Possible future FZ-07 owner...questions!

[mjesenovec]

Hey all! 
 
New to the forum, just joined to read and learn as much as i can about the 07.  I have some questions about the bike, but first a little background on me and my situation...
 
I got my motorcycle license after taking the MSF course in my area back in 2005.  So, i'm going on 10 years with my license...still have yet to get a bike.  Life happened, bills, swapping cars, new house, gf, etc. and it just hasn't worked out.  I'm hoping next year is finally the year I can get a bike...FINALLY.  In the past 10 years, i've had a chance to take a handful of friend's bikes around town to see how they feel.  Couple GSXR-600's, 07 Ninja 650R, 2008 Ninja 250, Kawi 1600 mean streak, Honda 600 F4i.  I put a few hundred miles on the 250, and maybe 20 minutes tops on each of the other models.  I'm in every sense of the word still a NEW rider, and for years i've always figured I'd get a used Ninja 650 or FZ6R as my first bike.  FZ6R seems a bit more comfy to me, and that's been on the top of my list for quite a while.
 
Well...now there's the FZ-07.  I love the styling of the newer naked bikes, and the fact that Yamaha essentially made their own Duc Monster is pretty sweet.  Dealer in my area has a white 07 in stock, and i was able to sit on it for 15 minutes or so.  Super comfy, seems to fit me like a glove.  Similar to the FZ6R, but with an even more relaxed seating position, which I love.  
 
However, while admiring the 07, the sales manager came out and suggested since i'm a bigger guy, I look at the FZ-09.  Said he wouldn't want to see me get bored with the 07 and lose my butt trading it in after a couple years or so.  I reminded him that i'm still a new rider and wouldn't want to bite off more than I could chew.  I mean, 115hp and 60tq or whatever the 09 has is kinda scary.  With the 07 being at least as fast as a ninja 650 or an FZ6r, 0-60 times in the 3 sec range are nothing to scoff at.  I'm sure the 07 would be plenty fast.  I'm looking for a bike that can do a little bit of everything.  I'm mostly going to be doing random rides for fun, little commuting to work (14 miles one way, 45mph speed limit) and maybe 1 hour + highway trips on rare occassions.  I think the FZ-07 would be able to do this fine.  But...would I get bored with it?  I'm not all about top speed, i'm about the ride and the fun.  The 09 also felt comfy and I enjoyed sitting on it, i just don't want to put myself in danger starting on such a powerful bike. 
 
I'm now 28 years old, 5'11" and about 250lbs.  Would the FZ-07 be a good choice for me as a "do everything" bike?  The price of a used FZ6R is much more appealing, but I can't get over how much I fell in love with the 07. I want to buy something and have it for a while.  I've had 6 new cars in 8 years, and don't want to start swapping bikes every year or two.  Seems like 07 owners are plenty happy with them, so it's building my confidence in my choice, but I just wanted to see what you guys think about my situation/size.  I think the 07 would be a better fit than the 09 for a first bike, and I don't agree with with the sales guy I talked to, but he seemed to think since I wasn't a 160lb stick that I would be much happier long-term with the extra power.  

[manuel]

New rider here as well, got my license in June, motorcycle in July and now I have about 2000 km on it (number is changing daily, no matter how cold it gets!)
 
Funny your list of candidates kind of matches mine, as it was before the FZ-07 (never looked back after!) and it seems like a lot of people have this dilemma - there's my take on the situation: I love the FZ-09 but I stayed away from it because, in my mind, it's way too much to handle as a beginner. I looked at FZ6R as well - the thing is, that is a 4 cyl and the torque curve is not as everyday friendly as on a twin cylinder, like the FZ-07. And that, in my book, is very important (yeah, fairing didn't do much to help it either!) - it makes your life at the beginning so much easier, so you can focus on your shifting, leaning and improving your skills. From what I am reading here, after you gain experience, there is still fun to be had with the FZ-07 (look at how many experienced guys we have on board) as it packs quite the punch, in a usable, friendly and uncomplicated way.
 
Weight should not be a big deal, just ensure that your sag is set correctly before you take delivery and you should be fine.

