New guy here, looking for advice!

RuskiMotorcycle

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Hey All,

I just picked up a 2007 FZ6 about a month ago, and I'm looking for some guidance on how to be a responsible owner. Just as a heads up, this is my first time on a Yamaha or an FZ6, so I'm coming with relatively little prior knowledge of these machines.

My History-
I started riding in Spring of 2015, all the way through roughly November of 2015, after which I had to put my '06 Vulcan 500 away. I lived in New England at the time, but I've since moved to Texas, so the Vulcan stayed and is up for sale while I found the FZ6 down here. I'm licensed through the safety course up in MA, I've had two falls (both at slow speeds, one due to being on it for a month, the other due to wet leaves on a night ride), and this FZ6 is my first sports bike.

Bike's History-
I first looked at a blue FZ6, but it the kid who owned it clearly beat the living daylight out of it. He didn't have any paper trail, any previous information, or any confidence in it's ability to ride, so I took a hard pass. I then looked at the one I ended up buying, and I was amazed. Initially, the $3K price tag for an '07 with 22K miles seemed a bit much. But after going over his paperwork and looking at it, I was impressed. The guy bought it at a dealership sub 2K miles, with a $2K maintenance contract. Even though it was 22K miles old, he road it very gently, maintenanced it every ~4K miles, and claimed he has only been caught out in the rain maybe 5 times. He's always garage-kept it and he literally polishes/cleans it after every ride. He seemed to be very OCD, because everything in his house and garage was neat, organized, and filed. Best part was, he gave me his files with the entire paper trail of everything ever done to it. I got the bike, a new Bell Revolver helmet, and a disk lock for $3K flat. It seems to have all original major parts.

Now-
I'm loving the bike, though it seems to be almost too fast (probably compared to my Vulcan). I want to proceed cautiously to make sure I keep it near to what this guy kept it at. I have a significantly tighter budget and low motorcycle maintenance know-how, so any and all advice, pointers, or resources are appreciated. The first few things on the list-

-I'm about 5'6, and the FZ6 feels just a tad bit too tall, especially with a passenger. Both of my tippy-toes can reach, but I'm significantly more comfortable with flat feet, especially for stopping and backing-up purposes. Any suggestions on lowering links i.e. brands, shop vs. myself, things to keep in mind, etc.

-Back tire/brake is worrying me a little. I've locked up my rear twice now which is kinda scary. I feel like the rear tire slips slightly on aggressive cornering or tight turns, which is killing my confidence on aggressive riding. Tires are Pilot Road 2's with a healthy amount of tread, and no rot. Could this be an alignment issue, or something to do with the calipers?

-General maintenance. I just got it inspected, and it's good to go. Last logged work was a new battery at 17K, and oil, coolant, air filter, clean/lube/adjusted drive chain, everything market checked out in good shape (tires, brakes, rims) at 20.6K miles (less than 2K miles ago).

What should I keep my eyes out for on an older FZ6? What can I do myself?

I know this is a lot, but I'm really eager to learn, I just need some guidance in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

-Denis
 

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TownsendsFJR1300

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Welcome to the forum Denis and buying the best year!!!

The FZ is very tame under 5-6,000 RPM. Wind it up and its a different machine...

The engine is barley broke in and you'll find the engine about bullet proof.

Things you can do, regular maintenance include lubing the clutch cable and adjust it to spec's (makes a pretty big difference when riding vs dry).

Same with the drive chain. Keep it clean and adjust it per the OWNERS MANUAL. The FZ likes the chain on the loose side (see your owners manual) and many a shop has OVER TIGHTENED it, so be aware of it.

Re cornering, its not like your Vulcan, it will lean much farther and deeper than your last bike. Take it easy and practice in an area that's safe, dry, no sand, etc. There's no hurry and a tip over isn't like the Vulcan.. You fall over, the plastic, etc is NOT cheap.

Others will chime in, do a search on the forum, there's plenty of information here and nothing hasn't been covered...
 
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FinalImpact

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Welcome...
You might look at the actual date on those tires. I think its ####, first two digits represent calendar week and next two the calendar year.
1214 being end of March 2014.

