Possibly wanting to downgrade to a CBR 250 or 500? Thoughts?

[blkbrd]

How do I raise the forks? Wouldn't raising the forks make the bike even more upright?

Not sure if you're understanding what I said. I'm not saying to raise the front, I'm suggesting lowering the front a little by raising the forks slightly in the clamps. This will actually make you lean forward slightly. I didn't do it to my 6R, but quite a few have.

Sent from Samsung Galaxy S4

 

[BluePill]

I have been riding for 50 years, and I find it sort of incredible that the Fizzer is considered a "Beginner" bike. The popular beginner bike in the 1960's was a Honda CB 160 twin. Low, light, adequate power, and easy to handle. A 600cc 130MPH bike was only a dream for experienced riders back then.

I understand your quest for something smaller. In addition to my Fizzer, I also have a Yamaha WR250R dual sport. The Fizzer is actually a very agile bike for its size, but when I get on the 250 I can throw it around like a toy. Lots of fun. It sits too high for you, otherwise I would recommend it. You might want to consider a dual sport (possibly an XT 250 or Honda CRF250L) as they are quite good around town and up to about 60MPH if that fits your needs.

 

[BzB]

I don't know what you're going on about.

OP says "I want to downgrade because I don't feel comfortable on the big bike".

Poster replies " So then downgrade and let someone who feels comfortable ride the bike.

What's the problem here? There is no other answer, if he wants to continue riding motorcycles he has to do this.

Get over it, I'm not going to tell someone who isnt confident in his abilities to just suck it up and put himself and others in danger.

the point is not to be condescending or rude and i can see how your reply could be taken that way. apparently the part about suggesting the op ride a scooter was also edited out.

riding is already a challenge just dealing with traffic and road conditions. if the op doesn't feel comfortable or confident on the 6r for whatever reason and asks for input then we should respond like helpful adults and not jeer at him like adolescents.

personally the 6r is a top heavy bike and i can see how some people might be more comfortable on a lighter bike or a bike with different weight distribution.

good luck op.

 

[Drennan57]

the point is not to be condescending or rude and i can see how your reply could be taken that way. apparently the part about suggesting the op ride a scooter was also edited out.

riding is already a challenge just dealing with traffic and road conditions. if the op doesn't feel comfortable or confident on the 6r for whatever reason and asks for input then we should respond like helpful adults and not jeer at him like adolescents.

personally the 6r is a top heavy bike and i can see how some people might be more comfortable on a lighter bike or a bike with different weight distribution.

good luck op.

I admit this thread is annoying me. People including myself have taken time to give the OP the advice he needs trying to help him along and he is dragging this thread out for no other reason then to entertain himself now.

 

[xorbe]

I usually grab my old Ninja 250R instead of the FZ6R for around town, if I'm not hitting the freeway. It's like 340 vs 470 lbs wet. The li'l Ninja is just a lot more fun. Fizzer takes a lot more input effort, and that's with the bike lowered, which I thought helped a bit.

OP, I can kind of summarize the small bikes for you (but bigger than Grom / Z125). I am looking to ditch both my old carb Ninja and the FZ6R for a single small fuel-injected bike.

CBR 250/300 - the least peak power, but possibly the most comfortable and easiest around town.
Ninja 300 - gotta rev it, some complaints about seat comfort. Slipper clutch + abs
R3 - slim bike, no optional abs, new kid on the block w/small community, little aftermarket
Duke/RC390 - torquey thumper, RC is aggressive position
CBR 500 - this 420 lbs bike just never seems to get much love, but comes in 3 flavors (R/X/F)
Ninja 650 - heavy-ish
Duke 690 - thumper but 365 lbs and 64 whp
Street Triple/R - halo 410 lbs 90 whp street bike, but $$$$
Street Twin - very interesting bike, but they made it 480 lbs
FZ-07 - naked twin, 400 lbs, people say pegs are in unfortunate location

BMW has a small 313cc thumper (G310R) on the way (w/usd forks!).

