HEY YAMAHA - Read this, FZ6 Owners talk about the FZ8

[Rumpole of the Bailey]

Hey Mr YAMMIE, you made such a great indestructible, versatile all rounder in the FZ6 and FZ6S that we don't upgrade our bikes much. We prefer to keep them and modify them.

Yeah, most of us even get to the stage where we have to have the valves adjusted. And, Mr YAMMIE, that is about the only money your dealers get from us after we buy our bikes.

The expectations we have of the FZ6 prior to purchase are exceeded when we have the bike. And that keeps going on.

So mate, you blew it!

You couldn't keep sales of the FZ6 and FZ6S up so you bought out those hybrid models. And... when that didn't increase sales you fell on your sword (so to speak) and listened to the marketers.

AND they said, yeah, stop making the FZ6 and FZ6S and make an 800 cc bike!! when we have sold a few of these, bring back the FZ6 and FZ6S in a couple of years.

AND you are WRONG. The FZ8 doesn't have an undertaile exhaust which is the main feature of the FZ6.

Listen to what my mates in this forum from all around the world have to say and remember this, the FZ6 and FZ6S was the right Price, was Positioned correctly in the market, attracted the right People and .... it was a fantastic Product.
Rumpole
(qualified in Marketing by the way)

 

[Wolfman]

I agree with you wholeheartedly, that the FZ8 is a bit of a "miss", it only has 4 more hp than an FZ6, weighs a truckload more than the FZ6....has one of the ugliest exhaust pipes i have ever seen, and apparently, it's motor, isnt quite as free-spinning as the glorious FZ6 donk....and the thing is a lot more expensive than the outgoing FZ6!

The FZ8 misses the mark IMHO! If it had of had 115 - 120HP at the rear wheel....better brakes, better suspension, then i would of seen it as a logical replacement for the FZ6.

But all Yamaha has done is make a "parts bin special", IMHO....using a sleeved down version of the FZ1 motor, the FZ1 frame, and lower than expected suspension specs.....If i wanted a bike as big as the FZ1, i would buy an FZ1, why look at an FZ8 when it is the same size, and has 35-40 less horsepower than the FZ1....

Sorry Mr Yamaha, i aint buying your marketing hype, this "replacement" for the FZ6, is just a great way to try and extort an extra couple of grand out of a new bike buyer, cause at 800cc, a lot of people will say, it is worth the extra money, cause it's 200cc bigger! Bollocks i say, i will stick with the FZ6....For a extra spend of about $500 on a power commander, i can have the same Hp output, if i shorten the gearing...another cheap mod, i can have similar "torque", lower down the rev range, which is supposedly the FZ8's selling point. I bet the FZ6 is quicker over a quarter mile (not that i care), it pretty much has to be...similar power rating, much lighter...

Now hurry up Mr Yamaha, put a decent donk in your FZ8, with the horsepower an 800cc bike deserves, or get your $hit together, and bring out a new FZ1, at a decent price, with the cross-plane donk from the R1!!!

 

[Evitzee]

Well, if your company lost more than US$2 billion last year, and cost it's president his job, could you justify rolling out a brand spanking new-from-the-ground-up all around street motorcycle if you were Yamaha's new leader? It's easy to sit in your easy chair and moan about it, but Yamaha is in business to make money and when your products are in the 'toy' market; motorcycles, ATV's, personal water craft and musical instruments, things aren't quite so easy. In case you have been asleep in a cave for a couple of years the world is in a severe recession and Yamaha's products are those that aren't needed and are the first to get jettisoned by their customers when they lose their jobs, or are afraid of losing them. I agree the FZ8 is a bit of a dog's breakfast, so I wouldn't buy one. Opt for a FZ1 which would seem to be a much better machine in almost all regards, or stick with the tried and true FZ6, both are great machines. I think Yamaha needs to keep something 'new' in the pipeline to keep whatever interest is there, but considering the condition of the company and the economy I can't fault them too much. Right now it is survival mode and waiting for sunnier days in the future when customers return.

 

[champion221elite]

To me, the FZ8 seems like an answer in search of a question.

