Potential Riders MUST READ!!!!!

[polla2256]

Well I don't agree. To me it isn't all that powerful (2007 S2 Uk Spec), yes its fast, yes it can take off like a bullet and top out at 140 Mph+ but its an easy machine to control and is quite forgiving.

I'll admit I did slide mine down a dual carriageway but that's cos I was being a tit not because of the machine.

In short it is what you make of it. If you can't ride a bike don't get a bike. ZZR1400's are powerful, BMW1000RR's, GIXXERS etc Powerful. 600cc Nakeds erm not really there is a difference between power and powerful respecting it is the key.

But thats just me.

 

[lhueagle30]

Hey guys,
I'm a brand new rider, just bought my 2005 FZ6 yesterday and really glad I found this forum.

I did read the article and I respect everything it has to offer. In my opinion, I also believe as long as you respect the power, everything will be fine. The last two days all I have been doing is backing it out of my garage and riding it back in just to get used to the clutch and throttle as to its "sweet spots" as I like to call them. Tomorrow I'm going to take it out with a friend of mine now that I know what the throttle is like.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is as long as you do your homework on the bike, experiment with it a little and figure out what its tendencies are, it should be fine for any beginner. But again, the article was great and I respect everything it had to say.

 

[ChevyFazer]

IMHO one of the main reasons why I don't think it's a good idea for beginners to start out on a bike with more than ~75hp such as the fz6 is because of what can happen in a panic situation for a new rider. I've seen it happen myself a few times and there are countless YouTube videos showing the same thing.

A new rider gets on bike not 100% comfortable with the controls or general operation of the bike. Rider gets scared for what ever reason and tenses up "hanging on for dear life" and in this process unknowingly cranks the throttle back. Motorcycle is now accelerating out of control scaring rider even more so rider panics more and unknowingly rips the throttle back all the way during his "life or death grip". Motorcycle either comes to a abrupt stop by slamming into a stationary object, doing a 180 wheelie, or looses traction and goes down.

On a lesser powered bike the rider for one is less likely to find themselves in that type of situation and if they do the sudden acceleration might not be as "violent or scary" to a new rider allowing them the opportunity to recover from their first mistake.

 

[Susan]

I just read this now, about a year after getting my FZ6. Scares the beans out of me when I think about how much power my bike has compared with, well, me. Now keep in mind I'm a 125-pound grandma.

I'm so glad I started on a 450cc Nighthawk. I had a heck of a time with it even though I'd ridden dirt bikes forever (well, tiny little dirt bikes). I stalled it, I dropped it, I was a disaster until I finally got the hang of controlling a 450-pound bike.

Dh, who normally is quite protective of me, encouraged me to move on up to the FZ6. I'm still trying to figure out whether he was trying to do me in.

I have to say, I got some pretty good throttle/clutch control practice on the old bike, which had some weird carb issues that made it unpredictable, and maybe that's why I haven't yet cranked the FZ6's throttle in a pothole (of course, I don't ride my bike through potholes, either).

But if I'd started on the bigger bike? I'm pretty sure I'd have gotten hurt.

 

[Pope Mobile]

Beginning ride or not, small displacement bikes are awesome and anyone who says otherwise is a tosser.
I loved my V-Star 250. That thing was so light it could be thrown from side to side with ease. It was small enough to filter through just about anything. The stock mileage was around 70-75mph. After a gearing change, I got upwards of 92. It easily buried the needle at ~95mph. I rode for several hours in the saddle with nary an ache. I can totally see myself buying another one later in life when I'm downsizing.
Anyone who thinks something under 600cc won't have enough power probably doesn't understand the power to weight ratio of bikes as compared to cars.
Someone flipping you **** for your ride? Give 'em a "At least I'm not compensating for anything," close your visor, turn on your signal and roll on like a responsible rider (then hoon about when they're no longer in site).

 

[Poot]

I am infact one of those riders who purchased a used FZ6 as their first bike. I do agree that there might be some more power than some people can handle, but if you understand the bike, quick acceleration, and overall top end speed that is capable I think a 600cc bike can make a good 1st bike.

It really comes down to more of the rider's mentality than the bike itself. Of course there are exceptions to the rule like a brand new person who can barely ride a bicycle getting a 1300cc.....

but then again, even that situation comes down to the mentality of the individual.

