[Gone in 60]

Hi all. Doing some research on my "short list" of bikes, and the FZ 07 is one of them, so I figured I'd sign up.

My current rides are a '12 Bonneville and an '07 BMW R1200R. I commute daily switching between bikes to mix it up a bit. As much as I'd like to ride on weekends and hit the local twisty roads, 99% of my riding is lane splitting the freeways of LA and Orange County.

I love my BMW. But, after 12 years, it's becoming what it is... an aging German, over-engineered machine. It's brilliant until something needs to be fixed, then it's expensive. I'm starting to look at what I might replace it with, and quick, nimble and bulletproof are at the top of the list. The FZ 07 and 09 are two bikes I'm considering. Looking forward to learning more about them.

 

[doublethreat]

We have both at our house. I ride a 2014 FZ09 that is modified quite a lot....suspension, exhaust, flashtuned, etc. I weigh in at 200 lbs plus about 15 lbs of riding gear. My wife owns a 2015 FZ07 and it is pretty much bone stock except for a few minor mods....headlight (LED) and tail-bag. She weighs in at about 118 lbs and has about 12-15 lbs of riding gear. So having experienced both bikes, I would say that part of your decision will involve how big of a guy you are. I rode hers for the first 600 miles and did the engine break-in for her and I like the bike a lot, except it seemed pretty small for a guy my size. It's been flawless for her and she absolutely loves the bike. It is surprising "peppy" for a bike that size, and smooth on top of it....even at the higher RPMs. The suspension on her bike is totally stock and it works OK for her, but again, she is in the 135 lb range when riding and fully geared up. I was definitely "overloading" the bike when I was breaking in the engine for her....with my weight, so one of the things you may want to consider is your size. The FZ09 first year had pretty bad suspension, and that was the very first mod I did to mine....both front and rear. Later years of the FZ09 has improved suspension from the factory, but it will depend on how you use the bike, whether or not you will still need some improvements for it......and of course your size will play a part in that too. In my opinion, both bikes are SOLID machines and you will find that they both perform very well (engine wise) for their respective sizes. Hope this helps

 

[Gone in 60]

Hey, Doublethreat, thank you for your very comprehensive evaluation of both the 07 and 09. As you can imagine, I'm considering both bikes. I'm about 200 pounds myself, and posted basically the same introduction on the FZ09 forum. That may be the better bike for me overall, in terms of comparing power level and size to my BMW. What you say about the suspension is about what I've read also. I'm looking at newer models, but coincidentally, my neighbor mentioned the other day that he works for Yamaha. No idea if that would be of any benefit on a new bike but worth asking. I'm not much for modding my bikes. Mainly, for whatever I choose, I'd transfer over my Givi trunk, mount a small windscreen and add a few LEDs up front for added visibility in traffic and call it good.

Thanks again, sir!