20-05-13, 04:27 PM
Hi,
Great to hear you are getting back on the bike, I can certainly sympathise with the "itch".
In my humble opinion the FZS 600 03 is a great bike. My one has been an absolute joy. The engine is as sweet as it gets in "600 land". There is a little gap in the power mid revs, but it still puts a smile on my face. It is also pretty comfy. I am 6ft 4 and don't have any real issues. Handles well. I put new rubber on last March (Metzeler Z8 Interacts) and they transformed the bike for me; especially in the wet. Either way though, the bike is a doddle to ride. My Dad has an 09 FZ6 and although still a great bike it just doesn't quite have the same fun factor for me (sound and performance).
I have made several mods to counter some of its weaker points: stainless steel downpipes; braided hoses front and rear; exhaust (just for fun); replaced rear calliper with an FZS1000 blue spot (the rear calliper on the 600 is basically worthless); rear shock (changed out for a Nitron - fully adjustable); heated grips; belly pan. If you do decide to go for the FZS 600, I would try to find one with the downpipes already replaced.
Good luck with everything.