[mjesenovec]

Yeah, I was reading about sag recently and I will definitely ask the dealer to get it all set up for my weight before I leave with it. I know only the rear spring is adjustable, but we'll see. I'm not planning on doing any track days with it. I just want a bike to ride and have fun on, get to work on nice days, and enjoy riding. I didn't figure the 07 would "bore" me anytime soon, especially since I could care less about top speed. 99% of my riding will be between 0-80mph, probably 80% will be between 0-60. I just don't see the extra power of the 09 benefiting me in any way when i'm going to be going 60 or under most of the time. I'm just looking for a bike that can do a little bit of everything and stay fun. I had a blast putting a few hundred miles on my buddy's 250 years ago, but the ergos and size weren't comfortable for me after a while. I'm hoping to drop a little weight over the winter, but i've always been a bulky guy. Not really fat, just heavy since I started lifting and working out a few years ago. But still, 250lbs is 250lbs and I didn't want my weight to limit my bike choice when it seems like MOST of the riders I see around here are well under 200lbs. The adjustability of the 09 suspension is very appealing, and the bike is only a grand more...but it still just doesn't seem like a good idea for me to start on one. I'm sure if put it in B mode and was careful i'd be fine, but it just seems like more bike than I would realistically use, especially starting out. An 07 with a windscreen, exhaust, and some removable luggage seems to fit my "do everything" requirements perfectly.
 

[manuel]

Even on FZ-09, the suspension is still in the "value" category, not sure you can do much more than adjusting the preload in the back...I would say, don't judge them based on the difference in price, you can easily spend the difference on accessories for FZ-07 (don't ask how I discovered that )...just get the bike that matches you (test ride?) - with both choices being great.
 
For that kind of riding that you are describing, FZ-07 sounds like a perfect match (even though it sounds like I am trying to recruit you )
 

[mjesenovec]

Lol don't feel bad about recruiting me. After sitting on the FZ07, i'm totally on board. I just didn't really even consider the 09 until the sales guy brought it up. He brought up valid points and didn't feel like the 09 would be too much for a new rider...but it's a POWERFUL machine. He's a middle-aged white guy with a modded FZ1, so he's used to crazy power and has been riding for decades. The 09 doesn't scare him at all, but that's not the point. Even though i'm not an 18yo new rider...and i'm almost 30, i still only have a few hundred miles of bike experience under my belt, and I feel like an 09 would be pretty similar to me jumping on an FZ1 for my first bike. Just don't think it would be a good idea. Not that I couldn't handle it, or that I couldn't grow with it...it's just an unnecessary risk in my eyes. For what i'm looking to do with my future bike, I don't see the 09 being able to do much that the 07 can't. The 07 just seems like the overall perfect package for what I want. Would I be happy with an FZ6R? I'm sure I would, but I just can't get over the comfort and sexiness of the 07. There's something about it that sucked me in the first time I saw it sitting at my local dealer. Then again, they also have a leftover white 2013 FZ6R for $4600 NEW. I dunno. I'll just have to see what's what over the winter and go from there. It's not like i'm planning to buy in the next couple months, so i have plenty of time. I just think the 07 is a perfect all around machine that's comfy and can do a bit of everything without getting boring.

[mjh937]

I test rode the FZ6R. It was a nice bike, but quite a bit heavier than the -07 and the rpm has to be a lot higher before you get the torque. I have not riden the -09, but I had the same impression as you that it would be intimidating having that much power. I had not riden very much for twenty years before I got my -07 and have been very happy with it (I am almost at 1,000 miles now). I am nowhere near the limits of the bike and feel that it has plenty of power and I love the torque curve. I think it will keep me happy for many years. I am 205 lbs. and am happy with the suspension. I am sure that is mostly because I do not know any better, but as I get more experience I can always upgrade the suspension if I feel I need to. Let us know what you decide. We like FZ-09 owners here too and could probably tolerate a FZ6R owner if we had to .

[crazycracka501]

I test rode the FZ-09, FZ-07 and the Bolt before deciding. I did ride the FZ-07 before the 09 so that I wouldn't spoil my chances of discovering the full experience of the 07. I am an experienced rider, not a racer or anything professional. I found the FZ-07 to have plenty of power, comfort and universal riding ability. By universal I mean, everyday riding, tearing up the twisties and comfort for long hauls. The 09 just seemed like an absolute beast of a machine and too much for your average everyday ride. Granted, it's our choice as to wether or not to use the power given, I just tend to sometimes have more balls than brains and would more than likely find myself twisting the throttle unnecessarily. The 07 has more than enough for any beginner and even boarders a second bike category rather than a beginner. The thing that saves it is the user friendly nature of the bike given it's simplicity and nimble capabilities. I would definitely recommend test riding both. And remember, the salesman always makes more when you spend more, he usually only has one thing on his mind....his bank account P-). Ride them both and go with your gut feeling, don't bother listening to anyone else.....including me 

[manuel]

That is a very good price for a FZ6R - very compelling! At the end of the day, it all depends on what is more important for you, as they are very different machines.
 
