Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Good evening people !

Not long ago, when I saw the new FZ6R, I pratically fell in love... That bike looks good, I have already sit on it on it's predecessor, FZ6, and it felt just right... The only thing left to do is ride it !

But now, a friend of mine who does quad, told me that Yamaha's engines aren't known for their reliability... Since my other choice is the SV650s from Suzuki, I am torn between those two bikes...

I am planning on buying new and keep it for at least 5 years... So what would you guys pick ? Heard anything alike about Yamaha's reliability ? Or even Suzuki ?

Thanks for the advices about those two bikes

Yamaha is just as reliable as all the other Japanese manufacturers. They have been in the business for a long time and know very well what they are doing. Your friend is misinformed. But of course there are things to consider with any bike, like how well it was taken care of.
But if you buy new you don't need to worry about that.

What your friend says is just not true.

Speaking as a factory certified tech for both of those manufacturers... Your friend is full of it...

I'm guessing since he's a quad guy he's talking about the Banshees, which are 2 stroke motors you have to rebuild regularly, just like any other 2 stroke out there, especially performance ones.
FZ6 is a great engine too, I've seen some with over 80K on them.
As for the SV650, absolutely nothing wrong with that bike either, thing has enough torque it's the first bike I ever pulled a wheelie on, purely by accident.

Any of the Japanese big 4 are reliable for 5 years. Its the Korean and Chinese bikes that are coming out that have some reliability issues.

Thank you for the answers... I'll let my heart decide... Or my wallet if I can put my hand on a good deal

wrecks wrote:Any of the Japanese big 4 are reliable for 5 years. Its the Korean and Chinese bikes that are coming out that have some reliability issues.

And my 1974 cb 360 packing on more than 200,000 miles with no major engine work along with my fully functioning 1980 xs850 stand the test of the "5 year" period

wrecks wrote:Any of the Japanese big 4 are reliable for 5 years. Its the Korean and Chinese bikes that are coming out that have some reliability issues.

That's true but you can't lump the South Korean bikes and the Chinese bikes together. That's a big insult to the South Koreans.

Japanes Bikes...significant gap...>South Korean Bikes...THE GAP THE SIZE OF THE GRAND CANYON...>Chinese "Bikes"

Reliable for 5 years?? What are you guys smoking? Are you saying that after 5 years they fall apart? That's completely 100% false.

Understand that people are biased towards certain brands. That's neither good or bad, it's just how it is. Your friend is wrong on this one.

I would not even hesitate to buy a Korean-made bike, car or most anything else. It goes without saying I mean South, not North Korea (do they even make anything except misery and suffering?)

Never owned a Korean bike, but my helmet, jacket and boots all were made there, and they are all very good quality. My Hyundai is one of the most well made and well designed vehicles I have ever seen, to get better quality you need to be looking at BMW or Mercedes or the like. It equals or surpasses the Japanese cars, and makes North American cars look like Soviet-era throwbacks.

Chinese bikes are craptastic and so is their parts&service operations..... right now. I am willing to bet that in _ _ (pick a number, it's hard to say...I'll guess 10-15) years they will be cranking out the good sheet regularly.

But back on topic, all the Japaneses bikes are very well thought out and built machines. Like any mass produced item, it is possible to get a lemon, or have the occasional problem, but they have Q.C. pretty well figured out. And they are excellent engineers who know how to make quality stuff.

BuzZz wrote:I would not even hesitate to buy a Korean-made bike, car or most anything else. It goes without saying I mean South, not North Korea (do they even make anything except misery and suffering?)

Apparently crappy missiles....