Myself, I would like to try the R3, then N300, then CBR300. Maybe CB500F.

In the USA, there is literally no casual faired sports bike in the middle, around 400 lbs and 50 hp. It's either a 30-35 hp freeway dog, or 460-480 pounds, or $12K+ and 95+ hp.

 

[catdoc]

Drennan57 - if this thread is "annoying you" then stop posting in it... You aren't required to look at every thread here.

To the OP- I completely understand your dilemma. I had a CBR250 for a year and really enjoyed it then upgraded to a FZ6R last April. I also have a Genuine Blur ss220i scooter. Since buying the Yamaha brand new, I have ridden it 135 miles. Yes only 135 miles... I am having a very hard time getting used to the weight. I ride my scooter all the time while the FZ sits in the garage. The CBR was perfect to me other than power. It needed 20 or so more IMHO. The CBR300 really didn't address that issue well as it barely upped the ante power wise. In hindsight I think I should have gone with the Yamaha R3 as the weight and power specs seem perfect and the twin sounds so nice. I suspect you would love it. The other one I would suggest is the KTM 390 which was already mentioned. Big bikes aren't for everyone even if many smaller riders like them.

 

[SampsonNation]

I admit this thread is annoying me. People including myself have taken time to give the OP the advice he needs trying to help him along and he is dragging this thread out for no other reason then to entertain himself now.

What are you even talking about? How can you possibly make an assumption like that? I haven't even replied for 5 days now. I asked one follow up question. How exactly am I dragging this topic out for my entertainment?

I was giving you direct answers to your questions of me as well as the others who have posted in this topic. I've been riding for 4 years roughly. Not a whole lot, but I have been riding. What exactly is your problem with me? I started this topic off with asking a question on how the 6R compares to a lesser CC bike such as the 250 or 500 bikes. I was curious to know if a sport bike vs a sport touring bike (IE: more aggressive riding style) would have a change on how I ride a bike. I wasn't exactly looking for members to advise me on how to ride differently/better to get the full potential out of the 6R, but I welcome their input as well. I must be missing the problem you have with this whole thread?

Not sure if you're understanding what I said. I'm not saying to raise the front, I'm suggesting lowering the front a little by raising the forks slightly in the clamps. This will actually make you lean forward slightly. I didn't do it to my 6R, but quite a few have.

Sent from Samsung Galaxy S4

Yes, I misunderstood you. Thanks for the clarification!

personally the 6r is a top heavy bike and i can see how some people might be more comfortable on a lighter bike or a bike with different weight distribution.

good luck op.

Thank you for the support as well. I appreciate you backing me up with the comments that were directed towards me.

I have been riding mostly all week now because the weather has been getting nicer. I must have forgotten how much fun it is to ride. The 6R is a fantastic bike. I really don't have that many issues with it. I think what I might do is try another bike that has a slightly different riding position and see if that is any better for me. No reason to change bikes just yet.

 

[SampsonNation]

To the OP- I completely understand your dilemma. I had a CBR250 for a year and really enjoyed it then upgraded to a FZ6R last April. I also have a Genuine Blur ss220i scooter. Since buying the Yamaha brand new, I have ridden it 135 miles. Yes only 135 miles... I am having a very hard time getting used to the weight. I ride my scooter all the time while the FZ sits in the garage. The CBR was perfect to me other than power. It needed 20 or so more IMHO. The CBR300 really didn't address that issue well as it barely upped the ante power wise. In hindsight I think I should have gone with the Yamaha R3 as the weight and power specs seem perfect and the twin sounds so nice. I suspect you would love it. The other one I would suggest is the KTM 390 which was already mentioned. Big bikes aren't for everyone even if many smaller riders like them.

I really do like what the R3 has to offer, but I figured if I were to change bikes I might as well go with something that has ABS.