As for the ride height; look through the slot on the bikes left side to the rear coil over shock. You can use the oem tool kit to change the preload and lower it if its set to a higher # (# stamped on shock, look close). So, if you are under 170 or so, rotate around to #3 or and try that. It will BANG when if goes from Max preload to minimum preload.
Its all in the OEM manual, so read that. But there are lowering links available to effectively lower the back (search for lowering link). The front can be done by sliding the stanchion tubes through the triple clamps. The goal being lowering both ends equally otherwise it can become unstable.

Do some reading and ask questions... Be safe!
 
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TownsendsFJR1300

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Another option re the ride height is to lower / modify the seat.

This company does an EXCELLENT work and can modify your seat to your liking. It'll take you longer to ship than for the modification(one day usually turnaround). I had mine done (just a little softer to keep the vib's out of the seat). You can't tell its been apart..

Spencers: Page 1


What's also good about this, your not changing the geometry of the bike, not shortening your kick stand, making the center stand harder to use (the bikes lower), loosing some lean angle.

Something to consider.

Here's my seat modded (just softened, the shape is stock) from Spencers:

 

beatle

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As for the rear brake, use it less. You can achieve very good stopping distances using just the front brake on a sportbike like the FZ6. It'll be different than your Vulcan with a smaller rear brake and more weight over the rear tire. The one time I went down was due to inexperience using the rear brake in a panic stop. I learned to use it via MSF, but I was not good with it. Locked the rear, slid, then was tossed off the bike. I had no faith in the front being able to stop the bike so well on its own.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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As for the rear brake, use it less. You can achieve very good stopping distances using just the front brake on a sportbike like the FZ6. It'll be different than your Vulcan with a smaller rear brake and more weight over the rear tire. The one time I went down was due to inexperience using the rear brake in a panic stop. I learned to use it via MSF, but I was not good with it. Locked the rear, slid, then was tossed off the bike. I had no faith in the front being able to stop the bike so well on its own.

IME, you should be using both, sometimes differently according to conditions.

IE, should you enter a corner with sand in the middle of the road, you DO NOT WANT to stand on the front brakes, you guarantee yourself going down.
Should a car pull out in front of you, that extra couple of feet of stopping power may save your butt..

As an FYI, years ago,I was assigned to the motorcycle traffic unit (local PD). In the advanced motorcycle course, on a full dressed Harley, part of the course was to go for a ride (out in the middle of no where), get to about 40 MPH, ride into the grass median and LOCK UP THE REAR BRAKE ONLY. There were NO issues and keeping the bike on two wheels with slippery conditions and the REAR BRAKE SHOULD be relied heavily on.

Practice (as noted above), you really don't want to NOT use all the performance the bike the bike is capable of...
 

ltdillard

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Welcome to Texas, and to the FZ6.

I have a red 07 also; had a blue 04 prior to this one. On that previous bike, leaning it was like a two-stage process. The rear tire had flattened a bit due to wear, so there was almost a corner in its profile. It too still had a lot of tread left, but the profile was not round/smooth. So you might take a look at that. After replacing that tire it was a much smoother bike to lean into corners.
Tom
 

linus

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Welcome Denis! :welcome:

I too have the very same year and color as your bike. One thing I noticed or maybe cannot see to clearly in the pic is that you don't have frame sliders. As other members have pointed out above, a crash can get expensive even if it is a slow speed crash. I would look into investing in a set.

Congrats on taking the smart way to obtaining your MC licence, the MSF courses are fantastic and will keep you alive! I take it you took the beginner course. There are two more levels available which I highly recommend especially for a beginner. You will learn more control in different situations. Practice practice practice and you will get better. Take some of the exercises you learnt in the safety course and practice those. Find a large empty parking lot and use cones or chalk to mark the course. http://www.gwrra.org/regional/ridered/PLP%20Program/GWRRAMotorcyclePLPFacilitator'sManual_4_08.pdf


Yes you will get better the more you ride but you will also repeat the bad habits too. Find a mature riding group in your area and ride with them regularly. Ask questions and solicit feedback on your riding. You are not in this alone, many have come before you and have taken the same journey you about to embark on.

