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Seriously considering buying an fz07 but....


Giovanni

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Hey guys. New to the forum and I really want an fz07. But I fear it may not be for the type of riding I need it for. Which sucks. But hopefully I'm wrong and you guys can convince me to make the move and finally get one. So here goes. I live in San Diego but I work in LA. (don't ask. The money is really good). I go up there, say on Sunday. But then come back Thursday or Wednesday. Each way is 141 miles. At highway speeds obviously. My question is can the bike handle that kind of commute or should I look into a bigger engine? I've been hearing all kinds of blasphemy talk about the suspension and steering at those speeds (is this true) and my final question is will the engine kill itself trying to keep up with those speeds? If there's one thing I hate it's LA traffic so I'm gonna get a bike. Just don't want to get the wrong one 

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Questions:

Are you explicitly using the bike for the 141 mile commute with little other riding?  yes, then FZ/MT may not be the best bike for that, but with a good windscreen and perhaps a seat upgrade then that shouldn't be a deal breaker.

Are you also doing a bit of in town riding as well?  FZ07 is great around town.

What is your budget?

What is your current experience level?

What kind of rider do you envision yourself as?

 

My thoughts are that it would be a fine bike for the job.  Are there others that may be better, likely depending on one's budget and taste.  Best of luck.  PS.  I do believe that there are a number of forum members in your area, so hopefully they can chime in with first hand experience.

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I wouldn't worry about the motor at all.  Wind is another issue.  Any naked bike will be less than perfect for a long freeway ride.

 

Take the train?

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Owning both an FZ-07 and a FJ-09... I would choose the FJ-09 for that commute as it has cruise control and better wind protection...

 

If you choose the FZ-07- it will do the task but buy some decent aftermarket suspension first...

 

there is also the Tracer700 which is more suitable for longer trips like the FJ-09(aka Tracer 900) is over the FZ-09... More wind protection, rear sub frame is built more for cargo, etc...

2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition...2015 fj-09- 120whp- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich Race Kit- tuned by 2WDW
 

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I travelled across several States on my 07 last year. About 3k of my 12k miles last year came from interstate road trips with buddies. In stock trim the bike handles cruising as 80mph easily. +1 on the front sprocket eased up on the rpms and gave me another 2mpg on the highway. I always felt the bike was geared to low for the amount of torque it makes. Even geared higher I can pull 3rd gear wheelies as easily as before. 

 

Stability at speed is not an issue at all. We got caught in a downpour leaving Pennsylvania heading home for Virginia and decided to ditch the secondary roads and just hightail it home down the interstate. 8hrs at 90mph with aftermarket soft luggage strapped on the bike with zero issues. Was traveling with a Super Tenere and a 750 VFR. Those bikes guzzle gas at interstate speeds while the 07 was still getting ~50 mpg. Came home from Alabama one day and we got lost. That ended up being a 15hr hustle that day. Again, loaded up and flying with no issues. 

 

I had some buyers remorse at first, wondering if I should have bought the Bandit 1250S instead for highway trips, but the "little" 07 has proven itself perfectly capable for touring, provided you're not one that is spoiled to sitting behind a windshield. And the plus side is in not stuck with a 550lb pig the test of the time. 

 

The 07 is not the ultimate interstate mile muncher, but it'll do the job without complaining. I did recently go to an aftermarket seat, but I was never all that uncomfortable on the stock saddle. I'm 6'2"-220lbs and just wanted a taller seat for added legroom. The stock bars were horrible for me, though, so those left immediately. The rear shock does suck, but I have no issues with the fork after a simple oil change. I flog the snot out of my bike and rarely get more than 2500-3000 miles out of any rear tire. The bike handles very well with a decent shock, but it'll cruise highway just fine on the stock shock. I just happen to live around alot of bumpy backroads. 

 

I travel light, though, and only run solo. If you'll be running 2 up or loaded heavily I'd look in to a larger bike. 

 

The biggest trick to touring on any naked bike at speed is properly fitting gear and an aerodynamic helmet. One riding buddy has a BMW XR S1000 and watching his head constantly bobble due to buffering is mind boggling when I'm sitting on my 07 in complete comfort. I use an AGV K5 lid which is the most stable helmet I've ever owned, and I wear a snug fitting, thick leather jacket. Zips right through the wind. Textiles flop around too much IMO. 

