You know how people often ask if FZ6 is a good first bike?

[Erci]

We get these posts quite often and replies are usually as follows:

Large % says it's too much bike to start on.

Fair % says it's their first bike and they survived just fine.

Here is the funny bit: There's a 23 year old on FZ1 forum, who currently drives a GTO, loves to go fast, but does sound fairly mature... he plans to start on FZ1 and quite a few people are chiming in with same response we give here: some say it's too much (I'm one of them), but many have chimed in with FZ1 being their first bike.. and many are saying it's totally fine to start on it. :don'tknow:

The kid does have a bit of dirt bike experience and few rides on his friend's R6, but still no license.

Thought it was worth sharing.

 

[FinalImpact]

factions of cent . . .

If a wannabe rider has never ridden, just about anything placed between there legs will be dropped and wrecked. If like me, they came with years of dirt experience than you must have learned something about throttle control, steering, balance, braking and basic coordination. All I can say is heavier is not winning combo for a newby and if they've never twisted a throttle grip a liter could be bad ending.

The flip side is a person who respects the throttle as they have been on several different bike configurations and know to be gentle until you know the machines abilities!!

I could apply the same thing with higher performance cars. It takes common sense to drive 3 to 400hp street car and not wreck it screwing off or being careless.

 

[beatle]

The nice thing about the FZ6 is its relative lack of low end torque. This keeps you out of most trouble since the real scary fast stuff doesn't come up until you're well into the rev range. I started on a Ninja 650R for a few months and while the throttle had less "snatch" than the FZ6 and an easier clutch to modulate, the twin pulled pretty hard at almost every RPM. The FZ6 is sedate in comparison at revs below 8k or so.

 

[marke14]

True story:

At a ****tail party at a friend's house a few years ago, our host's friend came up to me and introduced me to her husband, a guy who owns an ambulance company.

Oh boy, here we go, I thought.

Invariably the conversation turned to motorcycles. I think this is why my friend sent her over with her husband to talk to me. The ambulance service guy tells me a story:

They had a young EMT driver, smart guy, very hard worker. He ended up making a lot of money fairly quickly due to his willingness to work overtime shifts.

He went out and rewarded himself by purchasing a new motorbike, his first bike he was pretty sure. He ended up dieing in a wreck on it soon after he bought it. For this reason, I should stop riding and sell my motorcycle, is the point of the story.

I asked, as I always do when someone tells me about a wreck, what happened?

Well he bought a Hayabusa - yes, a 1300cc, 170 hp Hayabusa - and was riding drunk, at night, at high speed, when he came upon a broken down car in the middle lanes of an area freeway that had lost power, and had no lights. He was killed immediately.

From this story, I am to sell my motorcycle and quit riding.

There are stories of all kinds for all bikes, first bikes, second bikes, people who have been riding since they were five years old.

I'd bet you, on some Hayabusa forum somewhere, there are posts where the vast majority of owners are telling some newbie not to buy a Hayabusa as a first bike. And you know what? I'll bet you there's at least one guy on there who chimes in, "well it was my first bike, and I was super-careful with it, and I am OK." This story will be the same with every bike.

I think there is an actual objective truth out there, though. For my money, I'd say that for the vast majority of younger, average-sized first time riders under 190lbs or 86kg, a 600cc supersport motorcycle is probably a bit much to handle while you are trying to get the basics down. Is it not preferable to begin on a smaller mount to get your chops down first? Or for larger or older riders, even a 650-class V-twin cruiser, a heavier bike that is not as quick and is lower to the ground and easier to handle in some ways?

There are lots of great smaller displacement bikes to start on. I started on a used Vulcan 500 and had a great experience. It was not hard to sell it after I was ready to move up to the FZ6. It was not a slow bike. I smoked some jerk in a new BMW M3 who prodded me into a green-light hit-the-gas.

The fact that I could be prodded into such a thing is a testament to the fact that I should not have begun on a larger bike to begin with.

The FZ6 was significantly more bike than my 500! The performance envelope is much larger - quicker to accelerate, higher top speed, higher lean angle.

I think that we should be more responsible as a community of riders and should not be so wishy-washy when telling people that they "may" start out on a 600 and be OK.

In racing, do you think they tell the 14-year-olds to go ahead and begin in the 600 classes, just because they ask to begin there? Or do you think they start them off on a proper, smaller bike/class?

In the final assessment, people are people and they are going to do whatever they feel like doing anyway. I'd prefer to be more heavy-handed when dispensing this kind of advice if it saves the life of a new rider.

