FZ-07 - Initial impression and comparisons (long post)

[pgeldz]

Hello fellas – and you ladies out there too
 
 
 
Wanted to introduce myself and give my thoughts and initial impressions on the FZ-07, as I just had a short test ride back to back with other naked bikes I’m considering. I’ll detail my thoughts below, but first a little background on me so you have a better understanding of where I’m coming from…
 
I’ve been riding on and off for nearly 30 years now. Bikes I’ve owned, in order:
 
 
1986 Kawasaki Ninja 250R
 
1988 Suzuki GSX-R 750
 
2000 Yamaha R6
 
2001 Suzuki SV-650 (fully modified, daily driven club racer style)
 
 
By far, the best bike…well let’s say the most “FUN” bike on that list was the SV-650 naked. I had the whole bike gone through by an ex-suspension technician that worked for the HRC GP team back in the day. Needless to say, the bike handled better than the R6…and the torque, AMAZING. Bike pulled hard as hell, but was slightly buzzy at the very top of the rev range.
 
 
I sold the SV about 2 years ago, and regret every minute of it. I figured enough time has passed where I’m in the market for another bike…another naked. Why naked? I’ll answer that in the form of an analogy – The best camera is the one you take with you. You can have the best digital SLR camera known to man, but if it’s too bulky and you find yourself leaving it behind for a point and shoot instead, well than then the point and shoot camera has become the ‘best’ camera, so why not shop around for the best point and shoot camera out there?
 
 
That’s how I feel with motorcycles. I used to love the supersports…ala crotch rockets, but realistically their performance envelope is too high for the street to get the most fun from – and the street is where most people do the bulk, if not all, of their riding. I found myself never riding the R6 unless I was going to the canyons, but the SV I took everywhere, including the canyons.
 
 
Let’s face it, not everyone rides around at redline, and if you do, you can’t even get out of first or second gear legally on a modern supersport. Nakeds give you a better sense of speed at lower speeds, since there is nothing to shield you from the wind, and they traditionally have much more usable power and torque down in the low to midrange revs where the bulk of street riding is done, giving you the best of both worlds – speed and a bit of safety margin, per se.
 
 
On to the comparison. I didn't pigeon hole myself into a particular bike or brand. I looked at what will give me the most amount of FUN overall in a wide variety of conditions, regardless of price, displacement, brand, or pedigree.
 
 
I’ve looked at several bikes and the ones that made the cut I rode them back to back…all in the same day. For the record, I’m 5’8’’ and weigh in at 165 lbs, which is an important reference when it comes to ergonomics and suspension set up.
 
 
KTM 1290 Super Duke - didn't test ride. Felt more like a big Hyper motard type of bike than a traditional naked. Wide seat, sitting high in the air. Not comfortable for me. A lot of electronic wizardry that I've read isn't well sorted out. PASS…
 
 
KTM 690 Duke – didn't test ride. Felt very, very light. Seat was narrower than Super Duke and overall I fit better on it, but still more of a Hyper Motard styling. If you’re after this style, it’s definitely worth looking into. After seeing and sitting on it in person, I’m not. PASS…
 
 
Suzuki SFV650 – didn't test ride. Felt like visiting an old friend, but not in such a good way. More of a traditional naked styling which I like, but it felt very dated. Comfortable to sit on, but felt hefty and too heavy. Red frame doesn’t compliment it like the exposed frame of the old ones. PASS…
 
 
Honda CBR 650F – didn't test ride. Didn't even know about this bike until I saw it today in the showroom. Yes, it has fairings, but I actually it, a lot, at least aesthetically. The looks, the seating position…Honda got it right on this. It’s a very good in-between, between a super sports bike, and something like a Suzuki Katana 600 for example. Low seat height, clip on bars but not low at all and very comfortable. Wavy discs, and bodywork that is tastefully done that won’t leave you wanting the look of a supersports bike. Looks like a very good option for those inexperienced riders that *think* they need a supersports 600, but most likely shouldn't be on one, for practical reasons I mentioned earlier. I have no idea about performance tho. I’m sure it’s good enough. PASS…
 
