2002 Yamaha FZ1000S from Denmark - Comments

Nothing has gone wrong.

FZS1000 (FZ-1 in North America)

I bought this bike new in 2002, and I have ridden it 80,000 km (50,000 miles) in continental Europe in 2 and

Great review/essay from someone who obviously loves bikes and biking. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Like all the in-depth tricks and tips - always good to store in the back of the memory for when you come across a similar problem, no matter what bike you ride.

I own the baby brother of the litre Fazer - the 600, and find it a bit of a do-it-all revelation - great fun, confortable and practical. It is my first bike though, so I expect anything would put a smile on my face. STH.

Brilliant review, I too have the smaller 600 version and it is my 6th bike. I am looking to upgrade, I was not so sure of the 1000 until now. Great bikes, flawless. Can't wait to get the bigger one!!

I own a 2003 model fzs1000.

The comments on the tyres are correct. After 17000km and many scary moments, I have swapped them for Conti Road Attacks. Now I can make stoppis on rainy days.

I ride 12 months a year in Belgium, mostly home to work, but on sunny days the distance from home to work increases just for the fun of riding.

The fzs1000 is my second bike, because commuting through slow traffic is much easier with this bike than with my Kawasaki gtr1000.

Small, very manouverable, fast and good brakes, the ideal every day bike. The 06 model is on my wish list. So my 03 model is spending his last months with me.

My wife has the 600 & I'm well impressed, but want a bigger engine. I need a bike for a 115 mile a day comute, nearly all motorway & dual carriageway. Could anyone tell me about running costs on the Fazer 1000? Tyre wear, servicing, motorway mpg etc... Does anyone know the likely longevity of a bike used as above & well serviced? Any advice/experience welcomed.

Thanks,

Neal.

G, day. I just bought a silver 05 FZ1000s and what can I say, YeeHaa.

It handles like a dream without the annoying wrist aches and back aches. Opened her up the other day, first, second, third, fourth, wow, past 200KmH, still two gears to go, cars littering the highway like germs, but the Fazer just cuts through the traffic like a knife at any speed.

Hitting my favourite set of twisties has made me realise one thing, I need a new set of sliders cause it just wants to corner. Anything from the flip-flop to the sweeping 160kmh curves, dragging the knee all the way. Third gear, dip of the clutch, up she comes, holds nicely, the anchors washes speed off really fast.

She's stock at the moment, but I have got a plan for a Yoshi tri-oval K&N filter and stage 2 dynojet kit. That should put me at 140 horsepower at the wheel, not to mention lifting the airbox.

It's also handy to know a fella that has tuned them to 160 horsepower. I'll let you know what type of power gains I get once she's dynoed.

It is the perfect road bike that brings a smile to my face everytime I get on her.

Addressing Neal's comments... I am nearing my 40th year of riding and am now on my third FZ-1. A 2001, a 2003 and now a 2006 - love them all.

I do very long highway commutes in about every weather condition with mixed road conditions. I feel that the new one is quite different than the previous models, especially a harder seat which I am still working on.

I have to say that I think the "blue ones" were a bit better in the rougher weather/roads due to the fork angle being a bit more shallow. A lowering kit and fuel injection may have made them perfect, except that both the early ones developed a vibration above 3500rpm that drove me crazy. The new one makes me feel that I need a steering dampener to handle the occasional gravel road, as it is much less stable than the predecessors.

Even though I am 6' tall I like having the grips closer, but I feel that I am now a bit less than one with the newer bike.

The high mileages never seemed to have much effect on the bikes over the long haul.

Frisbetariat.