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Thinking about a new touring oriented bike
bigborer
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Damn this MPG is always confusing. Even worse with UK MPG being different...
The US MPG to l/100km table translates your MPG to 6,2-6,7 l/100km.
My (naked) FZ6 (before the rebuild) ate between 4,5 (no highway, gradual acceleration) to 5,7 l/100km (tons of overtaking, or 160 km/h - 100mph highway cruising), and that's for 2 up. That's 41-52 MPG for US guys. That meant about 250 to 300 km per tank, without zero risk getting stranded (at least 3l remaining). After some close ones, I try my best to have at least 40km/25 miles before dry. The Leo Vince exhaust might have also helped with 5% or so better mileage.
By your said mileage, ~25% worse than my FZ6, I'd get around 185 to 225 km range (w/o using the reserve) on the FZ1 stock tank. With a mod such as this http://supertenere1200.com/2012/03/17/super-tenere-enhanced-and-enlarged/ I'd get about 5 more liters, bringing the range back to what the FZ6 does stock.
The FZ8, according to the reviewers, takes about 1l/100km less than the FZ1. Noting that it would also have an aerodynamic advantage vs my nude FZ6, it should average between the same as the FZ6 to 10% less. However it also has 2l less tank capacity, so that'd result in 220 to 260km- barely qualifying for my minimum acceptable range. Modded it'd get 10-15% better than the FZ6.
The FJR likely benefits from the large fairings and lower revs.
The US MPG to l/100km table translates your MPG to 6,2-6,7 l/100km.
My (naked) FZ6 (before the rebuild) ate between 4,5 (no highway, gradual acceleration) to 5,7 l/100km (tons of overtaking, or 160 km/h - 100mph highway cruising), and that's for 2 up. That's 41-52 MPG for US guys. That meant about 250 to 300 km per tank, without zero risk getting stranded (at least 3l remaining). After some close ones, I try my best to have at least 40km/25 miles before dry. The Leo Vince exhaust might have also helped with 5% or so better mileage.
By your said mileage, ~25% worse than my FZ6, I'd get around 185 to 225 km range (w/o using the reserve) on the FZ1 stock tank. With a mod such as this http://supertenere1200.com/2012/03/17/super-tenere-enhanced-and-enlarged/ I'd get about 5 more liters, bringing the range back to what the FZ6 does stock.
The FZ8, according to the reviewers, takes about 1l/100km less than the FZ1. Noting that it would also have an aerodynamic advantage vs my nude FZ6, it should average between the same as the FZ6 to 10% less. However it also has 2l less tank capacity, so that'd result in 220 to 260km- barely qualifying for my minimum acceptable range. Modded it'd get 10-15% better than the FZ6.
The FJR likely benefits from the large fairings and lower revs.
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bigborer
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Today, the cheapest non-ex-police/paramedic FJR (and still of VERY questionable condition/mileage, with zero work history) I could get is 4k€. That is a bit under 5000USD, for a 14-15Y old motorcycle that will need at least new tires, full fork rebuild, chain kit, rear shock, filters+engine oil+final gear oil+plugs, valve check/adjustment, cooling fluid, new steering bearings, swingarm greasing and very possibly new timing chain/guide/tensioner, brake pads, brake lines. Not worth it. And if I decide to sell it 2 months later, I'd lose at least 1500€.
Another model I've discovered (here it's still winter- took me 30min today to defrost my car) is the ER6-F (Ninja 650r). An (allegedly) recently serviced one is around 2200-2500€. It is much poorer in top power, but 5k to 9k, where I stay 95% while 2up riding, seems to be ~15% over a stock FZ6 (more likely 5-8% over mine, with the Leo Vince exhaust), fuel range is similar. I did ride an ER6n rental in the past for a couple hours and wasn't too impressed, but it was lowered and had horrible no-name rubber. The suspension is crap (not even front preload adj), but for ~400€ I could get a new bitubo cartridge kit (only preload adj, but they factory set it considering your weight and riding type). Have found one locally for a good price, and will try to get a test ride as soon as the snow clears (that should be next week). Main thing it'd lack though is those 2nd gear 10000rpm WOT overtaking I sometimes do with the fz6 (which I'd "demote" to mainly solo riding), but should I decide to buy one and not like it, it wouldn't a big loss to resell it.