 
Yamaha FZ-09 – didn't test ride. Fit great on this bike. Hard to categorize the seating position - somewhere between sitting on a dirt bike and hyper motard style. More upright than the Duke or Superduke. It was different, but I liked it, a lot. Lightweight. Not too keen on the rear styling tho, regarding the banana 1 piece seat. It’s not bad at all, but I don’t think it complements the front. The front of the bike looks very mean, but then fizzles out towards the rear. Does look decent for two-up riding tho, considering. I know the engine is awesome in this bike, but in my research, the mapping and ride by wire isn’t up to par yet…many reports of “abruptness”, and “hard to modulate the throttle” floating around the net. PASS…
 
 
Ducati Monster and Streetfighter 848 – didn't test ride. I’ll make this real simple. Not a fan of the current Monsters’ styling. It’s too retro for me. The Streetfighter 848 changes all this, but looks way more like a bare bones superbike than a traditional naked, plus, I’ve read several reports that the electronic wizardry isn't up to par. PASS on both…
 
 
MV Agusta 675 Brutale – didn't test ride. For me, one of the most aesthetically pleasing nakeds to date. Looks like a piece of rolling art. The triple exhaust is a sight to see in person, as pics don’t do it justice. Very light weight. Sitting on it felt similar to the KTM Duke 690. The riding position didn't seem to match it’s outward aggression appearance, which gave me mixed signals. I understand this bike literally screams in the top rev range, but not so nice to live with for all-purpose use. Because of that, PASS…
 
 
I know what your thinking…so what then, actually DID make the cut to test ride?

[pgeldz]

4 bikes made the cut...
 
The BMW S1000R
Triumph Street Triple and Street Triple R
Yamaha FZ-07
 
BMW S1000R. What a fantastic looking motorcycle, tho It definitely looks and feels like a superbike without body work vs a ”naked”. In fact DOES have bodywork, albeit not as much as it’s RR brother but it’s still there, as if it lost a couple rounds playing strip poker. Sitting on it felt like I was really on a premium motorcycle. Extremely well screwed together. Fit and finish are flawless. Felt a little on the big side for me, but surprisingly light for its size. I wasn't twisted up like a pretzel, but the riding position is more of a slightly leaning forward upright position. This bike had the electronic wizardry, and I've read there are no issues with it and works flawless. It should, since the model I rode was upwards of 15K USD. The engine makes 160HP in R trim, and its full faired RR brother on which this engine is based makes 190. They say they retuned this bike to make more usable torque throughout the rev range. And although that may be true, it didn’t really feel like a liter bike to me. The last time I rode a liter bike was when I switched off with a friend that had the top spec GSX-R. I couldn’t even get the thing past 3rd gear it was so damn fast. Fast? Yes. Fun? Not so much. At sane speeds, my little modded SV “felt” like it mopped the floor with the big gixer, giving a much better sensation of power and speed. When we switched back my buddy said it all…”OMG, I had NO idea. This little bike has crazy torque. Feels stronger than my bike.” On the test ride, the BMW did pull very good all throughout the rev range and was VERY smooth, but because of this it felt sedated and just didn't do it for me in the low and midrange, where most of us do the bulk of our riding I’d presume. The electronics worked flawlessly, and the ride by wire was unobtrusive and worked great. The suspension was great but a little stiff for my weight. Not sure I could ride this bike all day due to that. What this bike did do for me though is capture me with its styling, especially in White with matte Black accents. It’s a gorgeous motorcycle, but sadly, the lack of grunt, or should I say the “feeling” of lack of grunt, especially for a liter bike with 160 hp didn't do it for me. PASS…
 
