Yamaha FZ1 - Page 3

Carlo Muro · 08-10-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trapp20

An inexpensive naked that's fast. I think the FZ1 is a pretty cool bike, but it has never been cool enough to actually buy. You don't hear a lot of bad things about them that's for sure.

i dont see how you can go wrong with one....but yeah for some reason the kool factor has always been lacking for some reason

agoailam · 08-10-2008, 03:16 PM

No cool factor?! Hey, cool can be a $3000 bike that you can rip twisties, commute, tour, track, mod, and afford the insurance on. Can't it?

trapp20 · 08-10-2008, 07:23 PM

You've got a point, cool is in the eye of the beholder for sure. I guess I should restate that. I've never purchased a FZ-1 because I already had a Brutale and it was too similar in function and definitely not as stylish.

Chances are I would have purchased one if there were no such thing as Italian bikes.

barefoot · 08-12-2008, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoax

I've got an 03. It's easy for people to say what they like about their bikes. Here are a few things you should be aware of before buying.

1. The stock mirrors and windshield create turbulence for the rider's head during freeway riding. I'm 5'10" and ended up replacing the mirrors and cutting down the stock windshield. This may or may not be an issue for you.

2. You can't see directly behind you with the stock mirrors. A cop could park directly behind you and you'd never know.

3. Seat height is on the tall side. This may or may not be an issue for you.

4. It's a buzzy motor. Plan on getting bar ends.

5. Lot's of people don't like the seat. Personally this has not been an issue for me.

6. The big 5.5 gallon fuel tank is nice, but it's also wide and splays your legs outward.

Just for the record, I didn't have any of these issues with mine. (as you can see from my sig, lack of restraint and skill was my only issue) The engine was *exceptionally smooth*, and even better when I installed Ivan's jet kit. I moved my elbows to see behind me (like any sportbike). I installed Yamaha's tall screen, and had no real turbulence problems. I'm 6', so seat height was not an issue.

I miss this bike!

'Dumbdog · 02-06-2009, 09:36 AM

I love mine.
tore up hwy's 44 and 12 last fall just to have coffee in Westhawk.
did you ever buy one?

AllBlackPearl · 02-09-2009, 11:44 AM

Take a look at this thread, if you like, especially this posting of mine.

You'll find some infos on mods and stuff there!

Gohot229 · 02-11-2010, 05:58 AM

My experiance with an FZ1 comes in the form of an 05 first generation bike. For starters, their very powerfull motors, capable of 150 mph fairly easy, granted it might take a half mile to redline out because its dependant on getting in a tuck at the higher speeds, but setting upright I can nail 120-130 in what it takes to go through the gears and a fiew seconds in sixth. OK, all of that behind us, it can be fitted with some panniers and hard bags off the shelf such as Givi luggage. Or, and this is my prefference, the SW-Motech soft luggage in the 'Wide' configuration. That along with a nice SW tank-bag makes for a very good 'looking' setup. Additionally you can get a seat from Corbin that has the backrest, it's highly comfortable. The drawback to the soft luggage is that it partially takes up the passenger part of the seat, where the Givi's are of course mounted typical of pannier systems with the top-box up and back of the passenger. The thing with this is that it also makes for a high and rearward assembelage of luggage. You'll see with the SW wide, it looks much better, but the loss of the rear seating. As far as ability, it has more than enough to make sustained long distance and speed, and at about 40-45 miles per gallon on the fuel, which also can be regular. It seems that premiun does not provide much in the way of additional power, in fact may burn poorer in this particular 'tuned' motor. With the soft luggage, you can dis-mount it all in probably less than a minuate for riding in a more spirited manner. I would like the 'Big' Yamaha, the FJ, but ...........actually when all's said and done, the FZ1 is a sweetheart bike for touring too. There are some who would adamatly dissagree, and for reasons of their own, but by and large, the FZ is one of the best kept secrets in biking. Huge power, huge top speed, and COMFORTABLE. So yea........ it would make a good tourer. The key to really making it comfortable would be a bigger windscreen such as the Riffle which is about 20 + inches tall.

DRZ400SK4 · 02-11-2010, 07:08 AM

Love mine. Best bike I ever bought in 35 years of motorcycling. It's fast and fun, and a serious mile-muncher.

arshishb · 02-11-2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRZ400SK4

Love mine. Best bike I ever bought in 35 years of motorcycling. It's fast and fun, and a serious mile-muncher.

Acceleration is pretty brisk, even in stock trim...

And the handling ain't bad, either...

Congrats on the Pelican setup. I have a similar setup on SV1000, silver box to match the silver bike. How did you fix it to your rear seat?

I just made 4 holes in the seat & the box & lined them up. Hauls my commuter luggage & emergency kits just fine

DRZ400SK4 · 02-11-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Congrats on the Pelican setup. I have a similar setup on SV1000, silver box to match the silver bike. How did you fix it to your rear seat?

I bought a second pillion seat pan and attched it to the Pelican case. The case can be attached in seconds, by removing the passenger seat, installing the case in it's place, and simply pressing down until the seat-lock mechanism produces an audible click. The case can be removed with a twist of the ignition key in the seat-lock release which is located on the FZ1's left side panel. No screwing a round with tools and hardware to install or remove the case, and the case is securely locked to the bike while installed. One key serves both the ignition and the luggage with this set-up.

Here's some photos...

mousitsas · 02-11-2010, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRZ400SK4

I bought a second pillion seat pan and attched it to the Pelican case.

