Might be getting me an FZ6

[DesertRider]

Hey everybody, awesome site you have here! I am ready to get another street bike and I really like the looks and reviews of the FZ6. A little about me. I've owned 9 street bikes and 3 dirt bikes and been riding since 1973. My last street bike was a classic 1981 XS1100 (pic attached) Yamaha and before that I rode a 2001 FZ1. I like that the FZ6 is fairly lightweight, powerful enough and seems to be comfortable based on the many reviews I have read. Mostly I like to go for 200-300 mile day rides. Lots of straights with a few curves for fun. Not lots of twistie roads in southern New Mexico I am going to look at several FZ6's for sale in the next week. Two of them are 2009's and one is an '08. All have less than 10K miles. Everything I read says that FZ6's are well built with good performance so I am pretty sure it is going to be the next bike for me. If anyone has any helpful info to share with me I would love to read it. Thanks everyone and enjoy the ride!:thumbup:

In the Garage:
2003 Kawasaki KDX200

Used to have:
1981 Yamaha XS1100
2001 Yamaha FZ1
1987 Kawasaki ZL1000
1986 Honda CR250
1974 Suzuki GT750
1986 Kawasaki KDX200
1984 HD XLX61
1975 Kawasaki KH400
1979 Honda CB750F
1974 Kawasaki 500 Mach III
1970 Suzuki TC90

 

[ChanceCoats123]

First things first, welcome to the forums!

That said, what did you think of the FZ1? The wind protection and and seating position should be similar, but you'll be noticeably down on power. That said, you'll probably welcome the fuel injection on the FZ6, it seems you've had many bikes, but mostly a bit older. I think you'll very much like the FZ.

 

[WatchThisPlay]

Welcome to the forum! I do 200+ mile rides often on my bike with no problems. You'll enjoy the FZ6:rockon:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Welcome to the forum and nice Intro! You can't go wrong with the FZ6, it's the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles. Does everything. Probably the best feature I like about the bike is the large fuel capacity, over 5 gallons which allows you to go well over 200 miles on a tank, sometimes close to 300.

 

[raja777m]

Welcome to the forum and nice Intro! You can't go wrong with the FZ6, it's the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles. Does everything. Probably the best feature I like about the bike is the large fuel capacity, over 5 gallons which allows you to go well over 200 miles on a tank, sometimes close to 300.

200+ miles on a full tank?
I never crossed 200 I guess..! I have to stop riding crazy and make some performance mods.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

200+ miles on a full tank?
I never crossed 200 I guess..! I have to stop riding crazy and make some performance mods.

45MPG x 5.13 gallons = 225+ miles (per tank). Highway miles may be a little more

And welcome to the forum DR!!

 

[raja777m]

45MPG x 5.13 gallons = 225+ miles (per tank). Highway miles may be a little more

And welcome to the forum DR!!

I reached 222 miles only once, that too because I rode less than 80 mph, all interstate miles; rest of them less than 200 miles.
Sorry to hack this thread, as I mentioned in another thread, I don't fill more than 4.5 gallons even after 25 miles in F-trip.

 

[raja777m]

btw, this is a damn good vehicle, just get used to a bit harder gear shifting or get good oil.
I forgot which one, but I can always come to this website when I buy one.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I reached 222 miles only once, that too because I rode less than 80 mph, all interstate miles; rest of them less than 200 miles.
Sorry to hack this thread, as I mentioned in another thread, I don't fill more than 4.5 gallons even after 25 miles in F-trip.

I won't run it under 1/4 tank and the bikes usually just run in town. I'm pretty easy on the throttle a good part of the time..

A good oil, makes BIG DIFFERENCE in the transmission shifting, less clunking. Mine shifts smooth as butter, with the idle at 1,100, shifter clunk is about nill(especially if I hold the clutch in for 5 seconds or so before shifting from neutral).

 

[DesertRider]

Thanks for the welcome everyone! What did I think of my FZ1? I bought it brand new in 2001 and thought it was a great bike. The engine had big power for me. Even accelerating from 80 to 135 it pulled very strong. Brakes were awesome with great power and awesome control. I could do the nicest controlled stoppies on that bike and I don't think I'm anything special as a rider. Wind protection was good and the riders triangle position worked even at triple digit speeds. But around town the suspension was too firm for me. That and the mondo motor being overkill on city streets made the FZ1 mostly a weekend fun bike for me. But yeah I did like my FZ1 and am hoping that the FZ6 has some of that same FZ magic only in a lighter easier to ride bike. Oh, and I don't recall ever even seeing 50mpg on my FZ1. I read consistently of people getting over 50mpg on their FZ6's. Seems like FZ6 riders get the bonus of really great mileage on a very sporty bike as well.

 

[ACME_Rocket]

First of all:welcome:
FZ6 is a great bike and just enogh like the FZ1 to make you happy

One thing I have to mention is how rev happy a 600 sport bikes is. Looking at you list of past bikes this is all I thought about an was surprise no one mentioned it. 600 are real dogs below 8K RPMs and pull like a bat out of hell from 8K till 14K redline. You will not be disappointing with the power and speed of a FZ6 when the revs are high. However you will need to down shift a lot more than you are use to.

I also have to add my dad had a 76 Honda CB750F and after test riding my bike his only comment was he was surprise how fast modern 600 are.:rockon:

 

[Andz]

1974 Kawasaki 500 Mach III

Respect for surviving riding that beast!

 

[JayyVee]

Welcome aboard OP - you just found 'the best' forum for FZ6 riders and one of the most helpful/friendly forum groups I've ever stumbled into.

You are gonna have fun with this bike..

 

[DesertRider]

Well, I am set up to see the first FZ6 tomorrow. It's a "one owner" 2009 with less than 3,000 miles. The owner says that the bike was purchased new two years ago. I know about the problems you can have with old fuel just sitting in carburetors but I have not owned a fuel injected bike yet. Obviously I am going to do a good road test to see how well the bike runs but how concerned should I be with old fuel sitting in a fuel injection system?


...And thanks Andz for the props on my Kawi H1 500. I got that bike when I was 16 and learned a lot with it. It had Denco expansion chambers, K&N pods, Koni shocks, aluminum rims and clubman bars when I was done with it. I got the tank slappers dialed out of it but it would still wiggle a little on sweeping turns over 100mph.

 

[beatle]

Well, I am set up to see the first FZ6 tomorrow. It's a "one owner" 2009 with less than 3,000 miles. The owner says that the bike was purchased new two years ago. I know about the problems you can have with old fuel just sitting in carburetors but I have not owned a fuel injected bike yet. Obviously I am going to do a good road test to see how well the bike runs but how concerned should I be with old fuel sitting in a fuel injection system?

How long has the fuel been in it? You said it was purchased 2 years ago, but how old is the fuel? Some people put Stabil in the tank before they winterize it. I'm lazy and haven't done that, but the bike still fires up like a champ in the spring, 5 months later.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Agreed on how long the fuels been in there.

Even worse, if the tank was left partially full, it'll rust inside and cause issues down the road.

The FI, unlike a carbed bike, won't generally varnish up like a float bowl / jets in a carb.


BTW, my brother had that 500 Kaw way back.

I recently read the HP #'s on the Kaw. It was a beast for its day, but talking HP, its about HALF of the FZ6 as I re-call reading..

58 HP @7750 RPM's; 1974 Kawasaki 500 H 1 Mach III specifications and pictures

Once you get ver 8,000 RPM's on your test ride, hang on...