New Rider With a Confession

[Explosivpotato]

Hello all,

I've been lurking around these forums the last few weeks and finally decided to register & post.

I am a brand new rider (insert squid comments here), and just finished my MSF course (through a H-D dealership an hour away because I didn't want to wait a month ++).

Yes, my confession is that I bought my brand new leftover 09 as my very first motorcycle. I actually intended to go with the tamer FZ6R or a Ninja 500 when I walked in to the dealership, but When I saw the FZ6 I knew I had to sit on it... and once I did that it was all over. The pegs were in *exactly* the right place, and my knees fit perfectly against the bottom edge of that crease in the tank (not against my teeth like on those sh*tty little Buell Blasts in the course), and the clutch felt effortless (again compared to the neglected, unlubed clutch cables on the Blasts). My feet reached the ground perfectly, and I knew I had no choice but to get the one I loved. I know I will drop it at some point. Best case it's in a parking lot because I stepped in a slick pile of dog crap trying to put the sidestand down. Worst case, well, I've got insurance and all my gear for the worst case. All I can do is be as safe as I can be and fix whatever I break.

So yes, I got too much bike for my first. :ban:

Should I have gotten that used Ninja 500 or at least the fz6r with the nerfed FZ6 motor? Probably.. But I just didn't love them like I loved the FZ6. I caved.

I've had it since Monday night, at which point I rode around my apartment complex parking lot (yes with full gear... at 8 mph. Felt like a BAMF.) and got my temporary registration on Tuesday. Tuesday night after work, I came home and immediately grabbed my gear and sprinted to my bike. I rode for over 3 hours, mostly carving up undeveloped subdivisions in my area. Well, it felt like carving, but after 3 hours I had exactly 53 miles on the bike so that might give you an impression of how fast I was really going.


So, my impressions of riding in general are:
-WHY did this take me so long??
-This is amazing
-I can't stop smiling
-I wanna ride. All. The. Time.

My impressions of the FZ6 are:
-Everything is 10,000x smoother, more planted, and confidence inspiring than the Blast.
-The clutch's friction point DOESN'T MOVE like it did on the Blast. THANK GOD! I can't count the number of times I felt like I almost dumped on the course because the friction point decided to move a half inch in or out..
-Holy crap it's faster than the Blast
-HOLY CRAP IT'S FASTER THAN THE BLAST.
-Jesus H. Christ on a bicycle 6k RPM is scary, I think I'll stick below that for a while.
-I love the fact that it has enough torque and the gearing to operate at average road speeds and keep up with (blow away really, but I'm not doing that) traffic easily while staying below my break-in requirements for both bike and rider.

Already had my first encounter with an asshat cager on my way to taco bell tonight.. Was in the righthand lane of a 4 lane undivided road, going the speed limit, and some dumbass in a pickup truck decided to see if he could fit inside my tailpipes - despite the fact that there was NOBODY ON THE ROAD BUT US. He could have easily passed me, but nope. Let's crawl up the tailpipe of the one other vehicle on the road. Luckily TB was just ahead so I flashed the crap out of my brake light and signaled waaay in advance and he finally passed me as I pulled in. He never did shift into the (COMPLETELY VACANT) passing lane.

So yes, let the chastising commence because I've bought the wrong bike as my first, that I'll never learn to be as good a rider as if I had started with a 6 horsepower bike, and that I'll end up a statistic or perpetual squid (perpetusquid?). I brought my flamesuit. Thanks for reading my story.

 

[dean owens]

welcome. i'm in the camp that doesn't think this is starter bike. but you got it. be careful and enjoy it... which it sounds like you're doing. and i understand... it's hard to say no to an fz6. :rockon:

 

[BamBam77]

Sounds like you know what to do now just do it!!!:thumbup:
Take your time and learn the bike and you'll learn allot about your
self at the same time.

 

[tcmalker]

You made the right decision. My first bike was the ninja 500 and after 2 months I got the fz6. Regretted buying the ninja 500 (wasted money).

