When do I graduate from this bike?

[githianki]

Just when you think your ready to upgrage to a liter bike, you will do something, or have something happen to you to rethink your wanting a bigger bike. When that stops happening, then your ready....IMO

 

[dako81]

You need to be skilled to upgrade. Anyone can slab it for 10k miles. You need to take a class or read some books and practice. It only comes with time and practice.

 

[jtarkany]

I'm not sure the question makes sense to me - there is no progression. For the FZ6, if you're wringing it out in second gear, you're already traveling at speeds in excess of most speed limits nationwide. In third, in its power band, you're about ready to catch your hair on fire and warp the space-time continuum. And you've still 3 more gears to go.

It also makes a fine touring bike, a commuter...it's whatever you want it to be.

If you're hitting some sort of performance limits on the bike on the street, you don't need to worry about it: you'll be the subject of a "fallen rider" thread before you can worry about an "upgrade".

Based on what I've seen, the FZ6 owners tend to grow outside the "do it all" capacities and want something more task-specific, suited to their specific needs: an FJR for touring, an R6 for track days, etc. It's not a matter of "graduating" but finding a bike that fits their specific interests, once the Fizzer gives them the flexibility and opportunity to discover what they wanted to do with a bike.

So the question is really only one you can answer: when will your needs or skills exceed the bike's capacity to deliver enjoyment in the capacity you intend for it?

I suspect (based on the ordinary FZ6) that you have some time to consider the question....

Alot of great advice from alot of riders. I think FizzySix has summarized it well.

However, it sounds like, based on what you've said...

"The reason I'm asking is not because I feel the need for more power, I just like certain bikes and those bikes are considerably more powerful. I don't speed or ride aggressively, I just want a bike that makes me happy when I look at it and ride it....and those bikes are mostly 1100cc and up."

...that you are concerned about the aesthetics of the bike. As you no doubt know, many of us with the FZ6 like to mod our bikes to address our personal taste.

I would suggest that you look into this possibility for your FZ6r and see what inexpensive options you have for modding and personalizing your bike. This will hopefully satisfy your craving for aesthetics, and give you some more seat time on your current bike.

...my 2 cents

 

[04fizzer]

If you have to ask this question, you're not ready.

 

[thirty_too]

If you have to ask this question, you're not ready.

i agree... :thumbup:

 

[Roadstergal]

If 'upgrade' means 'more engine,' you need better miles under your belt. (Not necessarily more miles; I've known people who have ridden thousands of miles without learning too much.)

Take some track days, and make sure you get instruction from a pro instructor (if you can find a pro school, so much the better).

 

[mastakilla]

Based on what I've seen, the FZ6 owners tend to grow outside the "do it all" capacities and want something more task-specific, suited to their specific needs: an FJR for touring, an R6 for track days, etc. It's not a matter of "graduating" but finding a bike that fits their specific interests, once the Fizzer gives them the flexibility and opportunity to discover what they wanted to do with a bike.

Well said and damn right. I have put almost 10.000 miles on my FZ6 now, and I feel like I'm ready for something else, in my case a FJR. The "do it all" capacities is what made me choose the Fizzer in the first place, but now I know better what I expect from a bike, how I usually ride and what I'm looking for in a bike. And for me, the FJR seems perfect, although it'll be soooo hard to let the FZ6 go...

 

[Fred]

Whew. What a thing to consider.

My first bike was a 700. 1985 Suzuki GS700E.

Then I went to 750's in the form of BMW K-75's.

Then I moved up to a litre bike, a BMW R-100.

Now after ten years in the saddle, I'm down to a 600.

My current "downgrade" makes as much horsepower as any two of my other bikes combined. So I don't really think of the Fizzers as entry level bikes.

Fred

 

[FZ1inNH]

If you have to ask this question, you're not ready.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What HE said! :thumbup:

And let me add to this: Only YOU know the answer to that question.

I've been on bikes for 30+ years and I honestly think that I would find it EXTREMELY difficult for my limits to exceed the limits of the FZ6.

Therefore, based on my skills, I can answer this way: "I've met my match!" :rockon:

 

[Sawblade]

I eventualy want a liter bike, but the FZ is plenty of fun for at least a couple of years.

 

[MNDZA]

Ok some of you are misunderstanding me. I do not feel as if I need more power (because I definitely do not), but I want another bike and the bike I want is definitely more powerful. So my question is will I be ready for a liter bike after one season of riding my FZ6R? I am not looking to use all the power because I don't use all the power on my current bike anyway.

 

[shreveport1]

Once you've worn it out to the point that it won't do the speed limit anymore, and it leaks oil so bad that it has marked it's territory all over town,then you have graduated to your next bike.now on the other hand if you get bored with it or start neglecting it please sell it so someone else can enjoy this awesome little machine.because I've ridden ALOT and I mean ALOT of different bikes in my time i've spent here on this big mudball we call home,and I have'nt found one I liked better, as far as it's do it all attitude goes.

 

[xplodnstar]

I understand where you're coming from, MNDZA. My first bike was the '07 Ninja 250. I REALLY wanted something pretty and sleek looking, but I knew that as a new rider I had to put in my dues and learn to ride first. Many people say that a first bike should be a beater, and I agree to a point. Unfortunately, finding a used 250 at the time was near impossible. Also, I didn't want to have to figure out the idiosyncrasies of someone else's bike on my first time out.

