which is better ?....no not colour.

[red98]

heres one for you....which is the better fazer.....600 or 1000 ?

[JoeRock]

From owning both, I'd have to say the 1000 to be honest. The 600 for sure isn't a bad bike, but I'm definitely finding it a tad lacking in power after having had a couple years on bigger bikes (particularly now it's dry and sunny). The 1000 also has better suspension, and I find it a bit more comfy although not massively (think it might just be a bit more spacious, particularly two up). The 1000 definitely also has a better finish and "feel" to it, it just feels like a premium product (but in fairness I guess it was!)

Main thing I know I will miss about the 600 when I reupgrade (although when that happens next year it'll most likely be a liter sports bike) will be the flickability and the ability to just throw the bike on its side and slam the throttle open - after having adapted the more "point and squirt" style that comes with a 1000 I forgot how much fun it was cranking the bike right over in the corners!

[BBROWN1664]

I would have said its horses for courses.

600 for twisty stuff and 1000 for touring though both are capable in both areas

[Dead Eye]

I don't know

I'm looking at potentially upgrading to the thou, but I am biased against the 600 at the moment as mine is old and well worn...

[bigbluebear]

I agree with JoeRock having owned both too. While the 600 is a capable all round bike the invanised 1000 is in a different league.

[Slaninar]

When pushing it uphill, 600 wins hands down.

When paying for insurance, 600 again.

When touring - guess it must be 1000.

Trackdays? Both suck compared to a RR bike.



I'm happy with 600, if only I could talk myself into spending money on better suspension (although that amount buys me a decent although old track day bike). 

[Hedgetrimmer]

From the start, this has to be seen as being biased (at least honest!), because although I've had full use of a 600 for about 2 weeks, that's not living with one day to day all year round.
I chose the thou gen 1 for the 4th time for a number of reasons.
It is imo the best all-rounder (at the price you pay) there is. It will tour in reasonable comfort loaded up with luggage, and still handle reasonably well with that load. It can tackle the twisties and deliver a smile whilst doing so. It's a brilliant bike for fast sweeping A roads. It's surprisingly nimble for town work. Fuel consumption is very good, provided you keep it below 7k rpm, and it will pull cleanly from as little as 2k rpm in any gear, once it's little idiosyncrasies have been sorted (more about mods to follow). Every time I've bought one, I've considered other bikes and come to the conclusion that while there are plenty of bikes out there that will do one or two of these things better, I cannot think of a single one that can do all these things as well in a single package as the Fazer thou does. This means that as an only bike, it can't be beaten. If, like me, you cannot afford something newer, it is now superb value for money. It is generally reliable (worst I've had is a collapsed rear wheel bearing, this on a bike that spent it's first 20k miles based in the salty air of Guernsey). I've thrashed em, toured em, done fast roads, gravelly, dodgy surfaces washed out with rain on slopes, both up and down, that were more akin to waterfalls in pissing rain, and always they feel sure-footed and confidence inspiring (except on original fit MEZ4s!).
 
As can be seen with the bikes of Kosmic, Devilsyam and others, it can be made much better even than this at reasonable cost (comparatively). Many 600 owners like to upgrade their suspension (notably with the rear shock from the thou), and the thou will take R1 USD forks with well established set-ups, R6 rear shocks too. With the Ivanising carb tune-up, all the little glitches disappear and you get more power everywhere, again at relatively low cost. As with the 600, there are enough around that spares, whether new or second hand are generally readily available. AyJay has proved the general reliability by taking his around the clock, and it's still going strong.
 
And don't tell me they're not fun! Ok, the 600 is bound to be more flickable with it's lighter weight, but the thou will get round most corners just as quickly in the hands of a good rider, and then stay with many a sports bike on the straights too. And you can't beat the grin factor of all that mid range, power where you can readily use it, not all stuck up in the last couple of thou revs before the redline. But you want to rev it? Yeah, you can do that, it just takes a bit more care and forethought if you're not to get in too much trouble. I love engine braking into the corners, flick it in, and then powering up thro' the gears. It's far from impossible. But not feeling so energetic today? Hell, leave it in top and virtually do your entire trip in the one gear.
 
Given time, I'm sure I could come up with plenty more, but 600 owners probably wouldn't read it anyway!    Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the 600 is a bad bike, in fact it seems to be the equivalent of the thou in it's own capacity class. But if you want to do more than one thing on your bike, and you can only afford one bike, I'd say go with the thou. Every time. 
 

