So apparently I just bought the worse bike ever made?

Jacek3743

Jacek3743

Member
First post and you're getting replies like a mad man :D welcome!

I understand you completely where you are reading something about something you purchased and call yours and there's a post or review that says it sucks... Then you start thinking "oh, well maybe it does suck". But if you wanted something that you can lean into a corner, be a comfortable ride, and be fun whenever you need? this bike ticks off all those checks.

I rode my dad's Harley Softail and also a kawasaki versys, so when i got onto this thing, I just fell in love and can't get off of it! And as for the guys from that magazine, their reasoning is pretty much crap. It sounds more of a bashing than a review within itself

Don't think about it! Just ride and you'll form your own opinion
 
ssky0078

ssky0078

New member
I've been following this thread with fascination. About 5 months ago I was in the decision making process between an Fz1 and an Fz8. I ended up going with the Fz1 because I may have a death wish and well I like to get in over my head. I have loved my fz1 since day 1 and will be hard pressed to part with it, if I ever do.

Ok, in regard to the Fz8, I just took a demo ride on one 2 weeks ago at AZ bike week. It had a lot of the positives of the Fz1, and mind you it had the upgraded suspension for 2013. I found the ride to be comfortable, the power to be plentiful and suspension well the same as a 2009 Fz1.

I think an Fz8 could best be served by a suspension upgrade (mainly in regards to weight, I weight 245 and the stock setup is for someone 165 for the factory springs.) The Fz series (6,8, and 1) all suffer from a low end that doesn't leave much to be excited about below 50% of the RPM range. However, after the 50% point the Yamaha engine does it's thing and it is quite thrilling. The Kawi engines give all their go down low but give up the ghost up top (quite the opposite).

I honestly think the OP should just ride his bike long enough to get a feeling for it and find what is lacking. If he feels the suspension doesn't allow himself to explore the abilities of the engine, then upgrade? If he feels the engine doesn't allow him to explore the abilities of the chassis/suspension then upgrade? If he doesn't like the upright ergonomics of the handlebars compared to a clip-on then buy a sport bike again. Ultimately explore the capabilities of the bike, then worry about if you bought the right thing. I would say give it at least 1,000 miles in all type of riding conditions you will be doing on a regular basis.
 
tzortn

tzortn

Pillion
DurtyB don't listen to these guys. That thing you bought is a real POS and you should get rid of it as soon as you can. I also live in Virginia and for the sake of good karma I would be happy to take the bike off of your hands and dispose of it properly.:)

I went to local shop to buy a new helmet and the next thing I know I am riding off on a FZ8. It was my second biggest impulse buy and I have not regretted it at all. Enjoy it and be safe.
 
Marthy

Marthy

Member
Funny. The thing is there will always be a bike faster than yours out there... doesn't matter what you get. Someone riding a R1 might think a FZ1 is slow and need a lot of upgrade. Some or most of you might think my FZ6R is a under power and over weight (and your right!!!LOL) but I have enough juice to get myself in deep trouble. I did a little cam swap (FZ6) and cover the basics like everyone else and the bike perform much better and still get 45 MPG.

I think the FZ8 is quite a nice bike. If they address the handling issue on the 2013, this is great bike for the $$$. And believe me, that thing can be a beast with some tuning!!!

Helping a friend with his tune... That thing is getting sick fast! Imagine having R6 HP with +10 ft.lb of torque. Doesn't sound as slow now... LOL

Hey at the end of the day people like different things. Some might think my ride is a bit chubby, but she's a good ride! LOL
 
rug_burn

rug_burn

Member
The FZ8 is plenty fast for me. I like the powerband between about 5K and 10K rpm, you just gotta shift fast.
And the suspension? Yes, it is a little on the soft side, but keep in mind that it is a street bike. [Also- what you may perceive as 'soft' and 'hard are partly a function of rider weight. It's going to seem stiffer to a light rider, and softer to a heavyweight].
I hear guys complaining that they had to stiffen up the suspension because the FZ8 was too soft in the corners on the track, and then in the next breath say how it's no good [now] on rough roads. Yeah- that's how it is- you just can't have it all... Take your pick.
But I'll admit- it does need a windscreen.
 