Triumph Street Triple and Street Triple R. The basic differences in a nutshell are that the R model has a 10mm higher seat height due to a longer rear shock, fully adjustable suspension, better brakes, Red rear subframe and body panel, and Black forks. It’s only $600 more than the base model, and probably worth every penny. I’ll be honest, I hate the Red subframe and sidepanel. Makes it look awkward and cartoony. I sat on it and for my weight of 165, it felt way too stiff for me at factory settings, and I wasn't comfortable with the higher seat height as compared to the base model. For the occasional track day, the adjustability and better brakes are prob worth it, but I just can’t get past the cartoonish look of the color combos with Red bits and the seat height.
 
The base model Street Triple, especially in Black, is absolutely GORGEOUS. The anodized Gold forks standout in the Black model, and give a more premium look to the entire package in my opinion. The headlights are a love it or hate it affair, especially without the flyscreen. I loved the original bug eye look so much I replicated it on my SV650 with a twin headlight conversion from the UK. This new Triumph, with its angular twin lamps updates the look for modern times, and screams emotion and personality. It has a face, and it’s hard to deny. People stopped and stared as I would come to a stoplight. I’s definitely a head turner, like it or not. The overall look of this bike is that of a standard motorcycle like the SV650, but an angry version hyped up on steroids. It looks very purposeful, but in a useable sort of way. Hard to describe really, as it’s bridges the gap PERFECTLY between a traditional naked motorcycle like the SV, and a supersports without fairings. Seating position is exactly the same way. Upright for sure, but sporty, 10mm lower than the R model, and slightly forward lean, like a supersports with much higher bars. Very comfortable. Felt like it was tailor made for my frame. I absolutely love it. On the test ride, things got better…this engine is phenomenal. Very flexible, pulls HARD all the way to redline, and the triple is literally music to your ears. Kinda like when you hear the boxer rumble of a Subaru flat four, this triple emotes the same kind of differentiating sound for motorcycles. Besides the exhaust sound, you really hear the intake growl, and sounds ferocious. I love the under belly shorty exhaust, and Triumph offers an Arrow exhaust upgrade to make it sound even better. I rode one with the optional arrow exhaust, and it just give you more of the sound of the original, but cancels out some of the intake sound I love so much. It also seems like it’s longer than the original version, but I think it’s an optical illusion because the original version is painted Black before the slip on part. Regardless of exhaust, the motor pulls down low, and still loves to rev…very flat torque curve, which makes for great fun in any gear. That being said, Triumph revised first gear and made it longer from 2013 onwards, and the result is that it’s not as wheelie inducing as it used to be. While still great fun, it would be harder to unleash the inner hooligan in you with the revised model. On the flip side tho, the bike is so well sorted and accelerates so purposefully, I doubt you’d miss the shorter first gear. This bike feels like it could keep up with any of the 600 supersports on sale today. Due to it’s fantastic power delivery, I highly doubt this motor will leave you wanting for more power. The fueling, or metering thereof, is so spot on it’s hard to describe. The bike’s throttle responds telepathically to inputs, which is a far leap ahead of anything I’ve ever ridden before. In the world of ride by wire bikes and all the horror stories I’ve read about them, it’s nice that Triumph went with a more conventional set up. Suspension for my weight was spot on perfect. I could ride this bike all day, commuting, canyon carving, etc. I also loved the instrument panel. It’s mix of LCD readout with analog tach gauge with shift lights were perfect. The brakes, while not as good supposedly as the R model were just fine and stopped strong, although the front end did dive a little more then I thought it would on hard stops. The only flaw I could find with this bike, for me anyway, is that its low speed turning seems, weird. I’m sure it’s not and it’s perfectly normal, but it’s been a while since I’ve ridden, and turning onto city streets from stop lights, and in and around parking lots I felt like the bike wanted to tip in. Other than that, absolutely amazing machine. A jack of all trades, master of ALL. One of the most fun bikes I’ve ever ridden, ever. It’s the type of bike that I’d wake up in the middle of the night for and just go look at it in the garage, just to see those angular bug eyes staring back at me with all its personality. I’m emotionally tied to this motorcycle. Loved it ever since I first saw Tom Cruise ride it in the original Mission Impossible movie, and the latest incarnation is even better.

