FZ-07 VS Rebel 500?

[level41]

I'm not complaining.
And for me the FZ was a draw between FZ and Kawasaki Z650.
I would have gone for the 650, but riding position on the FZ was slightly more comfortable for me.
ALso, the FZ was for sale second hand, at about 1/2 new price, and the Kawi was just in stores new, with no special deal for financing (no 6 months interest free); so the choice was obvious.
 
That doesn't mean I have chosen the wrong bike.
I did extensive research on my bike.
The mods I'm about to do to the bike, just make it more docile, less jerky throttle acceleration, raise MPG, and make it overall a better bike for me to ride with.
I understand that people do just the opposite on the FZ, to make it accelerate even more,
But for me, the FZ will be my highway bike to do between 40-120 miles a week on highay/interstate miles.
 
One thing I have to agree with the jerky throttle. It was hard for me to shift fluidly. My passenger had regularly her helmet bumping against my back.
But that would be my only complain (oh, and I took it out at 1-5% of the throttle, because I was afraid she would slide off the rear seat; and nothing is worse than damaging my 'precious cargo' 8-) ).
 
Anyway,
Concerning the powerband, it is very useful in 5th and 6th gear, but I don't need it in 1st to 3rd.
I need that power to do 90-100MPH comfortably, and if I ever do the 17t front and 38t rear sprocket change, I will be about right in the powerband at those speeds.
It's just that my city commuter doesn't need racing gears. I'm used to more car-like gearing, where after shifting, the RPMs drop between 500 to 1000RPM.
Some of my bikes also were low-revving bikes that had wide space gearing, and I like that, and sprocket changes can offer a little like that.
While a sprocket change is not going to affect the RPM drop off, it will lengthen somewhat how long the engine takes to rev up.
It'll also make my bike safer in 2nd or 3rd gear, in wet conditions. Less chance of spinning wheels.
I don't like spinning wheels, unless I'm moving in the same direction as the wheels (if you get my drift?) .
 
It's nice to know that the bike can accelerate fine from a dead stop, in 2nd gear.
With the sprocket changes for fuel economy, my 1st gear will more act like a 1.5 gear.
 
btw: Arafat,
The Rebel500 was quickly taken out of the picture for not having the HP needed to maintain speeds of 110MPH.
I do 90MPH mostly, but don't want to feel like I'm squeezing the life out of my bike trying to get there. I want my bike to be able to do 120MPH, allowing me a 20MPH reserve.
The Rebel500 did not meet that specification.
See above why the FZ was the one. A pure financial one.
However, I'm happy with it, because it now is my interstate bike, and I have the more reason to use the small 250 for cruising around town, which probably would have been neglected if I had a Rebel500.
 
For a while I had an eye on the CB500X. But the weight is what killed it.
I used to have a Suzuki GS500F, and it was just about as heavy. 475LBS loaded.
It was more top heavy than the honda, but still. One day it fell over in the yard, and I had to lift it up, with the bike sliding in the grass.
It was not an easy ordeal.
Since then, I've said "no more than 400LBS". The FZ fits that perfectly, and I can still lift it up by myself, albeit by almost popping out my eyeballs while lifting it up!

[afatrat]

By all means, go to town with the mods. As a matter of fact, I bet you could get well over 60 MPG if you can get the revs under 5k. Seems like it would be pretty tricky if you're trying to cruise at 90 mph but, whatever, do you. Also, an ECU flash definitely helps with the jerky throttle/engine braking. Talk to Nels at 2WDW. He can dial that out and probably help you restrict the power to where you want it. That last sentence still leads me to think you'd be happier with something else but, again, do you.
 
Also, where the hell are you "maintaining" speeds of 110 and cruising at mostly 90? Sounds like where I need to be.

[Zephyr]

While I'm no expert by any means. The one thing that has struck me about the FZ-07 is that it has been proven capable of metamorphosing into something other than what most people see it as. On this forum alone we have seen many mods that we may have scratched our head at in the beginning. We have seen them turned into cross continental touring machines, wicked scramblers, racing machines, we even have a turbo build happening! The list could go on. I am interested in seeing what level41 ends up with, regardless if I think it is the right bike choice for his intended use.
 
I agree that the power band will get your eyeballs popping if you aren't used to that. For some that experience will cause them to want to mitigate the possibility of that happening again. For others they enjoy that "rush" (sometimes to the detriment of their health and property). I didn't fully understand the bike's torque when I got it, still don't have a full grasp on it, sent my ecu out for flashing because of the same sentiments that many have reflected here on this forum, and look forward to gaining a complete understanding and comfort level with the characteristics of this machine.
 
I look forward to seeing the other side of the coin through level41's eyes. We may learn something new, or we may get confirmation that our original thoughts held true. I am interested to see if level41 can transform the FZ-07 into a 2-up, light weight, high speed, hwy cruiser. Doesn't sound like a FZ-07 to me, but I'd love to see if it can be done.

[yamahaha]

Funny thread. Tough to make a comparison when the honda is no where near the caliber of bike the yammy is.

