09-08-12, 04:14 PM
I had two 600s (a square eye from new and then a near new foxeye) before getting my current gen1 thou.
Agree with most of what has been said above. I loved the 600s but when my last one was written off I was struggling to find a really good replacement. I've never liked the FZ6 (no offence owners
) and finding a 'like new' FZS600 was by then virtually impossible. However there were still some very good examples of the thou available as they continued to be made for longer.
A patient search found me buying a 3000 mile 2005 thou. Never regretted the purchase. A Nitron shock and progressive fork springs have sorted the suspension, Ivanising transforms the motor, and a bit of colour matching of the black bits and various mods have given me what I think is a striking looking bike (Lava red with black engine) that does everything pretty well. I used it for my daily commute but am quite happy to go off tent and panniers attached on tour and it rates pretty well for a weekend thrash as well.
Performance is in a different league to the 600 but you pay a price at the pumps. Peculiarly I also find it a more leisurely ride just because of the easily accessible power and I think overall build quality is better than the 600. About the only downside I found initailly compared to the 600 was also related to the greater power - you get far less opportunity to really wind it up because it is just so quick. Whereas I seemed to have ample opportunity to thrash the 600 there seem more limited occasions to do the same on the thou and as a consequence it does sometimes seem like less fun to ride. But don't get me wrong - I still enjoy it immensely and it's a great bike. If I could have a new FZS600 now I wouldn't go back from the thou.
Agree with most of what has been said above. I loved the 600s but when my last one was written off I was struggling to find a really good replacement. I've never liked the FZ6 (no offence owners
) and finding a 'like new' FZS600 was by then virtually impossible. However there were still some very good examples of the thou available as they continued to be made for longer.A patient search found me buying a 3000 mile 2005 thou. Never regretted the purchase. A Nitron shock and progressive fork springs have sorted the suspension, Ivanising transforms the motor, and a bit of colour matching of the black bits and various mods have given me what I think is a striking looking bike (Lava red with black engine) that does everything pretty well. I used it for my daily commute but am quite happy to go off tent and panniers attached on tour and it rates pretty well for a weekend thrash as well.
Performance is in a different league to the 600 but you pay a price at the pumps. Peculiarly I also find it a more leisurely ride just because of the easily accessible power and I think overall build quality is better than the 600. About the only downside I found initailly compared to the 600 was also related to the greater power - you get far less opportunity to really wind it up because it is just so quick. Whereas I seemed to have ample opportunity to thrash the 600 there seem more limited occasions to do the same on the thou and as a consequence it does sometimes seem like less fun to ride. But don't get me wrong - I still enjoy it immensely and it's a great bike. If I could have a new FZS600 now I wouldn't go back from the thou.
....----//// Life is not a rehearsal \\\\----....