FZ8 Scores Perfect 5/5 Stars - MotoConsumerNews Article

[Rincewind]

 

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/model_eval/2011YamahaFZ8.pdf


The best bike that no one here will buy.    

26,600 valve check intervals, a high-revving engine, reasonable price, and excellent handling.  If I didn't already have a very good bike in this category, I would be sorely tempted by the FZ8.  Heck, my Street3R only got 4.5/5 stars by them!  

[The Dude]

 

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/model_eval/2011YamahaFZ8.pdf


The best bike that no one here will buy.    

26,600 valve check intervals, a high-revving engine, reasonable price, and excellent handling.  If I didn't already have a very good bike in this category, I would be sorely tempted by the FZ8.  Heck, my Street3R only got 4.5/5 stars by them!  

My FZ6 has the same valve check intervals, a higher-revving engine, cost me less than half the MSRP of the FZ8, and is lighter and handles better. Sure it had a few thousand miles on it, but I ride over 10k per year. I'd rather not eat the depreciation.

I'm sure the FZ8 is nice, but I don't know how they can give it a perfect score when it's not really any better (it's different) than the bike it replaced. I'd much rather pick up a lightly used FZ1 with better components and an engine that's capable of moving that extra weight. Now if it was an 800 twin, I'd already be shopping for one.

Still, I hope they sell a ton. I'm planning on moving to a Tiger 1050 next, but who knows what could happen between now and then. A lightly used FZ8, at the right price point, could prove to be pretty compelling.

[Tpoppa]

I think the 05-06 Z750S was lighter and had more power.

[The Dude]

Ah yes, the time-honored "I can get this different, budget-oriented, smaller, less powerful, used bike for less than that new bike" dilemma.  

I can also get an F150 for less than a BMW M5, too!  

The FZ8 has more torque, better suspension bits and a generation-newer fuel injection.

I had an FZ6 too and really liked it, but the 2nd Gen FZ1 on which the FZ8 is based is far and away a better bike than the FZ6.

Let's compare apples to some other sort of apples at the very least.

Except the FZ8 is just a "budget-oriented, smaller, less powerful" version of the FZ1. The suspension may be "better" than an FZ6, but it doesn't offer any more adjustment. And while the fuel injection may be of a newer generation, it was the number one fault listed in the review. Magazines said the same thing about the FZ6's on-off throttle response, so I guess it's a wash there. I'm just saying, I haven't talked to any FZ6 owners who "upgraded" to the FZ8. Sure it's a nice bike, but is it worth $2500-3000 more than a holdover FZ6? While I can recognize its value, I can't see it doing too well in the states where most riders will identify it as a neutered FZ1. I think Yamaha's failure to differentiate the FZ8 from the FZ1 will prove to be a significant obstacle in moving units.

And it's not comparing an F150 to an M5, it's comparing an M3 to an M5. If the FZ6 and FZ8 apples don't have some sort of familial relationship, I'm not sure what does.

[UFO]

The best bike that no one here will buy.    

Pfffft.  Who wants an inexpensive, 800cc, lightweight, comfortable bike...with no plastic!!

Squidz got no time for such nonsense.

[Prubert]

My FZ6 has the same valve check intervals, a higher-revving engine, cost me less than half the MSRP of the FZ8, and is lighter and handles better. Sure it had a few thousand miles on it, but I ride over 10k per year. I'd rather not eat the depreciation.

...and it just ties the whole garage together, man.

[jfurf]

From what I've read the FZ8, weighs almost exactly what the FZ6 weighs, and you get a pretty substantial increase in power. And better suspension, brakes, fi and (in my opinion at least) much better styling.

I like the FZ6 and rode with a few people on them last week. They seem like pretty good bikes... but I'd much rather have the 8.  

[scottzilla]

Wouldn't it be cool if Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki released their soup to nuts race-replica liter bike and comparable naked bike side by side?  How cool would that be?
Kawasaki ALMOST did this with teh Ninja 1000 and the Z1000 but not quite.  

[jfurf]

Wouldn't it be cool if Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki released their soup to nuts race-replica liter bike and comparable naked bike side by side?  How cool would that be?
Kawasaki ALMOST did this with teh Ninja 1000 and the Z1000 but not quite.  

I have to say, I think I would be all OVER a naked version of the Gsx r-750. With the classic white wheels, handlebars and a tiny little blue/orange bikini fairing, please.  

In fact, bring on more 750 and 800 cc road bikes in general.  

[KodiakRS]

"lurching fuel injection hurts driveability when shifting"

Doesn't the 2nd gen fz1 get a bad rap for awful fuel injection too?

