Just Got One: Yamaha FZ1

[harleystar]

I just picked up a 2006 FZ1 a couple of weeks ago at a very good price and can't be happier with the performance. It looks like it came off the show-room floor and has only 6K miles showing on the odometer. It came with a few farkles that I definitely wanted including a carbon fiber can and PCIII. I had also looked long and hard at a Ninja 1000 but ultimately decided on the FZ1 due to way less acquisition and insurance costs for essentially the same performance. I was also a little concerned about reports of excessive vibration from some reviewers of the Kawasaki. I never got to test ride the Ninja so I can't say for sure which I would have liked better, but so far the Yamaha has exceeded my expectations. The engine is a monster (particularly with the performance mods available) and handling is rock solid. It may be a little down on the low end power compared to the Ninja, but from my perspective that's not an issue. All you have to do is get the revs up around 6k and it screams.

The FZ1 is definitely the bike to take to the mountains for some knee dragging excursions, but I'm not getting rid of my FJR any time soon. The FZ1 is inferior to the FJR for long distance touring and no amount of modification will make it comparable in my humble opinion.

 

[Fitty]

Good choice. You'll love it. Have you checked out the FZ1 Owner's Association?

https://www.yamahafz1oa.com/forum/

One of the best motorcycle sites there is, with a lot of good members and good info available. Kinda like this one.

I've had two Gen1 FZ1s, but never a Gen2. The Gen1 makes a better touring bike, and is still good in the mountains, with the right suspension mods. Now that I have an FJR though, I wish I had gotten one sooner.

 

[GeorgiaRoller]

I REALLY like the look of that bike! Good choice! That would be a great 2nd bike to have for the spirited mountain day rides.

 

[Yamifz1]

I also have the FZ1, a first gen and I have to agree with you, they are quite the performance bike. However, I have done quite a few long trips on it and I find it almost as comfortable as the FJR, they both have their good and bad points.

As for the forum, Fitty is correct, it is probably the best forum out there with tons of really good people. Also check out https://www.fz1-forum.com/forum/cmps_index.php . Yet another excellent forum.

Have to show off my baby..

The pair..

 

[gixxerjasen]

Nice, I sold my Gen I bee to fund the FJR. IF, I ever own another FZ1, it'll be a Gen II (Or Gen III if it ever happens!) The way I see it, with no mountains nearby, the FZ1 just wouldn't get ridden around here. It was my great in between bike but my ultimate goal is to replace it with the FJR and something much more sporty. Loved that bike though.

Definitely check out the FZ1 board. Great folks there. There's an Arkansas meet coming up in the next week or so. Folks have come from as far as Atlanta so you might check it out. Great riding in Arkansas and great folks to ride with.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

https://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy127/kevinbernier/Resampled952012-07-229516-51-0195223.jpg

Enjoy your FZ1 Carefully! My son borrowed my FZ1 for two months while his R6 was getting the engine fixed. I got it back and did this to it the first time I took it out for a ride. Ouch!

 

[SouthernCruizer]

I also have the FZ1, a first gen and I have to agree with you, they are quite the performance bike. However, I have done quite a few long trips on it and I find it almost as comfortable as the FJR, they both have their good and bad points.

As for the forum, Fitty is correct, it is probably the best forum out there with tons of really good people. Also check out https://www.fz1-forum.com/forum/cmps_index.php . Yet another excellent forum.

Have to show off my baby..

The pair..

WOW! that is one class act Gen I FZ1! Very nicely done!

 

[gixxerjasen]

Since we are whoring it up, I've owned two of these beauties.

My first one had a sweet custom airbrushed paintjob. Not stock color, Yamaha and FZ1 logos were airbrushed and it had a fantastic metal flake in the red that sparkled in the sunlight. Plowed this one into the side of an Acura that didn't see me coming.

Took the insurance money, came this >< close to getting an FJR at the time. I was just about to pull the trigger when an email popped into my inbox from a guy who knew I'd wrecked and was looking for a bike and sent me some motorcycle ****. I'm a sucker for a yellow and black bike, and this one had the carbon/Ti akra exhaust on it. It was enough to make me look away from the FJR for a while.

It's now sold to a guy in College Station who replaced his older Gen I FZ1 with it and is riding it daily.

 

[harleystar]

I REALLY like the look of that bike! Good choice! That would be a great 2nd bike to have for the spirited mountain day rides.

I took it to Blood Mountain the first weekend I had it and the bike performed very well.

BTW, I really like your website. The pictures are awesome!

