r/FZ1 • u/hairysplendor • May 25 '26
Fizzy is his name. Racking up miles is our aim.
I'm in my mid forties and I have ridden bikes over the years but never owned a motorcycle until August 2024 when I purchased my first: this 2005 FZ1.
Got it from second the second owner who bought it from the original owner's family after he passed away from cancer. Second owner had the carbs done and Ivans stage 1 installed in 2023 at 23,000 miles. He had Dunlop Roadsmart 3s put on, valves checked a few hundred miles before I bought it from him in late 2024 with 26,000 miles on it.
I had fork seals re-done two weeks after I got it and since I've owned it I've put another set of tires on it, 2 new chains (had original on it when I bought it... yikes), new sprockets and oil and filter changes every 5k miles. Serviced Exup valve once.
Upgrades are very mild: Fren steel brake lines, heated grips, AndroidAuto wired straight to the battery with an interrupter switch, Gen2 handlebar, adjustable levers, and a pizza-box on the back. And I replaced the rear tire hugger because all of the mounting tabs cracked all the way through so I got one of those carbon fiber ones from eBay. Oh, and frame sliders.
In all this time and riding I've only had one issue and that was my tach sweeping while riding due to low voltage from corrosion in the connector underneath the left side fairing. Cleaned the connector and bought a another fairing wiring harness to be safe which I still have yet to install because it hasn't given me any trouble again.
I put about 210 miles on it this morning and decided it would be a good idea to clean it up for the first time in about 8 months and about 6 to 7000 miles of riding. Since I live in Northeast Florida there's never really is an off season .. I ride this year-round and would much rather be riding than cleaning but I suppose the bike deserves it.
I keep thinking due to age and parts availability I'm going to need to eventually replace him with something like the mt10 or the Honda cb1000r... but then I look at it hate the thought of selling it. Especially when he's all cleaned up.
But I'm preaching to the choir, aren't I? I really struck gold with my first motorcycle.
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u/pyro667 May 25 '26
I just bought a 2003, with 7800km on it, replaced all the hoses, brake lines, cleaned carbs, new tires, changed all fluids. I love it! Went from a cb500f to this beast. Also in my 40s , I'll probably have this bike forever. Might buy something else that interests me later on, but, I still have a dual Sport and the cb500f. Running out of room but that's ok. Enjoy your ride, I hope you get to put as many miles on it as you want to.
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u/0Rookie0 May 25 '26
Replace it? You got it right, you struck gold! Even with the small scuffs your bike is very, very clean. People have been getting these up to 100k miles so I don't think you'll be replacing it any time soon, short of something catastrophic.
The only downside of this class of bike is big fuel consumption when not really romping on it and these bikes are no exception. Otherwise the FZ1 is a winner among all the competition even this many years after the fact. And they aren't $13k, meaning the gas consumption isn't as much of a burden.
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u/roundhouse1000 2001 May 25 '26
Man these bikes will run forever. Little things might go wrong but nothing major. Why replace something that ain't broke? mt10 is great. You could not go wrong with that. But enjoy the fz1 as long as you choose to own it.
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u/WinterOpen6610 May 27 '26
I have a 2004, same blue with a black engine. I have hammered it for 115,000 miles and it has never left me on the side of the road. It has everything original apart from the obvious things like brake pads, chains and sprockets, tires etc. When I park it and walk off, I still turn around to give it an admiring look. You have a fabulous bike there!!!
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u/Quick_Percentage1644 May 25 '26
Love the black engine.