For me, my quest to be safe and improve on my riding skills took me to Google. Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code DVD (youtube as well) is excellent for beginners to understand the dynamics of cornering and why you wont fall of your bike at reasonable speeds. Understanding this I felt confident in my riding and cornering. I found local roads to ride on and practiced. Then I took a track day. Oh my! That improved my riding a whole lot.

I very rarely use my rear brake except for wet conditions and gravel. Most of your stopping power comes from the front. I'm not advocating only using the front brakes but knowing this will help you rely more on the front and prevent locking the rear. Brake before the corner not in it as the bike will stand up or the rear will lock out. Do regular tire pressure checks as well.

As for maintenance do check the owners manual for the schedule. Regular oil changes and oil filter changes are crucial, as this is the life blood on the bike.
https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorsports/owners-manuals

Have fun, be safe!
 

FinalImpact

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As for the rear brake, use it less. You can achieve very good stopping distances using just the front brake on a sportbike like the FZ6. It'll be different than your Vulcan with a smaller rear brake and more weight over the rear tire. The one time I went down was due to inexperience using the rear brake in a panic stop. I learned to use it via MSF, but I was not good with it. Locked the rear, slid, then was tossed off the bike. I had no faith in the front being able to stop the bike so well on its own.


In addition; the OEM lever angles are not right for most of us. On the top; loosen the clamps and rotate the levers so you form a straight line from your shoulders rotator cuff to the top of your hand. i.e. point your fingers out straight and drop the levers so your shoulder, forearm, and hand are straight as your fingers rest on the levers (clutch & brake). Tighten the perch bolts when done.

For comfort and proper fit I also rotated the foot brake to lower it. Remove the pinch bolt and remove the lever, drop it to fit you as needed. Tighten pinch bolt. This can help reduce applied pressure so you have to purposely reach and push on the brake thus reducing the effort to lock the rear.

NEXT IS PRACTICE! Practice as often as you can to train your muscles so they instinctively know WHAT to do or what NOT to do in this case!

I also adjusted the shift lever down but there are limits before hitting the frame where the lever operates the rod to the transmission. Make sure when pushing down that your adjustments to the rods length allow complete lever travel w/out hitting the frame; keep in mind the assembly moves as its rubber mounted and placing your weight on the pegs can influence your final adjustment.

Make the bike fit you and go practice stopping and control inputs in a safe area!
 

linus

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In addition; the OEM lever angles are not right for most of us. On the top; loosen the clamps and rotate the levers so you form a straight line from your shoulders rotator cuff to the top of your hand. i.e. point your fingers out straight and drop the levers so your shoulder, forearm, and hand are straight as your fingers rest on the levers (clutch & brake). Tighten the perch bolts when done.

Thanks for this I need to get this done soon. Proper bike fitting = less fatigue :mikebike:
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Exactly, but if you're locking a wheel, you're using that brake too much.

Agreed 100% for regular street riding.

If your referring to my earlier post re locking up the full dressed Harley REAR WHEEL in the grass median, it was an exercise / LEARNING tool.

YES, you very well can lock up your rear wheel, unintentionally and stay up. As with anything, it takes some practice and just the knowledge that uh oh, THE REAR brakes locked, "up we're going down", DOES NOT have to be the outcome and very often can be avoided....

That exercise was before ABS were on Harleys and the rear tire WAS FULLY LOCKED UP. A little body English, piece of cake..

Not having ABS on the US version FZ bikes, (and my old FJR,) you should be familiar with how far you can push the rear brakes(and fronts for that matter) W/O them locking up. This includes pumping them (like in the old days of cars W/O ABS).

Practicing, knowing what your bike will handle and making it instinct, is the key to using your brakes to 100% of their effectiveness...
 
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Monica A

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IME, you should be using both, sometimes differently according to conditions.

IE, should you enter a corner with sand in the middle of the road, you DO NOT WANT to stand on the front brakes, you guarantee yourself going down.
Should a car pull out in front of you, that extra couple of feet of stopping power may save your butt..

