Decided on FZ-07, but what if I find a cheaper, bigger bike?

[Guru]

There's a used one for sale here. Seems like a pretty good deal but I am not sure of it's near you.

[mjesenovec]

That would be a sweet deal for sure, but i'm in the chicagoland area. Atlanta is a bit of a hike. Lol

[lonerider]

Yeah, the FZ6 has the comfort, stiffer suspension, looks, and price that I want, but I'd rather have a twin instead of a 4.  That being said, for 4k with 4900 miles on it.

Well, it seems as a great opportunity. Dilemma, dilemma!   

[crazycracka501]

To be completely honest with you, the FZ-07 suspension does get a little spongy with my 105 lb wife on the back. That being said, I think if you have a passenger, she would really appreciate the better passenger seating of the FZ-09 and the suspension upgrade would do a big guy like you good. At the dealer near me, the brand new 09 is only 1k more than the 07. Yes the 09 has a big engine but is well worth buying if you respect the bike you're on....and it never hurts to give yourself room to grow with respect to power. I will eventually upgrade to the FJ-09 in about 3 years, by then I should be able to find a new-used one for a good price. Just FYI, my wife doesn't really enjoy the passenger position of the 07 as it is a little too much crotch rocket style for her as she has to be kinda crunched up and is a bit more elevated on the back than I am. (spoiled her with that 98 Triumph Adventurer I had previously)

[scobiwonkenobi]

The deal on FZ6 sounds awesome for such low miles

[effzee07]

Brand new fz6 at the dealer here for 5700. Has soft removable bags I think too. That's a deal. However I've been the type to spend a little more to get what you want. You will always have some buyers remorse for not doing that. If both bikes are in your means then get the one you want. The joy will pay for itself. I've settled on things before and ended up selling them. No wonder I've had 7 bikes and 12 cars by the time I was 25. Get what you want as long as you can afford it. You are the one that has to ride it. You only live once.

[mjesenovec]

I agree. I've learned too that it's worth getting what you want from the get-go. I'm on my 6th brand new car in 8 years, so I learned how expensive it can be. This isn't quite the same situation though. It's not that I can't afford the 07. I'm just at the point where I can't justify the extra 4-5k in bike cost and mods for my first bike. I'm sure an FZ6 will keep me plenty happy for a few years until after the wedding and stuff is finished. While I can afford an 07 just fine, I would feel bad putting myself further in debt than I really need to, especially with wedding expenses coming up. Paying only 4k for a nice used bike will get me on 2 wheels, and it's not like I have to keep it forever. After I get some more experience under my belt, I won't feel bad spending more money on a brand new shiny toy.
 
And also, I'm not really just settling on the FZ6...it was the bike I planned on getting for years until the 07 was released, so it wasn't just a random model I pulled out of a hat. I had been planning on getting one for quite some time...strayed over the to the 07, and now i'm back on the FZ6.
 
Also, if it's a brand new bike for 5700, it's most likely an FZ6R.  The last model year of the FZ6 was 2009.  

[effzee07]

Keep in mind that while your argument is valid it also contradicts. I only mean this as advice. If you just want to get on two wheels then get an older bike. Or a ninja 250 for 1800. If you get the fz6 and mod it out you could of got the fz07 for the same basically. Fz07 doesn't Need mods right away. Do it over time. If you are financing, it's even more of a "no difference" situation because the payment would only be like $25 more. Cash may be a different story. Again this is just advice from my past.

[mjesenovec]

Keep in mind that while your argument is valid it also contradicts. I only mean this as advice. If you just want to get on two wheels then get an older bike. Or a ninja 250 for 1800. If you get the fz6 and mod it out you could of got the fz07 for the same basically. Fz07 doesn't Need mods right away. Do it over time. If you are financing, it's even more of a "no difference" situation because the payment would only be like $25 more. Cash may be a different story. Again this is just advice from my past.

