[1st Bike] Yamaha FZ16 or R15?

[GraceLee]

Hi all, I'm looking to buy my first bike! Ok, I have narrowed it down to two; it's either the FZ16 of R15. I don't know what I'm supposed to look at so I might need details of the bike specs and a little information of stuff such as the price, maintenance etc?

 

I'm 22 yo, I passed my 2b more than a year ago, only saved enough money to get a bike recently! My budget is less than $10,000 inclusive of tax and all. I don't know how high the seat is, but I'm 165cm and weight only 44kg. I'm looking to ride 90% of the time in Singapore, the other 10% on light touring over in Malaysia.

[fab87]

I luv my R15, but i see tat u wanna light touring in malaysia, so i guess a FZ16 is better for u bla. I guess u will nid a box and FZ16 will look nicer with a box.

[GraceLee]

Thanks fab87.

 

Any riders can advice on the costs and price?

[creedmaniac]

i think why not consider other bikes?cos both bike made in yamaha India...i doubt india made quality...my bro ride a pulsar...i find quality is not there...go for other bikes...i assumed u female?with ur budget 10k its alot for a 2b bike...u can buy a gilera runner..1-2 years old rs125..or maybe R125 tat made in italy...think again fren:)

[creedmaniac]

i think why not consider other bikes?cos both bike made in yamaha India...i doubt india made quality...my bro ride a pulsar...i find quality is not there...go for other bikes...i assumed u female?with ur budget 10k its alot for a 2b bike...u can buy a gilera runner..1-2 years old rs125..or maybe R125 tat made in italy...think again fren:)

[GraceLee]

Hi creed!

 

Aesthetics and design is one of my top priority. I have considered various bikes, including the Pulsar and Italian makes, but ultimately it came down to either one of the 2. No offense to Pulsar riders but they just don't have the style and class, and Italians bikes like ST200 from what I know, is a huge wallet killer in maintenance costs. Also, touring is high on my agenda so I got to factor that in.

 

I am not exactly looking to spend that 10k, of course cheap would be good. This is my first bike and I don't want to underestimate the costs involved. In all honestly, I am only looking to spend half that amount, which I know is hard because I am getting a first-hand ride. I guess a realistic figure would be around 6-8k?

 

Since I am spending a lot, I got to make sure I got to have my money worth. I got to buy what I like and not like what I have bought. Anyway I am not looking to upgrade to higher CC licence or bike, so what I am buying is likely to stay with me for a good decade.

 

So if there is any riders riding any of the 2, perhaps you can share the price and monthly expenses? Thanks!

[NRI]

R15 has a sports bike posture and F16 has a tourer posture which is more upright.

I suggest F16 is more ideal more touring ...

[Morpheuz]

R15 has a sportsbike forward lean, so I believe it's not very comfortable for touring as most of your weight are supported by your wrists. The FZ16 has a more upright posture, would be more comfortable for touring. Cost-wise, i'm not really sure how much the R15 would cost but the FZ16 would roughly cost you about $7k, depending on COE and insurance. You can check out the respective threads for more info.

 

http://www.hlcorp.com.sg/motorcycles/products_specification.asp?id=68&cat=3

Specs for R15

 

http://www.hlcorp.com.sg/motorcycles/products_specification.asp?id=83&cat=3

Specs for FZ16

 

Maintenance-wise, since they're both 4-strokes, won't be much to do other than the usual engine oil and spark plug. The rest to change (tyres, brakes, chain, sprocket, etc) are mostly wear and tear items. You may want to come survey at different shops for their prices and actual seat height and actual weight because you may not be able to handle the weight (since you're only 44kg). Enjoy your new ride and ride safe! =D

[kaiq]

Neither, cos I always believe first bike should be under 3k. Save the money up for a 2A bike instead - 2B bikes won't satisfy a rider after a while, so you will be thinking of chnaging then.

[swiftee]

Hello,

 

my 2 cents. if it is ur first bike, u will drop it (not to curse u or whatever... but newbie will tend to drop bike more often, usually it is slow speed drop while parking or whatever)

so imo u might want to consider an older bike and then trade it for a nice shiny new bike later when you are less newbie.

 

but if u can afford a new bike, since u mentioned touring, fz16 is better for the upright position.

for light touring, are u considering day trips, or rides spanning over multiple days? for day trip r150 is ok. for multiple days maybe u might want a more upright bike

 

(to off-topic a bit, i had a new bike as my first bike too, on the day we bought it home my sis dropped it trying to kick start it, and few months later it got stolen... sigh... ok back on topic)

 

165 is pretty ok for most 2b bikes alr

 

maintenance and consumption for small cc jap bikes is rather on the cheap side so dun worry too much

u may also want to consider that new bikes and fairing bikes (e.g. r150) have a substantially higher insurance loading than older bikes.

fairing bikes (r150) have more fairing to damage in a drop

Edited February 22, 2011 by swiftee

[mild_slevin]

have seen quite a number of YZF-R150 on the road... seems like the price tag pretty attractive. Why not settle with a R150? Better equip and styling.

[GraceLee]

Thanks for the replies!

 

I guess now I'm veering towards the FZ16 for good.

 

swiftee: I did considered second hand bikes, but I'm worried about what the previous owner might had done to them. Most come with dubious spray paint and non-stock parts. As I mentioned earlier, looks are of great importance! And I might not have the technical knowledge to understand the changes made to the bike. I almost bought a bike with illegal modifications once, I did not hesitate to pull out of that deal there and then when I knew of the matter. That is why though they are more pricey, I am sticking to my plan to own a new bike. I'm sorry about your drop and theft, I guess it's part of riding?

