Yamaha commenced the big bike era in India with the launch of the YZF-R1 and the MT-01 last year. Suzuki and Honda have also joined the bandwagon in recent times. With more and more multi-cylinder, high capacity bikes coming into the country, the competition has started to heat up. However, sustaining this contest is going to be tough for manufacturers since there are very few potential buyers for premium bikes in India.
We hear that Yamaha have some interesting plans to tackle this situation. Our sources tell us that the company has sent the FZ1 for homologation in India. We also hear that the Semi-Knocked Down kit or the SKD route is being considered for the bike. This will put the FZ1 in a much lesser price bracket – less than even the Honda CB1000R which is the cheapest imported litre-class bike currently available here.
The FZ1 is powered by a 998cc liquid-cooled engine producing a maximum power of 150PS at 11000rpm. The bike will either sport a quarter fairing or will be a completely naked one. This Yamaha can prove to be the perfect option for the city as well as for those long Sunday morning rides. With the FZ1 entering the market and at a much affordable price, the war of the Japs is definitely going to be a level higher now.
Source: MCN
