Cycle World makeover

It's a great bike.

Saw one in a customers garage maybe a year ago, got to talking to him about it.
Said he almost bought one when they first came out, but didn't.
4 years later, sought one out and has had it since.

I almost picked one up bout six years ago... I then remembered all the beautiful wheelies I used to pull on my old XL500...

After a moment of sweaty palms and subtle shaking I did the unthinkable...

I pulled out my wallet and looked at my drivers license for, as I saw it, the last time if I bought that bike.

Much respect G-man, obviously you're much more in control of your inner child.

motogrady wrote:
It's a great bike.

Saw one in a customers garage maybe a year ago, got to talking to him about it.
Said he almost bought one when they first came out, but didn't.
4 years later, sought one out and has had it since.

Yep they are great bikes and I bet your customer is like me, he knows if he lets it go he will regret it.

I'm on a FZ1 forum and there's many guys that owned the Gen 1 and now own the Gen 2 and a good majority of them still have a sweet spot for the Gen 1 that was in production for 5 yrs.

IMO they ruined what the bike was designed to be--a sport touring bike. The Gen 2 has an aluminum frame, smaller gas tank and front fairing and an ugly tail section with a crappy seat. Oh and the early model gen 2's had some EFI glitches that needed to be fixed.

They tried to make it more sport oriented. If you want a Yamaha sport bike you get the R1.

And now they no longer make the FZ's they have those Transformer looking machines.

KMC440 wrote:

I almost picked one up bout six years ago... I then remembered all the beautiful wheelies I used to pull on my old XL500...

After a moment of sweaty palms and subtle shaking I did the unthinkable...

I pulled out my wallet and looked at my drivers license for, as I saw it, the last time if I bought that bike.

Much respect G-man, obviously you're much more in control of your inner child.

Thanks KMC, actually you should rethink about getting one you can pick a FZ Gen1 for about $2,500. You won't regret it.

Yeah I know what you mean about the license thing. I try to use restraint and pick my spots where I let my Ya Ya's out.

Cycle world's been in a period of decline for a long time now beginning with the merge of Cycle & Cycle World and ending with the loss of Peter Egan. I enjoy Kevin Cameron's columns but it's just not the same. The shift to quarterly is just a prelude to the end. Print Media has been on its ass for years and the ownership has changed. I remember when they were the premier motorcycle magazine. It's a damn shame. I will however, continue to ride my first generation Kawasaki z1000 naked. Get your ya-yas out indeed.

YES I agree on your anaylis of CW.
I just cannot turn down the $10 subscriptions and they throw in that cheesy bag!

What year is your Kawi, where's the pics?

I bought a subscription because although I loved dirt bike magazines, each for their own merit,
the writing was brutal. Except Super Hunky was entertaining back in the day, and Jody’s Box could also be funny. Man, Sieman and dirt biking got burnt by 60 minutes magic editing though when he was on.

I got roped in by a pretty hot co-worker I get along with well at work to support her kids school. Like saying no thanks to Jennifer Anniston, I am a weak man, take my Visa and I’ll look forward to a nice Cycle World in the mailbox every month. It a long f’ing winter.

Anyway, I know these school sold subscriptions take time but I was wondering, where is it?

Finally shows up, kind of a coffee table book. Sadly to say, with this iPad Air 2 in my hand I haven’t cracked it.
A Ducati sportbike is a work of art on the front page, but the stock is the opposite of glossy.

Any, I agree with that is the beginning of the end...I won’t renew. I miss Leanings, but the world is at your finger tips now. I will read it eventually but it isn’t the same.

Lots of active weather in Canada today, looks like Christmas shopping time. West Coast is crazy too.
Could be an interesting SX “fix” tonight.

I regret getting rid of my rc51 every day

Drtbykr wrote:

I bought a subscription because although I loved dirt bike magazines, each for their own merit,
the writing was brutal. Except Super Hunky was entertaining back in the day, and Jody’s Box could also be funny. Man, Sieman and dirt biking got burnt by 60 minutes magic editing though when he was on.

I got roped in by a pretty hot co-worker I get along with well at work to support her kids school. Like saying no thanks to Jennifer Anniston, I am a weak man, take my Visa and I’ll look forward to a nice Cycle World in the mailbox every month. It a long f’ing winter.

Anyway, I know these school sold subscriptions take time but I was wondering, where is it?

Finally shows up, kind of a coffee table book. Sadly to say, with this iPad Air 2 in my hand I haven’t cracked it.
A Ducati sportbike is a work of art on the front page, but the stock is the opposite of glossy.

Any, I agree with that is the beginning of the end...I won’t renew. I miss Leanings, but the world is at your finger tips now. I will read it eventually but it isn’t the same.

Lots of active weather in Canada today, looks like Christmas shopping time. West Coast is crazy too.
Could be an interesting SX “fix” tonight.

Superhunky was the best. His wit and satire were second to none.

Never did get into Jody's style much at all.

The street bike guys go at it at a different angle with not as much humor try to take it more serious.

Yea ol Cycle World has been around a long time and it will be a bummer when it is gone too.

That's why I didn't mind throwing them my $10 I'm a high roller like that....

Went on a 200-mile ride over the weekend with a friend of a friend who knew this group that meets up and goes on rides.

The scenery and ride was good. The bar food was awful.....

It was quite the mix bag of nuts!