M

MikeC

Weekend Rider
evan1 said:
Well, firstly since you now own the bike, you should decide for yourself whether it fits your needs, and perhaps read a more representative (and recent) variety of opinions.

Second, it should be rather obvious why one shouldn't weigh the opinions of an FZ6 forum too heavily. The surrounding comments reflect a clear eagerness to rationalize their own purchase of the FZ8's little brother. Nowhere will "sour grapes" be more prominently displayed (e.g. "FZ8 way too expensive!" or "phew, so glad I didn't upgrade!" or...and this is an actual quote from the forum..."I feel vindicated!"). Cognitive dissonance will generally prevent this group from saying "I wish I had spent more money for more power and torque."

Third, the review (a reproduction of which I can't find on the site) is from FastBikes magazine. A brit mag written by 20-somethings with a strong hooligan focus. As is correctly stated in surrounding comments, take their opinions with an enormous grain of salt.

Lastly, put a few hundred miles on the bike, and see if you still want to ride it off a cliff. I'm willing to wager that you'll look back on your initial post here as misinformed hyperbole.
Click to expand...

I simply like the way you wrote this. ;)
 
Marthy

Marthy

Member
evan1 said:
Well, firstly since you now own the bike, you should decide for yourself whether it fits your needs, and perhaps read a more representative (and recent) variety of opinions.

Second, it should be rather obvious why one shouldn't weigh the opinions of an FZ6 forum too heavily. The surrounding comments reflect a clear eagerness to rationalize their own purchase of the FZ8's little brother. Nowhere will "sour grapes" be more prominently displayed (e.g. "FZ8 way too expensive!" or "phew, so glad I didn't upgrade!" or...and this is an actual quote from the forum..."I feel vindicated!"). Cognitive dissonance will generally prevent this group from saying "I wish I had spent more money for more power and torque."

Third, the review (a reproduction of which I can't find on the site) is from FastBikes magazine. A brit mag written by 20-somethings with a strong hooligan focus. As is correctly stated in surrounding comments, take their opinions with an enormous grain of salt.

Lastly, put a few hundred miles on the bike, and see if you still want to ride it off a cliff. I'm willing to wager that you'll look back on your initial post here as misinformed hyperbole.
Click to expand...

I share the same idea. The FZ8 is not enough of an update and the FZ6R is a disgrace to the FZ brand. Most of the member are very nice don't get me wrong, have have few friend there. But there's a few member that I can feel the vibe you are taking about... kind of frustrated that Yamaha left them stuck riding a bike that do not exist anymore.

But hey, when I bough my 6R there was no FZ6 left, I might have went for it. Since I didn't ride for almost 15 years I knew I was smart enough not to kill myself on a FZ1 but I was intimidated a bit because I knew I'll end up being stupid... LOL

If the FZ8 would have been available... I might have went for it. Might still get one later this year...
 
MotoRick

MotoRick

Motorcycle Fanatic
I was lucky enough to be able to demo ride an FZ8 before buying it. I rode an SV650 at the time, which is a great bike. The demo ride removed all doubt that I had to have the FZ8. I sold the SV, and a bunch of other stuff over a three month span of time so I could afford to get the FZ8 and haven't looked back.
 
Hellgate

Hellgate

New member
It beats the hell out of any Harley ever made. If you want a true POS go buy a Royal Enfield.

Ride more, worry less.
 
