The all new 2011 Yamaha FZ8 is a do-it-all sportbike with amazing all around performance for both urban commando and the weekend canyon carver. And at 800cc it splits the difference between a 600 and liter-bike so you get light weight handling along with great torque... all in a stylish, upright package.
Combining sports bike performance and aggressive naked styling with all day riding comfort, the 2011 Yamaha is a special breed of motorcycle. The word practical pops to mind, but don't confuse practical with dull. Most riders can only afford one machine and the new 2011 FZ8 is worth a serious look. It delivers solid performance from its new 779cc inline-4 engine and excellent handling thanks to the Yamaha FZ1 inspired twin spar aluminum frame. And when it comes to comfort...
The motorcycle world is becoming more highly specialized by the day.
Special niche models are popping up everywhere. Unfortunately, most of us can only afford one bike. The new FZ8 is a brilliant "all-rounder" that brings fun, excitement and adrenalin to each and every ride. It is ready to slice its way through the "twisties", cruise the backroads in comfort and style or make that daily commute a bunch more enjoyable. Attitude, power, handling and style, the new FZ8 is the ultimate everyday sport bike.
The motorcycle world is becoming more highly specialized by the day.Special niche models are popping up everywhere. Unfortunately, most of us can only afford one bike. The new FZ8 is a brilliant "all-rounder" that brings fun, excitement and adrenalin to each and every ride. It is ready to slice its way through the "twisties", cruise the backroads in comfort and style or make that daily commute a bunch more enjoyable. Attitude, power, handling and style, the new FZ8 is the ultimate everyday sport bike.
Aggressive looks and aggressive character define the new Yamaha FZ8 – a high performance real world sports bike designed to deliver a shot of adrenaline every time you turn the key.
At the heart of the FZ8 is a flexible and powerful 779cc engine with instant drive and torque at low revs, and a trademark Yamaha rush of horsepower as you approach the red line. Light, easy handling and roomy ergonomics round out the ultimate everyday sports machine – and the optional ABS system makes hard braking safe, whatever the conditions.
The FZ8 is not a bike for beginners – it’s the naked sportsbike with true attitude and the power to back it up.
The FZ8 – instant adrenaline with an attitude
Yamaha’s FZ range packages supersports performance into a versatile chassis for everyday enjoyment. The FZ8 breathes new life into the mid-class bike category – for a more assertive machine with instant grunt lower in the rev range.
The naked FZ8’s muscular stance alerts you to the fact that this is a serious sports bike – and that light, fast handling and instant, willing power encourages bad behaviour and begs you to explore its full potential every time you turn the throttle Ride it hard with confidence – the FZ8 packs attitude, adrenaline and Yamaha’s renowned build and finish quality into a flexible street sports machine for everyday performance riding.
Aggressive, mass-forward design
The FZ8’s muscular, forward-moving looks make it clear right from the start that this bike means business. The aggressive headlight and 3-piece tank cover set the tone, but it’s the powdercoated frame and jet-black engine that steal the attention.
New 779cc engine
An all-new engine combines new cylinder bodies, crankshaft, top end and forged pistons with a new displacement of 779cc - to craft the perfect power curve and character for this new category.
Instant torque meets slingshot horsepower
The new FZ8 engine is designed for instant drive down low with a thick torque band – making it a lively machine even on shorter trips. But rev it toward the red line, and you’ll discover that trademark Yamaha rush of top-end power when it’s time to unleash serious sports performance.
Aluminium frame
The black, powdercoated Deltabox frame at the structural centre of the FZ8 series features a low weight, high rigidity design - giving you outstanding highspeed stability and cornering confidence.
Slim fuel tank and compact, roomy ergonomics
The Fazer8 has a slim tank and speciallypositioned footrests and handlebars – for a riding position that feels light, compact and gives you the space to move.
Optional ABS
The optional linear control ABS is an incredibly effective safety system – it will outbrake almost any rider in the dry, and becomes a massive advantage when the road is wet, bumpy or slippery.
Brand new for 2011
Yamaha is proud to announce two new motorcycles that open up a whole new class within the popular FZ sportsbike range - the FZ8 and the Fazer8. The FZ8-series is based on the idea of a high-performance all-rounder with the power and character to make every ride an exhilarating sports ride.
Following in the footsteps of the hugely successful FZ6-series - which, since 1998, has sold over 250.000 units - both bikes offer serious sports bike looks, outstanding handling and a flexible, powerful, torquey engine that encourages riders to explore its full potential.
It's an accessible kind of adrenaline: a shot of sportsbike energy, designed to be enjoyed every day.
