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

[jtarkany]

Am I starting to see a pattern? Downgrading the FZ6 to the FZ6r for about the same price...downgrading an FZ1 to an FZ8 with less real world performance than an FZ6 and charging 4k more for it WHAT THE HECK

Yamaha replaced the FZ6 with 2 new bikes that are inferior to the FZ6, what kind of marketing and quality customer relations is this?

 

[fzme]

i have a theory. maybe someone already said this. i think worldwide the fz1 never sold well and yamaha had all this overstock of fz1s. i guess the best way to get rid of them was to spin off the fz1 and make the fz8. so with the fz8 yamaha can slowly sell off all those overstocked fz1 parts. i mean... look at the two, the fz1 and fz8 are almost identical.

I thought of this too. Yamaha is trying to dump the FZ1, maybe making way for the 2011 FZ1.:don'tknow: Maybe the sting wouldn't have hurt so bad if the FZ8 was anticipated as a lateral step from the FZ6 or alternate to the FZ6 (like Suzuki's SV/Bandit) instead of, what I thought, would be more like a naked GSXR 750 or a Triumph S3.

 

[Wolfman]

I thought of this too. Yamaha is trying to dump the FZ1, maybe making way for the 2011 FZ1.:don'tknow: Maybe the sting wouldn't have hurt so bad if the FZ8 was anticipated as a lateral step from the FZ6 or alternate to the FZ6 (like Suzuki's SV/Bandit) instead of, what I thought, would be more like a naked GSXR 750 or a Triumph S3.

This is what is was hoping for i suppose, a bike with a bit of a raw edge performance wise, with decent adjustable suspension...which is what i thought we were going to get, and it is sorta how Yamaha had marketed a little, before it's release...especially as the FZ6R, and XJ6N, XJ6S were all released...being rather tame in their specs list...

I think us "performance junkies" have definitely been left wanting a bit...

 

[deeptekkie]

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)

well said!!!

 

[deeptekkie]

There is no option in this poll about 'hating ' the FZ8, we are mostly Yamaha lovers here.
What the poll says is that us FZ6 and FZ6S owners won't be buying the FZ8or FZ8S , currently 93%, which statistcially is significant.
It may also be something I believe Yamaha havn't considered in this marketing ploy.

The fact of the matter is I have seen this phenomenon before. I am old enough to remember 2 other bikes this has happened to.
1970's Honda CB350
1970's Suzuki 2 stroke 500cc twin (road bike)

Both were the biggest selling bikes in their time and only died because of marketers.

WE DON'T HATE THE FZ8
WE HATE THE YAMAHA MARKETING DEPT AND THEY DON'T DESIGN OR RIDE BIKES.

Rumps:Flip:

I love it when you do "bikespeak". (Total agreement)
I personally think that alot of marketing decisions are made from padded chairs in air conditioned offices by folks who ride very little, if any. (Or perhaps on the golf course, in a smoky bar over too many drinks, or in the back of an old beat up van on a dark street by a guy named Mongo)
Thanks again for this post!
I do believe all of the manufacturers are "switching" to make the 800's the new 600's, (but that doesn't mean that we, the consumers, have to like it!). They didn't have to abondon the best bike they have ever produced! While they have made major strides, as well as magnificent machines in the 600cc bikes, that is no reason for me to buy a heavier, slower, more expensive bike to buy, as well as to insure! Why, at a time when the economy is crashed and bike manufacturers are hurting, why would you drop a solid, bullet-proof model? (The dealers have to spend money on mechanic training, buy new references, stock more parts, etc, etc, etc...JMO.
Your's is the best post I have read in quite awhile, (and it brings out the Fazer lover in all of us = why we are here in the first place!).