 

[Erci]

True story:

At a ****tail party at a friend's house a few years ago, our host's friend came up to me and introduced me to her husband, a guy who owns an ambulance company.

Oh boy, here we go, I thought.

Invariably the conversation turned to motorcycles. I think this is why my friend sent her over with her husband to talk to me. The ambulance service guy tells me a story:

They had a young EMT driver, smart guy, very hard worker. He ended up making a lot of money fairly quickly due to his willingness to work overtime shifts.

He went out and rewarded himself by purchasing a new motorbike, his first bike he was pretty sure. He ended up dieing in a wreck on it soon after he bought it. For this reason, I should stop riding and sell my motorcycle, is the point of the story.

I asked, as I always do when someone tells me about a wreck, what happened?

Well he bought a Hayabusa - yes, a 1300cc, 170 hp Hayabusa - and was riding drunk, at night, at high speed, when he came upon a broken down car in the middle lanes of an area freeway that had lost power, and had no lights. He was killed immediately.

From this story, I am to sell my motorcycle and quit riding.

There are stories of all kinds for all bikes, first bikes, second bikes, people who have been riding since they were five years old.

I'd bet you, on some Hayabusa forum somewhere, there are posts where the vast majority of owners are telling some newbie not to buy a Hayabusa as a first bike. And you know what? I'll bet you there's at least one guy on there who chimes in, "well it was my first bike, and I was super-careful with it, and I am OK." This story will be the same with every bike.

I think there is an actual objective truth out there, though. For my money, I'd say that for the vast majority of younger, average-sized first time riders under 190lbs or 86kg, a 600cc supersport motorcycle is probably a bit much to handle while you are trying to get the basics down. Is it not preferable to begin on a smaller mount to get your chops down first? Or for larger or older riders, even a 650-class V-twin cruiser, a heavier bike that is not as quick and is lower to the ground and easier to handle in some ways?

There are lots of great smaller displacement bikes to start on. I started on a used Vulcan 500 and had a great experience. It was not hard to sell it after I was ready to move up to the FZ6. It was not a slow bike. I smoked some jerk in a new BMW M3 who prodded me into a green-light hit-the-gas.

The fact that I could be prodded into such a thing is a testament to the fact that I should not have begun on a larger bike to begin with.

The FZ6 was significantly more bike than my 500! The performance envelope is much larger - quicker to accelerate, higher top speed, higher lean angle.

I think that we should be more responsible as a community of riders and should not be so wishy-washy when telling people that they "may" start out on a 600 and be OK.

In racing, do you think they tell the 14-year-olds to go ahead and begin in the 600 classes, just because they ask to begin there? Or do you think they start them off on a proper, smaller bike/class?

In the final assessment, people are people and they are going to do whatever they feel like doing anyway. I'd prefer to be more heavy-handed when dispensing this kind of advice if it saves the life of a new rider.

Seriously good post worthy of rep! :thumbup:

 

[agf]

True story:

At a ****tail party at a friend's house a few years ago, our host's friend came up to me and introduced me to her husband, a guy who owns an ambulance company.

Oh boy, here we go, I thought.

Invariably the conversation turned to motorcycles. I think this is why my friend sent her over with her husband to talk to me. The ambulance service guy tells me a story:

They had a young EMT driver, smart guy, very hard worker. He ended up making a lot of money fairly quickly due to his willingness to work overtime shifts.

He went out and rewarded himself by purchasing a new motorbike, his first bike he was pretty sure. He ended up dieing in a wreck on it soon after he bought it. For this reason, I should stop riding and sell my motorcycle, is the point of the story.

I asked, as I always do when someone tells me about a wreck, what happened?

Well he bought a Hayabusa - yes, a 1300cc, 170 hp Hayabusa - and was riding drunk, at night, at high speed, when he came upon a broken down car in the middle lanes of an area freeway that had lost power, and had no lights. He was killed immediately.

From this story, I am to sell my motorcycle and quit riding.

There are stories of all kinds for all bikes, first bikes, second bikes, people who have been riding since they were five years old.

I'd bet you, on some Hayabusa forum somewhere, there are posts where the vast majority of owners are telling some newbie not to buy a Hayabusa as a first bike. And you know what? I'll bet you there's at least one guy on there who chimes in, "well it was my first bike, and I was super-careful with it, and I am OK." This story will be the same with every bike.

