What's an FZ6? A what now?

[Ghost Weim]

People around here are pretty ignorant about bike types - and for some odd reason assume anyone with a bike owns a Harley. When they ask what I have, I show them the photo on my phone - and I more often than not get, "Oh! That's a crotch-rocket!" And I say, "No - it is a very fun sport bike."

 

[Nooj]

I can't believe from reading this how little the average American seems to know about bikes, even other bikers (I don't mean you guys, I mean the people you're describing on here BTW).

Here in the UK pretty much anyone under 50 will recognise the big four Jap names and some of the European makes and almost anyone actually on a bike will be able to hold a discussion about most of the well known bike models on the streets today. Even my Mum knows what a fazer is and what she knows about bikes could be written on the head of a pin

Obviously everyone over here knows about Triumph, same as everyone over you're end knows about Harley, but everyone over here (and the rest of Europe) ALSO knows about Harley. Y'all need to get out there and spread the word!

 

[The Toecutter]

i get similar coments here..sometimes the only way i can give the bike its respect is to say "its got an R6 engine"

also an old workmate came up to me the other day ..he said "what size is the engine?"..so i told him..he then told me wat he had (with the smuggest ,punchable face ever ) said "suzuki SV...........650!!..as if i was supposed to tremble with fear.

LMAO I know what you mean.people assume larger engine equals faster than you!!! LOL

 

[D-Mac]

The FZ6 gets the same treatment up here (Michigan). Everyone knows the R6 and the shops are full of them. Most places don't carry the FZ6 and if they do they never get more than one. While it's true that the FZ6 doesn't sell well here (cruisers and full-on sportbikes are king), it's also true that dealers don't know much about them and can't make nearly as much $$ on them as they can on other bikes.

I still can't believe what a great value the FZ6 is when you think about build quality and all-around functionality. Yamaha really got this bike right.

 

[paulinus]

I read this post yesterday and chuckled. Then I went on a ride w/my friend. His wife bought my old bike for him for an Xmas present. So he's learning to ride on my old lil Bandit 400. I miss that bike, but I digress. He needs some confidence, so I encouraged him to ride up one of the local mountains with me (just a big hill to you guys out west...1800 ft) to where we once worked together. A guy up there approached us as we got off our bikes and asked me..."Is that an R1?" With a big grin I told him about my FZ. The undertail on the Bandit stumped him as well. We were 2 for 2 with that guy. Gotta love it

As long as it's appreciative, I enjoy someone asking about my bike. Altho, I never would have thought Betty would be mistaken for an R1!

 

[reiobard]

my local shop for some reason refuses to put the 07+ design out as they still have an 06 that they are trying to sell, when FZ6inNH went there he had to request the 08 that they had out in there warehouse. They claim that there is no difference other than the colors... And these guys are awesome, the only shop i will go to for anything, FZ6inNH will vouch for the awesomeness of this shop. I made him drive an hour away from his house to check it out, past 4-5 other shops, and now it is the only shop he uses too. They sell Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, CanAm, Polaris, KTM, Kawasaki, Kymco, basically anything but harley...


There is a certain "Don't ask, Don't tell" quality about the FZ, it is not one of the big 600's so most customers just don't care.

 

[Andz]

In Finland if you ask for a blue Fazer you will be given chocolate!

Fazer "Blue" Milk Chocolate Bar - 200g - Unique Valentine's Day Gifts

 

[steveindenmark]

This is why my sliders say FZ6 on them....so I don`t forget.

AND the FZ6 is the little brother of the R6.

The other point is that there are thousands of letters and numbers to remeber now, so I am not suprised they don`t remember them all, especially if they don`t sell them.. I wonder why they always do that to bikes and give cars mostly names?

The FZ6 was denmarks third top seller last year with 233 sold, yet I hardlings ever see them.

Steve

 

[aj_fz6]

People around here are pretty ignorant about bike types - and for some odd reason assume anyone with a bike owns a Harley. When they ask what I have, I show them the photo on my phone - and I more often than not get, "Oh! That's a crotch-rocket!" And I say, "No - it is a very fun sport bike."

LOL
This is exactly what my riding buddy and I joke about all the time. Many people (in the US anyway) think there are two types of motorcycles: Harleys and crotch-rockets. Oh well. I suppose sitting on 90+ horsepower could be considered a crotch-rocket!

 

[DecepticonDon]

Any of you ever had someone ask if it was a BMW? I was asked that quite a number of times. The '04-05 silver/silver(mine was blue/silver) did have a Bimmer look to it.

