New Suffolker

[SmuttyHutty]

Thought I'd get on this forum and try and learn from those far more experienced than me. YouTube has been my friend up until now....


Just gone back on two wheels after 35 years away and looking to do DAS in the next few weeks and grab a decent FZ6 S2 - not necessarily in that order. Had DT50MX and DT125LC back in the mid-to-late 80s but never progressed any further as I passed my driving test. Currently driving two Mazda RX8s (long story - I like pain) and being crippled more than usual by the price of fuel plus 18mpg. So did CBT, hopped on a Honda and doing 200 miles a week in town and around villages, and enjoying a fuel bill of £15 rather than £95.


Anyway, I've seen a fair few FZ6 for sale and have done a ton of reading around the subject. I am hoping that a member of this club is as picky about their own machine as I am about my RX8s and might be looking to sell their bike at some point in the future. I'd rather buy from an enthusiast who has kept the bike loved and in good order.

[FazThou]

Welcome in Smutty

"Currently driving two Mazda RX8s".... perhaps we shall call you Ben Hur 

[b1k3rdude]

Welcome,

Grahamm I believe currently rides an FZ6, but there are a few other FZ6 riders on here still.

[Grahamm]

Anyway, I've seen a fair few FZ6 for sale and have done a ton of reading around the subject. I am hoping that a member of this club is as picky about their own machine as I am about my RX8s and might be looking to sell their bike at some point in the future.

I have the FZ6-SA (ABS 2004-2006 model)

The S2 was a slightly improved model with better brake calipers, for example, but either model is good.

If you're going to buy one, here's my list of some of the things to look at before you do: (I saved this post a while ago for the next time someone asked this question... )

Provided it's had reasonable care taken of it, they're good, reliable bikes.

Here's some stuff to check before you buy it...

Firstly, the FZ6 drops into first gear like the Crack of Doom! This is, incredibly, absolutely normal.

Check the exhaust headers for signs of rust. If they're bad, it means other, important work probably hasn't been done.

Put the bike on the centre stand and get someone to push down on the back. Using fingertip pressure, tip the handlebars to one side and the other and see if you can feel any grinding, clicking or rough sensations which could indicate the headset bearings are knackered (which is a bugger of a job to fix!)

Also take hold of the front wheel and see if you can pull the forks back and forth which would also indicate a dodgy headset.

Bounce the forks up and down and look for any signs of oil leaking from the fork seals.

Check the rear shock and see what condition it's in. Clean? Rusty? Can you change the preload setting or is it stuck in place because it's never been moved and it's covered in crud?

Put your finger under the chain a little bit back from the centre stand and try to push it up against the swing arm. If it goes really easily or you can't get it there at all, it's too loose or tight. If it takes a bit of effort to hold it there, the tension is probably ok.

Feel the gaps between the teeth on the rear sprocket, if you can feel a "lip" or a "hook" instead of a smooth curve, it's on the way out and would need replacing as well as the front sprocket and chain.

With the rear wheel off the ground, check to see if you can wiggle the wheel or swing arm back and forward or from side to side. Either could mean knackered bearings which would need to be replaced.

Run the bike until it's warm, then switch off and let it sit for a few minutes. Check the oil level on the centre stand and make sure it's ok.

Other things to ask...

If it's done nearly 24k (or 48k) miles, ask if the valve clearances have been checked, if they haven't and they need new shims, that's an expensive job if you get it done by a mechanic.

The brake pipes are supposed to be replaced every 4 years, so ask if they've been done (although I did mine after 14 and they were fine, I just wanted braided lines).

Ask if the spark plugs and oil filter have been changed (recommended every 12k miles) air filter (25k miles)

None of these last ones are necessarily critical, the FZ6 is pretty reliable, but it would show that the bike has been cared for.

There's probably more, but that's a few to be going on with!

If you're happy with it, enjoy!

[SmuttyHutty]

Anyway, I've seen a fair few FZ6 for sale and have done a ton of reading around the subject. I am hoping that a member of this club is as picky about their own machine as I am about my RX8s and might be looking to sell their bike at some point in the future.

I have the FZ6-SA (ABS 2004-2006 model)

The S2 was a slightly improved model with better brake calipers, for example, but either model is good.

