Category: FZ-10

Happy Friday, everyone:

That’s right…the 2015-2016 R1 Nissan 16 mm radial master cylinder works with the line kit. Making a minor adjustment to the top line with a new fitting and a different hose length. But much to my surprise, we were able to re-use the line! Pretty cool considering that you can upgrade the lines now and retrofit the radial m/c down the road when funds exist. No need to buy a new line and remove anything under the tank!

 

How about that switch? Well, good news again: it fits! Still waiting on a lever to be 100% sure everything aligns and functions properly, but it looks like we’re a go.

Here’s a view from the cockpit showing the line and harness. The switch is oriented 90 degrees from it’s factory location, so the harness loses some slack. However, there is enough before the wire clamp that you can redistribute the wiring a bit. No binding from lock to lock.

Again, this brake line here has a different m/c fitting and line length up top, so the production kits are going to look a little better up top!

Did some parts bin jockeying last week with some of Woodcraft’s goodies.. First order of business was to try out the R1’s axle sliders. Figured it was an easy swap considering the R1 and FZ-10 use the same axles. Success!

Front

Rear

As you can see, the standard spools are also a direct fit (no surprises there).

Tried to assemble the standard R1 frame sliders, but the pucks interfered with the bodywork. However, the standard puck we used on the FZ-09 and FZ-07 works perfectly. Working with Woodcraft to pull a part number and get some kits boxed up and ready to go.

Next up was to try the R1’s engine covers…

Success!

The other side wasn’t so fortunate…

Didn’t grab a shot to show it (SORRY!), but the R1 cover is about 13 mm too shallow. Apparently, the extra flywheel mass we kept reading about was added onto the actual flywheel. Surprising or not, this necessitated a deeper cover. Working with Eric Wood at Woodcraft to figure out a work-around. Have two good options on the table to make this happen pretty quickly, so stayed tuned.

Except for the LH stator cover, things never go this easily. Thank God Yamaha really did just convert an R1 for us. Makes our jobs easier!

As we get part numbers pulled, we’ll add these parts to our web store. Stay tuned to the forum for a group buy or two to kick things off.

On another side note, tried to install the Yoshimura FZ-09 fender eliminator. It looked sooo close. I’m told that close only matters in horseshoes and hand grenades. A shame, because the Yosh kit is really quite top notch. Great light, adjustable signal mounts (and removable!), and perfect fitment. I spoke with Yosh last week and they should have something soon. If that doesn’t work out, Stoltec will make one.

The jury has deliberated and the verdict is in on the shock. Meh. In fairness, it’s leaps and bounds beyond that of the ‘lesser’ FZ’s. By a long shot. But that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past three years.

First, the shock is identical externally to the R1 with one exception: The R1 has ride height adjustment while the FZ-10 does not. Despite what we’ve read in the press, the FZ-10 shock has the same spring according to our measurements. Both bikes use a spring that spec’d out at ~475-480 lb/in. Makes you wonder what they were thinking since the FZ has a heavier steel subframe, factory option luggage, and a greater probability of a pillion rider. Really – have you seen the R1’s seat? I’d rather walk.

Our prototype shock is being built next week, and we’ll start testing with a 550 lb/in spring rate for a 195 lb geared rider. Pro racers typically run 600-650 depending on the circuit and track conditions, so that should give you some perspective on how poorly sprung the bike is. So I’ll reiterate: if you weigh more than about 150 lbs in gear, the stock spring is too soft. And really, that weight is being generous. The pain you’re feeling on large bumps is the bike plowing into the bump stop as it bottoms out. A heavier spring will fix this issue.

The damping is another matter altogether. Penske ran the shock on the dyno yesterday for us.

The results are interesting. Well, maybe not since the performance is identical to the R1. But either way, there are some points that are worth mentioning. We’ve found a lot of people ‘feel’ something makes a difference, but the data doesn’t always support it. The placebo effect is real. Let this be our guide.

There’s a lot of stuff to make you cross-eyed here, so bear with me. I’ve left the image at full resolution and quality, so feel free to click on the image to zoom in.

