It may have been around for some time, but Yamaha’s Fazer is still up there with the big boys, as Jim Yarwood discovered on his test ride.

How do you make a particular motorcycle stand out in a range of 50-plus models on offer? That’s a problem Yamaha and most of the Japanese manufacturers have.

In this case the excellent Fazer liquid-cooled 1,000cc has been around for a very long time, being tweaked, altered and revamped with this awesome 2006 version their latest offering.

Magnum Motorcycles of Gillingham gave me the opportunity to sample this 4-cylinder R1-derived fuel-injected model.

Yamaha’s Fazer seems to have been on the scene since time began, but it’s right up to date, bristling with the latest in bike technology. The motor – a softened R1 version – just does any and everything the rider demands; it pulls cleanly from tickover, can troll round town as a mild-mannered 1,000cc commuter, or, on open roads give the thrill and adrenalin fix that a full-blown sport machine supplies, but being infinitely more practical.

This re-worked machine is 14kgs (30.8lbs approx) – or just over two stone lighter than its predecessor – that’s a huge amount of weight loss, and yet it doesn’t appear anorexic. A die-cast aluminium frame and lighter wheels give the Fazer razor-sharp handling; with upside-down 43mm gold-painted multi-adjustable front forks and single unit rear suspension it’s an awesome package.

I wasn’t too sure about the "dustbin" silencer hanging off the side of the exhausts, (it looks better in the flesh than pics) but have to admit the sound was pretty awesome, producing a deep, but pleasant growl especially when the revs were high! The six-speed gearbox coped well in virtually any condition providing the revs are utilised and the ultra-light cable-operated clutch matched perfectly, apart from the odd clunk when selecting from a cold start-up.

With a real "grippy" tank when being thrown into bends, the riding position was, well, perfect. The bars are mounted with three-inch risers and then pulled back from the horizontal by about three inches towards the rider; I was able to ride for both a long time and lots of miles without any sign of aching neck or shoulders, although for some taller riders the bikini fairing might prove to be more cosmetic than effective. There’s masses of ground clearance with the footpegs being some 121/2in-13in (30-33cms) away from the tarmac – you’d have to have a death-wish to want to try and touch them down.

With more than 153 horses at the rear wheel the brakes – dual front and single disc rear – did their job admirably with plenty of "feel" from the front, matched to the excellent braking were Michelin Road Pilot tyres fitted to the 17-inch wheels, these are an excellent tyre for all conditions. So stable at ultra-slow speeds and filtering through traffic was the Fazer, that with so much rubber being put down from the rear (almost six inches) you could play "trials rider" and see how long at a standstill you could do before putting a foot down. Great fun! Night riding was well taken care of with piercing twin dip and main beams illuminating unlit roads and the simple backlit orange-coloured dash easy to read.

Included in the cockpit toys are clock, two trip gauges, water temperature gauge, digital speedo (can be altered to read kph or mph) and a conventional analogue tacho; at 4,200 rpm this equated to 70mph in top gear, bearing in mind the red-line started at 12,000 rpm so plenty of fun to be had playing with the gearbox. Fuel-wise the FZ1 returned between 112-123 mpg depending on how it was being ridden.

If you ride two-up then pillions are well catered for; there’s a comfortable separate saddle, well padded, and ultra-long grab bars, well thought out if you suddenly unleash some of the available power from the stonking powerplant of an engine!

Parking the Fazer is a doddle, with both a side and centre stand available. Also fitted as standard is an immobiliser. Apart from oil checks the motor looks as though it’s a dealer job for any minor servicing or adjustments, but that’s how it’s going both in the two-wheel and four-wheel world nowadays; however with Yamaha’s reliability this shouldn’t be an issue. The styling, finish and body panels of this particular test bike (deep metallic blue) gave the bike an MT-01 feel – high tank and seating position – and with ultra-wide mirrors fitted on movable stalks (that can be folded inwards for narrow spaces).

Priced at £7,495, I think it’s a brilliant package. Yamaha also offer a one-year free recovery service, be it a puncture or stupidly running out of fuel they will get you home, coupled to the two-year warranty, it ticks all the boxes whether needed as a commuter, courier, sports tourer or whatever; there’s even rumoured to be some hard touring luggage available shortly.

A definite all-rounder and one I would have in my garage.

FACTFILE

Yamaha’s Fazer

TEC SPEC: In-line 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke 998cc

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed

WEIGHT: 447lbs (199kg)

COST: £7,495

DEALER DETAILS: Magnum Motorcycles, Canterbury Street, Gillingham. Tel: 01634 851200; Fax: 01634 852776.