NAYSAYERS...

[hypo]

So to follow up on Hoover's post about how well the FZ8's are liked and accepted I wanted to share something that I noticed when our forum here went down for a week or so.

I don't remember which forums it was in, I was just desperate (and stuck at work) to read about the FZ8 and did a google search for forum + fz8 + whatever I was wondering about... maybe aftermarket stuff... anyways, I came across some FZ6 forums or some other forums and all they were talking about were stats and comparing the fz8 to other bikes stats and prices...

seriously... how many of you give a crap about anything other than riding when you're riding? meaning, are you worried that the guy that pulled up next to you on his MONSTER or his SPEED TRIPLE paid more than you did and has 13 more horsepower and comes stock with better tires???

anyone?

 

[lothodon]

well as i've stated a few times, i used to be a harley nut. since i happily got that out of my system and jumped on sport bikes i could NOT care less what anyone but ME thinks about my bike. (and of course my fellow forum members )

i ride alone, mostly because all my old harley friends won't ride with me (can't keep up anyway, and how fun is riding from one bar to the next all day) and i haven't met any other sport bike riders that aren't ass hats...all that leads to me being the only one that has any opinion of my own bike.

i ride the fz8 because it's THE bike i want regardless of price or hp.

 

[Hoover]

Horses for courses.
I ride regularly with a Buell, a V-Max, a Kawi ZX9, a Duck 996 and a HD Fatbob.
We all ride together because we like to ride and we enjoy motorcycles.
I have ridden all my life and I don't give a crap what you ride. If you ride, then we have a bond.
I do however get a little bent when you pass a pack of hogists and wave and they all IGNORE you. What makes you so special? Because you have 25 grand to spend on a bike?

With regards to the forums, I am not sure why the other FZ8 forum is so quiet. There are many members on both, it just is I guess.
Rant over, stay upright, and ride.

 

[DownhomeMoto]

Ok maybe I'm crazy but I do care about all the stats... I mean come on a Speed Triple vs the FZ8... First off looks... they both look good (if the person looking at them likes the way they look)...Next Price... UM can we say 4.5k cheaper for the FZ8... next HP and TQ... after my ride to day on the FZ... Ya I have more then enough for what I'm doing... and last but not lest... Motor size... because you know what they say right... the bigger the motor the bigger the.... Insurance bill!!!!! LOL

I mean come on peeps... when some one pulls up next to me on there S3 or Ducati Monster, with there little "I ride an exotic" smerks on there face and they give there bikes a little blimp on the throttle to announce there arrival, I just look over flip my visor up and very comely in a FZ8 kinda way tell them " Ya well mine was 4K less and the insurance is half what you pay!" Flip the visor down and forget they were there.... Oh and SMILE FROM EAR TO EAR under my helmet!!!


So Ya I Care.... cuz the FZ8 ROCKS!!!! (kinda like Boise State Football)

 

[mano1192]

I ride with a monster every morning on the way to work, never spoke to him much but we always see each other as we go to work at the same time. I see him, he knods, he sees me I knod and away we go.

If you have a naked, we have the same style in bikes, I could care less what kind it is and what the motor size is. Point of the story is, he probably has no idea I ride a 800 and I have no idea what size monster it is, but neither of us give a shit, we just ride and play frogger with the morning traffic!

 

[Hoover]

Ok maybe I'm crazy but I do care about all the stats... I mean come on a Speed Triple vs the FZ8... First off looks... they both look good (if the person looking at them likes the way they look)...Next Price... UM can we say 4.5k cheaper for the FZ8... next HP and TQ... after my ride to day on the FZ... Ya I have more then enough for what I'm doing... and last but not lest... Motor size... because you know what they say right... the bigger the motor the bigger the.... Insurance bill!!!!! LOL

I mean come on peeps... when some one pulls up next to me on there S3 or Ducati Monster, with there little "I ride an exotic" smerks on there face and they give there bikes a little blimp on the throttle to announce there arrival, I just look over flip my visor up and very comely in a FZ8 kinda way tell them " Ya well mine was 4K less and the insurance is half what you pay!" Flip the visor down and forget they were there.... Oh and SMILE FROM EAR TO EAR under my helmet!!!


So Ya I Care.... cuz the FZ8 ROCKS!!!! (kinda like Boise State Football)

Well, you had me interested untill your final statement...Sorry dude, Big 10 rules all. Go Badgers :nana:

 

[White911]

Well, you had me interested untill your final statement...Sorry dude, Big 10 rules all. Go Badgers :nana:

Good thing this thread is about FZ8's... ha ha. GO DAWGS!

 

[DownhomeMoto]

Good thing this thread is about FZ8's... ha ha. GO DAWGS!

LOL. ya I hope the Dogs go 11-1 this year... I hate to see a school with such a great football past struggle. UGA needs to get a W this weekend!

Oh and FZ8 rules!!!

 

[Ivy33]

I could care less about the numbers. I'll never take this bike to its upper speed limit or lowest 0-60 time.