1. The range of adjustment is shown in the top/center. This highlights the range of adjustment you get and full open, full hard, and mid point on compression and rebound.
2. The graph immediate to the left (still on top) is our spec for the FZ-09. This shock dyno curve was chosen to highlight a known ‘good’. Plus, the spring rate that shock was valved for is very similar to our target for an average weight FZ-10 rider.
3. The next row down shows runs to highlight the variance that each adjustment affords. Low speed compression on left, rebound on right.
4. The bottom three graphs show the high speed compression test. On the left, rebound was full soft, LSC was full hard. In center, both rebound and LSC were full hard. On right, both rebound and LSC were full soft.

Great. Translation?

1. First, take notice of the rebound test plot on the center right. For those who are unfamiliar with these graphs, the positive sloping lines are compression and the negative sloping lines are rebound. Since the rebound adjustment was varied with run (4 click increase per run), you’d expect to see some increase in rebound damping on those negatively sloped lines. However, you’ll also notice that the compression curves varied as well. Why? Simple. The jet in the main piston effectively increases compression damping when rebound is increased. Conversely, compression damping is reduced as rebound is reduced. It’s important to note that the rebound adjuster’s effect on compression damping is actually greater than the LSC adjuster. It’s hard to explain without showing the internals, but take my word for it. The numbers don’t lie.
2. Note the HSC runs across the bottom. You’ll see that the individual runs overlap on each sheet (six runs in total). This is because the HSC adjuster doesn’t actually do anything in the speed ranges we’re able to measure (10 in/s is pretty fast). As mentioned above, the rebound and LSC adjustments have a larger effect.
3. Now, divert your gaze from the shape of the curves to the actual values at various shaft speeds. You’ll notice that the overall range of adjustment is limited and the magnitude is substantially less than the FZ-09 control shock.

Blah, blah, blah…are we done here? The take away is this:

Spring – too soft for most riders.
Rebound – sufficient range, but tied to the compression circuit.
High speed compression – minimal/no effect.
Low speed compression – works, but is overshadowed by the rebound adjustment.

Re-springing and revalving isn’t out of the question, but we’re still limited by the design of this shock. The relationship between rebound and compression won’t go away without substantial modifications.

It’s about that time: deconstruction. What better way to ‘use’ a new 800-mile old bike? Take it apart.

First order of business is to get the shock down to Penske for a dyno baseline. It arrived there last Friday, so hopefully have some data back this week.

Not much to report on yet, but for those who embark on this project, I recommend removing the rear wheel to gain extra clearance. I was surprised to see they kept the hollow bolts from the R1.

While we were back on the swingarm, figured it was a good time to verify fitment of the Pitbull Trailer Restraint system. Given the age of the bike, Pitbull didn’t have fitment information on the bike. Based on what we know, including the fiche, took a gamble on the R1 pins. Perfect fit. JB-R and JB-L.

If you trailer your bike to the track and haven’t heard of this kit, do yourself a favor and check it out. Your life will improve for the better. You’ll never wonder if your bike fell over inside the trailer or if the straps on your open trailer loosened up in the rain. Your looks will improve, you’ll make more friends, and your dog’s farts will stop stinking. Winning all around!

Since the rear suspension, or lack thereof, prevented the bike from being ridden, it seemed like a good time to address the other deficient area of the bike: brakes!

Complete removal of the lines – rubber and hard.

Typical of all ABS bikes with the servo under the seat, there are a lot of lines and joints. The plan is to eliminate the hard lines completely unless an insurmountable challenge presents itself. Reduced number of leak points, easier installation (once you remove the hard lines – the flare fittings can be hard to get at), and less weight.

Unfortunately, getting the lines off, requires removal of the airbox and lowering of the radiator (though no coolant was drained). The worst part was getting those damn scoops off. I’m a little disappointed in how fiddly these bits are. I though this level of bastard was reserved for, and monopolized by, Triumph. Live and learn. Here’s a few shots of the bikes innards for the curious amongst the audience.

If anyone has any questions for requests for pictures/information while it’s apart, PM me. I’ll do my best to accommodate.

