Fazer 1000 or FZ1 eternal dilemma

[Krezi]

Hi Guys,


I am torn between Fazer 1000 and FZ1 and I read all threads on the forum


A couple of things I need the bike to do and what I will be using it for. I will use it daily for commuting and occasional weekend trips locally. I want it to offer good wind protection and handle precisely. I am not expecting big Bandit low down torque but would want decent acceleration on top gear from 30 mph. Comfortable riding position is essential. Had Triumph street triple r which was a sublime handler. Lack of fairing killed it for me!
Regarding maintenance would like to keep it to minimum and here carbs vs injection? Advantages and disadvantages of both? Is EXUP servicing time consuming and messy?
Is fz1 suspension much harder than Fazer 1000? I presume with full adjustability I would be able to get it where I want it. On FZ1 some people put in R1 rear shock. Could it be set as a balancing act between handling precision and comfort? I set up my triumph as very hard once and it was impossible to use on a public road hence the question.
Is there much difference with torque distribution between the 2?
I presume riding position is comfortable on both?


Thanks to all for their input and patience...


Paul

[Hedgetrimmer]

Aaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!
 
FZ1 more sporty handling, revvier, more modern feel.
FZS1000 better all rounder, more low down grunt, more comfortable for long trips.
FZS1000 EXUP can be a problem, but not as bad (generally) as some make out - if you're lucky enough NOT to have problems with it.  Eh?
Both excellent bikes, but FZ1s make you catch the ghey........
 
      

[Falcon 269]

EXUP maintenance on the Gen 1 is a 15 mins job assuming that it's been regularly looked after.  If it's been seriously neglected, budget some time to get it right again but after that, no trouble.

For torque from idle to redline, comfort, all-rounder qualities - Gen 1.  Fit an R6 shock and give the forks an overhaul, handles like a good 'un.

The Gen 2 is more sporty out the box, power kicks in at 6k rpm, less range and  less well-suited to commuting duties.

For me, the Gen 1 is the best all-rounder on the market.  But then I've owned one for 12 years and I'm biased. 

[Mick-H]

Good wind protection
Not sure you'll get that from a Fazer you'll get some but anything above 85/90 and you might as well be on a naked bike.

[stevierst]

Gen II is basically an R1 with flat bars, or a VERY SPORTY sport tourer.
Gen I is better all rounder, just not quite as nimble in the bends, but that can be remedied quite easily as previously mentioned. It has better bottom end power though.

Tank range on the gen II is normally 110-120 miles to the flashing light, which is about 40-44mpg.
The gen I is quite a bit more. I'm sure gen I owners will tell you exactly.

personally for what you need, I'd have a gen I.

[Krezi]

thanks guys! keep them coming!


how about servicing costs - carb balancing on Fazer 1000?


Is riding position the same on both bikes? I had cbr 600f and it was much too sporty with strain on wrists. I rode Fazer 1000 and the position is great. Is Fz1 the same?


I am not concerned about fuel consumption or smaller tank. It's only marginally smaller. Is fuel consumption that much more on FZ1 than Fazer?


Paul

[Falcon 269]

Tank range on a Gen 1 is typically 170 miles to the light, which is another 4 litres of fuel still to go.  Quite a difference.

If you are remotely capable of DIY maintenance, you can do 95% of the Gen 1 stuff yourself, including the carb synch.  A Morgan Carbtune will set you back around £55 - about the cost of an hour labour at most dealerships.  One of the easiest bikes to work on, too - the good news keeps coming, eh?

[Captain Haddock]

Gen 1 ivanised with R6 shock mod, the all rounder you are looking for and brisk from 30 upwards in top gear, loads of fun when revving properly too.

[stevierst]

However! A few tuning tweeks and spend the best part of £500 on the gen II, and you've got a genuine 155+bhp at the wheel. (pc3/5, ivans flash, exhaust, de-cat, airbox mod and filter.)
That'll scare a few modern superbikes easily.

[noggythenog]

Best smell them both first.




See which one smells most of wee 

[ogri48]

Aaaaaaaaaargh indeed..


Do what I did mate. Buy a gen one, there cheap as chips for what your getting. If you love it but want summat much the same but a bit newer and sportier again do what I did, sell it and buy a gen two. Or if your happy with it though, keep it.
That way you get to enjoy the experience of two of the best bikes ever built. The bottom line is that they are both great bikes, whichever way you go it's win win. It's not like your spunking ten grand on a new bike, and then might not like it, and losing three or four grand to move it on. Gen 1s and gen2s are both ridiculously cheap for what your getting. You can't lose either way unless you pay silly money for one. Whichever way you go, good luck with it bud

[Falcon 269]

Very good advice that, Paul.

[pitternator]

ditto. You can now pick up decent gen2 for under £5k. They were 10k new. There a lot of mods to improve power delivery , though its always going to be  a revvy sportbike engine.If you want an easy to ride tourer with occasional blasting go gen1, if you want the opposite go gen2.

only problem with gen1 is finding a decent low miler anymore as they have been out of production almost 9 yrs ! Saying that my 42k miler is as good now as it has ever been. The engines seem bulletproof if looked after.

Have to say in my 14th year of owning these bikes, if I had a quid for every time this topic has come up......

