Original Source: Yamaha Fazer Review & Road Test from BikeAdvice.in

All across the globe, Street bikes has got its own fan base and so has the sport bikes for itself. Yamaha holds a pre – dominant position when it comes to both these kinda bikes. Think of street bikes and FZ series will be the first one to strike the gong in your mind. For the sport-bike category, it has to be the inevitable YZF – R15. (What else can one think of other than this?)

But, ever wondered how will a street bike look if it bears a fairing which is basically derived from that of a sport-bike? It’ll be resembling the Indian bike which talks about the ‘Touring Spirit’. Put your collars up for a while if you guessed it right. It has to be the Yamaha Fazer.

The bike sees no change across its entire body and heart (the engine) which is all inherited from the FZ-16 which became a massive hit in the sub – continent by attracting great fans towards the company. Also, the Fazer marks the beginning of a whole new segment by targeting specifically the long distance tourers.

First Impression

Though, the Fazer doesn’t boast of a monstrous look unlike most other European bikes, you need to look at it with an artistic touch to get a glimpse of its macho starring monstrous looks. Our Photographer Sharat tried too hard to get the click in the most appealing angle (as a result of which he made me divert the traffic for him for about 15 min or so!). Finally after puff and pants, I should say that he has indeed been successful to an extent in his attempt. Historic attempt, Oh well that’s just way too much!

The headlamp fairing is what catches your attention on the first sight when taking a look from the front angle. The dual lamp small fairing is the cut down version of the R15’s fairing and matches just perfectly in the given space. For a true macho and an aggressive look, twin lights will always assist in getting the effect accomplished ad the Fazer is a live example for it.  Actually, I‘m the right guy to comment about the Fazer’s looks. You know why? I’ve never been personally impressed so much by the FZ-16 or the FZ-S for that matter. And that’s because I always have a greater affinity and bonding towards sport-bikes. But, I found the Fazer very appealing with a mutual composition of both these looks.

The small fairing is cut at the right place just ahead f the fuel tank’s projection which doesn’t affect the position of your leg in any matter.  I really like this designing. The graphics are also bare minimal and are cool enough to ideally match the bike’s looks. The wind protector above the fort fairing is another style quotient here. Though, it is undersized it does its work brilliantly.

Bangalore Wheels, the Yamaha dealer in Bangalore had offered us the Limited Edition Midnight Black series for our review. This is a masterpiece from the company where aesthetics meets the touring spirit perfectly. As you can see, the rims are matte gold in color with the graphics too in the same color. Cool enough to attract any passer – by in the signal or along heavy traffic.

What is Fazer worth of?

Yamaha India website bring the adage of Fazer to display right out there. It states

• Mountains are what you’ll love to conquer
• You thought it’s just a large piece of sand covered wasteland – think again! Explore now
• Discover the secrets of the sea
• A ride on green woods will lift your spirit.’

This is more than enough to be on familiar terms with what category does the Fazer actually fit itself into ideally.

Engine

Let’s first discuss about the heart of the Fazer, which is nothing but its engine. Its 153cc engine is derived from its sibling FZ-16 without undergoing any tuning for any sort of performance. As with the case of all Yamaha engines, the Fazer also is a zero vibration bike and possesses no engine vibes.

So, no worries on that aspect. The engine doesn’t get exhausted fast with puffs and pants when you rev her up as much as you can. The engine is more frugal and you get to understand it right in the first ride (if you really notice it keenly). The 153cc ‘     -cooled’ engine is ideal along all kinda roads and makes the bike an efficient handler.  The detailed spec list along with that of engine details will be posted towards the end of this post.

Handing

Handling of the Yamaha Fazer has nothing much to talk about. She is not at all a bike meant to be used in a track and hence if you expect such a kind of decent performance, she would greatly be pacified in satisfying you.  The bike handles extremely well in the power band of around 5500 to 6500 rpm. This band will be able to glide the bike in a speed of around 90 kmph without any strain to the engine.  No vibes, no hard pulling nor no roughness. Probably, that’s what the bike is designed for. This is what a guy taking this bike for a long trip would in turn expect from a bike like the Fazer.

Rev it up a little more and the engine starts expressing its unhappiness. But, you gotta be happy that it doesn’t express it in the form of engine vibes. That’s the best part about the Fazer. Absolutely no vibes.   But, you need to rev her up so damn hard and hold it for a long time and that’s when you’ll find her touching a max speed of 119 kmph which is the max. speed she is able to attain. I tried touching 120 but in vain. But, still this is a decent figure for a 150 cc touring bike and one has to be happy and is forced to stay satisfied with it.

Riding Impression

As I took this bike for a ride along the NICE road on the outskirts of Bangalore, I was able to get the feel that she can sustain comfortably for along rides, than compared with the usual and tiresome city rides. On the first note, the handle – bar is pretty wide thereby creating a comfortable riding position and I really found it very useful as we opened her throttle along the open highway. This is something I feel should be a part of all bikes designed for touring purposes.

The mono – shock suspension in the rear does its work brilliantly. As you cruise, this offers an ease of ride which I was able to feel clearly and if you’ve a pillion on your back, then this would make your ride even more enjoyable. Ride the Fazer in the 3^rd gear and you’ll enjoy the way she responds back for your throttle. Every bike will have one gear which is the fun to ride and as mentioned, it is 3^rd for the Fazer.

But, it becomes very clear that this is not the kinda bike that can be used on the tracks owing to its bulkiness, not in terms of weight but in terms of its size.

Seating

The seating position of the Fazer is no different from that of the FZ series.  It is comfortable for both highway cruises and for the city commutes, which is where the Fazer stands a class apart. As with the case of other bikes, the seats are not slippery which prevents you from having a comfortable ride.

The split seat concept is not implemented but there is a considerable difference in height between that if the rider and pillion and this is again not too high making the entire concept uncomfy.

However, lean forward of tuck – in position becomes tough in getting used to in the Fazer, there is a fact that this is not the bike of that kinds, which I’m constantly mentioning for your knowledge.

Performance

There is usually a mindset amongst us that tourers will not be able to deliver great performance. But,  it depends on the way we’re gonna handle her. Agreed that it cannot perform to the greatest but one has to agree that Fazer doesn’t underperform when compared with its rivals.

In fact, it is pretty better than many other rivals in the 150cc segment.  Apart from that, there’s not much to discuss about the bike’s performance here. In short, you can expect same kinda performance what you get outta the FZ-16 or the FZ-S.

Headlamps

Here comes the interesting fact about this bike.  The main notable difference between the FZ-16 (and the FZ-S for that matter) and the fazer is the twin pod headlamp and its fairing which covers it. Any bike would obviously look great with twin headlamps and the Fazer is not gonna be any exception with this fact. In fact that’s what the best part about the Fazer is. But, guess what’s the funniest part here? You can’t turn on both the lamps together. Yes, you seriously can’t do that. That turns out to be a minor flaw. (Or major you call It as).

Yamaha need to upgrade this feature in the Fazers soon. Among the two lamps present, one comes alive when you turn on the low bean switch and the other exclusively for high beams. This concept is unlike the way the headlamps of the R15 work.

I don’t understand the concept of keeping one light dummy and the other active. High time for a change in this aspect and let’s hope Yamaha hears us and incorporate this change in the next breed of bikes.

Instrument Cluster

Again, not much to discuss as this is inherited from its siblings. It’s a fully integrated digital cluster with absolutely no pinch of analog elements surprising us. It has a Fuel-meter, Odometer and the Tachometer combined in an overall package with the Speedo.

You also have the Tripmeter out here. It looks as a great package for a bike like fazer which is targeted for the long tourers.

Brakes

The Fazer comes equipped with disc brakes at the front and the conventional drum brakes for the rear tyre. The front single hydraulic disc does its work brilliantly without a flaw. Brakes in Yamahas have never been an issue worth concern till date. However, it’s high time for the Fazer to be fitted with rear discs as well.

Every other bike in this segment competes with discs for both the tyres and this is a point where Fazer lacks. But, as I say this I should also tell you the fact that the drums handle far better than the way its other competitors handle. There are companies (and this is not the apt place to mention the name) from companies where the discs handle worse than the drums. There’s no sense of dissatisfaction with the rear brakes. However, it’s a suggestion which needs to be heard as we talk about this here and needs to be implemented at the fastest possible time frame.

About The Midnight Special

Let’s also have a few words here mentioned here about the ‘Midnight Special’ edition of Fazer which is basically a limited edition one. This deserves a special place as you can’t get this bike now even if you love it to the core of your heart. There were only 1000 bikes produced as part of this limited edition series and Yamaha stuck on to the figure seriously. What makes this bike unique from the others is the pinch if matte gold color which you find here and there. For instance, the entire graphics in this bike is golden color based which makes it really stand apart, not from its competitors from other brand but from its own color schemes.

As you can see in the pics, both the alloy wheels are matte gold powder coated without much fanfare.  That is something which attracted me towards this bike. This color scheme is available not only for the Fazer, but also for the FZ-16 and the FZ-S range of bikes. The toolbox cover also has the term ‘Midnight Special’ written on it with an attractive macho font.  Then you’ve a small metal strip in the fuel tank where the unique number of your bike is engraved. This makes the bike more special and admirable irrespective of how many ever years you keep this bike for yourself.

The final admiration is the autograph of India’s most admired biker and Bollywood star – John Abraham on the headlamp fairing. Hardcore fans of JA would love possessing one of this limited edition bikes.

