2011 Yamaha FZ8 | First Ride

It's a capable, affordable, do-it-all bike that is as sporting as it is comfortable. Styling is edgy and modern, power is more than ample with a midrange shove even stronger than an FZ1 (its 1000cc big brother) and handling characteristics are light and nimble. Still not enough to convince you? The FZ8 stickers for just $8490, only $1000 more than the entry-level FZ6R and a whopping $2000 less than the FZ1. Just imagine the mods you can add for two-Gs.

Yamaha chose to intro the FZ8 in the winding hills north of Los Angeles, and under the regiments of the event we saw everything from tight 15 MPH kinks to open 100 MPH sweepers. The continuity of the motor and chassis was damn near ideal for the street, leading some to believe that Yamaha had extensive time to perfect the package. Those in the know already had the answer-the FZ8 has been available in Europe since 2010.

Yamaha awarded the motor with good midrange by keeping the long stroke of the FZ1 motor and simply decreasing the bore to arrive at the magical bore/stroke ratio of 68mm x 53.6mm. Perched atop the long-stroke motor is a redesigned cylinder head with smaller intake and exhaust valves as well as revised cams. New 35mm throttle bodies (down from the FZ1's 45mm units) also feature Yamaha's Sub Throttle Valve operation that uses stepper motors rather than an actual cable to control throttle operation. Exceptionally long velocity stacks that measure 150mm (cylinders 2 and 3) and 125mm (cylinders 1 and 4) sit atop the new fuel injection system and reside inside a 7.1-liter airbox for an intake combo that's good for swells of mid-tach poke-that means easy wheelies.

But don't let the midrange focus steal the thunder; this engine was still meant to spin thanks to combustion chambers with 12:1 compression ratios that push on a new crank with 30 percent less inertial weight than an FZ1 unit. Redline arrives at a lofty 11,500 RPM where the new stainless headers and catalytic converter-equipped shorty can sound great alongside the healthy intake howl.

Power is robust off the bottom with a noticeable bump in steam around 5500 RPM. From there, serious whack is available up to the rev-limiter, confirming reports that Euro models are churning out nearly 110 HP at the rear wheel. In the canyons, the torque makes for speedy corner exits without much effort. This is the kind of street motor that gets things done quickly, unlike the larger FZ1 motor that lacks midrange power in favor of serious top-end hit. On the street the FZ8 will eat its larger brother's lunch anywhere under 100 MPH, and staying in the meat of the powerband doesn't necessitate fanning the shift lever either.

The broad spread of power is now backed by a wide-ratio transmission with revised FZ1 ratios and shorter overall gearing. First gear is short enough for nabbing the holeshot from a stoplight over most sportbikes, and each subsequent cog after that is well spaced to keep you in the race. During the press ride the FZ8 was never caught in the wrong gear, and an indicated 75 MPH showed just 5500 RPM on the tach in top gear. Cruising speeds are comfortable up to roughly 85 MPH where vibration still hasn't entered the building, but windblast becomes an issue. It is a naked bike after all, so we'll let that drawback slide.

The chassis is willing, but for serious work you might consider some upgrades. Unlike the adjustable units on the FZ1, the FZ8 receives non-adjustable 43mm KYB forks and a preload-only adjustable rear shock. The cast aluminum frame and die-cast aluminum swingarm are inherited from the FZ1, as is the suspension geometry.