Just bought a new 2009 FZ1...tips?

No real tips to be had. Break it in according to the owners manual and enjoy. Some of us, like myself have gone overboard but the bike is fantastic in stock form for 99% of us. Take note, you need only to run regular unleaded ( I like Plus) you do not need to run premium fuel. BTW its in the owners manual.

What color is it? and welcome to the forum.:needpics:
 
Thanks. I didn't think there was anything special but I didn't know if I should ask them to upload a new fuel map or something (like Aprilia). Or perhaps some goof common with most dealers.

I got the dark blue model, it was the last one they had. I was looking for the black color but didn't find it. The blue looks nice anyway although the bronze wheels will take a little getting used to. I got it for $6,999 plus fees so I guess that's not too bad. Might be better deals out there but I'm ok with it. Oh, and the 3.99% for 36 months financing too.

Right now I have a 2005 SV650 (for sale now lol). It's a great bike but I need more and want to get into riding longer distances. I hope the seat of the FZ1 is comfortable and the suspension doesn't beat me up like a sport bike would. I want sporty but not extreme. I bought a new YZF600R in 1999 and rode it 35k miles over 11 years and not a single thing went wrong with it. I hope the FZ1 treats me just as well.

BTW, I hurt my wrist pretty bad when I was younger. Is there any way to lighten up the clutch pull?

I'll post pics when I pickup the bike. :D
 
They're pretty solid and reliable bikes, not much really goes wrong with them.
Quite a few people complain about the seat being uncomfortable but I've never had any issues with the standard one.

Enjoy it!
 
Congrats, your price is about the going rate for a '09 FZ1, and that's a lot of bike for seven grand. Ride it for awhile and see what things you might want to change. Many people change the exhaust on their bikes right away but it isn't really necessary, an FZ1 is faster than all cars except some exotics and can get you in lots of trouble just as it rolls off the lot. I'm at the point I want to ride and not fiddle around with the mechanical aspects of it (call it old age), so I make some of the simple changes like windscreen, fender eliminator, levers, and comsmetic changes which can change the look and feel of the bike. Many people will chime in and tell you to change this or change that but only you can decide if it makes sense to do so. It's your ride.

One thing I would add is a radiator grille, the way it comes from the factory offers little protection from rocks and road debris and who needs all those bugs mashed in the fins.....ugh. There are sellers on this site who have good grilles for about $80. They protect your radiator and keep it bug free.
 
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+1 on the FDB levers. My wife wanted an easier pull for the levers and found these to work perfectly!

The seat... if you weigh more than 175 lbs, the seat REALLY sucks for long distances. Search the site for "Top Saddlery" and you will see the nice living room sofa you can park on and you'll only ever have to stop for gas... it's 130+ mile comfortable! If you have a large frame, order the TS seat with the LONG option... the "boys" will appreciate the extra room!

The ONLY other complaint I have about the Gen II FZ1 is the distance between fuel stops. The tank could have been a 6 gallon tank but they wasted space with the tank cowl (Bad idea!) so expect to stop every 130 or so miles for fuel.

Outside of the stock seat and fuel distance, the bike is perfect in every way and does it all! I don't even consider other bikes because I personally feel nothing beats this machine. :tup:
 
Congrats on your purchase! I'm in the process of buying a 09 FZ1 myself and am hoping to seal the deal today. I've already provided a deposit and now just need to settle up and have the bike shipped.

It sounds like you got a great deal. I did a ton of research (my nature) and the deal you got was about as good as it gets. I did find one dealer in MN who had leftover 09's for $6799 + $250 dealer fees and that was the best I could find. But that would have required shipping and I sense you bought your bike locally.

I decided to go with a used 09 because of the amount of mods I want to do and this bike had the majority done. I'm not going to say which bike I'm buying as I want the deal completed before I do so but let's just say it's a well documented, FZ1N conversion! :laugh2: It has all the major stuff done that I would have done anyway but leaves me some room for my interpretation...

I can't wait to get it! I'm working on shipping now... I grew up riding MX bikes and then got into sportbikes for a short period of time before turning my attention to Harley's for a number of years. Just sold my last highly customized HD last fall and have been trying to determine my next steed. I'm over the HD thing for now... I feel that the FZ1 offers me everything that I'm looking for at this point in my life. I certainly appreciate all the intelligence I've gained via this forum and others as it helped me solidify my decision.

Enjoy your new bike! Let us know what you think when you get it and have spent some time on it. Looking forward to the report. :tup:
 
FZ1inNH said:
+1 on the FDB levers. My wife wanted an easier pull for the levers and found these to work perfectly!

The seat... if you weigh more than 175 lbs, the seat REALLY sucks for long distances. Search the site for "Top Saddlery" and you will see the nice living room sofa you can park on and you'll only ever have to stop for gas... it's 130+ mile comfortable! If you have a large frame, order the TS seat with the LONG option... the "boys" will appreciate the extra room!

The ONLY other complaint I have about the Gen II FZ1 is the distance between fuel stops. The tank could have been a 6 gallon tank but they wasted space with the tank cowl (Bad idea!) so expect to stop every 130 or so miles for fuel.