Somehow, some way, I managed to put around 800 miles on the bike during the first week of ownership. A few good rides, some commuting, and some dyno time. The honeymoon doesn’t appear to be waning. Rather, it’s intensifying. I’d like to scrounge up another $13k so I can buy a second bike – this would give continuous ride time while the first bike is disassembled for R&D, maintenance, etc. Joking aside, I love the bike. As I mentioned earlier, it’s they combined the best features of a Speed Triple, an FZ-09, and a VFR and then improved on it a bit more. The more I ride it, the more in love I become. Nice job Yamaha!

The objective for the dyno was pretty straight-forward: determine what differences (if any) exist between the various ride modes and traction control settings. The three modes felt identical in power output, but clearly the throttle maps vary. The FZ-09, by contrast, reduces power by approximately 10% in B mode (the softest map on that bike).

Conditions:
93 degrees F air temperature
50% relative humidity
93 octane fuel
All runs done between 205-220 degrees F
Bike is completely stock
665 miles on the clock at start of test
10w40 Yamalube non-synthetic oil (used for break-in). Oil/filter changed at 100 miles and then again at 618 miles. Chain adjusted and lubed at the 618 mile service.

As (unfortunately) expected, the stationary front wheel disabled the TC system and tripped a CEL. So, no way to quantify the effects of TC on power output. Until we figure something out…

Otherwise, we did about 5 runs per mode. What you see here is the best of each mode.

Unfortunately, time was limited and we didn’t have enough left to access an ignition lead to pull RPM (and torque). However, I was able to back-calculate the RPM based on wheel speed and obtain torque readings as shown here. Please be aware that the RPM and torque trace are calculated!! There is some inherent error in the dyno, with the actual circumference of the rear tire, etc. This is only shown to give a feel for the actual torque curve. So reader beware!

The curves passes the sniff test based on my seat of the pants. Torque picks up pretty strong at ~4,000 RPM which matches the feel from the saddle. From there, the bike makes about 75% or more of its peak torque to redline. There are a couple bumps along the way, but the ~8,000 RPM peak matches up with the reality-distorting rush from the saddle. But again, reader beware – this data was calculated!

For those who don’t like to read:

For reference, a stock FZ-09 puts out 104 whp on the same dyno. This number is well within the expected range. As such, it’s a little confusing that the FZ-10 is putting down the power that it is. Euro MT-10’s have pulled numbers in the 138-140 whp range, but I’ll withhold judgment until we get more data (both MT and FZ). One data point it hardly a trend, but a 160 hp (crank) bike typically puts out more power at the wheel. A stock 150 hp Ducati MTS 1200 makes about 130 hp at the wheel.

Before the topic gets sidetracked, let’s avoid discussions of dyno error, operator error, etc. until we have more data from other bikes on both sides of the pond. Hopefully, this power rating doesn’t follow in the footsteps of the 2006 R6 redline debacle. Perhaps the output is a function of some TC/CEL do-loop trickery…

Either way – the bike rips. Numbers be damned.

Oh, that sound! How else can you make your driveway sound like Moto GP’s pit lane? You could buy an R1, but then you’d have to figure out how to ride it for more than 20 minutes at a time. The FZ-10’s battle cry is fierce, even if subdued. If a V4 played a musical instrument, it’d be the djideriedoo and it’d sound like the crossplane crank CP4. What a treat!

It’s been a few days since I picked up the bike and I’ve gotten a lot of questions on what I thought. Not necessarily being lazy about it, but I wanted to hold my tongue until I’ve had enough time to write fitting review. Often times, riders get a little euphoric with that new bike smell. I’m no different. At the same time, I’ve been blessed with owning, riding, and working on some really neat bikes over the years. Some have been better than others, but in general, they’ve all gotten better over time. Progress is good – usually.

