First of all I would like to WISH all the best to MS and thanks for putting up a common interactive platform for the owners and prospective buyers so that the product owners can share their experience and buyers can make better informed decisions.This is my very first review on MS and I am so glad that I will be writing about such a wonderful machine.
YES. I own a YAMAHA FZ16-orange which I got on DEC 18th(unforgettable day in my life) after a month’s wait from AIMS Yamaha, Thane. Other dealers were taking much more time to deliver and I could hardly wait to get my hands on it and I can tell you that I have been enjoying every single moment of driving the bike.
I wanted to spend a good amount of time with the bike before I write. I won’t be writing more about the specifications, as this is there on the web sites. I want to share my likings and disliking(hardly any)
Here we go. Looks and design: it is simply wooww for me. This is one thing, apart from being a Yamaha, bowled me over to go for it. When I saw the bike first, I was a little skeptical, as it had an entirely different look for an Indian bike. But with time I fell in love with it. The newly designed headlamp, the muscular fiber Tank, the cool exhaust, fattest radial tires, rear monoshock, full digital console and everything newly introduced with the bike makes it a true beauty.
Some one very rightly said, "How many bikes are there in India which you can keep as your computer wallpaper and also afford to keep in your parking? This is one such bike". I completely agree. I enjoy the attention the bike draws. There have been instances that some also stop by to ask about the bike. The bike is a real eye catcher, I can tell you that. So in looks its 10/10.
Engine: Well what to say about the engine. IT’S YAMAHA. The super refined 4 stroke engine, from YAMAHA is one of THE MOST responsive engines in its class. You press the start button and the bike starts within a second and is ready to take you on a joy ride. The black engine comes with the smoothest gearbox as well. Can YAMAHA go wrong in this department? The answer is "NO WAY". To give a racing feel to the bike, they got rid of the KICK start. Though, I have lot of confidence on Yamaha, I do have a very small fear for the day, when for xyz reasons, the bike won’t start with the button. I really wish, I do not see such a day. Touch wood:)
Riding & Handling: Nothing to explain in this department as well, since it comes from the umbrella of YAMAHA, they are the BEST in this segment. I rode a RX135 and an old Fazer from Yamaha. They both surprised me with the ease of handling. This beauty is even more exciting. They made the Centre of mass of the bike as low as possible, so that the bike stays really stable on the road, at high speeds and around the corners which is truly Unmatched. It’s a real breeze to ride the bike. The fat tires keep a really superb grip on the road, giving a very high confidence while taking a turn or at high speed. I rode pulsar 150 & unicorn as well and definitely this bike’s handling is THE BEST for me. Also the bike is lighter than it looks. 126 KG dry weight. Other bikes in competition are around 10 kg heavier.
Power & Pickup: For a 150 CC, you could not ask for more from a bike. Great pickup. 0 - 60 in no time. Need more power, rev it a little more and she sure delivers. The power specifications(Max Power: 14PS / 7500 rpm, Max Torque: 14 N.m / 6000 rpm) as mentioned by YAMAHA, are definitely better in the 150 CC segment. The power and pick up is greatly backed up by the amazing balance. ZIP-ZAP-ZOOM has never been so easy. Yamaha truly have come up with a brilliant engineering.People complain about the bike being under powered at higher speeds. I may agree to this, but that is not what this bike is made for. They call it the "THE LORD OF THE STREETs" & the bike performs amazingly for what it is built for: The STREETS. However, it does pretty well on the highway as well. For people complaining about the bike being under powered for it’s muscular looks, instead of thinking this way and complaining, why not look at it this way that we have a great 150 CC bike with the looks of a 200 CC or may be 250 CC bike. How about that;)?
Speed & Stability: Here comes another department where YAMAHA has outperformed. I have touched 115 KMPH on highway and the bike does not show any sign of vibration. Be it 40, 60, 80 or 100, it remains equally balanced at all speeds. One of my friends, who has a popular 150cc, drove my bike with me on the pillion, and when he crossed 100, he was overjoyed with the performance as he could never do it on his bike because of high speed vibration. I am really amazed with the stability this bike offers at any speed. I am sure anyone who rides the FZ series will surely agree.
Price & Mileage: The bike cost me 77K On road. it is around 10K more than any of its competition. But I do not mind giving out the amount for such a refined package, combined with the best in class refined engine & such great power. For all such great features that the bike comes with, paying a little more is definitely worth it. Coming to the fuel, yes, the bike is a little low on Mileage. But no complains again. Because, I didn’t enter the YAMAHA showroom with Mileage in mind. As such, YAMAHA is not very popular for its Mileage, except for some of its bike like ALBA. But where is the fun of FZ in an ALBA? If mileage is what you are looking for, do not think of this one, instead go for a splendor or any other 100 cc bike. But the difference with any other bike and FZ is just the difference between RIDING and BIKING.It currently gives me a mileage of 36-40 KMPL. It has also gone up to 45.
I observed, the fuel efficiency depends on the way you drive the bike. It is not going to give an surprising figure if you frequently cross the speed of 80 or 90 or 100, which I always do whenever I get a chance to hit the highway. On top of it my office is just 2 kms away, so it hardly gives the bike to go for a long clutch & gear free distance, which could actually improve the mileage. So no complains about the mileage as well.
Except for the points I mentioned, the seating position is pretty much straight with just slightly crouched, so you can go for a drive effortlessly for couple of hours, and as such it is not advised for a ride longer than 2 to 2 and a half hours. So I am not very sure if it can cause a back pain if you drive for a very long time or not, but I have driven it for more than 2 hours at a stretch and it does not feel tiring.
So in the end its a thumbs up from me to the bike. go for it.
Happy Biking,
Anil