New Yamaha Big Bikes.

[Tubber]

JohhnyE wrote: [quote quote=Ian Bungy]Well went to the Party Last Night and Good show the "North Comets" were there in Force along with all the Usual Local Guys and Gt-Rider Contingent. Also Good to See they have already Sold Quite a few New Bikes including R6 and FZ1 Fazer. If they had of Been a couple of Months earlier opening the FZ1 Fazer would be in My Garage!!! Fantastic Bike, 150hp and Great Value for Money (200.000 Bht Cheaper than My Tiger)!!! Spoke to one of the Bosses and also Kittipob again to find out the Latest and the Big Word is after taking a Rider Survey they Will Definitely Sell Dirt Bikes here including XT660R and the "Tenere" No doubt the WR as well. Unfortunately they won't be available till towards the end of the Year. But Hell worth the Wait!!! I have asked to be informed as soon as they Know more about Dates and Models? Now we are really Talking and Will Finally Get some Real Bikes with multiple uses instead of these Mobile Barges we call Street Bikes!!! I know what i want Next Birthday!!!

Ian apart from the price difference you should avail yourself of some of the international reviews of the FZ1 before making statements that this would now be in your garage instead of the Tiger if it had been available earlier. The reviews are not kind and besides that from what I know you bought the Tiger as a more multi purpose bike. The FZ1 is purely street,nowhere near 150hp (you don't need that anyway).
If you want a Fazer I know where you can get a very nice earlier model very cheap!
Please tell me which reviews are not kind? Apart from the first of the second generation bikes, I think 2006, which did have a bad fuel injection glitch. Yamaha sorted this by remapping the fuel injection, increasing mid-range torque, but decreasing peak power to 138BHP (claimed). Nowhere near 150BHP? One example of the top of my head is Simon Hargreaves in the UK magazine Bike who reckons it is one of the best allround bikes going, touring, commuting etc. obviously not off-road. And there will be one in my garage at the end of the year.

 

[Dougal]

Totally agree Tubber. I have a 2003 FZ1 and I use it more for touring than anything else. I believe around 2005/2006 one of the international bike magazines voted it bike of the year. Sorry can't remember the name of the mag but a friend showed it to me.

 

[Ian Bungy]

Sorry Guys but you seem to have lost me :roll: JohhnyE seems to be Slagging the Fazer and Tubber & Dougal seem to want one???
It was just my view at the time and as we can not turn back time so be it. I have done a few things to My Tiger now which has totally transformed the way it Rides and with a few adjustments to the Suspension settings i am sure it can get even Better. I will post on the board soon what i have done. JohhnyE the only thing on my Tiger capable of going Off Road or Multi Purpose is my Garmin 60CSx GPS :wink: Don't believe any article stating otherwise. My FJ1200 was just as capable to go where i would take the Tiger. OK for some Gravel etc. I would call it more a Sports Tourer than anything else. Still a Great Bike though You just need a Dirt Bike at the same time, no problem 8)

 

[ivan the terrable]

Stopped at a mates place yesterday.
Garage full of fine machinery.2 buels. 1 duc. a KTM. and various other bikes.
Guy was just leaving..on a yamaha.Looked like a new Vmax.
Nice looking bike.wasnt a Vmax..V twin but 1700cc.
not to sure what it was..but it purred up the road like a kitten
Hoisting the front wheel in the 1st 3 gears.
was worth about $20,000 NZ

 

[Ian Bungy]

Hi again,
I just got back from the New Yamaha Shop by Central as today they Had a Shipment of 2008 Models arrive. JohhnyE I checked the New FZ1 they have on Show and Definitely States 150HP, Check it out! Also they have 2 New FJR1300 just arrived. One is Sold to John who arrives today. They even found a Buyer for his VFR800 so pretty Good Service. Both of them are Black and of Course Beautiful. Great Tourer for Thailand. Has the Top Box and Side Bags available. Watercooled, Injected, Shaft Drive etc. 2008 Model has a few different things compared to last year, Taller screen fully adjustable etc. Take a look Guys.

