Road test of YamahaFZ1 1000 FAZER 2013 The day I turned everything upside down

at 10.15 a.m., the few hours of sleep after my DJ performance last night have recharged my batteries a little. But the 10°C and the light rain of this month of May combined with my track leather don't really warm me up.
What does warm me up is the prospect of some 20 minutes of fun on the Mettet circuit aboard a Fazer 1000.

Arriving at the circuit with my FJR goes practically without a hitch, thanks mainly to the good will of a parking attendant who lets me and the bike through. This means I don't have to carry my 2 Gopro, my two helmets (each equipped to take two different views of the track), my Airbag vest, etc... I head straight for the Yamaha tent to discover my mount of the day. The wee-wee stop will be postponed until later, as the combination of the one-piece leather (and its infernal zipper) and the early-morning chill means that I'm afraid the snail has retreated into its shell!
Welcomed by the brand's press manager, I see behind him a brand-new Fazer in immaculate white. Great, my new AGV is white too! I try to fit the bike with a camera on the tank as quickly as possible, as I'll be riding in less than 10 minutes. I'm told that I still have to register, have my helmet checked, sign the disclaimers and take part in an express briefing. The announcer announces the start of my group and I'm still chasing my permits. Hot, hot, I calm down thinking that Tom has announced that I'm taking part in an extra (and surprise) run this afternoon. Okay, I've got it all, I run to the FZ, step over it and poof, the Gopro falls out of the tank! No, the suction cup doesn't hold when applied to a surface that's a mixture of plastic and metal... Never mind, I hand it over to the stand attendant and head for the track.

On the track, in the rain ;-(

I get out of the pits, remembering the circuit, there's 9 minutes left for this run, so calm down, there's no need to pile on the Fazer right from the start. The first few corners are negotiated on eggshells. The bike immediately puts me at ease and, taking advantage of the 9.3 mkg of torque, I rev it up. The original and practically new tires seem to be holding. I pick up the pace a little, and the 150 hp start to sound. after 4 minutes, the tarmac dries out in places, movements on the bike become more fluid, and I'm enjoying riding the 1000 more and more.
Negotiating the left-hand side of the climb (at 180 anyway!), I lose the front, and seeing the gravel trap hurtling towards me, I decide to pray to all the saints I know and rely on the protection of my Helite airbag vest. In the end, it passed - it was hot!
First lesson of the day: the wet is in your head, but it's still slippery.
I calmly end the first run with a visual tour of the bike's cockpit. The position in the saddle remains the same as when I first tried it out, the dashboard has changed little, I just notice that the seat doesn't look any more comfortable than before.

Clap, second run...

Program for this second run of the day: I've got a very good national endurance rider on an R1 as my hare, and my aim is to keep up with him without crashing. I choose to mount a single Gopro on the Fazer's handlebars to keep my movements to a minimum. I abandon the idea of putting a second one on my helmet, as the wind resistance at over 200 km/h is too great. My hare du jour must weigh a mere 70 kg, and on an R1 with almost 190 hp and a very high level of riding, I think he's going to get bored in the next 20 minutes. Never mind, we pull into the parc fermé and the marshal gives the starting signal.
The track is 90% dry, but my driver prefers to do a warm-up and reconnaissance lap. As soon as we pass the pits for the second time (and in front of my "ladies" club), I switch on the Gopro. Of course, the driver isn't waiting for me. After 3 turns, I realize that the Gopro is starting to tilt - it's not tight enough. Taking advantage of a short straight, I try to put it straight again. Great idea, I'd find out later that I'd turned it off!
In the meantime, I try to catch up with the pilot. It's quite incredible, but following another (good) driver allows me to ride more fluidly. I concentrate on him, and as a result, my movements become more natural. The footrests are on their last legs and I'm starting to use my sliders. The 35 extra horsepower compared with last year's FZ8 gives me almost 20 km more power at the end of the straight. The pleasure is there and the tires are starting to heat up. As for my forearms, they're showing signs of fatigue. As the R1 pulls away, I have to pull myself together. I decide to put a bit more into it at the start of the straight. I'm still at full throttle. The Mille is bursting with power at low revs, and of course I stall at the rear. I've just discovered the famous highslide. Luck, and my 100kg, give me the opportunity to stay on the wheels. I notice that I'm taking more angles in right-hand corners. Indeed, in discussions with other riders, I'd already heard that you always have a side preference. In fact, I'm able to put my knee down without any problems, even though the slider on my boot is rubbing more and more. I would discover on the way back to the pit that I had "finished" the footrest protectors and was attacking the rubber and therefore my boot...

To do, friends!

This second day on the track has only strengthened my conviction about this investment. Pure pleasure, a visible evolution in the level of riding (well, I hope!) and above all a safer ride on the road. Your birthday coming up? You know what you have to do...

See you soon,
Oli the Belgian