 

[mlevins77]

I read this post yesterday and chuckled. Then I went on a ride w/my friend. His wife bought my old bike for him for an Xmas present. So he's learning to ride on my old lil Bandit 400. I miss that bike, but I digress. He needs some confidence, so I encouraged him to ride up one of the local mountains with me (just a big hill to you guys out west...1800 ft) to where we once worked together. A guy up there approached us as we got off our bikes and asked me..."Is that an R1?" With a big grin I told him about my FZ. The undertail on the Bandit stumped him as well. We were 2 for 2 with that guy. Gotta love it

As long as it's appreciative, I enjoy someone asking about my bike. Altho, I never would have thought Betty would be mistaken for an R1!

I know you'll appreciate this being in GA: Two things.

First off, there is a bike shop here that's been around for a long time, Motions. They sell anything and everything, and what is really impressive is their stock of gear along with their unyielding knowledge of all things motorized. I went in to check out the new FZ6R the other day and spent a good hour talking with this guy about my FZ and how impossible it was for them to keep them in stock. Loved that little ego stroking. :Flash:

Second, the weather here in GA this past weekend was better than perfect for riding. Our hills have just the right number of turns, the scenery is wonderful...and there were more bikes out than I've ever seen. Too many people itching to go after a long stretch of COLD!!! Every time I stopped I had guys asking what the heck I was riding, walking away from their Ducatis and R1's...as I was passing them all on every turn and they wanted to know what this demon machine was.

Point is...the bike doesn't make the rider...and the FZ6 was king of the mountain Sunday:rockon:

Ride safe, ride often:cheer:

 

[Smittyboy]

Never gotten BMW, but I have gotten 1125R, R6, and fz1 from a guy who drag'd with me from light to light a couple times. We then went and talked bikes for 20 min in culver's parking lot... (Smoked him on a 600f4)

 

[irdevelopment]

I'll keep this short so I don't start ranting....

There is a motorcycle shop that I have heard a lot of good reports on, it is about 45 minutes away from where I live. Today was a beautiful day outside so I decided to use it to go visit this particular motorcycle shop. I drive out to the shop, walk inside and I'm really impressed with the shear size of the entire establishment. They had at least 40 sport bikes (they are a Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki....yada yada) So, after walking around seeing all the beautiful bikes they have, a sales person walks up to me and casually asks me how I am doing, I say just fine and then I ask him "Do you all have any 2009 Yamaha FZ6's in stock as of yet?" His reply...........

"What's an FZ6?"

Needless to say, I was taken back and (after talking to two other sales people) I was sad to find out that they had never owned or sold a single FZ6 at all. No wonder the guy didn't know what one was.

They probably had a bunch and sold them all and was goin to try to switch ya to the piles of Honda's laying around.

 

[Rob2222]

Well lets just agree guys.... an FZ6 is the Biking World's best kept secret!

I can't agree. Here in Germany the FZ6 is the most sold Yamaha motorcycle. This can't be a secret.

BR Robert

 

[Mississippi]

Most people do not say what kind of bike is that. I get more of the how did you fold up on that sport bike, and you should be riding a cruiser not a sport bike. I do throw people off being 6'-7" and on the FZ, but it is nice and comfy to me.

 

[Jman]

The Germans obviously know a great bike when they see one. I enjoy the "uniqueness" of the bike here in the States. I really don't care what people think of it around here......it suits me just right.

 

[davidsa1]

Here's a good story of how untrained many sales people are. A friend of mine goes in to upgade to a bigger bike. He is looking at a leftover 06 Honda VFR and a 06 Honda 919, the sales rep tells him that they are the same size engines the only difference is that one is a 800cc V-4(VFR) and the other (919)is a 800cc inline 4.

 

[txa1562]

Almost everyone that I know...motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists...have never heard of the FZ6...which doesn't bother me...i love it so who cares about them...but I have been riding down the rode many times and have stopped at lights and had people roll down their windows and ask me what I was riding...and when I tell them they look at me and say, "That's an AWESOME looking bike!" :rockon:

 

[kinderwood]

Yamaha's lineup only has 7 street bikes (not including dual sports). I think the sales staff should be able to remember that many bikes from one brand. At least the name if not the specs...

 

[zigzagg321]

It's a low end bike, yamaha doesn't spend much time or money marketing it, unfortunately.

But I have had people come up to me and say "is that an FZ6?" or "nice FZ6"

It's a low end bike? I cannot agree with that statement when there are lower end bikes in the lineup and the parts of the FZ6 are far from "low end" Its a great bike...Im sure you agree with that, you have one.