Buying guide?

papaiatis

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2020
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Hungary
Visit site
Hi all,

Hopefully I'm going to buy my first 600 ride, an FZ6N-S2, next Monday. I already saw the bike, but didn't look at it closer, although it looked to be in mint condition.
Apart from the usual stuff (brakes, handling, lights, engine sound) what should I check on the bike before buying?
Are there any model specific issues?

Thanks!
 

Gary in NJ

Junior Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
1,908
Points
113
Location
Amoungst the Twisty Roads
Visit site
There are no known “buyer beware” issues with the FZ6 - yes it’s that good. If you are an experienced rider, you may not like the budget suspension or the 100 mile seat. Both are easily fixed with money.
 

trepetti

It's all good!
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
834
Points
113
Location
Northern New Joizey
Visit site
There are no known “buyer beware” issues with the FZ6 - yes it’s that good. If you are an experienced rider, you may not like the budget suspension or the 100 mile seat. Both are easily fixed with money.

Which brings up a question I have been meaning to ask you. Your 'Gel Seat'.... not the Yamaha comfort seat, right? I was under the impression they only fit the S2. I was going to get a Spencer mod, but he packed up. I have a second hand Corbin, but it is really heavy and looks like a cowboy's saddle.

Looking for options...... Lots of time.....Shoulder surgery coming up after my lowside. Riding season ended 6/19/20..... :(
 

Gary in NJ

Junior Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
1,908
Points
113
Location
Amoungst the Twisty Roads
Visit site
I got my seat second hand from a member on this forum about 6 years ago. I was about to drop the money on a Corbin and this seat was placed in the for sale section for $100. The seller was just minutes from where I worked at the time. He called it a “gel” seat, but maybe it is actually called a comfort seat. What ever it is, it’s significantly better then the OEM seat. It is a Yamaha part. From what I can tell, these seats are unicorns so I was glad to find one at a great price.
 

Gary in NJ

Junior Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
1,908
Points
113
Location
Amoungst the Twisty Roads
Visit site
BTW, you can easily turn the original seat into a comfort (or more comfortable) seat. Simply remove the staples that hold the cover on the front, rear and one side; folding back the cover to expose the seat foam. Remove the seat foam to use it as a template for the new seat foam. Get yourself some memory form (the three density stuff is quite luxurious) and shape it to something similar to the original foam. If you want to raise or lower your seat height, this is a good opportunity to make that change. Once shapped use some spray adhesive to stick the new foam to the plastic surface. Restaple the cover back into place, stretching the cover and working it to a good shape.

It's real simple. I made a custom seat for my DRZ400 a few years back and was amazed how easy it was...and just how good it came out (I used a gripper cover too...very nice). With this knowledge and experience, I'd never pay for an expensive aftermarket seat again.
 

trepetti

It's all good!
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
834
Points
113
Location
Northern New Joizey
Visit site
BTW, you can easily turn the original seat into a comfort (or more comfortable) seat. Simply remove the staples that hold the cover on the front, rear and one side; folding back the cover to expose the seat foam. Remove the seat foam to use it as a template for the new seat foam. Get yourself some memory form (the three density stuff is quite luxurious) and shape it to something similar to the original foam. If you want to raise or lower your seat height, this is a good opportunity to make that change. Once shapped use some spray adhesive to stick the new foam to the plastic surface. Restaple the cover back into place, stretching the cover and working it to a good shape.

It's real simple. I made a custom seat for my DRZ400 a few years back and was amazed how easy it was...and just how good it came out (I used a gripper cover too...very nice). With this knowledge and experience, I'd never pay for an expensive aftermarket seat again.

I have seen some of your 'real simple' handiwork

Wonder if the wife will notice if I take a chunk out of the Tempur-pedic. Lol
 

MattR302

Awesomeness, Inc.
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
621
Reaction score
38
Points
28
Location
New Haven, CT
Visit site
Which brings up a question I have been meaning to ask you. Your 'Gel Seat'.... not the Yamaha comfort seat, right? I was under the impression they only fit the S2. I was going to get a Spencer mod, but he packed up. I have a second hand Corbin, but it is really heavy and looks like a cowboy's saddle.

Looking for options...... Lots of time.....Shoulder surgery coming up after my lowside. Riding season ended 6/19/20..... :(
Don’t even bother with a Corbin or any other “ready made” aftermarket seat. I tried stock, two different style Corbins, a Shad, and this finally was a winner for all day comfort

I’ve got a thread I started on here with a bunch more pics
 

trepetti

It's all good!
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
834
Points
113
Location
Northern New Joizey
Visit site
Don’t even bother with a Corbin or any other “ready made” aftermarket seat. I tried stock, two different style Corbins, a Shad, and this finally was a winner for all day comfort

I’ve got a thread I started on here with a bunch more pics

I actually browsed through this thread the other day and saw the Terry's seat.

My first reaction is that is is ugly.
My second reaction is that looks are irrelevant. :cool:

I tend to hang off when I ride and the wings of the rider's seat seem to suggest that they might make that more difficult. I am looking for a more comfortable seat, not a touring seat. Not sure how Terry's would function as a sport seat.....
 
Last edited:

bigborer

Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Messages
447
Reaction score
78
Points
28
Location
EU
Visit site
A seat that sits between your legs is a saddle- it's neither a car seat, nor a couch, nor your office chair. Colloquially speaking the ischial tuberosities- the bony part of your arse- are called "sit bones" for a reason: that's what you're actually supposed to sit on.

