Drennan57
Well-known member
Looking for opinions about this bike from other riders. What do you guys think about Yamaha's FZ6R?
Thanks
Thanks
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Your Opinions of the Yamaha FZ6R?
- Thread starter Drennan57
- Start date
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
Good all around sport touring bike. Doesn't have a ton of power but scoots along at 140 on the highways without issue.
Suspension is a bit soft, but it makes for a cushy ride.
Suspension is a bit soft, but it makes for a cushy ride.
BeastieGirl
Well-known member
I downsized from my FZ1 to an FZ6R last spring, for various reasons which really don't matter much, but having a lighter bike that I could get a reasonable amount of foot on the grould was definitely a factor.
The first month or so I thought it was horribly under-powered, especially on the highway. But that was coming from a much more powerful bike and now that I have gotten use to a heavier hand on the throttle and the higher revs, I really like this bike.
I did my first long-distance tour with this bike this summer to Sturgis, then on to Montana, Wyoming, Utah and coming back through Colorado. The bike really shone on the hairpins and switchbacks through the mountains - I had ridden a lot of the same mountain passes on my FZ1 and this was a lot more fun. No comparison with the power, can't lie about that, but in South Dakota the interstate speed limit is 80 mph and we had no problems at all. Still, sometimes I do miss the effortless power of the FZ1.
Also taking into account though I am not a big woman, the ergonomics on this bike might not be as friendly for a larger or even average size man.
The first month or so I thought it was horribly under-powered, especially on the highway. But that was coming from a much more powerful bike and now that I have gotten use to a heavier hand on the throttle and the higher revs, I really like this bike.
I did my first long-distance tour with this bike this summer to Sturgis, then on to Montana, Wyoming, Utah and coming back through Colorado. The bike really shone on the hairpins and switchbacks through the mountains - I had ridden a lot of the same mountain passes on my FZ1 and this was a lot more fun. No comparison with the power, can't lie about that, but in South Dakota the interstate speed limit is 80 mph and we had no problems at all. Still, sometimes I do miss the effortless power of the FZ1.
Also taking into account though I am not a big woman, the ergonomics on this bike might not be as friendly for a larger or even average size man.
Drennan57
Well-known member
Thanks for the write-up, enjoyed reading it.
This last part does worry me a little bit, i'm 6'1 205 so not the smallest of riders although the 6R didn't seem "small" in stature to me. It does sit quite low from what i've seen tho.
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My opinion of the FZ6R is that it's a cheaper built version of the FZ6, it just comes pre-wrapped in a gift box*
*Used examples may have already been unwrapped by previous owners
*Used examples may have already been unwrapped by previous owners
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
I'm 6', 215. Fit me fine. All you may need is a double bubble windshield to direct the airflow a little higher.
Oh, and good bar end weights - the handlebars are a bit buzzy at 110-120 km/h. People on the FZ6r forum I was on years ago were putting a +1 tooth front sprocket on to reduce the RPM a bit. The +1 also brings the speedometer to relatively accurate - it reads about 8% high with standard gearing.
Drennan57
Well-known member
Thanks for speaking up about this. One questions does this also effect mileage counting on the odometer?
Usually yes
Drennan57
Well-known member
If I were in the market and was looking at that I'd look for a used FZ6 (no 'R') instead.
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?149745-FZ6-vs-FZ6R
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?149745-FZ6-vs-FZ6R
Drennan57
Well-known member
Totally understand that but besides the name they were never designed to compete in the same class anyways, different target audiences completely.
The FZ6R is in the class of CBR500's and Ninja 650's etc, not 100+hp sport-touring mounts.
An the 07-09 FZ6 is probably my first choice over just about anything south of 750cc. Was my dream bike and probably still is
ifiddles
Well-known member
I absolutely love mine...bought it end of summer 2013 (a used 2010 with 8000 km on it) and I have since had it lowered, only because I'm vertically challenged and feel more comfortable flat footing at a stop...the bike is fast enough (over 200) on a straight away, and it's fun in the twisties...fiancé rides an FZ1 so it definitely doesn't have the same power as his (I believe the FZ6R has 75 hp) but even he has fun on it...he wouldn't ride it continuously only because he's close to 200 lbs but other than that, for a sport tourer, it's great...the only thing I don't like is it's top heaviness...but that's also because I'm very petite and only weigh 100 lbs...I love mine...
DECIMIS
Well-known member
Iceman
Well-known member
It's not like a 75HP bike cannot handle 200lbs. Think about power to weight ratio here and gearing that's set up more for low and mid versus SS bikes. I was quite alright on an SV650 myself and that's a comparable motorcycle. I'm 220lbs.