 

I'm also curious if there is any ladies out there who is riding a 100kg++ bike with a frame like mine(165cm/44kg)? I guess FZ16 weights around 120-140?

[Lexanez]

I insisted on getting a new bike when I've gotten my class 2A because I know I will take care of it and that it is for a extended period. No worries there on your decision!

 

However, do equip yourself with knowledge on how to take care of yourself on the road. It'll do you much good.

 

Of course, having some technical knowledge about your bike will help too! Though not necessarily hands on but it'll help you save lots of money!

 

Instead of nodding your head and agreeing to whatever the mechanic said, as if you know everything and paying tons for stuffs that you haven't got the slightest about...yeah, the feeling is very bad after you know that they just coax you in parting with your hard earned cash. Just imagine, paying $60 over for a bottle of semi-synthetic engine oil and labour to change engine oil...and another $50 because the mechanic said that need to change spark plug too.

 

The feeling was really bad after I discovered about it. I did further research about it and eventually managed to do some basic maintenance myself.

[shorty]

Id go for the fz16 too. Buying 1st hand will give u better peace of mind.

[FTW]

R15 - Liquid Cooled 4 Valve (better for long journeys)

 

FZ16 - Air Cooled 2 Valve (old school technology)

[stanco]

with your budget, u will be able to get any of them brand new with spare changes.

 

between the 2 bike, i think the most obvious difference is ur sitting posture. go to the bike shop, physically sit on both of them and decide.

 

price and maintainance wise, both should be about the same, just that the r15, being a sport bike, i think your insurance will be higher than fz16. and since it's fairing, more things to replace should you drop or skid.

 

good luck in choosing ur 1st bike!

[kiji]

go for r15.. personally i'm riding r15 and is very reliable and good. no offence, when i compare fz16 and r15, fz16 looks nice from afar, but a close up look, u will find that it looks like a toy and the materials used are not that good. u can go to a bike shop to have a look at both bikes and compare.

 

R15 also have much more power compared to fz16, many say the thin rear is not good. but u need to try it to know it. i gone track with it and is very stable, no worries. you can change to bt39 tyres which are even better. like what sparkan said, R15 have a better technology compared to fz16.

 

there are people who put boxs both side and rear and it looks quite nice also. looks like sports touring bike. so you need not worry about gg touring with it.

 

just my suggestion here...

[kiji]

go for r15.. personally i'm riding r15 and is very reliable and good. no offence, when i compare fz16 and r15, fz16 looks nice from afar, but a close up look, u will find that it looks like a toy and the materials used are not that good. u can go to a bike shop to have a look at both bikes and compare.

 

R15 also have much more power compared to fz16, many say the thin rear is not good. but u need to try it to know it. i gone track with it and is very stable, no worries. you can change to bt39 tyres which are even better. like what sparkan said, R15 have a better technology compared to fz16.

 

there are people who put boxs both side and rear and it looks quite nice also. looks like sports touring bike. so you need not worry about gg touring with it.

 

just my suggestion here...

[GraceLee]

kiji:

 

Thanks for your reply! Can share how much you paid for the R15 OTR? And how tall are you, is it any hard riding with the weight and height of the bike?

 

The thing about R15 is that there is a new version launched which is not sold in Singapore yet. If I am getting R15, I might have to wait for at least 6-9 months for the new model. Aesthetics is a top priority!

[kiji]

im around 168-170 in height, damn long never measure alr.. i bought second hand, so otr price i'm not very sure. but it should not exceed 8.5k if i not wrong, if u want you ask someone to go with u who knows about bikes. so u wont kena chop.

 

R15 is a very easy handle bike, so no worries about very difficult to ride and stuff.. i don't think the new R15 is coming to singapore soon.. Yamaha india has not even launch it and the production line not even started. the faster i think is middle to the end of 2012 then the bike will come. the current one many had waited for many months than it come and there are only a few r15 left.

[kiji]

You might wan to check out the r15 forum page..

[rocklobster]

since you passed more than a year ago, why not wait till you clear your class 2A before considering getting a bike? fz16 has a nice fat rear tire but the rear brakes are drum brakes (old technology).... r15 has a thin rear tire but they are releasing a new model some time this year with styling more like that of its brothers the r6 and r1.... though i havent been touring, i feel that both r15 and fz16 might provide you with some fun initally but in the long run you will feel they are not enough for you...

 

also because they are lightweight vs class 2a bikes (super 4), travelling on the malaysian highways can be scary because you can feel yourself getting blown back and forth by strong winds and large vehicles.... even for me riding my sp on singapore roads i can feel myself getting pushed sideways by strong winds, so you can imagine how much scarier it will be when riding on the open highways...

 

just my 2 cents, hope you find a bike you love....

[CSV]

aesthetics? why not the derbi gpr 125. hahaha, i am bad influence.

 

anyway, grace, best option is to go to bike shop and sit on the bikes itself, and if possible, test ride them (use your charm)

 

and most important is to follow your heart and own decision. no regrets after that.

 

that is much much better than us here trying to tell you which to get, we can only give you a guideline.

[CSV]

aesthetics? why not the derbi gpr 125. hahaha, i am bad influence.

 

anyway, grace, best option is to go to bike shop and sit on the bikes itself, and if possible, test ride them (use your charm)

 

and most important is to follow your heart and own decision. no regrets after that.

 

that is much much better than us here trying to tell you which to get, we can only give you a guideline.

[xavw]

never considered FZ150i?

 

Similar engine as R15, and similar riding posture as FZ16.