It is mad fun to ride, has more power than I'll EVER use up and cost a lot less than some other bikes out there.

I honestly don't believe that most sportbike riders will ever get our bikes to their actual top-end speed limits (maybe some will but I think it's a small number) so why does such a small performance margin, relevant to (what seems to me) a very small segment of buyers so often become the major point of debate? It seems like enjoyability is a less-significant priority with some folks but, to me, it's the main reason why I may pick specific bikes.

It just seems like much of what I read is by racers, for racers, or a bunch of guys who like to throw around high numbers for braggin rights. What review writers should do IMHO is to get people who have only been riding for between 5 and 10 years to write reviews. This way I'd get more of a perspective from the average rider.

Plus, women LOVE this thing! I've never seen any other bike (Ducati, Harley, etc) get the attention that this thing gets!

 

[Camo]

I could care less about the numbers. I'll never take this bike to its upper speed limit or lowest 0-60 time.

It is mad fun to ride, has more power than I'll EVER use up and cost a lot less than some other bikes out there.

I honestly don't believe that most sportbike riders will ever get our bikes to their actual top-end speed limits (maybe some will but I think it's a small number) so why does such a small performance margin, relevant to (what seems to me) a very small segment of buyers so often become the major point of debate? It seems like enjoyability is a less-significant priority with some folks but, to me, it's the main reason why I may pick specific bikes.

It just seems like much of what I read is by racers, for racers, or a bunch of guys who like to throw around high numbers for braggin rights. What review writers should do IMHO is to get people who have only been riding for between 5 and 10 years to write reviews. This way I'd get more of a perspective from the average rider.

Plus, women LOVE this thing! I've never seen any other bike (Ducati, Harley, etc) get the attention that this thing gets!

Not to sure I've been given more attention from women, In actual fact I'm sure I've received less attention from my wife

As for bike reviews, for the most part I ignore them.
I've found that there is to many variables when it comes to someone else's thoughts and experience's on a bike. Much like a movie review, everyone has different tastes and needs to enjoy themselves.
I think it's good to maybe use reviews as a guide or an insight.
Although before I bag out all reviews, the crew at RAPID magazine are pretty damn good in the fact that they will tell you that the things they knit pick about would only apply to the highly skilled or on track etc...

I think the best thing you can do when buying a bike is ignore popular trends aside from checking out any problems certain models may have and just test ride everything.

I bought my bike because the price was right , I enjoyed riding it more then the others and it met all my requirements.
I didn't buy it because some reviewer praised it.

 

[djcecil]

i can say that i honestly decided what i wanted in a bike, and then shopped everyones site, and based on exactly what i wanted the fz8 was the bike (-the color). so i am more than happy, i think the bike mags have ridden too many top of the line bikes to really appreciate the lower models fully for what they are.

 

[GarryM]

I agree with Camo. My last bike was going to be a 2006 CBR600RR but one of the dealers I went to when I was shopping around was a multi-franchise dealership. The guy organised a test ride on all the 600's a Triumph 675 and a GSXR750. I ended up buying a bike that, based on all the magazine articles, was rubbish on the road, the R6.

When I got back from my test ride it was the bike that put the biggest grin on my face yet the road testers always bag it out for being too track focused with no low down power. The power difference between all the 600's on the road is negligable. To me the R6 felt faster than the GSXR600, yet the Gixxer was supposed to eat the R6 low down. The R6 easily outshone all the others in everything as far as I was concerned. For 4 years I used it as a peak hour work commuter, a weekend scratcher and a long distance cruiser and it did all the tasks easily. Though luggage carrying was always a bit of a challenge. Not bad going for what was reported to be a single focus track bike.

I loved that bike. Far more than I do the FZ8, though the FZ8 does the job I bought it for very well.

Another point. I have read road tests claiming that the FZ8 is the roughest riding bike the guy had ever ridden but then critisized for being to soft in another road test. Which one do you believe?

The moral of the story....before you buy your next new bike ignore the road tests and spec sheets, test ride everything, even bikes that you dont think meet your criterior. You might be surprised with what you end up with. I was when I bought the R6.

 

[calscrazy]

first thing you have to remember is everyone has either an opinion or an agenda INCLUDING those who write motorcycle reviews.

