fz6xlr8r
Senior Member
I went to the local KTM shop yesterday just to have something to do and I wanted to see if they had a "Super Duke" just to see how the FZ6 stacks up to it. Got there, they had one and they pulled it out for me.( Very friendly folks by the way.)
The "Super Duke" was smaller than I expected. Compared to the FZ6 it seems taller but more compact. The FZ6 seems low and long compared to the SD. The fork rake is very steep making the handlebars feel like they are over the center of the wheel insted of slightly behind it like on the FZ6. The seat hight on the KTM was quite a bit higher than the FZ6. I'm 6ft. tall and my heels were at least 3 in. off the ground. Setting flat on the seat only the ball of my feet could touch on the SD as opposed to compleatly flat footed with room to spear on the FZ6. The seat hight on the SD was not so bad that I felt uncomfortable but I think it would take some getting use to. Once on the SD the riding position is very similar to the FZ6. The speedo and tach were very small and for me seemed to be difficult to read but I guess I'm use to our excellent instrument cluster on the FZ6. In person the SD actualy looks pretty good but I have been accused more than once for having bad taste. It kind of has a sharper, meaner, tuffer Buell feel about it, with it's V-Twin and steep fork rake. I liked it. I didn't take it for a ride because I don't intend on buying one any time soon and besides, I don't think they would let me take a "Joy Ride" on it anyway.
Overall the "Super Duke" looks to be just what it is intended to be. A stright up "Hooligan" bike in a unique package. I'll put it like this, I wouldn't kick it out of the garage but with a $13,000 price tag it won't be getting in there anyway for a long time.(I'd get an R1 first.)
The "Super Duke" was smaller than I expected. Compared to the FZ6 it seems taller but more compact. The FZ6 seems low and long compared to the SD. The fork rake is very steep making the handlebars feel like they are over the center of the wheel insted of slightly behind it like on the FZ6. The seat hight on the KTM was quite a bit higher than the FZ6. I'm 6ft. tall and my heels were at least 3 in. off the ground. Setting flat on the seat only the ball of my feet could touch on the SD as opposed to compleatly flat footed with room to spear on the FZ6. The seat hight on the SD was not so bad that I felt uncomfortable but I think it would take some getting use to. Once on the SD the riding position is very similar to the FZ6. The speedo and tach were very small and for me seemed to be difficult to read but I guess I'm use to our excellent instrument cluster on the FZ6. In person the SD actualy looks pretty good but I have been accused more than once for having bad taste. It kind of has a sharper, meaner, tuffer Buell feel about it, with it's V-Twin and steep fork rake. I liked it. I didn't take it for a ride because I don't intend on buying one any time soon and besides, I don't think they would let me take a "Joy Ride" on it anyway.
Overall the "Super Duke" looks to be just what it is intended to be. A stright up "Hooligan" bike in a unique package. I'll put it like this, I wouldn't kick it out of the garage but with a $13,000 price tag it won't be getting in there anyway for a long time.(I'd get an R1 first.)