I think there is an actual objective truth out there, though. For my money, I'd say that for the vast majority of younger, average-sized first time riders under 190lbs or 86kg, a 600cc supersport motorcycle is probably a bit much to handle while you are trying to get the basics down. Is it not preferable to begin on a smaller mount to get your chops down first? Or for larger or older riders, even a 650-class V-twin cruiser, a heavier bike that is not as quick and is lower to the ground and easier to handle in some ways?

There are lots of great smaller displacement bikes to start on. I started on a used Vulcan 500 and had a great experience. It was not hard to sell it after I was ready to move up to the FZ6. It was not a slow bike. I smoked some jerk in a new BMW M3 who prodded me into a green-light hit-the-gas.

The fact that I could be prodded into such a thing is a testament to the fact that I should not have begun on a larger bike to begin with.

The FZ6 was significantly more bike than my 500! The performance envelope is much larger - quicker to accelerate, higher top speed, higher lean angle.

I think that we should be more responsible as a community of riders and should not be so wishy-washy when telling people that they "may" start out on a 600 and be OK.

In racing, do you think they tell the 14-year-olds to go ahead and begin in the 600 classes, just because they ask to begin there? Or do you think they start them off on a proper, smaller bike/class?

In the final assessment, people are people and they are going to do whatever they feel like doing anyway. I'd prefer to be more heavy-handed when dispensing this kind of advice if it saves the life of a new rider.

very sound advice




my wife sometimes asks if I would let her ride my FZ and I just look at her with a quizzical expression:

1. she has limited experience even tho she has had a full licence for many years
2. she has not ridden since we got together 7 years ago
3. she has bad knees and I dont think she'd cope with the weight in a slight tip over
4. this is the last of my points, the power that the FZ can unleash with a slight twist of the throttle still surprises me at times and I know its there just lurking, she would freak BIG TIME


So she knows I mean .....No


To a total new rider

My advice would always be that if you plan to ride for a long time you have to learn in stages
We are not born running, let alone sprinting.... you have to learn to crawl before you walk
and anything worth doing well takes a considerable investment in time to learn to do properly
Then I would say, remember the first time you tried to make out with someone and how clumsy it all was, generally, apart from the excitement and thrill of the "first time" its best forgotten, as the more you do the better you get and the more adventurous and adept you become, same with riding a bike
My first time was on a little Honda Amigo,( nearly 40 years ago) and I ran the handle bars up the side of someones car when I was about 9 Y.O.( great throttle control),
and my other first time...... well this is a family oriented forum, so I'm keeping that to myself ha ha

 

[beatle]

I think there is an actual objective truth out there, though. For my money, I'd say that for the vast majority of younger, average-sized first time riders under 190lbs or 86kg, a 600cc supersport motorcycle is probably a bit much to handle while you are trying to get the basics down.

True, it depends on the rider and their level of maturity.

I'm pretty happy I didn't buy a 250 as my first bike, however. Even though the TW200 I had in the MSF class felt like it had unlimited power in the parking lot, on the road I know it's a different story. Though my skills still have a long way to go, I feel that I would have already outgrown the power of a smaller displacement bike, just as most of my friends told me. I doubt I'll ever really outgrow the capabilities of the FZ6. I'll just start shifting later.

That being said, I think some people probably shouldn't have a bike at all, regardless of displacement.

 

[PosterFZ6]

Fz6 is my fifth bike. Now I am onto my sixth bike.

Your first bike is not your last bike.

Start small and move up to bigger bikes when you feel confident to do so.

Honestly I don't have a holier than thou attitude.

We are in America baby. Personal responsibility and all of that. You have the freedom to buy whatever you want and live with the consequences of that.

But don't expect me not to laugh at you when you effing crash and burn so to speak.

I have a co-worker who for his first bike got himself a Haybusa.

Guess what, he crashed his brand new spanking bike few miles after rolling off the floor from a dealer.

He doesn't ride it becasue he is afraid of crashing it again.

He still doesn't wear any gear other than a piece of shiete cheapo helmet and a pair of gloves.



Good for him, I say. We as a society need a people like that so they can win the Darwin award and eliminate themselves from the collective gene pool.

All we can do is advise n00bies what to buy as the first bike. There's a lot of people who no matter how many arguments against buying Haybusa you will present they will still find a way to justify it. you can't convince these people and all they are looking for is reinforcement of their beliefs.

Let them learn on their mistakes.