[dazza]

 

[chaz]

It's got to be the FZ6N cos that's what I've got? although the thou is better it was a lot more money so £ for £ it must be a close thing, I ride mine for fun, mainly on the twisties which it holds is own.
Ridden hard it still gives around 50 mpg so running costs should be less, although there's no price too high (within reason) for fun.

I always say get the bike you like and not what someone else likes, after all if one bike was better than all the rest then there would only be one bike?

[noggythenog]

 
The 600 is the best.......because it doesnt smell of wee & werthers originals!
 
 

[Hedgetrimmer]

The 600 is the best.......because it doesnt smell of wee & werthers originals!
 
 

Moot point, there won't be any 600s left alive soon 

[Skippernick]

The 600 is the best.......because it doesnt smell of wee & werthers originals!
 
 

 

[bigralphie]

600's are ok for people who like to feel the wind on their vagina's 

[solorider]

When paying for insurance, 600 again.

When touring - guess it must be 1000.

my thou insurance quote from £80 fully comp, the 600 is hardly any cheaper

[Slaninar]

my thou insurance quote from £80 fully comp, the 600 is hardly any cheaper

600 cost me some 150 euros for registration fees and insurance (which was around 60 euros, no claims, clean sheet...).

1000 is some 20% more. Used to be triple.

Under 500 is 30% cheaper, while under 250 cc it costs some 50 euros.

[noggythenog]

600's are ok for people who like to feel the wind on their vagina's 

 
So that's what that strange Whistle is!!!

[JZS 600]

I've been toying with the idea of buying another bike, but can't walk away from the 600 for it's outright damn practicableness.


So now I thinking of buying a stable mate for me Julie. Thinking along the lines of a Hyperstrada, MT-09 or Tiger 1050 Sport.


Decisions!

[Dead Eye]

I'm still really unsure about the MT-09

All the reviews leave me feeling like I want to buy it... but looks wise... there's just something missing in my opinion or not quite right...

[locksmith]

Reading MCN's first test report I'd say the MT-9 maybe the bike to bridge the gap (depending on luggage capabilities and leaving the fly by wire in B )

[Hedgetrimmer]

I'm still really unsure about the MT-09

All the reviews leave me feeling like I want to buy it... but looks wise... there's just something missing in my opinion or not quite right...

Japan needs to come up with something outright sensational if they're to regain the top spot I reckon. I also think Yamaha missed out in the looks department with the new bike, and even though that's a personal thing, they need a consensus of opinion - they've seemingly divided it instead with this bike. The new triple engine will have to make up for this if they want it to be a bike that people are talking about for years to come. KTM, Aprillia, Triumph and Ducati are still a whole league ahead imo, but Yamaha are still probably the most likely Jap manufacturer to change this - I just don't think it'll be with this MT-09. But we'll see.

[Dead Eye]

I honestly can't think of any other bike that I would consider as my next if I was to remove a thou or another 600 from the options. Maybe a Triumph Street Triple but I just don't know - to be honest, I'm still not up together in the bike market. I've spent plenty of time amongst cars and reading reviews and picking up general tid bits etc so I usually know what I'm after when it comes round to replacement and what I want to avoid. But with bikes... I just have absolutely no idea...

[JZS 600]

I LIKE the look of the MT-09


It's the 14L fuel tank that makes it into a toy IMO.


OK, they wanted to keep it light for the launch of the model but it doesn't really work if you want to ride any distance on it...


The Hyperstrada ticks more boxes for me, at a price...


I like my bikes to have practical side, hence Fazer 

[andybesy]

Ditch the crappy tail tidy thing and it would look a lot better IMO.

Myself I'd also add a decent looking aftermarket screen.

Yes, the tank size is an issue.

Andy

[mickvp]

back to the topic in hand for a moment. Although im a 600 rider, I think the thou (gen 1) would suit my riding style a lot better. It winds me up having to rev the nuts off the bike to get the power out it as I feel like im not being mechanically sympathetic to it. plus when overtaking on b roads i feel like im never done going up and down the box. i think this problem would be far reduced on the thou as the power would be more available lower down the revs and in higher gears.

thats just a personal thing though, but the 600 is still i cracking bike if you dont mind working the gears.

[stevierst]

There's nowt wrong with revving a 600, its what they're built for!
I currently own a boxeye, and a tweaked gen 2 Fz1, and you can't really compare them tbh. I've had 3 boxeyes, and truly love them to bits. Light, incredibly forgiving, quicker than you think, and for what I bought mine for, economy! (I've done 73mpg!!).
The thousand cc bikes are completely different, and I adore my gen 2. If I had to choose to sell one? Tough call that, but the boxeye would be first to go. The thou will do everything that little bit better. (apart from economy, only 45mpg out of the gen 2).