These dynamic new sports machines are built on a new 779cc engine and all-aluminium frame. The engine offers a balance of middleweight accessibility with big-bore power and instant grunt throughout the rev range. It steers fast and effortlessly, and handles with surefooted confidence - whether it's cranked right over on a tight, smooth corner or slicing its way through traffic on a congested commute.
The naked FZ8 is a machine with attitude. Muscular, aggressive design gives onlookers a hint of this bike's serious intentions. Not a bike for beginners, the FZ8 is a pure expression of performance and quality craftsmanship.
With the semi-faired Fazer8, the emphasis is placed firmly on getting out there and enjoying the roads, whatever the weather. Discover sportsbike performance and handling, with the aerodynamics, wind and weather protection of a front cowl and screen. It's a solid step up in performance and quality.
779cc, liquid cooled, inline 4-cylinder engine
In order to arrive at the perfect power and torque spread for a mix of high performance and all-round usability, Yamaha threw out all preconceptions about engine size. The 1000cc and 600cc categories that largely divide the market are imposed by racing regulations, not road riding considerations. Many riders find 600cc supersport engines to be hard work on the open road - and 1000cc superbike engines to be overkill.
Yamaha's engineers selected a 779cc engine displacement to provide the perfect balance between the accessible performance of a 600 and the broad, instant torque and power of a litrebike.
The new FZ8-series engine is fuel injected, and uses both a throttle valve and an electronically controlled sub-throttle valve to provide additional control over intake airflow volume. The cylinder bodies have a bore and stroke from 68.0x53.6mm. Readings on engine rpm and throttle opening are processed in real time by the ECU, which operates a new stepping motor to control the sub-throttle valves and optimise volumetric efficiency in each part of the rev range. This is one of the many design considerations aimed at boosting low-middle drive.
Another key to the FZ8-series motor's flexibility is found in the large-capacity 7.8 litre airbox, where the air intake funnels are two different lengths - cylinders 1 and 4 have 125mm intake funnels, where 2 and 3 are 150mm in length, producing an excellent spread of torque throughout the rev range.
The FZ8-series engine produces 106.2PS (78.1kW) at 10,000rpm, and a generous 82.0Nm of torque at 8,000rpm - with a character that feels light, torquey and responsive down low but builds to a signature Yamaha top-end power rush.
It easily clears EU3 exhaust emission standards, using a short, side mounted muffler and a 4-into-2-into-1 exhaust system with a honeycomb type catalytic converter fitted at the point where the header pipes meet. An oxygen sensor feeds real-time exhaust information back to the ECU, allowing the bike to constantly adjust its air/fuel mixture for optimum efficiency and clean emissions.
Chassis and running gear
The FZ8-series features a new engine that is a stressed member in an all-aluminium frame. The design's high rigidity and low weight minimises frame torsion while providing outstanding high-speed stability and cornering confidence. The FZ8-series also uses a CF aluminium die-cast swing arm, enhancing the effectiveness of the rear suspension.
Front-end suspension is a pair of upside-down forks, running 43mm inner tubes. Rear suspension is handled by a linked Monocross unit - the link being designed to provide soft, light suspension near the top of the stroke to deal with bumpy surfaces in comfort, but then to provide firmer cushioning as the shock is further compressed, for sharper handling during hard cornering.
Front brakes are twin four-piston monoblock calipers, gripping 310mm floating front discs. Being monoblock designs, the calipers suffer minimal distortion under hard braking, so the stopping force is linear, stable and controllable when the chips are down. Both the naked FZ8 and semi-faired Fazer8 models are available with optional ABS.
The wheels are five-spoke cast aluminium rims - the front tyre is a 120/70 ZR17, and the rear is a 180/55 ZR17. This gives both bikes outstanding ride feeling, grip and cornering performance, with access to the full range of sports rubber.
The riding position is sporty but comfortable, with a seat height of 815mm and a narrow tank which gives the rider a good ground access. Overall ride experience is compact and light, with generous room for manoeuvring. Steering is quick and responsive, with an extended 33-degree left-to-right steering angle - making tight U-turns and peak-hour traffic busting much easier.
Muscular, mass-forward design
The FZ8-series consists of two models - the naked FZ8 and the semi-faired Fazer8 with a front cowl and screen. A short muffler, narrow tank and new 3-part tank cover instantly distinguish these bikes from their peers.
Visually, the FZ8 series evokes a pure release of energy in forward motion. The black side parts on the tank provide comfortable knee grip, and give the subtle impression that the coloured tank is breaking away and accelerating forward. The headlight unit on the naked FZ8 adds an aggressive-looking detail. In all, the visual impression is of a bike that looks fast even when it's standing still - and that sensually curved diamond frame and muscular 4-cylinder engine are still the stars of the show.