You absolutely have to get frame sliders ASAP. Yes, you will drop it...eventually. My recommendation is OES Accessories:

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/33436-i-think-i-found-perfect-frame-sliders.html

 

[Explosivpotato]

I agree Dean. It's not a great starter bike. I had it to 8,000 RPM exactly once so far, and feeling the way that power curve shoots to the moon.. You gotta know what you're doing up there. And I don't yet, but my saving grace is the low/mid range which has plenty of power / torque to make the bike fun whilst I hone the rest of my skills.

I have to say the fact that I have this thing makes me feel immensely proud and yet at the same time like I'm a typical squid with too much bike.

Don't get me wrong, I know I can handle only the very smallest sliver of the bike's abilities, but thankfully the tuning of the engine makes that small sliver much more accessible than if I had gone full-on squid and gotten something stupid like an R6 or (BARF) a GSXR.

Thanks for making the scolding pretty subdued. I've already tried scolding myself and talking myself out of it while standing in the dealership... but I just couldn't do it. My watch has no face with all the mechanical bits exposed and I love it for that fact alone. The FZ6 was the bike version... I melted when I saw it.

 

[Explosivpotato]

THANK YOU. I was just going to search for these. I asked the parts section of the dealership, but the punk behind the counter was either stoned or retarded. The conversation went a little like this:

me: Could you tell me how much frame sliders for an 09 Yamaha FZ6 go for?
punk: Depends.
me: ... Kay. On what?
punk: If you get the ones that have you cut the fairing or the no-cut ones.
me: ... Ok, well my bike doesn't have a fairing.
punk: *looks at me like I'm from mars and just told him I'm his long lost grandmother* What do you mean... no fairings?
me: I mean that the side of the bike... where the engine is.. there's no plastic covering anything below the headlight area.
punk: ... what kind of bike was it again? *looks up in a large book* Yeah they didn't make those after 2008 according to this book.
me: yeah I'm just gonna go to the internet.
punk: *blank stare*

You made the right decision. My first bike was the ninja 500 and after 2 months I got the fz6. Regretted buying the ninja 500 (wasted money).

You absolutely have to get frame sliders ASAP. Yes, you will drop it...eventually. My recommendation is OES Accessories:

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/33436-i-think-i-found-perfect-frame-sliders.html

 

[lytehouse]

So yes, I got too much bike for my first. :ban:

I disagree.....it's a great first bike! It was my first
And since you've already taken the MSF courses, sounds like you're off to a great start!

:welcome: to the group

and...........


:needpics:

 

[Explosivpotato]

I disagree.....it's a great first bike! It was my first
And since you've already taken the MSF courses, sounds like you're off to a great start!

:welcome: to the group

and...........


:needpics:

Pics attached as requested! First one is at the dealer right after I put down my deposit. That yellow tag has MY NAME ON IT! (hint: it's not explosivpotato). Second one is seconds after it was delivered and parked in my carport spot.

 

[Motogiro]

THANK YOU. I was just going to search for these. I asked the parts section of the dealership, but the punk behind the counter was either stoned or retarded. The conversation went a little like this:

me: Could you tell me how much frame sliders for an 09 Yamaha FZ6 go for?
punk: Depends.
me: ... Kay. On what?
punk: If you get the ones that have you cut the fairing or the no-cut ones.
me: ... Ok, well my bike doesn't have a fairing.
punk: *looks at me like I'm from mars and just told him I'm his long lost grandmother* What do you mean... no fairings?
me: I mean that the side of the bike... where the engine is.. there's no plastic covering anything below the headlight area.
punk: ... what kind of bike was it again? *looks up in a large book* Yeah they didn't make those after 2008 according to this book.
me: yeah I'm just gonna go to the internet.
punk: *blank stare*

Hahaha! :welcome:to the forum! Hahaha! :rof:
You'll fit right in here! :BLAA:

 

[macem29]

welcome, you took the course and seem to have a good attitude for
riding..biggest danger now is that after a few months you get
complacent and grab more of that bikes capability than your ready
for ....I've been riding for 30 years and the FZ6 is my 4th bike...
it still has the ability to go beyond my skill level in a heartbeat,
take it easy for a good long while, and have fun

 

[Explosivpotato]

Frame sliders ordered!! Anything to protect my new toy.

