Yamaha FZ-09

The Yamaha FZ-09 is the perfect example of what a naked motorcycle should be. There are a lot of street fighters that look great, but not all of them perform as well as they look. The idea of a naked motorcycle is that it is a cross between a sport bike and a standard motorcycle. For the most part, it should behave like a sportbike without the pain in the back and wrists and that is what the Yamaha FZ-09 does.

Top Speed

From the factory, the Yamaha FZ-09 will keep you on the ground at 130 miles per hour. Although it is limited to a lower top speed than the MT-09 at 136 miles per hour, it has plenty of leftover potential that can be unleashed through ECU flashes and simple upgrades such as an exhaust. That being said, 130 miles per hour is much too fast to be riding on the street and far too slow to race at most tracks, making it an arbitrary number in my own opinion.

Weight

At 425 pounds, the Yamaha FZ-09 matches that of a 600 cc sport bike. This keeps it nimble and agile at lower speeds. In fact, at lower speeds, the FZ-09 is a much better choice than a sport bike or a cruiser because it has a smaller turn radius than either of these competitors and has more ground clearance for leaning.

Horsepower

At 115 horsepower, the Yamaha FZ-09 matches that of a 600 CC sport bike. Thanks to the greater engine displacement, this power comes out sounding a lot meaner than that of a sport bike, especially when you put an exhaust on it and have the bike tuned to make more horsepower like the one in the photos.

Seat Height

With the stock seat, the Yamaha FZ-09 reaches 33 inches in the front of the seat, and 34.5 inches in the back of the seat without anyone sitting on it. As long as you weigh more than 100 pounds, you can expect the seat to drop to 32-33 inches once you get on it.

Yamaha FZ-09 VS. MT-09

There are quite a few features that the MT-09 has that the FZ-09 does not such as more torque from a greater displacement, intelligent anti-lock brakes, and futuristic cosmetics, but in terms of the performance to cost ratio, the FZ-09 is still a better investment that will provide the same amount of happiness. Even now in 2022, go with the FZ because your pockets will thank you.

Yamaha FZ Upgrades

If you want to get the most out of your FZ-09 and reduce the chance of buyer’s remorse, you MUST get a windscreen. It may seem crazy to think a small windshield can make a difference but it makes a whirlwind of difference. Once you get on the highway you will notice how a windscreen pushes the force of wind right over your head by sending it in an upward direction. Without it, your body is constantly fighting the direction of the wind. This makes for a great workout but isn’t great for minimizing rider fatigue.