So I had a boxy looking bike for 2 1/2 years that I couldn't wait to upgrade. But I knew I wasn't ready. Finally when hubby upgraded at 2 years, I inherited his 650R. I loved the better control, the kick, the look, the handling, etc. Unfortunately, on my first canyon ride on it, only 2 weeks later, I went down. I was over confident. I came out okay, but the bike was trashed. So I went back to the 250 and started really trying to learn to ride.

When I saw the FZ6R for the first time, I fell in love instantly. As soon as it was available, I bought it. 4 months now and I'm happy as a clam. But I remember to keep myself humble, because I don't want to get over confident again. This bike is easy to ride and it feels like an extension of myself when I'm on it.

Don't rush into a new bike just because of the looks. It would really suck to get the bike of your dreams and trash it only 2 weeks in because you're not ready. Besides, it could be worse, you could be driving an UGLY bike, but you're not.

Be safe out there.

 

[Wavex]

There's no "graduating" from any bike... A bike's displacement is overrated imho... what matters if what you're comfortable with (ergos), what you like to look at (esthetics), and utlimately what you like to ride.

How powerful the bike is is almost irrelevant imo as you can kill yourself just as easily on a 250, 600 or 1000cc bike (all of them will allow you to ride much faster than any speed limit). Some may argue that a 1000cc is safer for them than a 250cc bike... the liter bike probably has better suspension and brakes, its ergos may fit you better, you may find that its nice pull in low rpms is perfect and safer for you when you had to reach a hectic 13k rpms on your old 600 to get the same pull... etc etc.

I am not advocating that new riders go out and buy a liter bike (generally speaking, the smaller, cheaper bike is easier to learn on), I just think that you shouldn't buy a bike based on its displacement... if you prefer to look at and feel more comfortable on a liter bike compared to a Ninja2fitty, then get the liter bike! At the end of the day, you're the one riding the bike and controlling the power, not the other way around, and if you don't respect your bike and your own limits (skill wise), you'll end up at the bottom of a cliff not matter what bike you were on (I have personal experience with that one).

 

[DefyInertia]

What bikes over 1100cc are you talking about? Busa or are we talking about cruisers and stuff? My first bike was an '87 1100cc V-twin and it was NOT fast....my FZ6 is much faster and my 125cc dirt bike was much more likely to loop!

EDIT - someday you will realize that there is no answer to this question. Did you ask the same question on CLSB????

If 'upgrade' means 'more engine,' you need better miles under your belt. (Not necessarily more miles; I've known people who have ridden thousands of miles without learning too much.)

+1 You're going to have to take a trip up to Southern Wisconsin to find some good twisty roads. Your whole outlook on motorcycles will change once you get that thing out of Chicagoland and onto a nice twisty road.

 

[MNDZA]

What bikes over 1100cc are you talking about? Busa or are we talking about cruisers and stuff? My first bike was an '87 1100cc V-twin and it was NOT fast....my FZ6 is much faster and my 125cc dirt bike was much more likely to loop!

EDIT - someday you will realize that there is no answer to this question. Did you ask the same question on CLSB????



+1 You're going to have to take a trip up to Southern Wisconsin to find some good twisty roads. Your whole outlook on motorcycles will change once you get that thing out of Chicagoland and onto a nice twisty road.

My main interest is a Monster 1100. I have thought about a Busa, but I'm afraid the weight and size might be too much for my little cruises.

 

[urbanj]

I see it strictly from a mechanical point of view. displacement means nothing as Fred has stated earlier. The problem with bikes with a lot of power is that things get hairy faster. the rate of acceleration is much more. its not the peak top speed. its when you grab a hanldeful of throttle and "lose" it. your senses are not prepared and your skills are not tuned and ready to interpret what you are seeing and feeling.

my example i used to people that ask about what (first) bike they should get.

i used to box, i never really got to compete hard because of my bad shoulder (now fixed) but i trained and sparred with a few high level amateurs which some have now gone pro. now when you are good and experienced everything slows down. your brain is computing your senses inputs. the punches or movements dont come any faster. they are already fast but your brain slows it down. this is partly to do with anticipation. youre experienced, youve seen it before and you know what to do and how to react when things happen fast.

now if you werent experienced to that level. say you took a bunch of cardio classes or boxed to be fit or all youve seen is a low level of competition. if you got in the ring with a pro or high level boxer, youd lock up. you would have sensory overload. thing would be so much faster than you are use to. and the faster you go the more technical it gets. that simple jab, right cross, hook you practiced on the bag or with some focus mitts doesnt even come into play. youre brain cant even plan an attack because there is so much happening you freeze.

thats what happens on a bike and why people go down more frequently with bikes out of their skill level. you can go from cruising to warp speed too quickly, catch you off guard, your brain freezes up, you fixate on a point and eat it. or you just break it loose with the power or go too fast to a corner and eat it.

there has to be a progression to do it right and do it safe. its your life and people buy r1's, gsxr1000, cbr1000 etc all the time as a first bike. but i guarantee their chances of squiding out and being a statistic is much higher.

it also has to do with your attitude towards everyday life in general. you can talk with a group of riders and know which are the tools right away.

 

[urbanj]

remember this guy

"Originally Posted by fyouck1
i just bought the thing the digital speedo has me pissed cause it only reads 189mph out of the box i had it 185mph and now that i dropped 2 teeth on the front sprocket i should be over 200mph but the display won't go over 189. If I get killed on it tomarrow it would be alright as long as i died knowing that i drove 200+ mph on the street. "


dont be that guy

 

[MNDZA]

Wow....that was some amazing information. I never thought about it that way. I think I'll just keep practicing on my current bike for a while before I move up. Thanks!