VOL. 54 ISSUE 12 MARCH 28, 2017 P119
but I can probably see myself
bumping up compression a click
or two on the fork, and maybe
even giving the rear shock a
twist of preload and a tick of
rebound if I was planning a
more spirited ride for the whole
day. But for casual riding—even
with some aggressive moments
thrown in—the FZ-09's suspen-
sion is more than up to the task
and is just plain impressive out of
the box. Overall, the new fork is
a huge upgrade over the previ-
ous FZ-09 fork.
Another big improvement is
the seat. It is amazing what 5mm
and a flatter shape did to improve
overall comfort of the 09, despite
the ergos being the same. Be-
fore, you were constantly sliding
into the tank. Not anymore. The
flatter seat also makes it easier to
slide around on.
Brakes are as strong as ever,
but now you get 'em with ABS,
which I think is a smart addi-
tion. But not to worry; it isn't so
sensitive that it takes anything
away from the 09s sports ap-
peal or hooliganisms. Nor does
the 09's traction control, which
in level one, still kind of lets
you get away with doing power
wheelies but definitely lets you
know when gravel or something
slippery is on the road as you
grab a handful of throttle. Level
two is for wet roads and slippery
conditions when you want a lot
of intervention. As mentioned,
TC can be turned off completely.
(TC can only be adjusted when
at a standstill.)
The slipper clutch is another
bonus; it makes downshifting
a no-brainer, and clutch pull is
indeed lighter, while still offer-
ing precise feel and control. It's
much easier to launch from a
complete stop, too.
The engine is unchanged and
still delivers a super-concentrat-
ed amount fun every time you
twist the throttle; and the sound
it emits is still music to my ears.
One of the things that made
the previous FZ-09 so fun to ride
was its light weight; the 2017 FZ-
09 is still light but not as light as
before. According to Yamaha's
numbers, curb weight is now
425 pounds, which is up about
10 pounds, but I couldn't feel it.
It's still super agile and a quick
The FZ-09 definitely invites
urban hooliganism but it's still
a fantastic canyon carver.
