What to do? New bike? or Keep the old one?

[Astennu]

I really dont know what to do anymore.

I currently have a FZ6 Fazer S from 2004. It had done 15700 km. My problem is that i wanted a bike with ABS from the start. But at the start i did not know how much i would drive. So i did not wanna go for a new FZ6 S2 that would cost me 9700 euro. (The FZ6 04 cost me 4500 with 108xx) But i have done about 6000 km in less a little then a year (Both my FZ6 and my dad's bike).

I have had some encounters where the gearwheel would lock up and the bike will become unstable then. Then you have to lift the brakes again and start braking again. So far it never went wrong. Until 2 two weeks ago....

I was driving on a dike. And i was going for a corner speeds where not that high but i did not trust the way i was lined up. At that moment i thought of two options:

1: Go really flat trough the corners (but i dont do that a lot at least not that flat that was necessary)
2: Abort get a straight line and brake.

I went for the last option. But i locked up the rear wheel half way. I already slowed down quite a bit. But i was losing control because the bike was going from left to right because of the locked wheel. So i lift the brake start breaking again. Next there where pebbles on the road and i was almost out of road. I was now driving bout 10-20km/h. When the front wheel this the end of the road. There was grass so with not ABS front wheel locked up. And i went down. I dont know anymore if i lifted the brake but there was no way that i could hold it anymore.

I was not hurt but the fairing took quite some damage. A total of 500-600 euro was needed to get it back to its old state. But that made me thinking of a ABS bike again.

Yes if you are a experienced driver you could easel have saved the situation. By braking harder on the front brake and lifting when you hit the grass. But it all happens in Mather of seconds. And dont have my bike license that long.

I dont dare to brake harder on the front brakes afraid i would lock them up on the road. (it happened with a other bike once i lifted fast enough)

So what to do now?

1: Keep My FZ6 Fazer 2004 without ABS thats quite cheap. And hope that i progress fast enough that i wont have these issues in the future?
2: Go for a new FZ6 Fazer S2 2010 GT. the S2 is smoother but power is about the same as the S1. I will get about 3500-4000 back for the old S1. And the new one will cost me about 9k. So thats 5k more. And get some upgrades like a new Exhaust and Power Commander for a little bit extra power.
3: Go for a second hand 2007+ FZ1 Fazer. It has more power then the FZ6. i dont know how it is in the corners. They say the FZ6 is more nimble. I dont like the exhaust (i love underseat exhausts) but you cant have it all

It think the FZ6 is better looking. I dont know yet what is more fun to drive (i will to the dealer soon and ask for a test drive on the FZ1).

But what do you guy's think? I think ABS can make the difference between a accident or no accident. But there are still a lot of things that can go wrong where ABS wont help you. (like dirt in a corner when you are already flat). But you will reduce chances in other situations.

 

[Astennu]

Little bump

 

[Erci]

You are considering compensation for poor riding (no offense) with technology. This is a bad idea.
Learn to ride better. Learn to judge corner speed... it's better to slow down too much than not enough when it comes to street riding.. you're not racing!
Learn to use brakes properly. Practice in a parking lot. Up to you if you want to use both brakes or just the front (I'm one of the few people on here who uses just the front for stopping and rear for control).
Be very careful when it comes to lifting off the rear brake once it is locked up. If the bike is fishtailing (back of the bike stepping out to the sides), there's a high chance of a high-side crash.. those are much worse than low-siding (just laying the bike down and sliding).

You'll be safer on a non-ABS bike if you spend time on improving your riding technique than on an ABS bike without learning to ride safely.

 

[Bryan-]

I like ABS... alot! :cheer: It only has to save the day once to be worth it so to speak. Paying 9k€ for a new FZ6 S2 is wayyy too much! I think trading in your FZ6 for a new FZ6 S2 would lower the price to about 4k€ that you'd have to pay extra. You just have to strike a decent deal with your dealer. I told my dealer I wasn't sure if I wanted an FZ6 from 2007 for 5k€ or a new one for 8k€.. Well let's just say he made me a deal I couldn't refuse.. Hence the brand new FZ6 S2 2010 with ABS . I love the undertail exhaust so no, I will never buy the FZ8 or FZ1 .. I think they are ugly :spank:

I don't think you'll need more power then the FZ6 gives but.. hey that's just me

Besides that it all depends on how much you have to spend!

Hope it helps :thumbup:

 

[deeptekkie]

You are considering compensation for poor riding (no offense) with technology. This is a bad idea.
Learn to ride better. Learn to judge corner speed... it's better to slow down too much than not enough when it comes to street riding.. you're not racing!
Learn to use brakes properly. Practice in a parking lot. Up to you if you want to use both brakes or just the front (I'm one of the few people on here who uses just the front for stopping and rear for control).
Be very careful when it comes to lifting off the rear brake once it is locked up. If the bike is fishtailing (back of the bike stepping out to the sides), there's a high chance of a high-side crash.. those are much worse than low-siding (just laying the bike down and sliding).

