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The MT-07 Forum

The Bike Merry-Go-Round


vroomvroom

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I'm new to motorcycles, this was my first season riding, first bike. Nobody in my family rides, nor do any of my friends.
 
I say all this because I am a bit surprised... individuals who rave about this bike, even to the point of visiting a forum daily... Slowly but surely many of you are selling off your FZs.
 
Is this normal in the motorcycle community? For people to love a bike but still move on from it in only a handful of years?
 
As a newfound lover of motorcycling, am I doomed to the same fate?

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This is a copy and paste I replied in some other topic, I added a few more things though:
 
Motorcycles are a very personal thing for many. The characteristics, fit, looks.  You cannot get a true feel for a bike until you rack up some miles on it. Sitting on a bike in a showroom doesn't give you everything you need. How the bike feels when you lean onto it. The suspension. Everything is a small nuanced detail which you need to experience. Some things you can correct with money if you need to (such as the suspension) but many things you probably can't correct if it isn't a great fit.
 
You can go two ways if you feel the bike doesn't fit you well. If you have money, you can just buy another bike. But for many, it requires selling the current bike so they can find the next bike to see if it fits them better.

Then there is boredom.  The need for something new. 
 
Yeah, I never understood this prior to owning a motorcycle but I do get it now. Especially after owning 3 bikes, all the characteristic differences. I purchased my 2nd bike 6 months after owning the FZ07.  And a 3rd not long after that lol.  The weight of the bikes. The way your knees grip the tank. The ergonomics. How it feels during low speed turning.  How it feels in high speed cornering.  How planted you feel.  The engine- whether or not it is torqued low grunt or a high revver with massive HP.  Way too many individual things that make a bike feel like you love it or if you need a completely different one.
 
Will you yearn for something new in a few months or a year?  If it is too late and you love riding motorcycles, then yes.  Most definitely you will get antsy.  But for how long can you stave off the desire to get something new?  That is the real question.
 

Engaging with people that have personality disorders on a message board is like arguing with a rock.

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Whether or not that is your fate is something you'll discover for yourself. Do you want to go faster? Do some touring? Ride around on the dirt? Then you'll probably get something else. Do you like the latest and greatest whatever then you might want something else. Me, well I have a very basic cell phone that I never use and I don't want to go out and buy the latest gadget. I admire many bikes and I enjoy a spirited ride but most of my rides are on back country roads and the FZ07 is perfect for that. I'll even do 500 mile rides in one day on back roads. Often I end up on dirt roads and I'm happy to not have to muscle around something too heavy.  For many years I rode an 04 Ninja 250 and I was never bored with it. I took that on 500 mile rides too. I only gave it up because I wanted a little more oomph.  I was very satisfied with my FZ and intended to keep it a long time. Also, I know it's just a machine but I felt a connection with my bike and would have felt guilty selling him or cheating on him with another bike. I'm also somewhat of a cheapskate and keep my vehicles until they die. Now if I were rich, then I'd own a fleet of motorcycles and keep the FZ in a separate garage so he wouldn't see me riding off with another bike ;) . The FZ would still get the most love.
 
 
 

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I used to buy new bikes every year or so.  New trucks too.  For me (and many), it is fun to switch it up, but not sustainable.  You keep getting more and more upside down, then end up with about $30,000 in bad debt.  Ask me how I know that haha.  
 
I rode a 2000 CBR600 for years before I had the money for the FZ-07.  The CBR is now semi retired.  
 
Buying new often is fun if you can afford it.  Most really can't.  

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So many different bikes with so many different qualities no one bike can do them all and you have to decide what qualities you want out of a bike. And when you figure out what you want then it will change lol.

2015 FZ-07 2003 2014 GSXR 1000

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Guest 2wheeler

Interesting timing for this thread. I just passed my 1 year anniversary with the FZ-07 - Totally love the bike! I have put 5000 miles on it with two days doing 500ish each on it.
 
