Yamaha FZ1

Back in 2001 when I first rode the FZ1, I was so impressed I made it my pick for "Bike of the Year". Naturally it didn't win - nothing I pick ever does. It's probably because lap times have never been high on my list of priorities. My only criticism was that it should have had a shaft drive to make it the replacement for the under-rated XJ900 Diversion.

WHAT IS IT?
The FZ1 is a brilliant package for the discerning road rider and represents excellent used bike value for money.

Largely unaltered since its introduction, except for new colours and some unconfirmed suspension changes, the FZ1 cost a wallet-cringing $15,799 new. Today the FZ1 is well and truly in the sub $10K league making it both highly desirable and highly affordable. The 2002 model you see in the pictures, lent to us by A1 Motorcycles in Ringwood (Vic), literally scorched out of the showroom at $9990.

Using the R1's 998cc, DOHC, 20-valve, four-cylinder, horizontally-carburetted (as opposed to down draught) engine fitted with a heavier crankshaft allowed the FZ1 to claim 145hp at 10,000rpm and a deep well of 10.8 kg-m of EXUP-valve-enhanced torque at 7500rpm. The tubular chassis is obviously heavier than the R1's alloy version, as well as less sophisticated, which helps to push the weight up to 208kg. Low-tech, fully-adjustable suspension keeps costs down, but not at the expense of road holding. Brakes and wheels are also from the R1 and the ergonomics, coupled with a sensible tank capacity of 21 litres, make sure that you can cover long distances in far more comfort than on the sporting forebear. In short, it's an R1 for real road riding.

ON THE ROAD
Oh so easy - for a bike with 240km/h performance on tap it's quite amazing how Yamaha got this so right. At low speed the FZ feels both light and nimble despite a 1450mm wheelbase coupled with a rangy 26 degrees of steering head angle and 104mm of trail. Overall it comes together as being nicely balanced and, just like the smaller 600 version, is perfect for traffic busting. The upright bars provide heaps of leverage to tip the bike over to gratifying, but not extreme, lean angles as well as providing excellent rider comfort. Combine the bars with the slightly rearward-placed footrests and the riding position is ideal for all-round vision. As for pillions it's more of the same - although it really should have a proper grab-rail for the passenger to brace properly against the 120 genuine horses waiting to bust free. Speaking of all-round vision though, the mirrors are among the best in the business, big, clear and wide - perfect.

As for the engine, given its heritage, you'd expect it to be both smooth and powerful. It is. It pulls like a turbine from way down and ramps up with gathering strength, before hurling you at a wall of scenery, all the while catching as many of the six gears as you throw at it. The clutch is, as far as I can tell, tough enough to cop any amount of abuse and, it has to be said, a few do get abused. Just like Suzuki's 1200 Bandit the FZ loves to stand up on the back wheel for a look over the fence. Comparisons with the Bandit are inevitable, however where the Bandit feels dated the FZ feels modern. And nowhere more obviously than, away from the city grind, in the twisty stuff.

Some people reckon the suspension is too soft. Maybe it is. But it only really shows at the savage end of the sport-riding spectrum. If you prefer smooth and rapid as opposed to harsh and ragged then the FZ1 delivers - big style. The 140mm of travel provided by conventional telescopic forks soaks up bumps and hits with ease, but can get a little over-worked across hard inside-line ripples at large lean angles. According to my web research the first 2001 model had soft 0.78kg/mm springs that were replaced in 2002 with 1.2kg/mm units. If this is so then Yamaha may have acknowledged a problem that in my opinion didn't really exist. Fact is the originals were far from hazardous; it's just that you were aware that the tyres were doing a little more work. At the rear the fully-adjustable, piggy-back shock harmonises well with the front, a testimony to some careful selection and calibration. Should you need to play with the settings it all works without being overly sensitive. It allows the average owner to recognise the changes a click or two make.