[ogri48]

Yup, my gen 2 was £4700, three years old with under 3k on the clock. To me it was like buying a new bike for half of what it should have been. We did 200 miles two up on it yesterday, had a ball, especially trying out the twisty roads thang on the sat nav. Fazers are like the 'blade franchise, different models but all good bikes. If things got tight and mine had to go I would do whatever I had to do to cobble 1500 quid together for another gen one, and wouldn't feel in the slightest bit hard done by, a fazer is a fazer is a fazer, absolutely superb bikes in any guise

[bigralphie]

Tank range on a Gen 1 is typically 170 miles to the light

Hold on a spring clipping minute after doing my Ivan mod in 1879 I never got better than 150 to a tank


So you Sir owe me money Sir but as it was a while ago you can pay me in peseta

[Ianboydsnr]

Tank range on a Gen 1 is typically 170 miles to the light

Hold on a spring clipping minute after doing my Ivan mod in 1879 I never got better than 150 to a tank


So you Sir owe me money Sir but as it was a while ago you can pay me in peseta

I have had over 200 to a gen 1 tank to the light, just reasonable brisk touring, normally get about 180 mixed and 150 hooning!




I don't think you will be disappointed in either, but buy a mint gen 1 rather than a rough gen 2!

[Falcon 269]

Tank range on a Gen 1 is typically 170 miles to the light

Hold on a spring clipping minute after doing my Ivan mod in 1879 I never got better than 150 to a tank


So you Sir owe me money Sir but as it was a while ago you can pay me in peseta

Let me see, mate ... if my aging memory serves me right, you left for your test ride with the front wheel in the air and since then I'm betting the rev counter has only ever been below 6k rpm on start up and shut down

Consider the money you've saved on front tyres as your rebate ...

You're welcome ...

[locksmith]

Gen2 everytime 












Did I mention  may be selling mine next month 

[stevierst]

There's a chance my 2010 could be with it too ;D

[DekF]

Gen2 everytime 



Well bud I'm coming to the conclusion that there's very little interest in the FZ1. It is afterall an old design.

I've reduced mine to £3.5k (without the Akra) & that's with over £2k of quality aftermarket parts. I can see me not selling it & keeping it to ride occasionally just to remind myself how outdated & behind some of the current crop it is now.









Did I mention  may be selling mine next month 

[devilsyam]

Get both I can't sell either they give me different buzzes

[lew600fazer]

My first ride on my FZ1 will be in 8 days time. Been a long wait, bought it on the forum 4 months ago from Neil in Bonniebridge  Scotland. As I live in Spain did not fancy a ride down here during the winter months.
Roll on the 23rd really looking forward to getting on the road with this bad boy.
Certainly should be familiar with it by the time I get down to Costa Blanca.
First stop will be Bradford for the Z1000SX forum Spring meet, 23+SX's for that weekend. Could be interesting on the twisty bits. I am not the quickest guy on a bike but last week had a meet up with a guy on a 2014 SX and me on the FZ6 I run out here only time he got near me was on the odd straight bit. Hoping to give a good account of myself around the Yorkshire Dales.

[Falcon 269]

Wasn't far from your place on Sunday.  We're blessed with the weather and roads here, no?

Enjoy the ride down with the new bike.  Hope it stays dry for you.

Mike

[MadDogMcQ]

I had a Gen 1 and thought it was a CRACKING all-round bike, but ultimately, it looked kinda big and old-fashioned. I now have a GenII which looks more compact, feels much lighter and looks AMAZING with the gold USD forks and modern styling.


First thing I'd say about the GenII is they have a shit gearbox! Really agricultural compared to the 40+ other bikes I've ever owned. Especially moving from 1st to 2nd gear. BUT that issue is probably made much worse than it needs to be because of the fact that the fuelling is shit too!!


BUT, because I love this bike so much, I've just ordered an IVAN'S FCE to sort out the fuelling, adjusted the gear-lever down so that it's easier to make a more positive up change and I've fitted a Nitron Shock. Those little mods cost me less than £500 and will transform the bike!  Before I bought this bike, I thought there'd be no low-down power but that's a load of absolute crap. It's got lots of grunt!


I've also removed that God-Awful silencer and fitted some fruity twin pipes, but that's just cosmetics.  The seat's are rock hard so my bum aches after about 150 miles. The tank-range is a bit shit and it means I'm hunting for fuel every 100 miles or so.  There's no room to store anything.


GenII all the way!! :-)

[Ravenscar]

I bought a 2003 Fazer 1000 from a guy on eBay last week. I'm astonished by how much bike I've got for a couple of grand. There seems to be two modes with which you can ride it:

Gentleman Biker Mode: 3-6,000 rpm. Plenty of torque for effortless progress along Great Britain's highways. Engage 6th gear from 45mph upwards and there's still plenty of acceleration for civilised overtaking. 6,000 rpm = 90 mph in top gear, so keep a little under that and you get to keep your license too!

Hooligan Mode: 7-11,000 rpm. Keep the engine on the boil and you're really just telling Scottie which warp factor you desire. You'll hit over 70 mph in first gear in this mode. Lots of fun to be had in second gear launching off slip roads and suchlike.

I test rode a '09 FZ-1 which was also a lot of fun but I'm glad I went for the FZS.