Second FZ, 07 or 09

[Evill_Ed]

I have a 2016 FZ-07 that I love. I  have completed several track days and the 2 day YCRS on it this year. My son just got his motorcycle license and wants to ride and do track days with me. I was originally thinking of getting another FZ-07, this would make sense for track days, having one set of spares that would fit both bikes. However the idea of an FZ-09 appeals to me too. 

 

Looking for pros and cons, especially from folks who have owned or ridden both. 

 

Ed

[Cruizin]

For track days I would just get an R-6 man. Go find a used R-6 and let that phucker rip!

 

The weakness on the MT's is suspension. My FZ-09 was bobbing up and down in corners at the track like a pogo stick and it seriously slowed me down. R-6 comes with better suspension that can be dialed in, its a track bike where the MT's are pure street bikes. 

[Evill_Ed]

1 minute ago, Cruizin said:

For track days I would just get an R-6 man. Go find a used R-6 and let that phucker rip!

I rode a few laps on a new R6 at YCSR, I really liked it. 

[Cruizin]

2 minutes ago, evilled said:

I rode a few laps on a new R6 at YCSR, I really liked it. 

It's an awesome track bike and if you are serious about becoming a better track rider, the R-6 is the way to go.  0-60 in 3 seconds, top speed of 160 mph and good suspension. The motor is dependable, and you can find used R-6's all over the place.  

 

[Evill_Ed]

7 minutes ago, Cruizin said:

It's an awesome track bike and if you are serious about becoming a better track rider, the R-6 is the way to go.  0-60 in 3 seconds, top speed of 160 mph and good suspension. The motor is dependable, and you can find used R-6's all over the place.  

 

Nice, is that your R6? 

Okay, so another FZ-07 or an R6? hmmmmmmmm.

 

[Cruizin]

Not mine. 

[howworkclutch]

a friend of mine tracks a bone-stock 09 and hurts a lot of feelings with it. he's an animal on two wheels tho

[Cruizin]

1 minute ago, howworkclutch said:

a friend of mine tracks a bone-stock 09 and hurts a lot of feelings with it. he's an animal on two wheels tho

I did too, surprised a lot of people on my 09, but I was always fighting with it in the corners and high speed corners were scary  bobbing up and down and trying not to wreck while leaned over. 

[mossrider]

An FZ07 is a terrific street hooligan but it costs more to make it a comparible track bike than a good used R6 costs.

 

Don't get me wrong, an FZ can be made into a superb track bike but it takes money, time and a shet ton of effort. And it still just what an R6 starts as. A couple bucks and some effort and an R6 is pure track sex, makes my fz into a pooch. One is for guys who like it the hard way one is for guys who just like it hard.

[mossrider]

Short of that, get a second 07 for the reasons you mentioned. You and your son will have a blast.

 

 

 

My $.02

[fzar]

6 hours ago, evilled said:

I have a 2016 FZ-07 that I love. I  have completed several track days and the 2 day YCRS on it this year. My son just got his motorcycle license and wants to ride and do track days with me. I was originally thinking of getting another FZ-07, this would make sense for track days, having one set of spares that would fit both bikes. However the idea of an FZ-09 appeals to me too. 

 

Looking for pros and cons, especially from folks who have owned or ridden both. 

 

Ed

My questions are : How much have you put into your current FZ for trackdays. (e.g, suspension,pipe etc.)

                                 Doe's your son own a bike? or just do the MSF on yours and take a written test.

 

 If he has a bike I'd let him run that for a while, (street and track) before deciding what to do next. If he doesn't own a bike, and you can get your FZ-07 and let him get to grips with that first (street and track). All in all I'd agree with the other statements and get a used R6, dial it in and trackday it yourself , until he gets a good feel and insight to track awareness on the FZ-07. 

Iv'e no idea what level of experience your kid  has on any form of motorcycle's, maybe he is a moto-x competitor!! or some other motorcycle experience!! 

Another FZ-07 for track days sounds like a great idea also as @evilled and  @mossrider mentioned if your just doing track days. I personally think getting some experience would be better before moving up to the R6, I just rode an "18- R6 and they are a different beast to the FZ-07, completely. Have fun with whatever you choose to do, hopefully I'll be in a similar situation in the next couple of years with my son.