[pgeldz]

Yamaha FZ-07. I’ll be quite honest, after riding the Triumph, I thought there is no way this little motorcycle would do it for me. I've read all the reviews and did all the research I could on this bike and I figured, especially after riding the Triumph, there is just no way this bike would live up to all its hype. As it turns out, I was wrong…so very very wrong. The look of this motorcycle captured me. It’s very intriguing. It seems to mix all the styling cues from all the previous bikes I’ve mentioned into one cohesive unique look. I’ll describe it from the side profile, starting at the rear working my way forward. From the seat to the rear subframe, the bike looks like a supersport, reminding me of an R1 with its double rear seat and fat rear tire. The middle of the bike with its hunchback gas tank is reminiscent of an adventure Dakar type of bike, and the exposed tubular frame reminds me of my old SV and the Ducati Monster with the exposed trellis frame. When I look at the front headlight area I think of the Ducati Streetfighter, and the flat front fender kinda looks like a dual purpose bike, or that of the Dakar adventure bikes but adapted for street use. For some strange reason it comes together extremely well, and I think I like it so much because it has the styling cues from all the bikes I've come to love (to look at anyway). The only thing I don’t care for too much is that there is too much space between the front tire and the header area. It makes it look, dare I say…feminine? At angles where you don’t see that gap, the bike looks pretty bad ass, mad max style. Either way I still love it. With a fender eliminator kit, passenger pegs removed, and maybe lower bars with bar end mirrors to tidy up the front slightly and maybe a set of rearsets, I think it’ll look menacing. On the other hand, I saw a pic of the white one on the net with a tank bag, tail bag, and saddle bags – and it looked awesome, like an adventure bike. The fact that it can pull off these very different styles amazes me with its outstanding versatility. If I had to nitpick, I’d also change the front fender. I prefer the rounder styling of the FZ-09’s fender vs the duckbill style of the FZ-07. Maybe they are swappable. I think the rounder styling of the FZ-09’s front fender would negate all that space between the front tire and the header that I don’t like. Maybe the aftermarket will offer options in the future. Either way, I loved the centered, symmetrical instrument panel. It satisfies the OCD in me The shorty exhaust is very nicely done. I like that it’s shorter than the Triumph…it gives the bike a very clean look from the rear. This bike is small, svelte, and extremely lightweight. I can’t stress enough how light this bike is. When I first threw my leg over it, it felt like I was getting on a BMX bicycle (in a good way). Riding positions reminds me of that also…sorta in-between the FZ-09 and Triumph Street Triple. It’s upright, but still feels sporty. I felt like I sat more “on” the Triumph, and more “in” the FZ-07, due to its seat being very narrow at the front, which is very confidence inspiring. Yeah, that’s great and all, but how does it ride? I was afraid I wouldn't get to ride one because the dealer only had 1 in stock, and it was his very first one. To be honest, in all my years of riding, I never was able to actually test ride a new motorcycle, especially a new one on the showroom floor and not a demo. The Triumph was a demo, but the BMW was a showroom model that he let me take out for a spin. Didn’t ever think I’d be able to do that again, but the Yamaha sales manager saw