[rowdy]

Funny thread. Tough to make a comparison when the honda is no where near the caliber of bike the yammy is.

"no where near the caliber"  would be based on your particular values in a bike.  If you are looking for something economical, and reliable, and fun to ride around town (depending on your hooligan quotient), the Honda actually isn't that bad of a comparison.  Definitely not my choice, mainly because I'm no longer interested in cruiser ergos, but Honda does know how to make quality, reliable, balanced, nice riding bikes. 

[duenan]

So you want a bike that:
 
Has a smoother throttle.
Has less torque than the fz07. But more torque than a 300.
Lightweight.
Has more power than a 300cc for highway passing.
Better gas mileage.
 
I don't know... unless someone can think of something, I don't think it exists. You have to make several compromises somewhere and learn to deal with everything else.
 
I didn't read your entire topic but you need to get that ECU reflashed to smooth out the throttle.
 
I still don't get the fear you are having with the throttle and accidentally wheelieing... this was my first bike ever and I have never felt like I was going to wheelie the bike. 3 years in and I'm even trying to purposefully wheelie the bike, and have yet to wheelie it. But then, my girl has been riding 2 years and she quite possibly has that danger going on for her so I get everyone is inherently different- but then that just goes back to me saying you need to make compromises and adapt to the other things.
 
I don't know, maybe a Honda CB500F will be more your speed. But about that gas mileage- I'm sorry, nothing is going to help your idea of gas mileage if you go over 300cc. Hell, I have a R3 and the gas mileage is identical to the FZ07... 80mpg average on a motorcycle 500cc or higher is a white whale.  Not happening.  Anyway. Good luck.

[yamahaha]

Let me put it another way: It's like comparing a chevy cruze to a camaro. Both have their strong suits but one of them sucks.

[rowdy]

Let me put it another way: It's like comparing a chevy cruze to a camaro. Both have their strong suits but one of them sucks.

Well, technically, if both of them suck, then one of them sucks.  JK - I like the Camaro, but I don't have erectile disfunction (yet), so I haven't bought one.
 

[yamahaha]

I'm no car guy. I have a cheapie small car. Bikes are my world. In fact, we don't insure the car over the riding season.

[Guest 2wheeler]

I still don't get the fear you are having with the throttle and accidentally wheelieing... this was my first bike ever and I have never felt like I was going to wheelie the bike. 3 years in and I'm even trying to purposefully wheelie the bike, and have yet to wheelie it.

I have heard this from a couple of people on this forum about how difficult the FZ-07 is to wheelie. I must have got a heck of a good running FZ, or you folks are really doing something wrong. With a dirt bike background, I'm OK with wheelies, but I don't actively try to do them especially on a 400lb bike. Having said that, I have accidentally done so many wheelies on this bike. That doesn't count the ones I have done on purpose. Heck, just cracking the throttle in 1st gear will instantly bring the front wheel up. High rpm speed shifting into second and then cracking second will bring it right up. Normal shifting into 2nd, then taking it to 5000 rpm, completely backing off the throttle and then cracking it will bring it right up. I'm not talking about using the clutch for any of these - just straight power. I totally think of this bike as a wheelie machine. To further clarify, I don't consider myself great at doing wheelies at all, it's just that this bike makes it easy. 
As I have said before in other posts, I am not an advocate of wheelies especially if you are a new rider, but the FZ will sure as heck do them!
 

[level41]

Yeah, my first rides on the HWY were pretty intense.
Anywhere past 100MPH the wind buffeting is so severe, that I already purchased a windbreaker (which is on the way).
I almost had to lean horizontal. Not used to this, since my CBR has a windscreen (about 1/2ft above the speedo), and most of the wind is deflected, even at 100MPH it's comfy. Not so with the FZ, but like said, sceen on the way...
The 17t sprocket is on the way as well.
 
I honestly like the stock 1st gear on the FZ for departing from a stop.
No need for making it any larger. But sadly there's no other way.
I'll update rideability once I get it.
It will probably improve rides at 50MPH, which I have plenty of 45MPH roads here (where people ride 50).
 
Btw, 100MPH isn't legal. Interstate roads in the everglades are 65MPH, but at 65MPH you'd be a sitting duck on there.
Most people do 80MPH, and you know bikers do 90 to 100. Some cars do 100.
 
I took the FZ out to 120MPH. Didn't dare to go any faster, because of coppers. (I don't condole doing 120MPH on public roads, but mine was a short burst of acceleration as a test). Definitely a scary experience. If it wasn't for the heavy wind buffeting, it would be for the coppers.
As soon as the speed has been set, I went back down.
I seriously thought the bike had more power than this. At 120MPH it's struggling to get any faster.
 
I really just want to be comfy riding it at 80-90MPH, and that's just what it gives me.
 
 
MPG related, I'm quite happy under 50MPH, but MPGs take a nosedive above 60MPH.

[avanti]

"I have an apple. I have a pen." OOPS! Wrong forum... You are talking apples and oranges (I knew apple fit somehow). If in doubt, ALWAYS buy what you can comfortably afford or wait until you can spend more!!!