Greetings!

[Botch]

Well, now that I've said I'd buy a smaller, used bike to start with, this happens!

I was scanning the classifieds Friday night and saw an '07 FZ-6, 1,300 miles, for $5,500! I called the guy, he and his wife are realtors and bought bikes to cut down on the gas costs, but I guess she didn't like hers; he told me he just wanted to put a good price on it and sell it fast. Occasionally my timing is good! :thumbup:

He lives just a couple miles away and generously offered to drive it up to my place. I'm talking to my credit union first thing Monday morning, and it should be sitting in my garage before noon. I'm stoked!!

:Sport: :Sport: :Sport:

 

[sportrider]

let us know how it goes!!!!:thumbup:

 

[Botch]

Got it! We had some trouble with the Credit Union, but by changing from a motorcycle loan to a signature loan, it smoothed everything out. Former owner is a great guy and I enjoyed chatting with him, and he showed me a lot of little tricks with the bike. He also included a helmet, which is the full-face with the swingup jaw style, very nice, and it fit me to a "T"; he also included a $90 magnetic "tank" bag and some maintenance stuff.
As we were discussing it in my driveway this morning, my next door neighbor (an Ogden cop) came over to ogle it then told me he'd just bought a 1300 Yammie cruiser the week before, so I've got an at-hand instructor, very nice! (that was a beautiful bike, too)
This afternoon I fiddled with the kickstands, learned how to check all the fluid levels, and familiarized myself with the controls/instruments. I'll be going thru the owner's manual tonight, and tomorrow after work may try to putter over to the local parking lot and start practicin'. Bought some riding gloves and a nice pair of RedWing boots, don't have the jacket yet (had to special-order a Tall) but the previous owner laughed at me for waiting for the jacket when I downhill ski without a helmet, guess he has a point.
Let me see if I can get the pic feature to work:

 

[sportrider]

congrads!!!! it looks good!

 

[craig007]

Congrads on your new bike. I was were you were. I took the MSF course (I was registered for a class in October this year, but I went on standby and got into an April course). This was the first time riding a motorcycle. I bought my FZ6 the week after I completed the course. I have about 1600 miles on it so far and I love it!

I have a few pieces of advice:

1. get a set of frame sliders and install them BEFORE you make your parking lot trip. Falling down at low speed in a parking lot can happen (it happened to me). The FZ6 can take a low speed fall, but the plastic parts break easily and it is hard (and potentially expensive) to find replacement plastic fairing parts for a 2007.

2. Get some gear with a least knee, shoulder and elbow pads, motorcycle gloves, good boots and of course a helmet and wear it all.

3. Exercise self control. I know that the FZ6 can go over 140mph, but I'm not going to go that fast. Maybe in a few years I will be comfortable and skilled enough to go over 80-90 mph, but right now, I know that my skill level is not consistent with that speed.

go slow and have fun.

 

[Botch]

Craig, thanks for the head's-up about the frame sliders. I didn't know about them before, ordered a set after work today. They won't be here for a week, and I couldn't resist trying some things out tonight. Practiced starts and stops in the driveway a bit, until the engine started to overheat; got into the street and didn't have too much problem with shifting, got into 3rd (25 mph speed limit), then got to the first stop sign, kept stalling it out. Then figured out that shifting back into first makes takeoffs much easier, d'Oh!
Didn't even get to the parking lot to practice, I'd decided that was enough for the first time, came home uneventfully, and I'm calmed down now, and pretty happy.
Thanks again all of you for your assistance, this is going to be fun! :thu:

 

[re-pete]

If you've never even owned a dirt bike? bad idea to try to teach yourself. Medical ins. paid up?

 

[sportrider]

good job you survived day one!!! take it slow and easy( it sounds like you are) avoid riding in traffic you don't need any distractions, I would recommend taking the MSF coarse, it will teach you the basics. a friend of mine took the coarse and now he knows how to turn!!! big differance riding with him before and after. keep us posted on your progress!!!

good luck & have fun!!!!:Sport:

 

[re-pete]

I'll tell you what a good buddy of mine told me when i bought my first street bike and it still rattles around in my brain when I'm about to do some stupid riding. "everything out there is out to kill you." Keep that in the back of your brain.
I've been riding sport motorcyles for 23years and haven't hit the pavement yet. Scared myself ****less a bunch of times.