Yamaha FZ-X: All You Need To Know

Can Yamaha make a dent in the competitive neo-retro segment ruled by Royal Enfield?

The past couple of years has witnessed a growing interest in the neo-retro segment. You have manufacturers like Honda, Jawa and Benelli all fighting for a sizable chunk of market share which is currently ruled by Royal Enfield. Yamaha wants in on the action too and has introduced its very own neo-retro roadster in India, the Yamaha FZ-X. And here’s what you need to know about it...

Yamaha’s First Neo-retro Offering

The FZ-X is Yamaha’s first neo-retro offering in India. We were under the impression earlier that Yamaha would style the bike around the popular XSR 155 sold overseas. But that's far from the case. Intead, the bike maker decided to take a different approach. 

The FZ-X features retro-style bodywork with a classic teardrop-shaped fuel tank and an offset tank cap. It also gets a tuck-and-roll seat and easy-to-reach handlebars for a comfortable upright riding posture. Rounding things off is a circular LED headlamp. The tail lamp is LED as well. The fork seals are gaitered to prevent dust and grime and offer a rugged look.

Features Galore?

It's pretty heavy on features too. You have the new fully digital instrument console synced to Yamaha's Y-Connect app through Bluetooth. It allows users to access the bike's mileage, get call and SMS alerts, malfunction alerts, view the last parked location along with your mobile battery status. What has been given a miss is turn-by-turn navigation.

Other than this, Yamaha also offers a USB charging port just below the instrument cluster and a side-stand engine cut-off feature. 

Based on the FZS-FI V3 Platform

It's not news that the FZ-X is based on the FZ-S Fi, but what exactly has been carried over? First is the 149cc air-cooled fuel-injected 2-valve engine which makes the same 12.4PS at 7,250rpm and 13.3Nm at 5,500rpm as the standard FZ. The 5-speed transmission is the same too. What has been altered is the exhaust note. 

Minor Hardware Changes

Next up is the hardware. It uses the same diamond-type frame with a telescopic fork and a monoshock. The brakes have been carried over from the FZ as well -- a 282mm front and 220mm rear disc with Bosch single-channel ABS as standard. Same goes for the 17-inch alloy wheel design. 

Although, you would notice that the FZ-X makes use of meaty block pattern rubber rather than road-biased tyres. The front MRF Mogrip Meteor tyre measures in at 100/80 while the fatter MRF RevZ rubber at the rear is rated at 140/60. 

In fact, the seat is 20mm (810mm) taller than the one in the FZ-S Fi. It also weighs 3kg heavier (139kg) than its streetfighter sibling. 

Price And Positioning

The Yamaha FZ-X gets a starting price of Rs 1,16,800 for the base variant. The slightly more premium variant with smartphone connectivity will set you back by Rs 1,19,800 (both ex-showroom Delhi). This makes it the most affordable 150cc retro bike in the country. The next cheapest retro bike, the Bullet 350, costs Rs 1.60 lakh (on-road Delhi).

We believe Yamaha has played its cards right in terms of pricing, which should help it make a dent in a  segment ruled by Royal Enfield.