| The game plan called for Jamie Dick and I to test the latest hot street standards: Kawasaki's ZRX 1200 and Yamaha's FZ1. Now here is where things got a little complicated for me. Were we going to be able to compare these two bikes directly, or was each so unique that they were miles apart in what they offered? We decided that the best approach was to head north from Victoria and work our way up Vancouver Island until we reached our turning point, Gold River. This, we thought, would be the ideal trip to explore each bike's inherent characteristics. We would hook up at 7 a.m. Sunday morning at our regular meeting spot and go from there. Sunday morning came and so did a weather system that was supposed to bring heavy rain to the majority of Vancouver Island. Nevertheless, we started out on our journey armed with rain gear and positive attitudes about a relatively dry ride. For the first few hours I opted to ride the Yamaha, and quickly became familiar with the bike as we started our climb up the Malahat Pass. I was immediately comfortable on the FZ1 and was surprised at how light and agile it felt despite its claimed dry weight of 458lbs. As we approached the south end of the Shawnigan lake Road, it began to rain and I suddenly wasn't thrilled about pushing the bike through a wet and twisty piece of road. My anxiety would soon be calmed as the bike offered excellent feedback, always letting me know how the tires were reacting to the road and giving me extreme confidence in the slippery conditions. Driving out of the tight wet corners was particularly easy using the Yamaha's motor, which pulled cleanly from as low as 3,000 rpm. After going through Shawnigan Lake we decided to disperse with the back roads and take the Island Highway north to make up some time. Once past Duncan, I really began to get a feel for the big Yamaha. Even at highway speeds there was little to no vibration except for a slight tingling that I felt when I placed my hands on the levers. My legs were in a natural position with my hands positioned just below shoulder height. As we approached Parksville I couldn't believe how comfortable I was. My body wasn't sore and I could complain only about the lack of wind protection offered by the miniscule windscreen. The FZ1's motor has gobs of power and is quite revvy while the transmission is unmistakably Yamaha with its clunky but effective six-speed gearbox. The only mechanical glitch came when the bolt that holds the tank worked loose. Now this isn't such a huge thing, but when you're in a small wheelie coming out of a turn and the gas tank hits you in the chest almost knocking you off the bike...well I'm sure I don't need to say any more. Once in Parksville we stopped for brunch and to gas up the bikes. From there we headed up Island until we reached Campbell River. After breakfast Jamie and I decided to change rides giving me a crack at the Kawasaki ZRX 1200. Thumb the starter on a ZRX and you will immediately feel as though you're on a hotrod of a bike. The Kawi emits this rumbling sound that I found rather addictive and I would rev the bike at lights just to catch a few more notes of the mechanical music. On the road out of Parksville, I began to take note of how the ZRX felt and what it had for character. The ZRX feels extremely short and stubby with rather narrow handlebars. This, combined with an engine that is tuned for low rpm torque, gives you a very aggressive feel for the bike. It actually feels as though you're breaking the law even when you re sitting still. I love bikes like this! Once on the highway the bike cruised along with little or no vibration, the only major complaint being the lack of protection, especially in the rain. In a brief but heavy rainstorm I was completely soaked within five minutes even though my chin was on the tank in an effort to reduce my exposure. Once past Campbell River we started on what is one of the very best roads for motorcycling in BC. The road from Campbell River to Gold River. If you ever get the opportunity to ride this road, take it! You won't regret it. The road is an 85 kilometre well-paved mining road that winds its way along lakeside stretches and through beautiful forests leading you into the small town of Gold River. It was here that I really began to explore what the ZRX had to offer. It was a hoot accelerating hard out of corners using the Kawi's torque while short shifting the bike through its tight five-speed gearbox. The bike transitioned from left to right with relative ease despite its weight and, once cranked over, tracked exceptionally well. After a short break-in Gold River, we set off for our return trip home. Jamie and I exchanged bikes again giving me my second session with the FZ1. For the ride back to Campbell River we had relatively dry roads and I was able to explore the performance of the Yamaha. I was amazed at how sporty this bike really is and how fast it can be ridden. The only sign that you are approaching the limits of the bike is the lack of ground clearance offered by the footpegs. The trip back to Campbell River seemed to take no time at all as I was enjoying the ride so much. In Campbell River we stopped for lunch before continuing down the highway back to Victoria. Now I would love to say that we had an uneventful day in regards to police. However, upon our entry into Victoria we were pulled over by a local RCMP officer who was rather curious as to how we almost lost him through the last set of corners. We didn't even know he was there! I envisioned an extremely irate officer eager to hand out $400-plus fines and points on our licences. However, as luck would have it, this particular officer had a sense of humor and after a brief but stern talk he sent us on our way without a blue coupon or fine. It's amazing what a good attitude can do in a situation like that! So now after an 800-plus kilometre trip and lots of valuable time on each bike, just one question remained. Could these two bikes be compared directly to one another? My answer to that is, yes and no. Although both bikes are marketed to the same people and seem to be the two bikes riders are contemplating when looking into a standard, I believe they offer two completely different packages. In my opinion, the FZ1 is a super performance sport tourer where the emphasis has been focused on the performance. The bike has a much stronger top end rush than the ZRX, however, you have to rev it to get the power. On the flip side of the coin the ZRX feels like a down and dirty street fighter. It has to be the King of launching from a stop because no matter who was on it, the low rpm torque had it at least 10 feet in front of the FZ through the first two gears. In the handling department, the ZRX gave me more confidence in the slower and tighter turns with its short agile feel, whereas the FZ was the one I would want in a really fast sweeper. I have to admit I haven't yet addressed styling. Although it is usually a matter of personal taste I have to say I prefer the styling of the ZRX to the FZ1 despite the FZ1's functionality. Do they sound like opposites? Well I believe they are. I guess it all comes down to what you are going to use the bike for. In my opinion, if you were going to do lots of longer distance trips then the FZ would be your choice. If you want an exceptional street bike with tons of low down grunt, then the ZRX would be hard to beat. Either way, you get a phenomenal motorcycle. |