I know the stats, and understood what I was getting myself into when I bought the FZ6. I personally took responsibility for how I rode, the manner in which I would treat the bike and my life. Buying all the gear, taking 2 MSF courses (different levels), and then buying a bike (FZ6), worked great for me.

I have had it for two months now, and feel more and more comfortable on it everyday. Putting nearly 2000 miles on it in those 7 weeks, riding across 4 states in the Northeast, all of which were riding in a respectful, safe fashion.

With practice does make "perfect" (so to speak), and I understand that the more you are on the bike the better you will get at it. But when it comes down to it, it truely is (In my opinion) your responsibility to take the correct actions to purchase and ride a bike that fits your mentality.

Ohh....

And you can't fix stupid!

--Matt

 

[Mudkipz137]

I'll be 100% honest, I disagree with the notion that 600cc's is too large for a first bike. I'm not saying I'm right, it's just my opinion.

Everybody I've ever heard of buying a 250cc beginner bike sells it a year or less later, if it came down to financing that I believe that would be a stupid thing to do. On the other hand, going for a cheap 10 year old bike, or even a 20 year old bike that you can grab for $1100-1800 dirt cheap cash. THAT I would endorse, buying a cheap crappy bike that if you fall over once or twice while you learn it doesn't matter. However if we're talking $2,500+ or ANY notion of financing--I disagree.

The flaw in my own argument however, is that I grew up riding dirtbikes and quads. I did not have a active streetbike knowledge, however I knew how motorcycles in general worked and functioned. I bought the fz6 because I didn't have the $4,500 it cost to buy it on hand, and didn't have the disposable income to buy a bike with the intention of selling it less than a year later.

To each their own, I don't presume that my reasoning is good for others.

Also: The FZ6 is hardly a super bike. 600cc's is fast enough to die, but .... it's not a busa.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

During the early stages of your riding career, you are more prone to make mistakes, especially around TRAFFIC! The lesser bike you have, the more forgiving it will be. That alone can be the difference of crashing or not.

 

[Shootin Salad]

This is my first post. I agree that beginners should start on a 250cc bike. A 600cc inline-four engine is pretty universally considered a supersport engine. Just as a 16 year old beginner driver shouldn't be starting in a manual transmission Ferrari, I don't think anybody should start on a 500cc+ bike unless they have some kind of previous motorcycle experience. I'm saying this as a beginner myself, that bought an '05 FZ6 Friday and managed to crash it on Sunday. Read on...

Some Background

I am 33 and athletically inclined. I'm 6' 0" and 216 lbs and play ice hockey recreationally. My last 3 cars covering 15 years of driving having all been manual transmissions and my current car makes 274 horsepower. I mention that because a clutch and power are not foreign concepts to me, but I started out on a 120 horsepower Honda Civic when I was 18.

When talking to other people that I know that have owned bikes, I heard the same argument over and over. "Don't buy a 250cc because you'll get bored with it in months." "A guy your size should start on a 600cc bike." "Yamaha doesn't make 250cc bikes because they're a waste of money." That last one was from the Yamaha salesman. I wish I had followed my gut and bought a 250cc Ninja and bought the FZ later, but live and learn.

How did I crash and what was the result?

The crash was minor, but eye opening. I was stopped at a stop sign at a T-intersection. I was turning left onto the T and the road was wet and muddy. I gave it too much throttle and was starting too wide, then I either let off the throttle or hit the brakes and low-sided it to my left. I was doing 15 mph max, and slid to a stop with the front tire touching the curb. I broke my leg just above the ankle, bruised my hip, and scraped my forearm. The bike upper fairing was cracked and broken just outside the headlight, the left bar end and clutch lever where scraped up, and the mirror was scraped but not broken.

Post-Crash Analysis

The reason I crashed was due to poor throttle control and forgetting to straighten the bike before braking because I panicked. If I had used the friction zone more appropriately and less throttle, I wouldn't have gotten in trouble in the first place. If I were on a smaller engine bike, the penalty for poor throttle control would not have been as severe and I may have recovered. If I had remembered to straighten the bike properly before braking, I would have gotten out of trouble. The factors that lead to my crash were due to a lack of experience, and due to a lack of skill that comes from a lack of experience. Nothing can make up for seat-time. The one and only thing that a smaller engine does is prevents accidental over-acceleration, and that is the most likely beginner mistake that will get them in trouble.

What was the bike damage?

