Not sure what to do.

[noggythenog]

One thing is for sure......yous guys will glad to see the back of my wondering......& one of you will get to sell me your fazer when they are getting sky high money.

[Lez72]

Noggy, I feel your pain mate. I'm going to agree with the foccers who have advised you to scratch the itch. As you know, I have been wondering whether to go for something different recently aswell, albeit for different reasons to yours. There is nothing wrong with the FZS600 in the real world and I guess that's what makes it such a loveable little bike but there are a shit load more machines out there to try and cliché, "We are here for a good time, not a long time".

If it were me faced with your dilemma I personally wouldn't spend too much on your current Fazer. I would keep it safe and roadworthy and that's about it and then ride it until you have worked out a suitable replacement. Definitely go on a few test rides before taking the plunge if they are available. The whole bike buying decision lies with working out exactly what you want from a bike and doing your research to enable you to find the right machine at the right price. You mention a ballpark figure spend of around £1500 to get your Fazer to where you want it. That's a hell of a lot of money to put towards something else.

Agreed, you could go down the suspension upgrade route but I have personally decided with my Fazer that it would be false economy as she rides pretty good on the stock stuff. I've had a fair few bikes over the years of which the majority have been new (ish) sports bikes and the little Fazer feels no worse than any of them and has very predictable and confidence inspiring handling. Besides, I personally think its nice to have to work a bike and kick it back into line when it shakes it's head. If you did replace the suspension and the bike suddenly became the most awesome thing you had ever ridden you would still keep thinking about buying something else as the seed in your mind has already started growing and you also appear to have fallen out of love with the way your bike looks and the fact it has been crashed.

In short, Start thinking about your next bike by thinking outside the box. Consider what you want from a bike and include bikes that you previously wouldn't have thought about owning. I bought my boxeye on a bit of an impulse but have enjoyed owning it. Go on as many test rides as you can and keep saving the pennies. If your budget is around £4000 that can buy you a hell of a lot of bike these days. If you do regret moving away from the boxeye it's not like there's a shortage of them in circulation and I'm sure you could bag yourself another one easily enough if you wanted to.

Oh, and most of all good luck. I'm sure you will make the decision that's right for you in the end 

[Chris]

As the others have said Noggy, if you fancy a change then go for it! But try lots of things before you get rid of the fazer, test rides can really surprise you. No point spending loads of money on the fazer when you could just buy something that has better suspension or more power etc. Same as people chaving up a 1.2 corsa with a loud exhaust and an induction kit from Halfords, it might give them 1 extra bhp but at the end of the day it's still just a 1.2 corsa... plus they've weighed it down with a stupid body kit etc... Just make sure and try lots of different things before you sell the noggy fighter.

All the best though for the decision!

Chris

P.S. no matter what you do I'm sure you can still stick around here! haha.

[mickvp]

Hi Noggy,

Not much more to add mate, Im in much the same boat myself (though as you have probably seen, I have made the decision to part with my Fazer for something else). I would like a Fazer Thou as its replacement, but in reality there are loads of bikes out there I would like a ride own, and could see me owning (VFR800, Super Blackbird, ZX12R Ninja, ZX10R Ninja, Hayabusa, Superduke to name but a few) so Ive certainly not limited myself to any one marque or model when browsing.

Im a big lad as well and I find the fazer suspension is not great for me, even near max preload. I also dont like its lack of torque, and want something more torquey - although the speed is not an issue once you get it wound up, its not the style of riding i do really.

I would rather ride something that I can adjust to suit me more or less out the box without changing over suspension compenents etc, like you, I prefer riding bikes to tinkering with them.

I cant really offer any advice for you that others have not said here. I dont think upgrading your Fazer is the way to go personally, now that you have the idea in your head of trying something else, you will likely always be thinking of the "what if's" instead of being happy with your upgrades, so it will be a bit tainted. Best to just go for it and scratch the itch mate. If its not for you, there still a lot of Fazers in circulation, and the one your letting go is not mint by your own admission, so you wont struggle to find one matching its condition.

Oh and even if you do go away from  a Fazer - stick around for the banter!

[darrsi]

Sat on a Tuono, years ago at a bike show, then a courier roared up on one at work and i thought "I've gotta try one of those!"
Bit miffed with the ugly headlight, but it's probably 10 times brighter than the lame lights i'm using now so shouldn't complain really.
Time will tell. 

[nick crisp]

Been there, done all that, went back to a fazer every time!
First bike, boxeye (put 30k on it in just over a year)
Aprilia Futura.
R1 (ended up streetfightering it as I wanted a fazer thou, and kept it 7 years)
Gs500 for work (as well as the R1)
Sv650 for work (yawn)------"-------
Fazer 600.---------"----------
Sold the fazer and R1, then bought
Tiger 1050. Kept for 4-5 month and swapped it for my FZ1 which I still have.
Inherited my sons boxeye for work for 10 months and gave it back(when he got his licence back).
Bought a tdm(Zzzzzz). Swapped it after 3 months for a bandit 600(big yawn). Sold bandit after 2 months and got a thundercat which I like. Still crave a fazer foxeye though!