You'll be safer on a non-ABS bike if you spend time on improving your riding technique than on an ABS bike without learning to ride safely.

Ditto! Without sounding mean or holier-than-thou, (please don't take it that way), learn to ride what you have before you spend more money on an unkown. JMO Good luck!

 

[Bryan-]

I agree that you should learn how to ride your bike to the maximum before upgrading to something different.. but ABS is never a bad thing to have IMHO Everyone makes mistakes, ABS will only kick in if you make a mistake.

If you are an awesome rider then you'll never have to let the ABS kick in.. but if it kicks in you're more than happy to have it :rockon:

But I don't know if ABS is worth buying a completely new bike... or upgrading to a way more expensive one.. If the only 'upgrade' you get from paying 4k€ is ABS I wouldn't do it..

 

[Astennu]

You are considering compensation for poor riding (no offense) with technology. This is a bad idea.
Learn to ride better. Learn to judge corner speed... it's better to slow down too much than not enough when it comes to street riding.. you're not racing!
Learn to use brakes properly. Practice in a parking lot. Up to you if you want to use both brakes or just the front (I'm one of the few people on here who uses just the front for stopping and rear for control).
Be very careful when it comes to lifting off the rear brake once it is locked up. If the bike is fishtailing (back of the bike stepping out to the sides), there's a high chance of a high-side crash.. those are much worse than low-siding (just laying the bike down and sliding).

You'll be safer on a non-ABS bike if you spend time on improving your riding technique than on an ABS bike without learning to ride safely.

Thanks. I know its not smart to compensate bad driving with technology. But sometimes that bit extra can save your life.

So how about both? and practice more with breaking and stuff? and upgrading to ABS. Just in case there is a situation where you really are on the edge.

When things like that happen you dont have time to think it are all reflexes that take over.

I was already thinking about taking advanced driving courses.

I like ABS... alot! :cheer: It only has to save the day once to be worth it so to speak. Paying 9k€ for a new FZ6 S2 is wayyy too much! I think trading in your FZ6 for a new FZ6 S2 would lower the price to about 4k€ that you'd have to pay extra. You just have to strike a decent deal with your dealer. I told my dealer I wasn't sure if I wanted an FZ6 from 2007 for 5k€ or a new one for 8k€.. Well let's just say he made me a deal I couldn't refuse.. Hence the brand new FZ6 S2 2010 with ABS . I love the undertail exhaust so no, I will never buy the FZ8 or FZ1 .. I think they are ugly :spank:

I don't think you'll need more power then the FZ6 gives but.. hey that's just me

Besides that it all depends on how much you have to spend!

Hope it helps :thumbup:

Well the black/silver 2010 would be 7999. A new Autum Orange bike is 83xx. And thats the color i would love to have. Dont mind paying a bit extra over a 100% black bike. But i will go to the dealer next week to have a chat and see whats what.

I agree that you should learn how to ride your bike to the maximum before upgrading to something different.. but ABS is never a bad thing to have IMHO Everyone makes mistakes, ABS will only kick in if you make a mistake.

If you are an awesome rider then you'll never have to let the ABS kick in.. but if it kicks in you're more than happy to have it :rockon:

But I don't know if ABS is worth buying a completely new bike... or upgrading to a way more expensive one.. If the only 'upgrade' you get from paying 4k€ is ABS I wouldn't do it..

Well i think its the same problem as with cars. Why do you need safety zones, ABS, Traction contoll and airbags? Only for the chance that there is a accident. And when that happens it can save your life. And ESP and ABS can prevent a Accident from happening. Even if you are a experienced driver. That can be the difference between no crash and a small accident.

I dont think i'm a very bad bike driver. I have seen worse. But i'm not that experienced yet. This was just a combination of things:

1: Bad judgement of the corner
2: not the guts to take the corner (i think i could have done it but it i did not dare to turn in that hard)
3: Braking to hard
4: some stones on the edge of the corner
5: not having a lot of grass because there was a fence else i could release the brakes and just roll out on the grass.

That all together made it happen. I totally agree with you guy's that extra practice with braking is a good idea. And that the should not compensate bad driving with technology. It goes for cars and it also counts for bikes.

But with a car you have 4 wheels if you make a brake mistake you will slide but a car cant fall (you can flip it if you do really strange things but then ABS/ESP wont save you in that situation it will still go wrong). With a motor bike you only have two wheels.

And one more thing:
When i went looking for a bike one year ago. This was the bike i wanted to have: FZ6 S2 GT Autum Orange. But then i would cost me 9700 new with the dual lights and stuff. And i did not know if i would drive a lot. So i went for a second hand.

The FZ6 is End Of Live. I dont know how long i would be able to buy a FZ6 in that color. Thats also a reason for me to look into this. I dont like the exhaust of the FZ1 and i dont like the nose. The FZ8 has almost the same nose as the FZ6 but a even more ugly side exhaust and i really like the underseat.

