the only riding experience i have is i just completed a msf course.im 32,male,5‘7 170lbs.
I've got an fz1 and i bought it specifically for the more upright riding position as compared to the r6 and r1. My friend has an r6 that I ride from time to time, so I know how it feels to sit on it. The fz6 won't be quite as quick as the r6 but if that's not what you're looking for then who cares. Can't speak for the fz6 for sure as I don't have one, but my fz1 has a center stand, a helmet lock, and other nice little features that the r's won't because they add weight. I don't personally think you're out of your league with either bike as a new rider, but the r6 will get you into trouble faster if you're not careful, that same buddy broke his wrist on a fall after having it for a couple months. Long story short, assuming similar price, my vote would be the fz6 for you.
I would undoubtedly go with the Fazer rather than R6 - the R6 is the most racy but FZ6R several reasons. Its newer, a no brainer, a 3 year old R6 may have been hammered unless ridden by a nun, they are hard not to ride fast. Two, until you find your feet there is the chance of a minor spill, I had a few when starting off even despite 15 years MX experience. The plastic on an R6 is EXPENSIVE. The engine in the fazer is based on the same model R6 so still a great performer, possibly cheaper to insure? Don't get me wrong, an R6 is a superb bike, and having screamed one around a race track for a couple of days I was awed by the performance, handing and sheer fun, however having seen a lot of newbies spread all over the tarmac due to inexperience I would start slow and move up.
They both run 10/11 second 1/4 mile, will spin the rear wheel if you open the throttle too much while driving, and will do 160mph, in addition, they don't come with anti-lock brakes like cars do, You actually can get motorcycles that have anti-lock brakes, they do exist, and that was a major selling point for me when i bought my fjr1300, the fjr1300 is similar in performance to a 600cc sport bike, but is much larger and heavier, has more torque in low rpms, and has a much higher price tag, but it comes with ABS If you feel that you can handle that on two wheels, then I would definitely vote for the fz6 because its comfortable, you will find that most sport bikes have riding positions that are very annoying, and almost unpractical, the fz6 is an exception to this. You probably wouldn't notice since its your first bike, but if you bought both bikes, you would want to throw the r6 in the garbage out of frustration, and a non willingness ot ride it for longer than 30 minutes. Personally i wouldn't recommend any of those bikes as a first bike, but i will say that there are people responsible enough to learn to ride on them, and at 32 you may be responsible enough, so im not going to jump down your throat and say you will drop it in a few weeks after buying it, before buying either though, you shoudl consider the fact, that many peopel, drop their bike a few times when they first learn to ride, like during slow speed stu[id mistakes, so if you buy one, dont buy one thats very expensive in case you do drop it. When i was learnign to ride, i didnt park mine right and it fell onto a curb, and anothe time it fell over when puttign it on a center stand, the engine wasnt even running when they fell. and still I dropped them twice.
