What keeps bringing you back?

[xlewisbdx]

OK so I am asking a general question, what keeps bringing you back to the FZS600?

I know Dead Eye's Fazer recently set on fire and was no longer with a bike I want to know why you got another Fazer and not something with more power, torque or comfort?


If I was to be in an unfortunate situation where I lost my bike I would personally be looking at something more powerful, but then again I am a young lad that wants power


So, what makes you buy Fazer after Fazer? Are they really that good?



Please don't say because Fazers are awesome, we know this :P

[wezdavo]

becauase the fazer does it all, apart from off road that is...

[comicsans]

you say you would buy somthing faster but isnt your bike restricted anyway?

[DryRob]

If I lost my bike tomorrow I'd probably look for a replacement FZS cos they're cheap, well built and I've done a lot of my own work on it so am getting to know my way around it. I'm also still learning to ride and don't spend enough time on it to justify spending a large sum of money on another bike that I might not like.

That said, I don't wanna be that guy who's only ever had one bike....maybe I'll get another FZS

[stevierst]

I've owned loads of bikes, and ridden even more over the years. I always say 'never own the same bike twice', that's unless its exceptional.

I've owned supebikes, sport tourers, commuters, and tourers. Few of them can do everything apart from the little Fazer, and I'm now on my third! It really is the best at being the jack of all trades. Even new bikes fail at doing what this 15 year old design, parts bin basket case, budget do it all machine does!

As they say its the only bike you'll ever need, not necessarily the only bike you'll ever want.

[popeye72]

interesting im on my second Fazer 600 love it but feel like a change, not had any other road bike and thinking of the sprint st??? any advice guys and girls

[Buzz]

I've owned loads of bikes, and ridden even more over the years. I always say 'never own the same bike twice', that's unless its exceptional.

I've owned supebikes, sport tourers, commuters, and tourers. Few of them can do everything apart from the little Fazer, and I'm now on my third! It really is the best at being the jack of all trades. Even new bikes fail at doing what this 15 year old design, parts bin basket case, budget do it all machine does!

As they say its the only bike you'll ever need, not necessarily the only bike you'll ever want.

It's posts like this that make me feel very happy that I bought one as my first bike.  I've only done about 2000 miles since May but the young lady's given me an awesome introduction to biking.  My 2 biker mates with a Fireblade/CB1300 laughed and said "you went through your bike test to get THAT?!?!?".  For just over a grand, cheap parts and all maintenance done by me I'm not complaining, I just laugh when they get a £400 bill for servicing.

[spider]

i jump on my triumph explorer with all the bells and whistles.can sit in 3rd gear  all day if you want.  but when u get on the fazer. you become involved. being in the right gear for that power or overtake. not getting lazy and just pressing the brake and letting the abs work it out. it has enough power for most things. corners great. brakes are brill. its all fun. my other bikes come and go. the fazer stays

[packie]

OK so I am asking a general question, what keeps bringing you back to the FZS600?

I know Dead Eye's Fazer recently set on fire and was no longer with a bike I want to know why you got another Fazer and not something with more power, torque or comfort?


If I was to be in an unfortunate situation where I lost my bike I would personally be looking at something more powerful, but then again I am a young lad that wants power


So, what makes you buy Fazer after Fazer? Are they really that good?



Please don't say because Fazers are awesome, we know this :P

I bought mine and used it for a while and really really have enjoyed it. But there was a few things that the previous owner never told me about, so it needed some money put into it like a camchain and tensioner for starters. So I had to make a BIG decision to either sell it on as is, or keep it long term and pump a handy few bob into it. I decided to do just that rather than part with it. If it was any other "ordinary" bike like a Bandit 600, I would have sold it on in a jiff rather than pumping money into a rather average type bike. But the Fazer is no average bike IMO.

I also have a Bandit 1200 and have owned about three Bandit 600s. To be honest, the Fazer is a better "all round" bike than the Bandits. It sits somewhere in the middle of the two Bandits for me like a 750cc if you know what I mean. I can't speak for the new Bandit 650's as I never owned or rode one.

