2 weeks also. Safe riding! :thumbup:

 

[callmegandhi]

I know this is a FZ6 forum but sweet nighthawk!!


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.779346,-91.205976

 

[Dave in Houston]

I know this is a FZ6 forum but sweet nighthawk!!

Thanks. It's actually my son's bike, but I thought it made a more interesting picture than a red FZ6 that looks like every other red FZ6.

Riding the Nighthawk is what led me to an FZ6. After riding it, the parallel twin in my little ol' Ninja 500 seemed really primitive. I felt like I really wanted the smoothness of a 4 cylinder engine, and after some research I concluded that the FZ6 was the best choice for the kind of riding I do.