 

[Drinky]

last fz8 supporter has fallen...
Did a test ride on it. It does have a more stable power curve, and it does respond to the throttle a little more what you expect, the bike feels rock solid when touring,
but it lacks the crazy mode above 6-7k rpm. it felt like a really nice bike.
For touring it might be perfect, sound was pretty good, but if you already own the fz6, its not an improvement, power wise, and power wise only because its a great bike!
If I had to choose between de 6 and the 8 for my first, bike, I'd probably pick the 8.
If I had plenty of money ofcourse, because for the extra 1500 euros, I could get akra's on the fz6, hyperpro springs, and still have 500 to spend on other stuff.

BUT: I found a pretty good deal on a used FZ1, still looks brand new, so I'm now the proud owner of a Cobalt Blue FZ1 Fazer

 

[Kazza]

last fz8 supporter has fallen...
Did a test ride on it. It does have a more stable power curve, and it does respond to the throttle a little more what you expect, the bike feels rock solid when touring,
but it lacks the crazy mode above 6-7k rpm. it felt like a really nice bike.
For touring it might be perfect, sound was pretty good, but if you already own the fz6, its not an improvement, power wise, and power wise only because its a great bike!
If I had to choose between de 6 and the 8 for my first, bike, I'd probably pick the 8.
If I had plenty of money ofcourse, because for the extra 1500 euros, I could get akra's on the fz6, hyperpro springs, and still have 500 to spend on other stuff.

BUT: I found a pretty good deal on a used FZ1, still looks brand new, so I'm now the proud owner of a Cobalt Blue FZ1 Fazer

Congrats Drinky, on the FZ1.

:needpics:

Sorry you had to come over to our way of thinking on the FZ8

 

[Cloggy]

congratulations on the new bike, looking forward to seeing the pics, or maybe seeing it in the flesh sometime soon :thumbup:

 

[Yammi Dodger]

The FZ6 is a great bike :thumbup: ticks all the right box's plus you get the cheaper tax and insurance. Cant justify having the FZ8 when you can have the FZ1 which would have similar running costs. Got to agree that exhaust is very poor so why such a high price for a in-between bike

 

[tomari]

Dear Yamaha -

All the FZ6 needed was a more real-world engine - more torque at a lower rpm. Nothing more.
jZ

also:
a more real world low end throttle
a more real world gearbox
a more real world seat
a more real world fairing
a more real world suspension

thats all!

Dream bike, best seller!

 

[hoston1765]

A rider review of the FZ8 on Youtube "8 is the new 6" :[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcGKvXBuzCI&playnext=1&videos=YI5iJooEeco&feature=sub]YouTube - ‪2011 Yamaha FZ8 Review - 8 is the new 6‬‎[/ame]

 

[tomari]

BUT: I found a pretty good deal on a used FZ1, still looks brand new, so I'm now the proud owner of a Cobalt Blue FZ1 Fazer

pic or it never happened!

 

[grommit]

last fz8 supporter has fallen...

BUT: I found a pretty good deal on a used FZ1, still looks brand new, so I'm now the proud owner of a Cobalt Blue FZ1 Fazer

Good choice.:thumbup:

 

[Wolfman]

Does anyone know if there is an aftermarket can available for the FZ8 yet...i reckon they might sell a few!

 

[Hellgate]

Or buy a gently used FZ1 and have plenty of money left over for cool mods. :thumbup: That's what I did.

Wolfman, I'd guess that the FZ1 exhaust will fit the FZ8 as the bikes look the same.

 

[Kazza]

Does anyone know if there is an aftermarket can available for the FZ8 yet...i reckon they might sell a few!

Akropovic is the only one at the moment, I think....

Probably the whole system, not a slip on.

 

[Wolfman]

Or buy a gently used FZ1 and have plenty of money left over for cool mods. :thumbup: That's what I did.

Wolfman, I'd guess that the FZ1 exhaust will fit the FZ8 as the bikes look the same.

You would think so, but this may not be the case, look at the FZ6, A 04-06, and a 07+ look pretty much identical...but these bikes have different headers, which the mid pipe connects to at a different point.

making it the same as the FZ1 would be the 'nice' thing to do.

:thumbup: