Shortly after taking delivery of a 2014 Yamaha FZ-09, we put the 847cc, liquid-cooled, inline-three-powered naked bike on the Cycle World Dynojet dynamometer.
What did we find? Well, for starters, the engine’s peak power output and delivery characteristics far exceeded our expectations, particularly considering the FZ-09’s MSRP of $7,990.
The feeling of robust torque that we experienced on the road (from basement revs to the 11,250-rpm redline) is evident by the dyno graph’s linear horsepower plot and flat torque spread of 50-plus pound-feet throughout the entire rev range.
The FZ-09 is equipped with Yamaha D-MODE (or “Drive Mode”), which offers a choice of three throttle-control maps labeled A, STD, and B. While the A and STD modes produce identical full-throttle power graphs, A offers sharper throttle response on the road in the low-to-midrange revs than STD. Toggling to B via the handlebar thumb button further softens throttle response and reduces top-end output to the tune of about 10 hp.
In the FZ-09, Yamaha has delivered a superb power package offering impressive performance and excellent controllability at a price that’s hard to beat.
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