As an FYI, years ago,I was assigned to the motorcycle traffic unit (local PD). In the advanced motorcycle course, on a full dressed Harley, part of the course was to go for a ride (out in the middle of no where), get to about 40 MPH, ride into the grass median and LOCK UP THE REAR BRAKE ONLY. There were NO issues and keeping the bike on two wheels with slippery conditions and the REAR BRAKE SHOULD be relied heavily on.

Practice (as noted above), you really don't want to NOT use all the performance the bike the bike is capable of...

Thanks for the info. I rarely use my rear brake. Both my bikes now have ABS. I wonder if what you described still applies? I usually only use the rear brake when I am stopping at stoplight (in a straight line) or for a quick stop due to a left-turner & need a little extra braking power.
 

Monica A

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:welcome: Denis,

I had a blue 07. I loved it. You've gotten some good advice so far. I have a great book to recommend to help with cornering techniques & general riding advice (forgive me, I am teacher). My Hubby, son & I reread it every off season (winter for us sucks). It is called "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough. Great pictures and diagrams with entertaining stories to explain a variety of problems and how to avoid them. If it was written for women it would be called "Safe Motorcycling" but men wouldn't read a book with the title. lol This will be my son's & my 5th season riding street. My hubby has been riding street for around 30 years. We all learn new riding techniques each time we read it. Keith Codes book "Total Control" is good too. I would recommend Proficient Motorcycling first. Good beginner book.

Safe travels and remember... ATGATT (all the gear, all the time). Last summer my 20 year old son had an unexpected off in a 15 mph corner (going 40+ mph) and barely had a scratch because he had a full face helmet & full leather suit on. Contusions on both knees from hitting handlebars when separating from the bike. Only injury. Oh, did I mention all this happened right in front of me. Lucky mom was riding sweep. NOT! Paid me back for the time I came off the dirt bike when riding in front of him. lol I wasn't injured at all - landed head first into gravel ditch on side of the trail. Got back on and rode another 60 miles. He didn't ride away. Bike was messed up. $2K of his own money & bike is on the street again.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Thanks for the info. I rarely use my rear brake. Both my bikes now have ABS. I wonder if what you described still applies? I usually only use the rear brake when I am stopping at stoplight (in a straight line) or for a quick stop due to a left-turner & need a little extra braking power.

The ABS will keep the wheel from locking up, actually applying ,letting up and re-applying pressure to the brake, JUST shy of lock up. You can try it in your car (with no one around) and feel the ABS kick in and pulsate.

SOME bikes have linked brakes (with ABS-fronts LINKED to the rear hydraulically), Goldwing, newer FJR's, etc. For the FJR, when you apply the rear brake hard, ONE PISTON in the front brakes automatically apply. So you are getting some extra braking in the front, but no where's near 100%. (One piston out of eight) .

IDK how your brake set up is but likely similar.

I've learned in 41 years of street riding to use both front and rear brakes (again depending on the situation, one more than another if needed) and make it habit..

With it being "habit", in an emergency situation, your going to AUTOMATICALLY grab both brakes (the ABS will help keep you up) but you'll knock off several feet of stopping distance.

*About 2 years ago, I had an emergency stop, (doing maybe 35 MPH) when a guy turned left in front of me (divided roar, NO other traffic, etc). I grabbed both brakes and stopped literally about 6" from his fender as he sat there stunned (head up a$$). Had I used one brake alone, NO WAY, would I have dodged that crash. It was dry, no sand so staying upright wasn't an issue..
 