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A windscreen is all you need man.  Check out the forum there is a ton of discussion on windscreens.  The engine has more than enough power for the freeway, maybe look into adding a tooth for better cruising rpm.  Also how much do you weigh?  If you are mainly riding on the freeway you probably don't need to touch the suspension, the hardcore race guys might not agree with me but I've got 11k on my 15 FZ with factory suspension, with no real issues.  I'm 160 lbs and i mostly use the bike for a few long trips 1(-2000 miles) in the summer and around town for the rest.  Would I like a suspension upgrade? sure!  Is it super necessary? no!  I've taken my bike to the racetrack and ridden it to my limits and never once thought I could use a better setup.  

       All in all you need to test ride a few different bikes, see what fits you best and what features you can live without or have to have.  Most of us here love our 07s, most of us have modified them to suit our needs.

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LA traffic commute is slow, your going to be doing a lot of lane splitting, so the FZ would be a great choice, so would a DR 650 Suzuki or a KTM Duke, or the CBR500 and so on and so on.  Depends on what brand you like want the most.  Personally the FZ/MT would be a good choice for LA freeway traffic as it is nimble and powerful to get oyu out of a bad situation.  For the 141 mile commute, some dont like the seat, I say MeH.  Some dont liek the wind, I say MeH, Just set the Ergos up to fit your seating fit.

 

“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.” --Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria

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2 hours ago, firstyammerha said:

gonna have to gas up everyday. tank size is a handicap.

hmm, closer to twice a day with a 280 mile round trip - and that would be the case with nearly any motorcycle. 

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As Rick said, you'd need to get gas for basically each way, but if that's a stumbling block it's going to *severely* limit options in what motorcycle options are available.  I find I get around 155-160 miles per tank on mine, but I'm a 300lb guy and ride pretty hard.  With a 140 mile commute, that's gonna be gas basically every trip.

 

For the motor: The MT07 is just fine for commuting on the highway.  To be honest, I'm not even sure why people keep thinking it wouldn't be.  Even with stock gearing, it's perfectly comfortable cruising at 80mph all day long - I've taken mine on several long road trips at very high speeds.

 

If you're going to be doing pretty much exclusively highway riding, I'd consider going up a tooth in the front/down a tooth in the back.  I thought about that some but I really love the low end grunt and I've no problem at all doing 110mph as it stands, and that's fast enough for me.

 

Comfort wise, it's personal.  Most people would want a windshield, but that's certainly something you can add if you like.  

 

With all the above said, if you're looking for long highway rides as your daily role, I'd look much harder at the Tracer 900 (which isn't a lot more expensive than the MT07) or the 900GT if you've got cash to burn.  I've never seen a Tracer 700 (they're not available here) but that's be a perfectly valid option too.  They have only minimal fairings, so still look pretty naked, but have enough to take more wind off your legs and have good windshields and much, much more comfortable seats.

 

In fact, I've seriously considered trading my MT07 for a Tracer 900, not because I want the bigger motor (though I wouldn't complain), but just for all the other touring kit while keeping a very minimal look.  

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I was getting 52+ mpg with mine. 6'1" 225# or so in gear and rode it hard everywhere. It was very economical and will be getting another one soon.

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Could always have a custom alloy tank built. Toss the nice plastic beauty bits and expand capacity to 5 gallons, and mine would easily go over 300 miles on a fill. My Aprilia with it's 5.5 gallon tank would do that 2-way commute on fumes. That old BMW in my avatar had a 6.3 gallon tank - yep, it would do 250 miles easy and that big barn door out front was nifty for dealing with the wind pressure that goes up with velocity cubed (if you double speed, wind pressure increases by 8x) . 

 

For me, it's the FZ's seat that would be the rate limiter. It's hands down the most uncomfortable motorcycle saddle I've owned in near 5 decades of riding. 

 

That said, I still like this bike and will find a fix for the seat - some day. Maybe this 

Screen Shot 2018-09-24 at 10.11.51 AM.png

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4 hours ago, rick said:

 that big barn door out front was nifty for dealing with the wind pressure that goes up with velocity cubed (if you double speed, wind pressure increases by 8x) . 

 

 

Just a note, wind pressure goes up by an exponent of 2, not 3. Power goes up by 3 though since power is pressure*area*velocity

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I commute from Murrieta to San Marco's 5 times a week on my 2018 07. My suspension is fine whatever tweaks they made did the trick. As far as comfort and seat, I'm a happy camper. No windscreen, no problem, I embrace it. Cruising/ passing at 65,, 75, and 80 no problem. Want to go from 85 to 100? You'll be waiting a couple seconds. That is honestly my only complaint with this bike, the loss of power passed 85mph pisses me off, alot. The 15 fwy is full of lunatics and border patrol agents driving 85 to 90mph on avg. I dont want to go 150mph, I just want to get to 120mph 2 seconds faster 😎. My commute is about 50mi each way and the bike does the job gallantly. I'm 5 10 190lbs and this bike fits me like a glove, if I get tired of wind hitting my chest I duck down and problem solved, sometimes I even cruise with my feet on the back pegs while I lay on the tank. Cruise control would be nice but who has money for that. This video made my.decision between fz 09 and fz 07.  For reference the next bike I'll be buying is a GSX S 1000, why stop at the 9 when you can get so much more for 500 more bucks lol. Also note, the mt 07 is my fourth bike in 4 years, recovering HD addict. Hope that helped bro, dress warm, and keep it on 2.