                                 

[Beemer]

I've seen so many people on this site buying this, buying that in the process of experimenting (which is what they were doing) to try and find the right suspension for the FZ-07 and what suits them. Some get lucky and hit the mark but others aren't as lucky and don't so they end up wasting a lot of time & $$$. As mentioned, the FZ/MT-07 is made for the street, it's more a hooligan bike than a racer. Just look at it, all naked, upright and cocky with a ton of torque to wheelie with. Do yourself a favor and get a fookin R6. Besides, you don't want your boy spankin' ya! Maybe you'll have to put different tires on it to suit you, maybe not. GL with whatever you choose!

[norcal616]

I say the choice comes down to body position preference followed by choice of controls/lines used... the FZ/MT are upright like a supermoto or go with an R bike for traditional crotch rocket position... I prefer control/line usage similar to MX which is close to the FZ/MT vs heavy front brake usage/race line usage... 

 

I own both an HP-07(Hordpower -07) and an FJ-09... the -09 is a better bike all around...

[Cruizin]

I like MX for, well MX and for street and trails.  But MX style completely sucks for track bikes, leaning all the way over with handlebars sucks, hard to get a good tuck too.  

 

And again, there are a ton of R-6's for sale all over the place and they are 100% track ready. That's what's so good about having one for a track bike, its made for the track.  They suck on the street, where the FZ-07 shines. 

[fzar]

On 10/12/2018 at 12:23 PM, Cruizin said:

DELTABOX???? Haven't seen that on a Yamaha for like 20 years!!!! sweet looking ride though.

[Evill_Ed]

Thank you all for your replies.

My son has been riding dirt bikes since he was 5, he is 22 now. He just did a motorcycle safety course and got his street license. He has no street experience yet. I will spend time on the streets and in open lots to practice drills with him. Next year he will begin track days with me and I will get him instruction there too.

 

So plans changed. Yesterday we found a mint condition SV 650 with 2300 miles on it. He had been looking for an SV for awhile, thats the bike he really wanted.  We picked it up today. 

 

So for now we will have the SV 650 FZ07 rivalry. 

 

I have always liked twins, which is why I bought the FZ 07. Its a keeper. I do realize that an R6 is one of the best track bikes out there. I am going to look around for a good used one for myself. 

 

Ed

 

 

[Fugitive]

Nice!! You can't go wrong with an SV650.  When I was looking for my bike, I was deciding between an SV650 or MT07...ended up getting a deal on the 07 that was too good to pass up, but I'm sure I would have been happy on the SV too.

 

Bullet-proof engine, huge aftermarket, and I've read they can be modded to be pretty good track bikes too.  Awesome value.

 

I'm sure he'll have a blast on that!  Looks like it's already got a Yoshi pipe on there too?

[Evill_Ed]

4 minutes ago, Fugitive said:

Nice!! You can't go wrong with an SV650.  When I was looking for my bike, I was deciding between an SV650 or MT07...ended up getting a deal on the 07 that was too good to pass up, but I'm sure I would have been happy on the SV too.

 

Bullet-proof engine, huge aftermarket, and I've read they can be modded to be pretty good track bikes too.  Awesome value.

 

I'm sure he'll have a blast on that!  Looks like it's already got a Yoshi pipe on there too?

 

4 minutes ago, Fugitive said:

Nice!! You can't go wrong with an SV650.  When I was looking for my bike, I was deciding between an SV650 or MT07...ended up getting a deal on the 07 that was too good to pass up, but I'm sure I would have been happy on the SV too.

 

Bullet-proof engine, huge aftermarket, and I've read they can be modded to be pretty good track bikes too.  Awesome value.

 

I'm sure he'll have a blast on that!  Looks like it's already got a Yoshi pipe on there too?

Yup, new Yosh pipe and braided front brake lines. 

[r1limited]

f@#k the R6, get a R1 Die like a man for crap sake

[mossrider]

An excellent choice.

My first track bike.

 

 

 

 

Mmm, memories...

[cornerslider]

Seems like this thread is pretty much over, but thought I'd chime in for others to learn from. My personal opinion, is go with your COMFORTABLE on. I'm 49 years old, grew up on all sorts of dirt bikes. I got into Supermoto when I was 40, and had several of them (track only bikes). I got the itch to ride the big tracks. Like everybody says, "buy an R6", so I did. I got used to it on the street first- hated it! I took it to a smaller track- hated it! I finally took it to a BIG track- I hated it so much that I had it on the trailer by noon- and headed for home  -  I sold it the next day.... I didn't really know what direction to go. I eventually pulled the trigger on a new 2016 FZ-07. I modified the suspension (front & rear), intake, exhaust, slightly lower bars, and put sticky tires on..... This bike was everything the R6 wasn't!!!! I loved it on the street, small tracks, and the big tracks . I'm not saying the R6 isn't a great bike for most people. It just wasn't right for me. It dawned on me that I wasn't comfortable on it (mentally, or physically). I didn't TRUST the bike, because I wasn't comfortable on it. If you don't trust your bike 100%, don't even take it out of the trailer-