 

[DavidFL]

For Yamaha big bikes go to
https://www.gt-rider.com/yamaha-big-bikes-thailand.html

 

[KZ]

Isn't it interesting that the "New Yamahas" thread, posted in December of last year, drew only about 1700 views and 35 replies total, compared to the "Kawasaki big bikes" thread, posted in May of this year, which drew way over 2000 views and almost twice the replies?

 

[Franz]

Isn't it interesting that the "New Yamahas" thread, posted in December of last year, drew only about 1700 views and 35 replies total, compared to the "Kawasaki big bikes" thread, posted in May of this year, which drew way over 2000 views and almost twice the replies?

KZ, the viewers are not that important, but the buyers are, I myself like John from KhonKaen got a new FJR there and new bikes plated you see on the road are mainly Yamaha's, Harleys, Beemers, Ducatis and Triumph's but I hardly see even an old Kwakasaki............ :lol: cheers, Franz

 

[ray23]

Well I like Yamaha but I lost interest when I was told I couldn't get a fuel injected Silverado.

Fuel injection is a must for me this time around adn cruisers work for me.

So the Vulcan 900 fits the bill

 

[johngooding]

Quote Isn't it interesting that the "New Yamahas" thread, posted in December of last year, drew only about 1700 views and 35 replies total, compared to the "Kawasaki big bikes" thread, posted in May of this year, which drew way over 2000 views and almost twice the replies?

Maybe the difference is not so much the implication that Kawasaki is of more interest than Yamaha, but the fact that Kawasaki's are still as of today, not available. Much of the discussion has been related to peoples desire to know what will be available, at what price, when. This is probably the only place you can find that out.
Yamaha's have been available since December, so can go to one of the shops in Thailand or visit bigbike website. No need to come to the Yamaha thread for the information. I expect once the supplies of Kawasakis are flowing well the visits to the Kawasaki thread will reduce dramatically. Till then it will continue to outstrip the Yamaha thread.
Unless of course people like us keep posting like this and then maybe we can overtake!!!!

 

[Tubber]

Ian, I bought a new FZ-1 and met you briefly in Mad Dogs in Chiang Mai. After 5000km on the FZ and what you said in Chiang Mai about the Tiger I think the Tiger is probably the better bike. The FZ-1 has no low down power but in all fairness does shift pretty fast after 7,000rpm, top speed is about 260-265 kph but is irrelevant. The fuel tank range is about 200km but if thrashed a bit the reserve light comes on around 160km. Pretty pathetic but considering the seat is like a plank is about as far as you can go without a seriously painful butt or maybe it is just my lardy arse. The airflow over the screen is just plain weird, it goes over the screen, hits you in the stomach and then pushes your helmet up? I remember you saying you could ride the Tiger all day with no dis-comfort, I rode from Sakon Nakhon to Chiang Mai in a day and with the rain and getting lost it took about 11 hours and I was seriously pissed off and sore at the end. On the way back with John we did it over 2 days, he was on your Raid, and it was bearable, shifting one cheek at a time off the seat. I have ordered a Yamaha "Comfort seat" and Puig touring screen to try and improve it. But as you say is a bit more comfort worth 200,000B? If they work it will be a decent bike. As Yamaha market the bike as a sports-tourer and the Yamaha propoganda says "A go anywhere, do anything bike" and "All day ride comfort" I don't think I am being unreasonable. Yamaha seem to have sorted the problem with the fuel injection, still a bit jerky at 5,5000 rpm. There was an issue with a few cracked frames on 06 and 07 models, the vertical welds on the upper frame spar were cracking. From the photos I have seen the welds were undercut, porous, generally shit and shouldn't have passed quality control. I believe the Gen 1 FZ was a far better bike but have never ridden one so can't comment. I will probably be in Chiang Mai at the start of December and hope to bump in to you again.
Regards
Jim

 

[Dougal]

Sorry to hear that Tubber.