Nevertheless, FZ6r is an alright machine but I second getting an FZ6, superior in every single way.
Drennan57
Well-known member
Except low end power. They shaved the top end off but apparently the R has more useable torque down low making it a very smooth bike to ride.
I am an FZ6 supporter but I think because of the similar name the R gets slept on quite a bit. It's also no coincidence that the XJ6 "FZ6R" is one of the most popular motorcycles in the world outside of North America.
In reality our motorcycle culture is in its infancy compared to a country like Brazil for example. So if a bike is very popular in a place heavy with motorcyclists it must be doing something right.
Just my .02.
Here's a proper review by a rider, the only difference is the XJ6 F has available ABS but same bike.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyLza5EoumE Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1FZ-nXf0EY Part 2 Skip to 12:20 for the verdict.
In-fact he liked the FZ6R so much he sold his NC700 and bought one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1FZ-nXf0EY
Just sayin
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I finally noticed that you're not looking to buy a FZ6R, you already own one, so the direction of this thread now makes sense.
Anyhow. The FZ6 has a six speed transmission. If you don't have power down low, then power is only a gear change away. The FZ6R has two piston sliding caliper brakes, the (late-model) FZ6 has four caliper brakes. The FZ6R has a steel frame, FZ6 has an aluminum frame so it weighs a bit less, even though it has a centre stand and the FZ6R doesn't. FZ6 has pre-load adjustment at the front, FZ6R doesn't. The FZ6 has a 180 rear, FZ6R has a 160 - a smaller tire isn't inherently bad, but the widest range of tire selection is only available for 180/190 rears. And you probably know all this.
I'm not saying the FZ6R is actually a bad bike. If you're happy with it, great. The real "crime" of the FZ6R is just that it's like a Porsche Cayman in the sense that it's engineered to hit a price point that Yamaha felt the FZ6 flew over (though the FZ6R only ended up being marginally cheaper).
Anyhow. The FZ6 has a six speed transmission. If you don't have power down low, then power is only a gear change away. The FZ6R has two piston sliding caliper brakes, the (late-model) FZ6 has four caliper brakes. The FZ6R has a steel frame, FZ6 has an aluminum frame so it weighs a bit less, even though it has a centre stand and the FZ6R doesn't. FZ6 has pre-load adjustment at the front, FZ6R doesn't. The FZ6 has a 180 rear, FZ6R has a 160 - a smaller tire isn't inherently bad, but the widest range of tire selection is only available for 180/190 rears. And you probably know all this.
I'm not saying the FZ6R is actually a bad bike. If you're happy with it, great. The real "crime" of the FZ6R is just that it's like a Porsche Cayman in the sense that it's engineered to hit a price point that Yamaha felt the FZ6 flew over (though the FZ6R only ended up being marginally cheaper).
Drennan57
Well-known member
I agree with everything, the FZ6 is a superior motorcycle in just about every way to the FZ6R. I did extensive research on the FZ6, it was actually the bike i was planning on buying before i even got the Ninja 3. But i got a really good deal on the FZ6R so i grabbed it.
This thread was never about the FZ6 so the fact that every single time someone mentions the 6R the FZ6 is used to downplay it, every single time. It get's old because people don't seem to understand the bikes have no correlation with each other in anyway an were never meant to.
FZ6 - VFR, Z750, SV1000, Sprint ST, Monster 696 etc... Even tho the FZ6 is on the lower end of this category it's still a 100hp touring rig.
FZ6R - CB/R/X500 - Ninja 650 - SV650 - CB650F - NC700 etc. Entry level soft edge bikes that are friendly for newer riders but still capable of riding long term.
It's like saying a .22 caliber rifle is useless because there's a .50 caliber rifle ... Meanwhile noone can hunt rabbits with a .50 cal because it will blow them into pieces, it's not made for that the same way the FZ6R was not made to compete with the FZ6 or any of the other bikes in it's category.
So when someone mentions an FZ6R think about the bikes it was actually made to compete with. Not some random .50 caliber rifle it was never meant to be. But yes all prices equal i would take an FZ6 of course.
That's just my opinion on it. Endless rambling :lmao:
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I had one for a couple of seasons and my biggest gripe was the soft suspension. It's a decent city bike and a good 'day trip' ride all day comfort kinda bike. I got it cheap and sold it cheap, so that's good. Problem is when you ride something 'better', it's hard to go back.
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