Outside of the stock seat and fuel distance, the bike is perfect in every way and does it all! I don't even consider other bikes because I personally feel nothing beats this machine. :tup:
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Great to hear these bikes are as good as I thought! I can't wait to pick mine up later this week. :cheers:

I'm 6'2" and 230lbs so the stock seat might be an issue. Part of the reason (there are several) I stepped up to a 1,000cc bike is for a tad more room since they (except the R1) seem to be a little bigger. The SV650 was just squashing my frame a little too much.

I did a search on the Top Saddlery seat and it looks complicated to order. I'm not quite sure how to do it so is there anyone who's done it before than can lend a hand? I typically like to hump the tank when I ride but it's nice to have a little space to move around too. I take my lady often so a seat that keeps her from sliding forward is a very important nice-to-have. ;)

Quick question...how do the shorter levers help reduce clutch pull? If they really work I'll jump on them.

Of the 'must haves' for the bike it's a better (and tinted) windscreen and tank bra (I feel better humping with a bra on there lol). I'm not worried about power and I'm hoping the stock suspension will do just fine.

Great to meet everyone so far!

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. Does this bike have enough power (electrical) output for heated riding gear?

Tom
 
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Different levers have slightly different profiles built into their pull. Most of this is done through pivot bolt hole location, cable routing (clutch), or the machined curve that sits against the perch. Hope this helps-(small changes make a big difference here)
 
I'm a bit lighter than you and I find the seat 'ok' for about 100 miles at which time I gotta' get off and take a hiney break. But that's a couple of hours in the saddle so I'm ready for a break anyway. Try the stock seat and see how it goes, tt might work for you. My tank goes on reserve at about the 140 mile mark so you'll have opportunity to get off to refill the tank.

Frankly, I don't see all the hoopla for 'shorty' levers. Levers work on the leverage principle, duh, so the longer the lever the more control you have. I've tried shortys and my fingers just don't fall right on them. If in doubt stay with the regular length. I think people go for the shortys because of the look. I prefer function over form, regular length, FTW!

One thing that tires me out is the throttle spring so on long drones I put on a Crampbuster which gives leverage through your palm to keep the throttle on. You can simply rotate it out of the way if you are in traffic or in the twisties. They are cheap, about $11, but worth it. A cheap but effective mod.
 
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09thumper said:
I did a search on the Top Saddlery seat and it looks complicated to order. I'm not quite sure how to do it so is there anyone who's done it before than can lend a hand? I typically like to hump the tank when I ride but it's nice to have a little space to move around too. I take my lady often so a seat that keeps her from sliding forward is a very important nice-to-have. ;)

Quick question...how do the shorter levers help reduce clutch pull? If they really work I'll jump on them.

Of the 'must haves' for the bike it's a better (and tinted) windscreen and tank bra (I feel better humping with a bra on there lol). I'm not worried about power and I'm hoping the stock suspension will do just fine.

Great to meet everyone so far!

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. Does this bike have enough power (electrical) output for heated riding gear?

Tom
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Tom, I've ordered the TS seat. I have a thread here with the ordered specs in it which fit the bill for any cobalt blue bike. Check here for the thread: http://www.998cc.org/forum/fz1-mods/4359-another-top-saddlery-seat-d.html and this post specifically for my order of what is pictured. http://www.998cc.org/forum/33903-post21.html

The shorty levers aren't the first choice... what you want is the standard length adjustable levers which, as Evitzee pointed out, is all in the pivot point. You can adjust where the lever is parked. Also, lube the cables every couple months to keep them freely moving.

Lots of good options on screens out there. We have quite a variety of riders with different screens that can offer their views. :tup:
 
johnnyontherocks said:
No real tips to be had. Break it in according to the owners manual and enjoy. Some of us, like myself have gone overboard but the bike is fantastic in stock form for 99% of us. Take note, you need only to run regular unleaded ( I like Plus) you do not need to run premium fuel. BTW its in the owners manual.

What color is it? and welcome to the forum.:needpics:
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I would run premium in it anyway. The static compression ratio says it needs it. Also, I have torn down hundreds of engines and the ones that run less than premium always have a lot of deposits on the intake valves and piston tops that degrade performance over time.
 
Jamieb said:
I would run premium in it anyway. The static compression ratio says it needs it. Also, I have torn down hundreds of engines and the ones that run less than premium always have a lot of deposits on the intake valves and piston tops that degrade performance over time.
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Yamaha wouldn't recommend regular unleaded if it hurt the engine. The manual says regular, that's what you only need to run. Those deposits are probably from people who lug the engine riding in too high a gear and never get the RPMs up. :D
 
Jamieb said:
I would run premium in it anyway. The static compression ratio says it needs it.
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Static compression is not the deciding indicator as to whether an engine needs premium fuel. With the price of fuel it is just wasting money to put premium in an engine that is designed for regular grade, as recommended by the manufacturer. Back in the day (20 years ago) regular grade was often suspect but with todays tight EPA regs you will get the octane as quoted on the pump. You can put premium in your bike but you are just ejecting that additional octane, and cost, out of the exhaust. Save your money and buy a mod for the bike.
 
Welcome to the club! I've got an 09 cobalt and so far it has been nothing but fantastic. I did just change up the gearing a bit (going two down in the back to drop highway revs a bit) which made a noticeable difference in the bike to my tastes. Wouldn't call it a necessity by any means. I also opted for aftermarket levers but went with the ASV's (since I work at a dealer and could get them for a lot less than retail) and the adjustability is truly a MUST in my eyes. Either way, get out and ride it and have fun!
 
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