I think I have a Gen 1 Fazer (2003) and fortunately do not have any of those problems. I love the bike and have to say here that I am disappointed in the new models. They seem to be going away from the original idea of the bike and are creeping back towards being a sport bike.
Hope you can get these issues sorted.

 

[KZ]

Guess you guys are right, the Yamaha owners are out riding, while the Kawasaki guys are waiting and writing...

 

[Tubber]

Hi Dougal
Don't know if John has mentioned it yet but I may be joining you for a couple of days in CM at the start of December, if there is no objections. Then I will be riding back for Sakon Nakhon bike week which unfortunately is the same time as CM bike week. You can take my FZ1 for a run and compare it with your bike
Regards
Jim

 

[Dougal]

Look forward to seeing you there.

 

[Meridian007]

monsterman wrote: I wish yamaha would bring back the XS650 the best bike they ever made .

+10

I agree completely! I miss my `83, and I'd be willing to pay (somewhat) big bucks here to get one or something similar. I wish Yammy would bring out a good general bike again, sportbikes or cruisers are just too polarized in their particular style for me, and the sport touring bikes just don't cut it.

I may have to start thinking seriously about Triumph...

 

[KZ]

I like the XS650 a lot, I had three of 'em, a 79, an 80 and an 81 model. This bike has a lot of character, the long-stroke parallel twin engine is beautiful and it shakes just enough. I remember revving it in neutral sitting on the centerstand in the garage and the bike skidding backwards a foot. Fun bike for around town and cruising, and some guys used the enegine for track-racing. I met one guy who told me he'd had 5 Triumphs and one XS650 - the Yamaha never stopped running. But the thing was too heavy, very solidly built, no plastic, and had only 50 horses, which was okay 20 years ago. So I keep fond memories but today I'd go for a light and quick 650 with a V-Twin that puts out 70 hp - made by Suzuki. If you would ride those two bikes back to back today you would agree with the nick-name I gave the old XS650: I called it "the tractor".

 

[KZ]

Maybe you should have a closer look at the Kawa W650?

 

[Meridian007]

KZ wrote: ...today I'd go for a light and quick 650 with a V-Twin that puts out 70 hp - made by Suzuki.

The V-Strom? It is an interesting bike, but still too "sports" for me. (if I found a good price on one I'd prolly modify it to get away from that, but I don't need another project right now, but the power on that thing is attractive!)

The W650 is beautiful, but I haven't seen any here yet. I haven't gone to see the new dealership on Rama 9 yet, maybe they're there.

To return the thread to Yammys, The SR series looks beautiful too, but 400 is still too small for me. I don't know if there is actually a 650 in this model, (and would the dealership on Ratchada bring it in?), but I found a pic that is supposedly from a magazine in 2001. If that is a 650, why didn't they use the same twingle engine from the XS?

A question I have in regards to the Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki preference is who has better service available in Thailand, Yamaha or Kawasaki? I've usually been devoted to Yamaha but here I'm afraid to go away from the blanket coverage that Honda has here. Of the other 2 I don't know who has more coverage.

 

[KZ]

Whoa, some designer had a lot of phantasy there, the bike looks beautiful, but what's that supposed to be, a single with push-rods? Or shaft-driven valves like the W650? It's definitely not an XS650, which is a parallel twin with two con rods; a "twingle" has a single con rod.

 

[Meridian007]

Ya, I did a little more searching into that pic, and it's from a Japanese design company that does drawings of fictional bikes for magazines. It is a beaut tho...

If it had been real, I was just wondering why the SR650 would continue with a single cylinder (like the smaller SRs) instead of adopting the inline twin from the XS (my `83 XS had the twingle design, I'm not sure what other years had it).
That engine was awesome (like you said, just the right amount of vibration) and it would have made this fantasy bike look more like the Triumph it was trying to emulate. Oh well, I guess I'm back to looking at W650 then.