H

Harrywz

New member
You will never find the "perfect" bike. The FZ8 (Fazer) was built as an affordable all rounder bike. It wasn't built for the track or off roading. Yamaha
realized that there was a market for a bike that fell between the 600cc and 1000cc niche and the "streetfighter" naked look that is popular today. The FZ6 is a good bike, just a bit underpowered for the more experienced rider. The FZ1 that is offered in North America is only the faired version and would probably do well as a naked bike here. The FZ8 has an advantage that the insurance companies treat the rates fairly unlike the FZ1 that has R1 premiums. In all honesty, how many of you riders have run to the full potential offered by the FZ8?
 
b-eock

b-eock

New member
Define full potential? I've continually pushed this bike for the few months I've had it. I used to be scared leaning into corners and accelerating through them. Now I know the bike and what I can do on it. I take corners that are marked for 30 MPH at 70 now. I drag my pegs on twisty roads. When I bought the bike, I weighed 225 LBS now I weigh about 194 as of last night. That's from all the movement of work I do and all the wheelies I pull. Standing wheelies at speed are a work out if you keep them up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
 
JSP

JSP

Administrator
b-eock said:
Define full potential? I've continually pushed this bike for the few months I've had it. I used to be scared leaning into corners and accelerating through them. Now I know the bike and what I can do on it. I take corners that are marked for 30 MPH at 70 now. I drag my pegs on twisty roads. When I bought the bike, I weighed 225 LBS now I weigh about 194 as of last night. That's from all the movement of work I do and all the wheelies I pull. Standing wheelies at speed are a work out if you keep them up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

How much for your weight loss DVD "Stuntin the fat away" ? ;) :D
 
H

Harrywz

New member
b-eock said:
Define full potential? I've continually pushed this bike for the few months I've had it. I used to be scared leaning into corners and accelerating through them. Now I know the bike and what I can do on it. I take corners that are marked for 30 MPH at 70 now. I drag my pegs on twisty roads. When I bought the bike, I weighed 225 LBS now I weigh about 194 as of last night. That's from all the movement of work I do and all the wheelies I pull. Standing wheelies at speed are a work out if you keep them up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Ya, you may be one of the few who actually outgrow the bike( no pun intended). A lot of riders go do a few twisties, go over speed limit by about 20mph but ride in a sane fashion. Most of it lies in the fear of the hit on the pocket book if you get caught having too much of a good time. I'm in Ontario Canada. We have "stunting" laws. If we get caught pulling wheelies, we loose the bike for 7 days, get points on our license, get fined and our insurance skyrockets. Getting caught doing 50km/hr (30mph) over the limit is classed as racing, same penalty. Easy to do 60mph in a 30 zone in first gear. These deterrent's keep you from using bike to full potential. I'm sure quite a few states have similar laws these days. Best place to really ride a bike hard is on the track but then you modify for better performance and everyday road riding suffers.
 
b-eock

b-eock

New member
This was the week before Christmas that I bought my bike. Haven't laid it down or flipped it yet. Have there been a few scares. Yeah. But that comes with it and he thrill. I have an instinct for it kinda. I've always been a really good driver in whatever I've driven. I go out and drift in my front wheel drive PT Cruiser. Hard, but doable. So from the end of December 2012 to last night I lost 30 pounds guys!!! Yeah boiiiii. Don't push yourself too hard though. For some reason I always gain knowledge and skills fast. I'm not bragging, I'm just telling you what my experience is.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
 
rug_burn

rug_burn

Member
Yeah, I lost about 40 lbs, too [245 to 205 and still declining] and the bike likes it a lot better, not to mention my little Latina princess. It's nice to get back to the [somewhat] active life. I forgot how much I need the adrenaline... I used to hang glide all the time, but kind of let that lapse when I got married. That's another good cheap adrenaline fix.
 
Hellgate

Hellgate

New member
b-eock said:
Define full potential? I've continually pushed this bike for the few months I've had it. I used to be scared leaning into corners and accelerating through them. Now I know the bike and what I can do on it. I take corners that are marked for 30 MPH at 70 now. I drag my pegs on twisty roads. When I bought the bike, I weighed 225 LBS now I weigh about 194 as of last night. That's from all the movement of work I do and all the wheelies I pull. Standing wheelies at speed are a work out if you keep them up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Man, you're a stud, a SUPER STAR, maybe even Michael Jackson. Oh, wait, he's dead...
 
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