Tyres

If it’s any bike in the FZ series, then there has to be a paragraph exclusively dedicated for the tyres of these bikes. The rear tyre is the highlight for this mean bike. The dimension of the rear tyre is ‘140/60-R17’ which makes it one of the widest tyres offered on an Indian bike.

The tyres are tubeless which came in handy for us as we met with a punctured rear tyre along 30 kms off the city limit. The tubeless tyres enabled us to reach till the puncture-wallah ad then get it done. For a bike like Fazer which is designed to cater the needs of tourers, tyres like this would indeed be a boon at times of emergency.  Excellent road – grip is what these set of tyres offer and the confidence level within you goes way too to the fore when you’ve such implausible tyres on your bike. The dimension of the front tyre is 100/80-17 which again does its job executed perfectly without a flaw.

Miscellaneous

There are few other points also to be mentioned here. This is one of the few bikes n the 150cc category which still comes with a kick – starter. Absence of this option has become a hot topic of discussion these days in BikeAdvice forum. For such guys who has got an obsession towards kick – start, this is one of the best option you’ve here in the market.

Then the next point is that here are absolutely no LEDs coming anywhere in the picture. Neither the turn indicators nor the tail lamps are installed with LED lamps.

To mention a word about the gearbox, it is a five speed one which is truly crisp with smooth levers which enables better ride quality and also enhances the same to a greater extent.

The grab- rail is indeed one of the coolest looking in the market.  Though, it’s been quite some time we’ve this in our market, it still looks spanking new which is the prime plus for this bike

Last but not the least, the exhaust talks a tone about the bikes looks. The small yet bulky exhaust has become the identity for this entire series of bikes. The note arising here is sharp and enjoyable. Acts as a style quotient as well, apart from differentiating itself in the battle without losing out itself on the long run.

Fuel Efficiency

For a 153cc bike like the Yamaha Fazer, all that you can expect is a decent figure of 40 – 44 kmpl practically as the Fuel Efficiency. With a heavy rise in city traffic these days, the Fuel Efficiency naturally tends to see a dip.

Color schemes

Yamaha Fazer is available in four color schemes as of now. The schemes being Competition White, Black Cyber Green, Lava Red and the list would tend to become incomplete without mentioning Midnight Black. The bulky body of the Fazer is capable to bear all these paintjobs on her and is able to carry them well. None of the colors really looks odd on the Fazer. Note that Midnight Special scheme is not mentioned in the list.

Price

Coming to ‘P’ factor, the Fazer is made to bear a price tag of INR 74,500 which is the Ex- Showroom price in the city of Delhi. This is marginally expensive for a 150 cc bike. However, taking into consideration the big bike feel which it offers, the amount is worth investing upon.

Conclusion

It is indeed nice to see bikes like Fazer, which are designed to satisfy the inner self of true bikers who believe in the fact that bikes are for long rides. On an overall package, if you want one bike which should be made use of across all kinda lanes, be it city roads or open highways, this is the bike you need to go for . One thing that neds to be assured here is that you certainly get value for the bucks spent here though it is commented to be priced high by many riders.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

I’ve tried my max to cover almost everything about this bike and I assume that I’ve been quite successful in my attempt as well. All that I expect is that my readers should sit back and enjoy the review.

Credits

• Ridden and Reviewed by Naren.
• Photography by Sharat Aryan.
• Test Ride Bike Offered by Bangalore Wheels 

Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in

• For more info like specs, color options etc, visit the Fazer Official Website
• For more high resolution photos visit our Facebook Album

Original Source: Yamaha Motors to Expand Production Capacity in 2012 from BikeAdvice.in

Hi Readers! To start with here is wishing all the readers a very happy and prosperous new year. Now for the news; two wheeler maker Yamaha Motors is aiming to expand its production capacity in 2012. Yamaha announced on Saturday that they are planning to expand their production capacity to as much as one million units in 2012 (guess this is not their New Year’s resolution which eventually gets stale by timeJ). All in all, Yamaha India is aiming to sky rocket their production capacity to a million units by the end of 2012.

Yamaha Motors was silent about the investment part but they said that the sales figures have really improved.  The company said that the sales for the past month stood at 44976 units (domestic- 33290 and exports- 11686) as against 34896 units (domestic 26567 and exports 8272 units) in the same period of 2010. The last month witnessed a 29% growth in sales figures. Yamaha has decided to continue with their plans of increasing production capacity because the aims at attaining the top spot in the Indian two wheeler market. Earlier in November 2011, Mr. Suzuki (CEO, Yamaha Motors) said that the company was in a severe condition and would break even by 2013 as they are planning to increase their production capacity. Keeping in mind the great demand for Yamaha products, Suzuki said that the company aims to sell at least 10 lakh vehicles in domestic market by 2014.

Yamaha motors did not reveal either the investment required or their plan as to how are they going to achieve their goal of producing as much as a million units. All in all, we can just assume that Yamaha is still planning and the true picture as to the execution of this humongous task will come out a bit later. We hope and pray that Yamaha gets what they wish for in this new year of success. Finally I would like to wish each one of the Bike Advice readers a “Very Happy New Year” and all the “Success”.

Original Source: Yamaha SZ-R : Review and Road Test from BikeAdvice.in

It so happens in life that at times the least expected things will offer the highest level of excitement. Of course, there is nothing wrong in it. This time, Yamaha offered me such a feel. It was not with the company’s Deluxe segment bikes for India like R15 or Fazer or for that matter, even the FZ series of bikes.

This time it’s the Yamaha SZ-R which offered an exhilarating feel for me. Yamaha has always had the guts to come up with a product that tends to change the game soon after its launch.

Many of our readers in BikeAdvice were probing me to review this bike which is how the idea of choosing the Yamaha SZ begun. If I’ve to explain the ability and capability of the SZ series of bikes, this is how I need to go ahead as.

This particular series of bike had received 5 awards in the years 2010 and 2011 from various sources put together.  Here is the list of it.

• Bike of the Year 2010 for SZ-X by ET Zigwheels.
• 150cc Commuter Motorcycle of the Year 2010 for SZ-X by ET Zigwheels.
• Viewer’s Choice Bike of the Year Award for SZ-X by ET Zigwheels.
• Viewer’s Choice Award for SZ-X by CNBC Overdrive Awards 2011
• Viewer’s Choice Award for SZ-X by NDTV Car & Bike Awards 2011

The SZ Series

The SX series of bikes from Yamaha comprises of 3 models within the bracket. The SZ, SZ-X and SZ-R are the finest range from this brand. To throw more light on the models, the SZ is the basic one among the above mentioned three. It has no disc brakes, no Electric Start and even lacks the aesthetically designed air scoop. This implies the fact that this is the least promoted variant of the entire lot.

This is in fact very similar to the LX variant in most of the Maruti Suzuki cars. Neither the dealers nor the company will promote these variants. Coming to the SZ-X, this variant boasts of an air scoop which offers it a cool look differentiating itself heavily from the bare SZ. It also has an Electric Start facility fitted onto it. Also, if you can notice this variant on road, you’ll be able to notice the fact that the body color and the air intake scoop color will be the same as against the SZ-R which is the end variant.

Coming to the one we tested which is the SZ-R, it boasts of front disc brakes, Electric start and an air scoop which differentiated itself from the body color through a paintjob. The best thing about the SZ series or with all Yamahas is the fact that all variants of SZ series comes pre fitted with alloy wheels as part of its standard package.

Reviewing a bike these days has become very similar to reviewing a car or for that matter any other four wheeler. See, we’ve even started talking about variants and the distinguishables between them. Hmmm, I’m loving it!

Market Positioning

The SZ-R finds itself positioned in a very unique manner. It gets a seat for itself in an all new segment referred to as a ‘Powerful City Commuting Bike’.  I’m gonna add one word at the front which is ‘Sporty’. Indians have now stared to feel the need of a bike which is a performance bike but restricted to the need of catering commuting purpose alone.

Gone are the days when people wanted a 100cc bike which would enable transporting them from Point A to Point B and then back. It’s become a style statement to own a 150cc bike for city usage knowing the fact that you’ll never be able to recognize its potential as long as you stay under the control of traffic signals intense traffic. This need is what Yamaha took advantage of.

Looks Do Matter

The SZ-R is not one of the hottest looking chicks in the Indian market. It’s for sure, not a head – turner. But, it’s got the ability to impress you right at the first sight. The size is not macho but makes you feel that it’s nimble enough which will be ideal for commuting and for light highway drives as well. The headlamp fairing comprises of two colors.

Major area is dominated by a matte black finish which offers a classy look from the front half of the bike. The rear quarter finishes in a sharp manner which offers a decent look from the rear part as well. These two are the style quotients which best defines this bike. The sir scoops are really cool on the bike. The Grab rail is definitely a ‘turn off’ for the SZ series of bikes. Unlike most other bikes in the India market, it is designed for utilitarian purpose and to boost aesthetics at all. This could have been taken care of.

Anyways, it’s not a major drawback on the SZ-R. Let’s now get to the highlight of the SX-R. It is the muffler cover over the exhaust. It reminds me of the massive machine gun used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator. Stunning design and awesome engineering. It is in a way hotter than the R15 also. Seriously sexy man!

Engine

The powermill of this bike is same as that of FZ series of bikes. But, the engine is de-tuned for less power and for improved fuel efficiency. The engine is Air cooled, 4 stroke, SOHC, 2-Valved with a displacement of 153 cc. The engine is capable of pumping a max. Output of 12.1PS @ 7500rpm and a max. Torque of 12.8Nm @ 4500rpm. The engine is mounted to a 5 speed gearbox which is crispy to be operated and is par with the other bikes from the Yamaha stable.