Brakes are the now-standard fare - four-piston units found on the R1 biting down on a pair of 298mm full-floating discs at the front. At the back a single 267mm unit provides back-up cover.

At 820mm the seat is possibly a little high for some, but it's well shaped and fairly comfortable over extended periods. Having said that, the textured surface seems to trap sweat on hot days, making for some discomfort of a personal nature. If it belonged to me I'd get the thing re-covered.

Fuel economy is excellent. Over 22km/l is easily achievable on a trip, although combining the daily commute with a weekend blast will average things down to about 17-18km/l. with a tank capacity of 21 litres, a range of 400km is an achievable figure.

IN THE WORKSHOP
All in all, the FZ1 is workshop-friendly, as there's little to strip off in order to get to the service items and, once stripped bare, it's all pretty logical. If there's a cost over and above the four-valve competitors, it's in the valve adjustment, with five of the buggers per cylinder.

We asked Yamaha specialists Stafford Yamaha for service costs and found that for the FZ1 a minor service will cost $260-280 inclusive of parts and labour around every 6000km. A major service and valve adjustment every 42,000km will set you back $460 including parts and labour. With fuel prices escalating faster than John Howard can stick his head in the sand, owning a cheap-to-run motorcycle has never been so attractive.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
As far as the engine goes, it's bullet-proof and bomb-proof but not idiot-proof. What this means is that the only way this thing is going to give trouble is if the previous owner was a mono-wheeling moron with the sensitivity of a sack of sand. If the engine's quiet, the clutch is smooth and there's a service history, it'll be fine. Should the clutch slip or rattle loudly or, in fact, any part of the FZ makes a lot of noise, walk away. Check for all the usual scrapes and dings that are the witness marks of crash damage and, as we've said many times before, make a list of all the things that will need replacing before a roadworthy or shortly afterwards. In particular, items like brake disc thickness and pads, steering head bearings and chain and sprockets would be getting a careful eyeball from me.

When you test ride make sure that the engine performance delivery is smooth and linear. Through lack of correct maintenance, the EXUP valve cable can stick and the valve seize. Where it actually seizes will dictate the kind of power delivery. The EXUP valve is meant to optimise the exhaust gas flow so that you get the best low-end torque as well as top end power. This would normally be checked during servicing but can be overlooked by home mechanics. When you start the machine you should be able to hear the EXUP valve in operation. If it labours or sounds anything other than smooth, it's already in strife.

On the move, if all the gears feel unusually noisy with loads of backlash, check the chain tension. Correct chain tension is essential to minimise the clunkiness of gear changes. Apparently changing to the linkage from an early R1, with a shorter lever throw, helps in making the shift easier.

IMPROVEMENTS
Most owners wisely limit exhaust changes to an aftermarket end can so they can retain the EXUP valve set-up. This gives a slight boost in power and, coupled with a jet kit, will improve low-end throttle response. A full exhaust system will usually just give more top end power - fine if you ride on a track at high speed a lot, but not so good anywhere else. For the best information on how to get more from your FZ1, talk to an expert like Don Stafford at Stafford Yamaha.

The suspension may need a freshen-up, if it's done over 30,000km, or you may want to modify it regardless. The same can be said of the brakes that benefit from braided lines. It will depend on the demands you make of the bike but, to be honest, the bike is already very capable. As for tyres, I'm a massive fan of Bridgestone Battlax 020, which seem to suit the bike really well. They last well and give superb road grip, especially in the wet.
Lastly, and this is just my preference, I reckon dropping a tooth off the front sprocket livens the FZ1 up enormously.

SUMMING UP
The FZ1 is about to be replaced by the all-new 2006 version that looks stunning. Whether we'll get it here I don't know, but pricing will play an important part in its success. If the FZ1 original were to be launched today at a reasonable sub-$14,000 price, it would still be a brilliant motorcycle. I still reckon it should have had a shaft drive but, despite that, you can have my 2001 "Bike of the Year" for less than ten grand. Bargain!