people hating on the fz...

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mwilkins21

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so i am curious how many of you go through this.. here in my area sportbikes are huge and we have a group ride every friday and saturday with about 50-60 people. I HAVE THE ONLY FZ1 AROUND..i get this alot now."nice sit-up bike" "thats not a real sportbike" "my zx10 or cbr1000 would smoke that" "naked bikes are ugly" etc. lol i dont pay much attention but it does piss me off sometimes. makes me want to just blow them away but honestly i dont know if i could. but anyways anyone else got this issue?
 
mwilkins21 said:
so i am curious how many of you go through this.. here in my area sportbikes are huge and we have a group ride every friday and saturday with about 50-60 people. I HAVE THE ONLY FZ1 AROUND..i get this alot now.\"nice sit-up bike\" \"thats not a real sportbike\" \"my zx10 or cbr1000 would smoke that\" \"naked bikes are ugly\" etc. lol i dont pay much attention but it does piss me off sometimes. makes me want to just blow them away but honestly i dont know if i could. but anyways anyone else got this issue?
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At work the other riders are all HOG guys. I get constant abuse about my "Jap Junk". I just laugh and offer to show them how to ride a twisty mountain pass. They have seen me ride and KNOW that I would kick there collective asses. As far as the squids giving you a hard time about your bike, hang with a better class of riders. If you have done any modifications, ie; pipe, power commander etc. I think they might find they are mistaken about "smoking" you. And really as long as you like your bike,( I know I do), then who gives a rat's about someone else's opinion.:flip::shoot::rant:
 
I'd ignore the whole issue. If you only knew it, they probably wish they were the ones with the FZ1. Case in point, ever see a rider that's leaned over his "clip-on" bars trying to cruise down the interstate? They don't last long and they'd never attempt a ride from the east coast to west coast. I've been a long distance rider for years on many bikes and you better have at least as much sit-up was we have or you'll be walking in a strange way (hunched over) FOR A LONG TIME.
 
mwilkins21 said:
so i am curious how many of you go through this.. here in my area sportbikes are huge and we have a group ride every friday and saturday with about 50-60 people. I HAVE THE ONLY FZ1 AROUND..i get this alot now.\"nice sit-up bike\" \"thats not a real sportbike\" \"my zx10 or cbr1000 would smoke that\" \"naked bikes are ugly\" etc. lol i dont pay much attention but it does piss me off sometimes. makes me want to just blow them away but honestly i dont know if i could. but anyways anyone else got this issue?
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you are under 30? just chalk it up to the voice of reson of wanting to cover more ground than just the city limits. the gen I is my first bike and I do not regret the purchase at all.

With about 600.00, you could give all those bikes in your group ride a run for their money.

that is to say if you wanted to sink to their level and put up or shut up.....:stirpot:
 
The FZ1 is more than capable of hanging with most any of the bikes. I'm not saying you aren't skilled but in the proper hands, the bike will track just like any other, especially with some clearance mods. You don't sound confident in your abilities though. That is a GOOD thing becuase if you aren't an accomplished rider with some track days or years of hard canyon carving, I wouldn't go out to test your skills against any unknown riders as it could result in a bad crash.

Keep your head straight and start looking for a higher class of riders to hang with. But, more important, DON'T give in the peer pressure and over-drive your bike. We want you here typing to us OFTEN. :D
 
Agree

I agree with what others have said and add this: Professional reviews of the FZ1 don't come close to what some of your riding group are saying. Plus, lets be honest, many buy a bike (or car) because they like the way it looks. The looks drive their thinking and they rationalize the vehicles lack of performance and even how much they really like the vehicle.

Your FZ1 is a very fast, excellent handling sports bike that happens to have all-round riding qualities too!:sport12:
 
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mwilkins21 said:
so i am curious how many of you go through this.. here in my area sportbikes are huge and we have a group ride every friday and saturday with about 50-60 people. I HAVE THE ONLY FZ1 AROUND..i get this alot now.\\"nice sit-up bike\\" \\"thats not a real sportbike\\" \\"my zx10 or cbr1000 would smoke that\\" \\"naked bikes are ugly\\" etc. lol i dont pay much attention but it does piss me off sometimes. makes me want to just blow them away but honestly i dont know if i could. but anyways anyone else got this issue?
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I agree with everyone else. You need to find a better class of people to hang out with. I try not to hang out with anyone that wants to give someone grief for the kind of bike they ride. It's my opinion that the fact that you ride is all that counts, not what you ride, especially if it makes you happy.
 
Don't listen to the idiots that down the FZ1, they don't know the capabilities of our bikes.

I have a friend who owns a GSXR 600 who joked about the FZ1 not being a real sport bike. I know he was joking around so I didn't care what he said. He was shocked, the first time we went out on some twisties and I easily kept up with him. We don't ride crazy or beyond our abilities, and with the mods I've done, he has to work to keep up with me.

He still gives me cr@p about it, but he does respect it a lot more.
 
thanks for the thoughts guys i though i might be the only one getting dogged..lol..so far ive done the airbox mod,removed the flies,gutted the header cat,and got a 2bros slip on. Hopefully the new pc5 will be a christmas gift and a dyno tune in the next spring then well see who has a "real sportbike":sinister:
 
They riders around here all know not to mess with the Fz1.
Most riders around here cant ride for crap tho so its not hard beating them at there own game.
 
