The newest member of the Yamaha FZ family, the 2015 FZ-07, has been launched in the US market for USD 6,990 (Rs 4.2 lakh). The naked motorcycle fills a gap in the segment and falls in the common ground where it is fit to be ridden by novices, but will also excite a seasoned rider.
The FZ-07 does look like a scaled down version of the FZ-09, though the faux carbon accents, sculpted fuel tank and the fuel tank cover give the motorcycle its unique identity. The FZ-07 gets a comfortable riding position and the tapered seats are designed to make long rides enjoyable. Yamaha promises light and sporty road manners and a wet weight of 180 kilograms should make it nimble and easy to flick.
The 698cc parallel-twin engine is built around a lightweight, diamond-type, backbone high tensile steel frame. The liquid-cooled engine is designed around Yamaha’s unique Crossplane Concept 270 degree crank and churns out 74bhp and 67.7Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed gearbox.
The instrument cluster is a fully digital LCD unit and displays digital bar-type tachometer, gear position indicator, speedometer, an odometer, dual trip meters, fuel gauge, a fuel reserve trip meter, clock, instant and average fuel consumption and a host of warning lights. The 10-spoke alloy wheels get 282mm dual floating discs at the front and 245mm single disc at the rear. The headlamp is positioned lower than usual, giving it an aggressive look. The new swingarm not only aids handling, but also improves the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle.
The Yamaha FZ-07 will be available with loads of customisation options and in three paint schemes - liquid graphite, rapid red and pearl white. In the US market, the FZ-07 competes with the Monster 696, Honda NC700x, Kawasaki Ninja 650 and the Suzuki SFV650. Yamaha is one of the few global manufacturers that have a majority of their high-capacity bikes on sale in the Indian market. If the Japanese manufacturer does decide to bring the FZ-07 to India, it will be positioned against the Ducati Monster 795 and the Triumph Street Triple, though it might take one more year for it to be launched here.
