Need some input!!!

[mymidlifecrisis]

After searching for awhile here is the decision to be made. Found a new 09 FZ6 for 6100 out the door. The FZ8 OTD is 8000. My last bike owned was a 94' CBR 900. I have not been able to ride the FZ6 or the FZ8 (dealers here don't allow test rides). I would like to hear from some you that has ridden these 2 bikes. As far as looks for me the FZ8 wins hands down, but 6100 I can live with the half fairing. Thanks for any input. I want to hit the rode soon!!

 

[Hereward]

If you ask this question on a porsche owners forum "what should I buy, a porsche or a ferrari?" your prety much going to get the awnser "porsche" everytime! This is an FZ8 owners Forum so your prety much going to get the awnser "FZ8" everytime.

But I'm a bit odd so I won't tell you that.

Both are good bikes in there own right. but they are different bikes desighned to excell at different things and to suit different needs. The most generic stereotype I can offer is the FZ8 is a street fighter, it's made to put a grin on your face, that 800 motor is tuned for tourqe with a fake powerband to add to the mix. The FZ6 is more of a comuter bike, a bit of a workhorse, easy to ride and easy to live with.

Your coming from a 900, you prefare the looks of the FZ8 you've asked a question in a place where you'll get a known awnser.......your trying to justifie that extra $1900 price tag. Just do it! The question isn't is the bike worth $1900 more, the question is do I want this bike enough to spend an extra $1900...........we'll do you?

To sum up, FZ8, It puts a bigger grin on your face than the FZ6.

Owen "Seigmund" Evans

 

[lothodon]

my thanks is for stating basically the same thing i would.

i've riden both, own the fz8. i came from an r1 and even thought the 6 still has a lot of snot i could tell it was a 6. the 8 is much much closer to the r1 than it should be and has a lot more usable motor. the 'lacking' high end is not missed in wisconsin as our roads pretty well suck.

any two up riding in your plan? the 8 will pull harder and you'll notice the passenger less.

customization is a bit more difficult/therefore pricey on the 8 as it's new to the usa and parts are harder to find. not as hard as it was a few months ago, but not nearly as easy as the 6.

my motto...you only live once, don't make a cheaper purchase IF you can afford the 'better' bike just to save a few coins, cuz once your in your grave the money is meaningless but the fun you had was priceless.

 

[mymidlifecrisis]

Thanks for the info. It's what I thought all along. I have been on a 13 year hiatus from riding (kids). But I am ready to get back into it. Missed it every minute. Owen just sitting on the FZ8 makes me grin and I have been doing that a lot lately. Local dealers won't deal found the 8000 OTD a hour away. Plan on buying after vacation (3 weeks). Anyone ride in the Cincinnati, Ohio on here???? Anyway thanks for the positive reinforcement.

 

[Hereward]

You knew you wanted that FZ8 you just needed to "share the blame" LOL FZ 8 is very easy to ride, but open it up above 6k and.....well just hold on is my best advice LOL Feels effortless in everyday traffic, out in the country it carves up the bends with grin enducing ease then becomes a bit mental on the straits when you want it to, can turn your eyes blury when you enter the 6k-11k zone.........Thats one thing I love about the bike, it's easy to live with and ride in normal trafic then when the opertunity arises it can get out of it's sheeps clothing and turn into a bit of a rabid wolf.......but unlike some you have control of which mode you want the bike in.
Enjoy, and most importantly, buy the black one LOL

 

[sendtoharvey]

the 8 totally rips past 6k...fun to roll...worth the bucks. not just for looks, but just the grunt power...
love it

 

[mymidlifecrisis]

Owen I had to laugh when you mention share the blame!!! LOL! At dinner with the wife the other night I ratted you guys out. Yes I am ashamed and will accept the punishment accordingly. The price she just doesn't get so my response was Owen and lothodon told me to do it. LOL. She's not very happy and has a mean streak a mile wide. Owen Im certain you are safe from her wrath due to the fact your in the UK. Lothodon I see your in Wisconsin so please be careful. She's a mean women. Check brake lines frequently. Kidding aside I am pumped to get my FZ8!!!!! Already am looking at customizing it!!! All goes well pics soon. By the way since the long hiatus I am taking the MSF course this weekend. Safety first! Be safe all!