Ingenius idea, well done!

smilin' johnny · 02-11-2010, 06:12 PM

Picked up a gen1 from my brother in law, who is a gear junkie, and can't say enough good about it. Traxion dynamics and an Ivan's kit make it mean, and a bar un-riser makes it a little more sporty than stock. The only downside to that is that it does not suffer fools...you gotta be careful, 'cause it'll get up quicker than a bigger bike should and will leave you behind if you don't pay attention. It's fatter in the middle than my VTR, so really twisty roads aren't as simple as before, but for SPORT-touring on a budget it's a really tough bike to beat.

DRZ400SK4 · 02-12-2010, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Ingenius idea, well done!

Thanks.

It seemed like an easy option, considering how the pillion seats can be purchased from Yamaha for a surprisingly low price. About $80.00 USD, for the complete passenger seat assembly, including the pan, latches, foam, and cover.

rhys · 02-12-2010, 07:39 AM

My used First generation Fizzy, may well be the best bang-fer-yer-buck EVER!

arshishb · 02-12-2010, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRZ400SK4

Thanks.

It seemed like an easy option, considering how the pillion seats can be purchased from Yamaha for a surprisingly low price. About $80.00 USD, for the complete passenger seat assembly, including the pan, latches, foam, and cover.

I have attached mine the same way. Except that I am a cheap ass & I bought my pillion seat used on the forums.

Whenever I have a passenger (which is very rare) I just pope the case out with my key & pop the "unmolested" pillion seat on.

02-09-2009, 11:44 AM	#36
AllBlackPearl Alpoholic Joined: Nov 2008 Location: Valais, CH Oddometer: 719	Take a look at this thread, if you like, especially this posting of mine. You'll find some infos on mods and stuff there! __________________ Before you judge someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you judge them you are a mile away and you have their shoes.

02-11-2010, 07:08 AM	#38
DRZ400SK4 Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2005 Location: Newfoundland Oddometer: 2,037	Love mine. Best bike I ever bought in 35 years of motorcycling. It's fast and fun, and a serious mile-muncher. __________________ 2008 Yamaha FZ1 / 2009 Kawasaki KLX450R / 2012 Triumph Scrambler My Photos In Google Earth DRZ400SK4 screwed with this post 05-04-2011 at 07:47 AM

02-11-2010, 06:12 PM	#42
smilin' johnny lurker with privileges Joined: Jan 2006 Location: The Motherland Oddometer: 190	Picked up a gen1 from my brother in law, who is a gear junkie, and can't say enough good about it. Traxion dynamics and an Ivan's kit make it mean, and a bar un-riser makes it a little more sporty than stock. The only downside to that is that it does not suffer fools...you gotta be careful, 'cause it'll get up quicker than a bigger bike should and will leave you behind if you don't pay attention. It's fatter in the middle than my VTR, so really twisty roads aren't as simple as before, but for SPORT-touring on a budget it's a really tough bike to beat. __________________ "An ounce of image is worth a pound of performance"- Uncle Erv, sage of the south end

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08-10-2008, 07:23 PM	#33
trapp20 Adventurer Joined: Aug 2008 Location: PDX Oddometer: 25	You've got a point, cool is in the eye of the beholder for sure. I guess I should restate that. I've never purchased a FZ-1 because I already had a Brutale and it was too similar in function and definitely not as stylish. Chances are I would have purchased one if there were no such thing as Italian bikes.

02-06-2009, 09:36 AM	#35
'Dumbdog Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2008 Oddometer: 311	I love mine. tore up hwy's 44 and 12 last fall just to have coffee in Westhawk. did you ever buy one?

02-11-2010, 05:58 AM	#37
Gohot229 n00b Joined: Feb 2010 Oddometer: 7	My experiance with an FZ1 comes in the form of an 05 first generation bike. For starters, their very powerfull motors, capable of 150 mph fairly easy, granted it might take a half mile to redline out because its dependant on getting in a tuck at the higher speeds, but setting upright I can nail 120-130 in what it takes to go through the gears and a fiew seconds in sixth. OK, all of that behind us, it can be fitted with some panniers and hard bags off the shelf such as Givi luggage. Or, and this is my prefference, the SW-Motech soft luggage in the 'Wide' configuration. That along with a nice SW tank-bag makes for a very good 'looking' setup. Additionally you can get a seat from Corbin that has the backrest, it's highly comfortable. The drawback to the soft luggage is that it partially takes up the passenger part of the seat, where the Givi's are of course mounted typical of pannier systems with the top-box up and back of the passenger. The thing with this is that it also makes for a high and rearward assembelage of luggage. You'll see with the SW wide, it looks much better, but the loss of the rear seating. As far as ability, it has more than enough to make sustained long distance and speed, and at about 40-45 miles per gallon on the fuel, which also can be regular. It seems that premiun does not provide much in the way of additional power, in fact may burn poorer in this particular 'tuned' motor. With the soft luggage, you can dis-mount it all in probably less than a minuate for riding in a more spirited manner. I would like the 'Big' Yamaha, the FJ, but ...........actually when all's said and done, the FZ1 is a sweetheart bike for touring too. There are some who would adamatly dissagree, and for reasons of their own, but by and large, the FZ is one of the best kept secrets in biking. Huge power, huge top speed, and COMFORTABLE. So yea........ it would make a good tourer. The key to really making it comfortable would be a bigger windscreen such as the Riffle which is about 20 + inches tall.

02-12-2010, 07:39 AM	#44
rhys Beastly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Left Coast Oddometer: 1,661	My used First generation Fizzy, may well be the best bang-fer-yer-buck EVER!