my enthusiasm and couldn’t resist. This bike was literally brand new, not even prepped yet, with 1 mile on the odometer. He said it would be about 20 min to prep. They had to put gas in it, hook up the battery, etc. I told him while I waited I’d go across the street and get us lunch. He was so enamored with my gesture we instantly hit it off and was excited for me to ride it. On to the riding impression. Since I was unsure of what color I wanted (this one was Red), and this could literally end up being my bike, I didn't do anything fancy and only went to about 6-7K rpm in the first few gears. OMG!!! Yamaha, I commend you. That 50 ft-lbs of toque in the midrange is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. It felt like it accelerated HARDER than the Triumph, up to that point anyway, since I wasn't gonna go to redline on a brand new motorcycle that wasn’t mine. But still, OMG. VERY flat torque curve. I don’t know if it’s actually faster than the Triumph, but it felt like first gear was shorter…that combined with its ultra-light weight made it FEEL faster. The other noticeable standout was the fueling. WOW, felt like the Triumph, which is to say, perfect. Felt very “connected”, very immediate, with no hiccups to mention, nadda one. Then I put it in 6th at like 2,500 rpm and gave it a quick twist. Again, no hiccups – this bike’s torque just pulled it along without issue. All the smoothness of an inline 4 but with the grunt of a twin, with no buzzing. Absolutely best of both worlds. And the fact that this bike has no electronic nannies to screw it up makes it thoroughly enjoyable. So the motor is fantastic, and the sound? I loved it. It is a little muted compared to the Triumph I just rode with the Arrow exhaust which is to be expected but still, I really liked it. You can definitely hear it, and although it’s smooth, you can still feel the grunt between your legs like a twin, but without any annoying buzzing. That 270 crank with non-traditional firing order really does make this parallel twin sing a sweet song. Onto the brakes. I can’t believe this bike at this price point, comes with dual wavy rotors, etc. I've read that the rear brake is strong, and the front brakes are so-so. I agree with the rear brake - it is strong, and possibly so because this is a VERY light motorcycle, with a fat 180 supersport sized rear tire, so there is a lot of grip here out back for sure. I actually liked the front brakes quite a lot. I thought they were plenty strong, and no front end diving like the Triumph. But it could be due to the fact that they don’t have the strong initial bite like the Triumph. I thought it was a good thing. They stopped progressively harder and linear with your inputs, with good feel. I have zero complaints. Onto the suspension. For my weight of 165, I thought the bike felt great. Soaked up bumps, was comfortable, but still a sporty and confidence inspiring ride. I didn't get a chance to do any canyon carving obviously, but I think if I pushed this bike hard enough, and I mean hard enough as in way past the legal limit of most twisty roads, it’s possible I’d want to firm it up a little. Having said that, I’d start by upping the preload on the rear shock a bit and see how far that gets me. In the low speed stuff, it really did feel like I was riding a BMX bicycle, and I mean that as a compliment. It had none of the weirdness at low speed like the Triumph did. Fit and finish is exemplary, not just at a bike at this price point, but period. It’s well screwed together, and still built in Japan – not farmed out to developing countries to save a few bucks.
 
