Yamaha FZ 25 Launched in India at Rs 1.19 Lakh: The Bold And Beautiful

Yamaha FZ 25 has been launched in India at a starting price of Rs 1.19 lakh and boy, this is the best you can get in this price range. With this launch, Yamaha will now compete in the power pack 200-250cc category which has been lately dominated by Bajaj Pulsar, KTM Duke and Apache RTR 200.

When it’s predecessor, Yamaha FZ 150 was launched in India in 2008, it took the lightweight segment by storm and till now, FZ 150 has been the highest selling Yamaha in India. It has the curves, road hugging tires and enough power to remain undisputed over the years and now the company is again looking to rule the market in a different segment.

Over the years, the 200-250cc naked-sports bike category has seen a huge rise in the number of sales and the segment’s popularity has forced many big players to come up with new offerings. In 2016, we saw TVS coming up with the Apache RTR 200 and 2017 itself started with the rumors of an upgraded KTM Duke. Yamaha too was in the news last year with the launch of YZF-R3 and now they have taken the first movers advantage in the middleweight naked category with Yamaha FZ 25.

Yamaha is calling the FZ25, the new age macho and let’s see what the new entrant has to offer.

Engine

Yamaha FZ 25 flaunts a new age 249cc, 4-stroke, air-cooled, SOHC, single cylinder engine, producing peak power of 20.9PS at 8000 rpm and maximum torque of 20NM at 6000rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed transmission the company is claiming a fuel efficiency of 43 kmpl. The engine gets Yamaha’s usual technical know-how including Blue Core technology which balances between performance and fuel efficiency of FZ 25.

We expected Yamaha FZ 25 to come with minimum of 23PS of power but considering the price, it didn’t disappoint us. However, boasting Yamaha FZ 25 peak power in front of KTM Duke 200 and Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 users is still going to be difficult. Nevertheless, on road performance should be at par with the other two.

Suspension and Braking

The suspension setup includes telescopic forks up-front and a monoshock unit at the back. Stopping duties will be performed by a 282mm front disc and 220mm disk for the rear tire.

Surprisingly, Yamaha has offered a rear disk at the back of FZ 25 and these are the tiny things that make us love Yamaha, even more. Considering the ground clearance of 160mm and dry weight of 148 kgs, Yamaha FZ 25 will offer the best of both city commute and highway tours.

Dimensions and Colors

Yamaha FZ 25 has a wheelbase of 1360mm and measures 2015mm in length, 770mm in width and 1075mm in Height. It will get 3 color options-Warrior White, Ballistic Blue and my personal favorite, Knight Black, making it an adorable yet powerful naked bike!! And wait, Yamaha FZ 25 also has a 14 litre fuel tank for your highway runs.

Other Features

LED headlight, LCD instrument cluster, a mudguard that moves with the swingarm, wheels with spoke design, fuel injection technology, 100/80 section front wheel and 140/70 section rear wheel both measuring 17-inches, and low-positioned handlebar with forward-set footpegs gives Yamaha FZ 25 a commanding riding position.

What we Miss

Yamaha is not offering ABS with FZ 25, not even as an option and could have appreciated an optional one, if not within the specified price. However, the cost constraints that the faced with Yamaha FZ 25, is a digestible justification. Meanwhile, Yamaha has promised that they are ready to meet the ABS demand in the coming future.

The new age 249cc engine powering Yamaha FZ 25 is otherwise a perfect unit in this category but the company could have offered a more peppier engine to tackle the competition.

Our Take

Almost every major Indian two-wheeler manufacturer have a presence in 200-250cc segment like Bajaj Pulsar NS200, KTM 200 Duke, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and Honda CBR250R. The competition is surely going to be a fierce one but Yamaha is famous to tackle every bump with its product quality.

However, if your garage goal include getting a new sports bike but don’t have the pocket to buy a YZF-R3 then Yamaha FZ 25 is the one for you and it just costs Rs 1.19 lakh.

Not many companies can compete with that!!

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23 January 2017
Rohan Jaitly