Adhish Alawani rides the new Yahama SZ-X from Jaipur to Udaipur to evaluate the Japanese manufacturer’s new commuter. Is it read to take on the vast mass segment?
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
The motorcycle market in India is growing in every sense of the term. This encompasses not just the increasing number of bikes that are being sold, but also the way the consumer is thinking about the product.
Earlier, the customer decided on his budget, the type of motorcycle and then went either to Hero Honda or Bajaj and booked one of the machines that these manufacturers had on offer. Today, however, that is not the case. The market is now driven by requirement. The consumer knows exactly what he expects of his bike and is willing to shell out the money to have those requirements fulfilled. For example, there are some who prefer outright performance. They go and buy bikes such as the R15 or the Pulsar 220. Then there are those who desire nothing but efficiency. They go and pick up the Discover 100 or Hero Honda Splendor. Then there is this new breed of buyers who want a bit of everything – style, efficiency, brand name, a higher cc than their neighbour’s bike and so on.
Yamaha have decided to address the needs of this particular segment. The result is products like the SZ and SZ-X. These bikes also fall in line with the company’s downward pyramid strategy in which they first took care of the niche market of performance and extremely focused motorcycles and are now moving towards utility-based bikes that will help the company achieve higher sales figures. Having launched the SZ and SZ-X last month, the company decided to give us a flavour of their latest offerings on a long tour from Jaipur to Udaipur and around Udaipur.
So what are these bikes exactly? The company claims that these machines are for the masses (unlike the R15 and FZ16, which were focused on the petrolheads). They carry the true genes of Yamaha and yet are affordable and easy on the pocket owing to their high fuel-efficiency. Talking of that, I wondered what the true genes of Yamaha are. When we utter the ‘Y’ name, it’s synonymous with performance, aggression and attitude. We naturally think of the glorious RX100, RD350, R15 and R1. Does the SZ series have these genes? Not really. The motorcycle comes with the same 153-cc powerplant that does duty on the FZ family of bikes. However, this one has been detuned from 14 PS to 12.1 PS. The maximum torque has come down from 13.6 Nm to 12.8 Nm. The result is a much slower acceleration – 0-60 km/h in 6.5 seconds, to be precise – which was 5.5 seconds in the case of the FZ. Also, the top speed that you can achieve on this motorcycle is just over 105 km/h, a bit on the lower side for a 150-cc machine, isn’t it? Well, considering that the bike is not meant for performance and is commute-based and efficiency-driven, we can ignore the fact that it is one whole second slower than its elder sibling and that it doesn’t do impressive top speeds.
However, the problem does not end there. The throttle asks for a little extra effort to wring it, which makes us feel that acceleration is even slower. A true Yamaha fan wouldn’t like that, will he?
Talking of the engine, there is one thing that needs special mention here and that is the smoothness of the motor. There are hardly any vibrations and even if we consider that I was astride a brand-new machine, I cannot ignore the fact that after riding 550 km with the throttle tweaked to the limit almost all the time, I didn’t feel the vibes in the evening. Also, the engine was as smooth at the end of the exploit as it was before the ride. The engine scores some brownie points when it comes to the mid-range as well, making it one of the strengths as regards the motorcycle’s commuter approach.
A true Yamaha carries with it an aggressive attitude and styling. On this count, the SZ-X has some positive points and some negative. Looking at the styling alone, I am convinced that this Yamaha retains its character. The tank looks like a shrunk version of the FZ’s with aggressive graphics and extension scoops. Alloy wheels are standard. The headlamp looks a little small in proportion to the meaty front end created by the tank scoops. The split tail-lamp is simple yet effectively fresh in styling.
If you look at the attitude of the motorcycle, it’s typically commuterish with the absence of features such as a tachometer, pass flash and engine kill switch. Then you get drum brakes, which are a complete disappointment. The company officials say that a disc brake option will be available and that it’s a matter of a few months.
There was some regret initially looking at TVS tyres on the bike (especially considering that Yamaha provide the best rubber in the country on the R15 and FZ), but presumptions about the tyres dissipated after riding through the twisties. There is little to technically complain about the rubber when it comes to this commuter.
Another very good thing, and quite important, is riding comfort. Even after clocking 440 kilometres in a day, there was no sign of fatigue. The bike offers a relaxed posture for daily city commute as well as long rides. Good ergonomics complement the posture, making it an extremely comfortable ride for the ordinary man.
All in all, where does the SZ-X stand? For a commuter, it is perfect with a tag of Rs 52,000 (ex-showroom, Mumbai). You also get the SZ (which sheds tank scoops, an extra visor and electric starter) at Rs 49,000. It’s got good looks and the tuning forks logo on its tank. But it has lost the character that Yamaha want to project with it. Low performance and high efficiency are not something that you expect from Yamaha, do you?
Ravi Chandanani meets the Avenger 220 after a heart transplant 
The Avenger has now truly become a cruiser meant for the open highways. The power and torque from the 219.89-cc motor are adequate to pull the bike easily even with a heavy rider astride it. Hence I wasn’t able to resist the temptation of a small ride on the beautiful NH4. I must say here that, hitherto, the one thing that had bothered me about the Avenger was its handling within the city. The raked-out front end tends to make one nervous as the front tends to slide a bit under hard braking. Besides, maneuvering the bike in thick traffic is painful due to its long wheelbase. Now, however, though its city handling remains as poor as before, the bike exhibits better handling and straight-line stability on the highway thanks to the long wheelbase and a fat rear tyre.
