Rennie Scaysbrook | August 3, 2016
The 2017 Yamaha FZ-10 is finally here!
Traction on 1, A mode, and let her rip! This stuff is too easy on an FZ-10.
I can tell you exactly how long I’ve wanted to see this bike in production. Back in February, 2009, when Yamaha first released the big bang, cross-plane crank R1, I remember thinking, ‘Hmm, this’d make a pretty sweet naked bike.’ It’s been seven years—seven years of cross-plane development—before that statement bore fruit. Like many things good, I can’t help but think this should have been done years ago. But hey, it’s finally here. As they say, better late than never.
To read this in Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine, click HERE.
Photography by Brian J. Nelson
In keeping with Yamaha’s FZ-1/FZ-10 and YZF-R1 lineage traditions, the new machine isn’t so much a stripped version of the superbike as a compliment to it. The FZ takes much of its DNA from the R1-S (not R1 or R1-M) superbike—basic engine, chassis, and certain electrical components—but is still very much its own motorcycle with a different, more professional personality. Almost corporate.
It’s a superbike that’s grown up, got married and had a couple of kids, but still has the party glint in its eye time can never diminish.
The look will grow on you, we promise! The aesthetics are certainly a bit different to the retro theme that’s dominated bike design of late.
Face Value
There’s been a dramatic shift in the way us riders spend our money over the past few years. We’re buying less superbikes and more nakedbikes, bikes that are a more jack-of-all-trades style compared to the narrow focus seen from behind an R1 screen. Nakedbikes fit this bill perfectly, a statement Yamaha knows the truth of only too well thanks to the rock-star popularity of the FZ-09 and FZ-07.
Superbikes now are so damn fast but for the most part stupidly uncomfortable, and I can’t for the life of me think why big-bore nakedbike sales are not higher in the U.S. than they currently are—have a ride on an Aprilia Tuono 1100 or a KTM 1290 Super Duke R and tell me they’re not utterly awesome.
But those are expensive Euro bikes and at $12,999, Yamaha’s FZ-10 gives you quite a big bang (sorry, couldn’t help myself) for your buck. The engine has been revised for the more low-down torque you need on the street, the fully-adjustable KYB suspension is softer and more compliant to deal with the kind of roads Yamaha hopes you’ll take the FZ-10 on, there’s traction control, ABS and cruise control, and the ergonomics are such you’ll be able to cover huge miles very quickly in divine comfort.
But what of that face? If you’re into Terminator, I’m sure you’ll find favor in the sharp accents and glaring, bug-eye headlights. But if you’re a retro guy, this thing will look appalling. Already the comments are flowing on Facebook, and it seems pretty split down the middle. One thing you can’t deny is the Yamaha FZ-10 is probably the most futuristic-looking bike on sale today, and even though I thought it horrendous when I saw the first pictures last year, I have to admit the look has started to grow on me. Even more so after I rode it. Oh, and I love the yellow wheels. Those things look bitchin.
The Matte Raven Black color scheme just doesn’t do it for us. We think a blue-and-white version would be the business.
Enter The Dragon
There are those riding roads you hear about long before you experience them. Stretches of tarmac like the Transfagarasan in Romania, Stelvio Pass in Italy, Great Ocean Road in Australia and US 129, otherwise known as the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap—all roads that if you’re really into your riding, you’ll have at least heard of, if not experienced.
The Dragon is a truly epic riding road of 318 corners jammed into 11 miles and winds its way through the lush green forests of Tennessee and neighboring North Carolina. It’s the perfect sport riding road with on-camber, off-camber and switchback corners, hard braking and accelerating points, everything that makes you want to get out and twist it.
So to take the new FZ-10 here was a real treat and I was immediately happy to feel Yamaha hasn’t totally chopped the nuts off the big bang R1-S engine in the name of more “real-world performance.” God, I hate that term.
The cross-plane crank engine still has power by the bucket load but it is a little more forgiving in its delivery. This FZ-10, like almost all of Yamaha’s big bore bikes, comes with Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) which gives you three separate throttle options as well as offering a gateway for the ECU’s traction and cruise control systems.
The new kid on the Yamaha block has three throttle modes (Standard offering the softest power delivery, A in the middle and B giving you full throttle response). The modes don’t diminish the available power like the BMW S 1000 R’s variable modes, but just soften the overall blow when you open the gas. For me, B-mode is simply too abrupt for the FZ-10. It’s not a nice delivery of the stupendous torque on offer and made the Yamaha a bit of a handful on the Dragon, so I mainly rode in A-mode for the majority of the test. A-mode still offers a bit of a hit on the initial opening of the throttle but it’s more manageable than B-mode with more personality than Standard.
Yamaha’s done away with the twin-injector set-up of the R1 in favor of a single, larger spray injector purely because this model of cross plane four won’t be spending its life on the rev-limiter where the second injector is required. But don’t think this 50 percent reduction in injectors has sacrificed any form of rideability. Once the throttle is opened the drive to the rear tire is spectacularly smooth with nary a dip in power right through the rev range and a soundtrack that, in my opinion, is only bettered by the Aprilia RSV4. On top of that, the mapping is so spot on that when on partial cruising throttle, there’s absolutely no fuel-injection hunting, making the engine as comfortable a proposition as the chassis.
