Yamaha 800 FAZER 8 Race Blu 2013 — Specifications

Yamaha knows the Fazer 8 doesn't need a revolution to stay in the race. Since its launch, this 779 cc roadster has carved out its own space between overly serious sport-tourers and overly brutal nakeds, with an inline four-cylinder pushing 106 horsepower at 10,000 rpm and 82.4 Nm of torque available from 8,000 rpm. For 2013, the Iwata manufacturer takes a two-pronged approach: aesthetics first, substance second.

The Race Blu livery divides opinion. This blend of Yamaha blue and matte grey — named with a seriousness that borders on self-persuasion — comes directly from the colours worn by the official team's M1s at the Misano Grand Prix. The tinted wheels, matching cam cover, and pinstripe running along the fairing to the rear: the overall package is cohesive, the visual signature unmistakable. Some will find it flashy; others will appreciate the competition nod on an everyday machine. It's not the first manufacturer to play the MotoGP card to sell production roadsters, and it won't be the last.

Where things get interesting is beneath the bodywork. Since its debut, the Fazer 8 carried a well-known flaw among its owners: fixed, non-adjustable suspension that left the machine either too soft under a loaded touring setup or too stiff on rough roads depending on the factory configuration. The 43 mm inverted fork and rear monoshock, both with 130 mm of travel, finally gain the ability to be adjusted. This is a genuine improvement, not a marketing brochure gimmick. The exhaust has also been reworked — sleeker visually and more generous acoustically — which on a high-revving four-cylinder genuinely changes the riding experience.

At 215 kg fully fuelled, with an 815 mm seat height and a 17-litre tank, the Fazer 8 targets the versatile rider: not a beginner looking for a light, manageable motorcycle, not a track-day obsessive chasing tenths of a second, but the long-distance rider who wants to eat up the miles with a 230 km/h top speed in reserve and come home without a wrecked back. In this segment, competition is not absent. The Kawasaki Z800 plays in the same league, as does the Suzuki GSR750, but neither offers the same balance between power delivery across the entire rev range and handling assured by an aluminium diamond frame of this design.

At €8,899, the price sits in the upper-middle range of the segment. The Race Blu version doesn't justify a price premium: it's a standard colour option, not a special edition with exclusive components. What Yamaha is selling here is, above all, the correction of a suspension shortcoming, wrapped in a well-executed livery. For those who already own a Fazer 8 from a previous model year, the question of upgrading is worth asking. For a new buyer in 2013, this model year is clearly the most refined in the range.