Yamaha has made an instant classic with the FZ-07. In my eyes, it’s a modern SV 650, but better in every way. I think because of its low price and accessibility, the aftermarket will go bonkers for this thing. And when it does, that $2,500 I saved in buying this over the Triumph could go towards stiffer suspension, stainless steel braided brakes lines, and whatever else the naysayers say about it being a “beginner bike”.
 
Overall, I absolutely LOVE this motorcycle as-is, and it was a very hard decision to make between this and the Triumph, pricing not withstanding of course. The Triumph may be the bike I want to wake up and look at in the middle of the night, but the FZ-07 with its ultra light weight, fantastic motor with gobs of torque and confidence inspiring riding position I feel I could ride for days on, make it the bike I want to wake up in the middle of the night and actually ride, not just look at.
 
- Paulie

[olderthandirt]

Paulie.... that Slingshot was bad ass wasn't it? Best handling motorcycle that I ever owned. Remember the heat that belched out of that thing at every stop light?
Not real practical to ride to work...but once in the hills and twisties....it was the bomb. Thanks for the write up.
I have a deposit on a Liquid Graphite FZ07.
 
You sound British. Did I guess right?

[xcsp]

Nice write-up Paulie!
 
I had a chance to ride an 07 and was impressed with it, not impressed with the insurance rates that I'm being quoted.

[Cruizin]

Paulie, that was a great write up. The FZ-07 is gonna have a cult like following for many years, much like the SV-650 does. And, this will be everyone's headquarters.
 
Also good description on the FZ-09. The Throttle is abrubt, but I kinda like it. The ngine is fantastic on the FZ-09, that Triple has tons of power downlow and there aren't many bikes that can keep up with me from 0-100.
 
The FZ-09 is gonna be my wild bike, track bike, go tear shet up bike. I'm saving up for a Penske triple clicker for the rear and I will probably just rebuild the front forks with new cartridges and springs. Will be about $2,300 when said and done for suspension alone and then I think that this bike will be hard to touch.
 
My FZ-07, when I get it, will become my daily passion. They built that FZ-07 to be bad ass right out of the crate. The FZ-09 was built to dare me to buy it, and then customize it the way that I want.

[mjh937]

Paulie,
 
Thanks for the informative and thorough review. It makes me want my FZ-07 to arrive even more.
 
Did you end up buying the FZ-07?

[pgeldz]

olderthandirt - Yeah, I loved my "Slingshot" Gixer. Funny you mention the heat, I remember that!!! And no, I'm not British haha, I'm from the good ole US of A
 
Cruzin - Thanks man, I really do think this new FZ-07 is gonna be a big deal. Yamaha hit a home run with this one. It's has reinvigorated my love for 2 wheels, and its arrival in our market is what got me wanting another motorcycle. Sure, I looked at the Triumph Street Triple, but that was only because the FZ-07 was coming out and the OCD in me said I should comparison shop just to be sure. If the FZ-07 never came out, I would never even looked at getting back into motorcycling. Thank you Yamaha, for creating such an amazing machine.
 
mjh937 - I didn't end up buying that bike, no. We're waiting on part information first. I know I want the white one, but I'm not sure if I like the Silver frame of that one, or the Black frame of the Red bike better. The colored bits are only the plastic gas tank panels and the front fender. I asked how much they are to buy so if it turns out I want the Black frame, I can just buy the Red bike and swap out the plastics with the White stuff. He has part numbers, but the thing is so new they don't have pricing or availability just yet. He is calling this week to find out for me. I have to do some photoshopping to see what color combo I like. I do like the exposed Silver frame on the White one, but at the same time I don't know if I like the two tone White front fender...makes it look like an enduro bike from the front view. If I decide on the silver frame and get the White bike, I may either just use the front fender from the Red one (its two tone also, Black in the middle and very dark Grey on the sides), or, just Plastidip the White part on the White one Matte Black. If I don't like it I can always peel it off
 
- Paulie

[rotaryfz07]

Wow. Beautiful post.
 
My addition to this thread.
 
I have only been riding for 2 years with a combined mileage of 13,000 miles and I am already on my third bike.
 
I had a 2008 Ninja 250R , 2013 Honda CBR500R ( just sold for the FZ07)
 
I only heard about this bike in May 2014. I was instantly hooked. From the looks and the specs and of course, the PRICE!
 
I quickly watched every MT-07 video on youtube and that sealed my fate into getting one.
 
6/20/14 arrives and the first FZ-07 to hit the Bay Area, CA dealers are now arriving.
 
I quickly looked on craiglist and located the first in the area. I quickly called and put down a deposit.
 
I brought my bike home on 6/28/14 in Red , from Petaluma,CA
 
I must say that this bike is a huge upgrade from the Honda CBR500R. Its just so awesome in every way.
 
I dont foresee myself getting a new bike for a LONG TIMEEEEE.

[Guest brickst3r]

welcome to the forum and great write up. Long but well worth the read haha.

[howlinhoss]

Thank you for your amazing write up. Do you have an idea of what bars you will get to replace the stock? I like the idea of lower bars.

