Yamaha FZ1 1000 FAZER 2006 — Specifications

What do you get when Yamaha decides to graft the heart of an R1 into a faired roadster built for the open road? The answer comes down to three letters and a number: the Yamaha FZ1 1000 Fazer, model year 2006, which arrives as a complete overhaul of the aging FZS 1000. Gone are the carburetors, replaced by electronic fuel injection and an inline four-cylinder displacing 998 cc that pumps out 150 horsepower at 11,000 rpm. For those wondering how much power the Yamaha FZ1 1000 Fazer makes, the answer hits as hard as a fistful of throttle in third gear.

The engine comes straight from the 2004-2005 R1, remapped for more road-oriented use. The 78.1 lb-ft of torque available from 8,000 rpm ensures strong mid-range punch without needing to constantly flirt with the redline. Five valves per cylinder, an 11.5:1 compression ratio, a short 77 mm bore paired with a 53.6 mm stroke: this is a high-strung architecture that thrives on revs. The six-speed gearbox sends everything to the rear wheel through a conventional chain drive, and the speedometer can climb all the way to 155 mph. This is no placid grand-touring mill — it's a superbike engine tamed just enough to keep from ripping your arms off at every traffic light.

The chassis plays in the same league. Yamaha borrowed the die-cast aluminum frame concept introduced on the FZ6, but in a beefed-up version to handle the extra horsepower. An inverted telehydraulic fork, a rear monoshock with 130 mm of travel each, a beefy swingarm, and wheels that look like they were lifted straight off the R1: the rolling chassis has serious sporting ambitions. The brakes follow suit with dual 320 mm discs gripped by four-piston calipers up front and a 245 mm disc at the rear. On paper, the 2006 Yamaha FZ1 1000 Fazer has all the makings of a sportbike disguised as a tourer. The 485 lbs wet weight remains reasonable for a machine of this displacement, even if it's far from the lightness of a naked roadster. The seat height of 32.1 inches and the 4.8-gallon tank confirm its versatile mission: you can devour miles of highway without stopping every hour.

On the styling front, the FZ1 borrows the aggressive lines of its little sister the FZ6, scaled up to the proportions of a big inline-four. The front fairing has evolved compared to the old FZS 1000, and the exhaust sports a distinctive profile unlike anything else in the Japanese catalog of that era. Against the direct competition, the Suzuki Bandit 1250 S plays the low-end torque and comfort card, the Kawasaki Z1000 goes for the radical naked roadster approach, and the Honda CBF 1000 opts for sensibility. The Fazer positions itself between all of them — sportier than the GTs, more comfortable than the sportbikes. It's the machine for the rider who wants a single bike to do everything, from the Sunday morning blast to the daily commute.

The price of a new Yamaha FZ1 1000 Fazer was listed at 10,999 euros, a competitive price tag given the level of equipment. Today, a used Yamaha FZ1 1000 Fazer represents one of the best deals on the pre-owned motorcycle market, with model years 2006 through 2013 offering proven reliability at very accessible prices. Whether you're looking for a broken-in 2007 Yamaha FZ1 1000 Fazer or a more recent model, the Yamaha inline-four has stood the test of time. It's the motorcycle for the pragmatic rider who refuses to choose between thrills and versatility.