 

[Sco]

Let me come at this from a slightly different angle, I started on a 150cc scooter
Learned to ride in traffic on that POS and immediately moved up to an Aprilia
250 cc, joined a club for long group rides, so for comfort moved to a Yamaha Majesty 400cc (great scoot BTW) The whole time thinking that I wanted a "real" motorcycle but really wasn't sure of my shifting skills.
So Long story short, test rode a Ducati Monster, by chance, my hero bike.What a great clutch, Fell in love with it!!
And knew that a brand new 9 or 10K $ Duc would not/ would not be my first shifter bike. I just needed a bike that I didn't care if I dropped, so a new Hay would be out of the question, The other factor was sport bike or cruiser.. ??
Well the FZ6 came into my life, and I think that was a great choice for ME.
As a first bike, but not really a first bike with no experience, it has been great for me, except for the storage that I was used to,The shifting part was the easiest part to pick back up.
I guess what I am trying to say it depends on your experience and comfort level.
Start small,start used and have great ride!!! :rockon:

 

[Dave.TX]

Too many variables. I had experience on a 3 wheeler then a 4 wheeler riding the sand dunes. Always had great balance and control, never crashed. My first street bike was the FZ6 but I was also 41 years old, responsible and respected the bike. It is a great choice for a bike but as a first one... eh. For me it worked. After a couple of months folks were surprised that I only had that little time riding street as they though I had been riding for years. Everyone is different. After 8 months I moved up to a 1200 and love it.

In general I'd say a Ninja 250 or 300 is a great first bike but not for everyone. A friend of mine just did her MSF course, got her license and got a Shadow 700. She loves it and is very comfortable on it. It's her first bike.

Some bikes you can say are just too much for a first time rider, no doubt. ZX1400R, GSX1300R, S1000RR, RSV4 Factory ... no, I would only recommend them for the really experienced riders. I wouldn't recommend a Hayabusa to anyone because I find their looks to be absolutely hideous.

 

[Erci]

Fz6 is my fifth bike. Now I am onto my sixth bike.

Your first bike is not your last bike.

Start small and move up to bigger bikes when you feel confident to do so.

Honestly I don't have a holier than thou attitude.

We are in America baby. Personal responsibility and all of that. You have the freedom to buy whatever you want and live with the consequences of that.

But don't expect me not to laugh at you when you effing crash and burn so to speak.

I have a co-worker who for his first bike got himself a Haybusa.

Guess what, he crashed his brand new spanking bike few miles after rolling off the floor from a dealer.

He doesn't ride it becasue he is afraid of crashing it again.

He still doesn't wear any gear other than a piece of shiete cheapo helmet and a pair of gloves.



Good for him, I say. We as a society need a people like that so they can win the Darwin award and eliminate themselves from the collective gene pool.

All we can do is advise n00bies what to buy as the first bike. There's a lot of people who no matter how many arguments against buying Haybusa you will present they will still find a way to justify it. you can't convince these people and all they are looking for is reinforcement of their beliefs.

Let them learn on their mistakes.

Love it! :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[rumblestrip]

First of all, I think this thread is great food for thought. Thanks for posting it.

I guess I've said this before, but speaking from my experience, I would not recommend starting on an FZ1. I bought an FZ6 at 34, after the MSF course & limited experience, and even after the 1100 or so miles that I've ridden it, I'd be hesitant to recommend the FZ6 to a relative newbie, much less an FZ1. This is just my opinion, though.

The low torque starting out is nice, I do have to say, as I'm pretty (overly) conscious of trying not to lose it in 1st. I do have to say that I have an instinct of throwing knees into the tank after trying to get my ailing cb750 around the neighborhood & up some hills from 1st a few times, so I guess that's good. :BLAA: The stock clutch, like we keep hearing, can be tricky at first, but you can get used to it. The main thing, I guess, is that you can get yourself into trouble when you get to about 6500-9000rpm range. I'm sure some of us have passed a slow car or two, and looked down to see us going faster than we thought on the speedo (but man, that engine is sounding great).

Anyway, yeah. Although I'm sure plenty of people have "been OK" on an FZ1 as a starter, I would not recommend it, personally. I have "been OK" on the FZ6. I've also been pretty darn cautious for the most part, and I'm still learning. That being said, it's a heck of a machine, and I love it. I don't think I'll be riding my buddy's FZ1 anytime this year, though, or maybe even next spring. ....and yes, I have dropped the FZ6 a couple of times. Yay, frame sliders. Embarrassing as all get out, though.