Another model I've discovered (here it's still winter- took me 30min today to defrost my car) is the ER6-F (Ninja 650r). An (allegedly) recently serviced one is around 2200-2500€. It is much poorer in top power, but 5k to 9k, where I stay 95% while 2up riding, seems to be ~15% over a stock FZ6 (more likely 5-8% over mine, with the Leo Vince exhaust), fuel range is similar. I did ride an ER6n rental in the past for a couple hours and wasn't too impressed, but it was lowered and had horrible no-name rubber. The suspension is crap (not even front preload adj), but for ~400€ I could get a new bitubo cartridge kit (only preload adj, but they factory set it considering your weight and riding type). Have found one locally for a good price, and will try to get a test ride as soon as the snow clears (that should be next week). Main thing it'd lack though is those 2nd gear 10000rpm WOT overtaking I sometimes do with the fz6 (which I'd "demote" to mainly solo riding), but should I decide to buy one and not like it, it wouldn't a big loss to resell it.
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If you're at the point of considering an ER6, then you are also at the point of giving consideration to fixing your FZ6 and putting the kit on it to make it a proper touring bike. It wouldn't take much really; bags, taller windscreen, suspension work, gel seat, power connections for heated gear - you'd have a much nicer bike then a ER6.
You didn't say in your first post, but what is the condition of your FZ6? How many miles are on it? What is the mechanical problem?
You didn't say in your first post, but what is the condition of your FZ6? How many miles are on it? What is the mechanical problem?
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bigborer
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You are correct, I am also (re)considering converting the FZ6 to touring- only thing it'd need is the fairings and tall windscreen , otherwise it's got the R6 forks and brakes installed, + already got a pair of hard givi cases. No need for gel anything, after cycling any decent road bicycle for 1-2h at a time at least semi-regularly, you could sit all day long on a wooden saddle and not care. And after I fully fix it, it'll get some givi monokey racks and a yss shock or similar, regardless. Keep in mind that mine is the naked version, had I had the "fazer" version (which IMO is the ugliest half-fairing ever, but I'd get over it), it'd have just paid 100€ for a taller touring screen and called it a day.
BUT- then I'd need another naked bike. There's no way I'd willingly ride anything with fairings around town during the summer. Last week I almost got a 2006 650 Pegaso Strada- same as Yamaha Xt660X but with better suspension, better brakes, lighter wheels- in (apparently) good condition for very cheap, but the day before meeting the seller said he'd sold it in the mean while. So unless I find a great offer for a naked or SM style bike in decent shape to take over town duties, it's just not worth the trouble/cost to buy another naked and then convert the FZ6 to touring. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to just have another (different category) bike in the stable, especially if it could be resold with little to no loss. For each bike tax is around 10$/year and the mandatory 3rd party insurance is around 10-12$/month, so owning another bike wouldn't drive me broke.
My fz6 is currently with the engine torn apart, 80% paint stripped, waiting for better weather to complete the stripping, paint it, and rebuild it (already got the parts). It also needs a few minor thing, such as steering bearings (got the parts), but nothing too significant.
BUT- then I'd need another naked bike. There's no way I'd willingly ride anything with fairings around town during the summer. Last week I almost got a 2006 650 Pegaso Strada- same as Yamaha Xt660X but with better suspension, better brakes, lighter wheels- in (apparently) good condition for very cheap, but the day before meeting the seller said he'd sold it in the mean while. So unless I find a great offer for a naked or SM style bike in decent shape to take over town duties, it's just not worth the trouble/cost to buy another naked and then convert the FZ6 to touring. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to just have another (different category) bike in the stable, especially if it could be resold with little to no loss. For each bike tax is around 10$/year and the mandatory 3rd party insurance is around 10-12$/month, so owning another bike wouldn't drive me broke.
My fz6 is currently with the engine torn apart, 80% paint stripped, waiting for better weather to complete the stripping, paint it, and rebuild it (already got the parts). It also needs a few minor thing, such as steering bearings (got the parts), but nothing too significant.
bigborer
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There are some bikes that have maintenance records, and/or at least the seller can prove what they did to it in the last 1-2 years, and there are other where they can only say "yeah man it's fully serviced, no need to spend 1 cent on it" -> "well, what did you do to it?" -> "the oil and all that man, it's fully sorted trust me".
Yes, the FJR has no chain, dropped that out of habit
The FJR will go 200000 miles IF serviced as required. Not if it's only seen new oil every 3 years, and then only the cheapest possible, not if it's made out of 3 separate totaled bikes, not if it's ex-police turned virgin by swapping/repairing fairings, and so on.
I'm not comparing a 650 ninja to a FJR as if they were direct competitors, but by how much they answer to "what bike could I get locally, that offers some wind protection, similar 2up performance to the fz6, won't require a full rebuild, is at least relatively light, and costs around or under 4000€?". If there was any DECENT fjr1300 apart from the 2010-2012 ones costing 9000€ and more, I'd likely get it tomorrow. But to get one at unknown mileage and history for 4000€, spend at least 1500€ + quite some time to do all possible maintenance on it, it's just not worth it. I don't know what the prices are in the USA, but likely you wouldn't pay close to 7000USD or more for a 14y old FJR with unknown history + the maintenance parts.