If you're going to buy one, here's my list of some of the things to look at before you do: (I saved this post a while ago for the next time someone asked this question... )

Provided it's had reasonable care taken of it, they're good, reliable bikes.

Here's some stuff to check before you buy it...

Firstly, the FZ6 drops into first gear like the Crack of Doom! This is, incredibly, absolutely normal.

Check the exhaust headers for signs of rust. If they're bad, it means other, important work probably hasn't been done.

Put the bike on the centre stand and get someone to push down on the back. Using fingertip pressure, tip the handlebars to one side and the other and see if you can feel any grinding, clicking or rough sensations which could indicate the headset bearings are knackered (which is a bugger of a job to fix!)

Also take hold of the front wheel and see if you can pull the forks back and forth which would also indicate a dodgy headset.

Bounce the forks up and down and look for any signs of oil leaking from the fork seals.

Check the rear shock and see what condition it's in. Clean? Rusty? Can you change the preload setting or is it stuck in place because it's never been moved and it's covered in crud?

Put your finger under the chain a little bit back from the centre stand and try to push it up against the swing arm. If it goes really easily or you can't get it there at all, it's too loose or tight. If it takes a bit of effort to hold it there, the tension is probably ok.

Feel the gaps between the teeth on the rear sprocket, if you can feel a "lip" or a "hook" instead of a smooth curve, it's on the way out and would need replacing as well as the front sprocket and chain.

With the rear wheel off the ground, check to see if you can wiggle the wheel or swing arm back and forward or from side to side. Either could mean knackered bearings which would need to be replaced.

Run the bike until it's warm, then switch off and let it sit for a few minutes. Check the oil level on the centre stand and make sure it's ok.

Other things to ask...

If it's done nearly 24k (or 48k) miles, ask if the valve clearances have been checked, if they haven't and they need new shims, that's an expensive job if you get it done by a mechanic.

The brake pipes are supposed to be replaced every 4 years, so ask if they've been done (although I did mine after 14 and they were fine, I just wanted braided lines).

Ask if the spark plugs and oil filter have been changed (recommended every 12k miles) air filter (25k miles)

None of these last ones are necessarily critical, the FZ6 is pretty reliable, but it would show that the bike has been cared for.

There's probably more, but that's a few to be going on with!

If you're happy with it, enjoy!

Thank you @Grahamm


I saw that list when I was trawling this forum a little while agi, so kudos to you for posting it. I've not seen any bikes in the flesh - it would seem an awful waste of a seller's time having me turn up and not able to ride away. There are a few 2007 models, some with the original calipers and some with the uprated ones, for sale around the £2400-3300 so trying to work out the reasons for the difference is a challenge.


Mileage, condition and service history are the usual suspects but it is intriguing seeing the variation.

[Grahamm]

Mileage, condition and service history are the usual suspects but it is intriguing seeing the variation.

Being it's the start of Spring, it's supposed to be the best time to sell as there's more demand.

Mostly though, I think it's either that they've got an overly rosy view of how wonderful their bike is, or just what someone believes they can get away with!

[SmuttyHutty]

Being it's the start of Spring, it's supposed to be the best time to sell as there's more demand.

Mostly though, I think it's either that they've got an overly rosy view of how wonderful their bike is, or just what someone believes they can get away with!

You can tell it's spring - one organ donor near Ely in Cambs a couple of days ago and the air ambulance in the same area yesterday. Police on Twitter are reminding bike returners like me that we're not invincible, and warning car drivers to look thrice and not twice as motorcycles are now emerging from garages. It's all so avoidable and sad.


Chatting with a seller on Fleabay with a low mileage 2007 model at under £3k but I'd have to buy sight unseen. Got a video call with him later which is good. It's got a blemish-free MoT history. Transport quotes of between £130-200 from professional motorcycle carriers to pick up and deliver to me. Plus theres one on Autotrader in Norwich which is about an hour away. Again looks good (I like stock models) so I'll call the seller later. Transport from there will be much cheaper. Plus I might be able to take an RX8 for a blast up the A11....

[SmuttyHutty]

Right lads. That didn't take long. Got a cracking deal on a 2009 FZ6 Fazer with 12k on the clock, full service history and a pampered life until now. The seller even offered to ride it to my house which is very decent.


Theory test today and (hopefully) DAS in a few weeks time. Woohoo!