Whatever way this fella goes, tell him to take the MSF BRC & get his daggone license while he's thinking about it. Just saying. I'll be taking the ERC in spring. :thumbup:

 

[FinalImpact]

Perhaps time for a new thread, but how many here come from other sports before getting on a street bike? IMO this helps gain allot of experience. Anyone here ever ride 650cc dirt bike? That'll teach ya throttle control!

For me I'd have to say the collective experience of all kinds of machines and power levels help made this transition easy. The two greater contributers were the dirt bikes and stand up jetski's. 3 wheel ATVs will school you about leaning and NEVER put your foot down (lol). FWIW the FZ6 is the first street bike I've owned although I've ridden several over the years. 2 seasons in and no drops (knock on wood).

As said, cool thread. . .

 

[SweaterDude]

True story:

I'd bet you, on some Hayabusa forum somewhere, there are posts where the vast majority of owners are telling some newbie not to buy a Hayabusa as a first bike. And you know what? I'll bet you there's at least one guy on there who chimes in, "well it was my first bike, and I was super-careful with it, and I am OK." This story will be the same with every bike.

Ill bet the Ninja250 forum has quite the opposite response.:BLAA:

but even a 250 is too much for those who just dont belong on a bike. and those select people will show themselves no matter what they ride.

 

[SweaterDude]

Perhaps time for a new thread, but how many here come from other sports before getting on a street bike? IMO this helps gain allot of experience. Anyone here ever ride 650cc dirt bike? That'll teach ya throttle control!

For me I'd have to say the collective experience of all kinds of machines and power levels help made this transition easy. The two greater contributers were the dirt bikes and stand up jetski's. 3 wheel ATVs will school you about leaning and NEVER put your foot down (lol). FWIW the FZ6 is the first street bike I've owned although I've ridden several over the years. 2 seasons in and no drops (knock on wood).

As said, cool thread. . .

not to completely jack this thread, but i rode a Factory Yamaha YZ450F at a hare scramble one time. that was ridiculous.

 

[Erci]

Perhaps time for a new thread, but how many here come from other sports before getting on a street bike? IMO this helps gain allot of experience. Anyone here ever ride 650cc dirt bike? That'll teach ya throttle control!

For me I'd have to say the collective experience of all kinds of machines and power levels help made this transition easy. The two greater contributers were the dirt bikes and stand up jetski's. 3 wheel ATVs will school you about leaning and NEVER put your foot down (lol). FWIW the FZ6 is the first street bike I've owned although I've ridden several over the years. 2 seasons in and no drops (knock on wood).

As said, cool thread. . .

Excellent idea for new thread!! Do it! (I won't reply here.. I'll wait for new one )

 

[NorCal FZ6]

I don't know... I guess it depends on where your coming from. If you have never ridden at all. I wouldn't recommend it.

On the other hand, if you have ridden many of two wheeled vehicles over the years ranging from mopeds to 80's on up to 1200's for a decent duration of time. If it was me, I would say go for it. That's just me. This is my first purchased street bike but is not exactly the first bike that sat in my garage for ver six months. I believe if you can differentiate and ride responsibly it's a great first bike. Now watch me get blindsided tomorrow...:Flip:

 

[Erci]

I don't know... I guess it depends on where your coming from. If you have never ridden at all. I wouldn't recommend it.

On the other hand, if you have ridden many of two wheeled vehicles over the years ranging from mopeds to 80's on up to 1200's for a decent duration of time. If it was me, I would say go for it. That's just me. This is my first purchased street bike but is not exactly the first bike that sat in my garage for ver six months. I believe if you can differentiate and ride responsibly it's a great first bike. Now watch me get blindsided tomorrow...:Flip:

You did see that I was talking about FZ1, right?

 

[NorCal FZ6]

You did see that I was talking about FZ1, right?

For a first bike... Hells to the no.:BLAA: You'll have to forgive me I've been switching from pilot to co-pilot these last few days.

 

[LesL60]

It's the classic argument about whether the problem is man or machine. What killed Abel; Cain or the stick? What is capable of anger or evil; the man or the gun? What is capable of acting like a hoon; a motorcycle or a dumb@$$?

If the stuff between the ears isn't adequate, it can screw up anything. We've all seen the videos of someone crashing a kid's mini bike. Or a skateboard, hang glider, car, roller skates, jumping off a garage into a pool and missing, etc.

The stick, the gun, and the motorcycle are inert and incapable of action until someone lays hold. Barring a mechanical meltdown, it's never the bike.