Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/350192
VOL. 51 ISSUE 29 JULY 22, 2014 P59 The headlight cluster is posi- tioned well below the dash, giving the FZ-07 a look similar to some of the European naked roadster designs. From the side you re- ally don't see it, but when riding along it becomes very apparent. Our tour eventually led us off the main road on to some tight, almost-one-lane roads complete with plenty of up-and-down blind turns. You will notice that maneu- vering the FZ-07 in these types of conditions is made easier by the fact that it carries a curb weight of only 397 pounds. Throw it around when you want and it will respond instantly. Weight reduction is key to the concept of the new FZ-07 and its new backbone-type high-tensile steel frame is 11 pounds lighter then the FZ6R's and also incor- porates the motor as a stress member. With its nine-way adjustable pre-load, the KYB rear shock mounts directly to the engine case in a horizontal fashion, which also saves weight. A new high-tensile steel swingarm de- sign has variable plate thickness to control stiffness and it looks the business with big cast-alumi- num rear axle adjustor brackets. Up front the fork is a KYB unit, but it doesn't offer any adjust- ment. Both front and rear units deliver a suspension travel of 5.1 inches. The KYB suspen- sion does a good job controlling bumps and keeping the FZ-07 planted and responsive; and the balance front to rear is very equal with neither end overpowering the other. Keeping a low center of gravity was another key design target for Yamaha - not only is it good for handling purposes, but it is es- pecially important when it comes to comfort. The more we got into the hills the better I felt about the FZ-07. Shifting is smooth and the gear ratio seems to be very ac- commodating to the amount of torque at hand. Every so often you will have to drop a gear or two to really get it rolling, but for the most part the FZ-07 pulled hard out of the corners. Don't for- get it is only a 698cc twin so it's not like there is a ton of power at hand, but if you manage it right you can keep a very respectable clip going. The new 698cc twin pulls hardest at around 5000 to 7000 rpm and then flattens off up near the redline, which is 9900 rpm. Braking-wise the FZ-07 comes with wave rotors front and rear and there is plenty of stopping power via the dual 282mm rotors up front with four-piston mono- bloc calipers. The rear brake features a single piston caliper with a 245mm rotor. Braking power is transmitted through new 10-spoke cast-aluminum wheels that look good. The wheels will come fitted with either Michelin Pilot Roads or Bridgestone Bat- tlax BT023s. The bike I was on had the Michelin rubber and I had no problem at all with trac- tion - even in some of the more sketchy areas. At one of the few stops we made, I couldn't help but notice that the FZ-07 being ridden by Tim Olson, Yamaha's media rela- tion's manager, had several ac- cessory items fitted to it. It turns out that Yamaha has a whole line of accessories available for the new FZ-07, including a rear rack and saddlebags, a new front and lower cowl, chain guard, radiator side covers and coolant reservoir cover, engine guards, side tank pads and a steel mesh air intake and tail section side cowl covers. There is also a replacement rider and passenger seat designed to provide extra comfort for long- distance rides. Yamaha really put a lot of ef- fort into the new FZ-07 and after spending some time with the new bike I have to say that the effort was worth it. The FZ-07 is very rideable with a perfect blend of power and comfort and still plen- ty of torque for some extra fun. It's a nice little bike. The new FZ-07 comes in three color schemes: Candy Red, Pearl White and the Liquid Graphic model that features a blue frame and wheels. As far as cost goes you can't beat the new FZ-07 at a MSRP of $6990 as it's by far the cheapest bike in its class and it also the lightest in class. It looks like Yamaha met its mark with the new 2014 FZ-07 by delivering a bike that is easy to ride, with plenty of performance – while keeping cost at a mini- mum. CN