[RangerG]

I test rode a FZ8 yesterday.  I would rather have ridden the Fazer 8 but they didn't bring one.  Ergos are the same and I'd put a set of bar risers on first thing.  Would have liked to see how effective the Fazer fairing is.  Power was very nice and I couldn't detect the flat spot in the power band that is supposed to lurk at 5K.

[Grainbelt]

If we got the white, ABS-equipped, faired Fazer8 here I'd be enthusiastic about it.

As it is I'm leaning toward the BMW F800ST for my sub-liter solo tourer, replacing the FZ6 that replaced a Ninja 650R. Now, if there was a Sprint 800...

I'm just not in the market for a naked. :dunno

[Rincewind]

I was pretty impressed when I started looking at the available aftermarket options for the FZ8: Givi PLX sidecase racks, universal EVO sidecase racks, rear alu-rack, center stand, etc.  It could be made into a pretty sweet sport-touring roadster.  

[Keyf]

If we got the white, ABS-equipped, faired Fazer8 here I'd be enthusiastic about it.

As it is I'm leaning toward the BMW F800ST for my sub-liter solo tourer, replacing the FZ6 that replaced a Ninja 650R. Now, if there was a Sprint 800...

I'm just not in the market for a naked. :dunno

I rented a FZ8 Fazer in Germany a couple of weeks ago and I really did like this machine. Good power, easy shifting and handled the Alps very well. Even made a good sound from the muffler when on the throttle. Fuel injection was not sorted very well at modest throttle openings but could be worked around w/changing RPMS a bit. Front brake, though powerful, did not have the initial bite that I am used to having. Good wind protection and a moderate seating position. I would love to see this model imported to the US.

Charlie

[stromgal]

^^ This. If the half-faired version was available here I might be tempted by an inline four.  So many of the great recent mid-sized releases come with nothing but wee fly screen-type coverage.

[atadaskew]

"lurching fuel injection hurts driveability when shifting"

And it gets a perfect score?

Ok then....

[HipGnosis]

I rented a FZ8 Fazer in Germany a couple of weeks ago and I really did like this machine. Good power, easy shifting and handled the Alps very well.

Since I see 2 helmets, I'm even more impressed.
I wanted one of these since I read the first review.

[Keyf]

Since I see 2 helmets, I'm even more impressed.
I wanted one of these since I read the first review.

One helmet belongs to my wife Julie. She rented a Yamaha Diversion 600 (FZ6R in the US) which is parked off to one side.

The owner of the Yamaha dealer where we rented the bikes mentioned the Fazer8 was not that big a seller in Germany but was very popular in several other countries. My guess is that we will never see it here.

Charlie

[Carbonero]

 

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/model_eval/2011YamahaFZ8.pdf


The best bike that no one here will buy.    

26,600 valve check intervals, a high-revving engine, reasonable price, and excellent handling.  If I didn't already have a very good bike in this category, I would be sorely tempted by the FZ8.  Heck, my Street3R only got 4.5/5 stars by them!  

Yep. Sales dog, but it's nearly the perfect machine that answers a LOT of questions.

[Carbonero]

My FZ6 has the same valve check intervals, a higher-revving engine, cost me less than half the MSRP of the FZ8, and is lighter and handles better. Sure it had a few thousand miles on it, but I ride over 10k per year. I'd rather not eat the depreciation.

Uhm...  

Good points about the tech specs. Sort of.

Who cares how high it revs? Smaller, less torquier engines HAVE to rev higher to develop more power. You're thinking like a bench racer. It's just math...

(torque * RPM / 5252 = horsepower)

But your argument falls completely and wholly on its face when you compare a used FZ6 price to a new FZ8 price. Not only are they two very different bikes - the FZ1 chassis is considerably more refined than the FZ6 - but you simply can NOT compare a used bike price/value to a new bike price/value.  

I'll never understand that perspective.

I'm sure the FZ8 is nice, but I don't know how they can give it a perfect score when it's not really any better (it's different) than the bike it replaced. I'd much rather pick up a lightly used FZ1 with better components and an engine that's capable of moving that extra weight. Now if it was an 800 twin, I'd already be shopping for one.

If you mean it's replacing the FZ6, then yes, it's a better bike. I loved my FZ6, and it's a hidden gem in its own right. But the FZ1/8 series is a better chassis to start with. The forks' springing and valving on the FZ6 are pretty awful from the factory (to be fair, just like most bikes), and the YZF/R old-gen engine can't hold a candle to the newer R6 mills. The FZ6 is a budget bike, through and through. A DAMNED FINE bike, but it's budget. The FZ6R is an additional step down, IMO.

$.02