r/FZ09

I've rode my 2016 FZ09 since 2019, and have put on over 50k kms on it. It was my first bike, and I have made it MY bike. I am illogically emotionally attached to it - way too many memories on it.

I've done a LOT to it to make it better, but that said, it is not perfect and I'm toying with "upgrading" to something newer. It's got K-Tech fork internals and a K-Tech rear shock. This really did help remove the bounciness, but it is stiff now for sure.. Brembo RCS19 master, braided lines, my preferred bars, steering damper, good quality 520 conversion, full Akra system with a Vcyclenut tune. It is a fantastic bike.

The handling though is not what I'd consider "inspiring" still. Suspension goes a long way, but the geometry is not helping and I'm still left feeling that the front is vague unless you're fuckin sending it, braking deep into the apex to try and force more weight onto the front. This is sketchy though on the street. Dropping the forks a little helped, but it's still not confidence inspiring. It feels skatey..

I've got an RSV4 as well, and THAT bike knows how to take a corner. It is by far the best bike I've ever rode, and I'm just left wanting more from my daily FZ09...

To those who may have been in a similar situation, how much better is a newer SP with Ohlins compared to a first gen with K-Tech suspension? I'm looking at a 2022 MT09 SP (not new new), but the geometry had shifted a lot at that point already and got more weight over the front. I've rode a 2024 MT10 SP, and the Ohlins on that felt very, very good - could feel the front end and could feel the load on the front tire.

I know I would miss this first gen and probably regret selling it, but I'm not quite enjoying it as much as I once did (likely thanks to that pesky RSV4 entering my life and making everything else feel a little bland).

Sorry for the long post. It's not an easy decision for me..

Hi, I own a 2008 FZ1-N with 23,700 km on the clock. It’s in very nice condition, and the only thing I’ve done to it is install a HealTech quickshifter. I bought it with an aftermarket slip-on exhaust, which probably costs around $300.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about selling it and buying a 2019 MT-09. I’ve found a guy who’s selling one, and he was also open to a trade. However, his 2019 MT-09 has almost 49,000 km on it. That said, it has a very good service history, with most of the services carried out by Yamaha themselves and authorized workshops. A valve clearance check was done at 40,000 km on that bike.

What do you think? Is it worth trading? I’ve heard good things about the CP3 engine used in the MT-09.