All Tests – Test of FZ8 and Fazer8, future Yamaha bestsellers – Attack!

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Test of the FZ8 and Fazer8, future Yamaha bestsellers

All Tests - Test of FZ8 and Fazer8, future Yamaha bestsellers - Attack!

Number one in sales of motorcycles in France since 1996, Yamaha is launching this year a new model which should confirm its monopoly: the FZ8, and its streamlined version Fazer 8. The French bestseller Z750 is in the target… First MNC tests !

To attack !

Fortunately for us, the test was not limited to a laborious but necessary driving in the city and we were able to take advantage of the superb secondary network connecting more or less – less, less, less! – Marseille directly to Aubagne, Cassis, the Castellet circuit, Brignoles or other Roquefort-la-Bedoule…

The opportunity to drive on roads of all kinds and all conditions, to gorge on turns and short straights that limit speeding … and to get a more precise idea of ​​the potential of the new FZ8 and Fazer8 !

From the first strips of bitumen released from the countless buses, scooters, cars – but not bicycles … – Marseille, we realize that the engine of the 800 has resources !

Admittedly, on leaving the villages, the 4-cylinder Yamaha gently revives the 211 kg of the FZ8 or the 216 kg of the Fazer8 – to which must be added the weight of the biker, in this case 75 kg fully equipped -, if the we keep the sixth gear engaged well before deceleration when entering the town.

Fortunately, two strokes of the selectors are enough to make the engine go up in the towers and to give rhythm to the ride. In arsouille mode, you should not hesitate to go down a third gear, in order to climb in the neighborhood of 6,000 rpm.

This regime marks roughly half of the tachometer, graduated up to 13,000 rpm and establishing the red zone at 11,500 rpm. At this level, the airbox and the pot simultaneously increase the decibels and the FZ8 significantly lengthens the stride: the couple tumbles !

So when the conditions are right – and they were right at this press presentation! -, the pilot quickly gets used to cruising between 6,000 and 9,000 rpm. No wonder: the maximum torque of 82 Nm is exactly 8,000 rpm.

No need – except to make the pot roar to the maximum of its capacities – to push the engine up to 10 000 rpm and its corresponding 106.2 horses: on small roads, it is even almost impossible. Better to concentrate on the road, that we prune in all relaxation.

Indeed, whatever the state or the nature of the surface, the FZ8 holds the road perfectly and allows to drive at high speed without asking any questions. Its wheels, fitted with original BT-021, perfectly match the terrain and offer flawless precision.

The attack of the brakes is sufficiently biting and the power, provided the lever is pulled properly, is there. The more sporty would require a little more vigor at the end of the race, but the vocation of the FZ8 is not to put the brakes on an R6 !

Barely touched throughout our journey, the rear brake lacks a hint of progressiveness. Finally, nothing to say about the latest generation of ABS supposed to improve the hydraulic feedback at the levers: the test models did not !

For info all the same, "the Fazer8 ABS will land in concession in July and the FZ8 ABS in August", confirms the big boss Éric de Seynes. They will be displayed at the following prices: 8 699 € for the" naked "and 9 199 € for the fairing.

On the other hand, the FZ8 is less conciliatory as soon as its pilot abruptly. Applying the brakes in a curve that suddenly closes thus results in a significant straightening of the front axle and a widening of the trajectory..

Conversely, release the right lever on the angle to regain speed – and tax your buddy from the outside ?! – induces a slight additional cornering and a drift towards the inside of the turn. Perfectly assimilable and controllable, these fluctuations complicate improvisations a little..

On the handlebars of this FZ8, it will therefore be better to roll up than to attack like a pig … However, even the "cleanest" of our readers will not be able to counteract the lack of ground clearance of their FZ8. Indeed, on beautiful roads, the lugs end up rubbing abundantly: the test models particularly tasted…

Fortunately, the scraping of the small metal spheres on the asphalt does not endanger the pilot and his mount – nor the poor "cyclist in red" to whom we still apologize for this "interior" certainly impressive, but not mean….

It is even certain that some bikers will adapt perfectly to this very relative weak point – you still have to get the tip of the rear tire, which does not happen every day – and others will take the opportunity to impress the gallery. : "if I take an angle? … Matte my footrests!"

On tired asphalt, we would prefer the rear axle undulations to stop earlier. Here again, fans of Valentino Rossi or Cal Crutchlow will protest against the lack of rigor of the suspensions on beautiful roads, even on the track. Though…

In order to show the most skeptical of the sporting potential of its new roadster, Yamaha Motor France has already planned to enter no less than five FZ8s for the next Moto Tour: one for dealers and their customers, one for "VIPs. ", one for journalists – hard profession -, one for his partners and staff members … and the fifth for Denis Bouan, quadruple winner of the event !

In addition, an FZ8 trophy will be organized within the same Moto Tour 2010: "20 selected dealers will be able to hire pilot-customers, under privileged conditions", announces the French staff. Enough to give the FZ8 an image of" winner "in rally ?

This could prove to be decisive, because on the commercial level, the new Yamaha roadster will have to face sharp competition: a much cheaper Suzuki GSR, a more demonstrative Triumph Street Triple, a more sophisticated Honda Hornet in "attack" mode, a Monster 696 796, and especially the Kawasaki Z750, darling of French bikers…

To beat the Zed – it will be necessary to confirm its chances in a comparison – the FZ8 will have to put forward its compromise more oriented towards comfort than towards sport. A deliberate choice that does not prevent it from being devilishly effective, on any type of road, provided it is driven properly.

Perhaps the hardest part will be to justify its price, higher than that of the Z750 as well as the majority of its competitors … However, "Yamaha is making a special effort in France", assures us Éric de Seynes. French bikers will be able to benefit from launch prices (count + € 400 after September 2010): € 7,999 for the FZ8 and € 8,499 for the Fazer8.

And by the way, this Fazer8, what is it worth? Tested in parallel with its twin sister FZ8, we liked the "road" version of the new Yam ‘roadster: you just have to turn a penultimate page (before that of the technical sheet) to find out. !

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