I also looked at second hand S2's a year ago. But they are all black or blue with black rims and engine. Some like that. But i dont i want more color. I like the silver wheels and engine. And all second hand S2's are mostly black. Only the S1's are black/Silver but no ABS there. Have not seen a Second hand Autum orange yet.

I dont know if i will regret it in the future if its not possible to buy it anymore.

 

[Naykid]

Sorry but what you really need is to learn how to ride....not ABS. Spend some money on proper training. Skill is much better than technology.

 

[Doorag]

Thanks. I know its not smart to compensate bad driving with technology. But sometimes that bit extra can save your life.

So how about both? and practice more with breaking and stuff? and upgrading to ABS. Just in case there is a situation where you really are on the edge.

When things like that happen you dont have time to think it are all reflexes that take over.

I was already thinking about taking advanced driving courses.





Well the black/silver 2010 would be 7999. A new Autum Orange bike is 83xx. And thats the color i would love to have. Dont mind paying a bit extra over a 100% black bike. But i will go to the dealer next week to have a chat and see whats what.



Well i think its the same problem as with cars. Why do you need safety zones, ABS, Traction contoll and airbags? Only for the chance that there is a accident. And when that happens it can save your life. And ESP and ABS can prevent a Accident from happening. Even if you are a experienced driver. That can be the difference between no crash and a small accident.

I dont think i'm a very bad bike driver. I have seen worse. But i'm not that experienced yet. This was just a combination of things:

1: Bad judgement of the corner
2: not the guts to take the corner (i think i could have done it but it i did not dare to turn in that hard)
3: Braking to hard
4: some stones on the edge of the corner
5: not having a lot of grass because there was a fence else i could release the brakes and just roll out on the grass.

That all together made it happen. I totally agree with you guy's that extra practice with braking is a good idea. And that the should not compensate bad driving with technology. It goes for cars and it also counts for bikes.

But with a car you have 4 wheels if you make a brake mistake you will slide but a car cant fall (you can flip it if you do really strange things but then ABS/ESP wont save you in that situation it will still go wrong). With a motor bike you only have two wheels.

And one more thing:
When i went looking for a bike one year ago. This was the bike i wanted to have: FZ6 S2 GT Autum Orange. But then i would cost me 9700 new with the dual lights and stuff. And i did not know if i would drive a lot. So i went for a second hand.

The FZ6 is End Of Live. I dont know how long i would be able to buy a FZ6 in that color. Thats also a reason for me to look into this. I dont like the exhaust of the FZ1 and i dont like the nose. The FZ8 has almost the same nose as the FZ6 but a even more ugly side exhaust and i really like the underseat.

I also looked at second hand S2's a year ago. But they are all black or blue with black rims and engine. Some like that. But i dont i want more color. I like the silver wheels and engine. And all second hand S2's are mostly black. Only the S1's are black/Silver but no ABS there. Have not seen a Second hand Autum orange yet.

I dont know if i will regret it in the future if its not possible to buy it anymore.

Sorry, but I think you left something off the list - #1 should be "too much speed to start with."

In all the ABS testing they have done in the UK press, all of them have said it only works when going in a perfectly straight line. From your description, I'm not sure if it would have helped you anyway.

 

[Astennu]

Sorry but what you really need is to learn how to ride....not ABS. Spend some money on proper training. Skill is much better than technology.

I agree that i need better skills. So what you say is trow all tech out of cars and bikes and go back to 0 tech and just skills? In a perfect would we would not need anything. But why use a helmet and a suite then? You could say the same for that. Where do you draw the line then?

I Welcome everything that can keep me safe. And i'm not saying Technology must replace good practice and skill. I'm saying those two working together can make it even more safe.

I dont understand where this frustration is coming from? Is it because a lot of people these day's think technology can replace good driving skill? I know i'm not one of them. But the problem is i cant get all the skill i would like/need in one day or a week. That will take more time.

But i'm gonna sign myself up for some advanced driving courses. That will sure help. And practice some emergency.

Sorry, but I think you left something off the list - #1 should be "too much speed to start with."

In all the ABS testing they have done in the UK press, all of them have said it only works when going in a perfectly straight line. From your description, I'm not sure if it would have helped you anyway.

True but its the same in all accidents if the speed was lower or more distance it would not happen.

Speed was not the biggest issue in this case. There where cases where i had higher speed and was able to stop in time.

I was in a straight line. They dont recommend braking when you are in a corner. So i went for a straight line.

 

[Bryan-]

Why do you want a new bike? So far I read ABS and colour.. Is that worth the extra money? If so, buy, if not.. don't buy :thumbup:

 

[Astennu]

Indeed:

1: ABS
2: Color
3: Overall Look
4: way nicer Console
5: bit smoother (ECU mapping)

But for the rest its still a FZ6. It has the same power 90% the same looks.