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Cult bike Yamaha FZ 750
Full torque curve, easy power delivery
30 years ago everyone was chatting about their five valves per cylinder. The topic is now even through at Yamaha, but the Yamaha FZ 750 had a lot more to offer. An epochal concept namely.
Yamaha tried it, Honda tried it: four valves above the piston. For the brand with the tuning fork, even before their great two-cylinder could really prove themselves, superfluous hot flashes that were turned off too late destroyed the reputation of the XS 500, which was introduced in Germany in 1975. At Honda, on the other hand, problem-free enduro single-cylinder and above all the 1978 CB 900 increased Bol d’Or the fame. Maximum penalty for Yamaha, with the irrefutable consequence of having to do it differently. Three, five, six … everything was possible for the next techno bike, but not four.
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Cult bike Yamaha FZ 750
Full torque curve, easy power delivery
Yamaha FZ 750! Radical and above all different. Nickname Genesis – the creation. The athlete draws in her mixture through three inlet valves at different angles, two exhaust valves lead the combustion products into a slim four-in-two exhaust system, the whole quintet controlled by bucket tappets by two overhead camshafts. Every round table turned into a technology seminar, free valve cross-sections were calculated on beer mats and masses to be accelerated were added.
A splendid and handy country road chassis
But during happy arguments, the people’s soul mostly missed the fact that the real revolution in the Yamaha FZ 750 is not in the head of the water-cooled and super-slim engine, but in its cylinder bank. It is inclined forward by 45 degrees. That lowers the center of gravity and pushes it a little towards the front wheel. Above all, however, straight intake paths can be implemented: In a downflow, four constant pressure carburetors installed above and not behind the engine feed the combustion chambers, there are no angles and bends to prevent greedy inhalation. Yamaha used this advantage to achieve a torque curve that was unimaginably full for the 750 cc and a provocatively casual power delivery.
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Slim thanks to the piggyback Lima, robust and strong, this is how the Yamaha FZ750-Four shaped the Yamaha athletes.
The also brand new Suzuki GSX-R 750 was clearly surpassed, all other three-quarters liters anyway. The Yamaha FZ 750 also had the more stable chassis – and somehow even the more modern one. Although a large part of the torsion-free Suzi’s weight, which was 30 kilograms lower, was due to its aluminum frame, on the other hand, the FZ – as has been common since then – started with a tubular frame encompassing the engine. The rectangular profiles at the top of the steering head extend far, circling past the airbox and carburetors, and then heading towards the bearing plates of the centrally supported aluminum swing arm in a fairly direct way. In combination with well-appealing, not too hard spring elements, this results in a splendid and handy country road chassis, which at best weakly weakens close to top speed or during hearty race track use, but at that time won every comparison with impressive ease. So impressive that two seasoned MOTORRAD editors reacted slightly puzzled when Yamaha asked them about the ideal sporty road tourer at the end of the 90s. “You already had it”, both exulted and recommended increasing passenger compatibility with the FZ and creating a luggage system. Finished. Yamaha didn’t understand that. The FJR 1300 appeared. With four-valve engine.
Info Yamaha FZ 750
Data: (for model 3KT, built in 1991): Liquid-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, 749 cm³, 74 kW (100 PS) at 10,500 / min, 78 Nm at 8,300 / min, six-speed gearbox, double loop frame made of rectangular tubular steel, weight with a full tank 236 kg, Tires in front 120/70 V 17, rear 140/70 V 17, tank capacity 21 liters, top speed lying down 233 km / h, 0-100 km / h in 3.5 seconds.
Scene: The five-valve era for Yamaha’s super athletes extends from the FZ 750, which was sold from 1985, to the epoch-making R1. Only their 2007 version upgraded to four valves again. The exclusive and very reliable technology in the Yamaha off-roaders that dominated their sport lasted for a similar time. One of the highlights of this era is certainly the YZF-R7 over-motorcycle, better known as the OW 01 and winner of numerous superbike races. The basic motorcycle was the most expensive production motorcycle in Germany at the time – and it still fetches enormous prices today. The rest of the festival is usually quite inexpensive, although early and original FZ 750 are now rare. Due to its long sales period until 1994 and the widespread use of the five-valve four-cylinder, the FZ is also in good hands with any good Yamaha dealer. However, body parts often have to be obtained second-hand.
Literature: For owners and those who want to become one, we recommend the repair instructions for the FZ 750 from Bucheli-Verlag for 26.50 euros.
Internet: A nice scene is gradually establishing itself around Yamaha’s great five-valve athletes. To be viewed, for example, at www.fzr-forum.de and www.fz750.de
Youngtimers that made history: Always a topic in our sister magazine MOTORRAD CLASSIC. Reorder the issue at 0711/32068899.
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