Yamaha RX100 was launched sometime in 1985 after a not so good launch of RD350.
The bike took market by storm and was a considerably good success. It was a welcome change from bulky enfield, rajdoot 175, lambratas, bajaj 150, Vespa etc.
My Bike
Mine is Black RX100, 1989 model which I bought from secondary market 4 yrs ago and completely replaced all parts except engine and silencer. Its a great machine to cut streets of Bangalore and cover distances in vehicle infested roads.
The Design
It is sleek, no non sense design, low height and easy to maneuver in city traffic. Two not so bulky person can sit comfortably. Gear pattern is one down and three up, like a racer motorbike. I personally like the design. The bike is very light and if I an riding at 100kmph I feel uncomfortable if any high speeding vehicle passes from opposite direction.
Engine
Main attraction of this bike is its engine. Yamaha RX100 is a 98cc two-stroke single cylinder air-cooled motorcycle. For initial 3 years bike was manufactured in Japan and then imported in India as CKD(completely knocked down) kit unit and assembled in India. Later they started production in India.
The engine is such a masterpiece that with a pillion I can ride comfortably at 20 KMPH in 4th gear without the engine knocking sound. Gear ratio, torque is damn good and you can maneuver city traffic in 3rd and 4th gear effortlessly.
Performance
Bike is(in)famous for its acceleration. A stock bike can go 0-60 in 7.5 Seconds and can touch Max speed of about 120KMPH. These figures make this bike a gas guzzler. Mine if ridden decently at 60KMPH, gives about 40KMPL and if ridden above 70KMPH returns 30KMPL with thick smoke of 2T.
Rx100 is a good city motorbike. My RX100’s pickup is still awesome inspite of it being 21 yrs old and it can leave latest 4 strokes of 150-180CCs far behind in traffic signals and in city as maneuvering is very easy compared to bulky bikes. Mine is 21 Yrs old and still it can reach 110 KMPH smoothly with pillion. Difficult to achieve this with any 5 yrs old 4 stroke bike of 150-180CC.
Maintenance
Build quality is excellent, engine is superb, components are sturdy. The bike literally requires no maintenance apart from usual oil changes and servicing. I ride my bike carefully so the above statement. If you ride it rashly then you may need to spend on maintenance due to wear and tear.
The spare parts availability is not an issue, you can get everything in the spare parts market in Bangalore. I do not have any idea about other cities. The bike has a good following in Bangalore so parts availability is not an issue, which is surprising as the production of bike stopped in 1995. My RX100 has never disappointed me or left me in trouble midway. I am very happy with its low maintenance and reliability levels.
Pros:
Excellent pickup, low maintenance, easy to maneuver, low weight, reliable.
Cons:
Not so good braking, not great mileage(who buys RX for this).
Verdict:
The bike is no more in production, but if you get any stock bike in resale, do not miss it. One needs to ride it to experience its performance. Even at 100KMPH engine gives you feeling that it can go for more.
PS: Thank you for reading my review. Do rate if you like my review.