Seating

The seating position is pretty upright which is not ‘The Best’ compared with its rivals in the market. But having been positioned as a commuter series of bikes, the seating and the position is nothing to grumble about in any of the aspect. I’ll have to mention the point here that SZ-R is not the bike for you if at all you expect a bike with ‘Lean Forward’ position so as to offer a catchy look as you ride your bike.

However, for highway rides and other long cruises the seat is not at all suited. For occasional rides, it just might be fair enough. The reason for the uncomfortability is because of the short gap between the seat and the handle bar. But to remind you again, this is the bike that is designed keeping the regular commuters and occasional or light highway riders in mind.

Handling & Riding Impressions

This bike is really fun to handle and the city dwellers will find it a boon to spend time with. It is very nimble to flick along the traffic to make way for itself where all its big bros get stuck.  The bike is not too tall which will make handling a little tough for tall people to take control of.

The handle bar is pretty firm so that there are no vibes observed. To mention a word on the suspension, there is nothing great to specify specifically. But, the front Telescopic suspension and the rear Swingarm suspension does its function perfectly.

On the whole, you’ll be impressed with the riding impressions of the Yamaha SZ-R. The tyres are also cool enough to handle the city roads. The dimension of the front tyre is 2.75-17 41P and that of the rear is 100/90-17 55P. Both these tyres offer sufficient grip that the bike requires.

Braking

The SZ-R houses a single disc at the front and the regular drum brake for the rear. Yamaha’s brakes are always found to be very effective & impressive and the SZ-R is no exception for it. As I took the bike for a review to the NICE (Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Ltd) which is the connecting road between the Garden City – Bangalore and Sandal City – Mysore with Sharat, our new photographer as the pillion rider we had an ‘Emergency Braking’ situation which arose.

There was a guy in an Activa who was riding in front of us and all of a sudden he turned his vehicle   to the right as we tried to overtake him. I was forced to brake very hard at that point to avoid hitting him and the SZ-R proved its braking potential to the fullest. I wouldn’t mind giving 100 per cent marks to the Braking aspect of the Yamaha SZ-R.

Cornering

I do know that this is an aspect worth considering for a bike like SZ which caters the need of city commuters alone. But still, there is a reason why I still write on this particular aspect.

Way back along the NICE road back to Bangalore, there was a small stretch of road which made me reminded of the racetrack in a flash. It was in the shape of ‘S’ with two stunning curves.

Though we were two in number, that stretch prompted me so much that I leaned my bike to the fullest and I both of us were really stunned on the response the SZ-R offered us in return. I leaned till the side stand gave a scratching noise and the bike was still stable. This was something I least expected from this bike.

Issues Worth Concern

However there are very few minor issues with this bike, as with every other bike. The entire fuel tank along with the air scoops on the sides are very loose that they move pretty freely if shaken. I, in fact had a doubt if that was the case only with the bike I reviewed or with all others as well.

So, as soon as I returned back my bike to the Bangalore Wheels, I tried shaking a couple of other SZ models and I found that this was the case with all bikes. This is a very minor problem which Yamaha could t to reach the showrooms. But, this could have been easily rectified. Hope it does for the ones which are in the production stage. But, note that these shakes create no unwanted vibrations as you ride it. So, you don’t get to feel anything about it till you notice this problem.

What made me dejected was the absence of ‘Engine Kill’ switch on the right side of the handle bar and the absence of ‘Pass’ switch which is very useful during night rides. These are considered to be very basic necessities and the absence of these switches brought me down greatly.

Pricing

The Yamaha SZ-R is priced at INR 56,000 (Ex-showroom, New Delhi) while the Yamaha SZ-X is priced at INR 53,000 and the base variant SZ bears a price tag of INR 49,500 while all figures mentioned here are that of Ex-showroom, New Delhi.

Colour Schemes

The Yamaha SZ-R is available in three different colour schemes namely Quality Blue, Quality Red and Quality Black. As mentioned above, all the colours on SZ-R has a pinch of grey on the air scoops and along the sides as well.

On The Whole, What Is It?

To convey in a nutshell, the Yamaha SZ-R is a Powerful Commuter as I’ve been mentioning right from the beginning of the review. Yamaha has not only found a new segment to position its bike but has also come up with this wonderful product to sustain for a long time in the Indian market.

BikeAdvice Rating: This is indeed a segment leader and with the intensity of awards it has received in a shortwhile in the Indian market, it certainly deserves 4.5/ 5.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

BikeAdvice thanks Banagalore Wheels, the authorized Yamaha showroom located in Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore for their consistent support to us by providing the required bikes for our review as and when we need them.

More Photos

You can view more photos from this test ride here.

Credits

Reviewed and Written by M.Naren
Photography by Sharat Aryan

Regards,
M.Naren,
Author – BikeAdvice.in

Original Source: Yamaha Fazer – 2 Years, 18000 KMs Ownership Review by Dhruv from BikeAdvice.in

Don’t find love, let love find you. That’s why it’s called falling in love because you don’t force yourself to fall, you just fall. In similar situation when I was searching a new economical ride before 2.5 years. I was searching better bike for me but confused for the best. I got bushed after cramming many bikes of HH, Bajaj and TVS. Then one day I went to Yamaha showroom for a change. As I entered in the display area, my eyes got stuck on the gorgeously built astounding beauty. All of a sudden I realised that “This is the bike made for me” – A feeling like love at first sight.

I asked the sales person about it and left that showroom with solemn heart because of price tag. Then during few weeks’ search for economical bike, I recognized that most vital instants in our lives happen at those times when we really, utterly understand the deepest of our needs. I was hunting around for an economical bike but my deepest need was a powerful and attractive bike. I realised that I already had left my heart in Yamaha showroom with that gorgeously built astounding beauty “Fazer”. Yes, it was “Fazer”.

I again visited that showroom and laid a hand on it. At that moment I decided to earn more, to balance my financial conditions and to purchase my “Fazer”. Auspiciously I achieved my targets within short extent and purchased my flaming orange “Fazer” on 30th November, 2009.

Owning my Fazer

It really becomes very precious for us when we hold our innermost desire very first time. It was also very precious day of my life on which I got my Fazer delivered. As per Indian tradition, people have preference to some particular days for vehicle delivery. I personally don’t believe in this trend, hence it was impossible for me to wait for my deepest desire for a single second, so I cleared my intensions to the Yamaha people at the time of booking only.

Undoubtedly I told them to deliver my Fazer as soon as possible and not to wait for any particular day. Finally the day came and I reached the showroom at 4 P.M. I got my Fazer ready at 8 P.M. because of the extended procedure of changing silver side panels into black. Finally I got my hands on my burning desire. It was breath-taking instant for me when I turned my Fazer’s key to “ON” position, those lights, those digital indicators blinked in front of me. I felt like my Fazer was asking me “I am ready, are you?” I still remember the smell of that new rubber grips in my hand, smell of new tyres and shine of new paint.

What “Fazer” Means

“Fazer” is a Portuguese word and means “Injected”. The name unerringly suits it. It the best in its class which has been injected in Indian Market for bikers, like me. Bikers those want to feel the ride. It injects adrenaline Pulse(ar) in my heart. It injects pleasure on my face. It injects Apac(h)e confidence in me. It injects my unique Karish(z)ma on others. It injects difference in me when I stop at signals. Though “Injected” suits it a lot, I have made my own definition for “Fazer”. Let’s look at it.

  F: Fluent

It is without a doubt one of the effortless bikes I have seen till date. I feel like am breathing in heaven whenever I drive it. I can close my eyes for the things I don’t want to notice, but I can’t close my heart to the smoothness I feel in “Fazer”. Each belongings of the Fazer contains its own smoothness, either it is gear shifting, riding, clutching, suspensions etc. especially between the speeds of 60-80 kmph. Not a bit change is there in the sound of its smoothness even after two years.

  A: Aeonian

Fazer is aeonian in the sense of spreading joy, making me smile, other to ask for a ride. I remember that not a single day yet has passed in these two years without its ride. You can’t resist yourself after driving it once. Fazer is just for endless journeys. Also provides the mileage of 40-42 kmpl which is not at all a bad digit. This mileage also helps to have long journeys with few fuel top-ups. My extreme ride till date is of 310 kms in one day without any failure.

  Z: Zoë tic

Fazer looks like a living thing. Its split head lights give the impression of being its two eyes. The exhaust also converses when I apply the throttle. Being an automobile engineer, I always feel the rhythm of the piston-crank mechanism, particularly when riding on vacant roads and silent atmosphere. It gives me a feeling just like movie “AVATAR” in which Pandora people feels while they connect with Pandora creatures.

  E: Engineered

This is also a very well engineered bike as other bikes also do. But some feature like huge aerodynamic fairing, muffler, riding posture, throttle response, blind spot elimination, paint quality, CG location, braking performance, suspensions, ergonomics, riding and handling characteristics, steering geometry and engine technology makes its class apart from other bikes. We all are aware about these extraordinary details, so no need to thrash out them again. Any mechanical or automobile engineer is capable enough to recognize the perfect bike for him just by watching the dimensions of bike and so as I do. Till date, I have found only two bikes been perfect for me: Fazer and Karizma. Now I feel proud on my decision when ever any two years old Karizma passes nearby me. Majority of old Karizmas make lot of noise (I personally believe that). This makes the difference between these two bikes at engineering level.

