Limited edition FZ16 photos

As mentioned earlier about the Limited Edition Yamahas, we finally get our hands on the photos of the new limited edition FZ16!

Special thanks to our reader, Aditya Nath for the pictures!!

'Yamaha Performance Kit' Prices Announced!

The Yamaha performance parts that have been creating so much buzz have finally been valued! The prices are as follows:

The ex- showroom price of Muffler Kit (For FZ16 and R15) is Rs. 16,000 /- .

This kit includes

a) Racing Exhaust System
b) Exhaust Pipe
c) Bracket Kit Exhaust

The ex- showroom price of Engine Kit (For R15) is Rs. 31,000 /- . This kit includes
a) ECU
b) Cam Shift
c) Muffler Kit

The ex-showroom price of Body kit (For FZ16 and R15) is Rs. 20,000/- . This kit includes

a) Brake Caliper Bracket
b) Brake Disc
c) Brake Hose Front
d) Brake Hose Rear
e) Front Brake Master Cylinder
f) Step Plate

The Yamaha Fazer 250 story - more information

The question that everyone's been asking after reading about the possible launch of the Fazer 250 on Motoroids is when exactly are they going to introduce it. Well, the 10th Auto Expo is just around the corner, and there cannot be a better platform for the Japanese company to launch the big bike. They'll also showcase what they have in store for the coming years for India.

The Fazer is selling well for Yamaha India with a waiting period of well over 30 days. If a well-styled 150, priced so optimistically can sell so well, we don't think the blokes at Yamaha will have much problem introducing a bigger engine in the same bike for a higher price. And a well styled half-faired bike, with a fuel injected 250cc torquey single, priced in the region of Rs 1 lakh sounds like the perfect offering for someone who wants an all-rounder. FI would mean that the bike won't go breathless, be it while scaling the altitudes of the Himalayas, or while cruising through the highways at sea level - a virtue that's perfect for touring. The well-sorted dynamics and wide rubber on the Fazer would mean that it'll be a great corner carver for the weekends as well.

Yamaha are also planning to increase sales in the 100cc segment as nothing below the Gladiator is moving out of the showrooms. Yamaha are looking very keenly at the scooter segment as well. We have a fair idea of what exactly they want to do in those two segments. Stay tuned for the updates..

Click here for the first part of the Yamaha story about the Fazer 250

Click here to read about Yamaha India's scooter strategy for India.

Visit www.motoroids.com to download India's first bike e-magazine, absolutely free!

Scoop! Yamaha mulling the Fazer 250 for India

We all know that Yamaha sells the Fazer 250 in the international market. And we were as disappointed as all of you when the Fazer was launched in India with the small 150cc powerplant of the FZ16. Well, it seems all of us have a reason to cheer, as we've heard reports that Yamaha is seriously considering equipping the bike with a bigger 250cc mill. Our sources have told us that the bike with the bigger, single cylinder 250cc fuel-injected engine is currently at ARAI, undergoing testing, probably even homologation.

The Fazer's chassis, suspension and other cycle parts are strong enough to take the bigger engine, and adding a 250 single to the package with a price tag of close to 1 lakh will make the project sufficiently feasible for Yamaha India. At that price, there will be quite a few takers for the bike as well to generate the requisite volumes for the Japanese bikemaker.

The recently launched Fazer is touted as a touring bike by Yamaha, and the bigger engine will actually endow it with the biggest virtue of a touring bike - bucketloads of torque. The fuel injected single cylinder engine produces roughly 22PS at 7500 rpm. Even after being detuned for the inferior quality Indian fuel, we can expect a healthy peak power output of 20PS, which would probably make the Fazer the fastest production bike in the country. But the more important thing is 20Nm of peak torque that'll make the Fazer a potent tourer with its strong mid-range surge and weight lugging capabilities. Both FZ 16 and the current Fazer are bikes with well-sorted dynamics. A few alterations with the position of the handlebar and footpegs should make the them competent corner carvers as well.

We think Yamaha will make subtle changes to the design of the current FZ and Fazer when they introduce the bigger version. The FZ would still be a streetfighter and the Fazer would be a half-faired machine, but there would be distinguishing elements to make the bigger machines stand out. Yamaha India have a medium-term strategy of introducing a new bike every six months. The new launches will be in line with the strategy. Either the FZ or the Fazer 250 will be launched first, followed by the bigger engined version of the other bike.

