This Yamaha middleweight street model arrived for the 2004 model year as a clean-sheet successor to the FZS600 Fazer. Yamaha’s own launch materials describe it as a new European-market 600cc all-rounder, offered in both faired and naked forms and built around a liquid-cooled inline-four developed directly from the YZF-R6. The nameplate was positioned to combine everyday usability with sporting character, carrying forward the broad-appeal formula that had made the earlier Fazer popular with commuters, newer riders, and enthusiasts who wanted one bike for multiple roles.
In Yamaha’s lineup, the model quickly became the core of a family that included the touring-oriented FZ6-S Fazer and the simpler FZ6-N. Yamaha later expanded the range with updated versions, including the 2007-spec revisions that brought fresh bodywork and other improvements. Throughout its run, the model was known as a flexible middleweight that sat between pure supersport machines and more basic commuter bikes, which helped it build a strong following in Europe and other export markets.
The nameplate’s production life appears to have ended in 2009, as Yamaha introduced the XJ6 family for 2009 and referred to that model line as part of the new 600cc European lineup alongside the established FZ6. The result was a relatively short but influential run for a bike that became one of Yamaha’s best-known practical sport standards of the 2000s.