Bike magazine.

[slappy]

This months hall of fame in Bike magazine is FZS600,  98 to 03.

Quote ; You can still pick up half decent ones for a grand, do it before people realise its the RD350LC of its generation and start charging stupid .  End quote.

Looks like you 600 guys have got an investment for the future

[sinto]

This months hall of fame in Bike magazine is FZS600,  98 to 03.

Quote ; You can still pick up half decent ones for a grand, do it before people realise its the RD350LC of its generation and start charging stupid .  End quote.

Looks like you 600 guys have got an investment for the future

I'm going to be quids in then when I go to sell, I paid my mate cash in hand for mine

[bigsteve]

   good news if it comes  true one in my garage only done 10k  well worth keeping then even if I don't use it 

[sinto]

   good news if it comes  true one in my garage only done 10k  well worth keeping then even if I don't use it 

10k? Some guys recently on the introduction page have been quoting mileages less than 5k,  so you'd be as well to use it

[bigsteve]

   3 miles between MOT 's 

[Hedgetrimmer]

FZS600 is a cracking bike, and well deserving of classic status. But it ain't no RD350LC.

Actually, if you're going to compare it to an earlier classic, Z650 springs to mind.

[sinto]

   3 miles between MOT 's 

I must do ten times that just to take it for an MOT

[pilninggas]

FZS600 is a cracking bike, and well deserving of classic status. But it ain't no RD350LC.

Actually, if you're going to compare it to an earlier classic, Z650 springs to mind.

Totally agree; it is a good bike, but comparing it to the LC is nonsense and just journalistic hyperbole. Any UJM kept mint starts to appreciate after a couple of decades (but id rather ride in the interim and wear the bloody thing out having fun), the legendary 2-strokes however increase in value at an astonishing rate and are probably as safe a bet as gold as an investment.

[redfox1]

The 600 is a great useable everyday  bike that is fast becoming a classic. RD's and their like are definitely true classics,but I wouldn't dare use one everyday,lest it broke down(even a rebuilt example).Value- wise,I personally think that the RD's etc are too expensive,and as an investment, will only command such high prices as long as the generation who rode them back in the 1970-80's are around to enjoy them!

[odbguy]

My dad was saying this to me the other day .. I wonder if he has been reading Bike mag too ??
Might treat myself to a new bike and store the Fazer for a few years time. Lol only done 5500 miles.

[Hedgetrimmer]

The 600 is a great useable everyday  bike that is fast becoming a classic. RD's and their like are definitely true classics,but I wouldn't dare use one everyday,lest it broke down(even a rebuilt example).Value- wise,I personally think that the RD's etc are too expensive,and as an investment, will only command such high prices as long as the generation who rode them back in the 1970-80's are around to enjoy them!

I don't think an RD that was well looked after would be at risk of constant problems. You just have to bear in mind that being a stroker, it'd need the occasional new set of rings etc. I had a P'valve, and it was totally reliable for thrashing, commuting and motorway stuff - perhaps not ideal, but coped fine. That, even after a Stephens stage 3 with Stephens/Lomas spannies; still didn't give me any problems. Then it got passed to a mate who raced it - he didn't complain of unreliability either.

It would be sad if the stroker generation was the last to show interest in those bikes. They certainly were a whole different kettle of fish to ride and own, a worthwhile biking experience IMO.

[noggythenog]

i personally feel that the key her is the wording "of the generation" because the likes of me...RD's and such like, even 2 strokes in general to a certain degree have never really been on our dream list because I've never ridden one...the fazer is the bike of my generation so why shouldn't it get the same status.

[Hedgetrimmer]

i personally feel that the key her is the wording "of the generation" because the likes of me...RD's and such like, even 2 strokes in general to a certain degree have never really been on our dream list because I've never ridden one...the fazer is the bike of my generation so why shouldn't it get the same status.

Because it's just not the same kind of experience. Two totally different animals. As said, FZS600 is probably more of a latter-day Z650, which in it's day was thought to be the best handling bike in any class, was fast for a middle weight of it's time, considered to look cool, reliable etc etc.

It's not so much that the Fazer shouldn't get the status. Just not a good comparison with an RD.

[noggythenog]

i personally feel that the key her is the wording "of the generation" because the likes of me...RD's and such like, even 2 strokes in general to a certain degree have never really been on our dream list because I've never ridden one...the fazer is the bike of my generation so why shouldn't it get the same status.

Because it's just not the same kind of experience. Two totally different animals. As said, FZS600 is probably more of a latter-day Z650, which in it's day was thought to be the best handling bike in any class, was fast for a middle weight of it's time, considered to look cool, reliable etc etc.

