Nov 18, 2008 03:27 PM
4113 Views
(Updated Mar 04, 2009 03:55 PM)
I wish to update on the new Yamaha FZ16 as I had purchased the bike recently. Last month ie, on Oct 20th, while returning from my work, I passed by Patny Motors, Secunderabad. I decided to take a peek at the new vehicle which everyone were talking about. I am a regular car user and due to heavy traffic, sometimes I am forced to take out my honda activa. But somehow I was not satisfied with activa's 7bhp response. Ofcourse you cannot find another vehicle with such comfort as activa. Once inside the showroom, people were around FZ as if they were looking at a new born baby in a cradle. I was really impressed by the design and the size of the rear tyre. All the while I was thinking about going for Pulsar 200 or RTR 160. Well, I had to drop that idea once I saw the vehicle. Patny demanded Rs.5000 for booking and I paid the amount immediately for a Orange coloured bike. I felt I was in a trance once I saw the vehicle.
Delivery was promised in 20 days. Exactly on the 18th day, I received a call from Patny that the vehicle was ready for delivery! I took the delivery on the 20th day as I had some issues with the finance section. During the booking period, I was told that the finance will be 9.5%. But when my vehicle was ready for delivery, the finance was hiked to 14.5%. The finance company became very greedy when the bookings were sky rocketing day by day. Finally I paid off the entire amount (Rs.74, 000 onroad) and brought the vehicle out. FZ is supposed to be a life giver to Yamaha's dwindling sales on other models including the R 15! Once on the road, everyone's eyes were on the vehicle. Even while performing the pooja, it was a highlight in the temple and also among the poojari's! First objective was to remove the saree guard which spoils the image of the vehicle. This bike is suitable only for single riders. Now let me come to the performance of the vehicle.
These are my observations:
Comfortable riding with smooth gear shifting.
Mono Shock absorber reduces the jumps while going over a speed breaker or a pothole.
Pickup is really good and you feel that a 150cc is more then enough.
Silencer is protected from heat by a secondary layer of plastic and you dont have to worry about your leg being burnt. This is totally a new concept in safety.
Another feature is that you can change the color of the vehicle whenever you want! You just to have to replace the plastic cover around the tank and the front mudguard!
Rear tyre is excellent in road grip wile taking sharp turns.
There is a red light on the speedometer, were glowing red indicates that something has gone wrong somewhere in the bike. Kind of mini computer for the bike! Still not sure what problems it identifies.
6 free services a year!
2 year or 30000 km free warranty period.
Powerful 35w halogen headlamp.
Sure crowd puller.
Few worrysome points:
Horn is horrible. I feel ashamed to use the horn near Pulsar owners. It sounds just like a TVS 50 horn! Also the sound differs according to throttling.
No kick start pedal (Mechanics have advised me to run and start the vehicle incase of trouble and bring it to the service center!)
No crash guard and there is no place available to fix it.
The gear pedal is just half size which fits under the foot. You will have to scoop up the gear from bottom for higher gears.
Turning radius is less due to the tank size hindrance.
Also due to the big tank, folded knees are wide apart. Incase of any accidents then the rider had it. So be prepared to go on a normal ride. Sitting position is same as Pulsar. Not suitable for bulky or heavy weight guys, they are bound to get back pains.
Also this bike is suitable for normal riding only. The engine gives a sand grinding feeling other then that for riding resembles the experience of Yamaha Gladiator series. Regarding the mileage, the company guys promise 50+. Yet to test and finalise. But I am sure the mileage will be around 40+. I will update more on my riding experience in this same review once the first service is over in a month. To my opinion, I would rate the vehicle 9/10. It is definitely a head turner and a crowd puller. Best suited for youngsters. Go for it!
