Gen 1 v Gen 2

[flesh]

I have a Gen 2, a 2009 model ................................
I too did all the usual forum searches before I bought it and what surprised me was how smooth and easy to ride it is after all the horror stories I heard about the fuelling. It may be that the people who slate the Gen 2 fuel injection have only ridden the early model, but maybe some have never even ridden one and are "forum experts".

I had an '06 Gen 2 and the fuelling was fine. My current '10 plate (with the improved ECU) was bloody awful at times. I have also ridden a few different Gen 2's and some are ok and some are not. Hit an miss but ultimately unacceptable.

[pitternator]

In response to Tonys jibe about forum experts...sorry you dont know any of us or the history of the whole gen1 vs gen2 debate which has been ongoing since 2006. I personally have owned two gen1s for 9 yrs  with a combined mileage on road track and tours of over 70k miles, and owned a 06 gen2 for 9k miles of road and track use  before I sold it ( as I could not get on with it).I also have ridden later gen2s as loan bikes, and the FZ-8. So I do in this instance know what I am talking about ,and my opinion is based on actual experience.
 
Tastes differ , but at least my experiences give new folk some indication of what said bikes are like to ride and own.

[devilsyam]

yep pits had em all - all the dogs bollocks then back to a gen 1 says it all really

[Grandma]

After two glorious years on Gen 1 reluctantly sold it as it was a tad heavy and tried the Gen 2 with a Nitron shock, bought it, liked it, but hated the fuel consumption, as both 03 R1 and 54 FZ1S returned 55mpg whatever I did with them. The Gen 2 struggled to make 40mpg and with a smaller tank seemed to be forever filling up.
[/size][/color]The last straw came on my way to France, loaded up same as I always have done for the last 15 years, kept checking that everything was in place, actually feeling very happy, lovely sunny day, no traffic, plenty of time etc,. etc.[/font]
[/size][/color]Should have known it was going too well, as bike stated to feel weird on M20, so I slowed down, then felt really dodgy and nothing I did seemed to make any difference, so I decided to limp into Maidstone services to investigate.[/font]
[/size][/color]Never made it, as the back wheel locked up and sent the bike into a snake, which got worse and worse, but at least gave me time to get onto the hard shoulder before I hit the deck[/font]
[/size][/color]When I'd recovered my composure and half my undies which were shredded and scattered all over the hard shoulder, a guy stopped and picked the bike up for me, then the police to make sure I was O,K and finally AA to take the bike home in disgrace.[/font]
[/size][/color]Managed to cobble more luggage and clothes together, change my train booking, then went on faithfull R1, which never missed a bit.[/font]
[/size][/color]Surprisingly insurers wrote off Fazer and I must admit I didn't shed any tears over it, hence the Fazer 8.[/font]
[/size][/color]Attached is a photo of the R1 with the luggage which I used on the Fazer, covering 1,000's of miles without incident. The coppers who stopped commented they had come across a few Fazers which had done the same, but my Gen 1 was as good as gold with the same luggage![/font] [/color][/size].[/color]

[PaulSmith]

... as the back wheel locked up and sent the bike into a snake...

What locked the wheel up? Was it your luggage, bearing failure, chain, gearbox or engine?

[tony_d123]

In response to Tonys jibe about forum experts...sorry you dont know any of us or the history of the whole gen1 vs gen2 debate which has been ongoing since 2006.

Ha, touchy pitternator    Au contraire, I was a regular contributer on the Yuku forum which I joined in 2006, just a bit slow getting onto this one! So I have followed this debate for a long time as I contemplated changing to a gen 2.

The point I was making was that you need to test ride one, everyone is different, has different tastes, so there is no right answer. You obviously speak from experience but there "are" a lot of forum experts who probably have not ridden both bikes, but like to regurgitate stuff they have read.

[stevierst]

I rode a gen 2 a few years ago against my 98 R1 streetfighter, needless to say, I wasn't impressed at the time.

 I took a part ex for my Tiger a few days ago for a 10 plate FZ1S after test riding, and wanting a gen1. I've got to admit, the gen 2 that I've got is comfy enough for my 6'1"  frame with a 36" inseam. It's pretty torquey, and blisteringly quick. Would I have preferred the gen 1?? Maybe, maybe not. Only time will tell. Truth is, test ride both, and see what suits your needs best
Keep your eyes peeled in the for sale section to find out if I get on with mine

[AyJay]

Buy a ZX10R, the one with the under seat pipes as its cheaper. Mod the exhausts like Devils Yam did to his R1, fit a PC V plus a top yoke conversion with renthal bars and go wild.