 

[harleystar]

I also have the FZ1, a first gen and I have to agree with you, they are quite the performance bike. However, I have done quite a few long trips on it and I find it almost as comfortable as the FJR, they both have their good and bad points.

As for the forum, Fitty is correct, it is probably the best forum out there with tons of really good people. Also check out https://www.fz1-forum.com/forum/cmps_index.php . Yet another excellent forum.

Have to show off my baby..

The pair..

Those are two awesome looking bikes! I love the color of your FZ1. The full fairing looks great. Do you have any heat issues with the fairing?

Yes indeed, I lurked for quite some time on the two forums you mentioned before buying my new baby.

I agree the FZ1 is appropriate for longer trips and with a good seat and better wind protection, it would be acceptable for most one-up touring applications. Even in an unmodified configuration, it's quite capable for medium distance day trips. However, for longer expeditions like my last 24-day west coast marathon, the FJR was the obvious choice for me. I really appreciated the luggage space and substantial feel of the FJR on the interstates. I'm just glad no one is making me choose between the two because it would be a tough choice

 

[gixxerjasen]

Also, I have to say that prior to buying my FJR, I never really bought into the weather protection aspect of a motorcycle. I mean, you are on a bike, you are exposed. All that changed when I went through my first 30 minute rainstorm on the FJR and put up the windscreen. I was very surprised to find that only my arms were getting wet. I'm looking forward to seeing how well it handles the colder temps as well because the FZ1 doesn't do that very well. I'm now a believer in weather protection on a motorcycle.

 

[CAPT-KEVLAR]

I love my 06. Originally planned to sell the FZ once I got the FJR. But there is just to big of a difference between the 2. Now the FZ is strictly for general hooliganism and track days. Enjoy your new to you ride. Definitely check out the FZ1OA forum. Any questions with mods let me know.

 

[harleystar]

I love my 06. Originally planned to sell the FZ once I got the FJR. But there is just to big of a difference between the 2. Now the FZ is strictly for general hooliganism and track days. Enjoy your new to you ride. Definitely check out the FZ1OA forum. Any questions with mods let me know.

I am planning on getting an Ivan FCE soon. After that, I plan to finish the popular mods including: airbox, flies, and catalytic converter removal. At that point I'll probably need a new map for my PCIII.

Which mods have you done and what's the results?

 

[CAPT-KEVLAR]

I am planning on getting an Ivan FCE soon. After that, I plan to finish the popular mods including: airbox, flies, and catalytic converter removal. At that point I'll probably need a new map for my PCIII.

Which mods have you done and what's the results?

The FCE is an absolute must, especially on the 06. It is worth its weight in gold and should be one of if not the first mod you do. As for my bike its pretty much got all of the stuff done to it. Engine performance mods are... Ivans FCE, PC3, gutted cat of stock exhaust, hindle exhaust (slip on), air box mod, zipped the secondary flies open, -1 front sprocket (16). These mods resulted in a completely different bike. I came off an R1 to the FZ and was initially very disappointed in the stock FZ. The above mods netted a significant gain in power, torque and greatly increased the drivability of the bike. Stock FZ's usually get around 127-130hp. With these mods you should be in the 147-150hp range. It really is an amazing transition. The best part is really you dont have to invest a ton of $$$ to get there. The only major costs are the FCE and PC. Slip on's can be found cheap if you're vigilant. The rest are mostly free, airbox, cat gut, and flies. You can find maps on the FZ1OA forum for these mods or most any combination of them, so there is no need to pay to have a custom tune done. It really is a package deal. If you're gonna do it, commit to doing them all. Trust me you wont be sorry. If you're not interested in doing all of these mods( which would be a huge shame) then at the very least get an FCE.

I also have a bunch of other stuff done to mine as well. Let me know and I'll fill ya in on the rest.

EDIT: Just re-read your initial post. You mentioned down on low end power. The 16 tooth will make a huge difference as will the mods I mentioned. It will really help the low end and surprisingly help pull through 6th gear to redline. Stock gearing is difficult to get to redline in 6th.

 

[harleystar]

I am planning on getting an Ivan FCE soon. After that, I plan to finish the popular mods including: airbox, flies, and catalytic converter removal. At that point I'll probably need a new map for my PCIII.

Which mods have you done and what's the results?

