A litttle backstory here:
I'd rate myself as an intermediate level of rider, having ridden supersports for two years now. I currently own a 2007 R6 and a 2008 CBR1000RR; both of these are actually very good bikes and I enjoy riding either. But... I really don't need to own two supersports, and I'm looking to get something that I can ride slower and longer and still have a good time! I'm honestly partial to the R6 over the CBR, but I feel like if I need to pick one to hold onto, I might as well keep the crazier of the two and trade out the "slower" one for something more appropriate for street driving.
That said, because I was very happy with the R6, I'm very interested in looking for other bikes in the Yamaha family, which led me looking into the FZ6R. So far I'm impressed with what I've seen, and it looks like a great value for what it offers and for what I'm looking for. What concerns me, though, is a ton of language and marketingspeak on the Yamaha site and on reviews elsewhere throughout the Web that characterize it as a "starter bike". I'm not a beginner, and I certainly don't need training wheels. But the horsepower and top speed on this bike seem to be well out of that range, and right in the range I'm looking for.
So, I want a commuter bike with a comfortable, upright riding position, with enough power to potentially carry me through long highway rides on occasion, but not so much power that I feel tempted to blow past the speed limit all the time. I want good handling, in line with the sport bike styling, but I don't need *superb* handling and control. Ideally this bike is reliable relatively easy to work on, at least for routine maintenance.
Will the FZ6R meet my needs, or what?
I'd rate myself as an intermediate level of rider, having ridden supersports for two years now. I currently own a 2007 R6 and a 2008 CBR1000RR; both of these are actually very good bikes and I enjoy riding either. But... I really don't need to own two supersports, and I'm looking to get something that I can ride slower and longer and still have a good time! I'm honestly partial to the R6 over the CBR, but I feel like if I need to pick one to hold onto, I might as well keep the crazier of the two and trade out the "slower" one for something more appropriate for street driving.
That said, because I was very happy with the R6, I'm very interested in looking for other bikes in the Yamaha family, which led me looking into the FZ6R. So far I'm impressed with what I've seen, and it looks like a great value for what it offers and for what I'm looking for. What concerns me, though, is a ton of language and marketingspeak on the Yamaha site and on reviews elsewhere throughout the Web that characterize it as a "starter bike". I'm not a beginner, and I certainly don't need training wheels. But the horsepower and top speed on this bike seem to be well out of that range, and right in the range I'm looking for.
So, I want a commuter bike with a comfortable, upright riding position, with enough power to potentially carry me through long highway rides on occasion, but not so much power that I feel tempted to blow past the speed limit all the time. I want good handling, in line with the sport bike styling, but I don't need *superb* handling and control. Ideally this bike is reliable relatively easy to work on, at least for routine maintenance.
Will the FZ6R meet my needs, or what?
Last edited: