2011 Yamaha FZ8 Review - First Ride

[Jeff Cobb]

Originally Posted by Duken4evr

Ah, money management. My bailiwick. Jeff, I have a story for you.

You see, Mastercard had their IPO a few years ago. I bought 200 shares at $46 a share right after it hit the open market. My pre purchase due diligence was in depth. It consisted of "it's Mastercard. Buy it early, buy lots of it!" I had similarly "strenuous" thought process when Visa had it's IPO

Back to Mastercard. In fairly short order, it doubled and then some, to $100. I sold it, transferred the profit money to my checking account, walked into Vickery Cycle Sports and walked out with a new 2006 FZ1 for $8,400 out the door with taxes and all (selling price $7,900). Put it on my Mastercard. The Mastercard bill came with the bike purchase on it, paid it off in full (plus the Akra full system and PCIII) using the stock sale profit proceeds. Ah the financial bubble years. So much fun - sigh... Hell of it is, Mastercard continued going up of course, peaking at around $300. That FZ1 actually cost me about 30 grand I suppose. Oh well. Traded in and out of it a bit after that, probably pulled 15K out of MA over the years.

Post meltdown, precious metals and Netflix have been good to me and after taking it in the shorts, I am doing well these days. Anyway, my FZ1 is the bike that Mastercard bought. I will always love it for that

Well at least you were on the right side of your credit card, and the only "loss" you experienced was potential earnings.

Hopefully you have received $30,000 worth of enjoyment out of your FZ1. No one but you could answer that one.

Netflix? Do you mean you invest in it?

[Duken4evr]

Originally Posted by Jeff Cobb

Well at least you were on the right side of your credit card, and the only "loss" you experienced was potential earnings.

Hopefully you have received $30,000 worth of enjoyment out of your FZ1. No one but you could answer that one.

Netflix? Do you mean you invest in it?

Ya, primarily in my 401K. Bought a load of that at $49 about 1 year ago. It is at $185 or so now. Sold off half of it recently to realize the gain

Lest you think I am a genius, I did manage to lose money on Apple. We all make mistakes, but that one is particularly embarrasing!

I don't regret buying the FZ1 and losing the opportunity to earn more on MA. Money is nice and it is a means to an end, but once we have "enough" experiences are more important. I am not "rich, but I do have "enough" to be secure. I say ride more and worry less

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by Duken4evr

Ya, primarily in my 401K. Bought a load of that at $49 about 1 year ago. It is at $185 or so now. Sold off half of it recently to realize the gain

Lest you think I am a genius, I did manage to lose money on Apple. We all make mistakes, but that one is particularly embarrasing!

I don't regret buying the FZ1 and losing the opportunity to earn more on MA. Money is nice and it is a means to an end, but once we have "enough" experiences are more important. I am not "rich, but I do have "enough" to be secure. I say ride more and worry less

Hey! Can I come over t' YOUR place an' watch Cartoons?

/cheechvoice

[Jeff Cobb]

Originally Posted by Duken4evr

Ya, primarily in my 401K. Bought a load of that at $49 about 1 year ago. It is at $185 or so now. Sold off half of it recently to realize the gain

Lest you think I am a genius, I did manage to lose money on Apple. We all make mistakes, but that one is particularly embarrassing!

I don't regret buying the FZ1 and losing the opportunity to earn more on MA. Money is nice and it is a means to an end, but once we have "enough" experiences are more important. I am not "rich, but I do have "enough" to be secure. I say ride more and worry less

Why even Forrest Gump did not lose on that "fruit company." Sheesh Duken! Now I could tell you a certain story about $20k worth of Compaq covered by margin that vaporized into thin air ... But that's what you get for listening to a broker with an agenda. As long as the orders were going to him on covered calls on the stock splits, everything was rosy. Gotta do your own thinking, you know?

I hear you on the philosophy. Agreed. Not there yet. You are in a good place. Enviable – and you are in a great state to boot!

[Duken4evr]

Aye, Jeff, avoid margin like the plague. I use it to flip day trades sometimes, but never to leverage - always enough in the account to cover the trades. I did some margined day and short term trading awhile ago. Too life shortening.

I do hope Yamaha brings the "Fazer" version of this bike with the FZ1 like fairing into the States. I can say the fairing on my FZ1 is very effective. Style wise, the look reminds me of an updated GPZ1100, a bike I lusted for but could not have back in the day. This type of bike says "you can have it all" - power, handling, comfort, durability and coolish looks, all for a reasonable cost. Works for me. I hope they sell lots of them.

[MOKE1K]

Cool now all we need is the YZFR8, and it'll be complete! Nice article and bike, its about time they seem to be listening although not my taste I know a lot of people will purchase this steed.

[Jeff Cobb]

Originally Posted by MOKE1K

Cool now all we need is the YZFR8, and it'll be complete! Nice article and bike, its about time they seem to be listening although not my taste I know a lot of people will purchase this steed.

Thanks. A YZFR8 would be cool. They aren't saying, but I'd bet the Fazer 8 would be imported first, if the FZ8 does well. No idea if an R8 would ever be made. Do you know anything about it that I don't? I've seen speculation in the motor press, but that's all. Now that MotoGP is going back to the larger displacement, will we see more 800s arriving late in the street segment? Suzuki holds onto its Gixxer 750 because it started the "revolution," but will others create competitors for it?

[pplassm]

Stop it. No fairing needed.

Saw the bike this weekend. I like it a lot.