 

[hypo]

my wife won't let me blame anyone but myself...

 

[Hereward]

Right thats the states bike tour out the window........oh well have to be the norweigen coast run, only strait bits are the tunels LOL

I was in adsactly the same boat as you, I'd not ridden anything for about 15 years, cut my teeth on various size Rd two strokes and a Kwak GPZ 750 turbo idiot bike. Anyway to cut a long story short the UK licenceing body lost my bike part of my driving licence! had to start from scratch.......Bought a 125 (YZFR125) and started doing the in total 5 licence parts to get a new unrestricted licence.......It was a pain at times but if I'm honest if I'd just jumped on an FZ8 after 15 years out of the scene I'd of simply wraped it round a tree.......lot more trafic on the roads now and the bikes I used to ride don't compare with the bikes of today!
Anyone coming back to bikes after a long time away, use your head, get some refresher courses, there cheaper than the repair bill could be and it will make you a better rider.

( Just skip this boring stuff guys) I'm ex army, part of my job was off road driving, I have more licences than you can "shake a stick at" for more vehicle types I can rember, including skid pan and evasive driving. I even drove trucks for a number of years about 8 years back and in the dim past had a rally licence. My job now sees me driving up and down the motorway and in various countrys around europe. I consider myself an "average" driver, on the bike I consider myself a "novice" rider with alot to learn (but thats the fun bit) I passed all 5 aspects of my test first time both theorie and practical but it was in no way easy! I'm currently looking at some "bike safe" courses run by local UK police forces (police motorcycle riders teach the courses)

So what was all that about? teaching most to suck eggs I guesse LOL the comment above about "taking the MSF course due to being out of the saddle for so long" is probubley the first time I've seen someone state they feel they need training due to them being rusty of inexperienced. I did it out of legal necesity and I probubley wouldn't have bothered if that wasn't the case........and I'd have been an idiot, an idiot wraped round a trre more than likely! If your in the same situation of coming back to bikes after a long break, please look at a refresher course, it'll be the best money you ever spent!

Quick note on the FZ8 and the term "first big bike" It easy very easy to ride and very very forgiving and makes a good economic first "big bike" why economic? well most peoples first big bike is a 600......then after a year or so they trade up to a bigger bike due to power or speeed or excitement or whatever there looking for.......the FZ8 dose both rolls, it's easy and forgiving for the novice but open it up theres another bike lurking above 6k which should keep most riders happy for years so no need to trade up!

I'll get off my soap box, have a cup of tea and get back in my cave now LOL

 

[hypo]

good points! I was in a dealership the other day with my wife looking at upgrading her 500 Ninja and I saw a 6 foot guy, probably about 220 lbs asking about the latest honda 250 cbr??? I was appalled, my wife almost went over and said something to him.. (she outgrew her 500 in a month or two...) but taking classes are an excellent way to get the technical background/training to do what these bikes are capable of in a controlled environment with very capable riders who've experienced it and can share that experience.

 

[Hereward]

I'm not knocking 600s, or 250's or any bike really, Just some people don't look at the whole picture when it comes to buying a bike, for those new to it it's understandable they blindly follow whatever the sales man is trying to sell that day.
First thing I do is sit on it......if I don't fit then whats the point LOL and yeah I'm six foot one and 200 lbs LOL
At the end of the day you control the throtle and as long as you know how to do that then theres your biggest saftey net.
We currently have a funny situation in the UK theres one part of a test which is called "swerve avoidance" if your doing your DAS (direct access test) you have to do this on a 500cc bike.......so in essence you can have people who have only a couple of days training on a 500 who have never riden or owned a bike before attempting this part of the test........what is swerve avoidance? go through a narrow speed trap at no less than 32mph then swerve sharply around a cone and then brake hard to stop in a box.......sounds easy, well ok it dosn't sound that easy but people on a daily basis in the UK are basicly going to hospital with various broken limbs after hitting the cone or just locking the front up LOL MCN UK have launched a law suit against the licencing authority and as of a few weeks back they have simplified it....

Right I'm totaly off topic again, got to go sort out the venue for the clubs summer bash I'm now smashing my soap box up to save a repeat incident LOL