If it's really uncomfortable and it doesn't get any better with time (it should) it's likely either that you're overweight and/or have too little glutes. Now, you could:

1- Quick "fix". Just pop a pill, just finance for zero or low interest, etc- live now and pay later. It's simply what we've been taught to do. In this case it's buying a "comfort" seat- meaning a soft cushion that will take the load off your sit bones and spread it more evenly. But if it's taken off- where is it then put? You guessed it- on your prostate. Who is most at risk of getting an enlarged prostate? Yup, it's the same guys who were looking for "comfort" seats it the first place.

2- solve the root causes. An efficient way with low impact on the joints could be cycling- but if you were to buy any decent MTB or Road bike (say, over $600) you will find it's seat pure torture. However, if you push through it I promise you that it will be worth it. Even if at first you'll only cycle once a week due to arse soreness, you will get desensitized and conditioned over time.

If it hurts on the inside of the thighs then some reprofiling of the sides of the seat will be helpful, as long as you still have the bulk of your weight on the sit bones.

IMO the stock FZ6 seat is quite decent- much more comfortable than a sport bike seat, and yet firm enough to not destroy the prostate. If only it's outer wasn't so extremely slippery with leather...

Some might not like this post but why sugar coat it- nothing is for free, not even the "comfort" of your bike seat. Each to their own- it's your prostate not mine.
 

Gary in NJ

Junior Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
1,908
Points
113
Location
Amoungst the Twisty Roads
Visit site
I’m not over weight (175lbs). I cycle 75 miles per week. An added data point about me, I don’t sit still in the saddle while riding, I move my body towards the inside of the turn.

The OEM FZ6 seat does not provide adequate support beyond an hour or more in the saddle. The foam compresses but does not recover fast enough to support the area around the sit bones. FZ6 seats are now 10-15 years old, making the lack of compliance worse then when the seats were new.

My ass doesn’t lie, a seat with gel foam is more comfortable over time than the OEM seat.
 

MattR302

Awesomeness, Inc.
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
621
Reaction score
38
Points
28
Location
New Haven, CT
Visit site
I actually browsed through this thread the other day and saw the Terry's seat.

My first reaction is that is is ugly.
My second reaction is that looks are irrelevant. :cool:

I tend to hang off when I ride and the wings of the rider's seat seem to suggest that they might make that more difficult. I am looking for a more comfortable seat, not a touring seat. Not sure how Terry's would function as a sport seat.....
Lol, if you said it was ugly, I was going to respond with this:
Whadda you want? Form or function? :)

I’ve done a bunch of track days and have had track-only bikes, so I’m familiar with sport riding body position. I actually really liked the Terry seat twisty riding.

For less aggressive riding, if you’re only moving your upper body (“kiss the mirror”) the wings provide a surface for you to press your inside butt cheek against. And then for more aggressive riding where you’re shifting your butt in the seat (“hanging off”) the extra width of the seat provides more support as you shift your butt side to side.
 

bigborer

Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Messages
447
Reaction score
78
Points
28
Location
EU
Visit site
Your ass surely is more comfortable... at the expense of the prostate, as explained previously.

If the foam goes bad (mine is still fine) and no longer supports the sit bones then it becomes bad as well.

BTW- what type of bicycle saddle do you use? Few years ago I used to cycle relatively frequently on decent quality saddles (lower range Selle Italia) and this got me to the point where I could ride the FZ6 saddle for 8 hours in full comfort. Now I barely cycle so I've lost most of the "hardening" I got from the bicycle saddles, so the FZ6 seat does become a bit hard on the sit bones after about 3 hours. Still, I'd rather sit the sit bones on rocks than to have the "comfort" of sitting on the perineum.
 

trepetti

It's all good!
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
834
Points
113
Location
Northern New Joizey
Visit site
I’m not over weight (175lbs). I cycle 75 miles per week. An added data point about me, I don’t sit still in the saddle while riding, I move my body towards the inside of the turn.

The OEM FZ6 seat does not provide adequate support beyond an hour or more in the saddle. The foam compresses but does not recover fast enough to support the area around the sit bones. FZ6 seats are now 10-15 years old, making the lack of compliance worse then when the seats were new.

My ass doesn’t lie, a seat with gel foam is more comfortable over time than the OEM seat.

Are using gel or memory foam? I see a lot of reports that say the gel will hold the heat longer and provide a different discomfort.
 

Gary in NJ

Junior Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
1,908
Points
113
Location
Amoungst the Twisty Roads
Visit site
Your ass surely is more comfortable... at the expense of the prostate, as explained previously.

If the foam goes bad (mine is still fine) and no longer supports the sit bones then it becomes bad as well.

BTW- what type of bicycle saddle do you use? Few years ago I used to cycle relatively frequently on decent quality saddles (lower range Selle Italia) and this got me to the point where I could ride the FZ6 saddle for 8 hours in full comfort. Now I barely cycle so I've lost most of the "hardening" I got from the bicycle saddles, so the FZ6 seat does become a bit hard on the sit bones after about 3 hours. Still, I'd rather sit the sit bones on rocks than to have the "comfort" of sitting on the perineum.

The bike is a BMC Roadmachine and it came with a Fizik Taiga saddle. It is a hard saddle...but I do wear gel shorts.
 

Motogiro

Vrrroooooom!
Staff member
Moderator
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 8, 2008
Messages
14,968
Reaction score
1,137
Points
113
Location
San Diego, Ca.
Visit site
Our bodies and ergonomics are all pretty different as well as our psyches as it relates to comfort/discomfort. I can say that mountain/road biking would probably have some effect as a relationship to your saddle but so would "Mr. Lifto" excersizing.

I dunno maybe Yoga?




Yoga biker.jpg
 
Top