 

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On 1/16/2019 at 2:43 PM, Vex said:

 Want to go from 85 to 100? You'll be waiting a couple seconds. That is honestly my only complaint with this bike, the loss of power passed 85mph pisses me off, alot. 

 

Click down to 4th and pin it. At first, I felt like you. The bike feels strong all over, but then suddenly feels a bit weak when going WOT at speed. The beauty of the 07 twin is it's ability to rev. At 60 mph we're not even using half of the rev range. But yeah, if you need to make a quick pass, click down two and nail it. She'll get out the way. 

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3 hours ago, shinyribs said:

Click down to 4th and pin it. At first, I felt like you. The bike feels strong all over, but then suddenly feels a bit weak when going WOT at speed. The beauty of the 07 twin is it's ability to rev. At 60 mph we're not even using half of the rev range. But yeah, if you need to make a quick pass, click down two and nail it. She'll get out the way. 

I might try that. I dunno about dropping to 4th at 85mph but I'm willing to do it once for the sake of science. Worst case scenario I get a little jolt and hear the rev limiter. Best case I'm at 8 to 10k rpm and I can jet 😎

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:D  When I'm out playing hard I don't come out of third til almost 100.  4th at 85 is nuffin lol

 

You are accustomed to Harley's, right? Those big twins keeping pumping out huge torque at the low revs they cruise at. It takes a while to get used to 9-10k rpm being "ok". That's basically double what a big twin typically turns. 

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58 minutes ago, shinyribs said:

:D  When I'm out playing hard I don't come out of third til almost 100.  4th at 85 is nuffin lol

 

You are accustomed to Harley's, right? Those big twins keeping pumping out huge torque at the low revs they cruise at. It takes a while to get used to 9-10k rpm being "ok". That's basically double what a big twin typically turns. 

I'm used to 3 to 4k on my hd 😂 you're absolutley right, harleys are a different animal all together, alright 4th gear passing is on I'm convinced 🤙 thanks for the heads up man.

 

So some guy posted about shift points in a different thread and it blew my mind people were in 6th by 30mph... I might've ridden harleys with no tach for a while but one thing I learned is that will lug the holy shet out of a engine. On average I shift at these points, same speeds as my 1200n minus 1 gear:

1st 20mph

2nd 35 to 45

3rd 45 to 55

4th 40 to 65

5th 55+

6th 70+

 

I still dont get close to 10k riding like that which I think is nuts lol. Its normally around 6k to 7k max. Glad to know I'm not hurting this thing, changing riding styles has been an interesting experience for me and since I'm not even close to redline I have a feeling growing into this thing will be hella fun. This bike is def more fun than the harleys, I can split lanes at basically any speed and feel safe doing it. I'm stoked. And it has a tach which my other bikes do not, fancy. 

 

No clue why the manual says to be in 6th by 30mph, who rides like that 🙄

 

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bornagainbiker
2 hours ago, Vex said:

No clue why the manual says to be in 6th by 30mph, who rides like that 🙄

I believe the shift points given in the manual are for max fuel economy.  However, I am an old man and ride like one, and I don't shift into 6th until around 45mph. 😉

Give Respect To Get Respect   https://jeff-galbraith.pixels.com/

 

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6 hours ago, Vex said:

 

I still dont get close to 10k riding like that which I think is nuts lol. Its normally around 6k to 7k max. Glad to know I'm not hurting this thing, changing riding styles has been an interesting experience for me and since I'm not even close to redline I have a feeling growing into this thing will be hella fun.

 

This is where soooo many people screw up. They'll spend thousands on extra power or a "faster" bike and still only use part of the rev range. At 6k, you're only making like 50hp. Instantly want an extra 20hp? Downshift! And full disclosure, I do not use the full rev range nearly enough myself. I want to upgrade at some point to a bigger bike just to see what's out there, but I've already forbade myself from doing that until I can fully use the bike as it is first. With cars I redline them mercilessly, but I'm still learning on the bike. Just so you know I'm not a hypocrite ;)

 

 

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The DewMan and I ride often and this bike loves to cruise at around 85 mph. and if you're going to be in traffic it's very maneuverable with it's low weight and light steering. Truth is, you're going to find fault with any bike so why not with one that's affordable,  has a diamond of an engine and Yamaha's are known for their reliability. Almost forgot, it gets good gas mileage also. 

