Maybe I can be of some help with purchasing a Fazer..
My Fazer 600 (Gold and Black) from 1998 is much travelled 98000 miles, various trips around Europe, daily use locally around Devon countryside through all seasons.
In 2004 I exported the bike to Norway where I now live. (Great roads here albeit the speed limits are much lower.) the weather is fairly shitty autumn and spring so the bike is constantly open to water/salt/corrosion.
Here it is not possible to use a bike between December and mid march, so the bike sits under two covers in snow and temperatures up to -30 degrees. Do I have a problem starting the bike after 3-4 months I hear you say, I am not a particularly religeous person but a find a quick prayer to the lord works fine for me !
I try to start the bike once a month if I can get to it under the snow while it is "in hibernation" so I liken the bike to that of a squirrel.
Press the starter button once , maybe twice if I forget to put the choke on ! cough cough and within a few seconds it is running normally. Get on and ride for the rest of the year.
Don't forget to have dealer servicing that's my tip. A good chain/sprockets and tyres go a long way to performance satisfaction, there is not much to go wrong on a fazer.
Look after it properly with a gentle scrub and wash, I spray mine with a silicon for protection. She looks beautiful after a wash.
I had to replace the radiator last year when a stone went through it ( it was fairly rotten inside) cost me 200 quid, availablity of parts are limited. Thats the biggest cost i have had that I would not consider a "consumable item"
If you do chose a Fazer like mine you will not be disappointed unless you are unlucky and pick up a badly treated one.
On MCN website I found in the forum how to hot wire the lights so I have both lights on which is good cos the lights are normally shite I have improved this with fitting a Phillips 70% extra lamp.
One last tip, fit a Scorpion can, bloody hell it sounds good.
Corrosion can be a problem if you let it get out of control.
My last lengthy trip was from Haugesund, Norway (home) to Redruth in Cornwall last year, I did it almost non-stop in 39 hours, that includes three car ferry crossings The bike was fantastic.
Happy riding....
Alan.