If I had to sell one of the two bikes today, it would be a very hard decision. I'm the original owner of the Bandit 12 and it has never given me a bother in the 10 years that I have owned it. I have a lot of happy memories with that Bandit and it is still in mint condition, so it would be hard to part with it. But it can guzzle fuel and it is a heavy bike to manouver like backing it out of a garage/carpark/tightspots ect and doesn't have that everyday practicality like the little Fazer 600. It is way better on fuel and fuel range in the tank...it is a lot more lighter to move around the garage/carpark ect.....has better brakes....the motor/power delivery seems a lot more "smooth" too....and is just as comfortable......

.....and as for power?...........Yes, the B12 has more torque/power but the Fazer has amples to satisfy too for any "normal" type rider. I have yet to get the feeling with the Fazer that I needed more power in any riding situation that I was in, where as on a B600 I did at times alright especially carrying a passenger and luggage.

If 140mph and decent torque ain't good enuff for you power wise, then you may be just harbouring a slightly dangerous mentality in you at the moment like I had many years ago as a young guy getting into bikes too. The Fazer has enuff power to do all, including getting you killed and losing your licence, as you nearly found out on your restricted version already.

So why did I buy the more powered Bandit 12 in 2003?? I needed enuff power for pulling and not for speed or wheelies. I needed to pull 2 up with loads of gear for touring, but I needed also a bike that was reasonabley cheap to buy new, and the sitting position had to be upright for long hauls. I started with a Bandit 600 in the year 2000 and toured Scotland. But I felt it lacking in pulling power at times and in one particular overtaking situation I had a very hair rasing moment!! The riding position and everything else was great but I just needed a few extra ponies. So the Bandit 1200 was a more ideal option since the overall bike was identicle so I knew it would be just the same comfort/sitting position wise. Unfortunately for me at the time, I overlooked and never tried a Fazer 600 Foxeye and dismissed it in my head. I had fierce predijuce for the Bandit at the time and I totally dismissed the Fazer probably mainly due to what I saw was a bland looking model in the square-eye version. If I had looked at the Fazer more closely and in particular the foxeye model, I would be the original owner of one now instead of the Bandit 1200....seriously. It would have had just that bit more than the Bandit 600 to do the job, while still maintaining excellent fuel economy for touring.

[kebab19]

Because the FZS600's engine has decent low and midrange zap as well as some top-end.

Half-decent fairing, brakes, riding position, long & comfy seat, good underseat storage, a useful centre-stand, returns very good fuel economy with slight restraint, is easy to work on mechanically, has giant gaps between valve check intervals and feels (relatively) light compared to the likes of the Bandit 600.
A jack of all trades indeed, possibly the closest thing to the archetypal 'UJM'.

Personally, I would have liked it to be another 10-15kg lighter, bored out to 650cc, five gears instead of six and have a decent rear brake caliper for perfection but I guess you cant have everything

[Dead Eye]

Pretty much every point has already been made above, but since the topic mentioned me I guess I should probably comment :P

Again, the Fazer is a good all round bike and does pretty much everything well and nothing of consequence badly. My choice to get another Fazer is the fact that they are cheap and reliable - this new one just cost me £770

On top of this is the fact that I'm taking everybody else's word that they are that good instead of trying to buy another bike and finding myself disappointed. To be honest, a thou might have been on the table if it wasn't for the fact that they cost more to purchase. I loved my Fazer and after a year of riding it, I was only beginning to get to the stage where my abilities were fully matched to its power if you understand where I'm coming from. I was always comfortable with it, right from the day I had it - but it was that sense that if I did something stupid, or more that if someone else did, I would actually have a decent chance of not binning it :P

[Lawrence]

Good on fuel, nimble, not huge and reliable so good for the commute.  Fast, handles well (although I've not ridden many different bikes so not much to compare to) for when I want a bit of fun.  Fairly easy to work on and parts are cheap also.
 
