Yamaha Fz1
YAMAHA FZ1
long-Term Wrap-Up
LIFE WITH THE BLUE STREAK
ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS OF standard-style motorcycles is that they cry out for customization. Yamaha's FZ1 leads the current wave of sporty, do-it-all work-horses carrying the tinkerer’s tradition into the future. While we stopped short of delving into the pages of JC Whitney, we did equip our long-term testbike with a number of items from the factory parts and accessories catalog.
Over the past year, we racked up more than 11,000 trouble-free miles on our Team Yamaha Blue machine. It quickly
became a favorite among staffers, and seldom sat idle in the CW moto-pool. Winner of “Best Open-Class Streetbike” honors in last year’s Ten Best balloting, the FZ1 continued to impress us with its real-world performance. We put it to use as a daily commuter, flogged it on weekend sport outings and used it as a longdistance sport-touring platform.
While we found the semi-naked styling easy on the eyes, Yamaha saw fit to send us some carbon-fiber dress-up bits. We also sampled the accessory Corbin saddle ($399), but preferred the
broader freedom of movement and shorter reach to the bars provided by the stock seat. Swapping the standard-issue handlebar mounts for the catalog’s billet-aluminum lowering blocks dropped the bar a full inch, which everyone found favorable. Making quick roadside adjustments to the fork’s rebound damping became more difficult, though. Only after loosening the mounting bolts and sliding the bar out of the way are the clickers accessible with a straightblade screwdriver.
While brake pads, chain and sprockets never required replacement during our year with the FZ1, we are on our third set of tires. We squeezed 3350 miles out of the stock Bridgestone BTO1 Os, then coaxed 4500 miles out of a pair of Continental’s value-priced Conti Force radiais ($227). We currently have nearly 3000 miles on a set of Avon Azaro II sport radiais ($325), both of which have plenty of tread depth still showing. Yamaha also sent us a carbon-fiber slip-on muffler ($414), which weighs 7 pounds less than stock and is claimed to boost performance without requiring carburetor rejetting. Installation was easy and quick, and back-to-back runs on our in-house Dynojet dynamometer showed a 1.5 peak horsepower gain with 2-4 more ponies throughout much of the rev range. On a negative note, the sleek canister's sound output is overly noisy; there are quieter aftermarket of ferings worth considering.
Quotes from the logbook
Corey EastmanThe FZ1 s final form fits my personal tastes. The Corbin seat should only have lasted long enough for a photo!
Matthew Miles Getting up to speed on this R1 -based powerhouse is no problem. Simply twist the throttle and go.
Mark HoyerSmooth, fast, quiet, comfortable, the FZ1 seems about as just-right as an all-around streetbike can get.
The FZ1 has a gentle enough learning curve that even after a 10-year lapse in bike ownership, ’ve had no problems getting back into it. -Todd Cryer, Iowa City, Iowa
One tester likened the FZ1 to a con ceptual big-bore Honda CBR600F4i, the F4 being the kind of bike that's so com petent and well balanced it sort of dis appears beneath you. The FZI shares this quality, but it's even better for the street, because it makes much more low-end grunt than a 600. Following an extended tour, one tester's entry in the logbook read, "Wind buffeting didn't bother me much, but the bike, especially with a tankbag mounted, could use more wind protection. At higher speeds, it seems there's nowhere to hide. Reminded me of early cases of Rl neck. . ." Say no more, as our final ac cessory add-on was a 2-inch taller and 3-inch wider windscreen. But, the ad dition of the ($80) clear-plastic bug catcher prompted another log entry from a taller tester stating that wind noise was now greater.
Last summer, I had the opportu nity to ride CW's long-term FZ1. I was so impressed I sold my Honda CBR929RR and bought an `02 FZ1. In three months, I've put 5000 miles on the odometer. -Calvin George, Costa Mesa, California
While it's impossible to please all of the people all of the time, the FZ1 man ages to come remarkably close. With its near-perfect balance of utility, YZF-R 1inspired performance and attractive styling, the FZ1 satisfies on all fronts, while keeping do-it-yourselfers busy for years to come.
$8499