Dealer funny story: I was chatting with my sales guy when I had my first service, he mentioned that they had an older couple over they day before(old clients, bought all their bikes there, long term relationship with the dealership). The wife was slated for an upgrade (she had an FZ6R, her husband decided that an FZ07 would be a better match for her - the lady did not care about the technical aspects, as all that was handled by her husband), and the point was that the new bike will have more usable torque than the old one. She could not grasp the concept, nor she cared to. She just wanted to be done there, get her new bike and go out for a ride with the husband. She fully trusted her husband with the decision to upgrade. Well, deal is done, they leave with their new bikes home (husband bought an FJR) and 3 hours later, the wife called back - she just had a revelation on what torque means. Morale of the story: that's how obvious the difference is!
 
How is that recruiting going ?

[oldsocks]

mjesenovec - Just recently I was also looking at the FZ09 vs FZ07. I am also in the ~250lb range which was one of the compelling points for the FZ09 made by the sales guy. I rode the FZ09 and found that suspension was very soft for my heft and it was quite bouncy. It was a fantastic engine and performance was there but I didn't like how much the front end dove down when braking. It wasn't very forgiving. I too planned to spend most of my time under the 80mph mark and I find that the FZ07 handles my weight better than the FZ09 (it was a demo so we never did any adjustments). The FZ07 has plenty of that torque and power and it has a HUGE fun factor. I can't imagine getting bored with it!! I agree you should try and test drive both before you decide if possible. Just wanted to put in my two cents for ya as I was looking for as much information as possible before I pulled the trigger on the faster red color FZ07 last month! :-)
 
-OS
 
 

[mjesenovec]

It's good to hear about long-term power and fun from an experienced rider. It's going to be quite a while before I can consider myself experienced...I just didn't want to focus on the FZ-07 and then it be not enough bike for me. With the light weight and crazy torque i'm sure it's a blast. Even with my cars, the older I get the less I care about top speed. I just want to accelerate quickly and be comfortable.

[mjesenovec]

mjesenovec - Just recently I was also looking at the FZ09 vs FZ07. I am also in the ~250lb range which was one of the compelling points for the FZ09 made by the sales guy. I rode the FZ09 and found that suspension was very soft for my heft and it was quite bouncy. It was a fantastic engine and performance was there but I didn't like how much the front end dove down when braking. It wasn't very forgiving. I too planned to spend most of my time under the 80mph mark and I find that the FZ07 handles my weight better than the FZ09 (it was a demo so we never did any adjustments). The FZ07 has plenty of that torque and power and it has a HUGE fun factor. I can't imagine getting bored with it!! I agree you should try and test drive both before you decide if possible. Just wanted to put in my two cents for ya as I was looking for as much information as possible before I pulled the trigger on the faster red color FZ07 last month! :-) 
-OS

 
Thanks!  This actually means a lot to me coming from somebody that around the same weight.  I think my problem is that I don't have enough experience to really feel the difference, or know which one would be better for me long-term.  So even though a test ride would be a blast, it might not do much since i'm so new.  I'll have to wait until i'm pretty much ready to buy before they will let me test ride anything.  It's one thing to have a lighter person saying a bike SHOULD handle my weight, but it's a whole different story coming from someone in the same boat.  With every reply you guys make on my thread...the better and better the 07 is looking!  

[Guru]

It's always difficult to find the perfect bike. A lot of members were in a similar position as you and ultimately decided to go for the 07. If you would ask the same question in the 09 forum, the results would be the opposite. Both are awesome bikes and you can't go wrong with choosing either one.
What I like about my bike that it feels analog, almost old school if you know what I mean. Everything on it is simple and functional. No digital drive wire stuff and what have you. And I honestly think it looks better then the 09 but that's personal taste (just look at the tail light). I am an older rider and have owned bigger and smaller bikes and I think that one of the secrets of having fun is the weight. A lighter bike is simply more fun, even if it has less power. It is easier and less intimidating to manage, not only when riding but also when pushing it in and out of the shed. Another consideration for me was the cost of operation. It is pretty good on fuel and probably cheaper to insure.
 

[mjh937]

My FZ-07 was cheaper to insure than the FZ6R. Only by $20 per year, but I was surprised.
 
