New Member from South Dakota

[lechi542FZ8]

Bought my 2011 FZ8 in May and have already logged over 1,000 miles. I'm in love with this bike. Expansive powerband, comfortable riding position, rail-like handling, and lean and aggressive styling. I get a lot of compliments from people on the bike.

I have experienced many of the same small issues as other members. Cold starting is not ideal, downshifting is not the smoothest, first gear "clunk" engagement and there's a lot of heat coming at your legs. I can live with these minor issues, but I'd really like to find a permanent fix for the hard starting when cold. Just doesn't seem right.

The only thing I'm missing about my old SV650 that I traded in on the FZ8 is how freakin' easy the front wheel came up on that bike and how much more work it takes on the FZ8.

Pictures of mods to come soon. Hope to learn more from all of you. Thanks.

 

[Vapordan]

let the modding begin

 

[highoctane]

Welcome to Z club!

 

[Satan666]

SD?

East or West River?

 

[Wolf_Hook]

The only thing I'm missing about my old SV650 that I traded in on the FZ8 is how freakin' easy the front wheel came up on that bike and how much more work it takes on the FZ8.

Front wheel will come up very easy if you take it to 5-6k rpms and clutch it up then shift her into 2nd gear.

 

[lechi542FZ8]

East or West River?

Sioux Falls

 

[lechi542FZ8]

Front wheel will come up very easy if you take it to 5-6k rpms and clutch it up then shift her into 2nd gear.

When you run it up to 6k in gear then what do you wrap it up to in RPMs before you dump the clutch out? The SV650 came up so easy I never had to use the clutch to get it up. That clutch had 22,000 miles on it when I got rid of it.

 

[Wolf_Hook]

When you run it up to 6k in gear then what do you wrap it up to in RPMs before you dump the clutch out? The SV650 came up so easy I never had to use the clutch to get it up. That clutch had 22,000 miles on it when I got rid of it.

I normally just run it between 8k-9k since this bike makes it's peak torque at 8300rpm it lifts pretty easy from there then you can ride it to near red line and shift. I've gotten up to 70mph on one wheel in first gear, however that is really close to redline (in fact i've hit it once or twice doing that )

I'll get a video tomorrow on my lunch break with the go pro for you.

 

[MotoRick]

The only thing I'm missing about my old SV650 that I traded in on the FZ8 is how freakin' easy the front wheel came up on that bike and how much more work it takes on the FZ8.

Pictures of mods to come soon. Hope to learn more from all of you. Thanks.

welcome, and greetings from another ex-SV rider.

 

[Wolf_Hook]

Here is that video, I'm at 30-35mph when I clutch it up.
GOPR0095 - YouTube

 

[Vapordan]

Nice, very nice indeed. I live vicariously through you.

 

[lechi542FZ8]

Here is that video, I'm at 30-35mph when I clutch it up.
GOPR0095 - YouTube

Perfect. Thanks. I got it to come up a little bit before I watched your video, but that will help a ton. Like I said previously, the SV came up so easy with no clutch that this is a new technique I'll need to master.

 

[Wolf_Hook]

Perfect. Thanks. I got it to come up a little bit before I watched your video, but that will help a ton. Like I said previously, the SV came up so easy with no clutch that this is a new technique I'll need to master.

I know that feeling, before I picked up the FZ8 I was riding around on a DRZ400 that thing had way more torque for power wheelies lol.

 

[fazemon]

Re:New member from South Dakota

Some bikes just seem to wheelie easier than others. Ever ridden a Triumph Sprint ST, gen 2? Man, you even think about a wheelie and that one was on the back tire!Easiest bike I've ever ridden to make wheelie,what a grin.