FZR600 - Good first bike?

[veeeffarr]

Thinking of getting a 600 over a 500 as a first bike.

I've always loved FZR's.

Are they still good today? Or are they complete sheds now?

They can be picked up quite cheaply, just wondering whether they'd be practical for carrying some luggage, and commuting.

Are they a good all weather bike? Bearing in mind any bike I get will live outside all year.

Toby

[Kickstart]

Hi

Which FZR? The FZR600 or the FZR600R?

Biggest trouble with the older ones is the total lack of tyre choice. The only rear tyre still available in an appropriate size (150/60 18, and H rated is not suitable) is the Bridgestone BT014 and they are not cheap.

Finish is OK, but nothing special. Performance is OK, but way faster than a 500 twin (claimed 90hp against a claimed 60hp, reality is both of those are optimistic claims). Handling is fine but there is no real suspension adjustment (the FZR comes from the days when the 600 class was cheap and cheerful, if you wanted a better quality bike you bought a 750). Being a Yamaha the brakes will seize up if ignored.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[veeeffarr]

Thanks for the Advice Keith...

I'm definately leaning towards Yamaha bikes looks-wise.

I've got a lot to choose from now, I quite like the idea of a TRX850 or an SRX400.

[Kickstart]

Hi

When I bought my Bandit I was very tempted with a TRX. Financially a good job I didn't as they are a total bargain these days.

Not sure the SRX was imported in 400cc form.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Mark_petty]

I was tempted to get a TRX850 as I have read many good reviews of them
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[Rides: Suzuki GSF600sx]
[CBT: Passed] [Theory: Passed] [DAS: Passed]

[veeeffarr]

I imagine the 850cc block likes to drink petrol though?

[Zimbo]

The TRX is a cracking bike. Not sure what the fuel consumption is, but I'd expect around 45mpg on average.
I'd certainly have one as a first bike, makes more sense than the sports 600s etc, and will be cheaper to buy, run and insure!

[stinkwheel]

[veeeffarr]

That pretty much rules that one out for me stinkwheel.

I absolutely adore the styling, but I'm over 6 foot, I don't fancy kicking up a 600cc single every morning when I'm half asleep either

TRX850 is sounding much more tempting every time I think of one.

There's one 3 miles away from me with 30,000 going for £1700... I'm drooling over it already...

850 sounds a bit of a scary number for someone that's riding a bike with about 1/6 of that capacity though.

[nickyboy4]

fzr600s are still cracking bikes and still plenty fast enough, if you can get a 1000cc genesis back wheel, you can sneak a 180 back tyre in, i don't think you can get a better 600 to start on to be honest

[veeeffarr]

So many bikes to choose from!

[Kickstart]

[nickyboy4]

haven't actually done this myself but i've just sold a fzr600 racer for my mate with this conversion so it's easily done

[veeeffarr]

So will the TRX850 just chug petrol?

I know I'm going miss the FE of my CG125, but I do about 80 miles a week, so would like quite good economy.

Being an 850, I know it'll slurp it all if I hammer it.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Not sure on the TRX to be honest. Hopefully G can tell you. However just about anything is going to drink petrol compared to the CG125. General commuting use (down back lanes, 27 miles each way each day) my FZR does around 50mpg (although I normally seem to get good fuel consumption compared to other people), which is only about 10% better than I get from a played with 1200 Bandit in the same use.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[veeeffarr]

Hmm,

Not too keen on getting a 140+ MPH bike as my first bike, I think I might get it restricted.. Would probably take 33BHP quite well.

It's either a TRX850 (1996+/-), GS500E(1992+/-), CBR600F(1990+/-) or a GPZ500S/D.

I need something to commute to work on, isn't going to be a handful in the wet/wind (So fairing is pretty essential) and can do some dual carriageway/motorway work.

Don't get to ride many weekends, but I do go out on a pootle every so often after work.

[colin1]

a bike will only go as fast as you want it to
if you dont trust yourself, then fair enough restrict it, but if you do, the extra power makes overtaking safer
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[veeeffarr]

I think I'd be too tempted to spank it to be honest.

I still keep doing stupid shit as well.

(Example)

Was riding to Sainsburys (First time I'd been, was trying to find it)

When I turned round and came back up what I thought was a dual carriageway (There was another 2 lane road seperated by a grass verge)

Didn't realise it was a single carriageway until a taxi started coming towards me at about 50 while I was overtaking a car.

I also use my back brake too much.

Maybe I should get the bus instead.

[Kickstart]

[Dark]

A mate of mine went from a CG125 to a bandit 600 without much of a problem.

He rode the CG for a year and got the bandit straight after passing his test. Hes far from a confident or competent rider so he takes it fairly steady (although he seems to think hes going like the clappers) with no major incidents
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[veeeffarr]

[Dark]

Have you ridden anything of similar size and power to the bikes your thinking of getting yet?
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[instigator]

[veeeffarr]

[Dark]

I think you just need to get the chance to have a go on something, make up your mind whether you can handle it then.

Do you know anyone that'll let you have a spin on theirs?
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600