Your Gateway to Sport Biking (An extensive review). Review on Yamaha Gladiator SS

I’m a die hard fan of the brand Yamaha & bike racing and an extremely proud owner of the Yamaha Gladiator type RS. This is my first bike(5000km always hard on the gas) but I’ve got a vast amount of knowledge in this field. In my early years(during standard 9th & 10th{I’m in 3rd year now}), I was deeply influenced by Bajaj’s Discover because of all the technology it boasted- DTSi Engine, ExhausTEC, SNS Suspension, etc. But since I saw the Yamaha Gladiator type JA(black model at that time), I was absolutely flattened and she’s been my fantasy ever since(apart from YZF-R15).

Review- I would be reviewing the bike under the following points:

Looks

Power

Handling

Braking

Quality of Parts

Gearbox

User Friendliness

Grip

Looks- Do I really need to review this one? The bike looks neat, mean & voluminous. She stands out of the class and by no measure lags behind the 150s. My RS model has got Valentino Rossi’s YZR-M1 type colour scheme and shines bright whether it’s day or night.

The trademark M1 type white streaks that perfectly complement the lustrous blue paint.

The silencer is angled high to the horizontal(separates the men from the boys) so as to give a sports bike feel.

The casing of the all-black engine is a nice incorporation. Whether or not it aids in cooling the engine is a different thing, but it surely adds to the looks.

The fuel tank is just perfectly shaped so as to fit in between your legs(a feature that pulsarmaniacs would surely miss) and adds to the bulky looks. The tail light & flash light combo add to the rear beauty as well.

All in all, the bike’s just one of a kind and you will surely feel the distinctness when you’re out with her.

Power- The bike boasts 11PS @ 7500rpm but I’ve heard a lot of people that it lacks the punch. As the 125cc engine is mated with 5-speed gearbox, the power band had to be kept high up the revs. The bike unlike the other Indian brands has got a power band from 4500-8000rpm. People who’re used to ride at low rpms simply won’t be able to derive enough juice. The bike is capable of pulling up from 30kmph in 5th gear and cruising at 40kmph @ just 3000rpm which is a treat to ride. The bike gets hard on acceleration(depending upon how much time you spend in the power band). The bike might feel sluggish in the first couple of gears but from 30-85kmph, the bike is in a league of her own. People might find it difficult to overtake but just shift down once and the bike will zoom past the field. From stand still it takes about 175m to reach 60kmph.

Speed~RPM figures in 5th gear

40kmph~3000rpm

50kmph~3600rpm

60kmph~4800rpm

70kmph~5800rpm

80kmph~7000rpm

90kmph~8000rpm

95kmph~8500rpm

I’ve managed a top speed of 98kmph on a levelled road and 100kmph on the slope(my bike lost her virginity then;))

Handling- The bike is just 1295mm on the wheelbase(shortest in the class & 150s) which makes the bike extremely flickble through the corners as well as in the traffic(guess that’s why I’d named her ‘Flicky’). Cornering the bike is really easy and the stability of the bike gives you lots of confidence through the turns. Scraping the foot-pegs against the tarmac is no big deal, she’s the master of the class.

Braking- I guess I’ll give her full points in this aspect. Braking is precise & lets you to stop on a coin. No matter how hard(not harsh though) you brake, the front tire never skids. Of course, the brakes are no ABS and you have to be cautious while doing so on the dirty or wet parts. The rear brakes are a disappointment(maybe the front disc sets the standards too high). I would like to quote that the front disc offers the braking that I felt missing even in the Pulsar220. Stability under braking is as important as the braking power itself and this machine would never disappoint you. Even braking the front end when the bike is leaned over does not dis-balance the bike.

Quality of Parts- There’s simply no competition when it comes to quality & design of the Yamahas. It has got all aluminium rear foot-pegs while the front ones are spring loaded with grooved rubber for extra grip. The handle levers do not lose their coating(and turn silver) like other bikes. The dimple type seat cover feels nice(didn’t put a seat cover, couldn’t sacrifice on looks). Insert type mould grips feel awesome as they are neither too hard nor too soft.

Gearbox- The 5-speed gearbox boasts Yamaha’s trademark 1-N-2-3-4-5. Initially people might hit false neutrals but this type of gearbox ensures that you don’t hit a neutral Rajeev_Vermacially while engine braking. Gearbox is butter smooth and it’s always a treat to exploit it.

User Friendliness-The bike boasts a tachometer so the rider can put engine to full use as per his requirements.

The engine kill switch reduces the effort of turning the key now and then and comes handy. The push type indicator button and the pass switch are other such features which add to the pleasure of riding in a city… simply effortless.

Grip- The bike offers astounding levels of grip while cornering Rajeev_Vermacially at speeds below 60-70, at 80 you might feel the front and rear slide a bit(though it never loses the tarmac but the bike would feel extremely light & gliding over the asphalt). The tires are completely reliable but only when its dry, the front end might give up even at 30kmph at low lean angles in wet. Overall the bike sticks to the tarmac all over the way in the dry and inspires you to try out the Rossi stuff. The case isn’t the same for glamour, shine, discover, flame or zues.

Verdict- The bike is your gateway to sport biking. The bike is astonishing with all the killer looks, blasting power and the ride quality it offers. The bike is a head turner for sure and is surely ahead of the competition in every department(except mileage-the best I could fetch was 55kmpl & more or less returns 40-45kmpl). The only serious threat it faces is from the Honda CBF Stunner. But the aggressive pricing and overall package put the Gladiator ahead.

In the present scenario, I would suggest people to prefer Yamaha SZ-R as it’s available for just 49500(ex-showroom) and is a complete package(153cc, disc brake n all).

Experience-I’ve been riding this bike for 5000km(you might consider it little as an experience as many riders having 20k kms on their back have also reviewed but I’ve pushed my bike in every way possible and I’m deeply into this bike racing thing so you can expect a wise word from me in terms of evaluating the performance). The bike is better the way you put it to use. I’m always in search of carrying that extra corner speed so as to maximise my pleasure and have only had a minor crash by now when I pushed through a U-corner so hard that the foot pegs completely rolled-in scraping the ground & later when the stiff chassis part(to which the pegs are attached to) interfered with the tarmac mid-corner, I rolled in the throttle and lost the front end. It wasn't the tires that let off the grip. I treat my bike like a little YZR-M1, hard on throttle, late & hard on the brakes, leaning through the turns and this machine has never disappointed me. Bike is good for long drives, bulky riders and families as well. I’m extremely happy and satisfied to have chosen Gladiator over the rest of the field.

Always wear a helmet, jeans & shoes while riding… Accidents can happen any-time(no matter how slow you ride and who’s on fault).

Enjoy your ride… A YAMAHA WON”T EVER DISAPPOINT! - https://facebook.com/gladiatorja

http://www.youtube.com/user/gladiatorja