It's been about a year since I've sold my GS and although I don't necessarily miss that bike I did miss motorcycling.  I decided that I would purchase a new one (or at least new to me), so I began my search.  I've been shopping for about three weeks now and everyone in Arizona wants a ridiculous amount of money for his/her bike even if it has super high miles, salvaged title, wrecked, old, etc.  Last week, I thought I had found my new bike while perusing Craigslist.  It was a Kawasaki z750s with less than 2000 miles for $2900.  I gave BaltimoreGS  a call and told him about it and he said it sounded like a great deal.  Unfortunately, my wife and I were at the zoo, and by the time I got home to find the ad on Craigslist the bike was gone.    I had thought to myself well I'll just save up some more money and then I'll find a newer, better bike.  Of course, I was still watching Craigslist like a hawk.  I even started to look around at dealerships.

Well, I found another bike.  This time a Yamaha FZ6.  Again, fairly inexpensive and I knew it would be cheap to insure.  Though there were some modifications made to this bike I was able to test ride it and it ran like a dream.  Much, much better than the GS.  What are some of the modifications?  It has an aftermarket exhaust, power commander, Marchesini wheels, CRG levers, LED lights, and some other stuff I am probably forgetting.  However, there was one cause for concern.  I could tell the bike had been dropped.  Especially since there were scratches along the generator rotor cover and 04 FZ6's do not come naked.  That's where knowledge came in from owning the GS because mine was broken all the time; BaltimoreGS and I had replaced pretty much everything.  In the long run it has allowed me to become more familiar with how motorcycles work and what to look for when I do go hunting.  Since I've probably bored you by now I will finish by stating, "yes, I did buy this motorcycle" and I think it will bring me more joy than the GS ever did.  Here are pictures because everyone loves pictures:

VERY Niiiiice

nice ride there ver. btw where in az do you live? that apt complex looks ALOT like hte one i resided in while at MMI ( where we used gs500e's  97's to teach carbs and setps etc. anyhoo enjoy hte ride. but BEWARE, bike theft is EASY in the desert. person jacks moto. pulls parts off of it leaves it on BLM land, for a few weeks, comes back and az gives em a salvage title. lock that pretty gal up , i aint kidding.

"In the long run it has allowed me to become more familiar with how motorcycles work"

Well said sir!  And VERY nice.  Looks spanktacular!  That frame is gorgeous.  Thanks for sharing the pics!

Love the bike, i have been looking for an FZ6 for about 3 months now....no luck here in VA.

...also love the "naked" part of it, think i might look for an older one and do the same.

Nice find  Enjoy!

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on July 13, 2012, 10:35:56 PM
nice ride there ver. btw where in az do you live? that apt complex looks ALOT like hte one i resided in while at MMI ( where we used gs500e's  97's to teach carbs and setps etc. anyhoo enjoy hte ride. but BEWARE, bike theft is EASY in the desert. person jacks moto. pulls parts off of it leaves it on BLM land, for a few weeks, comes back and az gives em a salvage title. lock that pretty gal up , i aint kidding.

Living in Surprise.  I think most of the apartment complexes around here look alike.

Thanks all for the compliments.

Quote from: ver4 on July 14, 2012, 07:53:11 PM

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on July 13, 2012, 10:35:56 PM
nice ride there ver. btw where in az do you live? that apt complex looks ALOT like hte one i resided in while at MMI ( where we used gs500e's  97's to teach carbs and setps etc. anyhoo enjoy hte ride. but BEWARE, bike theft is EASY in the desert. person jacks moto. pulls parts off of it leaves it on BLM land, for a few weeks, comes back and az gives em a salvage title. lock that pretty gal up , i aint kidding.

Living in Surprise.  I think most of the apartment complexes around here look alike.

hehe you werent far from me. whats fun is AZ is an open carry state, and beign surrounded by blm land. can go shooting anywhere pretty much. ( just DO NOT shoot the organ pipe cactus) a fun ride, is down deer valley rd. ( where MMI is located) from one end to the other. in phoenix. if no cops can get some speed up.

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on July 16, 2012, 12:36:18 AM
( just DO NOT shoot the organ pipe cactus)

awwright, has to be asked, since google isnt being helpful.
What happens if you do?   

Quote from: Phil B on July 16, 2012, 01:25:10 PM

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on July 16, 2012, 12:36:18 AM
( just DO NOT shoot the organ pipe cactus)

awwright, has to be asked, since google isnt being helpful.
What happens if you do?   

Um... it's a National Monument.... not allowed to shoot national monuments.

Michael

Quote from: mister on July 17, 2012, 01:49:40 AM

Quote from: Phil B on July 16, 2012, 01:25:10 PM

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on July 16, 2012, 12:36:18 AM
( just DO NOT shoot the organ pipe cactus)

awwright, has to be asked, since google isnt being helpful.
What happens if you do?   

Um... it's a National Monument.... not allowed to shoot national monuments.

Michael

What about in self defense? If the organ pipe cacti attack, isn't it justifiable to shoot them before they kill me? 

Self defense: I used to live in Tucson and remember a story about a guy who was killed by a saguaro cactus falling on him... AFTER he shot at it with a shotgun.... Them things are dangerous!

Cheers!

Quote from: jdoorn14 on July 17, 2012, 05:45:55 AM

Quote from: mister on July 17, 2012, 01:49:40 AM

Quote from: Phil B on July 16, 2012, 01:25:10 PM

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on July 16, 2012, 12:36:18 AM
( just DO NOT shoot the organ pipe cactus)

awwright, has to be asked, since google isnt being helpful.
What happens if you do?   

Um... it's a National Monument.... not allowed to shoot national monuments.

Michael

What about in self defense? If the organ pipe cacti attack, isn't it justifiable to shoot them before they kill me? 

Problem is, everyone uses self defense. So even the cacti will use that example.... he came at me with a shotgun I had to use self defense. Pretty sure the armed person will be the one going down. But who knows, you might be another Bernhard Goetz.

Michael

Sweet ride. I love me some fz6's. The loss of the nakedness of the cowling might not be as bad a sign as you think. That looks like it might be the euro naked headlight which looked like a reasonably common mod when I was looking at 'em. I'd probably do it anyway...

...sooooo I have to as. It stop working yet? 

@PachmanP

Hmm - ver4's looks more like an MT-03 headlight.

This is my Euro-spec new-to-me FZ6 below (click to enlarge)

I believe Simon is correct and I'll let you know if there are any problems Pachman.