I have a Yamaha Crux 2006 model which has done 40, 000kms. It is a nice bike to ride with good handling, control and gives you good comfort also. I would like to share the following important things about my bike with you.
Engine, Transmission and Performance: The bike has got an oversquare 105.6cc refined engine with bore x stroke dimensions of 49mm x 56mm. Maximum power available is 7.6PS@7500 rpm. Yamaha’s claim is that this engine would provide excellent low end torque and good mileage due to the oversquare configuration. But in real riding, we will find that the engine is struggling a bit to pull up from low engine speeds. Good torque is available only from 3500rpm (40kmph in top gear) and it builds up strongly to give a peak torque of 7.85nm @ 6000rpm. Engine continues to have good grunt upto 7000rpm (80kmph in top gear) and after that it runs out of power. Highway driving at reasonable speeds is stress free and overtakings are easy. However city driving is little bit annoying as the rider needs to continously change the gears to keep the engine running in the power band (3500-7000rpm) due to the lack of low end torque and a tall top gear. But 1st, 2nd, 3rd gears are perfectly designed and spaced and will give good initial acceleration. Acceleration will decrease once we change to the top gear and we need to push a bit harder to get good performance. But once we cross 50kmph, things will improve and we will get good acceleration till 80kmph, after that it again runs out of power, but still manages to reach a top speed of 95kmph, thanks to a tall top gear. Gears are smooth and slick to operate and clutch is very light. This bike has got a primary kick feature which helps us to start the bike in any gear with clutch disengaged.
Ratings: 7/10
Fuel Efficiency: The best mileage figure I have got till date is 81kmpl and the worst figure is 53kmpl. Now I am getting a mileage in the range of 58-63kmpl driving both in highway and in city with speeds limited to 60kmph. If I could further limit my speeds upto 50kmph, then the bike is capable of returning a mileage of 68kmpl.
Ratings: 6/10
Ride and handling: I would pick Crux than any other bike because of its excellent handling. It is easy to control in traffic because of its lightweight design and small size. Tyres are skinny. It can affect straight line stability and induce fear in the minds of the rider while doing sharp cornering at high speeds. But quite surprisingly the bike keeps it path even while doing sharp turns at 55-60kmph speed or while taking hands of the handlebar in straightline. The bike has been designed with perfect ergonomics to give the rider a comfortable riding posture and all the controls are in the proper places to ensure good comfort to the rider. One of friends whose mostly sits pillion in my bike told me that crux is the most comfortable bike he had ever been thanks to it long and comfortable seat and shock absorber with good dampening and rebounding properties. Crux uses larger drums of 130mm in both front and back which helps to stop the bike suddenly when needed, and offer adequate brake feel also.
Ratings: 9/10
Reliability: Yamaha bikes are known for their high reliability. However I had an engine problem. The push rod of the clutch broke due to a small interior break in the left crank case and I had to do a major engine overhaul to get these replaced. This is a problem which occurs very rarely in all bikes. I had to change the front fork oil seal once at 10000kms, clutch cable once at 14000kms, speedometer cable at 18000kms, chain sprocket, fork bearing and rear brake shoe at 38000kms. This is one of the easiest and cheapest bike to service & maintain, and I am doing the service & maintenance of my bike myself for the last 2 years.
Ratings: 7/10
Build Quality: The bike is built robust and quality & finish of paint, fitness of parts are excellent. I use my bike in bad roads and in bad weather. But there is no rattling of body parts and no fading of paint. There is some rust formed in plated metallic parts and this can be because of the mostly humid weather in Kerala.
Rating: 7/10
Styling: Looks are rated based on personal perception only. So it will vary from person to person. However based on my perception, this bike has got classic and neat looks. However it looks outdated and there are some ugly bits like the seat, rear grab rail and rear mud guards which does not gel well with the overall design of the bike. Yamaha could have designed this bike a bit more better.
Ratings: 5/10
Value for Money: This bike does not have a fuel gauge or a modern switch gear. However at a low price of just Rs.36000 OTR we are getting a complete bike that has got many good things to speak of. So value for money factor of this bike is very good.
Ratings: 8/10
I would never discourage a person who is interested in buying Crux, because this bike is very good in many ways and all bikes have both positive aspects as well as negative aspects. However there are better options for those who are looking for an entry level bike like Hero Honda CD Deluxe which have a better engine, design and features.