Before I start talking about the Fazer 25 and the quarter-litre sport bike segment, let me first take you to the time when it all started. The Honda CBR250R is seen as the first proper quarter-litre sports tourer in India that made its entry back in the year 2011 and it actually helped laymen understand the quarter-litre term in its truest sense. Sadly, the motorcycle got killed with the onset of BS-IV emission norms starting April last year and that actually left the said segment quite deserted. Yamaha was well aware of this gap and launched the FZ25 a few months back. Naturally, it was high time for the manufacturer to launch a sports tourer and what better way to do that by giving it the roots of the FZ25 that already earned a lot of appreciation. This led to the birth of the Fazer 25. At first instance, some people may be disappointed by the fact that Yamaha kept the formula way too simple, which is to take the FZ25, slap a front fairing and badge it as Fazer 25. We got a chance to spend a week with the Fazer 25 amidst the festivities and that gave us a good idea of if there is anything more to the Fazer than what meets the eyes. So, let’s find out!
Yamaha Fazer 25 in full profileYamaha Fazer 25 Design And Styling
The looks are familiar, isn’t it?
Take the first glance at the motorcycle and you will take no time in concluding that the Fazer 25 is a FZ25 underneath that is wearing full sleeves. The reason is simple. The motorcycle is essentially based on the FZ25 with almost no major update in design and addition of a full fairing is the only substantial change here. The FZ25’s LED headlamp continues to be in the Fazer 25 as well and the motorcycle gains twin LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) that are good to look at especially in the dark.
Yamaha Fazer 25 headlightWhile we believe that the company could have done a bit more satisfying job with the fairing and its design, the Fazer 25 actually comes across as a better-looking motorcycle in real when compared to its virtual form. The fairing indeed lends some muscles and broad shoulders to the motorcycle and the company has kept rest of the design ethos intact in order to make the bike equally desirable like the FZ25. Overall, the design has been kept mature and not at a single point, you will feel that the design is either too overdone or too plain. As they say, looks are subjective, we leave it to you to decide if the Fazer 25 is a looker.
Yamaha Fazer 25 tail lampYamaha Fazer 25 Engine And Performance
How does it feel?
The Yamaha Fazer 25 shares its powertrain with its naked sibling as it comes fitted with the same 249cc, oil-cooled engine having identical power and torque figures of 20.6 hp and 20 Nm respectively. We loved this engine on the FZ25 and the positives have been carried forward to the Fazer as well. The sweet spot of this highly refined engine is around 3,000 rpm when the bike has enough blood in the veins to progress with enthusiasm in almost every gear. Furthermore, the taller gearing makes sure that you do not end up boiling the engine every now and then and the delivery of power takes place in a linear fashion, making the bike a good companion on free-flowing open expressways.
Yamaha Fazer 25 smoking some rubberAnother big highlight of this engine is that it does not loses its breath in the top end and feels happy-go-lucky even when you push it close to the redline. The only thing we wished is that Yamaha should have offered a sixth gear. The reason being, while the bike actually cruises comfortably at triple-digit speeds, the addition of a sixth gear would have easily taken things up a notch in terms of cruising characteristics. The oil-cooler manages the engine heat quite well and you won’t feel the irritating intensity on your legs even and the motor dealt with the annoying Delhi traffic better than we did.
Yamaha Fazer 25 instrument clusterTired of reading? You can watch the Yamaha Fazer 25 Road Test Review video here:
Yamaha Fazer 25 Ride And Handling
How does it ride?
The Yamaha Fazer 25 sits on a diamond type frame that offers a good straight line stability. The motorcycle has been installed with conventional telescopic forks up front along with a monoshock at the rear just like the FZ25. The suspension is on the softer side, especially at the front but thankfully, the addition of weight due to the fairing has made things favourable in terms of handling, although slightly. For this reason, the Yamaha Fazer 25 feels a bit better handler than its naked counterpart. The grip from the flat profile tyres is also decent enough to make your daily commutes a bit easier and these offer you the confidence to dive into a corner at good speeds. However, we felt a bit disappointed by the brakes on the Fazer 25 and we had expected some more performance out of them.
Yamaha Fazer 25 cruises with ease on city stretchesThe stopping duties are taken care of with the help of a 282mm disc up front along with a 220mm disc unit at the rear and you will most likely end up locking the rear wheel once in a while going hard on the brakes. Sadly, like previous launches, Yamaha has chosen to make an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) missing on this one as well and that is a big downside according to us as the integration of the safety equipment would have stepped up the braking characteristics. The brakes also lack that instant bite but have a good feedback that is apt for daily commutes.
Yamaha Fazer 25 riding postureYamaha Fazer 25 Feature List
What’s present and what not?
As already mentioned, most of the cycle parts on the FZ25 have been carried forward to the Fazer 25. The LED projector headlamp on this one, gets a couple of new LED DRL (Daytime Running Light) strips as a welcome addition. The digital instrument cluster has been lifted from the FZ25 as well and the layout feels a bit outdated and lacks that feel. The unit has features like twin tripmeters, clock, rev counter alongside the usual readings. A gear position indicator is missing and so is the rev limiter light. The LED tail lamp, split step-up seats and the split rear body grab rails have also been shared with the new generation FZ. The bike gets disc brakes at both ends but no ABS is there to save you, even as an option.
Yamaha Fazer 25 in love with streets of DelhiYamaha Fazer 25 Verdict
Should you buy one?
If you are in the market looking for a comfortable and sporty looking motorcycle at under Rs 1.5 lakh, the Yamaha Fazer 25 makes a good option for you. The bike has got a fantastic engine to its side and the full fairing is like a cherry on top that with its wind protection will make touring more comfortable. Instead of playing with the performance card, the company has kept things simple, eyed the comfort part and has very much succeeded in it.
Yamaha Fazer 25 in its leisure timeThe Yamaha Fazer 25 is priced in India at Rs 1.29 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and that not only makes it a good value for money proposition, but also the most affordable quarter-litre motorcycle after the FZ25. Keeping in mind the fact that there is no such motorcycle in the segment within the said price bracket, the Fazer 25 can turn out to be a good move by the company in the long run. So, the Fazer 25 is essentially an FZ with new clothes but the attire is not for the sake of enhancing the visual appeal solely.
[“Source-financialexpress”]