As it stands, I’ve put about 300 miles on the machine since Sunday morning. I’ll cut right to the chase: I wasn’t blown away at first. Before you label me jaded, spoiled, or disillusioned, allow me: I am jaded, spoiled, and disillusioned. This may not surprise many of you reading this, but I share the same affliction as you. I cannot leave anything alone. I’ve been in a fortunate position that the business allows me access to some really knowledgeable industry-insiders. Experience has also guided my interests, personal taste, and mechanical aptitude. Learning new stuff every day, but I’m at a point where I can generally spot what will work for me and what won’t. I’ve spent a lot of time and money obtaining this experience.

All this is to say that the FZ-10 is a very natural progression from the last FZ project bike: the 2014 FZ-09. Within ‘reason’, no expense was spared on that project – both in time and money. Simply put, it was awesome in nearly every way. Although it was a little buzzy and lacked wind protection, the suspension and chassis were dialed in for my riding needs. The brakes were track-capable with excellent feel. The slipper clutch transformed the bike. I can go on, but I won’t. This is about the FZ-10.

It’s taken me three days to figure out why I wasn’t enamored during the first ride. As it turns out, it’s because it feels so much like a very well prepped bike that it was a seamless transition. Yes, there are wrinkles that can be ironed out and personalized, but in general, Yamaha nailed it. While the FZ-09 always went rowdy, eager to lift a wheel, and generally, act a fool, the FZ-10 is different. Somehow, a 160 hp super naked doesn’t feel excessive. In fact, it feels [i]just right [\i]. Listen, we all know designing motorcycles isn’t easy business. The sheer number of bikes on the market and iterations within each model is testament that we’re always in search of something better. Performance, comfort, balance, fun, or some combination thereof.

I can’t help but imagine that the FZ-09 was designed by a younger group of engineers and test riders on a more limited budget. These folks wanted something brash, and damnit, they got it. In spades. The FZ-09 punches far above its weight, and its runaway sales success further solidify that claim. The FZ-10 by comparison seems to have been designed by a more <ahem> mature group of engineers. I’m not talking about Goldwingers and FJR-lovers. No, I’m talking about people who value things other than an ability to wheelie for an entire tank of gas. The best analogy I can use is that the FZ-09 makes power like a two-stroke dirt bike: immediate with near instant throttle response. The FZ-10 feels like a four stroke. Though undoubtedly faster, it is easier to ride and lets you focus on things other than keeping the front wheel on the ground and in line with the rear.

Engine

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It. Just. Plain. Works. But more importantly, the rest of the bike agrees with the engine’s intents. The result is a powerplant that works well from 2000 RPM to redline. Like other crossplane engines before it, there is a gentle thrum to remind you that you’re not on some run of the mill inline four. It’s different than a V4, but the effect is similar. Smooth torque delivery, great traction, and minimal vibration. I’m at a loss for new words, so I’ll fall back on the ubiquitous ‘Freight Train’. As the miles are adding up and the engine is breaking in, the performance is surely improving. Acceleration in the first four gears is breathtaking.

Transmission

Gearing, and spacing within, is well suited for the street. Great tractability in town or on the backroads. Relaxation at highway speeds. Lever feel is light and direct, but I’ll admit that there is a hint of notchiness that I hope disappears with age. It’s not crunchy per se, but it isn’t Honda-smooth. It’ll be nice if the Yamaha quickshifter from Europe is plug n’ play. We’ll see.

The slipper assist clutch takes a light pull. Less than the FZ-09 and more in line with the XSR900. If I’m picking nits, I’d say the back torque tuning could be a bit less for my personal taste. It’s not as seamless as the $1,000 Suter I had on the FZ-09, and it feels a bit behind the XSR900 in terms of engagement smoothness. Of course, the bike is new. We’ll see how things loosen up.

Brakes

Now that they’re bedded in, I can confirm that these need help. The R1 gets a radial master cylinder, stainless steel brake lines, and different calipers. Although the brakes are effective, initial bite is soft and the lever isn’t as firm as a proper sportbike. Needless to say, this will be one of the first areas we address.

Haven’t had to test the ABS, yet. Hopefully never.

