Driving & maybe purchasing tomorrow; Advice? Common gripes?

[jgortner]

Hi all,
 
Thanks in advance for your advice.
 
I am test driving the FZ-07 tomorrow and wanted to ask for some advice.
 
Are there any common gripes with this bike mechanically or otherwise?  Basically I am looking for a fun yet still comfortable bike I can go for long rides on and also still commute to work and putz around town.  My goal is to have a fun bit of power / acceleration on my hands but I do not ride irresponsible and rarely if ever go 100+.  I will mostly be cruising and relaxing on back roads.  I am hoping for a mostly upright and comfortable riding position for all-day riding. But I wouldn't consider myself a tourer as I am never gone for more than a day.
 
Anyhow, I would love to hear some pros and cons, and any advice that applies to my preferences. I am 5'9'', 165lb, 31'-ish inseam.
 
As a bonus question, are there any dealer or after market options for installing pegs for another place to switch my foot position to during a ride?
 
Thank you sincerely,
Justin

[yamahappy74]

There are two things you need to know right off the bat: it's got a ton of torque, so you can't get all crazy with the throttle and not expect bad things to happen (if you're a new rider), and this bike has the most severe engine braking of any vehicle I have ever driven/ridden, so be ready for it. Once you know these things and are used to it, it's a ball to ride. Can't get enough.
 
By the by, I am 5'10", 150lbs, and I find the seat to be horrible for long distances. It's fine for about a half an hour but then I start getting uncomfortable. Keep that in mind if you're thinking about longer rides. Replace or repack the seat.

[suspiciouspackage]

Comfort is all subjective. For me, I thought the upright position really sucked and while great for getting newbies accustomed to riding in general, it just became a burden on any kind of prolonged highway riding. I replaced my handlebars and rearsets and now I'm in a more aggressive position which is more comfortable to me. This bike is my first though but once I hit a highway, I knew I would either want a windscreen (nope) or to be more forward. Maybe I'm crazy, but I don't notice the seat being uncomfortable and I have a bony butt. I'm 5'10, 130lb so it's just a matter of whether or not your body likes it. To put it into perspective, I went on a ~2 hour ride (one way) from San Diego to Banning and back in one day and my legs were more irritated than my butt.

[Lucius]

I personally love the design of the seat, narrow front with the wider rear. It seems very comfortable at first. My butt does get tired if I'm on the highway for a long while. I can go twice as long on fun back roads and never notice though. So if you are doing a lot of highway, maybe a seat upgrade would help. It is a blast to ride and it's really made for that 0-100mph range. It'll do 120~130 but it's happiest under 100 in my opinion. Also a windscreen is a nice addition. I know there are other rearsets available to help with foot position, but I don't know of any secondary add-ons.
 
This is easily one of the most fun motorcycles I have owned. I think you'll enjoy your ride.

[No Hater]

I never met a person that rode it for the first time and did not really like it. If you have personal preference from previous experience or specific expectations than you may have your personal gripes. I think your dimensions are perfect for this bike. Im 6'3" and as with almost everything .....I just get use to using things a bit smaller for me. Ive ridden for all day trips and haven't had any problem with comfort. Sure, it could definitely be more comfortable although that could be fixed with an aftermarket seat and a good windscreen. At your weight, I wouldn't worry about the suspension unless you ride really hard or plan on spending time at the track. Im confident you will fall in love with her. The engine breaking will take some getting use to in the beginning. After the first couple thousand miles and an oil change, that will significantly decrease.  The torque is not uncontrollable either, it is very friendly as long as you aren't really ripping the throttle like you would on a vespa.

[Beemer]

Welcome! All day comfort would probably mean needing a seat upgrade of some sort. Maybe a good cruise controller. The wind may eat you up at high speeds or if you're like me and don't like splattered gnats all over your chest you may want to get a windscreen. I could go on but it's lunch time and steak trumps web.

[yamahaha]

Tremendous little bikes. We have his and hers. A lot of motorcycle for the money. Sporty and comfy.
 
Easy to service and work on.
 
Mirrors are not the greatest and the display is too low. The wire bundle for the display is sometimes routed wrong(easily rerouted) interfering with the ignition. All these can be fixed.
 
Headlight will need to be raised. Easily adjusted.
 
Rear axle and oil drain plug are overtorqued from the factory.
 
Rear axle can be tricky to realign during chain adjustment. Thankfully once the chain settles in, it very rarely needs tightening.
 
 

[avanti]

...and one "rides" a bike, not drive it.