contemplating


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shocker35

New Member
I know ths site if mostly for the people that already own the fz6r but I think my question is valid here.

So I have recently passed my motorcycle safety class and now will be taking my state test on sat. My question is I am looking at 2 different bikes the FZ6r and the ninja 650. I sat on both now and the yamaha sits only .4 inches lower than the kawasaki. I am 6'1 like 210 lbs. I spoke with the salesman at the dealership and he said I am a tall guy so i need a bike that is a little higher than the yamaha. Is anyone here that is about my size or bigger and still finds this bike comfortable on a few hours of riding? also is there a way to raise the seat? also how do you like the bike.
 
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dart1963

Super Moderator
Elite Member
shocker35 said:
I know ths site if mostly for the people that already own the fz6r but I think my question is valid here.

So I have recently passed my motorcycle safety class and now will be taking my state test on sat. My question is I am looking at 2 different bikes the FZ6r and the ninja 650. I sat on both now and the yamaha sits only .4 inches lower than the kawasaki. I am 6'1 like 210 lbs. I spoke with the salesman at the dealership and he said I am a tall guy so i need a bike that is a little higher than the yamaha. Is anyone here that is about my size or bigger and still finds this bike comfortable on a few hours of riding? also is there a way to raise the seat? also how do you like the bike.
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I'm 6'1", about 220, have the seat raised (about an inch taller) and it's fine.
Bike is a beginner friendly ride, easy maintenance, and cheap on insurance. Browse around the site some and you can see mods people have done, find thread on tires, suspension, etc. to get an idea of what we do/don't like about the bike.
 
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JnT4Life

New Member
I'm as tall as you and yes, you can raise the seat, although I don't because it makes me feel more 'on top' of the bike. I preferred the FZ6R over the ninja for two reasons: 1. Its a Yamaha. 2. It has an inline 4 instead of a twin.
 
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MikeN02

New Member
Yep, that inline 4 was what won me over instead of a twin. Glad I did because I love Yamaha's now and won't ever go to anything else.
 
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shocker35

New Member
what difference does the inline make over the twin. i know twin make more torque, thats the only difference i know of
 
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JonKerr

Senior Member
Elite Member
If the sales guy is telling you that he's either trying to get you to buy the 650 because he's going to make more on it, or he just has no clue. This bike is fine for someone who's 6'1" and with the adjustable seat it's even more suitable for you because it'll make the seat actually higher than the 650.

I also was looking at the Ninja 650 last year when I was shopping for bikes. The Yamaha felt much more comfortable for me. (I'm 5'10") It felt like a higher quality build, it was much better looking IMO, and the I4 vs Twin was a no brainer to me. To me the only sportbikes that should have a twin are Ducati's, Buells, and Aprilia's.

Not that the Ninja is a bad bike. But it's just not as good for me. This article will help a lot. The ER-6n is a Ninja 650 but naked. SR Comparison Test: Econo-Bike Shootout - Sport Rider Magazine
 
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creggur

New Member
The 650 is a parallel twin - not a V-twin. I compared both ad nauseum - and the Yamaha is just a better all around bike - and yes the I4 is a better(IMHO) engine. Fit and finish on the FZ6R is much better as well. I could go into a long diatribe about the differences that make it better, but I'll spare you.

Of course if someone wants to let me ride their 650R for a couple of hours I'd be happy to write a nice little comparo...
 
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Uno979

Thuper Moderator
Premium Member
shocker35 said:
I know ths site if mostly for the people that already own the fz6r but I think my question is valid here.

So I have recently passed my motorcycle safety class and now will be taking my state test on sat. My question is I am looking at 2 different bikes the FZ6r and the ninja 650. I sat on both now and the yamaha sits only .4 inches lower than the kawasaki. I am 6'1 like 210 lbs. I spoke with the salesman at the dealership and he said I am a tall guy so i need a bike that is a little higher than the yamaha. Is anyone here that is about my size or bigger and still finds this bike comfortable on a few hours of riding? also is there a way to raise the seat? also how do you like the bike.
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I have ridden both choices. The FZ6R was much more comfortable. The Handle bar angles to a much smoother engine. The 650R has more vibrations which have been greatly known to rattle fairings as the milage accrues. BUT! They are both fine bikes. What makes the Yamaha stand out more, as stated above, is the ability to adjust the seat and handle bars to fit you from factory.