Chassis

Without question, the chassis geometry and design is the best in the FZ lineup. If that surprises you, you’re probably in over your head. It provides good feedback while cranked over without getting upset with mid-corner surface imperfections. Steering is light at low speeds, and stable at high speeds (in fairness, that is partially due to the electronic steering stabilizer). The whole package works so well that it doesn’t take long to forget about the bike. Or, I should clarify: it doesn’t take long to forget what the bike is doing underneath you. We’ll play around with some things on the chassis, but it’ll be more out of curiosity than necessity.

Ergonomics

Seat height feels ‘right’ for me and my 31” inseam. Not quite flat footed, but not on my tippy toes, either. Right, wrong, or indifferent it feels like how I like my bikes to feel. Or, how I’ve been programmed to feel. Either way, this is a welcome improvement over the low seat height on the FZ-09.

Leg room is ample – no cramps during the first 100 mile break-in ride. It’s too soon to say if the pegs are too low for track usage, but time will tell. Reach to the bars is a touch on the long side for me if my butt is pushed back onto the flattest part of the seat (right up against the odd little bump). Scooching forward eliminates the stretch for me. Bars are a great bend at what feels to be a great width and pullback. I suppose we’ll work with Woodcraft to make another set of the clip-on adapters, but I’m not sure it’s out of necessity. The FZ-09 left me feeling like a parachute on the highway, but not on the FZ-10. Well, I suppose that’s only partially true: speeds over 90 mph exert a bit of pressure of my chest. But, it’s never too much to handle since that curious looking windscreen actually does a great job of deflecting a clean blast of air away from the torso.

The mirrors work well, but still show more of my elbows that I’d like, even when adjusted all the way out. An easy fix. My only ergonomic complaint so far is with the clutch lever. A $13,000 bike should have two adjustable levers. The reach is just far away enough for my size 8-8.5 fingers that it takes some effort to smoothly downshift. Getting back to the clutch and slipper, I expect a proper lever will alleviate some of the initial concerns. I’m just programmed for a closer clutch lever. The brake lever isn’t bad, but comfort puts me in between two settings. Such is life, but it’s easily rectified.

The seat doesn’t offend me – yet.

Electronics

Traction control works, and from what I can tell so far, pretty smoothly. Cycling from off to level 3 (most intrusive), you can feel the electric nannies intervene. However, the effect isn’t intrusive. Pretty pleased.
The D-modes are different than what Yamaha did on the FZ-09. Here, the softest is STD, followed by A, and then B. Naming convention aside, I find the throttle control best in STD. It’s a bit soft off the bottom if I’m being honest, but it works well after that. Engine braking feels pretty good all around. A and B get more aggressive, which is OK in the ‘up’ rev. Down, however is very abrupt. Without seeing the maps, it’s hard to say if the engine braking is too abrupt, the throttle maps are too aggressive, or if the decel fuel cut is the culprit. I’m picking nits here, though. Because really, I could ride all day in STD and never complain. Again, it just works. And it works well.

Cruise control. Get some! Love it. Nothing else needs to be said.

General

I appreciate the standard power port behind the headlight. In today’s smartphone world, this should be standard on all bikes.
Haven’t had a chance to use the headlights at night, but the days are getting shorter and this will happen sooner rather than later. To my eyes, it looks like the FZ-10 lifted the headlights from the R1 and lumped them closer together. The taillight is the same as the FZ-09, which I always liked. And the turn signals – good Lord! It’s about time they ditched those ancient pumpkins and moved to LED…
Strictly subjectively speaking, I think the bike looks better (and smaller) in person than it does in the photos we’ve all seen on line. That goes for the black, too. I was set on the Armor Gray until I saw this in person. It really looks very good – excellent fit and finish. Even if you don’t care for the styling, you have to give Yamaha credit – it’s a different approach.

Suspension

You didn’t think I’d forget about the suspension, did you? Fully adjustable at both ends (with high speed compression on the shock). Thankfully, Yamaha didn’t stray too far from the R1 here. I’ll be honest though: the first ~100 miles were embarrassingly unproductive from a suspension standpoint. The ride was overly harsh, traction was limited, and steering effort was sub-par. One gravel road was so harsh and chattery, I had to turn around. Turns out, in all my excitement, I forgot to check the dealer’s work. The result? How about 67 psi in the front tire and something so high that none of my tire pressure gauges would register on the rear? Trust but verify. Lesson learned, thankfully not the hard way.