if you are going to compare the FZ8 to the monster then the FZ8 wins everytime hands down. the Fz8 is a middleweight so cmpare it to the monster 796. it has MORE hp and MORE torque. the ducati has interchangeable tank covers (cheesy if you ask me). not to mention the fact ducati uses plastic tanks that are VERY prone to swelling. i had mine replaced three times in four years because of that. i have abunch of friends that ride ducati's (as hypo saw) and i still own a 95 900 ss cr that i love. if you want an exhaust on a monster you have to spend about 2k plus have a dealer program your ecu (another 500) or dump $800 on a slip-on and deal with the backfire. parts are a pain to get because it's mostly in italy and they shutdown one whole month of the yr for some bs holiday. maintenance is stupid expensive unless you do it yourself. a friend just got his hypermotard back from its 7500 mile service and he was out $1100. ducati's look good because of the SSS aside from that they don't run better or faster than their counterpart. they seem great because of their dominant world superbike runs but they dump a ton of money into those race bikes and it wasnt all the bike. bayliss and foggy were gods!! NOT ALL OF THEIR OWNERS ARE D-BAGS!!
as a matter of fact i had two friends ride my bike while on a trip recently and both liked it alot. one liked it better than his monster 696 which is the same price. the other said if he rode daily that is what he would get. he currently has a 999r.
remember this also when you read those magazine articles. they do a superbike shootout every year and declare a winner. yet they will compare the big four, the beemer, the duc and the mv or the aprillia. which models are they comparing? the 40k duc to 12k r1? really? i am sure if yamaha wanted to put an extra 20k on their bike it would be the best ever but 40k for a bike is a bit ridiculous i think but who knows what some people like or think.

 

[matt73]

Horses for courses.
I ride regularly with a Buell, a V-Max, a Kawi ZX9, a Duck 996 and a HD Fatbob.
We all ride together because we like to ride and we enjoy motorcycles.
I have ridden all my life and I don't give a crap what you ride. If you ride, then we have a bond.
I do however get a little bent when you pass a pack of hogists and wave and they all IGNORE you. What makes you so special? Because you have 25 grand to spend on a bike?

With regards to the forums, I am not sure why the other FZ8 forum is so quiet. There are many members on both, it just is I guess.
Rant over, stay upright, and ride.

Sounds like those hogists are an international thing. But those blokes on beemers are just as bad if not more unsociable.

I didn't know anything about the Fz8 after walking into the local dealer and seeing it straight up. Convinced that I had to lose the Speedmaster asap.
The reviews were good, the price better and you cant beat those gold forks with the black tough stance.

 

[hypo]

ya got THAT right, mate! Wish I'd had 4 or 5 weeks instead of just 3 when I was down under last... definitely woulda driven up through Sunshine Coast to Cairns!

 

[Crazywb23]

So here's my rant. I cannot stand the fat, hairy, stinky, 1500lb bike ridin, 12 sandwich eatin, fat, Harley riders that think there better than anyone else who rides. I like some Harleys (fat-boys), but the persona that has developed over the years is ridiculous. And I agree with Hoover about the harley riders that wont wave back, there idiots....

So here's my opinion. As a rider, I am also a gear head. I ride with all sorts of riders and all sorts of bikes, and we all know each others bikes and clown each both good and bad. Every bike out there has its own "sexiness".

So when your out there enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow riders, AND HAVE FUN!!!

 

[Petercwelch]

Reviews

Most of the mags have an agenda, but Motorcycle Consumer News takes no ads from anyone and therefore is as close to unbiased as you can get. They loved the FZ8.

 

[Coolslice]

I don't give a damn about numbers. 99% of the people with higher HP bikes can't ride them anywhere near the bikes potential anyways.

As far as what others think about me or my bike, who cares? I have had all kinds of bikes, from Honda's to Ducati's, and not one of them made me cooler to anyone. Most people don't know the difference between a Desmosedici and a Hyosung. I ride alone. I don't cruise the strip, I don't try to pick up girls, I don't street race, and I don't stunt.

When I traded in my last bike, I went to the dealership thinking I was gonna buy a Triumph Thruxton. I loved the look of the bike, but it didn't feel totally right to me. I actually was getting ready to sign the paperwork when I just felt it wasn't right. I went back out on the showroom floor, and I could have bought any bike in there (the Diavel was tempting, but I know better than to get back in that fire). I gravitated towards the previously unnoticed FZ8. I sat on it, it felt great. It was sporty, but not over the top. It was powerful, but not ridiculously so. It was just a good, do-it-all bike that seemed like it was a great bike for the money. As I get older, I actually care about getting the most for my money, and I know from past experiences that Yamaha's represent great value.

 

[RyanSterling]

Couldn't care less about numbers to be honest. I based my decision purely on test-rides. Took me months to find dealerships willing to let me ride all of the bikes I was interested in. I can honestly say what sold me on the FZ was that it didn't feel like borrowed bike. From the moment I got on it, it felt like it had been mine for years. And, I felt like it was the best choice for the types of riding I do. Commuting, canyons and the occasional long trip. None of the other bikes ticked all those boxes as well. So for me the choice was easy.

If I want to look cool I still take the Triumph, hard to beat the classic looks. But if I want to have fun getting there, and not feel beat up when I do. It's the yammy that gets to see the sunshine.

 

[cpatt]

i still dont evin no the numbers.. if any one would like to enlighten a noob to the number this bike has id love to be informed. but i go it because A. i love the way it looks and B. it dosent hurt my back.
my buell killed my back same with r1's, xz6's, zx14's, a little ninja 250, the cbr's basically every street bike hurts my back for some reason. this bike just sits like a dream.

wow that makes me sound like my father. im only 18 by the way.