[Killafornia]

I wish have that much experience with bikes.LOL Great review by the way!
 
 
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thestache]

Paulie, great write up. I am not a FZ07 owner, and will likely not have a chance at one for about a month, while I wait on my insurance to get my recent crash settled.
 
So, I am actually looking at the FZ07, and another bike you mentioned...Honda's CBR650F. I love the styling of both, but I think what might be the differentiating factor is...$2000.00 difference in price. The FZ07 has a bigger, likely more fun engine. The Honda has the styling look for me, so I am torn, and will have to test ride them both and see where I end up. At 48 years YOUNG :) I was concerned about wind buffeting, but before I had my accident, I took the wind screen off my cruiser, and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't that bad, even at highway speeds

[pgeldz]

Thank you for your amazing write up. Do you have an idea of what bars you will get to replace the stock? I like the idea of lower bars.

Ya know I haven't given it too much thought.  I'm gonna ride it as is until the first service, then I'll look more into to it  
- Paulie

[Guru]

.....So, I am actually looking at the FZ07, and another bike you mentioned...Honda's CBR650F. I love the styling of both, but I think what might be the differentiating factor is...$2000.00 difference in price. ....

Another thing to consider is that the Honda is built in Thailand, as for the FZ-07 is Japanese built.
 
Not that Thai bikes are necessarily bad, but if I buy Japanese, I like it when it is actually built in Japan. I notice a difference in the attention to detail.

[lonerider]

Well, i owned a 2003 SV650S. I did some track days and i take it for a trip to the Canadian Rockies. It's a close call for me. I'd love to make now a comparo back to back with those 2 bikes. It's been 9 years that i sold my SV.
 
Ergos: FZ-07 for sure
comfort: SV, the FZ let the Sv win because of his discomfort seat (stock one). lol
brakes: tough call. As i said, it's been 9 years that i sold the SV.
performance: I have to say FZ; because of the torque.
sound (stock exhaust): tough call. FZ is very, very near the SV.
suspension: deuce. Both have too soft suspension.
best deal: I have to say FZ. The cost of the FZ-07 is about the same as the cost i paid for my SV650S in 2003.
 
I demo ride the Kawa ER6N. Hate the vibration and the sound of this parallel twin (sounds like a lawnmower). The scoop of the radiator turn me off. Very glad that i wait for Yamaha.

[thestache]

.....So, I am actually looking at the FZ07, and another bike you mentioned...Honda's CBR650F. I love the styling of both, but I think what might be the differentiating factor is...$2000.00 difference in price. ....

Another thing to consider is that the Honda is built in Thailand, as for the FZ-07 is Japanese built. 
Not that Thai bikes are necessarily bad, but if I buy Japanese, I like it when it is actually built in Japan. I notice a difference in the attention to detail.

I think one thing Honda did get right for the CBR650F, is the detail, it is a very nioce looking bike. Now is a fairing, clipons, inline. The more I think about the 2 bikes, the more I cannot decide. The real factor for me might just be availability. If I cannot get the FZ07 in grey, and the CBR is available with ABS in matte black, well then...CBR it will be...but this also all depends on a test ride

[Guru]

You're right, let a good test ride decide. Both are good bikes.
But you will have to understand that we will never forgive you if you go Honda. Being a FZ-07 forum and all 

[howlinhoss]

Just test rode a fz-07. I am in love. I was gonna take it home but dealer wanted $8000 otd. I will shop around before paying that price. Dealer in PA about 60 miles away wants $7200 otd but it might take a month or two to get the bike.

[rotaryfz07]

Just test rode a fz-07. I am in love. I was gonna take it home but dealer wanted $8000 otd. I will shop around before paying that price. Dealer in PA about 60 miles away wants $7200 otd but it might take a month or two to get the bike.

 
 
I paid $8400 otd here in CA
 
But I'm also the first owner of one in the area.
 
I wanted it that BAD.