The upper fairing was broken, the left handle bar end was scraped, and the mirror bent out of the way keeping it from breaking. All-in-all, probably $200 worth of damage. The fairing is $130 painted on eBay and replacement bar ends aren't terribly pricey. Luckily for me, I bought the bike used, and the previous owner laid it down on the same side, so the damage was just made slightly worse than before. I'm glad I waited to fix it.

How did my gear hold up?

As far as I can tell neither my gloves or full-shield helmet hit the ground. My left boot had minor scuffs. My jeans and knee pads also held up, but my jacket was a disappointment.

I was wearing a mesh summer-style textile jacket. Even though I only slid 10-15 feet, a hole wore through it and I suffered road rash on my left forearm just below the elbow because the CE elbow pad was pushed up by the slide. I will be getting a leather jacket after this. I'm disappointed with how the jacket held up. After this incident, I am suspect that built-in armor will stay over the joint it's meant to protect in the event of a crash.

I was wearing AlpineStars motorcycle boots. They were the more flexible variety without the hard plastic shell. These were also disappointing in protection. The worst injury I sustained was a broken fibula (outside leg bone) just above the ankle. I have to wear a boot until I can put full weight on it, and it's a 6-8 week total healing process. I will be buying more substantial boots after this incident as well.

I was wearing some pretty old and thinning jeans. These held up better than the textile jacket. They sustained no damage to speak of. They just got dirty. I sustained a bruise on my left hip about like I would get from taking a puck to the same area playing ice hockey. It looks nasty but really doesn't hurt unless you push on it.

I was wearing volleyball (yes, volleyball) knee pads under my jeans. Before you laugh, I would say these knee pads are twice as substantial as the CE approved knee pads built into the motorcycle-specific pants I bought for riding. They definitely saved my knee from the same fate as my ankle.

Conclusion

So, from my own experience, I can say that a 600cc bike is probably not an appropriate starter bike. I would also add that proper protection makes a big difference and all protection is not of the same quality. I will definitely be a lot more careful with the throttle coming from a stop from now on and will be very conservative with my speed into any corner. Live, learn, and get back in the saddle. :thumbup:

 

[Ssky0078]

Live, learn, and get back in the saddle. :thumbup:

Thank you Shootin Salad and welcome :welcome: to your first post.

I'm sorry you had to suffer a broken limb. Free advice and it's good for anyone who gets hurt. Arnica Montana 30c or higher can be found at most health food stores or through online. It is homeopathic and is one of the few remedies I could stand by and say it works. I have been practicing natural medicine for over a decade now and this one is tried and true. I've had friends in car accidents or hit by cars even and they heal twice as fast and the orthopods are like "what did you do, you're healing so well."

Anyway back on topic.

Personal History
I'm 6'4", 250. I played college basketball and until the wreck did Crossfit 4 days a week and yoga 1-2 days. I am probably 25 pounds of man fat (belly mostly) overweight. My first car was a 1982 Mercury Capri RS 5.0 L with a 4speed manual transmission. I grew up in WA state where you had to learn how to manage HP, Torque and traction very quick. 6 of my 7 cars in my life have been manual transmissions. The only auto accident I had been in were low speed, taking a left out of a driveway into a suicide lane in stopped up traffic and backing up in a parking lot into somebody. My only prior rider experience was a Honda Big Red 3wheeler and a 50/80 cc quad about 20 years ago.

I am a new rider. I took the BRC at the end of October. I logged 1800 miles in 17 days before I went down this weekend. I had been on spirited rides through some intense twisties both in a group and solo.

Post Crash
It sounds I am much more lucky than you. The bike is totaled, well, it's probably totaled, since it was in such good condition to make it like it was with all the cosmetics they will likely total it (estimate of $7500 to fix/replace everything scuffed/scraped). You can see my other thread for the long detailed story of the crash. The main physical injuries I had is a little bit of some concussion symptoms that are resolving quick, a couple of sore shoulders/neck and a burn/scrape inside my right calf.

Looking back and asking if a 250 cc bike would have been safer. I am going to say Yes and NO. I am betting that the 10-20 extra lbs-ft of torque that were available when the tire grabbed the road after the gravel and sent me toward the edge of the road, but in the low rpm range, I think I was around 3000-4000 rpm in 2nd when entering the curve (dunno just guessing here, but i remember keeping the rpms down so I would have slower throttle response). So really we aren't probably even talking a full 10-20 lbs-ft of torque difference and ultimately I may have had the extra time to fully make a save after the gravel. But, after talking to the guys at the bike shop and hearing from forum members it seems the situation I was in it wouldn't have made a difference if I was on any size sport bike. The particular road I was on is known for people lauching their bikes off the edge. The only thing that would have made a difference bike wise would have been a dual-sport or adventure bike because of the suspension/power curve/tire setup for this one type road condition. The frustrating thing is I wasn't trying to push the limit I had already had a gravel slip back down the road and had slowed down.

