“If you are going to make it, make it the very best there is.” These words still echo through the halls of Yamaha factories the world over, and can be traced back to Genichi Kawakami, the founder of Yamaha Motor Corporation. And from its inception onwards, through the sands of time, Yamaha has been shelling out some of the most exciting motorcycles the world has ever seen.

In India, the story is no different. Yamaha offers the Indian motorcycle enthusiast with the very best of bikes. They are reliable, practical, refined and economical, but what’s even better is that they look remarkably good too. It was only in 2008 when Yamaha started penetrating the Indian market, and with such aggression that they’ve been able to sweep up a huge chunk of market share in just three years. The design of most bikes in India was bland, and just plain boring. It appears that Yam¬aha may have been listening to someone’s prayers because they brought in two products for the mass market, which have virtually changed bike design in India – the R15 and the FZ series. These two bikes were welcomed with celebration, literally, and the FZ still remains the best looking and best handling bike offered in every class segment below 200cc. But Yamaha didn’t just stop there. Now they’ve come up with a whole new range of motorcycles for the daily commuter. And again, these bikes are no laughing matter.

Welcome the all new SZ series. It’s a 150cc segment motorcycle, which comes in two variants, at a price that’s just ridiculous. Before the SZ came along, the cheapest 150cc segment bike was the Bajaj Discover 150 DTS-i, at a cost of `52,000 on-road, Delhi. The lowest variant of the SZ series, simply called the SZ, is available for just `50,000. Now that’s quite a bargain, and when compared with Bajaj – which is a great bike manufacturer in its own right – you get a Yamaha tag, with highly refined Japanese quality. The SZ series also looks more stylish and is lighter than the Discover. Yamaha is definitely making its presence felt, and is sure to grab another huge chunk of the 150cc segment with this bike, which will again make other manufacturers quiver.

And that’s not all. Yamaha has also launched its YBR 125cc motorcycle to further punch into the mass segment. The YBR is a fantastic motorcycle, and if the new 125cc model for the Indian market is anything like the older ones made in Japan, then the commuter segment should really be excited. So, in order to see just what these exciting, and much talked about, motorcycles have to offer we decided to test them together – and why not throw in the stunning FZ as well.





The SZX is the top-of –the-line bike in the new SZ series. The only difference in the SZX is that there are two front fairings pasted to the sides of the fuel tank, which try and give it that sporty appeal with aerodynamic coverage. The fairings might look nice, but they give the bike no aerodynamic efficiency whatsoever. In fact, their stance on the tank would probably be negative for any aerodynamic smoothness once you start riding. Not only do they play no significant part in helping air run-off , they also cost an extra `4,000. If you opt for the SZ instead of the SZX, you save yourself a lot of money, but you won’t look as cool – your choice.

The SZX is longer and higher than most 150cc bikes, including the FZ, but it is significantly lighter. At a curb weight of just 132kgs, the bike is very comfortable and very easy to handle. The front suspension is in regular telescopic form, and the rear has a swingarm. The fuel tank has sharp curves, as does the headlight – but because the SZX is priced so low, you will notice a number of features missing from the handles. There is no passing lights switch, no kill switch, and the plastic materials used on the headlight fairing are quite poor. There is a simple meter panel, a modern looking dual tail light, a full plastic chain case protecting the chain from dust and water, a robust side cover, and 5-spoke cast wheels. Overall, the bike looks mildly brute, but not menacing like the FZ.

Powering the new SZX is a 4-stroke air-cooled, SOHC, single cylinder with a capacity of 153cc. I have to hand it to Yamaha for their superb engineering because the engine has been very finely tuned for optimum performance. There is no rattling sound, and the vibrations are kept to a minimum. When you ride the bike, you get that extra boost of power in the low-to-mid speed range, which is so essential on Indian roads. Even with a big man like me on the bike, it picked up speed very well and threw me forward. It doesn’t push like the FZ, but it does manage to produce a very healthy power output of 12bhp.

It also handles extremely well, and responded to my every command. Because it was so light, I have to say it was one of the most fun motorcycles I’ve ridden on Delhi roads. It may not be smooth and gentle like the FZ, but it sure is fun. However, the drum brakes on the rear and front tyres were awful, and not cooperative whatsoever, which made me think twice before pelting down an empty street. But, I guess for the price, I can’t complain.

Surprisingly, the SZX has a larger fuel tank than the FZ. It can tank up to 14 litres of petrol, which is quite impressive – but, just like the FZ, it could do with an improved mileage record. Riding around the city for a whole week, the best I could get out of the bike was about 35km/l. But, overall, you really can’t complain too much about this bike. It costs you pennies, and you get way more than what you pay for. It’s a perfect commuter motorcycle – fun and practical. A word of advice, though, opt for the SZ instead of the SZX – there is absolutely no reason why you should pay for faulty aerodynamics.