Brock Kickass
Wizard
The bike is ready. I won't say complete because they never are, but it is ridable. I had to start a new thread because "Where to get parts?" does not convey what I am feeling about this bike! Where to begin? I have had a grin on my face since I picked it up Friday night. My wife has punched me in the face several times in an attempt to normalize my expression, but to no avail. I'm just walking around like a kid who tasted chocolate ice cream for the very first time. I'm planning on suing Yamaha promptly for making me look so stunned. Here are my first impessions.
Comfort: Much more comfortable than my FZ6R for long-distance riding. Spent all weekend in the saddle and feel great!
Handling: I haven't been on a ton of street bikes, so my frame of reference is small. I was assuming that, with similar ergos to the 6R and being in the same brand family, handling would be similar. I guess I was right in a way, as it doesn't feel completely different or strange, but I never could have imagined how much better it would handle. It rides like a dream!
Sound: Sounds great. I never realized how much noise my 6R WASN'T making. I love that it's not ear-splitting obnoxious, just throaty and powerful. I am considering a slip on to gain a nicer(!) sound and to gain some room for my heelo, but I am not sure if I want to give up the EXUP valve. I ride mostly on the street, so I like the bottom-end power. I have looked at the V&H so far, seems like a fairly quiet option. Any onpinions on this or other slip-ons?
Power: What can I say? I'm not sure I want to find out what happens when you really open this thing up. I'll hit a track day sooner or later and see what it will do, but I already know the answer. I will be blown away!
Shifting: WTF it wrong with the shifter on the FZ6R? I used to miss shifts all the time! My FZ1 feels much more precise, and hitting my shifts is effortless. The action of the shifter is much less notchy and sloppy. Makes riding even more pleasant.
I don't meant to bag on my FZ6R. I rode it for 20 000km in 2 summers and it was a blast! It was fun, reliable, and looked great. I would love to say I'm going to miss her, but this is just too much better than to go and make silly statements like that. I can sure see why the 6R makes a great starter bike before you get something like an FZ1, though. I wouldn't appreciate this bike nearly as much if I had nothing to compare to.
Being a total noob with this bike, I will be learning lots in the next weeks to come. I don't know much about suspension setup, so I have left it at factory settings for now. I weigh 190 or so, and ride moderately agressively on a mix of highways and bumpy paved backroads. If anyone has any insight here, I welcome sharing. Please enjoy this pic of a beautiful new Yamaha and try to ignore the meatball holding on to it and grinning his face off.
Comfort: Much more comfortable than my FZ6R for long-distance riding. Spent all weekend in the saddle and feel great!
Handling: I haven't been on a ton of street bikes, so my frame of reference is small. I was assuming that, with similar ergos to the 6R and being in the same brand family, handling would be similar. I guess I was right in a way, as it doesn't feel completely different or strange, but I never could have imagined how much better it would handle. It rides like a dream!
Sound: Sounds great. I never realized how much noise my 6R WASN'T making. I love that it's not ear-splitting obnoxious, just throaty and powerful. I am considering a slip on to gain a nicer(!) sound and to gain some room for my heelo, but I am not sure if I want to give up the EXUP valve. I ride mostly on the street, so I like the bottom-end power. I have looked at the V&H so far, seems like a fairly quiet option. Any onpinions on this or other slip-ons?
Power: What can I say? I'm not sure I want to find out what happens when you really open this thing up. I'll hit a track day sooner or later and see what it will do, but I already know the answer. I will be blown away!
Shifting: WTF it wrong with the shifter on the FZ6R? I used to miss shifts all the time! My FZ1 feels much more precise, and hitting my shifts is effortless. The action of the shifter is much less notchy and sloppy. Makes riding even more pleasant.
I don't meant to bag on my FZ6R. I rode it for 20 000km in 2 summers and it was a blast! It was fun, reliable, and looked great. I would love to say I'm going to miss her, but this is just too much better than to go and make silly statements like that. I can sure see why the 6R makes a great starter bike before you get something like an FZ1, though. I wouldn't appreciate this bike nearly as much if I had nothing to compare to.
Being a total noob with this bike, I will be learning lots in the next weeks to come. I don't know much about suspension setup, so I have left it at factory settings for now. I weigh 190 or so, and ride moderately agressively on a mix of highways and bumpy paved backroads. If anyone has any insight here, I welcome sharing. Please enjoy this pic of a beautiful new Yamaha and try to ignore the meatball holding on to it and grinning his face off.
