Waikato Yamaha offered me a demo 08 FZ1 Ride

[Gremlin]

Well... we can hardly disappoint a bike shop when they ask if you would like to take one out, can we? It all started in my Rant thread about KTM. Dave from Waikato Yamaha mentions in the thread that when I am down in Hamilton, would you like to ride a FZ1? Sure says I... I'll let you when I am in Hams.

So on Saturday, with Zapf in tow, we pop down. First was Boyds with the KTM950 they brought in, then it was over to Waikato Yamaha. Nice and refreshing to have friendly sales staff. Up in Auckland, they either don't pay attention, or don't get back to you when they said they would. Dave is true to his word, bike is sitting there, quick bit of paperwork, and the keys are mine. Zapf wants to try a xt660, and Dave sorts it on the spot.

Its unfortunate that the weather decided things couldn't ALL go well as I found the weather was packing it in when we reached the outskirts of town. Decided it was best not to run out to Raglan again, on a completely foreign bike... wrapping/scratching demos is usually more expensive work than ruining your own bike, so best to play it safe.

mmm oh... the bike? Yeh, about it I suppose

Its a little odd around town, not completely smooth, seemed hesitant at 3k revs, either wanted to go, or slow down, but like the 04 zx10, it runs fine when you load the box and use the throttle a little more. When I did give it a little gas away from an intersection it pulled very smoothly. Still, it was tractable from down low, and pulled quite well from 3-5k. Brakes are not ball destroying sharp, but certainly have the bite if you yank on them hard enough (best not to in the wet).

Riding position (being a big bugger) is quite important, and while I found the pegs were a little on the high side (which meant less distance between seat and pegs) it definitely felt correct for getting into some country work, as you don't sit completely in the bike, but not perched on top either.

I would certainly place it in the performance naked category, but speaking to Dave, you would probably want to alter the gearing and drop a tooth on the front, or go up a few on the back, to increase the low down. Top speed on a naked bike is a bit irrelevant. Exhaust has to go... its dem uuuugleeeee.

The main seat is reasonably small, the start of the pillion seat was right behind me, so probably good for those that have pillions that like sharing the front seat.

Overall, a fun alternative to a sportsbike, but I think still a bit too much biased to sportsbikes rather than something like the hornet 900, unless you messed with the gearing.

Certainly a nice change having a guy ask if you want a bike, rather than chasing the dealer to get them to organise something... Big ups to Dave, wished I could have given it a proper ride

You probably want to know what it looks like? Here's a generic pic... in the flesh it looks the part, with aggressive styling.

[carver]

they are a real nice bike, i had my eye on their 01 model....

i seriously was considering getting it, but i have told this story before.

boyd called me up to ride the zed 1000, but they sold it in the time it took me to get there!

GSXR time!

[Gremlin]

Could someone quote him... he's on ignore... unless the post wasn't worth the hard drive its stored on...

[xwhatsit]

they are a real nice bike, i had my eye on their 01 model....

i seriously was considering getting it, but i have told this story before.

boyd called me up to ride the zed 1000, but they sold it in the time it took me to get there!

GSXR time!

Could someone quote him... he's on ignore... unless the post wasn't worth the hard drive its stored on...

Near enough

[skidMark]

Could someone quote him... he's on ignore... unless the post wasn't worth the hard drive its stored on...

You can actually click "show" in top corner of post for people who are ignore and it will show you just that one...

[slimjim]

yes An throw away that overhanging numberplate holder ,

[R6_kid:Me]

The Strangers FZ1S sounds pretty horny with the Yoshi TRC we installed, was only $600 landed from the states. Tidies it up something tasty, and also saves a lot of weight too. There are a few relatively simple mods, that maintain the overall power spread, but raise the numbers by more than a few digits - and then it feels real good. I was lucky enough to ride it both stock standard, and then again after the mods - a notable improvement throughout the range... once they're run in properly (7000km+) the power is a lot smoother betwen 4-7k.