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one to use this as my first bike. I've noted that it is quite tame if I shift it like a car (keep it below 6k). The one time I tried to take it beyond, I got to 8 and TORQUE. Definitely had a major pucker moment as I *GENTLY ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE* (Thanks MSF! Kudos to my instructor Norm!)

And that's just over halfway to the redline....


Holy Jeebus.

 

[Lefty]

:welcome: to the forum and congrats on the new bike. You go the right color by the way. :rockon:

You've done everything right for having the FZ for your first bike, MSF course, ATGATT, and respecting the ride and keeping it under 6,000 rpm until you get used to it. Well, done sir, well done. :thumbup:

 

[jtarkany]

:welcome: congratulations on he bike. As you should no from lurking here, not alot of flaming going on, just be careful, always remember that you will be invisible to others on the road and learn the bike and your abilities :thumbup:

 

[Explosivpotato]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! I hope to be on this forum as often as possible.

Lefty: ATGATT FTW! Even if I'm riding in my parking lot. You can skin an elbow by walking, let alone straddling a 95 hp motor. Plus, you can grin like a ritard inside your helmet and nobody will call the asylum on you! :rockon:

Now if only it would STOP FRIGGIN RAINING in Michigan so I can wake up super early and ride the long way (avoiding rush hour) to work.

It's like I said in my first post. I wanna ride.

All.

The.

Time.


I hope that's a normal reaction.. There's nothing that even comes close to flying down the road, becoming one with your machine, throwing yourself into curves... all while still doing the speed limit. Hell, even potholes and expansion cracks don't bother me anymore. It's just turbulence, or a chance to practice my countersteering.


PS: As a degreed mechanical engineer, countersteering gets my rocks off. The physics involved are so basic.. yet so counterintuitive. I love it! I like to countersteer back and forth 6" or so as I ride down the highway just because I like how it feels! Press the left grip, feel the bottom of the bike walk to the right causing the bike to rotate to the left, let the steering geometry pull the angle back to the left and center the bike, rinse & repeat in the opposite direction. Something about how the bike's physics work just makes EVERYTHING better.

Ok I'll stop nerding out now.

 

[mxgolf]

:welcome::welcome: You will fit in great. Good to have you aboard. Where's Grand Blanc? :rockon:

 

[turbid]

i join the others and welcome you..

you seem mature enough to handle the fz 6 and respect it. yes it s a powerful bike for a beginner but docile enough if you respect it like you duly reported.... yes and i agree with macem dont grow complacent to it or it ll bite back.. hone your skills slowly take your time, no one s rushing you. its a very rewarding bike

yes atgatt is a must (even though i just RECENTLY bought a pair of kevlar jeans! to be atgatt).

oh keep those pipes polished, they stain easily, im having a pain trying to restore them after neglect from the previous owner.

oh nice user name Explosivpotato i like.. i imagine it makes quite a mess!

 

[Humperdinkel]

:welcome: to the forum mate nice looking bike :thumbup: Treat her well & she'll love you loooong time

 

[DownrangeFuture]

Yeah, my pipes are stained something fierce. But this is really still a "first" bike for me. I only had my Katana for 3 months before it **** the bed.

Acceleration on this thing is awesome. It'll do 12second quarter miles all day, and the fastest car I had ever really drove any peroid of time before this was my truck. Quite a change.

 

[Explosivpotato]

:welcome::welcome: You will fit in great. Good to have you aboard. Where's Grand Blanc? :rockon:

Grand Blanc is just east of Flint MI. That is, east enough to dodge the bullets, but not so east that we're near imlay city or port huron.

How would you guys suggest polishing the pipes? Mother's metal polish, a powerball and a drill?

 

[macem29]

shiny pipes are for poseurs...just ride it man .......j/k