This doesn't include bikes I've borrowed, ridden, and given back in a hurry.

All this has taken 12 years, but the moral of the story is, I've always gone back to a fazer!!

Get out there and try other bikes by all means, but you'll still have that warm spot for probably the best do-it-all bike of the last decade and a half.

No doubt about it, there are very few bikes with the versatility of the Fazers. Personally, I still don't want to give up my gen 1 for any other bike. But like you Stevie, I went through many bikes before I discovered the one that I can live with and enjoy long term (and have I ever mentioned that I'm on my 4th one in a row?  :lol ).
But also Stevie, I notice that many of your bikes were what might be considered as commuters. For me, biking is first and foremost about fun. You don't buy a GS500, ER5, CB500, GSF600, TDM etc for kicks (although each can probably supply a bit of that, simply from the "2-wheel innit bruv" point of view).
My list was always aimed at getting excitement out of bikes: 750 Turbo, GSXR750 & 1100, FZ750, RG500, Stephens stage 3 YPVS, Denco 750 H2C, FZR1000; although there have been one or two commuters as well, and a 3 bike passion for Z650s, plus a Z1 (had to have one, but didn't ride it much as by then I was used to much better bikes).
Go with your heart Noggy - commuting is what the car and those average 500s are for - you ride for the enjoyment, so make your next bike one that gives you a grin each time you go out on it. You can always trade it if the novelty wears off.

[noggythenog]

Thanks everyone for the replies......some wise words there.




So i've basically decided to aim for a new bike next year & with a bit of luck i can start looking next winter.


I'll keep the fazer for 1 year & see how i get on with using it for the days that are ok but still a bit of shit on the roads.....i wont abuse it by riding it through winter but i've got a feeling a new bike will make me a little ocd so it will be kept for the really nice days.....if the bike continues to be reliable then my dad can use it when he comes to visit as it would be nice for him to do some Wales rideouts......i can strip off parts at my leisure to overhaul such as the brakes without worrying that i dont have a bike to use...will keep me learning....that's half the trouble.....i wait a big chunk of the year to get on my bike & then something acts up & im spending valuable riding time trying to fix it because i'm always learning new stuff.


If it breaks down big time then i'll strip it & keep the parts safe.......because who knows like yous say i might end up buying a mint condition fazer again in future so then i'd have a steady parts supply too.






I think where i am it would be easy to just buy another mint fazer & use mine as a good spares bike for it.......but it just aint a spares bike yet.....& it would be a shame to never try anything else....if it were a rare bike like an old trx then theres no way id get rid but theres thousands of fazers out there & there still will be if i ever want one again.

[stevierst]

But also Stevie, I notice that many of your bikes were what might be considered as commuters. For me, biking is first and foremost about fun. 

I totally agree with you nick. Hence why I have the luxury of two bikes and have done for the last decade.  A commuter (t'cat/gs/sv/fazer) and a play bike (fz1/R1)
I have to compromise though by not having a car.
If you 'need' anything quicker than a litre bike on the road, then you seriously need to get into racing!

[nick crisp]

Two bikes is definitely the way to go......or 3, or 4........no wait........ :lol

[JoeRock]

You'll have to start a new thread now Noggy on what you're wanting from a bike so people can recommend things!

[noggythenog]

You'll have to start a new thread now Noggy on what you're wanting from a bike so people can recommend things!

Good idea Joe :thumbup ....i'm like the forum version of an oxygen thief......I'm a bandwidth abuser :b


Mind you it is a nice discussion & that's the good thing about bikers...yes we all love our fazers.....but dont shun other bikes.....well maybe bandits .......& that can be seen by all the other bike owners on here.


I'll start a thread in general.

[slimwilly]

Nowt wrong with your bike,,just ride around the problems,,,if there is any


In the winter bike prices will be all time low,,say December,,,just get the finance sorted and do it,,look at Deadeye,,no fooking about,,just do it.


Slim :lol


And stop dithering you twat

[noggythenog]

Oi get on my other thread slim you nutter,


I do more typing than Christo & we both get to the same place.......nowhere :b

[stevierst]

Two bikes is definitely the way to go......or 3, or 4........no wait........ :lol

I'd have a garage full of the buggers if I could, I just need a huge garage! Lol

[Andy FZS]

I have a fairly large garage 45x13 feet but sadly struggle to mine and our eldest lads bikes in due to a caravan and 4x4 but if the van goes............I'd have space and cash, so I just need tomake a fuss of my mrs...lol

[Chris]

Get rid of the caravan! Problem solved 

Tell her it goes, if she disagrees she can take it with her and they can both go,

Chris

[stevierst]

+1 in bin the caravan! (hideous inventions)
Tell the missus your too old for that shenanigans, and a hotel would be better option when travelling. ;D

[Lez72]

I has the misfortune of having to tow a caravan about a week ago with a minibus. I only had to move it a couple of miles on somebody elses behalf, might I add, but it was a harrowing experience. How on earth anybody would want to drag one of those things for hundreds of miles is beyond me  :rolleyes