With that behind us, tire pressure was corrected to something more streetable: 33 psi front and 36 psi rear (cold). Not looking to hit the track, so this was an attempt for a good street starting point. As expected, it took the chatter out and made things a lot better. Grip, feel, ride quality. Good.

Happy to report that the FZ-10 shares none of the FZ-09’s woes. We actually have damping (of both varieties), and the spring rates are reasonable for a general all-purpose machine. If you have any issues, it’s probably your fault – not the bike’s. However, all is not perfect. Much like the XSR900, Yamaha took the FZ-09’s inadequacies and took the solution a bit too far. For my 190 lb self (in gear), the suspension defaults to harsh, even with the damping optimized. If you only ride on the track or smooth roads, you’ll probably be ok with the damping (assuming the spring rates work for you). Fortunately, I know someone who can help…stay tuned!

All in all, what an amazing machine. It reminds me an awful lot of the Speed Triple, which is a good thing. This shouldn’t be terribly surprising given the similarities in wet weight, dimensions, torque, and ergonomics. Now that I’ve gotten through most of the ‘critical thinking’, I can set about enjoying the bike and fixing some of the small concerns. But rest assured, those concerns are relatively minor and easily fixable. Yamaha really hit this one out of the park. Like the old FZ1, but better.

Rather than take a bunch of photos, I figured it’d be best to use a video. Hope this helps paint a better picture of the bike.

It’s here, it’s here, it’s here! Not exactly per the original plan, but heck, what goes as planned?

This bike has been highly anticipated for years – certainly before the official US announcement earlier this year. Hot off the FZ-09, this will be our next chapter. Hopefully it’s a good one.

My son and I went to pick it up this AM. Beautiful day, but it was in the mid-90’s and high humidity. Honestly, it was nice riding back in an air conditioned truck. My oh my, I’ve gotten soft…

Short of a 10 mph ride around the parking lot to quickly verify operation (of first gear), haven’t had time to get it on the road yet. It’s been a long day of anticipation, but all was not lost. First order of business was giving the bike a once over. While I was at it, I topped off the fuel – and weighed the bike.

Sometimes manufacturers are honest when it comes to wet weights, but more often than not, they are ‘optimistic’. Case in point, the 414 lb FZ-09 was actually 420 lbs on our scale. So, it was with trepidation that we fact checked Yamaha’s weight on this ‘big boned’ sibling.

Drum roll please…

Front: 239.5 lbs
Rear: 223.5 lbs
Total: 463 lbs.

Right on the money!

I have to admit, the styling is growing on me. I still recall my initial thoughts when I saw photos on the internet last year after the release. I shouldn’t repeat the words I used, but it wasn’t kind. First thought was that the designers were playing a joke on us and actually unveiled the mule. You know, the one camouflaged up that you see in the motorcycle magazines. So yeah, I wasn’t a fan.

Over the course of the past 8 months, it’s fair to say I’ve warmed up to it. No, it’ll never be mistaken as anything coming out of Italy. Or the UK for that matter. But, in a world that often criticizes the Japanese for being too conservative, this is unique from every angle. While the transformer styling won’t do it for everyone, I think it pulls it off well in-person. The level of fit and finish is pretty good in every area that matters. There are still typical Yamaha cost cutting measures – like the cheap silver levers (clutch is non-adjustable as always), the cable actuated clutch, and the crude exhaust. But the rest of the bike – the parts that were actually styled and not originally meant to be hidden behind the plastic fairings on a race bike – looks pretty good. Aesthetics aside, the attention to detail is refreshingly good. I’d say it’s on par with the Kawi Z1000.

More updates to come as the project progresses. First order of business, though…ride the damn thing! It’s dark here in deer country, so we’ll wait to scrub in the new tires, bed the pads, and seat the rings until we have day light.