After the crash as I'm looking at getting a new/different bike I will say this. If I started on a 250cc I probably would have quit or lost the desire to continue in this hobby/lifestyle. If I had been on an adventure/dual sport bike I may have even considered giving up as well other than damage on those guys is a badge of honor. Because of how much fun I had prior to the crash I can't wait to get back in the saddle. I will learn from my mistakes and be hopefully more prepared. I will take the advance rider courses sooner than I had thought I would. I will probably go do a couple track days as well.(the guy at the shop said if the insurance company offers a low buyback price on the bike, that I could turn it into a track bike, woot).

For the new bike I am looking at an '09 Fz6, '06 Fz1, and '12 Fz8. I was already thinking I was going to move up shortly from the 6 as I found after those couple of challenging rides that I wasn't getting that good/excited feeling anymore. In the corners I'm sure the 600 is plenty but for the straights(and we have a ton in AZ, there is room for a little more rush). I could probably learn how to ring out every drop of torque/hp by downshifting more and keep the revs higher, but honestly vibration of that buzzy little 4 was annoying. I will probably end up with the '09 Fz6 as it's black has the puig touring double bubble wind screen and I found out previous owner was a 50 year old Duc owner that just bought it to ride when his Duc was in the shop, LOL (8300 miles over 3 years). I will take any extra insurance money and get the suspension done asap as that is in my opinion the weakest link on the Fz6, especially for a guy my size. I can live without the higher top end the bigger bikes would give for the lighter one maneuvering more crisply.

I feel like much of the logic for this is the same as picking a handgun. Start with a .22lr, then go to a 9mm and end up at a .45acp. Each persons physical attributes and respect for the tool at their disposal dictates their success.

 

[Grodd70]

I appreciate the article and I have to agree with the fact that a 600cc bike is too much bike for a beginner. I have been riding for 2.5 years and in that time logged about 10,000 miles.

I started out on a beautiful Ducati 695 monster. Which is choked by its stock gearing dropping teeth in the front unleashes the bike potential. Then I traded it for a brand new and newer Kawasaki 650r. Both bikes ran about the same the ninja in stock form may have even been a bit quicker but again regeared the Duc was quicker had a slight horsepower advantage and was considerably lighter in weight.

That was what was a saving grace actually. I left my old house went down an alley way and at the end of the ally the concrete is a mess. I quick stopped and the Ducati had started to fall over and because it was a pretty light weight bike I was able to muscle it up before it hit pavement. If I would have been on the Ninja or the Fz6 I woudl have dropped the bike.

I am amazed that people think they need to start on very powerful machines. Think of this, a Ninja 500 which is considered a "beginner bike" has about the same quarter mile times as the new SS camaro and Shelby Mustangs. Moving up to its replacement is the Ninja 650r which has about the same 1/4 mile time as a Shelby Cobra. Or in motorycle perpectives a 1979 KZ1000 had about the same acceleration as the "beginner 650r".

I highly doubt that in 1979 if you had walked into a Kawasaki Dealership and said "hey is that Kz1000 a good beginger bike" that they would have said yes.

Now, I also think that maturity plays a HUGE role. I started riding as a mid life crisis LOL when I turned 40. I had a family member (uncle) killed on a street bike so when I grew up dirt bikes were fine...no street bikes allowed.

Respect is going to be key, unfortunitly I know if I would have jumped even on my little Ninja 650 at 16 I would have had no respect for even its capabilites much less my new Fz6.

Riding for me has been a total pleasure, its a way for me to be at peace...like rolling meditation.........I can be on any bike, big or small and get the same pleasure..the same since of joy.

So as a newbie but a little wiser man with some gray hair (start smaller) how small is up to you but always respect that right hand grip.

Just my two cents

 

[Ssky0078]

Alright,

After logging 3,000 miles in 2.5 months, and having 2 crashes during that time. I think I'll chime in.