[Evill_Ed]

13 minutes ago, cornerslider said:

Seems like this thread is pretty much over, but thought I'd chime in for others to learn from. My personal opinion, is go with your COMFORTABLE on. I'm 49 years old, grew up on all sorts of dirt bikes. I got into Supermoto when I was 40, and had several of them (track only bikes). I got the itch to ride the big tracks. Like everybody says, "buy an R6", so I did. I got used to it on the street first- hated it! I took it to a smaller track- hated it! I finally took it to a BIG track- I hated it so much, that I had it on the trailer by noon- and headed for home  -  I sold it the next day.... I didn't really know what direction to go. I eventually pulled the trigger on a new 2016 FZ-07. I modified the suspension (front & rear), intake, exhaust, slightly lower bars, and put sticky tires on..... This bike was everything the R6 wasn't!!!! I loved it on the street, small tracks, and the big tracks . I'm not saying the R6 isn't a great bike for most people. It just wasn't right for me. It dawned on me that I wasn't comfortable on it (mentally, or physically). I didn't TRUST the bike, because I wasn't comfortable on it. If you don't trust your bike 100%, don't even take it out of the trailer-

Thank you Cornerslider, I appreciate your input. 

Ed

[fzar]

20 hours ago, cornerslider said:

I got used to it on the street first- hated it!

I test rode an '18 R6 2 weeks ago, took it on a mix of city-twisty-back to city via interstate, I did not like the feel of the bike in turns, especially the feeling through the bars. It was almost feelingless from countersteer input. I did enjoy the on ramp to the freeway. Jeez that thing moves when it gets up there in double digits (RPM'S). I'm saying this to highlight your point @cornerslider.  

 

20 hours ago, evilled said:

It dawned on me that I wasn't comfortable on it (mentally, or physically). I didn't TRUST the bike, because I wasn't comfortable on it. If you don't trust your bike 100%, don't even take it out of the trailer-

Now with that said my feelings on the '18 R6 wasn't actually( getting used to it), I'll ride 1 again hopefully for a longer period of time and see how it goes. Earlier comments in this post about buying an R6 which were valid, had me questioning my pursuit of getting my FZ-07 to a point of being a  compliant track day and spirited twisty machine that can be ridden in around town. Iv'e never done a track day but I intend on getting out to Hallett, Oklahoma next spring as soon as I get the equipment (suspension) to dial it in. I love the motor, but the suspension really sucks.

[cornerslider]

On 10/14/2018 at 4:45 PM, fzar said:

Now with that said my feelings on the '18 R6 wasn't actually( getting used to it), I'll ride 1 again hopefully for a longer period of time and see how it goes. Earlier comments in this post about buying an R6 which were valid, had me questioning my pursuit of getting my FZ-07 to a point of being a  compliant track day and spirited twisty machine that can be ridden in around town. Iv'e never done a track day but I intend on getting out to Hallett, Oklahoma next spring as soon as I get the equipment (suspension) to dial it in. I love the motor, but the suspension really sucks.

My understanding of the R6, is "It gets better the harder you push it, and the faster you go".... This seems like a recipe for disaster for someone learning to ride a track. The R6 may be a great bike for someone with several years of track experience. I had many years of track experience (on a Supermoto). I used to street ride a liter bike (10+ years). Unfortunately, I let my ego influence my decision to buy a 600. What I should have done was buy a smaller sport bike (which I did eventually). I bought a KTM RC390, and rode it on track for one season. LOVED IT!!!! I had a blast, learned a ton, and then moved up the FZ-07 the following year....  If you are new to track riding, don't do what I did. Get a smaller bike to learn on. If nothing else, they are MUCH easier on tires, and MUCH cheaper to repair if you you have an "oh $hit" moment. Just my two cents -

[fzar]

14 hours ago, cornerslider said:

"It gets better the harder you push it, and the faster you go".

I can see how this would be true, it for sure is not a streetbike and I will be looking to improve the suspension on the FZ as I'm pretty comfortable and trusting of her after 13'K miles and 19 months. I can't afford to buy another bike solely for track. Anyway I'm going to be a novice and doing what I'm told, Listening to the guidance given. @cornerslider Thanks for your input.