After a few years of owning and loving a 400cc sportsbike I sadly had to accept that while it was great
fun on a twisty road it was a nightmare to commute due to the riding position and long distance rides were more of a chore than a pleasure so the search begun for an allrounder that could actually
do it all. A friend happened to be selling his 600cc Fazer so after reading numerous good reviews in bike magazines and a day testing it the Fazer seemed like a good choice and the deal was done!

The great thing about this bike is it can handle almost anything the daily commute is a joy compared to my attempts on the zxr400 the upright riding position and smooth power delivery across the range make filltering through traffic jams a breeze and the bike runs well at low speeds unlike the ZXR400 which hated being ridden at low speed through towns.

Long distances are no problem the half fairing takes a bite out of the wind blast and provides some weather protection and the bike can happily sit at motorway speeds (and above)with plenty left in reserve if you need it. After riding the ZXR400 on long distance journeys it was a pleasure to arrive at my destination on the Fazer without sore knees and wrists. The seating position is comfortable and there's plenty of room for luggage, a pillion or both and the bike handles the extra weight without problems and pillions appreciate the security of a grab rail to hold onto rather than a strap across the seat or holding on to the rider.

Take the Fazer to a twisty road and it will keep up with most bikes it accelerates well in every gear with plenty of power across the range. The handling is good especially for an all rounder although I find on mine the suspension is a little bit soft if I really push it but The Fazer does handle well and better than I honestly expected and after 3 years I still have a grin on my face every time I ride it.

I get around 180 miles to a tank with mine so far in 3 years of ownership I have only paid out for regular servicing and consumables such as tyres usually around £250 for the pair fitted or chain and sprockets which were around £85.The bike is ridden nearly every day whether commuting to work or pleasure runs at the weekends and so far only a battery problem and a puncture have required me to call breakdown which isn't bad considering I do around 15000 miles a year and the bike has been very reliable.Due to the popularity of the Fazer aftermarket spares are readily available and there's plenty of 2nd hand stuff available on auction sites and at breakers so it's easy enough to find parts if you need replacements.

There are a couple of downsides the finish on the Fazer is good but not brilliant if you don't keep it clean you will soon end up with a furry Fazer but like most budget bikes it will last ok as long as you wash it regularly especially if you use the bike in winter. The gearbox is a bit clunky although it's perfectly reliable and I've had no problems with it so more of an annoyance than anything to worry about.

My bike is the older version with the Thundercat engine rather than the later model that has the R6 engine. My boyfriend owns the newer model and it's a great bike although having ridden both bikes I actually slightly prefer my older one as the newer model seems to lack a bit of mid range compared to mine although the suspension is slightly better on the new model it has the same clunky gearbox

I would recommend this bike to anyone looking for a do it all bike it's a great choice for new riders looking for their first big bike. It's easy to ride due to the riding position,predictable handling and smooth power delivery so it's forgiving enough to let a new rider gain confidence but likewise there's plenty of power to keep you amused as you gain experience.

For experienced riders the bike is still a great choice it's cheap to insure compared to a 600cc sportsbike, the 95bhp engine has plenty of acceleration in every gear, it handles well, the brakes are fantastic and it's easy to live with if you need a bike to commute as well as play.