Beemer

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12 hours ago, Vex said:

I might try that. I dunno about dropping to 4th at 85mph but I'm willing to do it once for the sake of science. Worst case scenario I get a little jolt and hear the rev limiter. Best case I'm at 8 to 10k rpm and I can jet 😎

I've done it close to that speed, maybe at that, 85 seems pretty high, just be sure and throttle it hard before you dump that clutch unless you like "the boys" slamming hard tank and crying out and yes, it does come alive when you do it! It'll climb up to 100 pretty fast. Dropping down to 5th at 85 should really be good enough to accelerate decently without the bike screaming.

Beemer

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On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 2:43 PM, Vex said:

I commute from Murrieta to San Marco's 5 times a week on my 2018 07. My suspension is fine whatever tweaks they made did the trick. As far as comfort and seat, I'm a happy camper. No windscreen, no problem, I embrace it. Cruising/ passing at 65,, 75, and 80 no problem. Want to go from 85 to 100? You'll be waiting a couple seconds. That is honestly my only complaint with this bike, the loss of power passed 85mph pisses me off, alot. The 15 fwy is full of lunatics and border patrol agents driving 85 to 90mph on avg. I dont want to go 150mph, I just want to get to 120mph 2 seconds faster 😎. My commute is about 50mi each way and the bike does the job gallantly. I'm 5 10 190lbs and this bike fits me like a glove, if I get tired of wind hitting my chest I duck down and problem solved, sometimes I even cruise with my feet on the back pegs while I lay on the tank. Cruise control would be nice but who has money for that. This video made my.decision between fz 09 and fz 07.  For reference the next bike I'll be buying is a GSX S 1000, why stop at the 9 when you can get so much more for 500 more bucks lol. Also note, the mt 07 is my fourth bike in 4 years, recovering HD addict. Hope that helped bro, dress warm, and keep it on 2.

 

It appears you're going from recovering H.D. addict to speed addict. 120 to pass people? To each his own. God be with you!

Beemer

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10 hours ago, Vex said:

I'm used to 3 to 4k on my hd 😂 you're absolutley right, harleys are a different animal all together, alright 4th gear passing is on I'm convinced 🤙 thanks for the heads up man.

 

So some guy posted about shift points in a different thread and it blew my mind people were in 6th by 30mph... I might've ridden harleys with no tach for a while but one thing I learned is that will lug the holy shet out of a engine. On average I shift at these points, same speeds as my 1200n minus 1 gear:

1st 20mph

2nd 35 to 45

3rd 45 to 55

4th 40 to 65

5th 55+

6th 70+

 

I still dont get close to 10k riding like that which I think is nuts lol. Its normally around 6k to 7k max. Glad to know I'm not hurting this thing, changing riding styles has been an interesting experience for me and since I'm not even close to redline I have a feeling growing into this thing will be hella fun. This bike is def more fun than the harleys, I can split lanes at basically any speed and feel safe doing it. I'm stoked. And it has a tach which my other bikes do not, fancy. 

 

No clue why the manual says to be in 6th by 30mph, who rides like that 🙄

 

I feel your struggle.... I ride a Honda VTX1800F, (V-twin cruiser) with a 5,500 rpm redline. I also used to track ride a Yamaha R6, with a 16,000 rpm redline. Trying to "cross-train" between the two was challenging to say the least. I always felt like the pistons could shoot through the R6 tank at any moment!!!! I never liked my R6, and sold it less than a year after purchasing it. The FZ-07 is much easier to ride. My experience is if you are running the stock airbox, the bike kinda falls on its face after 8,000 rpm. The rpm's will continue to rise, but won't make much more power. This gives you a 2,000 rpm "buffer zone" before you even hit the redline. A good rule of thumb, if you feel the power starting to "flat-line", it's probably time to upshift. Hope that helps 😎-

""W.O.T. until you see god, then brake"

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On 1/15/2019 at 3:54 PM, firstyammerha said:

gonna have to gas up everyday. tank size is a handicap.

I get about 200mi on a tank.  So once per trip isn't bad.

 

On 1/18/2019 at 2:42 AM, Vex said:

No clue why the manual says to be in 6th by 30mph, who rides like that 🙄

I do regularly... but then again, that's how I get 56mpg I guess.  I'm usually pulling the clutch in to shift JUST as the "ECO" light turns off.

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