As I said in my post above this one, I have been riding more frequently since the weather has gotten nicer. I do enjoy the stability it offers. However, I can't compare it to a lighter bike because I've never ridden anything else. I once test rode a Ducati 899 (or something of that variant) at a dealer many years ago just for fun. I don't recall much about it other than I hated the seating position since I literally was laying on the handlebars with my back in a seriously racing hunched position. It was painful . I'll venture down to my dealer again and see what they have to offer. I'm pretty sure I could make up my mind about wanting to switch bikes fairly easy after riding several other style bikes.

 

[xorbe]

Try cycle-ergo.com, here's some listed, with lean angle*. From my Ninja 250R to the FZ6R, some sort of uncomfortable threshold is crossed. I think the 250R lean angle is even less than suggested, as the seat is squishy and deep compared to what these bikes come with today (seats that feel like bbq grill wrapped with a bit of cloth).

Upright:

1) Honda CB500X ABS (0*) 430 lbs
2) KTM Duke 690 ABS (0*) 360 lbs
3) HD Street 750 (0*) 490 lbs
4) Versys 650 ABS (1*) 480 lbs
5) KTM Duke 390 ABS (3*) 345 lbs

Entry lean:

1) Street Twin ABS (9*) 480 lbs
2) CB300F (11*) 350 lbs
3) Yamaha FZ-07 (12*) 400 lbs
4) CB500F (12*) 430 lbs
5) Ninja 650R ABS (13*) 470 lbs
6) Ninja 250R (13*) 340 lbs

More lean:

1) CBR500 ABS (16*) 430 lbs
2) FZ6R (16*) 470 lbs
3) R3 (18*) 370 lbs
4) Street Triple ABS (21*) 410 lbs
5) Ninja 300 ABS (21*) 385 lbs
6) CBR300 ABS (22*) 360 lbs

Extra lean:

1) KTM RC390 ABS (35*) 345 lbs
2) Suzuki GSX-R600 (39*) 415 lbs
3) Honda CBR600RR ABS (39*) 410 lbs
4) Yamaha R6 (41*) 420 lbs
5) Kawasaki ZX-6R ABS (42*) 430 lbs

It's a damn shame the Street Twin is so heavy -- everything else about it seems awesome. Duke 690 has a rain mode (optional upgrade) that cuts hp/tq. If Honda could slash their 500 line-up to ~395 lbs, I think they'd be way more popular. Yeah I know, some bs LAMS power:weight law on the opposite side of the planet.

 

[dart1963]

Sampson, keep an eye out for manufacture demo days, can usually ride three different bikes (sometimes only two if they are packed)! I've gone to Suzuki and Yamaha ones. They usually get you out on the road for a 20 minute ride, so it's better than just sitting on the bike.
Just make sure o get to them about 30 minutes before they say it starts so you can sign up for the bikes you want.

 

[shards]

If Honda could slash their 500 line-up to ~395 lbs, I think they'd be way more popular. Yeah I know, some bs LAMS power:weight law on the opposite side of the planet.

Checking in from "the other side of the planet"....the CB500 trio don't HAVE to be so heavy, the 40ish hp they produce already qualifies them for our LAMS system. They are just built to a price with heavy materials. I have had 100+ bikes in the last 23 years (just crazy I guess!!) and pretty much have all the specs in my head. The ONLY lightweight bike that I can think of that is is priced "down there" (over here anyway) is the good 'ol DR650 Suzuki, of which I have owned 2 and will probably one day make it 3. But, they are a tall bike and don't suit everyone. Small guys (and gals) looking for a lightweight, comfortable (and affordable !!) bike, with enough "go" to not be a danger on the street, have little choice.