I would agree in theory that a 250cc(300cc) motorcycle is probably the best beginner motorcycle for all the reasons listed. The biggest difference is the horsepower:weight ratio. If you crank on that throttle there is a definitely slower response time to go from one speed to another. The increased time comes into consideration when you are faced with a challenging situation that requires you to keep your wits about you and not crash

Crash #1: I was on an Fz6, had 1800 miles under my seat, hit some gravel and the back in slid out on me, I had kept my wits about me, kept the bike from going of a 50-100 foot cliff/embankment, felt like I had about 3-4 seconds. I almost made the save, and stayed on the road, I would believe the argument that I would have been able to make the save with a 250 because the extra second it would have provided may have been enough to keep me on the road. The bike ended up getting totaled (mainly plastics damage) and someone got a nice Fz6 for $1400 from auction.

Crash #2: I was on my Fz1, had about 50 miles on it. I was going way too fast on what should have been a slow road. I came up on a corner that the bike and a decent rider could have handled no problem. I froze because the speed and power of the bike had me in a SR (survival Reaction) state. I still used my MSF skills to carefully crash, but I should have never been there in the first place. The difference between the 1000cc vs the 600cc is that I felt like I had only 0.5-1.0 second to react, and the speed change in that time was 10-20 mph vs 5-10 mph. I ended up fixing the bike myself (I'm pretty sure insurance would drop me for the second crash in less than 2 months). I still ride the Fz1 everyday and fall in love with her over and over again. I've gone 1,000 miles without incidence and have learned about the significance/importance of throttle control.

Throttle Control:
The single most important thing for me on the motorcycle is throttle control. On the 1000 the adjustment made for throttle input are in mm's not cm's. In a fast car if you get on the throttle too hard, the tires bust loose and you just have to worry about managing a burnout. On a bike you have to worry about it throwing you through the air in a high side if you start sliding and then regain traction (this almost happened on my Fz6, but I grabbed the tank with my knees).

Suspension:
This is the second most important thing. I thought about putting braking here but if you are good at throttle control and have the right suspension setup you really don't need to use the brake that much. Suspension and tires are what keep you planted on the road. When I crashed the Fz1 I had not changed the suspension in the forks or rear to my weight from the PO. I was hesitant at turn in because as I found out later the Compression was fully closed on the front fork causing the front end to feel like it was washboarding. The rear had too much rebound dialed in so it felt like it would try to spring me out of my seat. Because the suspension was so off I was not confident to make the turn in at the corner and instead went off the road.

Braking:
I would put this third because if you are smart on the throttle and comfortable in your suspension and turn in, then you approach corners, obstacles safely and can use minimal braking input. Most street riding is not track riding and a rider should not be charging up to corners and getting hard on the brakes. Also on the street you have to worry about debris, gravel, oil, exhaust moisture, tire snakes, uneven surface, manholes, etc, etc. If you charge up expecting a smooth flat surface and get on the brake hard with one of these poor traction surfaces it is a recipe for disaster.


Picking the bike:
Ultimately I would say buy the bike you want to buy. My story I would say is pretty lucky, both accidents I had could have been life threatening. However, I would have given up riding after the 1st crash if I had purchased a 250. I was on a CR250L for my rider coarse and I was getting bored by the end of the second day. When I got the Fz6 it wasn't enough after 2 weeks, it was a good bike and I should have practiced on it for 6 months to a year. When I crashed the Fz6 I was happy it was only a 600 otherwise I would have flown a 100 feet down to a probable death. I was already hooked on the motorcycle life and couldn't wait to get back on 2 wheels. The Fz1 and 1000 cc is probably what I will ride from now on. The only other cosideration is if I start looking for a dual sport/enduro/super-moto because they are torquer machines and can be used in so many different situations that the high revving rpm output of a sportbike wouldn't be effective.

Remember that say if you have 5 seconds to react on a 250, it's 3 seconds on a 600 and it's only 1 second on a 1000. The chance for a wrong input on a 250 is 2:1, the 600 is 5:1 and the 1000 is 10:1 for giving too much throttle, too little brake, not enough countersteer, etc. Depending on how quickly you learn/muscle memory/adapt you could start at a 250 and easily jump up. If you're willing to risk your life and the life of those around you, then purchase a bigger bike and exercise caution.

p.s. I'm making those numbers up, but they felt pretty true in my experience.

 

[Susan]

Sky, what I get from your post is that yes, we can do more damage with a more powerful bike, but the rider's decision to ride too fast plays a huge role in whether (how soon?) he/she crashes.