It's not so much that the Fazer shouldn't get the status. Just not a good comparison with an RD.

mind you every bike for sale these days seems to have "future classic" written on its advertisement....that'll be why your selling then mate eh

& tbf to gold you can at least stash it in a bank or a safe rather than have it take up half your garage space and need maintaining.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Yeah, you can't just stuff a 2T in your garage for years and expect it to then run without quite a bit of work. But that's the other thing. The 4T UJM is still very much with us. The 2T motorcycle is effectively dead and buried. And that's partly why the value has gone so high. There just won't be any more of their ilk. An artefact of history. This has hugely influenced their classic status, and hence their "value".

[Dead Eye]

Realistically investing in any classic bikes is only going to be worth while to someone who isn't actually overly interested in bikes... if you are an enthusiast you're never going to let the thing go so you're never going to see any return on investment at the end of the day.

I sort of go a little overboard when working on my vehicles as I have no plans to sell them on. The exception here is the RX-8... but I've only owned it for 5 months and I haven't done anything other than wash it and put fuel and oil in it...

[noggythenog]

Realistically investing in any classic bikes is only going to be worth while to someone who isn't actually overly interested in bikes... if you are an enthusiast you're never going to let the thing go so you're never going to see any return on investment at the end of the day.

I sort of go a little overboard when working on my vehicles as I have no plans to sell them on. The exception here is the RX-8... but I've only owned it for 5 months and I haven't done anything other than wash it and put fuel and oil in it...

Deadeye you've kinda summed up my thoughts on my thou with regards your MX5 although im possibly betwixt the 2 whereby I've now pissed about so much with it that i have indeed committed a bit of time and effort and to be fair ive made a whole lot cleaner than it was before but it isn't a clean enough example for me to really cherish it as such......could be a blessing in disguise im now thinking because i am less bothered about it.......if it ever starts puffing black smoke and looking end of days it will be unfortunate but i wont feel like I've just had my kidney stolen.

as much as owning a pristine example is nice,  there perhaps lurks within us all that need to keep it that way or make it more pristine and then stop using it......sounding like Nick now and I've only done 100 miles

[Hedgetrimmer]

Whatever you do, don't become attached to a bike. What's the point? If you use it, it's going to accumulate wear and tear. If you don't use it, why have it? I'm back to square one now, in that I have a nigh-on pristine bike. I'm fortunate in that I don't really have to ride it in wet weather conditions, don't have to commute on it, so it's purely for enjoyment. As much as I'll keep it as clean as I can, it's going to get used, and it will eventually need replacing. I thought I had become quite attached to the yellow hedge-trimmer, but I don't feel any real loss now the new one is here to replace it. They're just things at the end of the day - the enjoyment for me is in the riding of them, no use to me otherwise.

If you want an investment to sit on, I don't think bikes are the way to go anyway. That pair of RG500s in Oz didn't sell in the end. Others have been the same. When it comes to it, it's one thing paying "normal" money for a bike and then finding it has become valuable. Something quite different buying one that is judged by some to already have a high value. That kind of thing is fine for the rich, but not really realistic for us mere mortals.

Noggy, get out and ride it, as much as you can. Let it pick up it's scratches and scrapes, let the mileage accumulate. ENJOY IT! That's what it's for.

[Punkstig]

Clearly they haven't seen my bike!

[Dead Eye]

Realistically investing in any classic bikes is only going to be worth while to someone who isn't actually overly interested in bikes... if you are an enthusiast you're never going to let the thing go so you're never going to see any return on investment at the end of the day.

I sort of go a little overboard when working on my vehicles as I have no plans to sell them on. The exception here is the RX-8... but I've only owned it for 5 months and I haven't done anything other than wash it and put fuel and oil in it...

Deadeye you've kinda summed up my thoughts on my thou with regards your MX5 although im possibly betwixt the 2 whereby I've now pissed about so much with it that i have indeed committed a bit of time and effort and to be fair ive made a whole lot cleaner than it was before but it isn't a clean enough example for me to really cherish it as such......could be a blessing in disguise im now thinking because i am less bothered about it.......if it ever starts puffing black smoke and looking end of days it will be unfortunate but i wont feel like I've just had my kidney stolen.

as much as owning a pristine example is nice,  there perhaps lurks within us all that need to keep it that way or make it more pristine and then stop using it......sounding like Nick now and I've only done 100 miles

Hell no, you did not just do that. 

[red98]

Deadeye....nice MR2 you have     are they classed as a classic yet ?


Went down to smiths yesterday to get bike magazine, iam guessing you guys subscribe and receive your copy a few days before its on the shelves, junes issue has a shtzuki gsxr inside the back cover........


if you want to see a classic 98 fzs 600 in classic red, have a look at april 2014 edition of "classic motorcycle mechanics" three page spread and some excellent pictures of a very nice boxeye and its handsome owner 

[tony_d123]

To achieve classic status bikes have to be ground breaking, do something very well or be sold in such few numbers that they become rare and unique. The 600's are great bikes but just everything quite well and were old school even when new. As much as I like them, never a classic.