Tanshanomi's Snap Judgments

Yamaha 700 Fazer

Wed, March 10th, 2010


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1986–87 Yamaha FZX700 Fazer
Performancewww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The motor has all the traits of the Maxim X I reviewed in January, both good and bad, and gets the same rating. The biggest fault is the maddeningly sensitive throttle coupled with too much driveline lash.
Handlingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It is not nearly as good as the FZ750 it was derived from, but its less demanding intended role allows me to cut it some slack. Crazy-looking rear shocks didn't work well.
Lookswww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It was supposed to look like a mini V-Max. It didn't. Instead, the front half looks like an FZ750 wearing a costume from Star Wars...with chrome elbows. The back half has more swooshy, swoopy curves than a puffy tuxedo shirt.
Reliabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
You can't fault the Yamaha Genesis bikes. They were all very well engineered.
Practicalitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Having spent more than one 500-mile day on a Fazer, I can say that they have genuinely nice riding position, but the lousy rear shocks and hyper-responsive throttle makes them tiring to ride.
Desirabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
There are lots of quirky, underperforming bikes that I can't help but like more than I should. In this case, the opposite is probably true; I probably dislike the Fazer more than it truly deserves.
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Its as unattractively 80s as a Members Only jacket.