You guys should try riding a 650 twin some time. I catch all kinds of crap from the harley guys for riding "jap junk" and all kinds of crap from the super sport crowd for riding a "girls bike." Luckily I have found a group of riders that welcome you no matter what you ride, or how fast you ride so long as you are safe about it.

It's amazing how so many people will talk about their bikes engine, handling, suspension, seating position blah blah blah when the most important part on a bike is the nut that connects the seat to the handlebars.

P.S. The I am currently debating between keeping my ninja 650, getting an FZ1, or getting a VFR (interceptor). Which one do you think people will hate on the most?
 
Eric said it best. If it's friendly ribbing that's one thing. If you're not perceiving it that way find a new group to ride with. You bought the FZ1 for your own reasons and apparently it suits you. If not, get an outright sportbike. The great thing about being 52 is I don't really care what other people think any more. (Maybe that's the only good thing about being 52?) Which explains why I rode scooters for years. You think you get crap for riding the FZ1?
 
Most sportbike riders over here know what the FZ1 is about and they consider it a "sportsbike" with high bars. You really have to take these bikes to the racetrack to get any advantage of a "real" sportsbike. A little better cornering ground clearance that you never never use on the road anyway.

I have owned a couple of "adventure tourers" in the past. A DL1000 VStrom, and a BMW 1200GS. The GS is an awesome bike in many ways. Now on that bike you really can embarrass many ignorant sportbike riders. They think it's a "bloody offroad bike" or an "old fart touring bike", but the GS is very fast and easy to ride on twisty country roads.
 
Boy! Sportbike guys are ROUGH out there in Kansas!! I never get any smack from riders here in NY where you would think that I would with NY's reputation and all. Me, aside from a couple of guys here on the forum, I ride ALONE! I also believe that you need to find another crowd to ride with. You need to travel at the beat of your own drum! Besides, 50 sportbike riders will only get you in trouble anyway. The joy I get out of motorcycling has nothing to do with riding beside 10 other guys anyway. For me it's all about the ride. If I have 2 or 3 other riders with me, thats okay too, but I have just as much satisfaction riding alone.
 
mikeswe said:
Most sportbike riders over here know what the FZ1 is about and they consider it a \"sportsbike\" with high bars. You really have to take these bikes to the racetrack to get any advantage of a \"real\" sportsbike. A little better cornering ground clearance that you never never use on the road anyway.

I have owned a couple of \"adventure tourers\" in the past. A DL1000 VStrom, and a BMW 1200GS. The GS is an awesome bike in many ways. Now on that bike you really can embarrass many ignorant sportbike riders. They think it's a \"bloody offroad bike\" or an \"old fart touring bike\", but the GS is very fast and easy to ride on twisty country roads.
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Funny you should mention that. On a ridiculously twisty mountain road into Yellowstone I was really impressing the hell out of myself laying down into the curves when a 60ish year old guy on that exact GS passes me like I'm standing still, with one hand on the bar and one fiddling with his GPS, and still manages to wave and smile at me. It didn't even look like he was leaning into the curve. Ate a huge dose of humble pie and it didn't taste too good.
 
Here's my summary. :tup: Take this with a grain of salt, ok? ;)

I'm better than some and get passed by most. But in my eyes? I fricken' ROCK on the FZ1! :Rockon:

:worship:

And I don't give a CRAP about what anyone else thinks of me or the fact that I own the best and most versatile bike made today.
 
FZ1inNH said:
Here's my summary. :tup: Take this with a grain of salt, ok? ;)

I'm better than some and get passed by most. But in my eyes? I fricken' ROCK on the FZ1! :Rockon:

:worship:

And I don't give a CRAP about what anyone else thinks of me or the fact that I own the best and most versatile bike made today.
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Shakspeare himself couldn't have said it any better!!! Good one Eric!! I found a quick clip of you strutting your stuff. Here it is....:stunta]:
 
KodiakRS said:
You guys should try riding a 650 twin some time. I catch all kinds of crap from the harley guys for riding \\"jap junk\\" and all kinds of crap from the super sport crowd for riding a \\"girls bike.\\" .........
P.S. The I am currently debating between keeping my ninja 650, getting an FZ1, or getting a VFR (interceptor). Which one do you think people will hate on the most?
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:hi jack:
I was on your path. I really enjoyed riding my '07 Kawa 650R-torquey twin, comfy riding position, and fun in the twisties. What I got bored with was the poor brakes, suspension and wimpy frame. I test road the Triumph ST Sprint, Speed Triple and the Honda VFR. The Triumphs come highly rated, but just didn't impress me. Finally, the VFR felt sophisticated (too much so) with insufficient power (Honda is bringing out a liter VFR and a 1300 I think) and the v-tech engine was annoying. When I test road a Gen II FZ1, I knew within a mile it was the bike for me. They're all good bikes, but the FZ1's sweet combination of aggressive, yet comfortable riding position, w/ lots of get up and go and a frame which is super stiff sold me. Brakes and suspension are capable, but not superb.
 
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