With everyone going down the safe and conventional path, just one bike maker has the guts to send contemporary styling ambling down Indian roads. Well, Yamaha Motors India (YMI) has always had the courage to stand aside and do things their way. So what if the Fazer front fairing makes you think of owls, cat’s eyes, goggles etc, it’s the latest look and they want to offer you no less. Can the new Fazer shake off Yamaha’s stigma, being known as a pure sports bike maker in a mileage obsessed market? Read on. :

The first thing one realizes as they step up to the Fazer is the bike has presence. A good helping of it! The only sticking point has to be the Fazer’s front fairing. Futuristic, and keeping with an International insect styling trend this is a love it or hate it bit we leave for you to accept or reject. Twin clear lens headlights remind of an owl, fly, cats eyes, you decide. We must mention though, two are better than one in this case, and moonless nights pose no problem to a Fazer. A plastic two-pod instrument bay presents a neat speedometer and tachometer. Yamaha’s thumbs down to a fuel gauge is an unfortunately oversight. Though its front may lend you food for thought, there’s none of that involved in anything further behind on the Fazer. It all looks good. The tank is super looking, with dummy scoops, functional knee recesses and a dinky bowler-hat lid. The chrome and cruiser style chopped silencer is another neat touch. The Fazer has fine plastic, control levers, grips, rubbers, mirrors and comprehensive switchgear.

The Fazer’s single pot, four-stroke and two valve engine is better in many ways to previous Yamaha units. It pumps oxygen directly into the exhaust port. Un-burnt air is sucked from the air-filter box bypassing the carburettor and inlet. A reed-valve prevents any return via the same path. Exhaust gasses are cleaned by a catalytic converter. The carburettor is a Mikuni BS 25 unit with butterfly, and employs a valve to read variable cylinder-suction to accordingly compensate air fuel mixture. YTPS is another Fazer feature, this functioning to farther economy. Ignition timing does vary in synch with engine-rpm, but now throttle position also adjusts this phase. This Yam’s 123.7cc cylinder dimensions are all square at 54/ 54mm and it puts out 10.8bhp at 7,500rpm. The overhead camshaft gyrates of a silent roller-chain. The oil-pump uses resin gears for lower sound levels. Down in the sump a balancer throws equal and opposite force back to the crankshaft to flatten out unwanted vibes. Engine casting quality is super and the mount for a future self-starter is at hand should competition demand the addition of this luxury. Performance is right at par with the competition. The Fazer frame is single down-tube in diamond type and the rigidity of a box section swinging-arm is thankfully on call. As soon as one perches onto its comfy seat the Fazer reaches out with short and high handlebars to welcome occupants onto what is amongst the more comfortable bikes in this country. Ride pampers riders and pillions, feeling plush and delicate, while handling does not suffer much in spite of it. Stability in corners, as well as for the straight line is super. It’s not the best handling bike in its class, but the Fazer is close, in spite of a phenomenal ride. The front 150mm drum brake may be a smart move for this market, bikes with optional discs having sold more on drum versions. It’s a powerful and progressive drum, but at the end of the day it remains just that—a drum. Always an area of importance for any Indian bike, mileage on the Fazer does not fail to please. Romping around city we established 49.4kpl and upping the speeds and enjoying the bike on the highways it returned 51.5kpl.

Got the guts, now lets see whether it get the glory. This excellent Yamaha enters a most competitive arena and delivers on nearly all counts. As everyone queues up for a serving at the crowded 125cc pie table, such a rounded motorcycle from this legendary maker should see it procure a fair sized helping. What a crying shame, when one thinks of the absence of five-speeds, a disc and while we are at it, the risks of running around town with that controversial looking face.