Yamaha SZ-X : Roadtest

After salvaging its lost glory in India with the gorgeously styled FZ16, India Yamaha Motor has shot back into the limelight with its latest power-commuter 150cc offering, the SZ-X. The 150cc commuter segment is fast gaining popularity wherein the buyer is looking for a stylish and comfortable motorcycle with adequate performance without having to restructure his monthly fuel budget. Having introduced the Indian masses to stylish commuting in the form of the FZ-series, with the SZ-X, Yamaha is bringing the fashionable commuting fundamentals within the reach of a wider audience.

As much as the bike appears brutish and belligerent to look at, the SZ-X comforts the rider with just as much ease once you get astride it. The handlebar-seat-footpeg interplay is intended for the daily city commute and it does a good job at it but at the same time it also offers good comfort levels for occasional highway long hauls. Powering the SZ-X is a 153cc single cylinder air-cooled SOHC motor that pumps out 12.1PS of power at 7,500rpm and an impressive 12.8Nm of torque available low down from 4,500rpm. The torque is distributed from lower revs to augment the mid-range grunt from the engine for crowded city use eliminating the need for frequent gear changes to keep it rev-happy. Power is transmitted to the wheel via a silky smooth 5-speed transmission that offers seamless shifts with precise feedback each time you slot into a cog.

The engine is held in place by a rigid and well-balanced diamond-shaped frame that works flawlessly in tandem with the suspension components. The ride is plush and the suspension is configured for a bump-free ride even on our broken roads. However, the soft suspension takes away a little bit from the sporty handling dynamics, but for that, one always has the option to opt for the FZ16 or the FZ-S! Tipping the scales at 132kg, the low power-to-weight ratio of 91.66PS/tonne not only improves the overall performance of the SZ-X but it also presents the bike with nimbler handling. The only complaint is the lack of a disc brake even as an option and although we understand how a disc brake would have altered the pricing equation we think that is an important safety element Yamaha should in any case offer.

That said, the SZ-X has everything in place for what a power-commuter buyer is looking for in a motorcycle : styling, comfort, power and efficiency. The SZ-X though has its work cut out to take on the true blue power commuter on the market today - the Bajaj Discover 150 DTSi. While the Disco doesn't have the sheer sparkle in its visual makeup, it delights in its delivery which is of a very high order. The Yamaha must best the Bajaj on the performance front which it lacks right now and so this constitutes an interesting race to see whether style and turnout can compensate for drive and efficiency. Well Yamaha has done its best to keep prices pegged low, the SZ-X retailing at Rs. 52,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). The die has been cast and the new 150cc commuter is now out in the open for warfare. Will it get its maker the incremental volumes it desires? Check this space in six months time.