Is the Yamaha FZ1 price a re-examination?

By no means that widespread in its day, Yamaha’s bare R1 now makes for a terrific used purchase.

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When it was revealed in 2006, the Yamaha FZ1 promised a lot – nicely, on paper no less than. A real bare R1 with a correct chassis and suspension that was a far cry from the superb however most actually not sporty FZS1000 Fazer – what was to not like? Keep in mind, this was earlier than the tremendous bare class actually took off so Yamaha was in with a critical shot of creating a motorbike that may faucet into this quickly rising class of sporty streetfighters. Then we bought to trip it and our desires have been shattered. Effectively, possibly not shattered, however positively deflated…

The difficulty the FZ1 (and in addition the FZ1 Fazer) had proper from the off centered round two key areas – the shock and gas injection. Japanese engineers typically get a bit confused when focus teams ask for character in a motorbike and that’s precisely what occurred with the FZ1. After they have been instructed to offer their bare bike a little bit of spice, they did so in a manner too brutal throttle response, which made the FZ1 pretty disagreeable at low velocity. To be honest to the engineers, emissions legal guidelines additionally performed their half; to create a clean throttle transition, one of the best ways is to over-fuel the bike at closed and low throttle openings (that’s why race bikes typically have flames out of their exhaust mid-corner when the rider is simply coming again on the ability). However the truth of the matter is that they merely bought it incorrect.

In isolation, this concern might have been neglected however sadly for Yamaha, the shock on the FZ1 was one other pretty giant oversight. It was under-damped and fitted with a really arduous spring – the web results of which was a horribly agency trip that resembled a pogo stick if you upped the tempo.

On an excellent bare the place riders count on sportsbike-like dealing with this merely wouldn’t do. Regardless of Yamaha shortly making an attempt to resolve the throttle concern (if not the shock…), gross sales of the FZ1 have been gradual and by no means actually recovered – a disgrace, as a result of if Yamaha had bought it proper to begin with, the FZ1 had the potential for being an actual success story.

Even these days if you trip an FZ1, it’s arduous to not be impressed by the inline 4 engine. Taken from the R1 however barely re-tuned, it’s an actual powerhouse of a motor with baggage of drive, and a real 133bhp with 94Nm of torque on the rear wheel. Stick a loud can on it, match a free-breathing air filter and type the fuelling, and the top result’s a motor that’s a pleasure to make use of, with best efficiency for its bare guise.

You don’t need to go over 100mph on a streetfighter; it’s all in regards to the roll-on acceleration and mid-range, and on this rating the FZ1’s engine is good. Not solely that, it is usually very dependable, which is all the time excellent news on a used bike.

So, with that field ticked, what in regards to the chassis? Once more we’re speaking so close to however up to now with the FZ1’s dealing with, as all it takes is a number of additions to actually make it sing. First on the procuring checklist is a brand new shock, which is able to set you again about £500, after which a fork re-valve (about £200), and you might be away. The cruel and uncompromising commonplace trip is completely reworked and the FZ1 turns into a sweet-handling bare bike that strikes a pleasant stability between full-on efficiency and predictable street manners.

If you wish to up the sporting facet additional, a set of braided brake traces and uprated pads is a welcome addition however they don’t seem to be actually crucial; the usual set-up has greater than sufficient chew. Is there the rest left to fettle? That depends upon your tastes and is one other nice facet to FZ1 possession.

As you possibly can decide one up for a really cheap sum of money, there’s loads of scope to additional customise the Yamaha. A set of Renthal bars make it look extra butch, a tail tidy cleans up the rear finish, a small display helps with climate safety, rear units add some type… it’s as much as you. For little or no effort this 2000s bare bike could be made to look and carry out in a totally fashionable manner. Why not assist it launch its internal beast?

These days, with the advantage of hindsight and a watch on the used costs, the FZ1 is price viewing in a very totally different gentle.

In case you are after a unadorned bike to thrill and but not break the financial institution, you might do so much worse than Yamaha’s providing.

The naked bones have all the time been proper and it doesn’t take a lot to iron out the FZ1’s flaws and create a extremely pleasurable tremendous bare that has greater than sufficient efficiency for the UK’s roads.

Gas injection

There are two routes to sorting the FZ1’s fuelling – an ECU remap or a fuelling module. The most cost effective is the ECU remap which is able to alter each the fuelling and ignition curve, making the snatchy throttle much more progressive, and also will take away the restrictions to the bike’s energy in decrease gears. If remapping worries you, a fuelling module and generic FZ1 map obtain is usually spot on to make the bike really feel significantly better.

Modifications

Lots of FZ1 house owners tweak their bikes and substitute shocks, uprated forks (as they’re 43mm a great deal of alternate options slip in) and chunkier bars are widespread additions. If the bike has been modified, examine that each one is nicely as wider bars could cause the brake traces to grow to be stretched on full extension, which is probably harmful. A number of house owners decrease the gearing to offer the bike a bit of additional zap on acceleration.

Mannequin updates

The FZ1 was launched in 2006 however immediately criticised about its poor gas injection. In 2007 an up to date ECU arrived with a brand new gas map but it surely wasn’t till 2010 that Yamaha actually bought the fuelling spot-on. The 2010 mannequin could be recognized by its all-black exhaust can finish tip the place earlier fashions have a silver tip.

ABS

The FZ1 bought ABS as an choice from 2008 onwards. It wasn’t very talked-about on the bare bike (extra so on the half-faired FZ1 Fazer) so bikes with it fitted are pretty uncommon.

EXUP valve

A reasonably commonplace concern on any used Yamaha bike is the state of the EXUP valve, which regularly sticks shut. Test it’s opening and shutting freely and be careful for any warning codes on the sprint throughout a check trip. If it has been disabled, make sure the bike’s fault code has been turned off.

Cam chain tensioner

The cam chain tensioner can put on out on greater mileage machines, resulting in a loud rattle from the motor, so pay attention nicely when the bike is began from chilly. There are a number of very uncommon reviews of valve points and in addition mills failing however these are so unusual they aren’t something to fret about.

Servicing

The FZ1 has Yamaha’s ordinary 4000 mile service intervals, with the 4000 mile one a easy oil and filter change and the 8000 mile one a bit extra laborious because it entails altering plugs and some further checks. The biggy is the 24,000 one, which is a valve clearance examine. Because the FZ1 is getting on a bit, used bikes could also be getting near this mark so issue the additional expense into your provide.

Suspension

All the time examine the suspension linkages on an FZ1 as they’re recognized to grab up if not stripped an regreased pretty usually (about each 4 years). The shock is a infamous weak hyperlink and a top quality aftermarket merchandise makes an enormous distinction to the trip high quality. The forks are pretty good as commonplace however examine them for any indicators of them requiring a rebuild corresponding to a weeping seal.

Verdict: 9/10

In case you are speaking a value-for-money tremendous bare, the FZ1 is difficult to criticise. An incredible place to begin that may be made even higher via smart mods.

+ Stomping motor, low price ticket, good construct high quality

– The shock is poor, gas injection questionable, the look’s a bit boring

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