Once upon a time, as a little boy, I had access to only source of everything on two and four wheels: Auto India. In that Indian auto magazine, they always carried a particular page with annual sales of manufacturers once every year. Going through the sales figure was fascinating for me at that moment, which was topped by Bajaj Auto, with the then Escorts-Yamaha following a close second and the current market leader Hero Honda coming last.
Stunning isn’t it? Well, this was how the motorcycle market was in the early 1990s when the Yamaha RX100 was a legend that sold very big. Times changed, Bajaj hit the dust as the two stroke scooter market was blown away by the four stroke brigade led by Hero Honda and with the two strokes taking a mighty hit, so did Yamaha, whose portfolio didn’t feature a single four stroke motorcycle until the YBX125 arrived in 1998.
Needless to say, Yamaha was teetering on the brink and soon split up with Escorts to go it alone. But, never did it recapture the magic of the good old times of the RX100 selling by the truck load, instead turning out to be a fringe player in the Indian market. Yamaha’s big comeback to modern times was the Yamaha R15, which put the Yamaha brand what it is originally stood for, performance.
But the real bread and butter offering followed close on the heels of the R15, the Yamaha Fz16. ever since it’s launch, the Yamaha FZ16 has sold very strongly and steadily with Yamaha finally being able to recapture some of the old magic. So, here we are, with an eager reader of IndianCarsBikes, Melroy Alphonso, taking us through his experience with the Yamaha Fz16. Take it away, Melroy!
Melroy Alphonso’s Yamaha FZ16 User Review
I’ve always wanted a Yamaha bike. I loved the brand so much but sadly though, they didn’t have a 150cc offering that was affordable too. When I finally heard the news that a 150cc motorcycle named the FZ16 was launched by Yamaha in India, I was thrilled. I went to the showroom but couldn’t help but continuously stare at it. It was one of the best looking bikes till date offered in India. When I saw the bike in the flesh, it was nothing like any Indian bike I had ever seen before. It looked like an imported sports bike. I took ride on the bike and was amazed by it’s pick up and handling. It didn’t feel heavy at all.
It was well balanced and I felt comfortable on it right away. Immediately, I paid the down-payment for the bike and I eagerly began waiting for the bike’s delivery. Son, the bike was delivered to me and ever since, I have been riding this bike, and I even did a saddle sore on it, covering 1,600 kms in under 24 hours. I rode all the way from Mumbai to Eklinji and back to Mumbai in 24 hours on this very motorcycle. I was very impressed with the ride quality and the overall quality of Yamaha motorcycles, the FZ16 is particular as I have the personal experience of owning one.
The engine has a slightly larger displacement of 153cc compared to the other 150cc motorcycles in the market. The power delivery is smooth and so is the gear shifting. I felt very much comfortable riding the FZ in the city. The most striking part of the Fz16 is it’s looks. It has a massive tank that is very imposing and has a 140 section rear tyre that is the widest I have seen on an Indian motorcycle. The build quality is one of the best offered in the segment and so is the fit and finish of other components. The bike comes equipped with a 41mm front fork, which helps in the handling and balancing of the bike on rough roads and potholes.
The MRF tyres offer good road grip and are also tubeless. The instrument panel is completely digital which offers all the information like tripmeter, tachometer, odometer and fuel gauge. I found the engine kill switch to be a useful feature which helps me turn off the engine at traffic signals without taking my hands off the handlebar. The pass light is also a very useful feature while overtaking. The FZ16 does triple digit speeds comfortably when shown the open road. It feels very stable doing such speeds. Personally, I have managed to take the bike to a maximum speed of 115 Kmph on an open road with minimal traffic.
2011 Yamaha FZ16
Coming to the braking, the bike comes equipped with a large 267mm front disc brake which is very good at stopping the bike even from high speeds. The only downside of the bike is he low fuel efficiency of about 40 Kmpl which I get in the city and in normal riding conditions. I feel Yamaha has done a very good job with their 150cc offering. It’s good market sales figure also seems to reflect that. All in all, the Yamaha FZ16 will please the younger generation of Indian motorcycle buyers who want a blend of looks and performance without having to rob a bank. I hope you enjoyed reading my review.