Oh for sure.  I appreciate it.  I'm just weighing price vs. what I want and need.  I'm definitely not going to drop thousands on mods, so the price difference will still be significant.  Even if I end up with a bone stock FZ6, $350 for exhaust, some new levers, LED signals, fender eliminator, etc. would still get me at $5500 or less, total, with mods and bike.  Even over time,  I'm not going to dump a lot of money into the bike, just change the few things I know I will want and enjoy it.  I want to be able to pay the bike off quicker so we can focus on wedding things.  It's not that an extra 3k-4k for an 07 would make or break me, I would just feel better knowing there's a few grand less hanging over my head.  Plus, even after 2-3 years, I wouldn't lose as much if I wanted to trade up sell privately to put towards a new bike.  I guess overall I'm just more comfortable getting something used at first, then making a more educated decision when buying new.   
After buying 6 brand new cars from an Evo, Mustang, Charger, and multiple tuner cars, I want to be a little smarter with bikes.  I don't want to just go balls out with a new bike and learn the hard way all over again.  It's not that i'm afraid of not being happy with the 07.  I'm just cautious about spending 7-8k on a new bike, when I can be just as happy with a 4k bike until i know for sure what features I do and don't like.  Even if I learn early on the FZ6 isn't my ideal ride, it's still a good all-rounder I can live with for a few seasons.  Then once I have more miles and a little bike ownership experience under my belt, then it'll be time to look into a FZ-09, or maybe even a Street Triple R.  Hell, I might end up keeping this FZ6 for a lot longer than I thought, never know.  Once I pay of the FZ6, it might be worth keeping it and not focusing on jumping on something new for a while.  I'll just ease myself into motorcycling with a very capable $4,000 bike and see where it takes me.  

[magsz18]

Dude...
 
Go buy a bike...seriously...
 
You seem to STILL be convincing yourself that you dont want an FZ 07 which means there's still a niggling doubt. You've said about 38 times you can afford it which means...sometimes in life, JUST DO WHAT YOU WANT.
 
Bikes are luxuries for most of us so you might as well get EXACTLY what you WANT, not what you "need" because you dont NEED this bike. This is secondary transportation, it is a fun vehicle, pardon my crudeness but it damned well better make your pee pee tingle.
 
Are you by any chance an accountant?

[mjesenovec]

Dude... 
Go buy a bike...seriously...
 
You seem to STILL be convincing yourself that you dont want an FZ 07 which means there's still a niggling doubt. You've said about 38 times you can afford it which means...sometimes in life, JUST DO WHAT YOU WANT.
 
Bikes are luxuries for most of us so you might as well get EXACTLY what you WANT, not what you "need" because you dont NEED this bike. This is secondary transportation, it is a fun vehicle, pardon my crudeness but it damned well better make your pee pee tingle.
 
Are you by any chance an accountant?

I'm not convincing myself of anything, just explaining my thought process to others that have contributed to the thread.  I already know what I'm going to do, because it makes the most sense given my circumstances.  I've never questioned whether I want an 07 or not.  Of course I do.  It's just not worth the extra 3-4 grand otd to me at this point.   
I'm planning on buying a bike within the next 4-6 weeks, so assuming everything goes as planned with money between now and then, it's going to happen.  While I do not NEED a bike, i've been waiting 10 years to get one, so I'm excited that I'm closer than ever to actually getting one. 
 
I am definitely not an accountant, lol.  I've just spent a LOT of money over the years making poor vehicle choices and changing my mind often, and I want to do this right.  And you're right, I have said that I could afford an 07, and it's true, i could make it work.  But what I can buy, and what i should buy aren't the same thing in this situation.  I'm trying to find a good balance between finally getting on 2 wheels this year, and still being able to take care of existing obligations.
 
If I wanted to overly simplify my situation right now, I guess I just decided the FZ-07 is more than I want to spend on a toy at this time. 

[Cruizin]

I've been laughing and then squirming at this thread for a while and now it seems to have run it's course.
 
In closing, buy a Vespa.
 
-Cruizin
 
 
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