Well it looks like the fog is lifting so I am off to take advantage of the sunny October morning to ride.

[hippiebikerchick]

Welcome mjesenovec! It sounds like you've fallen under the spell of the 07. 8-) The Fz07 and Fz09 are both great bikes. I have the 07, hubs has the 09. I've ridden hubs 09 and it scares me! The 07 has plenty of power and I really don't think you will get bored with it anytime soon since you said you're more into fun and the ride. It will go plenty fast when you want or need it and it's comfortable to boot. The 07 is also better looking, IMHO.
 
Which bike would you, after parking it and walking away from, keep looking back at and admiring? That's the bike that is right for you.

[mjesenovec]

The more I read online, more videos I watch, etc. it seems like nobody has ever complained about the power of the fz07, which is awesome. Like I said in my first post, power and numbers on par with the ninja 650 and fz6r, if not better, should be more than enough to haul me around and put a smile on my face. Every one of my friends with bikes started on GSXR-600's or something similar, and I'm just not into supersport bikes. My body wasn't exactly made for flexibility, so supersports simply aren't comfortable to me. I'm all about fun and comfort, together. If something is comfy but boring, I won't like it. If it's fun but I can't be on it for an hour or more straight, I won't like it. I'm glad there's so many choices out there but it's been hard to decide on things like twin vs 4cyl, naked vs faired, etc. With the speeds I will be going, and the fun I'm going to have, i'm sure an FZ07 can do everything I need it to and more. Not looking for a cross country tourer, and i'm not looking for an urban city bike only. I just need something that does everything, with an emphasis on casual/comfortable/affordable/fun.

[mjh937]

If you want fun I cannot see how you can beat the FZ-07. Be careful comparing power numbers. Here is a graph that Dobeck did. You can see how flat the torque curve is. Compare that to other bikes you are looking at. We have a lot of torque starting from a pretty low rpm. That is what I think makes it fun.

 

[mjesenovec]

I agree, a smooth powerband makes a ton of difference. I've felt differences in engine characters with my cars. I've had high revving 4 cylinders with very little torque, and i've had punchy V8's with power real low, so I can totally relate. Low end grunt and even power is definitely what makes an overall complete package. Engines with spikey powerbands are very niche motors that are purpose-built. Whereas torquey motors are more universal and useful. Especially since i'll be doing a lot of casual street riding, I know I don't want a super high spikey powerband. The FZ6R or a street-tuned 4cyl would be fine, but twins are the king of urban riding in my opinion. I'm sure wringing out an inline 4 to 16,000rpm is a hoot, but it doesn't do you any good when you're in stop and go traffic in a 30mph zone.

[Guru]

There is cool comparison video posted here you might enjoy.
 

[mjesenovec]

It's amazing all the awards and praise this bike has received. It doesn't seem like it would ever be a bad choice...people of all sizes and experience levels seem to enjoy it a ton. And at that price..it's hard to argue it's anything but a great choice.

[lonerider]

The FZ-07 is my 10th bike. I test rode the 09 last fall. Great bike. But way too fun, wheelies are too easy on this thing. It's too easy to do some silly things with it.
 
I test rode a FZ6R. It's a fun bike. But the fairing made a whisttle sound. The engine performance is kinda weak at low rpm.
My previous SV650S was a better bike. The FZ-07 is a great bike ... whatever the experience of the rider. I think that the 07 is more versatile than the 09. Because it's less peaky. I have to say that i felt in love with the sound of the triple. Overall, i chose the 07. And i can assure you that you can have serious fun on twisty  roads.
 
Between the 07, the 09 and the FZ6R, i'd say go test ride them. The choice is yours. If money was a matter, i strongly suggets to test ride a SV650 before buying the FZ6R.
 

[mjesenovec]

Test riding all them sounds amazing. Only problem is, dealers aren't super willing to offer test rides in my area unless you're planning to buy in the very near future. I couldn't walk in, ride now, and then buy next year, so test rides might have to wait. There is a large used bike dealer about an hour away from me that i'm sure would be more willing to offer test rides, but I would be hard pressed to find an FZ07 since they're so new. I always see FZ6R's and such on their site, so maybe I can give that a try.
 
So far, just from sitting on them, the FZ07 seems like the most comfortable and upright seating position, with the 6R coming in at a close second. It might be in my head, but the 07 seems to have a bit more leg room as well, whih is definitely something I am looking for.