  R: Ravishing

You all must have the same opinion like me that it is really an eye catching beauty irrespective of colour combination. Nowadays there are many colour combinations available in FAZER and one can choose any of them according to his personality. There were only four options available when I purchased my Fazer: Midnight Black, Blazing Blue, Lava Red and Flaming Orange. Though very few Fazers are there on the road with flaming orange colour, especially in Ahmedabad, I have preferred Flaming Orange for me.
Actually I am having hereditary hobby of painting. I am more inclined towards Black and Orange colours from my childhood. Fortunately both these colours suit my personality also. The same combination I was getting in my bike. I didn’t required anything else, grabbed that beauty and still enjoying its aesthetics. You can also observe its orange flames, its curves and its gorgeousness in the photos.

Maintenance

The very first move for maintaining the Fazer clean is washing. I always enjoy washing my Fazer on Sundays. I use only soft water to wash my bike because hard water, shampoos, detergent powders and other market powders can damage the paint if remains unclear or trapped. I also try to minimize the water trapping between small gaps and fits of Fazer by using blower. I also perform some small maintenance procedures like brake adjustments, RPM setting, mileage adjustment, chain lubrication etc. The 20 W 40 oil could be used up to 8000-10000 kms but I don’t like to run my bike with black oil. So I use to change the oil minimum at 3 months and maximum at 5 months.

I have spent some money as breakdown maintenance till date. It includes 4 punctures worth Rs 400 and a battery change of Rs 900. Battery change was an unexpected failure occurred during heavy rain. Surprise grounding took place because of water trap between one of the damaged wire and frame. This caused a drastic increase in circuit resistance. The weakest cell of the battery got damaged next morning when I cranked the engine without knowing the matter. More to the point, I have not spent a single penny on any component failure till date except for battery.

The Accident

Another hidden quality of Fazer comes into sight here and it is safety, safety of the Fazer itself. As we know, Fazer has two beautifully projected headlights in very front huge fairing and extended ORVMs. These parts are made from FRP but they are strong enough. I had faced only one accident in these two years. It was because of sudden braking and front wheel lock. A car swiftly crossed my path and stopped at the middle of the road. I didn’t have any other option then braking hard and generate skid. It was peak hour and road was full with traffic. It was converted in to low side type accident and Fazer skidded approx about 20 fts. The front end of my Fazer got struck to the bottom of that car.

For a fraction of time, I was flat on the road thinking about damage of huge front fairing, headlights and ORVMs. I stood up fast with increased heart beats and pulled up my Fazer. I was shockingly happy because only few scratches were there at the expense of leg guard. I felt such a relief that never could be express. Then I realised that I also got many scratches on my knees and elbows along with shredded denim.

As I said earlier my bike was struck to bottom of the car called “Rail”. Rail is the toughest part of any car body. The front end of my bike should have damaged terribly in this case. But inversely, a dent was generated on the rail of that car. Normally handle bar gets bent after a low side type accidents. Fazer again stands as an exemption here.

Apart from FAZER

Besides my own definition, I also want to share something with you guys. Many readers may think that the same author was criticising his Fazer tyre for chicken strips a month ago. At that instant, few readers also suggested me to drive with courage and more speed. It was not at all criticism of my bike or tyre, it was just an awareness I wanted to ignite. Now the thing I want to share is about our age period and responsibilities according to that.

I was also a fast biker during my college days and won three awards for bike racing even with my Splendour (at college level). Now the things have been changed and I am having other important responsibilities. Now I first concern about the safety and then feel the thrill of speed if I want. It happens with each and every man. As it is said “Passion never dies” so I use to drive my bike on highways frequently and have touched the max speed of 117 kmph yet. I know this is also a very small digit for few of you guys but I am happy with it.

Modifications

Yamaha has done few modifications in the Fazer till date. This includes colour combinations, kick start and graphics. Engineering terms are same as in my Fazer. So this is I think the best time to purchase it.

Conclusion

This is the perfect machine for you if you want to purchase a bike within 150 cc segment. It is the best combination of power, fuel economy, speed, delight, safety and aesthetic. You have to invest 83000-85000 once and the Fazer will remunerate you the double amount in future. No doubt, the remuneration will be in different forms but you will definitely be happy at the end.

As a conclusion, I want to assert for now and forever that I am deeply and passionately in love with my bike. It is the part of my life and one of the stars in my personal heaven because I have earned it. If I could have just one wish, I would wish to wake up every day with the sound of its firing in my ears; the smooth ride of it’s in my hands. I love it because of what it is and because of how I feel when it is with me. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart, I am doing alike……

Regards,
Dhruv Panchal

Original Source: Problems Due to a Wide Rear Tyre – Esp. For Yamaha Fazer Owners from BikeAdvice.in

I am completing two years with my flaming orange beauty “Fazer” on coming 30th November. Let’s have some flashback before starting the main topic of this article. I wrote my first official ownership article which was posted by Deepak on 14th December, 2009. This article is having 47 valuable comments till date. The title was - Aerodynamics, Ergonomics & Steering Geometry of Yamaha Fazer + Ownership Review. I also won a 1:12 Scale model of Suzuki GSX-R 750 as a token of appreciation from Deepak and Bikeadvice.

In that article, I had mentioned some merits and demerits of wide rear tyre of Fazer. Few of the key lines were “The main disadvantage with this wide tyre is chicken strips. As shown in photograph, the two side portions of the tyre are remaining almost unused because we are not habitual to tilt our bike too much while taking turn.

These strips are known as chicken strips. The middle portion which is used mostly gets wear after long run while the side strips remain unused. This condition leads to splitting of tyre and also up to burst.”

So now, I want to enlighten a practical example of chicken strips to you guys. Guess what: It is my Fazzy’s rear 140/65 R 17 tyre. It has recently pretentious because of spreading chicken strips.

How it took place?

There are many factors which boost up the chicken strips. Continuation of chicken strips takes place according to road surface, driving habits and tyre properties. Let us discuss the factors which intended and contributed to generate these chicken strips on my bike tyre.

• I used to drive 35-40 kms per day during the first 1.5 years (Home-Office-Home). During this entire ride, approx 2.6 kms road was entirely rough terrain. It was full of sharp pebbles, mud, cavities, cow dung etc. I got 4 punctures during my first 9 months just because of sharp small pebbles. The tyre had lost its surface toughness very early because of that rough terrain.
• As said earlier, I am not habitual to tilt my bike too much while taking turns. It is not at all required as the speed of my bike always remains in limit at the time of turning. We can divide the total width of the tyre (140 mm) in to three groups: First is the middle portion used for upright driving conditions. Second are the two side portions used at the time of turning. Lastly, the two extreme side portions which almost remain unused (shown in yellow).

Above diagram shows the comparison of new and used wide tyres. Grey portion shows the wall thickness of tyre. After considerable use, the thickness of middle portion decreases bit as it is used mostly. The extreme side portions shown yellow retain its original wall thickness. So as a result a wall thickness gradient stimulated throughout the total tyre width (140 mm).

• Each and every tyre works under cyclic loading conditions. The tyre portion at the contact patch always remains in loaded condition even with stationary vehicle. The rest of the tyre portion remains unloaded. As we drive the vehicle, the contact patch and so as tyre portion constantly got changed because of forward motion of the vehicle.

Above diagram illustrates the same. There are always three types of tyre portions exist at the time of driving. Portion under loading, Portion that will be under loading and Portion that was under loading. This happens at each time fraction of moving condition and so each and every tyre portion has to follow this process of cyclic loading. We’ll relate this cyclic loading in next affecting factor.

• Now let us imagine a used tyre with decreased wall thickness at middle. Below diagram shows the comparison of used unloaded and used loaded tyre.

Let us define two points “A” and “B” from where the thickness gradient starts. Now suppose the tyre is loaded vertically. As a result, the curvature of the tyre becomes bit flat. Same condition happens when any reaction from the road takes place. Again recalling the cyclic loading, this tyre portion is also undergoing the same cyclic load.

As a result, a constant tearing process occurs at two points A and B shown as red arrows. This tends to generate cleave at points A and B. Below photo shows cleave generated in my tyre with enlarged view.

We can easily observe the reinforcement fibre cables in cleave which gives us the idea about the depth of cleave.

• As I said earlier, I got 4 punctures during my first 9 months just because of sharp small pebbles. Plugs are used as a repairing activity for this wide tubeless tyre. These plugs are also cause tyre cracking due to cyclic loadings. Below photo illustrates the same.

We can observe the crack distribution and propagation in nearer area of inserted plug. A hole generated from pebble can also be seen in the photo.

• Sharp pebbles are also very hazardous to used tyre. Below photo shows a pebble penetrated hard in my bike tyre.

A large area has been covered by this pebble and created so many cracks on the surface. If I continue to use this tyre, the crack will propagate and will meet the cracks generated at nearer groove. If I will remove this pebble, it will generate very large hole on the tyre surface.

• Below photo shows the crack distribution in the tyre groove.

We can observe more cracks in the corners. We can consider these corners as points “A” and “B”. These cracks propagate and become cleave after extensive usage with improper handling.

Above photo gives us the idea about crystal cracks generated in few tyre grooves. Crystal crack differs from normal crack in appearance and depth. These cracks are generated because of thermal stresses on the tyre surface. Results are same as before said normal cracks.

Above photo shows all the defects together. We can observe huge cracks already generated as a result of said factors. This cleavage will result as chicken strips for this wide tyre.

Unfortunately, the chicken stripes always tend burst the tyre during riding. I advise you all to check your bike tyres regularly to reduce fatal accidents. You can also judge this defects if your bike is lacking its original power and mileage. Another way to predict this is the time period for air/nitrogen filling.

Regards,
Dhruv Panchal

Original Source: Yamaha FZ (28,500 KMs) Ownership Review by Ashwin from BikeAdvice.in

Sudden brake lights flash red in front of me. I brake hard too 90-80-70-60-50-40-30… five seconds… the bike is completely stable and composed, my heart is beating at an insane rate, and my mouth is saying unkind words. For the hundredth time I am thankful I chose the Yamaha over the rest of the competition.

I get back home and give the FZ a well deserved pat on its sculpted composite fiber tank. The bike and I have been through a good 28,500 kilometers in one and a half years. My daily commute is about 70 kms and includes small city streets and a very busy highway (thankfully through beautiful green stretches) with its share of amazing twists and corners, the perfect playing ground for the little Yamaha.

The Decision

My experience with motorbikes prior to the FZ was limited to a Hero Honda CD Dawn. Before that it was a delightful Vespa which still is going strong. The CD Dawn was a great workhorse. No maintenance and just hours of grueling work. And it never complained. The only reason it got replaced was because the allure of the FZ was a bit too much to resist.

A sudden (and much appreciated) perk in my stipend meant I could dare to look at the 150cc segment which I had dreamt of owning one day. And of course, the bike that blotted out everything was the Yamaha FZ 16. It was the choice of the heart and like every sensible individual I thought that the brain had to be given a break.

At this point I knew close to nothing about the 150-200cc bike segment. I had never tried riding one, and all my information was limited to internet reviews and spec sheets. I started off with a comparisYamaha FZ Ownership Review by Ashwintankon of the 150cc bikes available. Automags made my work simple.

I rejected the Suzuki GS 150 as it was a little too bland (what would not be when compared to the glorious FZ) I rejected the Pulsar range because of some of the quality issues and the characteristic clatter they produce after some use. I never was a pulsar fan. The Hero Honda bikes were not exceptional in any way.

Since I wasn’t fond of the faired design, the bikes in that segment were out. That left me with the apache RTR 180, the FZ 16 and the Avenger. I tried the avenger and was not impressed by the weight, turning radius and the riding position. After a test ride I discovered I would never be a fan of the relaxed cruiser design.

The RTR was a strong contender, but its notorious vibrations at mid to high revs and quality issues took it out of the competition. Then it was the turn of the FZ. The demo rider at Yamaha sold the bike with just one maneuver- he took it to 105 on a smooth lonely stretch, told me to hold on tight and hit both the brakes violently.

The bike came to a smooth, straight, amazingly short distance stop. Then I test rode the FZ and that was it. Booked and bought as soon as it was possible. I guess everybody who books a vehicle always feels the showroom takes longer than usual to deliver. So after the customary wait, I got the bike.

The points that finally made me decide in favor of the bike were- the light weight (was high on my list, the bike had to be light), the quality, the mid range grunt, amazingly good brakes, grippy tyres, a design that takes my breath away every time I look at it, especially the monoshock, and a name that sounded like a jet fighter. The price was just right too and that, as the case is often, sealed the deal. The concerns at his point were about the spares, the after sales and the amount of fuel it would consume.

The Compromises

I am getting this done with so that the rest of the ownership experience can proceed with a love story-ish flow. The mileage is well, frankly, pathetic. It averages about 35 only, but I am not complaining at all since the bike also saves my life once in a while. It is my safeguard against the maniacal driving of other road users and sometimes my spirited trysts with the throttle.

A rather tidy compensation for the lack of good mileage I would say. The fuel indicator is useless. Has never worked. ‘Peep in the tank’ procedure is a routine every morning. The tail lamp keeps dying once in a while in an almost ritualistic way and replacing it is a biannual tradition. As a matter of fact, the day the bike was delivered, the tail lamp was not working (you could say it is our little anniversary).

The engine, past 95 kph sounds like its end is near, but It does not transmit the vibrations to the bike at all. All one has to do is turn a deaf ear to it and go faster hoping the wind noise will drown the wail. The top speed is not great and pushing the bike from 80-115kph takes quite some time.

Though grippy as hell in every imaginable situation, gravel thoroughly upsets the bike. Even minute quantities, especially when met in the middle of a fast corner, turn your brain into flashback mode in preparation for an imminent not to mention, violent end.

Another not so important fact is that, in the engine area, the FZ is not as compact and packed as the photographs would indicate. The see through portions around the engine dulls a little bit of the ‘wow’ factor. But… All these shortcomings are wiped out by the chariots of fire theme which plays in my mind every time I approach the bike in the morning.

The Good Things

To start off, I live in Goa. Greenery all around, hills everywhere and narrow winding rural roads which almost always lead to a beach. The FZ is at home in such an environment. The best thing is the sound it makes between 4500 and 5500 RPM. It is guttural and throaty, without being loud.

It turns heads and commands respect. It is extremely addictive and one can never get enough of it. The aural effect just permeates through the helmet and makes every ride a delight. The FZ picks up speed like none other and excels in the low to mid range speeds.

Overtaking is effortless and a joy because there is always some extra torque to get me out of hairy situations. The FZ is meant to be a street bike and it makes sure it is the best in business. Highway riding is relaxed and peppy as long as you are within 85 kph. Higher speeds take a while to arrive. Handling is stellar as expected.

The monoshock, combined with the wide tyres and handlebars make sure the FZ remains planted through corners. The bike will iron out and compensate for the mistakes of a regular ‘ride to work’ commuter in almost any situation, making it an easy, non threatening bike to ride.

The confidence in cornering keeps going up with every passing day and scrapping a shoe clad toe on corners becomes quite commonplace. This agility with the light weight thrown in makes for amazingly nimble direction changes. Abrupt changes in direction (especially to avoid vehicles coming to a sudden halt) even at speeds over 90 kph are smooth and the bike remains composed as ever.

The front end of the bike feels like you have your nerves going through it. That’s how good the feedback is. Every undulation, every small bump, and every little change in direction is communicated effectively by the front wheels. The back wheel does the same but with a little bit of naughtiness.

Overenthusiastic cornering is responded to by a gentle slip at the rear, as if to say- relax buddy there is no hurry. The overall ride is a little stiff and jarring over large potholes. But that’s a compromise you have to make if handling has to be good. The front brakes are awesome and as I have said before- life saving.

The rear drums are not the most efficient though and need some stick to work well. But as a team they do a brilliant job of slowing the bike down. Stability of the bike is rocklike and solid. Crosswinds are no problem. But what amazed me most is the way the FZ dealt with the monsoons.

Slick roads were dealt with in style. Braking on rain soaked roads was as precise as ever and drenched corners were navigated with aplomb. It is eerie how much the FZ enjoys the rains, as if it is a reincarnated amphibian. Finally, the de. The sheer beauty and detailing is beyond competition.

No other bike in the class comes even close. The flair and dedication with which the bike has been designed is commendable. It stands out in every parking lot with its taut, ready to pounce stance. From the behind, its beautifully shaped tail is as attractive as the rest of the body.

Don’t Know Where This Fits

Well, now this point is a tricky one. Its about the pillion comfort. I have very rarely sat as pillion on my bike. Most people who have ridden pillion with me have done so over distances ranging between 30-80 kms. Till date nobody has complained about the comfort or the ride (after thoroughly cursing me for the not warning them about the scary cornering and crazy acceleration).

But everybody has praised the grab rails immensely (almost as if that was what kept them on the seat). So I am guessing it is bearable. But that brings me to the most important point. I enjoy my bike most when I ride alone. Its just the FZ and me. It’s a very personal experience and in my belief every rider feels so.

When pillions are a regular feature, every bike rider worth his or her salt would crave for that one late night ride alone with the two wheeled machine that makes every journey a special one. Having said that, I do enjoy good company when riding. And if they are appreciative of my darling little FZ, I make it show them a few tricks.

Though it sounds like I ride in a manner that may not be entirely acceptable, there is some exaggeration in that department and 90% of the times I ride responsibly and never without a helmet. When trying something crazy, I make sure the road is empty… just like the pillion seat.

The Modifications

I made a few cosmetic modifications by changing all the grey plasticky bits to black. A modification that Yamaha itself has later made available in its later variants. In my opinion it makes the FZ look much better and weapon like when clad completely in black. I also tried stripping away all the plastic panels on the bike. Lets just say, that was a bad idea. I took the panels off, stood away and watched my handiwork, then hastily put everything back in place.

Overall

In a place like Goa, there are a lot of places to go. Here the straight stretches of road do not last long enough to hit top speeds. The twists and turns rule here. The fun bit is always going round corners, fast. Knowing that you are protected by great technology and panic situations can be dealt with efficiently, gives a kind of confidence and peace of mind that let one enjoy the bike and the road.

Is that not the ultimate intention of a good bike? To make the rider sit at a beautiful, picturesque location at sunset, and scratch his head wondering what he loved more- the ride the destination or the destination itself? My bike has made me realize this- the destination is almost as good as the ride, to sit listening to the slow, cooling tick of the engine in a still landscape is beautiful.

To sum up- My bike takes me places. But wherever I go, I cannot walk away from my parked steed without a long, admiring glance over my shoulder. That one line is actually a very very condensed ownership review in itself.