Why bother with a half arsed semi sports bike (gen 2) or pipe and slippers (Gen 1) if you like to ride everywhere on the red line (I assume that is a figure of speech)? Get the real thing and make it fit you (I say ZX10R as its the least popular and cheapest of the litre bikes).

Or just buy a ZZR1400 and fit 50 quid bar risers. Job done. After that, a ZZR's as close to a Fazer 1000's all round ability as you're likely to get. Except it's a bit faster .. than even a ZX10. 5k will get a in the seat too, and if you're older, the insurance isn't that much more.


The 1000sx is exactly like a Fazer. 12 years of development and they invented something Yamaha had perfected a decade earlier.

[bigbluebear]

Thanks for all the feedback, I have decided to keep the Gen1. I have ordered a Nitron Shock (sorry Luke didn't fancy a refurbed R6 shock), getting the valve clearance done, wheels powder coated (can't decide on silver or gloss black) and a full service. That will keep the bike in good stead for the spring and will maybe look at it again next year as the cash is a bit tight at the moment.

[Falcon 269]

Good decision.

Silver wheels always look better on these bikes, I think.

[tony_d123]

Black always looks good (IMO), lighter colours look great until they have been covered in chain oil a few times and you have to keep cleaning them. Are you a serial cleaner?

[tony_d123]

I have the standard dark gold on my gen 2 which is a reasonable compromise, but the still look scruffy very quickly. What colour is your  bodywork?

[bigbluebear]

I'm a bit of a serial cleaner, I really hate to see a negleted bike...here are a few pictures. I have polished rims which is the killer to keeping clean and a small fortune on autosol

[pitternator]

have to say that is very impressive ! 
my 04 with 38 k miles on is clean, but not a patch on that. My engine paint is starting to flake at the front too. I feel a bit humbled by how good ur bike looks ...
credit where credit is due !
 
my only defense is I have 2 bikes, aint really an OCD where cleaning is concerned, and my bikes do get ridden a lot !   

[tomlinscote]

I thought there were some marks on your bike until I scrolled down and the marks moved. Turns out the marks were on my computer screen, suppose I should clean that and the bike too - bugger!!

[tony_d123]

Those wheels look fantastic as they are! Would definitely keep the black, nice contrast to all the silver.

[Falcon 269]

Black always looks good (IMO), lighter colours look great until they have been covered in chain oil a few times and you have to keep cleaning them. Are you a serial cleaner?

A good powder coat finish makes cleaning so easy, much easier than the stock black-painted wheels.  Literally a wipe with a rag and a drop of WD40 to clean off the cack and leave them gleaming.

[bigbluebear]

I generally wash the bike after each run out but the rims need properly cleaned with autosol otherwise they will tarnish and degrade pretty quickly. I normally don't ride in the wet and only when I get caught out and the bike goes away during the winter months....the threat of salt corrosion would ruin the bikes condition. My mate has Triumph Speed Triple 1050 and he put it away last winter without cleaning it properly after the roads were gritted.....the damage has completely ruined it.
 
I love the silver/black combination but I have seen a striking metallic type silver colour that would make the wheels stand out and look really good against the silver on the bike.....there would still be enough black. I have also thought about powder coating the spokes gloss black and the whole of the rims silver to keep the contrast.
 
I have also seen the other bikes with the side panels and airbox cover painted to match and that is another additional option I am considering.....but then that maybe just too much.

[Grandma]

... as the back wheel locked up and sent the bike into a snake...

What locked the wheel up? Was it your luggage, bearing failure, chain, gearbox or engine?

Sorry not been on for a while due to nasty chest infection which even prevented me from riding bike...I was too wobbly!
[/size][/color]It was the luggage slipping that locked the back wheel, despite frequent checks by me, the Police who stopped to check I was O.K said they have come across a few of the model doing the same![/font]
[/size][/color]Have used the same luggage on several bikes for many years and 1,000's of miles, including Gen 1 Fazer 1000 and never had it move before[/font]

[durchy]

Have had two Gen 2s, one was 2008, which I changed for 2009 model with ABS. Have since done 12K miles without problems apart from seat, which I agree is murderous after a couple of hours-have gel pad fitted, but still not too good!
Previous to those two bikes I had Fazer FZS 600 for 6 years, and sometimes wonder if  the FZ1 is that much better!
By the way, I think Bigbluebears bike looked good, and also block paving was very impressive job! 

[pitternator]

if his bike is that clean...I wager he regularly steam cleans his blocks too!
 I have blockpaving front and back and its murder in the winter , needs regular pressure washing to keep anything like clean. Maybe a dearer block would stay clean longer ....

[bigbluebear]

Pressure wash them every Spring and only when its raining otherwise I'm out on the bike, anything to get me out the house and keeps me off the naughty step.