Yamaha FZi

Overview

Currently, the segment of 150cc motorcycles has replaced that of the 100-125cc category as the stepping stone and entry-level commuter category in many developing nations, including the Philippines. Yamaha understands this fact pretty well, which is why it made this segment pretty exciting when it launched the FZ for the very first time almost ten years ago. After ten years, the FZ has witnessed an evolution in every aspect, including its name. Now called as FZi, the motorcycle comes with sharper styling and better performance than before, with some of its core characteristic kept intact as well. Priced at PHP 99,800, the Yamaha FZi is available in black and red color options.

Design

The Yamaha FZ was the one which revolutionized the 150cc category of motorcycles with its brawny and extrovert design back in 2008. It set up hefty standards in terms of design, with its bulky looking fuel tank, minimalist front end, beefy forks and meaty tyres.

With the FZi, Yamaha gave the FZ its first major facelift, as a result of which every single body panel of the motorcycle feels new but an evolved version of the previous model. At the front, you do get the same triangular headlamp with a pilot lamp at the bottom, however, the panels around the headlamp make it look bigger than before.

The bulky looking fuel tank of the FZ has transformed into a slightly sleeker unit, although with the same knee contours and design theme as before. The fuel tank now comes with tank extensions giving it a bigger visual appeal as compared to that on the previous version. The large vertical V-shaped side panel and rear side body panels make the FZi look sharper, with the bike getting new set of split pillion grab rails and split seats this time.

Like in the previous iteration, the tail lamp on the Yamaha FZi is mounted on the rear fender, but now comes with silver finish on its sides, making it look slightly more premium. However, it would have been better if this tail lamp was an LED unit. The rear fender is now longer which helps more in preventing mud splashes at back. The exhaust pipe has become smaller in size, but its busy design helps in retaining the muscular character of the previous generation FZ.

The fully digital instrument console too has gone under a drastic transformation. The unit now looks plainer and clearer to rear, with fully digital readouts for speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and clock. As expected from a Yamaha product, the FZi comes with high-quality body panels and switchgear which have got that built-to-last feel.

All in all, the new Yamaha FZi has managed to restore some novelty factor in the motorcycle, with all the muscular aggression making way for a bit leaner but a sharper looking motorcycle. However, the loss of muscularity and beefiness in the overall design might disappoint some of the loyalists of the FZ series of motorcycles.

Ride & Handling

It is this particular aspect where the Yamaha FZi hasn’t gone under any drastic change. The motorcycle continues to come fitted with 41 mm telescopic forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear, which helps a lot in its directional stability. The FZi continues to handle like a charm, as the case with the previous generation FZ. The overall ride quality hits the perfect sweet spot between outright stiffness and extreme plush feel, and it is this particular aspect which makes the FZ still one of the best commuters to live within urban conditions. The meatier tires at both the ends provide excellent feedback on both straight-line riding as well as riding around corners.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The Yamaha FZ made a big impact in the segment when it came with a 153cc engine on the time of its debut. But with FZi, the bike seems to have taken one step backwards, as Yamaha has reduced the size of this engine to 149cc. Though, this four-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine is the only mill in this segment which is fuel injected and not carbureted, which makes the power delivery smoother than the rest. The peak power output of 13.1 PS and torque output of 12.8 Nm are the least numbers in the category. However, the FZi doesn’t feel underpowered in any way, with the power well spread across the rev range. The engine is coupled to a slick 5-speed gearbox. Like all the Yamaha engines, this particular engine too feels smooth and refined, with minimal vibrations across the rev range.

Braking & Safety

The Yamaha FZi continues with the same braking setup as the previous generation FZ. What this means is the FZi has got a big 276 mm disc brake at the front and a rather conventional 130 mm drum brake at the rear. This particularly is a big setback for the FZi. The overall braking experience is genuinely good, but considering the premium positioning of the FZi, a rear disc brake is a must to have feature on the motorcycle. Also, the lack of ABS further deteriorates its overall packaging.

Verdict

The FZ started the trend of premium 150cc commuters, but this second generation avatar is a sort of minor backstep by Yamaha, both in terms of aesthetics as well as performance. The FZi looks sharper than before, however, it somehow has lost the beefy stance which gave the previous generation model a big bike appeal. The engine too has shrunken in size, which has led to a loss in some of its zippy character, thanks to a more focus on the aspect of fuel efficiency. However, the engine feels lesser vibration-free and more responsive, thanks to the addition of fuel injection technology. It continues to be a feature-rich motorcycle with premium hardware for the segment. The motorcycle shines out brightly in terms of ride and handling, thanks to the sheer brilliance of its chassis.