Multi V4 Pikes Peak v FZ1 S Fazer - a strange comparison

[TravisBickle]

Just thought I'd share my experience.

I ordered a M1000XR back when the rumours first hit and wasn't even official yet, I went down the dealer and put my deposit on. May not have been the first in the country, but was certainly the first at my particular dealer to put one on order.

Anyway was promised to me early to mid April. Now saying mid May and I'm not that confident they'll deliver on that updated estimate now either.

I'd already done a deal to sell my 2023 Multi V4 Pikes Peak privately so didn't want to mess the guy around but needed a bike to tide me over for a month or so as I'm currently doing IAM observed rides every week (and didn't want my progress to be curtailed) and also didn't want to miss out on the May Day Ride (the one event of the year I always look forward to and the whole family goes on together). And for no other reason than simply being bikeless makes me very sad

So I managed to pick up this 2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer very cheap for £2,500 which was cheaper than anything else I could find.

I owned a 2014 with ABS a few bikes ago so was already familiar with the bike and convinced of it being the best allrounder you can get for the price bracket it sits in.

My first ever proper big bike I got after I done DAS in 2019 was a 1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer and I went from that to the 2014 FZ1 S Fazer the next year. So wasn't that long ago.

Getting on the Fazer was strange.

Like stepping back in time.

It's not how I remember it though.

Slightly disappointing (a bit like if you were to drive your first ever car, would be totally shit by today's standards but at the time it was the best thing ever).

The lack of cruise control, quickshifter was immediately conspicuous, as was the lack of ABS when the back end stepped out as I used the back brake coming up to a set of lights.

Also the seat is very firm as is the suspension which I don't remember being the case!

Seems much smaller than I remember. Also a bit more leant forward than I remember. The ergos kinda feels like a super sport in comparison to the Pikes Peak, which I don't remember feeling at the time, the riding position felt quite neutral to me back then. Not sure if the ergos have been changed or I've just got older and fatter? Maybe the bars have been dropped and/or the suspension lowered? I can see it's got OEM pegs. Or maybe it's normal and I've just got used to sit up and beg adventure bike ergos.

For a £2,500 bike it's still amazing though!

So much grunt for an inline 4 which just sings whereas the Ducati V4 growls and barks. They're just different soundtracks but I'd forgotten how much I love an inline 4 in full song and I don't think I'll miss the V4 engine characteristics or the sound it makes, maybe because of its twin pulse firing order making it sound and feel more like a big twin, I may have been more keen on it if it had been the RS with the Panigale engine.

Anyway the Fazer feels very analogue in comparison as well, even though it's EFI it's cable throttle instead of ride-by-wire, the throttle seems more direct and instant which didn't seem the case on the Multistrada which seems much more lazy and supple (even in sport/track modes) despite being a good 30bhp more, the Fazer feels quicker! It almost certainly isn't, but it feels and sounds it.

This is a 2007 which was one of the first of the 2nd gen without ABS (which I found out when the back end stepped out when I used the rear brake quite hard LOL), the one I had was a 2014 and had ABS.

It doesn't tip in to the corners as easily or feel as agile as the Pikes Peak but that could be a tyre pressure issue or just shit tyres (I think the back one needs changing as it seemed to want to slide every time I went over road paint but it was late and dark when I got home so I've not really had a look over it at all, just turned up, went straight to his apartment to do the deal and have a coffee and a chat and rode home in the dark and have been too busy since to really give it a good look over).

Previous owner had just got back from a trip around Spain though (he was waiting to get off the boat at Portsmouth when I called him) so I knew it would be semi sensible / reliable. Important bits like oil change done recently and chain/sprocket in good condition which is a good sign bike wasn't being abused. A bit tatty but yeah, it'll do until the BMW arrives! Nothing else for £2,500 comes anywhere close for a comfortable sporty allrounder, the Fazer is such good value for money and will always hold a special place in my heart

Getting all sentimental now.

Comments welcome.
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2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport

[rpsmith79]

[P.]

[A100man]

.. this isn't going to plan I fear.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Polarbear]

[Evil Hans]

Cool story bro.
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Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[TravisBickle]

LOL no worries the flames don't bother me.

But no, not intended as a brag at all.

If I owned a Ferrari it would be impossible to innocently start a conversation about it without being accused of bragging (whether people say it outwardly or just think it) so yeah, you're always going to get bitter people, especially on forums, that's a given.

Was more looking for input as to whether I've possibly bought a lemon (or something that has had the suspension or ergos modified) or whether I'm remembering the bike incorrectly.

Wasn't that long ago I had an FZ1 so I'm slightly surprised at my reception to it.

Not slagging the bike off in the slightest like I said it's amazing for the price bracket it sits in, I'm just surprised especially at the ergos. I definitely remember sitting upright riding my old FZ1 but this feels quite leant forward and the bars quite low and I remember the suspension being softer. And my bike was quite high mileage when I had it, over 40k.

I know it's only a rough guide but it feels much more leant forward than Cycle Ergo shows for my height:
https://cycle-ergo.com/Riding/06wi0011IaRtJUyUyUyUyUy0n.png

Maybe the previous owner had bar risers fitted to my old FZ1 and I never noticed (it was an ex-police surveillance bike, West Yorkshire).

I wonder if the suspension has been dropped or the handle bars been lowered.

Maybe I'll get a photo of the handle bars and that triangular rear suspension link thing to upload but I doubt anyone cares
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2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport

[rpsmith79]

I guess the chances of a 17 year old bike (either the one you have now, or the one you had previously) being completely stock are slim to non existent

Somewhere along the line there will have been adjustments made to bars and/or pegs, and suspension could have been adjusted to suit any one of it's no doubt numerous previous owners, or conversly it could have been totally neglagted and still be on standard springs & oil

Who know, or rather, who cares
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Current Bike: Honda CG125 ES4 // Honda CB600FS Hornet // Triumph Street Triple R

[TravisBickle]

[to v or not to v]

[TravisBickle]

Yeah I checked YouTube but couldn't find anything specifically relating to the FZ1, just some generic "how to set up your suspension videos" but I wanted to make sure it was on stock settings first and go from there.

A friend dug out the setting from somewhere and forwarded to me so I'll give that a go later.

I did check the pressures the other day and they were a bit under, feels a bit better now they're at correct pressures but something still feels not quite right. It picks up every little bump in the road on one hand, and on the other it bounces around like a pogo stick when the road gets a bit wavy.
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2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport

[to v or not to v]

simply changing the fork oil on my old banger made a massive improvement on the front end.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
its old and fat, but its a damned good ride. the bikes not bad either.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

Default suspension settings and how-to in the owner’s manual sections 3:19 and 3:20

https://cdn.yamaha-motor.eu/owner-manuals/Motorcycles/U3C3EB.PDF

[TravisBickle]

Hey that's really helpful, thank you!

Thanks for digging that out for me, really should have done that myself

Could you just come round my house and do it for me as well please?

Dumb question maybe, are the forks linked for rebound and compression but not preload?
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2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport