Cycle World Naked Middleweight Comparo

The FZ8 would smoke every machine in this comparo, and likely the FZ9 as well in most respects if the spec sheets are right.

I have read far too much about how awesome the Street Triple R is; yes, it is quite light. Yes, it turns very, very quickly. Yes, it's got a snappy motor and excellent brakes/suspension. That's as may be, but what you never read about is the very poor build quality and lack of some nicer features that are found on the competition. Also, the diminutive stature of the Triumph, and the very, very steep steering head angle and minimal trail might amount to lightning fast handling but whenever you get to rake numbers below 24 degrees with that kind of weight and short wheelbase, you're asking for trouble. That chassis is going to be more prone to tankslappers and less stable.

Some may recall the Suzuki TL1000; that bike was very dangerous and while some guys loved them, they had a bad reputation and were ultimately pulled from the Suzuki lineup.

We'll see what Yamaha has done with the Nine, but its chassis numbers suggest that at least on paper it is spot-on, with 25 degrees of rake and fairly longish wheelbase. They are actually very similar to the Eight, with the exception of a bit shorter wheelbase, although the lighter wheels have a marked effect on handling as well.

To my mind the FZ8 or FZ9 are both a better choice than anything in this test in many respects.