 

[Drennan57]

Checking in from "the other side of the planet"....the CB500 trio don't HAVE to be so heavy, the 40ish hp they produce already qualifies them for our LAMS system. They are just built to a price with heavy materials. I have had 100+ bikes in the last 23 years (just crazy I guess!!) and pretty much have all the specs in my head. The ONLY lightweight bike that I can think of that is is priced "down there" (over here anyway) is the good 'ol DR650 Suzuki, of which I have owned 2 and will probably one day make it 3. But, they are a tall bike and don't suit everyone. Small guys (and gals) looking for a lightweight, comfortable (and affordable !!) bike, with enough "go" to not be a danger on the street, have little choice.

If that were the case new riders would be dying all over the place on their 500cc bicycle rockets.

The LAMS system is based on power to weight. The CB line is very heavy thus it is allowed to run the maximum 47hp, if it were made any lighter from the factory it would no longer be compliant with the system.

GG

 

[xorbe]

I sat on a TON of bikes today at 3 dealerships, from 125cc to 1800cc. My opinion has shifted ... go argue with a Vulcan or Goldwing, then come back to your lighter-than-air FZ6R.

@SampsonNation, I am also 5'10" 150 lbs ... did you try a lowering link + slide front forks yet? That made the bike a lot more agreeable for me. It's not a remarkably tall bike, but the width of the front of the seat + peg location complicate getting feet on the ground somewhat.

I'm going to rock the FZ6R a while longer with my new-found perspective.

Here's my conclusion:
FZ-07 is a lighter, torquier, naked FZ6R. The cockpit feel is so remarkably similar. I'd rather have the fairings. If you're okay with naked, this is an option.
Big thumbs up for the R3, if you're okay with the reduced whp. R3 is remarkably small like the older Ninja 250R. I'd love to have one.
Street Triple, if you're okay with naked and pretty high power, relatively. And the high price, heh.

 

[SampsonNation]

@SampsonNation, I am also 5'10" 150 lbs ... did you try a lowering link + slide front forks yet? That made the bike a lot more agreeable for me. It's not a remarkably tall bike, but the width of the front of the seat + peg location complicate getting feet on the ground somewhat.

Not yet. I'm not sure what I need or how to do it .

I just installed a replacement electric horn for the bike to make it safer. I haven't made any time to look into the forks.

 

[xorbe]

I haven't made any time to look into the forks.

Just go REALLY slow when lowering the front, take your time. Lower one side a bit, then the other, and repeat. Even up, tighten.

You'll need a rear stand (iirc) to get weight off the rear tire for the link install.

I just installed a replacement electric horn for the bike to make it safer.

wat

 

[SampsonNation]

Just go REALLY slow when lowering the front, take your time. Lower one side a bit, then the other, and repeat. Even up, tighten.

You'll need a rear stand (iirc) to get weight off the rear tire for the link install.



wat

I have a rear stand. That shouldn't be a problem. I've just not worked on the bike quite like this before though.


I changed the stock horn to something that is a little louder. I was barely getting notice from cagers on the road with the stock horn.

 

[AL72]

KTM Duke 390: 43 hp and a weight of only 306 lb. (139 kg.)

 

[Drennan57]

KTM Duke 390: 43 hp and a weight of only 306 lb. (139 kg.)

Yeah but it's a single. Yuck

 

[concuncon]

Just saying but I'd trade mine for this beauty in a heartbeat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3_GET8fkJo
Too bad I don't like the PTwin sound. Sure the cbr600rr looks nice also but I love a bike that I can go full throttle and shift around without going jail speed. So the Fz6r has the ideal engine for me, just wished for a more sporty look.

 

[Drennan57]

Just saying but I'd trade mine for this beauty in a heartbeat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3_GET8fkJo
Too bad I don't like the PTwin sound. Sure the cbr600rr looks nice also but I love a bike that I can go full throttle and shift around without going jail speed. So the Fz6r has the ideal engine for me, just wished for a more sporty look.

Yeah the new CBR500R looks great but nothing changed under the skin. It's still the same underpowered, overweight bike from before.