Yamaha FZ1N

There’s a European/Japanese divide when it comes to building streetfighters. The Euros favour ripping the fairing off a race-bred superbike and taping a sharp knife inside the owner’s manual, whereas the Japanese soften the power punches and throw in a year’s supply of Band-Aids. So whether you’re looking for a hard and fast or a subtly persuasive mechanical companion, the choices are out there.

Yamaha comes to the party with controlled aggression rather than brandishing a blade and a bad-ass demeanour. The FZ1N comes across as a mean and moody player, especially in this “triple black” (bodywork, engine, frame) colour scheme. It’s blacker than a miner’s arse and, on a cold, dark winter’s night, it’s best to park it under a street light to save the embarrassment of calling the SES to help you find the practically invisible fighter in an unlit alleyway.

POWER. CONTROLLED
Originating from between the frame rails of the company’s R1 superbike, the engine dominates the look of the FZ1N and also its personality. The “usual” power rejigging of Jap streetfighters’ engines gets a billing here – less peak power, more mid-range torque and a generally less manic approach to life. As you can imagine through, having a litre engine in an unfaired chassis means it’s always a postcode away from being dull.

From tick-over, the bike drives smartly, rather than ferociously, through the mid to the top ranges, taking into account the rider’s upright, unfaired position. The clutch’s action is silky and linear and the only complaint from the six-speeder is the “house brick onto a tin roof” clunk as you drop the bike from neutral into first gear.

This coarseness defies the rest of the box’s operation, which is so smooth that clutch-less up-changes become the norm.

In a true case of Jekyll and Hyde, the engine delivers traffic-battling smooth power with a rush of a ferocious top-end. It can’t match the omnipresent fire-breathing throttle aggression from others such as Aprilia and Ducati, but ridden in the real world that “purpose over punching” approach is just as effective.

YOU’RE A DRAGSTAR
Helping add to the controlled feel of the engine, the bike’s swingarm could bring wood to a grown drag racer’s leathers. Longer than a wet weekend in Woop Woop, it banishes unintentional wheelies and gives great drive when the taps are fully open. In fact, the front wheel stays planted much longer than a bike of this type has ever achieved before. To complement the long arm, a chain that’d impress Mr T hangs from the sprockets like a massive silver snake; it’s length at odds with the stubby back bodywork and twin saddles. Visually, the dimensions of the FZ1N make you stop, look and stare.

HOME ALONE
From the saddle, your vision is filled with a lot of world and not much machine. To say the front of the bike is minimal is like saying a topless barmaid seems dressed for winter. The one-piece bars are flat, raked back and are held off the top yoke by tall bar risers, giving the cockpit a custom look. It also gives more leverage through the bars and adds to the change of direction quickness.

Underneath the bars lies the small instrument cluster and huge headlight. Without having to fit into aerodynamic bodywork, the Transformer-esque light can only be described as “proper,” the high beam lighting like Sebastian Loeb’s world rally title Peugeot on a night stage. Sitting up high on the bike, the view forward has an early Ducati Monster look to it. As usual, the mirrors are primarily there to give an excellent view of elbows and shoulders. But every now and then a car spoils the image…

FIRM. BUT FAIR
The multi adjustable suspension has a firmness to it that means this bike was never designed to be an XJR-era comfort cycle.  The saddle is what Monty Python would describe as “waafer thin,” though it’s more comfortable than it looks. The bike picks-up road irregularities just like a superbike and the high pegs have your legs bent at a similar angle to your racer mate’s.

With quick steering and a lightness to drop into corners, it’s clear the chassis is a lot closer to the R1’s than the engine is. But with the lack of wind protection and high bars, it generally feels like you’re going faster than on the racer.

SUITS YOU?
So who’s the FZ1 for? Riders looking for a bit more room than on a superbike without loosing the feel of a firm, big-bore bike. It has zero practicality – if it rains you get wetter than in the shower and if you want to carry anything you have to eat it first – but the feeling of the wind trying to pull your arms and head off make you realise how dull the rest of life can be.

It’d be easy to argue that a naked litre bike makes no sense at all. But then the FZ1 makes you connected to the world you live in better than any plastic-clad missile. It’s also cooler than a dog ollying a skateboard.

THE PITCH
FZ1N coolness is $15,699, although until the end of August 2012, there’s free on-road costs (if you finance through YMA) and free fully comprehensive insurance for a year.

There’s also a half-faired model, the FZ1S, which retails for $16,499, with the same deal until August.

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Aluminium die-cast, diamond shaped
Front suspension: Upside-down fork, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock, 130mm travel
Front brakes: 320mm discs with four-piston calipers
Rear brake: 245mm disc with twin-piston caliper