jrevans
Old-School Member
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2008
- Messages
- 520
- Reaction score
- 14
- Points
- 18
- Location
- Eastern Pennsylvania
So, two days ago, it was really nice outside here in Pennsylvania. I rode my 2004 FZ6 to lunch then decided to stop by the local shop (Blackmans) to see if they had an FZ-09 yet.
The had a nice looking red one on the floor. I was drooling over it a little, and the cool salesman came and talked to me. He talked to me a bit about the bike and asked if I wanted to sit on it. He pulled it out of the line and let me sit on it. Wow, it is light and tiny feeling.
As I was sitting on the bike, he asked if I wanted to take it for a test ride. Huh? When I bought my 2004 FZ6 new in 2004, there were no test rides allowed, and I had to beg the dealership owner to let me take a short spin on it. According to the salesman, two years ago Yamaha started a demo bike program for certain models including the FZ1, FZ8, FJR, some cruiser and now the FZ-09. I was wearing my roadcrafter and holding my helmet and gloves so I said, "Yes, I'd like to take it for a ride." He copied my license, I filled out a form, he threw a plate on the bike and sent me out.
He warned me that throttle mode was abrupt off idle in modes A and STD, but I assured him that I knew all about off idle throttle since I owned an FZ6. Well, it's worse on the FZ-09 than on the FZ6! I didn't stall, but I had to slip the clutch a little to get it going smoothly.
The bike felt light, very light. The seating position was very comfortable, but I felt very far forward and sitting up high. It was just a little odd, but not bad. It might have just been the visual effect from not having a fairing in front of me. The LCD dash was pretty much useless, maybe even more useless than the one of my FZ6, because it seemed to be lower from my sight range. The front turn signals were very apparent though, since there wasn't a front fairing. I did notice the colored lights on top of the LCD display, and could see the speedometer, but I'd much prefer an analog tach with a digital speedometer. Didn't they learn from 2004?
Anyways, I've never ridden a three cylinder, but it was neat! Lots of torque anywhere in the rev range, and it had a really cool sound that is tough to describe. It revved nicely and almost sounds like an inline four, but meatier. There was power everywhere. Very odd after riding the FZ6. It felt very good to twist the throttle and I didn't notice and jerkiness once off idle.
There was a lot of traffic (a pickup pulled out in front of me from a driveway, and then I got stuck behind a mailman) and being unfamiliar with the bike, I didn't push it, but I got a basic feel for the few miles that I rode it. It handled nicely and the brakes worked well. The suspension didn't feel too cheap to me, but I didn't ride it hard enough to tell anything.
The wind blast from no windshield wasn't too bad. It was far quieter than the turbulent air that blasts me on the FZ6. I think I'd like some kind of windscreen or fairing though if I had a choice. It felt different to be up high, and out in the open, as compared to the FZ6.
I could really get used to a bike like that, as long as the power didn't get me in trouble.... The sound and feel of the motor was really neat. Riding the FZ6 again, was like getting into a honda civic after driving my Trans-Am, as the torque difference was really noticeable.
I bought my FZ6 new in 2004, so maybe the ten year itch is going to hit me and I'll pick up a FZ-09 in 2014? Who knows, but I definitely liked the bike and am happy that Yamaha now has a demo ride program.
The had a nice looking red one on the floor. I was drooling over it a little, and the cool salesman came and talked to me. He talked to me a bit about the bike and asked if I wanted to sit on it. He pulled it out of the line and let me sit on it. Wow, it is light and tiny feeling.
As I was sitting on the bike, he asked if I wanted to take it for a test ride. Huh? When I bought my 2004 FZ6 new in 2004, there were no test rides allowed, and I had to beg the dealership owner to let me take a short spin on it. According to the salesman, two years ago Yamaha started a demo bike program for certain models including the FZ1, FZ8, FJR, some cruiser and now the FZ-09. I was wearing my roadcrafter and holding my helmet and gloves so I said, "Yes, I'd like to take it for a ride." He copied my license, I filled out a form, he threw a plate on the bike and sent me out.
He warned me that throttle mode was abrupt off idle in modes A and STD, but I assured him that I knew all about off idle throttle since I owned an FZ6. Well, it's worse on the FZ-09 than on the FZ6! I didn't stall, but I had to slip the clutch a little to get it going smoothly.
The bike felt light, very light. The seating position was very comfortable, but I felt very far forward and sitting up high. It was just a little odd, but not bad. It might have just been the visual effect from not having a fairing in front of me. The LCD dash was pretty much useless, maybe even more useless than the one of my FZ6, because it seemed to be lower from my sight range. The front turn signals were very apparent though, since there wasn't a front fairing. I did notice the colored lights on top of the LCD display, and could see the speedometer, but I'd much prefer an analog tach with a digital speedometer. Didn't they learn from 2004?
Anyways, I've never ridden a three cylinder, but it was neat! Lots of torque anywhere in the rev range, and it had a really cool sound that is tough to describe. It revved nicely and almost sounds like an inline four, but meatier. There was power everywhere. Very odd after riding the FZ6. It felt very good to twist the throttle and I didn't notice and jerkiness once off idle.
There was a lot of traffic (a pickup pulled out in front of me from a driveway, and then I got stuck behind a mailman) and being unfamiliar with the bike, I didn't push it, but I got a basic feel for the few miles that I rode it. It handled nicely and the brakes worked well. The suspension didn't feel too cheap to me, but I didn't ride it hard enough to tell anything.
The wind blast from no windshield wasn't too bad. It was far quieter than the turbulent air that blasts me on the FZ6. I think I'd like some kind of windscreen or fairing though if I had a choice. It felt different to be up high, and out in the open, as compared to the FZ6.
I could really get used to a bike like that, as long as the power didn't get me in trouble.... The sound and feel of the motor was really neat. Riding the FZ6 again, was like getting into a honda civic after driving my Trans-Am, as the torque difference was really noticeable.
I bought my FZ6 new in 2004, so maybe the ten year itch is going to hit me and I'll pick up a FZ-09 in 2014? Who knows, but I definitely liked the bike and am happy that Yamaha now has a demo ride program.