 

[chroline]

I would advise against riding a 250 on the highway. You simply don't have the power to get you out of trouble. Sometimes I feel that way on city driving too. The power of my fz6 saved my ass a few times.

 

[Susan]

I would advise against riding a 250 on the highway. You simply don't have the power to get you out of trouble. Sometimes I feel that way on city driving too. The power of my fz6 saved my ass a few times.

I have to agree. Riding in the city with my husband, I sure appreciate the zip my FZ6 has to get me right into the spot I'm aiming for instead of slowly moseying into a lane of fast-moving traffic.

Mind you, I'm careful to be respectful of the zip so I don't go pulling a wheelie or something by accident.

 

[payneib]

I thought I might put forward a new riders perspective here. I don't know how "multinational" the forum is, but I just passed my UK "A" licence (unlimited, can ride anything with less than four wheels) about two weeks ago, and I reckon the best answer to the first bike question is, "ride what you're trained on".

In January I passed my CBT on a 125, meaning I was licensed and trained on a 125. So that's what I rode. I knew what to expect from it, I knew how it would behave and I spent most of a year learning some proper road sense on it.

Due to the new licensing laws in the UK, you have to do the full A tests (there's two now) on a 600 (or bigger). So I was trained on a 600 (Hornet). That training and testing covered everything from pushing the bike between parking pays, slow speed manoeuvres, medium speed emergency manoeuvres and road riding up to a 60mph limit.

So yeah, my first "big bike" is a 600, and I think that's perfectly reasonable.

If you've only been trained on a 450, buy a 450. If you've had no training at all, get some. Then think about what bike you want.

 

[jbarre11]

First time poster. Years of riding experience. Two bikes in the garage now my Kawasaki Concourse and a 2012 FZ6, (which I've had for less than a month). Love the FZ its light and makes you stay on top of your game. And just to add my 2 cents I wouldn't recommend the FZ for a first bike. Thanks and I hope to learn from this forum. :Sport:

 

[raja777m]

First time poster. Years of riding experience. Two bikes in the garage now my Kawasaki Concourse and a 2012 FZ6, (which I've had for less than a month). Love the FZ its light and makes you stay on top of your game. And just to add my 2 cents I wouldn't recommend the FZ for a first bike. Thanks and I hope to learn from this forum. :Sport:

2012, You mean FZ6R?

 

[pizza_pablo]

good article.... I will briefly add my two cents worth:

I do not think the FZ6 is a good first bike. Yes it looks good and its upright riding position is better than being leaned way froward in a aggressive riding style.

This bike is VERY powerful and more than a novice should start with .... you can get over your head in a hurry on something this quick.

this is just my opinion ---

I have been riding since I was 4 --- mini bikes then small dirt bikes then up to a 250 .....When I was 22 I got my first road bike --- a 360cc honda then on to a CB650 custom ..... and so on for well over 160,000 road miles.

riding motorcycles for about 45 years

I love my FZ6 but I respect the power it has.... please do the same

ride safe and have fun....

This is just what I bought yesterday, a 2008 with 13000 miles, for $3200.
I had seen many comments and reviews that the FZ6 was a good starter bike. Oh well, I't's in my garage, now.
I'm not a total noob, but consider myself a novice, again, as it's been about 30 years, since I've ridden.
The wife passed away about 3 months ago and I have no one that is dependent on me for their support, so into the wind I go.
I tell you, though, I was bit unnerved at 43 MPH, with no metal wrapped around me, after all of these years.
Thanks, for your cautioning!
I plan to take it slow.

 

[pizza_pablo]

Its a good article that provides all the answers that most people already know, providing common sense is used. I agree in part. Yes if you have no experience on two wheels you need training and a lower power machine to start on. If you have some experience, and are armed with all of the facts its your decision. Alternativley, why not consider restricting the engine like we do in the UK. You can ride any bike you like but it is restricted down to 33bhp until you pass the apropriate training. The FZ6 is still very agile in 33 bhp form. This allows the new rider to get to explore and understand all of the basic riding skills. The restriction does not harm the engine and is easy to remove once the rider is deemed competent. We have a rider in the European forum (sorry forgot name) who is as enthused as we all are by their restricted FZ6. Im sure he does not feel at the moment it impacts on his enjoyment.

How does the government physically restrict the horsepower?