I would like something else as well but don't see me ever getting rid of the Fazer since it's cheap to run and worth cock all anyway.

[xlewisbdx]

so why did I buy the more powered Bandit 12 in 2003??

What made you buy the Bandit 1200 over the Fazer1000?

you say you would buy somthing faster but isnt your bike restricted anyway?

Yes, I am talking in a years time, I wouldn't necessarily get something more powerful, but I like variety and I would look at other 600's as well

[comicsans]

what bike did you pass your test on lewis? a 125?

[spoonlamp]

I've owned loads of bikes, and ridden even more over the years. I always say 'never own the same bike twice', that's unless its exceptional.

I've owned supebikes, sport tourers, commuters, and tourers. Few of them can do everything apart from the little Fazer, and I'm now on my third! It really is the best at being the jack of all trades. Even new bikes fail at doing what this 15 year old design, parts bin basket case, budget do it all machine does!

As they say its the only bike you'll ever need, not necessarily the only bike you'll ever want.

It's statements like this that make me a little sad I bought a Fazer! I passed my DAS last year around June (iirc) and was on my '99 FZS600 by that weekend. I loved the look of it. I did the research on 'first bike bike' and was torn between it and the Bandit until a trusted mechanic said the Fazer is just a little more exciting (and has a "bullet-proof" engine) so I went with that. It's not so expensive that it would cost a fortune to run or fix if 'dropped'. I've since written that bike off and bought...another FZS600. I still class myself as a new rider and definitely haven't outgrown the Fazer yet, it's got too much to give. Maybe a few years down the line when I'm throwing it around tracks and wondering how a faster bike might perform I'll look elsewhere, but it's just such a fun bike. Nimble, fast when you want to be, economic, easy to get parts and fix, I commute on it, touring is do-able, it really does do it all.
 
  I'll stick with mine until either I win the lottery and can have different bikes for different days (it's Pinagale Friday!!!) or until I have the measure of the bike. And I can't see that happening any time soon.   

[stevierst]

Gotta admit, I've had 2 bikes for the past 6 years and no car. I have my pride and joy play bike, and also a grafter for going to work on. My grafter has been a gs500, an sv650, a cbr 125, and of course The fazer has always been my favourite. I even just jump on the fazer when I nip to the shops, or whatever. Its just too easy to do. My play bike rarely gets used!

[dudeboy52]

The fazer just keeps on going very simple bike. Great fun to ride even when it is restricted like mine. You cant go wrong with a fazer when i get bored off the 600 im proberly gona buy a 1000 as they are just so practical. Yes i would love a sports bike but its just not practical. Fazer all the way

[packie]

so why did I buy the more powered Bandit 12 in 2003??

What made you buy the Bandit 1200 over the Fazer1000?


The Bandit was a way cheaper at the time over here in Ireland by about a grand or so. That money bought me a full givi luggage set and a few little extras. Also there was a  rake more accessories available for the Bandito and a lot more spares flying about if I needed them.

[xlewisbdx]

what bike did you pass your test on lewis? a 125?

Yep, Honda XR125, I would love to have one now, loads of fun for around town and hooliganism

[wezdavo]

what bike did you pass your test on lewis? a 125?

Yep, Honda XR125, I would love to have one now, loads of fun for around town and hooliganism

Your joking right?
 
There flat as a pancake!!
 
 

[xlewisbdx]

what bike did you pass your test on lewis? a 125?

Yep, Honda XR125, I would love to have one now, loads of fun for around town and hooliganism

Your joking right?
 
There flat as a pancake!!

Better than no enduro plus a 125 is so good on petrol

[marksfazer]

I agree with most of the previous comments but just want to add, I want to buy a new bike hopefully this year or maybe next. I have hankering to get another sports bike but whilst i want to satisfy my need for speed I have no intention of ever selling my Fazer. It's difficult to explian to the wife why I need 2 bikes but if the fazer wasn't so bloody good I would only be having 1 bike at any one time!
For the last 4 years I have owned the fazer it has been fantastic to own, maintain and ride.
Mark.