How long have you been riding

[mr self destruct]

Maybe I can win the newbie contest. Started riding on my 32nd birthday and now 34! I've had a Suzuki Van Van (125) and an Aprilia Tuono (1000). I wrote off the Tuono and nearly myself in the process.

I passed my test on an FZS600 and was happy to find the one I ride now earlier this year. I ride every day to work down through the Dart valley to Totnes which is bliss.

Glad I'm not the only recent convert here! I passed my test in June 2013, but have less than 2 years experience if you discount 1 month off with a broken toe, 2 months off 'paternity leave' and 6 months off so far with a dislocated knee.


I did the usual online research on the "best first big bike" to get (Bandit, Hornet, SV, blah blah blah), knocked everything off the list except the Fazer & Hornet as I didn't want anything with less bhp than the Bandit I took my test on, and the Fazer won because of my motorway commute, as it has a fairing.
Like the OP says, I saw it as a good starter bike (like all the reviews say) and always intended to buy something bigger and newer.
However, despite test riding a few other bikes (MT09, MT07, GSX650F, GSR750 and a Z800), I always stick with the FZS600. Mainly because while all the others have been faster and easier to chuck into corners, they're not faster by enough to warrant losing the practicality of the Fazer. Only the GSX has a fairing and none of the bikes in my budget have any storage space. So the Fazer does it all!