This was also when I noticed the stability of the cruiser. It was darting through the wind like a bullet and yet was quite stable. The huge 130/90 section rear rubber provides more than ample traction, which really inspires confidence in you. The power and torque delivery are quite linear and the bike does not feel sluggish even in the low revs, thanks to the smooth, five-speed transmission that channels the power from the crank to the rear wheels. Although the 219.89-cc motor is the same unit that does duty on the Pulsar 220, Bajaj have de-tuned it for the Avenger. It now develops 19.03 PS of power and 17.5 Nm of torque. This output is enough to propel the bike from standstill to 60 km/h in just 4.83 seconds, which is just 0.13 seconds longer than the Pulsar 220. Nevertheless, do not expect the Avenger to post a top speed similar to the 220’s. Despite having the same power unit, the output is different, which makes the Avenger’s top speed comparatively lower than that of the 220. The fuel efficiency, on the other hand, has gone down by three km/l to 34 km/l overall, compared to its earlier 200-cc version, which is quite all right considering the increase in performance. The most striking feature of the bike after the engine is its price. The Avenger 220 is priced at Rs. 76,876. In other words, you get a bike that is quicker, punchier and still looks the part and is just Rs. 4,000 costlier than the 200, which makes it a perfect value-for-money cruiser.
Suzuki launches its flagship GSX-R1000 in India. Just another insane litre class machine or does it really make sense?
I had just about put 60 to 70km on the Gixxer so far and I was already pretty comfortable on it. I had not expected the GSX-R to be so fantastic before I first got on to it. Litre bikes are no fun, especially in a country like India. But this one was pure joy for which there are quite a lot of reasons. The GSX-R1000 K10 is an all-new bike. This is the first real all-new upgrade to the bike since its launch in 2001. The all-new implies the engine, chassis, suspension, swingarm, electronics and absolutely everything that would matter in a bike of its class. The cosmetics of the bike have been more or less the same ever since the Gixxer 1000 made it to the market. The one that we had for test here comes from Europe. Clad in white and blue, the GSX-R is nothing less than a seduction. The blue from the body panels flows on to the chassis and swingarm as well, in matte, and looks more than stunning. Sharp edges at the front flow and gel seamlessly with the razor sharp tail. The only curvature that you find on the bike comes in the form of the slightly arched twin exhausts. Special efforts towards attaining superb aerodynamics are clearly visible. Suzuki’s trademark stacked headlamps add to the aggression of the already menacing front end while the LED tail lamps are the final signature of the Gixxer’s new age style statement. The real deal, however, starts with the engine of the GSX-R. The new over-square, short stroke engine ensures free and high revving. Titanium valves for intake and exhaust come with two springs that ensure all the extreme demands from the engine are comfortably taken care of. The 999cc motor powering the Gixxer is not exactly refined. It has a grunt, a growl, which notifies us of its no-nonsense performance. The point to be noted here is that the engine does feel a bit lethargic low down at around 3000 revs. However, don’t mistake this as a negative. The beauty of this behaviour is that it makes the bike pretty rideable in city traffic since the jerky on-off power delivery is absent (a lot of credit for this also goes to the improved fuel injection) and the engine doesn’t ask for continuous toggling between the cogs in slow moving traffic. Nonetheless, past 5000 revs, under heavy wrist wringing action, the front rubber starts repelling the tarmac (yeah, I love that) and the floating front is a complete delight.
Okay, so we have a lot of power that is being produced at the crank and we also know that most of it is being delivered to the rear wheel. However, what is the point in having all this power if it cannot be tamed, if it cannot by utilized and if it can be only experienced in straight line acceleration? The Suzuki GSX-R1000 continued to impress further as I tried to find the answers to these questions. Let’s go back to where we started. The knee dragging experience was still very fresh in my mind. This was possible because of two good reasons – impeccable handling and flawless rider-motorcycle connection. Most of the credit for the spot on handling has to be given to the Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF). This new suspension comprises of bigger, lighter forks that have a very simple internal construction. A single internal piston in each fork takes care of rebound and compression damping. The most important and crucial benefit of the Showa BPF front end suspension is that it gives a fantastic feedback to the rider. Under hard braking and turning into a corner, the sudden dive is absent. Instead, a smooth and gradual dive gives you utter confidence to push harder and most importantly, the immaculate handling. Overall, the chassis and suspension of the Gixxer has been completely updated that features a longer swingarm (helps in better traction during exiting corners) yet shorter wheelbase (for sharp and precise handling). Sounds like the perfect compromise? It ought to be. The kind of stability and planted feel of the GSX-R in corners is a complete confidence booster.
The sitting posture is radical and can get on your nerves in the city. Talking of that, the stiff suspension (once again, its fantastic in the corners) also becomes a problem on bumpy surfaces, especially cement roads and manages to transfer the slightest of undulations on the road surface to your spine. After spending about 300km with the GSX-R1000, I was actually in a confused state of mind. I hadn’t expected things to be the way they turned out. One, because as I mentioned earlier, it is an established belief that litre bikes are no fun in a country like India and two, because racebred machines are the worst option considering hardly any Indian customer is actually going to ride hard on a racetrack. But I was in for a surprise. The GSX-R is not all that bad in the city (except for the radical sitting posture) and with its good handling and immense amount of power, it makes for a very good bike for the weekend twisties session as well. Moreover, the Gixxer has killer looks. Maximum attention guaranteed! What else can you want? Probably, a cheaper price tag. At Rs 14.03 lakh (on-road, Pune), the GSX-R is more expensive than its elder brother, the Hayabusa. And for those who can’t really take the massive aggression of the Gixxer, Suzuki has also brought in the Bandit 1250S. Jump to page 68 as Bunny takes one out on a rainy ride to Mahabaleshwar and beyond!
