Yamaha FZ

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Yamaha lineup there’s a model that doesn’t garner very much fanfare, and yet is something of a welcome salute to the old days—the FZ6. The little brother of the FZ1, the 2007 FZ6 hasn’t changed all that much from the bike we tested in April of last year, but the new version gets updated fuel-injection programming, a revised gauge cluster with an easy-to-read analog tachometer (which replaces the old digital unit that was hard to read), and a redesigned fairing and windscreen. The biggest change on the new model is a revised swingarm and a switch to monoblock four-piston calipers (as seen on the R6S) hugging the front discs in place of the old two-piston pin-slide calipers. We never had a problem with the old binders; in fact we gave them the nod in comparison tests with the FZ6’s competitors, but we’ll gladly take the upgrade.

FZ6 aimed at the new rider, but budget-conscious riders looking for a thrill can get a kick out of the bike as well. At the heart of the FZ6 is the R6S engine, which has been retuned for better midrange rideability. Keep in mind that this is the same basic engine that Yamaha used to win AMA Supersport victories and the 2003 championship, so it’s definitely no slouch. On the dyno the retune translates into 84 rear-wheel horsepower at 12,100 rpm and 41 lb-ft of torque at 10,100 rpm, real punch for a bike in this weight range.

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