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dschult2

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Welcome to the forum! I was once like you a new rider on an FZ6 (have since moved up to the FZ1). I'm 5'7" here and as far as rider height you get used to it. Height doesn't matter once your moving, just ask the guys in MotoGP, they're all short. I would suggest you ride it awhile before you think about lowering which messes with the geometry of the bike and is something I never liked to do. Two things which have been suggested is to lower your preload and get your seat lowered by Spencer. That should give you close to an inch there and make you feel more comfortable. I feel you with the backing up. It wasn't so much a problem on the FZ6 but was a pain on the FZ1 which sits a bit higher. One thing I found that helped with backing up is to position your calves in front of the foot pegs and use those to get more leverage. If you feel it's still a problem then you can also look at different rearsets which you can move back and that will allow you to put your legs straight down instead of out a bit to clear the pegs. As far as the cornering more than likely it just in your mind but I really don't want to tell you to push it in case there actually is something wrong. Just remember that these bikes will lean a lot further than you think and there is a reason the pegs have feelers on them as there have been more than a few people that have scraped theirs flat. I think your cornering will be just fine with a little practice. I've found that it takes about 1000 miles on a bike to really feel comfortable on it. As far as my brakes I really don't use the rear that much unless its a straight line stop or I'm riding 2 up to keep the nose from diving. I hope you don't take offense to this but if your locking the rear that much you might not be paying enough attention to your surroundings and being prepared to brake or slow down when you need to. There's a ton of engine braking on this bike. But if that's not the case just a little practice in an empty parking lot can fix that as well. Most importantly have fun and be safe! You'll love the bike!
 
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FinalImpact

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I guess everyone has their own thing... I use both brakes as it settles the suspension evenly for corner entry but thats a whole new topic.
I'm a firm believer in knowing the limits of man and machine as you never know when you might need those abilities to get out of harms way!

Have you noticed; are those tires squared off? Even with good date codes they could be part of your corner transition issues if they are squared off....
 

Monica A

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The ABS will keep the wheel from locking up, actually applying ,letting up and re-applying pressure to the brake, JUST shy of lock up. You can try it in your car (with no one around) and feel the ABS kick in and pulsate.

SOME bikes have linked brakes (with ABS-fronts LINKED to the rear hydraulically), Goldwing, newer FJR's, etc. For the FJR, when you apply the rear brake hard, ONE PISTON in the front brakes automatically apply. So you are getting some extra braking in the front, but no where's near 100%. (One piston out of eight) .

IDK how your brake set up is but likely similar.

I've learned in 41 years of street riding to use both front and rear brakes (again depending on the situation, one more than another if needed) and make it habit..

With it being "habit", in an emergency situation, your going to AUTOMATICALLY grab both brakes (the ABS will help keep you up) but you'll knock off several feet of stopping distance.

*About 2 years ago, I had an emergency stop, (doing maybe 35 MPH) when a guy turned left in front of me (divided roar, NO other traffic, etc). I grabbed both brakes and stopped literally about 6" from his fender as he sat there stunned (head up a$$). Had I used one brake alone, NO WAY, would I have dodged that crash. It was dry, no sand so staying upright wasn't an issue..

I'm very familiar with ABS in the car. I live where we get ice & sand on the roads frequently in the winter. I wasn't sure if the bike ABS worked the same way or not. I've tried to get the ABS to work on my Sprint but I haven't able to. Straight line, a dead end country road with no one around except hubby way behind me. The bike still stopped pretty quick from 50mph with no problems. The brakes aren't linked on either one of my bikes. My hubby's Honda VFR800 doesn't have ABS, but it does have linked brakes. Luckily, I haven't had any panic situations, yet, on the road. I'm pretty good about looking ahead for hazards, but I know there will always be left-hand turners that are surprises, etc. We do practice at the beginning of each season panic stops and other necessary skills that are probably rusty after a long winter (boohoo) in a parking lot. Now that I think of it, I have had a couple of right turns that must have had a little sand or gravel, and when I accelerated onto the highway, the read tire stepped out a bit. I let off the throttle and the bike righted itself and I got back on it. Fun times. A bit of a panicy moment but everything was OK, so I guess it built my confidence more. Now that I think about it, Vegasrider was behind me the second time it happened. Hahahaha The day trip with 5 guys and me. hahahaha No hubby that time. He was on a weekend ride with our son, and I wasn't going to stay home when I could go riding too. :cheer:
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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The ABS works the same as a car.

If you try and lock up your rear wheel on the road with some sand on it, the ABS should kick in, the light come on and the brake NOT lock up.

Obviously, be extremely careful practicing (trying) this. A wet, slippery road would yield the same results..
 
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