Yes, we know it's an 800 cc class motorcycle, but it's not a true 800 cc bike. Instead, Yamaha took the FZ1 engine and castrated it by sleeving the bores down approximately 200 cc's and lost plenty of HP and torque in the process.

The Fz8 has the size and weight of the FZ1 with similar power albeit slightly more torque than the lighter FZ6 that it replaced. I'm no math whiz, but it seems like more bang for the buck to stick with the FZ6 instead of getting an FZ8.

The FZ6 is cheaper to buy, lighter weight, difference in HP is not too significant, and probably cheaper to insure (200 cc's smaller) than the FZ8.

I fully understand that motorcyclists are a fussy bunch, and I've been told the average rider switches motorcycles approximately every 3 years or so. Riders switch for many reasons including, but not limited to... the want/ need for more power, better ergos's, sportier, more touring capabilities, ect.

The FZ8 really doesn't have that much more to offer when compared to the FZ6. Besides some extra torque lower in the rev range, the FZ8 fails to impress me. I know the FZ6 is no torque monster, and the engine needs to be revved to make it's power. Yeah, so what? It's a 600 cc inline 4 cylinder motor... they all wind up in the rev's to make power. Winding them up past 10,000 rpms is half the fun of having a 600 cc bike!

The FZ8 seems like a "half step" between the FZ6 and the FZ1. The 8 offers slightly more than the 6, but not nearly much as the FZ1. Should I ever feel the urge to upgrade, I will almost certainly jump to the FZ1 and skip over the FZ8.

 

[Rumpole of the Bailey]

'In case you have been asleep in a cave for a couple of years the world is in a severe recession and Yamaha's products are those that aren't needed '....

ahh, our banks wern't hooked up with the United States banks. We are actually more aligned with China now and Asia. Our economy is sound and bike sales are pretty much the same as before the time when US banks couldn't pay their loan payments (sub-prime market collapse.)

Infact, with our excellent mining operations, business as usual down under (check your dollar exchange rates).

I would sell my Porche before I would sell my FZ6S anyway.

Cheers,
Rumpole

 

[tomari]

i think fz8 is a way to sell those stock FZ1s now that there is no new FZ6 everybody says "why buy the FZ8 its sh1t, ill take the FZ1" so the trick works! yamaha made a couple of FZ8 just to stay around, dropped the FZ6 in 2009 and allow almost a year to stock out and now what is your choise? Im sure FZ6 will come back a couple of years later with brain creaming specs/features/suspension/lowend ecu mapping/clutch/gearbox

 

[Wolfman]

Well, if your company lost more than US$2 billion last year, and cost it's president his job, could you justify rolling out a brand spanking new-from-the-ground-up all around street motorcycle if you were Yamaha's new leader? It's easy to sit in your easy chair and moan about it, but Yamaha is in business to make money and when your products are in the 'toy' market; motorcycles, ATV's, personal water craft and musical instruments, things aren't quite so easy. In case you have been asleep in a cave for a couple of years the world is in a severe recession and Yamaha's products are those that aren't needed and are the first to get jettisoned by their customers when they lose their jobs, or are afraid of losing them. I agree the FZ8 is a bit of a dog's breakfast, so I wouldn't buy one. Opt for a FZ1 which would seem to be a much better machine in almost all regards, or stick with the tried and true FZ6, both are great machines. I think Yamaha needs to keep something 'new' in the pipeline to keep whatever interest is there, but considering the condition of the company and the economy I can't fault them too much. Right now it is survival mode and waiting for sunnier days in the future when customers return.

Are you looking for a job in the Yamaha Marketing department! Buit i see your point....i cant see why putting a bike on the market, that has IMHO...limited appeal, and a narrow market appeal...if they wanted to sell truckloads of these bikes in Europe...one of the biggest markets in the world for naked bikes especially, then Yamaha should of given the bike more "Bling"...it's boring! Granted it looks great, but for all those FZ6 owners....it's target demographic, it doesnt offer enough IMHO for them to upgrade...so, instead of going on the front foot out of a recesiion, Yamaha played it safe...too safe IMHO!!!

