Is this the oldest discussion on the motoring Interwebz...or maybe which oil to use? ;)
Really, who cares what others think? I can easily walk away from most of these ego-heads on their liter-bikes on my slow, heavy, underpowered VFR800. And though I haven't tried it, I'm willing to bet I...
First off - congratulations! there is nothing better than riding with your best friend - my wife and I enjoy it immensely and I'm sure you will too. Nothing beats a built-in riding partner... And now, time for a reality check:
Not to be an ass, but you are dead-wrong - and someone could end...
Oddly enough, I didn't get anything directly bike related this year. Ended up with a pimp-ass humidor with my name engraved on it and a nice selection of cigars. A nice torch lighter and a travel humidor (guess that could be bike related as there's nothing better than a good smoke after a long...
Looks good, Detrich. Very understated, but matches the pattern well, and should be totally functional with that positioning. This will be the route I take with the wife's 6R. Thanks for the pics!
You'll never forget your first time, and congrats!
Now that you've gotten that one out of the way, remember, don't ride with the intent of getting your knee down, it's simply a bi-product of proper body position and riding technique in certain situations.
Your track day will be an...
For Gmail users you can also set up Priority Inbox where you flag emails as they come in as important or not. The system quickly learns what's important or just regular BS emails and sorts them accordingly for you. It's like having a "Not So Important, But Not Quite Junk" filter. Pretty cool...
Only point I disagree with is that the time it takes to reach out for the front brake isn't important. At 60MPH we're traveling 88 Feet Per Second. If I get on the brake 1/10 of a second faster, I've saved 8.8 feet of stopping distance. That can be the difference between stopping behind a car or...
A few techniques I started using some time ago has helped reduce the number of these types of close calls. there are no magic pills, but in my experience, they do help.
1) When in heavy traffic I run with my brights on - some will dispute the usefulness of this - but with the abundance of...
This is the brand I got. They don't have them to fit the black area of the FZ6R, but they sell blanks you can custom cut to fit whatever you need. I have the Snakeskin version..
Motorcycle Tank Pads from TechSpec-USA - Yamaha Gripster Sport Touring
Put a set on my VFR and I gotta tell ya - probably the best $50 I've spent since I bought the bike. Granted, the VFR has a bit more sporting riding position than the Fizzer, but it has made a HUGE difference in comfort and riding performance.
It's easier to support my weight with my lower body...
Jon hit the nail square. It is all about the rider...
Having said that, most don't have the natural ability, nor self control, to start out on a liter bike. It's been done, but really it's just asking for trouble. Too light; too powerful; too much temptation for most.
There are no...
The pros are dead-on accurate when they do it, of course, that's what they do for a living so.... They also have slipper clutches now that really negates the need for perfection, but I'd bet they can still do it, dead-on, every time. Having said that...
It's good to learn the proper...
Two Things:
1) Big, Burly, Manly Men don't want to think they're riding around on a beginner bike so they fight the idea that someone can learn on a 600 tooth and nail.
2) A lot of the people learning on 600s are young males who let their testosterone rule their actions, do stupid things...
Let me share the biggest problem, in my opinion, with starting out on a 600cc motorcycle: Testosterone. (doesn't sound like you'll have this problem)...
The FZ6R is a great bike to learn on. It's all about controlling your right wrist and taking it easy at first. The beauty of this motorcycle...
This is my take:
Take it easy for a couple hundred miles.
Change oil.
Ride it how I'm going to ride it from now on.
@600 change oil.
@2500 change oil - switch to synthetic.
@5000 change oil - and then every 5000 thereafter with synthetic.
I'm not suggesting this method is any better...
I love Hondas, but if there were another bike by a manufacturer that suited my needs, or tugged at my heart-strings I would certainly consider it. Actually the Super Tenere has my attention, especially after getting the FZ6R for the wife. It's a lot of bike for the money and my guess is the S10...