Regards,
Ashwin

Original Source: Yamaha Fazer Review by Sumit from BikeAdvice.in

Hello all. I am really thankfull to BikeAdvice and Deepak for helping me in choosing bike of my dreams, I am a proud owner of Yamaha Fazer 2011 Midnight Black and I call it as Midnight Beast as per name. It really a beast for the mid section bike. Itz fast and furious and best thing in this bike is its handling.

Let me tell you about my self. I am working in Hotel HR so for official meets I had to go for long drives sometimes and because I am a traveling lover I usually prefer my own conveyance to travel. Before owning my dream bike I use to drive sometimes Royal Enfield Bullet and some times Hero Honda Glomour Fi. Both different bikes. Bullet as we all know kind of the road. And glamour a very good Bike with good average.

But there was something lacking in both of the bikes. I mean bullet lack in pick up and glamour lacks in speed. So I decided to have a change and look for a bike with good speed good pickup and good styling and yes little bit good average.

I looked around and asked from my friends some said go for Pulsar which has good looks and some said go for Apache which has good pickup and all. I was totally confused. Then I started searching on sites about bikes and after seeing reviews of Yamaha Fazer. I decided that yes this is one which I want to buy. What I got from reviews of this bike is that its has really nice looks with better handling and average is normal. That’s all I wanted as in delhi traffic is so much. So I made up my mind and went on Yamaha showroom to ask the onroad price of this bike.

This was the moment which shocked me for a moment because when I come to know the onroad price of this bike is 83500 I was lil shocked. I means y would any1 spend arnd 84000 rupee for buying a 150 cc bike when one can get bikes like Karizma in paying 1000 or 2000 bugs extra. But because this bike has already made a place in my mind so I decided to buy it. I asked for midnight black from the dealer and he said its on one day waiting. I booked that bike and the day on which I booked my bike. I couldn’t even sleep well. Cause I was waiting passionately for my dream bike to come. I was thinking when I could ride my new bike.

So finally the day came. When I have to go for taking delivery of my new bike. I got up early dressed well and at 10 in the morning I reached at the showroom. And I saw my bike standing in side with cool and dashi looks. So I met with the sales person and made all the clearance and then was jst waiting to get my hand on it. Finally bike got ready and the person gave me the keys of the bike and I was like now m the boss. I took the bike reached home and after all the rituals things I went to have a ride of the bike and it was a awesome experience. But had to manage to run it under 45 Kmph till 1st service not done.

After covering 1st 1000 KM, I went for 1st service Waited whole day to finish it. At evening. I got my bike back. So now it was the time when I can check the power and speed of my bike. Next day I went on the highway NH-8 which has some rush and a good track for checking spped from dhaula kaun to gurgaon I was ready to race now. I checked its pick up and I am pretty impressed with it and I have reached at a speed of 120 Kmph which is pretty much impressive for a 150 cc bike.

If any 1 ask me to rate its performance then I will rate as speed 4 as it’s a 150cc Bike bt still impressive speed. For handling I will rate it 5 its superb specially at rush. For seat comfort ability I will rate it 3. As its known as tourer bike bt its seat is not as comfort as it should b for mileage I will rate it 3 its giving 40 to 45 kmpl. Which is compatibly low by other 150 CC bikes for looks I will rate is 4 out of 5. For pick up I will rate it 4 out of 5. For handling I will rate it 4 out of 5 its smooth specially at traffic.

Regards,
Sumit Kumar Tomara

Original Source: Yamaha R15 V2 Video Review by PTR from BikeAdvice.in

I came across this video and was really impressed by the quality of the review. Nice music and video editing. Only downside is that the English spoken by the Japanese official is very difficult to understand – so switch on the captions by clicking the ‘CC’ button.

Video was made by – “Power to The Rider”

Original Source: Yamaha FZ16 Ownership Review by Rakesh from BikeAdvice.in

Hey Guys! I really don’t know how to write on this. I am actually not a good writer. So I would do it in a bit management style (point wise). To introduce my self. I am Rakesh Bhatia. I work with pantaloons at Mumbai and I live at Ghansoli Navi Mumbai. I own FZ16 Red. I ride to office and back home daily and its 20km one way.

How did I Choose My Bike?

In good old college days I used to ride a scooter and then my Dad bought me Hero Honda Passion Plus (year 2003). I rode this bike for 3 and half year. After MBA, I got selected for my first job and that is when I decided that I will buy my new bike myself. I was posted in Mumbai.

Mumbai roads are of mixed condition. Some roads give you joy like heaven to ride on and some give you pain in your ass. I used to travel by bus from my home to office and the crowd and traffic is horrible. I always used to be late no matter how early I start. Also, I had to stand for like an hour which was very exhaustive. So I chose to buy a bike and not to depend on public transport.

Here begins my research. First thing I decided was that I would go with not less than 150CC. The other factor was cost. The third factor was safety and comfort for long ride. The forth and now the most important was mileage. I came across range of bikes from 149CC to 220CC to 350CC (Enfield). Trust me I tested almost all.

At first many suggested Honda Unicorn as it was trusted on mileage by many. But I ruled it out. Reason – One day I took my friend’s Unicorn to drop my girl friend home. On my way back, I slipped in the muddy road and broke my shoulder. Unicorn was not safe in my experience because of its thin tyres.

Then I tested Honda Unicorn Dazzler. Same engine as CB Unicorn with great looks, good mileage review and broader tyres. I somehow did not feel that rear Disc brakes were safe enough. The disc plate was small and I had no experience with Disc brakes. Also, the rider’s seat was found thin, so I was not comfortable with riding it. So ruled out.

Bajaj Pulsar 150CC and Pulsar 180CC were both great options. But ruled out. Reason – Bajaj Pulsar 180CC made me fall in love so I ruled out 150CC. But then during test ride (I rode my friend’s bike for 40km) I did not find it comfortable. Few of my friends mentioned that Bajaj Pulsar needs too much of maintenance and engine failure is often. So ruled out both.

• TVS Apache: I was impressed with one of the review given on BikeAdvice. But during test ride – I had nothing great but the power. Apache 180CC is much better than 160CC but the cost is too high. So ruled out.
•  Suzuki GS150R: No comfort, No power, No interest. Hence ruled out.
•  Hero Honda Hunk: I was impressed in one test ride. But when I came to know it has same engine as CBZ, it was clear that it will not give me the mileage desired. So ruled out.

Now I moved to Yamaha bikes. I first tested Yamaha SZ as it was a good looking 153CC bike at very affordable price. I found it comfortable, powerful and mileage review was pretty decent. So I decided to finally pick my bike as soon as I get back to Mumbai from a short trip to my native place. To my surprise, my brother had bought FZ16 (Black) by buttering and convincing my Dad. I shared my reviews with him saying that FZ16 has the same engine as SZ and price is too high. All he did was, gave the keys of his bike to me to take a quick ride.

Wow! It was so comfortable and handling was so perfect that I quickly shifted my gears to FZ16 from Yamaha SZ. Also, I like the Manly look of the bike. I guess it kind of suited me. So when I returned back to Mumbai, I made my choice that I will not sacrifice the experience for money and I placed my order. Red was my choice of colour as I did not want to offend my brother who had Black already.

Note: Fazer, R15, Karizma, Bajaj Pulsar 220, Bajaj Avenger (my favourite) and Enfield (my dream) were ruled out as here the cost of experience was putting a hole in my pockets.

My Experience so Far

The day I brought FZ16 at my home, my girl friend was more excited than me. I was happy that I got 1 finally from my own pocket. Like a good Indian guy, I praised God and tied a good luck thread to by bike. I gave it a name Liza. Yes I call my FZ16 Liza.

For 1st 1000Km I rode the bike at not more than 40Km. For next 1000Km I took it to not more than 60Km and finally after that, FZ16 was ready for the toughest test of its time.

I rode at top speed of 110Kmph and often applied brakes too hard (not at 110kmph but below 80Kmph) to test if wires and brake plate support or not. Trust me, bike does shake for a meter or two and then you gain the control soon. (Risky, do not try until the road are empty).

After the accident I had lost the confidence to ride a bike in a cosy manner but FZ16’s tyres and braking mechanism got my confidence back and now I can comfortably ride at 90Kmph with full control over my bike.

Performance

The Engine: The engine of FZ16 which I must say is a world class engineering. After so many rough riding journeys and 4 months of rains at Mumbai, my Liza starts at just one push of a button. Ignition is never a problem and engine never stops no matter in which gear or speed you are riding. (If you know how to use the clutch and accelator).

So far engine has not asked for any major maintenance. I just follow the user manual and recommendations by Yamaha Service Manager strictly.

The Power: It goes from 0 to 50km in not more than 6 seconds and it can touch 110kmph easily. Bike does shake at 88kmph to 90kmph but once you cross 90kmph, it goes smoothly and I repeat in control. Engine makes no vague sounds even at 105kmph. But I felt some chiming sounds after 106kmph. Also, I feel that at 4th gear the pick up is less. Sudden raise of speed is not possible. But due to the mid level management of bike’s engine (that is what I will call it) you can ride even at 20kmph in 4th gear. This is true.

The Mileage: What do you expect from a power bike? Liza (FZ16) gives a consistent mileage of 40kmpl in city. I travel for 40km daily (From home to office and back). There is a stretch of road where for just 1km I have to ride at not more than 10kmph due to heavy traffic. Inspite of this, I get 38-40kmpl of mileage. This mean if I travel on highways Liza would run for almost 55kmpl. This is good but not great. I guess I can expect a mileage of 65kmpl on highways and 50kmpl in city.

