2009 Yamaha FZ1 Sport Bike reviews

Please note, I am 55 and have been dreaming and waiting. This was the ultimate birthday present to myself. My first bike has great looks. While I have only been riding for a few hundred miles, the bike is manageable, nimble and more than I expected. I have only had a mild taste of the power on tap. 65 is a trot. Most of my riding has been old two-lane highways with a 45 limit, lots of elevation changes and curves. Now I take on interstates to cross state lines. I am planning to ride in the cold. I got the bug bad. The FZ1 is the cure. Oh, by the way, Sasha is a red 2010 FZ1 Show less

I bought a used FZ1 in Goodyear and it only had 591 miles on it. It came decked out like no other I had ever seen. It had a full fairing, fender eliminator and flush turn signals. When I purchased it, I added a Givi hard case system and this has got to be a "one of", because I've certainly never seen one like it. This is the fourth Yamaha I've owned. My previous rides included an FZ6, R6 and the fantastic R1. The FZ1 is the best of all worlds. You can sport it or tour it in my configuration. Mileage is good and the power is fantastic. I've owned other brands, Ducati, Honda, BMW, etc., but the FZ1 just might be the "keeper" I've been looking for. Show less

Although both motorcycles are labeled as sport touring, there are clear differences between these two excellent motorcycles. I reviewed all the comments in this site (very helpful), and after riding it this past weekend, the least I can do is give some feedback. I was concerned about the riding position and comfort, especially after cruising with my TDM for 6+ hours without any aches. I needed not to worry; the Fazer is comfortable enough for touring, maybe not the six straight hours, but definitely enough hours of fun and adrenaline. The handling is superb. Entering and leaving the curves behind is an easy task, maybe not for first timers, but a piece of cake for anyone who rides +500cc for more than a year. Although I still cannot feel the total thrust of the engine (brand new, still loosening it), I have no doubt I'm riding on top of the 150hp! Wow, speed and acceleration have a different concept for me now. After the first hour, I felt confident enough to have a passenger behind me. Again, the Fazer did not notice the extra weight and rode for nowhere fast! I'm glad with my decision, although I left good memories behind with the TDM. I'm excited to acquire new riding skills with this bike, and handling high speed tours, with comfort, confidence a sense of security. Go for it! Show less

I also owned a Hayabusa and have sold it. Before that, I owned the previous generation FZ1 and I put over 40K miles on it. The Hayabusa was an impulse purchase, and while it was fun, the romance wore off. It was fast as a monkey on caffeine, but the handling could have been better and it handled very poorly in a cross wind. I only put 10K miles on it before I lost interest. I was tire kicking at a dealership and they told me they had last year's FZ1 with a substantial rebate. I said, "can I call my wife?" Sure. She said go for it. First, THIS FZ1 handles better than the older FZ1. In fact, it almost handles like a gixxer. And that is saying a lot. It is more nimble than one should expect, but still very stable on our pot-hole filled Oakland roads. I have a Givi top-box on order and will likely get a new seat. The old one was so much better. I rode to Los Angeles and then Vegas and back and my bum was fine (on the old FZ1). This one hurts within the hour. I'll probably get the slightly taller windscreen and then I'll be done with the mods. You can sit up, or you can lean forward. Both work. My wife has already been on the back. Life will be better for her when there is a backrest, which is part of the Givi luggage package. Show less

Okay...so it's not as ooh-ahh as the Duc or Aprilia....but you can sit on this bike for more than an hour and not have to be lifted off. The ergos are much more real-life and comfy for those of us over 18 and standing taller than a Pygmy. The Fizzy has heaps of power...especially with the upgrades I put on. The old Genesis engine still makes enough power to pull a mid 10 second quarter with my fat butt aboard. Stock it will pull the front wheel off in a couple gears, handles well in corners and the gearbox and brakes are dandy. Is it an R1 or Gixxer slayer?? No. But for a 48 year old who cannot fold himself up to fit on a repli-racer crotch-rocket any longer, this bike is more than enough fun. In fact it's a kick in the a$$. You won't regret buying this bike. Show less

Great, great, great bike! First off, its not an R1 or GSXR1000 so don't compare it to these monsters. The one thing it is, is the best all around bike you can buy today. The engine is great! Very smooth with linear acceleration. It is totally manageable as you can feel the power building between 3k-5k, comes alive at 5k-8k, and you better HOLD ON if you have a wrist full of throttle above 8k because she is pullin' hard. I have owned my bike for 3 years and she still surprises me from time to time. You can't go wrong with this ride. Show less

Well well, if your butt hurts like mine does on long hauls then you can get away with shoe gel packs in your jean pants. For a little pocket change take those silicone shoe inserts and either pack them in your back pockets and or bungee cord them to your seat. Either way works like a charm. Can't say enough about the FZ1 Yamaha. I mean 87 mph in first gear!! Bang second and the front tire starts skimming the pavement. What a bike way more power than you can use on the street. The most fun bike I have ever had. Show less

This bike is all that I expected. Handles great and plenty of power to do what you want. Consistantly scrapes the pegs in the corners. The seating and handlebar position is very comfortable, great for a 40 something year old. The seat is a little uncomfortable for long straight cruises but that is not why you get this bike. The rear fender has to go, it hangs low and vibrates. Show less

If you want to ride all day and toast your buddies, then this bike is for you. Super fast, great handling, and easy wheelies. The bike handles great! You must get rid of the dirt bike fender. Show less

2009 FZ1 First 1000 miles. OK, I have about 3800 miles on the FZ1 now. I installed the gel seat from Yamaha when I had right at 1100 miles. The seat is harder than the stock seat and took a little getting used to. Is it better? Is it more comfortable? Comfortable in this situation is a relative term. I'll do my best to explain... The stock seat is softer, due to that, there are two points that become VERY uncomfortable because the foam eventually gives enough to feel two distinct pressure points. These points pain hurt at level of around 8, 10 being worst after about 35 minutes of riding. The gel seat being a little harder and not breaking down as much, the points are not felt, HOWEVER, instead of two point on my rear hurting at level 8 after 35 minutes, my whole rear hurts at a level of about 3 to 5 after about 1.5 hours of riding. The gel seat discomfort is bearable. The stock seat pressure points are not, the pain level gets to 10 within and hour of riding. I'm 42 so I'm sure that has something to do with this. Although I have been riding all my life and my rear has seen it's share of hard seats over the years. I hope this helps anyone out there considering buying a gel seat from Yamaha. I would get the gel seat, but don't expect a night and day difference, however you will be able to ride all day. (with a few breaks of course, you gotta get gas eventually) Show less