Having said that, during that time I bought a Honda 750 Nighthawk, a Yamaha IT175 (dirt bike), and am seriously considering buying a 2017 Moto Guzzi V9. So what's the rationale for my purchases...
 
1. Nighthawk - commuter (sold it already)
2. IT175 - love dirt bike riding and didn't have one when I bought it.
3. Guzzi V9 - it's freaking beautiful!!!
 
For me buying and selling bikes has been a mixture of finding out what I like mixed with just being fickle. I've owned at least 50 motorcycles (lost count). I don't regret buying any of them, but there are a couple that I regret selling.
 
I know plenty of people who have had the same bike for years and are as happy as can be. If you really start to like motorcycling AND if you have a tendency toward an addictive personality, yeah you might be doomed to the happy fate of being a motorcycle addict - there are worse fates!
 
Speaking of which, I am testing riding this awesome bike this weekend...
 
 
Moto_Guzzi_V9_Roamer.jpg

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I think a lot of it depends on the person. I started out riding bare bones dirt bikes off road and then graduated to riding street/trail bikes on road so I am accustomed to not having any fancy features or a smooth ride. When I do happen to get something with 689 cc's, a few niceties like a digital readout, dual discs up front and some street tires other than semi knobby, enduro tires I feel like I just got on a cruise ship by comparison. I've never had a lot nor many nice things so I'm very happy with what I earned and suspect I will appreciate and keep my FZ-07 for a long time.  - The End  :D

Beemer

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I can only speak for myself... I've ridden all my life and have a couple bikes now, one I've had since the mid '90s. However, cars are worse. For me, I tend to keep vehicles a long time, but add to those along the way. There was a time when I was younger I thought the accumulation would simply "go on and on." But, after enough time I learned to let go, but there is always a "core" that remains. I've had as many as 15 vehicles at one time and was genuinely proud of myself when I got down to single digits a while back. So, the "bug" can bite us all in different ways. You'll just have to live with it a while to see what strain you have been cursed with! Oh yeah... ENJOY it!!!

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33 bikes so far. only 3 that cost more than $1500. I had the 80's FZ too an 87 that I bought for $300 and put together from a box of parts (FZ700) so I guess you can say I did go full circle. I just like to ride diff stuff. Ive had dirt bikes, dual sports, supermotos, mini supermotos, a tagged CT-70, sport bikes and a bunch of 70s UJMs... and 1 cruiser that I sold after 3months. Just gotta keep mixing it up cause what you want to do on a bike will change over time from dirt to commute to adventure ride etc and sometimes it will be at the same time hence owning multiple bikes at the same time.

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Whether or not that is your fate is something you'll discover for yourself. Do you want to go faster? Do some touring? Ride around on the dirt? Then you'll probably get something else. Do you like the latest and greatest whatever then you might want something else. Me, well I have a very basic cell phone that I never use and I don't want to go out and buy the latest gadget. I admire many bikes and I enjoy a spirited ride but most of my rides are on back country roads and the FZ07 is perfect for that. I'll even do 500 mile rides in one day on back roads. Often I end up on dirt roads and I'm happy to not have to muscle around something too heavy.  For many years I rode an 04 Ninja 250 and I was never bored with it. I took that on 500 mile rides too. I only gave it up because I wanted a little more oomph.  I was very satisfied with my FZ and intended to keep it a long time. Also, I know it's just a machine but I felt a connection with my bike and would have felt guilty selling him or cheating on him with another bike. I'm also somewhat of a cheapskate and keep my vehicles until they die. Now if I were rich, then I'd own a fleet of motorcycles and keep the FZ in a separate garage so he wouldn't see me riding off with another bike ;) . The FZ would still get the most love. 
 

If you could entice Jay Leno with a good joke, a good home cooked meal or maybe scratch the g-spot under his chin you could become "J A Y G I R L" and take over his bike collection. How sweet would that be?! Just a silly thought, never mind.  ;)

Beemer

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