VOL. 52 ISSUE 38 SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 P119
you get with an FJ. At 6'1",
comfort to me is a big thing
and this machine has that
in spades. The seat isn't
the best for big miles (get
an aftermarket comfort seat
for that), but legroom and
that expansive handlebar
mean I'm bolt upright with
no weight on my lower back.
It's very semi-adventure
style, a position you can lit-
erally ride all day in—provid-
ed you have a comfy seat.
Despite it being a big ma-
chine, it can still carve up
corners with brutal ease,
although the suspension will
reach its limits if pushed real
hard. Two-up riding is right
up this bike's alley, and with
extra weight on the back the
Yamaha will turn and hold its
line surprisingly well.
The three-cylinder FZ-
derived motor can be a bit
buzzy at speed and the ini-
tial throttle response could
do with some ironing out,
but the trade-off for these
two issues is torque for days
and a rorty, mischievous
soundtrack that sounds
totally unlike a British triple.
It's almost four-cylinder
sounding at idle, before its
three-cylinder genes shine
through. It's got way more
punch down low than any
four-cylinder, mind you, and
is both easier to get the
Y
amaha's marketing
and product innovation
departments have really
been earning their stripes of
late. The FZ series (FZ-09/
FZ-07 and soon to be FZ-
03) have done wonders for
the brand's image, showing
that Japanese manufactur-
ers can be edgy and cool
just like their Euro competi-
tion.
However if you had to
pick one new Yamaha
that was really the best of
everything, you'd have to
tip the hat the FJ-09. I've
spent quite a bit of time on
this model of late and to be
honest, it's become truly
one of my favorite bikes on
the road.
There are some things I
don't like—the screen never
seems to have the right
position for my head not
to be buffeted at highway
speeds, the throttle is a bit
touchy (nothing nearly as
jerky as the FZ-09, which
has different mapping), and
it does look a bit agricultural
in the extensive use of black
plastic around the back end.
Here, have some more
black plastic.
But those are small gripes
when you consider the eye-
watering value for money
and performance/touring/
commuting/all-round-fun
TRADES