:thumbup:

 

[tomari]

even if you buy the FZ8 and not the FZ1 then its better for them. You get super high margin FZ1

 

[Kazza]

Checked out the FZ8N and FZ8S at a dealership today - ok, but I'd rather buy FZ1 for that money.

Also, that pipe on the side is just hideous

No, I'm not trading in my FZ6 for the 8. No way :shakehead:

Now, maybe an FZ1 .....

 

[Wolfman]

Checked out the FZ8N and FZ8S at a dealership today - ok, but I'd rathe buy FZ1 for that money.

Also, that pipe on the side is just hideous

No, I'm not trading in my FZ6 for the 8. No way :shakehead:

Now, maybe an FZ1 .....

Yep, went to another Yamaha Stealership today...and that exhaust....it looks like it was made in someone's shed, with a bit of tin, a can of black spray paint, and a rivet gun....seriously, Yamaha aint going that bad is it???

 

[tomari]

heheheehhe

 

[Kazza]

heheheehhe

Just paint it black and you've got it LOL

 

[Wolfman]

I like the look of the Swingarm though, much nicer than the FZ6 swingarm IMHO. The forks also look the goods in gold...pity they have zero adjustability, but still, the OEM FZ6 forks are non adjustable, and they aint too bad...the FZ8 forks just look like they are from this millenium, unlike the FZ6 shocks...which look very 90's in their heritage...

:thumbup:

 

[tomari]

View attachment 29919


sorry, can't help it...

 

[Wolfman]

View attachment 29919


sorry, can't help it...

That's just awesome! ROTFLMAO! :rof::rof::rof:

 

[Disco]

Now hurry up Mr Yamaha, put a decent donk in your FZ8, with the horsepower an 800cc bike deserves, or get your $hit together, and bring out a new FZ1, at a decent price, with the cross-plane donk from the R1!!!

:thumbup: Now this is the bike Yamaha should be making, cross plane cranked FZ1.

Id friggin buy it no matter how badly they could stuff up the styling.

 

[Wolfman]

:thumbup: Now this is the bike Yamaha should be making, cross plane cranked FZ1.

Id friggin buy it no matter how badly they could stuff up the styling.

Yeah, i gotta say, it would be hard to resist!

C'mon Yamaha, please answer our prayers...you will sell them by the truckloads!

:rockon:

 

[tomari]

you have to wait until they sell those FZ1 first!
when they sell the amount they want then they will upgrate it!
i guess the number is very high thats why the stoped fz6 and started fz8 - cheapoFZ1 as stated before! so people be patient!
our prayers will be answered
we just need to find enough suckers to buy those 8s first!
so lets start saying how good the fz8 is!

 

[grommit]

Cons:

Ugly, looks like a cheap FZ1, oh it is.
Lack of suspension adjust-ability.
The exhaust.
Price, it is twice the price I paid for my FZ6.
Price.
Price.
Why not buy an FZ1.

Pros:

Great engine.
Suspension is quite good despite above.
It is a Yamaha.


Conclusion:

The FZ6R(XJ6) is a pile of dog poop, the FZ8 is over priced, as is the XJ for that matter. The Honda Hornet is looking real good and the Honda CB1000R looks very tempting, despite the dealer being a million miles away.

 

[Drinky]

First is the FZ8, second FZ6
78.1KW (106.2PS) / 10000 rpm 72,0 kW (98 pk) at 12.000 tpm
82.0Nm (8.4kgf･m) / 8000 rpm 63,1 Nm (6,44 kg-m) at 10.000 tpm
FZ6 is 8kg lighter.

the torque seems quite good, at 2000rpm less its on its full potential..
I love the look, and who keeps the original exhaust anyway?
I hate the undertail exhaust on the fz6 when I go on a long trip because it melts the straps I tie my bag to the bike with. I love its look tho.

I'm gonna take it for a spin at the dealer as soon as my clavicle is grown together.
I totalled my fz6 so the fz8 is a real contender for my next choice..