FZLogic

Blame it on a never ending quest for exclusivity, but be it Davidoff’s Cool Water or a snazzy imported BMW, Indians are still enamoured by international tags, and ready to splash the dosh on anything that’s a rage abroad. And the motorcycle market is a case in point. Yamaha’s previous attempts at offering motorcycles tailor made for India bombed (remember the goggle-eyed Fazer and bulbous Libero?), while even Hondas and Suzukis didn’t garner significantly warmer receptions. Finally, Yamaha India has gotten it right in 2008. A few years after Bajaj pulled off the Pulsar success. The baby R1 R15 exudes enough appeal to send bragging rights soaring for the masses. ‘Truly international’ seems to be the mantra taking Indian biking to a higher plane.
Last year, at Yamaha’s production facility at Iwata, Japan, I witnessed the awesome FZ1 attaining final form on the assembly line. A senior Yamaha India official wondered if a similar motorcycle would work for India. “Why not?” I said, suggesting the inclusion of the faired version as well. Now, a year later, Yamaha’s comeback onslaught has hit prime time, its presence evident in almost every segment. Starting with the launch of the YZF-R1 and MT01 in the domestic market it has been one happening year for Yamaha. After settling scores in the 125cc segment with the tweaked Gladiator and going the extra mile to give India its first supersport bike, the R15, Yamaha’s latest FZ16 is set to trigger the big bang in the booming 150cc segment.  

Modelled on the lines of the popular FZ1 naked, the FZ16 is characterised by streetfighter styling. Naked streetfighters are a rage across Europe. Stripped to the core, these meanies are often referred to as hoots for their wheelie-anytime-low-end grunt, making hooligans out of anybody in the saddle, instantly. From there evolved current sport-nakeds like the FZ1. Powerful engines borrowed from sports bikes, in a user-friendly state of tune; low and mid-range poke with smooth and uniform power delivery against the peaky nature of superbike engines. They are hence preferred by the majority for their tractable manners. Indian bikers too are naturally inclined towards nakeds, perhaps because of our rich heritage of unfaired bikes with their exposed puny 100cc mills. Then came the Bajaj Pulsar which changed perceptions forever. In the current 150cc context, bike design has come a long way from there, with the current Pulsars, TVS Apache RTR and Hero Honda Hunk representing the pick of the 150cc bunch. The Yamaha FZ16, however, turns up the volume to ultra loud in terms of styling. It glowers over design ground that the others haven’t even spotted yet, let alone play around on.