Combine the flexibility of the engine with Yamaha’s traction-control system that was originally seen on the 2012 R1 and you’ve got a bike that can handle pretty much any riding situation. The Bosch five-axis IMU that caused such a massive stir when it debuted on the 2015 R1 is not used here, nor is it really needed, as the three-level TC on the FZ-10 works brilliantly with pretty minimal intervention when set to its lowest setting of one out three.
If you want to kick the Yamaha FZ-10 in the guts and ride the power there’s plenty of that, too, with the kind of high rpm performance you’d expect from an R1-derived motor. Top-end power is strong but not as ferocious as its fully faired brother, with slightly shorter gearing designed get the most of the newly found midrange torque out of the cross plane engine.
The gear ratios are nicely spaced but the FZ-10 is lacking a quickshifter, which I feel is a bit of an oversight as the BMW is only $600 more and comes with one as standard. Despite this, the gearbox is a slick unit that requires only a light touch to slot the next ratio into place.
Playing To The Crowd
The FZ-10 flows through bends superbly, switching directions quickly and smoothly thanks to an ultra-short 55.1in wheelbase, suspension working in total harmony with the rider. As it is set quite a bit softer than the superbike, you have to careful throwing the FZ-10 hard into corners at high speed. The damping rates are set so that the suspension soaks up the kind of potholes you’ll find on canyon roads, and I found myself bottoming the front quickly under heavy braking. A bit of set-up time and a few extra turns of preload will sort this out, but the standard damping rates are set a bit on the soft side. Conversely, there is excellent feel from the front end under brakes. You know exactly where the tire is at all times, and at mild to robust speeds this is extremely confidence inspiring.
The other side of the coin is the FZ-10 is perfectly comfortable for long days in the saddle. Whereas the R1—who’s suspension the FZ-10 directly rips off—is stiff and harsh over bumps, the FZ-10 will float over them and transmit only about half the shock to your ass you’d get from an R1. The suspension is quality KYB fully adjustable kit, giving you plenty of scope to sharpen it up, but for its intended purpose of being a solid roads performer, Yamaha has got the suspenders pretty spot on.
A face only a mom could love? On the plus side, the FZ-10’s got a great personality!
I wasn’t that enamored with the brakes, even though they are similar to the superbike’s. The front brake doesn’t have quite the bite I was hoping for, even with the lever set to position one out of four. They still have power and will haul you up quickly, but I would have liked a bit more initial bite and feel. The FZ-10 uses a conventional Brembo master cylinder compared to the R1’s radial Nissin unit, and I can only guess its inclusion on the FZ-10 is a cost saving measure. Another thing I’m not keen on is the ABS cannot be switched off.
As long as you’re of average human size (read 140-300 pounds), you should have no problem finding a comfortable seating position on the FZ-10. The bars are held up on risers and if anything are a little narrow for me, but overall the seating position is near perfect for a sports road machine. The rider’s seat is similar to the R1’s in that it’s wide enough to fit almost two people, but the pillion may have a hard time getting comfortable if they have long legs because the ’pegs are, shall we say, a touch on the high side.
Yamaha’s dashes have been on the constant improve since the horrid unit found on the previous generation R1. The FZ-10’s is wide, easy to read and easier to adjust thanks to the plethora of utilitarian-looking switches found on the right and left blocks, and the fact you can adjust the TC on the fly easily by the right hand switch is a welcome relief.
People are going to buy this bike. As a street bike, it’s very difficult to find serious fault with it. It’s got one of the best engines in the game, the suspension is top quality with plenty of adjustability, the electronics are a top-notch and easy to use, and it’s got an in-your-face look about it that’s essentially future-proofed the bike ⎯ I love how aggressive this thing looks.
And for the price, this is going to be a very hard bike to beat in the nakedbike category.
(Left) The cross-plane engine is essentially the same as the R1 but with subtle differences. (Right) A titanium muffler for your FZ-10? Right this way, sir.
Big Bang Theory
This is indeed a 998cc, in-line four-cylinder cross plane crank R1 engine, but there’re a few major differences between the R1 and FZ-10. For starters, the airbox has been increased to 12 liters to the R1’s 10.5, with new 45mm throttle bodies and a single fuel injector, as opposed to the twin system found on the R1.
There’s a new cylinder head with a revised intake port and smaller 31mm steel intake valves (the R1 has 33mm titanium units) operated by camshafts with less valve overlap and less lift. The valve angles themselves are the same at 11.5° intake and 13° exhaust but the combustion chamber has been slightly altered, with compression dropped a point to 12.0:1. This also helps to reduce the engine heat that would otherwise be largely dissipated (or not as much of an issue) on a high speed, track-specific superbike engine.
