some small news from yamaha

[LERecords]

ok.. for those that dont know i have to call yamaha for work. today i got to talking about the fz6 and how the fz6r fits into the yamaha brand. basically the convo went about how a few years ago they had looked at their offerings and other companies and decided that they needed to offer more in the 600cc range. (this is right before the r6s became the r6s) so they decided to offer the older r6 model and to start working on a new 600 cc offering (the fz6r).. time goes by and now wer have the r6, r6s, fz6, and the fz6r. He couldnt release the intentions going forward (obviously wont release all the info) but in a round about way stated that yamaha was very please with their current offerings and "liked" the fact that they had a healthy mix of 600 models. he said he see's no reason that the line up would change, but didnt rule out upgrades to model lines as time goes by. specifically the fz6, he said that he couldnt see why they would dis-continue a bike that had such a healthy following in europe and the usa (among every where else) and that yamaha is not about to discontinue something that makes them money. He did say that was based on his opinion and his historical knowledge of how yamaha corporate works. so basically didnt get a strait answer about the future for the fz6, but for the whole model line, it looks pretty good.. he did say that in his opinion, the fz6 would stick around for a few more years before any major upgrades or model changes (meaning drop the fz6 for a different model and not the fz6r.. yamaha wants a bigger offering in the 600 family, and currently they have it)...

hopefully i can get more updates as time goges on. unfortunetly, next call is after july.. so stay tuned :thumbup:

 

[marke14]

Interesting stuff. I would imagine that Yamaha enjoys a decent margin on the FZ6, being as the components are now several years old and they have not had to retool their factories much to build the -r.

Long live the FZ6! (Even if I end up with a different bike someday!)

 

[cbzdel]

fz6r ftw :scared:

 

[MarinaFazer]

Thanks...here's hoping.

FWIW - Jeep pulled the Cherokee in 2001 after 15 years of loyal fanbase. It was the stupidest decision ever. It had huge sales, was the best Jeep and engine offering they made in most opinions. They ditched it cuz they were dumb and now current Jeeps suck. Hopefully Yamaha knows better business.

 

[abacall]

Timing dictates that some kind of change is due on the FZ6. I hope they do what they did from 06-07. Keep the bike mostly the same, just add some upgrades. I would LOVE to see some better suspension on the bike.

 

[MarinaFazer]

true, maybe they'll add full fairings as an option and maybe beef it up to compete better in the 600 middleweight class....

 

[ArmyDocInTraining]

I am totally just being curious here... but who were you talking to?

 

[sm00thpapa]

Yamaha got me confused with all these 600cc models.

 

[Denver_FZ6]

I'm going out on a limb here, swimming against the current, bucking the trend, all that, but I don't see Yamaha continuing the FZ6 now that the R model is here. I believe most new riders will look at the full fairing and lower price on the R model and be hooked. Few will see the value in the aluminum frame and extra horsepower/torque of the 6.
I'm not saying the R is a bad deal, Kawasaki and Suzuki have brought similar bikes this year using basically the same design.

 

[LERecords]

I am totally just being curious here... but who were you talking to?

a person in their facilities department out in california.. cant use names.. dont want to get anyone in trouble :thumbup:

 

[Yatz86]

Timing dictates that some kind of change is due on the FZ6. I hope they do what they did from 06-07. Keep the bike mostly the same, just add some upgrades. I would LOVE to see some better suspension on the bike.

agree with the suspension.

Inverted fork will also be a nice upgrade:thumbup:

 

[keira]

I'm going out on a limb here, swimming against the current, bucking the trend, all that, but I don't see Yamaha continuing the FZ6 now that the R model is here. I believe most new riders will look at the full fairing and lower price on the R model and be hooked. Few will see the value in the aluminum frame and extra horsepower/torque of the 6.
I'm not saying the R is a bad deal, Kawasaki and Suzuki have brought similar bikes this year using basically the same design.

It's a different market. The 6 doesn't appeal tot he same crowd as the R, it is more of a sport-tourer, and the naked look is one that will be around for a while. I doubt the FZ6 is going anywhere, though I do think it is up for a revampig in the next couple years.

 

[CrazyBiker]

FZ6 is not gonna go. FZ1 is going to stay for a long time and FZ6 is the perfect younger brother.

 

[LERecords]

FZ6 is not gonna go. FZ1 is going to stay for a long time and FZ6 is the perfect younger brother.

besides.. if the fz1 was to go for favor of the sport touring fjr.. why not leave the fz6 as a light sport touring bike.... yamaha is in it for the money.. and if they sell alot of these bikes, they will continue to produce them.,..:thumbup:

 

[CrazyBiker]

Actually it went like this. Gen1 FZ1 was selling so well that it took the sales out of the FJR. So one strategy Yamaha adopted is to make the gen2 FZ1 a bit sportier, smaller tank, big bang R1 engine -> low mpg as one of the points of the upgrade. So they want to keep producing the FZ1 and the gen 2 are selling even more as they are the perfect balance of Sport Touring. The FJR to some extent is still a touring bike even if they market it as ST. ST bikes really are FZ1, Futura, Sprint ST, Tiger.

 

[cbzdel]

Not they just need to come out with a FZ1R

 

[wolfc70]

I'm going out on a limb here, swimming against the current, bucking the trend, all that, but I don't see Yamaha continuing the FZ6 now that the R model is here. I believe most new riders will look at the full fairing and lower price on the R model and be hooked. Few will see the value in the aluminum frame and extra horsepower/torque of the 6.
I'm not saying the R is a bad deal, Kawasaki and Suzuki have brought similar bikes this year using basically the same design.

This is what I was thinking too,at first, though once I dug deeper, my thoughts came to this; I like technology and the seamless aluminum frame on the FZ6 is one very cool piece if engineering. It even looks cooler than the frame on the R6.:rockon: Most people want a bike that looks like a sport bike. Some prefer naked, but the majority want looks over function, even if ergonomics suffer a bit (why else are there so many R6, R1 bikes on the street?).

The FZ6 fits perfectly in the line up, middleweight sport bike/touring bike with a split personality and a massive following all over the globe. The FZ6r fits too, replacing the long in the tooth YZF 600r as an entry level bike in the 600 cc class. The FZ6r's lower price and sporty looks appeal to people coming from Ninja 250's and 500's.

If I had to choose a bike today, I would still take the FZ6, the naked look, slick under seat exhaust, and gorgeous frame and screaming top end seals the deal for me.

With four (4) 600 cc bikes in Yamaha's line up (YZF R6, YZF R6s, FZ6, FZ6r) I do not see any model disappearing any time soon.

 

[dean owens]

what's the difference between the r6 and the r6s?

 

[CrazyBiker]

R6S - 2003-2004 R6 which is being marketted now under the S suffix. FZ6 engine is borrowed from it.
R6 - Entirely different machine, components, engine.

 

[Ravenfz09]

i thought the r6s was a 2004-2005 r6? anyway i see the r6s going before the fz