Yamaha FZ-S FI V2.0 – Road Test Review

Now way back in 2008, Yamaha launched a motorcycle that shook up the Indian market. It had a massive rear tyre, a good engine and it looked sporty. Recently they overhauled it and have now come out with an even better motorcycle - the Yamaha FZ-S FI V2.0. Now the previous versions of the Yamaha FZ got some sticker updates in the past but Yamaha needed to keep up with the times and revamp their most popular motorcycle. Let’s take a look at what changes they’ve made to the new Yamaha FZ.

The Pros: Refined engine, good handling and good gearbox .

The Cons: Low top speed.

The Crux: The high level of engine refinement and good handling make it a top competitor in the 150cc segment.

Rating:

Design and features – The overall look of the FZ-S V2.0 still remains the same but it does get minor tweaks. For instance the headlamp gets a sharper design, new side panels, split seats, a rear tyre hugger and split grab handles.

It also gets a new tail lamp unit and a new exhaust cover. If that wasn’t enough, it also gets an all new digital instrument console. This console now features an ‘Eco’ light that lets you know when you are achieving optimal fuel efficiency. All the analog dials have been done away with and you get a digital odometer, fuel gauge and a digital speedometer.

Engine and Performance – The major change in the FZ-S v2.0 is the engine. The older FZ models felt a little underpowered and Yamaha have been trying to get the engine to perform better. In fact this new engine is smaller and lighter than previous versions of the FZ.

The 149cc single cylinder engine now puts out 13PS at 8,000rpm and 12.8Nm at 6,000rpm. So there is a drop in power and torque compared to the previous FZ but Yamaha say that it won’t affect the performance of the motorcycle. With the new FZ-S you get a fuel injection system to help with its throttle response and boost fuel economy. This is all based on Yamaha’s ‘Blue Core’ technology that is supposed to improve fuel efficiency and keep emissions low. The FZ-S proved that its new engine works even better by clocking 0-60km/h in 6seconds and reaches a top speed of 108km/h.

Ride, Handling and Braking – The ergonomics and seating position remain the same but you’re now greeted with a little more grunt than before. The motorcycle now feels peppier and the bottom and mid-range grunt feel good. In fact you can barely notice the drop in power from the older FZ. On the plus point, the level of refinement in the engine has gone up significantly. The engine is much smoother than before and with barely any vibrations. As with the old FZ, the new FZ-S still handles well and can tackle corners easily. It doesn’t weigh much either at just 132kg and this helps in boosting its fuel efficiency. The FZ-S FI returned us an overall fuel economy of 58km/l and that’s a pretty good figure seeing as the previous FZ suffered in this respect. The FZ-S gets nice meaty front forks and a mono-suspension at the rear. We found the suspension a bit on the softer side and this is good for bad roads. The braking is good and the front disc brake offers a decent amount of bite.

Verdict: Overall the new FZ-S FI is a well-rounded package and makes this already popular motorcycle even more desirable. But in this segment, the competition is high. You have the Suzuki Gixxer, the Hero Xtreme Sports and the latest in the lot, the Honda Hornet 160R. As far as styling goes, the Gixxer and the Hornet are its closest competition. The Yamaha FZ-S comes in two variants, the FI V2.0 which retails for Rs. 83,000 while the regular FZ-S comes for Rs. 79,000 (both ex-showroom Mumbai). That’s a difference of Rs. 4,000 for the fuel injection version. So if you don’t mind spending a little more, the FI version is worth it.