The conrods, instead of being constructed using fracture-split titanium, are made of good old steel and pump new forged flat top aluminum pistons and crucially, the crank inertia mass has been increased to aid the smooth low-end torque. Yamaha’s testing guru Mike Ulrich said he tried a few different versions of the crank when developing the FZ-10, with the standard R1’s crank revving out too quickly for the purpose of this machine.
In the gearbox sits the same internal ratios as the R1 but the final drive has been lowered five percent to 43 teeth on the front and 16 on the rear sprockets. The clutch is the same Assist and Slipper unit found on the R1 and uses the engine’s torque to compress the clutch pack, meaning lighter springs can be used and there’s a nice, light pull at the lever.
The exhaust is also different with a narrower collector box and smaller muffler core to aid backpressure and low-end torque.
The result is this engine produces a claimed 18-percent more torque between 6-8000rpm than the R1, although Yamaha has so far not provided official power and torque figures.
(Left) The same swingarm as the R1 resides on the FZ-10. (Right) The tops are the same as the R1 but house softer springs for better road holding.
Same But Different
There’s not a lot to separate the FZ-10 and the R1 in the chassis department. The main Deltabox aluminum chassis and swingarm is a direct hand-me-down, as are the fully adjustable 43mm KYB forks with lighter 8.82N/mm springs compared to the R1’s 9.06N/mm units, giving the FZ-10 a plusher feel on the road.
The rear shock is similarly fully adjustable with different spring rates and damping settings to the R1.
Magnesium has been replaced with steel for the sub frame and the triple clamps have been revised, but interestingly, Yamaha has chosen to mount the headlight and front cowl assembly directly to the frame, rather than mount is directly off the steering head to allow for lighter steering. The headlights, taillight and turn signals are all LEDs.
Bridgestone has provided the standard tires for the FZ-10 in the Battlax HyperSport S20F/S20R W range, a tire that was developed specifically for the FZ that wraps itself around standard fare cast aluminum wheels.
The same four-piston front Advics calipers found on the R1 are used on the FZ but the master-cylinder is changed from a radial Nissin unit to a conventional Brembo unit, but the rear brake is the same as the R1, a 220mm disc with a single piston caliper with fluid forced down by a Brembo master-cylinder.
(Left) This dash is excellent. There’s nothing you can’t see at an instant. (Right) They may look a touch unsightly, but the switches are super easy to use, unlike on some equivalent Euro bikes.
Sparkle, Sparkle.
Electronics abound in the FZ-10, but it’s more a case of keeping up with the Joneses rather than any ground-breaking features.
The three-stage traction control system found on Yamaha’s super-naked is the same that originally debuted in the 2012 R1 and features three different settings that can be adjusted on the fly. Should you want to turn it off you’ll need to come to a complete stop so you can convince the bike you really do want the full big bang show.
The system doesn’t use gyro sensors like the new R1’s five axis Bosch IMU, but relies on the tried-and-tested method of wheel-speed sensors, throttle and gear position, and the rotational speed of the crankshaft. Too much spin will see the ECU cut in and dial back the throttle bodies a touch and reduce fuel input, making for a pretty smooth cut out even for what is now a dated system by Yamaha’s standards.
The FZ-10 also uses Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) that debuted way back in 2006 on the then ground-breaking Yamaha YZF-R6, with three different engine modes (Standard, A and B modes, with B being the most direct connection between right hand and tire).
This is the first Yamaha super-naked to use Cruise Control and is the same unit found on the company’s touring master blaster, the FJR1300. The system will operate between fourth and sixth gears between 31 and 112 mph and work flawlessly via the switch on the left side of the handlebar.
Another first for a Yamaha super-naked is the fitment of a 12V DC power outlet, giving you the option of charging your devices and using GPS while riding.CN
Video by Adam Booth/NMC
2017 Yamaha FZ-10 Specifications
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Engine:
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4-cylinder inline, 4-stroke, DOHC, with Cross Plane Crankshaft and Uneven firing order
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Displacement:
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998cc
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Bore x stroke:
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79 x 50.9mm
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Horsepower:
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N/A
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Torque:
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N/A
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Compression ratio:
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12.0:1
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Clutch:
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Wet multi-plate disc Assist and Slipper type
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Transmission:
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6-speed
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Chassis:
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Twin spar aluminum
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Front suspension:
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43mm KYB inverted fork, fully-adjustable
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Rear suspension:
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Single KYB shock absorber, fully-adjustable
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Front brake:
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Twin 320mm discs, four-piston Advics radial calipers, ABS
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Rear brake:
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Single 220mm disc, single-piston caliper, ABS
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Front tire:
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120/70 ZR17
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Rear tire:
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190/55 ZR17
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Rake:
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24°
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Trail:
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4.01 in.
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Wheelbase:
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55.1 in.
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Seat height:
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32.5 in.
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Overall width:
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31.5 in.
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Overall length:
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82.5 in.
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Fuel capacity:
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4.5 gal
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Weight:
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463 lbs (wet, claimed).
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Color:
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Armor Gray and Matte Raven Black
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MSRP:
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$12,999
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To read this in Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine, click HERE.
For more Cycle News Sport Bike motorcycle reviews, click HERE.