[FazThou]

Yay be ready for the summer then 

[SmuttyHutty]

Yay be ready for the summer then 

Aye. Got the transition from 125 to 650 booked for Sunday.

[FazThou]

Yay be ready for the summer then 

Aye. Got the transition from 125 to 650 booked for Sunday.

Good luck with it mate

[SmuttyHutty]

Sunday was fab. Spent about two and a half hours on a Kawasaki ER-6, some on the practice ground and some on the road. I have to say it's not much different to a 125 when keeping it under 4-5k revs. That said, it's a VERY different beast when the dual carriageway awaits and you can let it rip. And the man-handling is, of course, more demanding.


Did all of the Mod 1 disciplines pretty well, apart from the ride at walking pace. Really struggled to not wobble and was tending to veer left. No idea why. Been out on my 125 and found if I clamp the tank with my legs then it reduces wobble. Work that one out!


Anyway, got 90 minutes at the test centre on Saturday, then 4 hours on the following Wednesday and then Mod 1 test straight after.


There's no reason why I shouldn't pass, but if I have a bad day at the office I'll just pay another £15.50 and give it another go.


Getting mightily fed up of screaming the 125 to get to 60mph....

[SmuttyHutty]

Mod 1 passed this morning. Thought my final life saver on the U turn was a bit rubbish but the examiner was happy. Did 48kmh and not 52kmh on the swerve run but he was happy with it.


Now on to Mod 2, hopefully next week. Did 4 hours of riding in total today on main roads and roundabouts. Was a bit rubbish and running wide on the roundabouts so off to practise them tomorrow.


The FZ6 should be arriving on Friday.....

[Grahamm]

Excellent news

[SmuttyHutty]

So the new-to-me FZ6 S2 arrived yesterday and the seller was an absolute gentleman. Rode it all the way from Cornwall to Suffolk to let me have a look at it and it passed all of the checks. It had a top box but I am not keen on that look so I removed it. Took off half of the framework and will remove the rest today.
Ordered the 4 degree timing wheel, gasket and smaller torque wrench and cannot wait to start fettling this machine.

[Grahamm]

Excellent!

BTW the top box is useful to compensate for the tiny under-seat storage capacity... :-/

A few other suggestions for upgrades in order of ease of doing:

1) Look on YouTube for videos (Dave Moss is a good one) showing how to adjust the bike's ergonomics to fit you, rather than you fitting the bike.

2) Do the MT07 Clutch Actuator Arm mini modification that gives you a lighter clutch pull and longer in the friction zone: https://www.beginnerbiker.com/2019/09/fz6-mini-mod-fixing-heavy-clutch/

3) Install a Power Commander or similar ECU modification to smooth out the fuel delivery and stop the lag when you roll on the power after a bend.

4) Put on braided brake lines for better stopping

5) Swap the OEM fork springs and rear shock for a decent set of aftermarket ones (Hyperpro and YSS on mine) for a much better ride.

Enjoy it

[SmuttyHutty]

Excellent!

BTW the top box is useful to compensate for the tiny under-seat storage capacity... :-/ I did think about keeping it but will stick with a rucksack as it limits what I can buy from Sainsbury's!

A few other suggestions for upgrades in order of ease of doing:

1) Look on YouTube for videos (Dave Moss is a good one) showing how to adjust the bike's ergonomics to fit you, rather than you fitting the bike. Will do straight away. Thank you for the tip.

2) Do the MT07 Clutch Actuator Arm mini modification that gives you a lighter clutch pull and longer in the friction zone: https://www.beginnerbiker.com/2019/09/fz6-mini-mod-fixing-heavy-clutch/ I saw a chap on YouTube doing this and noted it as an option - definitely on the list if I get RSI from the clutch lever/cable.

3) Install a Power Commander or similar ECU modification to smooth out the fuel delivery and stop the lag when you roll on the power after a bend. Waaaaay beyond my competance, this. If I went down this route it would be with a bigger boy holding my hand I think.

4) Put on braided brake lines for better stopping Already shopping for HEL lines, but front only. I've read that braided on the back makes the brake a little bit grabby but I am happy to listen to more experienced folk than me.