The FCE is an absolute must, especially on the 06. It is worth its weight in gold and should be one of if not the first mod you do. As for my bike its pretty much got all of the stuff done to it. Engine performance mods are... Ivans FCE, PC3, gutted cat of stock exhaust, hindle exhaust (slip on), air box mod, zipped the secondary flies open, -1 front sprocket (16). These mods resulted in a completely different bike. I came off an R1 to the FZ and was initially very disappointed in the stock FZ. The above mods netted a significant gain in power, torque and greatly increased the drivability of the bike. Stock FZ's usually get around 127-130hp. With these mods you should be in the 147-150hp range. It really is an amazing transition. The best part is really you dont have to invest a ton of $$$ to get there. The only major costs are the FCE and PC. Slip on's can be found cheap if you're vigilant. The rest are mostly free, airbox, cat gut, and flies. You can find maps on the FZ1OA forum for these mods or most any combination of them, so there is no need to pay to have a custom tune done. It really is a package deal. If you're gonna do it, commit to doing them all. Trust me you wont be sorry. If you're not interested in doing all of these mods( which would be a huge shame) then at the very least get an FCE.

I also have a bunch of other stuff done to mine as well. Let me know and I'll fill ya in on the rest.

EDIT: Just re-read your initial post. You mentioned down on low end power. The 16 tooth will make a huge difference as will the mods I mentioned. It will really help the low end and surprisingly help pull through 6th gear to redline. Stock gearing is difficult to get to redline in 6th.

Sounds like you have everything I plan to do with the exception of the ignition module offered by Ivan. I will probably hold off on the 16-tooth sprocket to evaluate the engine mods effects. Interesting that you "zipped" the flies open. I've read of others doing that as opposed to the modified flies. I do plan on taking a weekend and doing all the remaining mods once I get the FCE and an air filter. I'm still debating on the ignition module which according to Ivan, offers better fuel economy and low end torque.

I'll post my results when I do the mods.

 

[mferriter]

So when are you going to get a trailer so you can pull your FZ1 behind your FJR?

 

[BDazzler]

I have an FZ1, but not an FJR, yet anyway. I belong to both FZ1 forums, but post almost exclusively on the www.FZ1-forum.com site. There's a ton of good info on both sites, but I personally find the www.FZ1-forum.com a bit more friendly. If you join up, look me up over there. I'm "BDazzler" both places.

I have a 2007 FZ1 in cobalt blue I bought used in Oct 2010. It had 1,600 miles on it and it's now over 11,600 miles. There's a lady that posted about her Gen 1 (a 2001, it think) has over 200,000 miles and still going strong. Impressive. The Corbin seat is a butt saver for me. I also like the Zero Gravity Sport Touring windshield on it. Nice, adjustable levers are a great touch. I find the main weak point (for my fat butt) is the rear shock. I plan to put a proper Penske rear shock and get new springs for the fork. I'm running Michelin Pilot Road 3's and love them. I'm considering the new Pilot Power 3's, but these central IL roads are so flat, straight and long, I really don't have any opportunity to lean hard close to home, and the PR 3's have impressed me. I have 5-6k on them and the rear looks to have close to another 5k and the front maybe more. I like to accelerate hard, so i'm not surprised my rear tire is wearing out first.

A very fun bike. It can be molded into a track bike or a sport touring bike or anything in between. The Gen 1's ('01-'05) are more comfortable and are better on MPG with a bigger tank. The Gen 2's ('06-present) have FI, aluminum box frame, 5-valve per cylinder engine and upside down fork. (Not a full list of differences, but the ones that jumped off the top of my head)

I'll try to throw up some pics after I figure out this board a little better. Congrats on the FZ1. It will be a fine addition. Even when I get an FJR, I can't part with my FZ1.

 

[gixxerjasen]

There's a lady that posted about her Gen 1 (a 2001, it think) has over 200,000 miles and still going strong. Impressive.

That'd be Denise(fz1grl), and yes that is an 01 and yes she has well over 200K by now. Here's her bike with around 190K on it up in Arkansas, which she knows the roads up there very well.

Dang, that's a good looking Bee in the background!

 

[Hotboot]

Congrats on the FZ purchase, wonderful motorcycles and the gen2 machines true hot rods. Ditto what others say about the FZ1OA, good peeps and tons of information.

I've seen that Fitty guy ride one cross country several times and gixxerjasens red gen1 was awesome until taken out by a stupid driver. Mine was perfectly sorted and in it's prime until Bambi attacked me and ended that fine relationship. FZ1grl proves longevity with basic maintenance.

Life is happy between 6 and 9000 rpm on these so wick it up and enjoy.