[Hitcher]

I'm not sure where Yamaha is going with the FZ1. I think that the previous model was a more complete bike, with better weather protection, luggage capability and the ability to carry a pillion in some comfort. This latest version is not a long-distance tourer. Nor is it in the "bonkers fun" category occupied by the KTM Duke, Triumph Speed Triple 1050 or the Suzuki B-King. There are disturbingly too many bikes in the pile-bleeding-moderately-bland-Sunday-ride category already, without the addition of another.

[Gremlin]

There are disturbingly too many bikes in the pile-bleeding-moderately-bland-Sunday-ride category already, without the addition of another.

For a person flash with words... I expected better

Its called: appealing to the masses... read, every trade off traded off for another...

Granted, I have only ridden the 08 demo, so can't compare to older models, but the 08 doesn't appeal to me, still too much like a sportsbike

[The Stranger:Me]

So where's teh review on the XT660?
X or R?

[carver]

So where's teh review on the XT660?
X or R?

thats a idea!

[The Stranger:Me]

thats a idea!

The best sleeper in the world.

[Gremlin]

Ask Zapf, he rode the XT660 while I rode the FZ-1. The showroom model was orange, bloody thing made me do a double take, as I didn't think they had KTM's.

Tricksy

[The Stranger:Me]

I'm not sure where Yamaha is going with the FZ1. I think that the previous model was a more complete bike, with better weather protection, luggage capability and the ability to carry a pillion in some comfort. This latest version is not a long-distance tourer. Nor is it in the "bonkers fun" category occupied by the KTM Duke, Triumph Speed Triple 1050 or the Suzuki B-King. There are disturbingly too many bikes in the pile-bleeding-moderately-bland-Sunday-ride category already, without the addition of another.

Obviously a troll, so I'll bite for you Hitcher.
I found when I considered my riding, the majority of it was commuting then, sport riding, a bit of touring, some 2 up work, and beyond that a small amount of track time.
I figured it made sense to choose a bike based on actual usage, not what I would llike to dream I would be doing.
I could fold myself into a sport bike for commuting and touring, but would sacrifice comfort and loose a couple of attributes handy for commuting, an upright riding position and wide bars.
I could have selected a fat tourer - but this is NZ, why on earth would you need a fat tourer? Blink and you've finished. The only use I can see for tourers in NZ is for geriatric posers to tour from cafe to cafe for their next latte (no offence Archer).
So what bike is good for commuting, can upset many a sport rider on the road, good for touring in a piss ant sized country like NZ, comfortable 2 up and still give you a bone on the track?
The Fazer is best of breed - for that usage pattern.

Your pile-bleeding-moderately-bland-Sunday-ride category is one I am unfamiliar with, perhaps you should see a doctor about those piles and loose the fat tourer, it should come right.

Oh, and please, please regale us with your tales of when you last had "bonkers fun". I hear that those spelling bees can be a riot.

[Hitcher]

Obviously a troll, so I'll bite for you Hitcher.

I'm not sure what you think you read, so perhaps I should explain what I attempted to say above in another manner.

Consider the Bandit, for a moment if you will. Picture its relaxed riding position, its luggage-management capabilities, its ability to transport pillions comfortably without them having to hook their legs over their ears, its capacious fuel tank, and the weather protection afforded by its partial fairing. The old FZ1 was cast in a similar mold.

Now consider the Kawasaki Z1000. Picture its rock-hard unyielding seat, pitiful luggage abilities and pillion facilities little more than provided on a litre crotch rocket, smallish fuel tank and minimal weather protection. The new FZ1 is cast in this mold.

Without casting judgement on either genre, these are significantly different classes of motorcycle. Each has its fans but they're very different. That is the point some have struggled to glean from my earlier post.

While I currently ride what the envious jealously describe as a "fat tourer", I enjoy riding most forms of motorcycles, including crotch rockets and Harleys.