5) Swap the OEM fork springs and rear shock for a decent set of aftermarket ones (Hyperpro and YSS on mine) for a much better ride. Think I'll start with 15W fork oil first, and change the seals just as preventative maintenance whilst I am there. But if someone knows of 0.95kg rated front springs going at a decent price then I am happy to receive a PM. Seen a Shock Factory M shock for sale which will suit my weight....

Enjoy it

Definitely going to enjoy it! Already got the rest of the top box frame off and given nooks and crannies a clean. Just gagging for the Mod 2 date to come through. Meanwhile, a CBF125 is feeling rather unloved.

[Grahamm]

3) Install a Power Commander or similar ECU modification

Waaaaay beyond my competance, this. If I went down this route it would be with a bigger boy holding my hand I think.

Installing the PC III was literally a matter of unplugging a couple of connectors and adding it into the loom, plus connecting a wire to the battery negative terminal.

All you need apart from that is a laptop to install the basic fuelling map that you can download from the Dynojet site.

I've read that braided on the back makes the brake a little bit grabby

I've never experienced that.

5) Swap the OEM fork springs and rear shock for a decent set of aftermarket ones

Think I'll start with 15W fork oil first

All that will do is to increase the damping meaning that the bike won't dive as quickly under braking, but neither will it recover as quickly either. It will give a harsher ride, however the springs are still going to be soft, so it will still dive, just ore slowly.

,

[SmuttyHutty]

Any spring retailer recommendations? I am pretty sure that with my weight (flipping lockdown added to my girth and I am now doing the not fun thing of losing it) I am looking at 0.95kg rated springs. I've read that linear is preferable to progressive...


Got the Mod 2 date through - Thursday 19th May. I'll rack up about 300 miles of 125 driving between now and then and will try and treat every mile as a test mile. Also booked 4 hours training and expert advice.


On a different note (and maybe this needs to be a thread started under FZ6) I use CTEK chargers/battery maintainers on my RX8s and have 'Comfort Adapters' fitted to all of the family cars for convenience. I'll take this off the 125 and stick it on the FZ6 but what I want is to use the female CTEK connector for a USB female or USB-C male line out. Anyone tried this and been successful? Just trying to save having looms of wire spaghetti under the tank.

[Grahamm]

Any spring retailer recommendations? I am pretty sure that with my weight (flipping lockdown added to my girth and I am now doing the not fun thing of losing it) I am looking at 0.95kg rated springs. I've read that linear is preferable to progressive...

Linear springs are better for smooth tracks, because they don't have to deal with potholes, speed bumps or that length of 2x4 that falls off the lorry in front of you!

[SmuttyHutty]

Been looking at the dual light mod. Just looked at the off-side light on the bike and it has the wire! Looks like it goes round the underside of the front and then under the tank. Think I've got some wire chasing to do to find out why it isn't working. High beam works so I guess one filament is fine...ordered a replacement lamp to see if that is the issue.

[SmuttyHutty]

Sorted the dual light mod - and now I am no longer blind in one eye.


Had a 4 hour lesson yesterday evening and came home pretty dispirited. Had an absolute shocker and would've failed the test at least eight times over. I can't get my head around the need to look left and look right when speeding up or slowing down. It seem unnatural and unecessary but I know the examiner is looking for it. I totally missed a 20mph zone. Why look to your right when going ahead at a roundabout? I am more concerned about someone coming from my left and not stopping. It makes no sense to look right where cars beside and behind you on a roundabout can already see you and know you're there. Never saw a sodding great road sign. It is ridiculous. I'd never do those things in a car.


Still going ahead with the test tomorrow and hoping I can nail it on the day. But think I'll be driving to the in-laws on Friday and not riding.

[robbo]

Chill, relax and breathe, you'll be fine. Just jump through the hoops you need to jump through. You won't truly start learning until you're free to make and learn from your own mistakes. You'll be fine

[SmuttyHutty]

Chill, relax and breathe, you'll be fine. Just jump through the hoops you need to jump through. You won't truly start learning until you're free to make and learn from your own mistakes. You'll be fine

Best advice on the planet - send me your bill!!!!


Just passed with zero minors. Clearly Tuesday was a bad day at the office. Now on the phone to the insurance company to transfer over to the FZ6. Expect to see a CBF125 on Marketplace any.....minute....now.

[BBROWN1664]

Good news - now is the time to remember that the throttle goes both ways and take it easy while you learn to ride again.