Yamaha have updated their versatile FZ8 for the year 2013. The FZ8 is the middle sibling of the FZ range and has been billed as the motorcycle for those who want the performance of a litre-class bike but with the manoeuvrability of a sub-600cc machine.
Changes to the 2013 model are mostly to the underpinngs, apart from a few minor cosmetic ones. The front and the back forks are now offered with pre-load and rebound adjustment, the latter has also got stiffer springs. This translates into more custom settings for better handling.
The engine has now been mounted to the chassis at six different points and is a stressed member of the bike, increasing rigidity. The FZ8 is powered by a four-cylinder liquid cooled 779cc engine producing 104bhp. It gets a new fuel-injection system and has been tuned to provide a majority of the power in the low to mid-range. The power goes to rear wheel via a close ratio six-speed gearbox.
Cosmetic changes to the 2013 model include a new seat, which has been given a dual-texture treatment and an updated muffler to provide a more modern appearance.
The 2013 Yamaha FZ8 has been price at 8890 dollars (Rs 4.83 lakh) and will be available in showrooms across the US by February 2013. Sadly, at present, there are too many government restrictions with regard to the sale of imported bikes having a capacity of less than 800cc. This means that Yamaha won’t be bringing the mid-weight street fighter to India anytime soon.