My .02
 
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Roaddawg

New Member
Not harping on the search feature, but here are two previous threads about height, so you get an idea how many people this bike can accommodate:

http://www.600cc.org/forum/f31/what-too-big-18501/

http://www.600cc.org/forum/f87/how-tall-everyone-14473/index2.html

I'm 6'4" / 230lbs (now :mad:) and am pretty comfortable on it. For the price and performance of this bike, its comfortable. Would I be more comfortable on an FJR or cruiser...physically yes, financially no. I picked the FZ6R over the Ninja as well and don't regret it at all.
 
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MikeN02

New Member
FZ6-R does indeed look better but in after-market stuffs you're going to luck out.

Was riding my first bike (Ninja 500) and so the salesman told me that the 650R's parallel twin was similar to it. And so I chose the FZ6-R because I didn't like the 500..
 
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Stephenfz6r

New Member
When I went out to get a bike this past spring it was to get a Kawasaki 650. The reason being that it was a bike I had in the past and it was one that did everything well. When I got to the dealer who happen to sell Yamaha and Kawasaki, I explained to salesman what I was looking for and he said hands down that the FZ6R was the closest match to my old KZ650. In many ways it was closer to my old KZ1000 but that's another story. I did not ride the Kawasaki but I listened to it and remembered what other parallel twins ran like and I knew the Yamaha was the winner.

:wav:
 
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atomoverride

New Member
JonKerr said:
If the sales guy is telling you that he's either trying to get you to buy the 650 because he's going to make more on it, or he just has no clue. This bike is fine for someone who's 6'1" and with the adjustable seat it's even more suitable for you because it'll make the seat actually higher than the 650.

I also was looking at the Ninja 650 last year when I was shopping for bikes. The Yamaha felt much more comfortable for me. (I'm 5'10") It felt like a higher quality build, it was much better looking IMO, and the I4 vs Twin was a no brainer to me. To me the only sportbikes that should have a twin are Ducati's, Buells, and Aprilia's.

Not that the Ninja is a bad bike. But it's just not as good for me. This article will help a lot. The ER-6n is a Ninja 650 but naked. SR Comparison Test: Econo-Bike Shootout - Sport Rider Magazine
Click to expand...
Ok first let me say, I tried out several bikes. My choices were down to the Kawasaki ER-6N, Suzuki Gladius, and finally the Yamaha FZ6R. I am 6'5" tall. I did all the research online I narrowed down to the above mentioned bikes, my reasoning was simple. I wanted a bike that I didnt have to crouch over the tank to ride. So with my list I went out, and after physically sitting on each bike. I was surprised, the Suzuki and the Kawasaki were about the same. But the seat and design were just not right, but the Yamaha had a few things going for it.

1. I had a comfortable position
2. the seat had better support, I suspect from there being 2 separate seats instead of one big long one.
3. Cost and for being 600cc insurance was good, also it was a NEW model. So no track record of thefts since its a new model.
 
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blackie65

New Member
I owned a 07 650 ninja and put about 11k on it. It is a good bike but I like the fz6r better because of the brakes and suspension seem to be much better to me even though they are both non adjustable except for the rear pre-load. The fueling on the fz6r is one of the best on any newer bike I have rode. Size wise I am small at 5'8 175lb.
 
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ry-mac75

New Member
I've had spotty luck with Kawi, but never one issue with Yamaha - that's why I picked the 6R over the 650
 
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WANDERER

New Member
shocker35 said:
I know ths site if mostly for the people that already own the fz6r but I think my question is valid here.

So I have recently passed my motorcycle safety class and now will be taking my state test on sat. My question is I am looking at 2 different bikes the FZ6r and the ninja 650. I sat on both now and the yamaha sits only .4 inches lower than the kawasaki. I am 6'1 like 210 lbs. I spoke with the salesman at the dealership and he said I am a tall guy so i need a bike that is a little higher than the yamaha. Is anyone here that is about my size or bigger and still finds this bike comfortable on a few hours of riding? also is there a way to raise the seat? also how do you like the bike.
Click to expand...
We're in the same boat.....confused at first, FZ6R or 650R.

I'm going for the FZ6R....or better yet the FZ8 naked bike. That all depends on my $$$$
 

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shocker35

New Member
thank you all for your input and suggestions ill be sure the next time i go in ill ask him to raise the seat slightly.
 
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