Yamaha FZ 09 2014

[nhbubba]

..And I can't stand parallel twins. Or at least I prefer almost every other kind of engine there is. I also test rode the Super10, which is a twin. The engine sounded horrible. Yeah, it can tractor and everything. But there was very little I really liked about the engine. It was utterly forgettable. Except that it put my hand to sleep on a 20 minute ride through town. (Demo loop.)

I fear the FZ-07 is the same. Although I really wish I had ridden it. Phil and I were talking afterwards and later at bike night. He said he liked the -07 a lot more. His comments made me think I'd picked the wrong FZ to demo.

I also need to test ride the new DL1000. I bet it's the goldilocks of these things for me; V-twin smoothieness plus liter bike powah. Only problems are the crap (ier) fuel range and big bux price tags.

[nhbubba]

How did you feel about the throttle jerkiness? or have they ironed that out. When I rode one I found it very distracting. Otherwise I think it's great for the money.

Yeah, it wasn't great. I don't think it was as bad in 'Standard' mode. But noticable in A mode.
Although I really thought it was because the bike was so poorly dampened that I was being thrown around on the thing inadvertently introducing throttle.

[nhbubba]

I bet they make it and then only release it to Europe.

Maybe they'll call it the TDM 850.

[Spooler]

Yeah, it wasn't great. I don't think it was as bad in 'Standard' mode. But noticable in A mode.
Although I really thought it was because the bike was so poorly dampened that I was being thrown around on the thing inadvertently introducing throttle.

I never took my test bike out of A mode, so maybe I got the worst of it right off the bat... Anyway, I think it's a very cool bike that could do a lot of good for the industry (along with the reportedly brilliant FZ-07). But I wouldn't buy one with the throttle the way it is, although it's probably something you adapt to riding it regularly. Also, it does need better suspenders, but for the price I think that's reasonable.

[golden chicken]

..And I can't stand parallel twins.

But this is a crossplane parallel twin, so it sounds like a 90 degree V twin

[nhbubba]

Does it still need to be counterbalanced?
Why not just get a 90-degree V-twin? You know, like you and I have.

[dankatz]

I hear that the FZ-07 is a much better bike from the ergo, throttle and suspension perspective. The suspension is adjustable on the 09 and not on the 07, but most reviews mention that it is set up properly from the factory. Of course, not all riders are the same size and have the same riding style. the triple should be a great engine once they sort the throttle problems out. If you remember the Triumph Street Triple also had issues with jerky throttle and the fuel injection software finally got smoothed out in 2010/11.

[golden chicken]

I was just thinking of the SVs eventual replacement. The FZ07 is currently the most appealing to me right now.