The Control: I have already spoken about this but I would like to highlight it. Tyres are really trust worthy and front disc brake is really good one to rely on. Wet roads are not at all safe for any tyre. Need to know the bike’s behaviour thoroughly before riding in rains. Once you know it, you can take FZ16 at a speed of 70kmph even if its raining heavily. I love MRF tyres.

The Comfort: Broad tyres bring good comfort for rider and you can go good distance without stopping. However, Only If You Are Alone. Why? The seat is pathetic for pilon rider. I wrote above that my girlfried was more excited when I brought this bike but now she hates it like anything. Rider does not realize how bad it can be for pilon rider. One of my friend whom I gave lift to his home couldn’t bear the pain in his back and he got down half the way. So if you are planning to buy this bike to have a good time with your wife or girlfriend then I recommend to check if your loved one is thin enough to fit the thin pilon seat.

The Lights: The head looks great and it gives a strong street bike look to FZ16. But whats the use if it is not powerful enough to lit the road. Passion Plus has better head lights. Guys, this is seriously recommended to change your head light to higher intensity before you take it on highways in night time.

The tail light has good intensity and though I dont like the look of the tiny tail light, I guess it is designed in a manner to focus on huge rear tyres. So ok.

Complete digital meter marking speed, fuel indicator and acceleration is awesome. No other bike in this segment has total digital meter.

The Looks: Looks a big thing. Male oriented. I like it. Please see below comments as well.

The Value: The cost I believe is still high for FZ16. But I also think that the engine is worth it. Now here is a catch. FZ16 costs you 73K and FZ-S costs 75K with no good changes. Only a Visor and better color and graphic treatment. Fazer with same engine costs you 83K. Fazer has got fairing with twin head lights. Yamaha has here played with Indian market. It has segregated the consumers in three segments – Performance, Performance with good looks and Performance with great looks. I mean it could still have FZ-S at 73K and knock of FZ16 and have only two segments FZ-S and Fazer. I believe Indian audience would have appriciated that. I trust Yamaha engines and their performance but I will stand amongst the critics in this situation. This is totally personal and I mean no offense. But people here reading this would definetly be on my side.

Summary

• Overall Performance: 4 Stars
• Looks: 3.5 Stars
• Comfort: 2.5 Stars (Considering pilon rider); 4 Stars (excluding pilon rider)
• Fuel Efficiency: 3 Stars
• Control: 5 Stars

Recommendations: Buy for your own riding luxury as it is the best in 150CC segment but not if you are couple or a family.

Regards,
Rakesh S Bhatia

Original Source: Yamaha R15 Ownership Review by Sumanth from BikeAdvice.in

I bought my R15 just more than 2 years ago. Both my bike and I have been through a lot since. Lot experience gained and lessons learnt. I hope this review will help many to make the right choices. In order to make it easier for you find what’s relevant for you in this post, I have divided my write up into sections with appropriate headings so that you can just skip ahead to things of your interest.

About me

When this bike was launched, I was in the final year of my engineering and it had been only 2 years since I learned to ride a bike! Before then, I was under the impression that my Kinetic Honda Y2K edition (2-stroke) could beat anything on the world . I learnt on a splendor and did most of my riding after that on a Pulsar 150 DTSI and Yamaha Gladiator 125. I still have good memories of all the bikes I rode in my college.

• Hero Honda Splendor: Smooth, easy to ride. Its place in the Indian market is absolutely justified.
• Bajaj Boxer: The smoothest boxer I have ridden.
• TVS Victor GLX: The handlebar and seating make for a very comfortable ride.
• Yamaha Gladiator: The bike I frequently used. I revved it hard and took tight corners with high speeds.
• Pulsar 150 DTSI: Torque abundant, easily hits 70-80 ish speeds in normal rides. Required the most maintenance compared to the above bikes.

All the bikes mentioned here were used in and out by the people in my hostel.

Initial Impression

Being a tech savvy, by nature I am attracted to high tech stuff. Almost 3 years ago, the R15 came in boasting about a lot of the technology in it. Just after its launch I got to ride an acquaintance’s bike. I was still not a matured enough biker then to gauge the potential of this bike. I changed gears at low revs when riding hence the bike seemed under powered. The brakes felt exceptional. It felt lighter than it looked. I was too scared to push the bike and see how it handled etc. It would be around a year later that I actually bought the bike. Until then I just drooled over the amazing AD.

Which bike?

June 2009- I have secure job. I want to buy a bike! Back then I did very little internet research and did things at my whims! The bikes I considered back then:

• Pulsar 180: New model launched with clip-ons, wider rear tires, better power, looked just like the beautiful 200 in every way.
• Pulsar 220: The beast may be way more than what I need.
• Yamaha R15: The bike of dreams, expensive- can I justify the cost?

I had a test ride of all the above bikes and decided to go with the R15. The throttle response had a marked difference over the carbureted competitors. The bike felt serious, handled well and wanted to be revved! The final on road cost came up to be around Rs.1,14,000. The run-in period of the bike was hard. The bike wanted to be revved but I had the Rpm in check for the stipulated miles. Just when was done with the run in, there was a Yamaha R15 championship taking place!

Yamaha R15 Championship

Yamaha organizes an event for R15 owners to take their bikes to the track (where the R15 belongs).

For Rs.500/- You Get

Bike transportation to and from the racetrack to your showroom +. Your commute in a Volvo A/C bus to and from the racetrack +. Lodge accommodation for few hours to freshen up on the morning of the event +. Track fee.

This is an awesome VFM package! The showroom person told me that the Rs500 they charged was only for the customer to take it seriously. Apparently lot of people enrolled and only a few turned up when it free, causing error in company’s estimate for resources.

Track Day

The morning starts with the unloading of bikes from the trucks. Then you stand in a long queue to enroll. Some lucky ones get the number of their choice. All stickers have the state and a number written on it. A Lot of people keep their stickers even after they are back.

There are 3 categories for race: Novice, intermediate and experts. In each you will get a practice lap and 3 race laps. Bikes are divided in heats. They provide knee guards. Then there is the state championship. This is state wise. All the bikes from a state will compete together at once. No knee guard and elbow guard were provided as too many were on track at once. This made it little dangerous.

I had made friends with people who were taking part from my showroom. They were experienced people and advised me to ride safely as this was my first time and I did so. I entered the novice class and let the crowd go ahead in the start and pushing after some time. But my bike would not rev beyond 10k rpm! It just gets stuck! I thought something was seriously wrong with my bike. May be I didn’t do the run-in properly! That apart, my shoe was scraping the road when I was turning! It felt a little scary. After the race I told my friends about the rev issue and that’s when I got to know about the rev limiter. The stock ECU cuts off power after 9800Rpm.

Then it was time for the state championship. Too many people participating at once, no knee guard provided. Since a lot of people take part in this event, there are people in all levels of competency. I.e. You will surely find someone who is at your level to compete. There was one person, closely following me. At one of the turns, he was catching up and suddenly I heard a thud sound and when I looked back, he had crashed! By now I had realized that I need to keep my toe on the foot pegs when cornering and slight body displacement and knee out would keep me from scraping the road.

Now, there was another competitor on my tail. We were neck to neck but at one corner he managed to get ahead of me but only to go out of track. So I regained my position WRT him. After the race I met up with him to hear his side of the story and had a good laugh. All in all, it was a good track day.

The prizes of the events could be called decent. They gave out coolants, engine oils, brake pads, Yamaha T-shirts, etc. I really recommend this event for anyone who has an R15. People have a lot of things to take back from this experience. I learnt some lessons on handling. One of my friend said riding on the tracks make him calm when riding on city roads. Looking back, it was too early for me take the bike on track. I didn’t know the potential and limits of the bike back then. I went without expectations and came back with lot of experience.

I must say that the bike has gotten me out some situations which seemed impossible escape! With time I started to l understand the bike better. This bike teaches the aspects of cornering. In time, I got to know the limits of this bike and started craving for more.

Daytona Engine Kit Review

I am sure there are a lot of people out there who start looking for something more from the bike after some time no matter what bike and how good it is. When the Daytona kits arrived, I was already craving for more power! I was one of the first few to experiment with this kit as soon as it was launched. I flushed all my savings to buy thing. I only purchased the engine kit. 37k INR for Dagrex exhaust, racing camshaft, racing ECU and fitting charges! It cleaned up my savings x-). I took an off that day and got it fixed at BangaloreWheels. I stayed there morning to evening, even though I was the first to come in the morning they made me wait while servicing the bikes that came after mine.

The bike was ready! I hopped into it and went for a spin and came back disappointed. I thought they didn’t fix it properly, but the mechanic said he was sure everything was done properly. They had even perforated the air-filter box cover for more flow of air. The bike had no power until 6-7k rpm. It wouldn’t move until you rev that high! I made a lot of noise (irritating, fart like). It was a petrol glutton! Vibrated like hell after 10k rpm. Reached 136kmph (speedo) upright with pillion, didn’t push more as the pillion was scared. A few days later went back to the service center and told them my issues and asked them to remove everything but the ECU.

They removed only the exhaust and returned the bike to me. The bike was much better now. The vibes were reduced, initial pickup improved making city ride tolerable again. I rode the bike in this configuration for a few months. I started to understand how the individual parts of the engine kit impacts the performance.

