I'm under the noob impression I have basically a sport bike that has a more upright riding position and the fairings removed. Is this correct? Why are the benefits of a naked bike? I can see the benefits of the upright riding position. What about the lack of fairings? This is the only bike I have ever ridden but I get buffeted by the wind pretty hard. Maybe all bikesget this though. Anyways. Just curious why these motorcycles are the way they are.
I like it though. Very fun to ride. A small second question would be why did people tell me not to buy a liter bike for my first? It seems fine. What am I missing?
Is this correct? YES!
What are the benefits of a naked bike? Easier to work on, looks great and different, looks more respectable than a fully faired bike (those are for those younger riders who don't know what they are doing)
What about lack of fairing? The stock FZ1 is not a naked bike, it is a street bike with what is called a bikini fairing. It does provide considerably more protection than a true naked bike, which has absolutely NO fairing or windshield. You can get more protection from a cruiser with a full fairing and touring windshield (like the Goldwing), but short of those, the FZ1's fairing is pretty good. Try a true naked bike going 70mph for 10 minutes and it will stretch your arms and your neck to the point of discomfort. The main difference between the FZ1 and the R1 for instance, fairing-wise, is that the R1 has better aerodynamics around the engine and that you lay lower on the bike so your head does not stick out as much, so the bike can go faster, and since you are more crouched on the R1, you will get less air on your helmet and torso, but if your crouch on the FZ1, you'll be getting about as much air as on the R1.
The issue of liter bike as a first bike is one of these things that can result in a 20 page thread with little data and a lot of arguments.
I rode for about a year when I was 18 then I started driving cars and stopped riding. I am now 63. I restarted riding last year when a friend loaned me a Harley for 3-4 weeks (!). In essence, that was a new beginning for me after 45 years of not riding. I did fine with the Harley and I knew then I had to have a bike again, just not a Harley (not my style). I then bought the '03 FZ1 in late July. I now have almost 8,000 miles on it and I absolutely love this bike.
Would I recommend the FZ1 as a beginner's bike to everyone? Absolutely not. 1/8th of an inch throttle gets you to about 70mph. I think it's best to understand the responsibility that it entails before you get on it, but if you can show some restraint, it's a wonderful bike. More importantly, I do not have anything to prove to anyone, particularly I do not have to show anyone that I can be more of an idiot than they are.
Yesterday I was stopped at a traffic light, 1st in line. When it turned green, the road was open in front of me so I had a little bit of fun. You can have a ton of fun on this bike while not going over 5,000 rpm and I did. Apparently, the guy in the minivan behind me thought he had something to prove, so at the next traffic light (there were 2 cars in front of me at the light), he pulled on the right, turn-only lane where there were no cars, and when the light turned green he took off like a bandit, turning back into the lane in front of the two cars. Good for him, his wife must have been so proud of him... I do not have to prove that I can be more stupid than him. I do know that this bike will do 0-60 in about 3 seconds and that will not be with me on it and I am fine with it.
The only thing I want to prove is that I want to prove to my family and friends that I can ride my bike without major accident.
The biggest problem with a bike like this is that it will test your resolve to be responsible and not an idiot. The rest will be pure enjoyment.
Be responsible but have fun and enjoy it. My bike is like honey for my soul.
