What makes FZ so heavy?

[Jacobien]

FZ-6 is about 186kg and a R6 or equivalent is 160kg.

So where does the other +-20kgs come from?

FZ does not have fairing - 5kg
FZ has main stand + 2kg
FZ has smaller brakes - 1kg
FZ has bigger tank + 3kg

Technically it should be at leas 1kg lighter!

But really?

 

[youngy]

huge long exhaust system with mahoosive underseat silencer?
metal rear grabrail assembly?
light weight forks on the R6?
maybe Yamaha lie about the weight of the R6?

 

[seb101]

fz6 is not exact copy of r6, you should also notice that fz6 is almost twice as cheap as r6 where you've got a lot of stuff that has reduced weight. i would look also into stuff like radiator, wheels, brake disc, swingarm, weight of both shocks and probably things inside the engine itself, like cams etc
The fact that yamaha thankfully used aluminium frame made the bike somewhat 5-10 kg lighter then it would have been with steel frame.
They did try to reduce the weight in reasonable matter of cash to comfort-usuability in all sorts of things for example Alternator that doesn't weight much but produces just enough power for bike itself and all accessories are pretty much abusing the battery (not like in fjr1300 and so on tourer bike).

 

[fureinku]

damn americans, all this "kg" stuff causes me to not be able to join this conversation

 

[Jacobien]

Well, I know the wheels and brakes and front forks are from the 2003 R6 and that model R6 was also about 160kgs. (353 pounds)

Looking at the swingarm, the R6 one has the added strut at the top, so there again less metal means less weight so how then the R6 being lighter?

I just don't get it. I sat on a R6 once and the only difference in weight I could feel was that it all was way lower...

I am also starting to think that there might be some white lies from Yamaha.

Best way to solve this dilemma is by weighting the bike.

 

[sxty8goats]

metal rear grabrail assembly?

The grab rail is a plastic composite. No metal in it. I had to repair/repaint one last season. Seemed to be a glass filled thermo-set.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

The bike is top heavy due to the tail exhaust.

 

[skooter65]

If I were to make a semi-educated guess; I would suspect the weight differences come from the summation of all of the little components. The FZ6 is Taller and longer than the R6 so there will likely be a weight savings in all major components (Frame, Forks, Swing-arm). I would suspect that the designers of the R6 spent much more time on the frame design in order to reduce thicknesses and and support sizes. I believe the R6 uses an aluminum sub-frame and, even if it doesn't, I bet they used much less material than the FZ6 which likely has safety margins for luggage and a passenger. Also, seeing as that the R6 is a "race inspired" bike; the material size & selection for fasteners, engine covers, body work, triple trees, rear-sets, axles, etc, was looked at in more detail to reduce weight.

My $0.02...

 

[Davey]

I just don't get it. I sat on a R6 once and the only difference in weight I could feel was that it all was way lower...

When you sit on a bike the 'feel' can be down to the centre of gravity as well as the overall weight. As others have said the FZ6 has a heavy exhaust mounted higher up, as well as other parts adding weight. When you lean the bike over it'll feel like it wants to topple sooner than an R6 would want to.

 

[Motogiro]

I thought the dry weight of the FZ6 was around 208 kilo. That's like 459 lbs?

 

[Hoshiko]

I thought the dry weight of the FZ6 was around 208 kilo. That's like 459 lbs?

I think that is the wet weight

 

[Wolfman]

I bet if youy put any R6 on your OWN scales...it would not weigh 160kg's....more like 175kg's! Japanese motorcycle manufactyurers are renowned for telling "porky pies" when it comes to dry/wet weight's of their sportsbikes....just like they are with HP output, always stating figures from the crank, on a bench, not from the rear wheel, in the real world.

But having said that, the FZ6 is probably heavier because it has a massive car style exhaust, that weighs a tonne, big fat rubber mounted footpegs, made for comfort, not looks, or weight savings. The seat is bigger and heavier, etc, etc....

But in reality, i bet the difference is only about 15kg's, and most of that would be the exhaust!

:thumbup:

 

[4drfocus]

I have noticed alot of differences in the material used on the FZ6 vs. R6, especially the R6r.

FZ6 sub frame: steel
R6r sub frame: magnesium alloy

FZ6 exhaust: undertail w/ 3 catalytic converters
R6 exhaust: side exit w/ no cats

FZ6 swingarm: tubular aluminium
R6r swingarm: cast aluminium, plus it's 2 inches shorter

FZ6 fuel tank: 4.8 gallons
R6r fuel tank: 3.5 gallons

The R6 also uses a smaller rear brake rotor, and the inverted forks are lighter, keep in mind that 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of fuel weighs about 8 pounds.

 

[Erci]

FZ6 dry weight is 419 lbs. About 460 wet.
I dropped 8 pounds off my bike by putting Leo Vince on and I dumped some weight when I converted to streetfighter (not sure how much, but I'm guessing 8-10 pounds).
Can't really feel the difference.

 

[Jacobien]

Jip, I also believe that the figures advertised in the brochures etc. are a bit overstated - remember the initial R6 redline of 18,000RPM which was later changed to 16,000?

Well, I don't weigh that much and I have the Leo Vince pipes on so that may be why I manage to stay with a 2009 GSXR 600...

Thanks guys - all I wanted clarity on.

 

[Kriswithak]

They never compare bikes directly.
Like the R6 10' is wet weight vs the FZ6 S2 07' being dry. Leaves alot of leaway for shenanigans.

I've heard they also filled the R6 wheels with helium :O

The weight you feel is ALOT more the balance of the bike than purely the total weight.
My FZX250 felt much lighter than the FZ6 because it was so much lower to the ground, realistically they are similar weight.

 

[Circle]

huge long exhaust system with mahoosive underseat silencer?
metal rear grabrail assembly?
light weight forks on the R6?
maybe Yamaha lie about the weight of the R6?

Making a very non scientific judgement here, but when I swapped out the factory exhaust and put in a 'Two Bros' exhaust (being a kiwi I love this product name), the factory was subsequently heavier.
(At least 4-5 heaviers to be precise.)

 

[buzzbomb]

They never compare bikes directly.
Like the R6 10' is wet weight vs the FZ6 S2 07' being dry. Leaves alot of leaway for shenanigans.

I've heard they also filled the R6 wheels with helium :O

The weight you feel is ALOT more the balance of the bike than purely the total weight.
My FZX250 felt much lighter than the FZ6 because it was so much lower to the ground, realistically they are similar weight.

Yeah some manufacturers put their bikes in dehumidifiers to remove all moisture to obtain unrealistic weight figures, and even remove the battery in some cases, for the dry weight figure.

I'm curious to hear how the FZ6s ride with low mounted exhausts. Weight reduction is a good thing, but centralising weight also helps the handling dynamics of the bike.

 

[herbis]

If you have ever had that rear sub-frame off you will know that its really heavy , it seems way stronger & made of heavier gauge steel than other bikes I have had. It probably has to support the weight of the exhaust. & so is that thermoset plastic grab handle tail section, loose both of those & shed about 15kg just there.

 

[Jacobien]

True.

I will however not be "shedding" the plastic grab rail, that will just be silly