• Camshaft: Alters the torque/rpm curve by playing with valve open/close timings.
• Exhaust: Improves engine breathing by letting exhaust gasses flow freely without obstruction.
• ECU: Controls of fueling and ignition timing etc, as per throttle position, MAP sensor values.

The Daytona cam reduced the initial torque and gave a maddening torque after 7k rpm pulling insanely towards redline. It requires getting used to shifting gears to remain in sweet spot. The Daytona ECU performed same as stock but extended the rev limit to 12.5k, but for some reason lost to the stock ECU in mid range power. The Daytona exhaust caused vibration with full engine kit combo, but was comfortable when I removed the Db killer. Db killer is used to keep the noise down on free flows, but it makes the noise more shrill and intolerable. Finally I had the set-up which gave me the most satisfaction. Daytona exhaust + Daytona cam + stock ECU.

Here is a video link to my top speed run with the above setup:

Amazing isn’t it? Touching the rev limiter in 6th gear @ ~ 9800 rpm doing a 148kmph (speedo). My camera could only record video for a minute, I did hold that speed for a long time, even on an uphill incline!

Talking about top speed runs, this what I have realized from my runs:

Bikes also have moods swings. Bangalore is not the best place to test the performance of bikes. Same bikes do better in Mangalore, Chennai etc. Bike runs the best in first run when the engine has just warmed up. Bike rolls better with more air in tires. Speedo error varies with your tire pressure.

Never check tire pressure just after a top-speed run as the air inside will be very hot hence showing a very high value. Remember that all recommended tire pressures are cold air pressures. I also tried a k&n rc1060 sometime, It improved the initial pickup little bit, made no difference to my top end whack.

Race Concepts Tuning

With time, I got tired of this setup. I started to look on the internet for further options. That’s when I found Joel, who tuned bikes for the ten10 racing which took part in FMSCI championships. Got the following modifications done to the bike.

Big bore-piston 165cc, done 10k+ to date. A street camshaft. Exhaust with a wider pipe than the Daytona. I sold the Daytona exhaust to some lucky guy for 8k!

The bike was now a street scorcher! The cam I was running was not aggressive. I missed the short temper of the daytona cam. This cam gave me enormous initial and midrange pick up, requrired less frequent gear shifts. You could twist the throttle at any gear any rpm and the bike would move. Many a times I would be 6th gear when doing 30 odd kmph. The engine braking was almost gone! The best part was that I was getting an efficiency of 50 kmpl! no joke! This setup is the most satisfying setup till date. City rides were never this comfortable.

My Bike’s Current Configuration

For want of more top end power I got the things changed again on the above setup. Aggressive cam, makes the bike more peaky. Simota air filter. Head work. A stiffer clutch spring that makes gear shifts more notchy (less slip) and reduces clutch wear. Stiffer valve springs to avoid valve floating at high revs. A Programmable ECU for appropriate fueling for the engine.

It is a performance you can only understand when you ride and hard to put into words. I am yet to take a good video on this setup. Here is a video of a casual run when I was testing my new action camera:

The camera I used with suction cup mount.

Stock Bike Performance Review…

Pros

It’s the cheapest SBKish bike. Just take it for a spin and you will realize that all the Indian bikes lack something important that this bike has. The way it engages the rider is awesome. It has got Exceptional handing, brakes, road grip (dry conditions), high speed stability. No matter what speed, the bike is very stable and inspires confidence while taking corners. This is mainly due to the delta box frame and the stiff suspension setup. It has a rev friendly motor, is fun on open roads and curves like no other Indian bike.

Good throttle response and No cold start issues thanks to EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection). The good handling and light weight helps you to assume control even when the tires slip. Good top end whack for the segment. I had managed a 145 kmph (speedo). Solid fairing and body, makes absolutely no noise even if a few nuts and bolts are missing. 2 years of abuse and the bike still doesn’t make any noise when I jump potholes. Good head lamps (If properly setup. Each reflector has 3 screws to set up orientation).

Cons

Tire grip performance is somewhat like slicks. i.e exceptional in dry conditions, but poor in wet and gravel. The rear tires don’t have groves in the center. In wet conditions, you are more like to slip when upright than when leaning! low-mid range torque is lacking, so you need to rev hard to extract the 17bhp power. Its not the ideal bike for prolonged ride in city traffic.

The design of the bike is such that you must lean forward to reach the handle bar. It is a very aggressive seating, good for proper roads but sure pain on bad roads. Pain in upper back, neck, and palm can be felt when riding for a long duration in non-ideal conditions. Power is not the best in segment, i.e. Pulsar 220 has more power. Suspension is not great when riding with a pillion, especially if the pillion is heavier than the rider. Spares are little expensive compared to other bikes in the segment.

If you observe the cons, you will realize that they are not due to design negligence from the company. These cons are also responsible for the pros above and together make up the character of the bike.

Fuel Efficiency

35~40 kmpl, don’t know if this is a pro or con.

Tuning and Performance Options

This bike has inspired a lot of outfits to come up with aftermarket tuning option for the bike.

Race Concepts

• Exhaust: Improves the torque especially in low-mid revs.
• Camshaft: Alters the torque-rpm curve. Making more torque at high revs will yield more power.
• Bigger bore-piston: Improves torque and more tractable power band.
• ECU: Can further enhance and take advantage of above mods.
• Stiffer valve springs: Safer revving.
• Stiffer clutch springs: Better locking of clutch when changing gears.
• Simota stock replacement air filter: Improve intake without risk of erratic behavior of MAP sensor.

Hel

Steel braided brake lines: Better braking feedback. Website

Daytona

Chain sprocket options if you want to trade between speed and power. Engine kit that I mentioned above. Bigger front disks with fancy reservoir. Quick throttle: (60 degree operation I think..) etc.

Daytona Website

Cosmetic changes

I am very obsessed with performance upgrades. In fact, when I see a figure Rs.****, my mind immediately converts it into the performance options for my bike. Example: 5k ~ Daytona chain sprockets, 4k ~ steel braided brake lines, 600 ~ AGIP full synthetic engine oil, etc. Cosmetic changes don’t normally captivate me, but still I have tried a few.

Projectors + HID

Long back, through internet I had found someone who puts projector assembly inside the stock headlamp assembly. I had to send the stock assembly to Chennai and few days later he sent them back. He had put in Skoda laura projectors and his own unique “Angel Eyes” which I didn’t care about. My only concern was the road visibility. The projectors have a shield inside that cause a clear cut-off in the light patter so that you don’t harm the visibility of the oncoming traffic. So the orientation of the projects is crucial if you want the maximum benefits. When I received the headlamp, the cut-offs were at an angle and the visibility was poor. Even though the projectors were fit into the stock reflector, no amount of adjustment could compensate for the error in projector placement. You can see in the pictures the cut-off is not horizontal. In the picture the error is less exaggerated. On road, it was at a much steeper angle.

I made my issues clear and he offered to change them for free. This time he put sonata projectors. They were huge and better too. The cut-off was horizontal alright, but they were pointing upwards this time and the road was not much visible. Then I put HIDs 4300k. I preferred 4k color temperature HID as they produce a good visible pattern on road. Higher color temperatures like white, blue etc, do not light up the road well and also trouble the oncoming traffic. Now, there was light everywhere! Literally everywhere. I assume it must have affected oncoming traffic a lot. So I removed them. If you ever plan to get projectors for your bike do make sure they have correct orientation.

LED Twin Lights

This is available in many places and many varieties. No risk here.

LED Tail Lamp

I had tried a DIY for this but I always ended up burning the LEDs. So, I tried a solution that I found on the internet. I found stock replacement LED tail lamp bulbs. They fit into the same socket and have two brightness levels, easy enough. I bought red ones so that I can remove the red plastic inside the tail lamp assembly. See the pictures. It is not great, but more unique. It had a side effect on my service lights though. Every time I hold the brakes the twin lights turns on. Now I call this a feature. I have put up a picture of the LED bulb with the stock bulb.

Tank Pad

A friend gifted me this.

What’s a review without comparison?

I have only compared against bikes than I have driven enough to compare.

R15 vs R15 v2

I test rode the V2 recently. During the test ride, I was ripping the bike and the showroom guy managed to hold on without laying a finger on me! But seriously, no grab rails? It’s a problem unless your GF is the only one who sits behind. The seating is better for the rider in v2, somehow feels more settled and comfortable. Better stoppies in v2 because of broader front tires. The obvious good looks. But I don’t need the extra weight and the fat rear tire thank you! I still prefer previous version. But I want the rear section with cool LED tail lamp and number plate holder! hmm… v2 is not bad after all.

R15 vs P220

• The 220, has more power and a good standstill torque which is missing in the R15.
• R15 handles better.
• Yes, R15 costs a lot more and so do its mods.
• The 220’s fairings are not as rigid as the R15’s.
• The 220 gives the most bang/bucks.
• The 220 is more comfortable in bumper to bumper traffic.

R15 vs CBR250R

The CBR has plenty of torque and power, not too much, not too less, just about right for Indian roads. While taking corners at high speeds, CBR’s suspension felt a little spongy. The R15 is better here. But the CBR’s suspension and tires make it way better in taking on bad Indian roads than the R15. The CBR comes closer to R15 than any other bike in terms of handling! More tech than the R15: DOHC, closed loop FI with O2 sensor, C-ABS too. It is significantly heavier than the R15.

Over all, I feel the CBR is better suited for Indian conditions (excluding economic conditions). I hope you found some useful lines. Please comment.

Discuss about this review in the BikeAdvice Forum - Exclusive Thread.

Regards,
Sumanth