We have plenty of dope on Yamaha's other plans for India as well. Click here for the second part of the story..

Click here to read about Yamaha India's scooter strategy for India.

Visit www.motoroids.com to download India's first ever bike magazine - absolutely free!

VDO: Burnout gone bad

Here's a clip of a long burnout going bad as one of the bikes - a Yamaha Thunderace 1000 EXUP bursts into flames. The other machine, a Gixxer, feels some of the heat too! Kids - DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME OR OUTDOORS OR WHERE EVER!

BMW to take Japanese bike manufacturers head on

In a recent development, some highly placed BMW Motorrad officials have stated that they are not going to be content in being a niche player anymore, and that they want to take the Japanese Big Four head on in the international superbike arena. BMW is planning to price their S1000RR superbike bang in the price range of the 2010 Yamaha R1 to give the hot selling Japanese bike a good run for its money. The company is also injecting fresh, young blood in its marketing setup to connect better with the new generation. We see an interesting battle of SBKs brewing up. It's going to be fun!

Visit www.motoroids.com to download India's first bike e-magazine. Absolutely free!

Yamaha MotoGP bikes now as powerful as the Ducatis - says Rossi

Valentino Rossi thinks that the performance of his MotoGP YZR-M1 engine is at par with the Ducatis now. The Ducatis have been having a massive advantage over their Japanese rivals in terms of straight line performance ever since the 800cc bikes were introduced in 2007.

While the previous season was a bit of a struggle for Yamaha, this year the Rossi-Lorezo duo of the Japanese firm have managed to win six out of ten races. Rossi says that the Yamaha team has become very strong this season. The key reason for that, according to Rossi was largely down to Yamaha making big improvements to the power delivery and acceleration of this year’s YZR-M1.

The eight-times world champion told UK based MCN "We have improved the engine a lot but we have really made big progress with improving the acceleration. It looks like the Ducati might still be a little bit faster, but we are more or less on the same level. Last year was different, and especially two years ago it was a lot different."

2010 models coming thru: Yamaha Vmax

The 2010 Vmax has no technical upgrades what so ever. So the only difference comes in the form of a new paint scheme - a combination of Silver and metallic red. Click on the image below for more wallpapers of the 2010 Yamaha Vmax:

Valentino Rossi / 2009 R1

Here's a new advertisement featuring the MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi and the 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1:

VDO: Valentino Rossi / 2009 R1

Here's a new advertisement featuring the MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi and the 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1:

Yamaha India launches the FZ16

The wait for India's most radical street bike is over! Yamaha India has finally unveiled the FZ16 at an ex-showroom price of 65,000. The specs are similar to what we revealed to earlier. Our contributor Rash will give you a first ride report soon...

Till then visit Yamaha's webiste for more info HERE.

Complete Specs HERE.

VDO: 2K9 Yamaha R1 Commercial

2009 Yamaha middleweights

Yesterday we revealed the 2009 YZF-R1 to all our readers. But for people who prefer the smaller, more agile 600cc bikes, Yamaha has not one but two bikes on offer. Though not heading for India, they are still a treat for the eyes. The YZF-R6 gets new colors schemes - the Halloween inspired orange-black looks the best according to me. But the schemes are no where close to the kick-ass jobs on the 2009 Honda CBRs.

For starters and learners, Yamaha has launched the FZ6R. Apart from the 'F-Z-6' letters and number, the bike doesn't share anything else with the FZ6 street bike. It uses a detuned version of the old R6 motor and mates it to a new chassis design and a low seating - making it an ideal choice for newbies and female riders. The bike boasts of killer paint schemes and comes at a price much cheaper than Yam's flagship R6.

For more pics of the YZF-R6, CLICK HERE

For more pics of the FZ6R, CLICK HERE

Technical Specs of the R6 and FZ6R, CLICK HERE

2009 R1 Unveiled!

Yamaha has unveiled the 2009 YZF-R1 and for people who expected a stunner of a looker - well

 you be disappointed! The bike has traded the 'high-beam' headlight units of the 2008 R1 for an air-intake and hence the only units providing illumination are the Projection Beams. Yamaha has also incorporated a host of new engineering to make the ride smoother and have a much better power delivery. Unlike its predecessor, the 2009 R1's console is much larger and incorporates a larger multi-information display as well. Building 

further on the YCC-T platrom, Yamaha now has three rider modes as well - A and B. The “A” mode lets the rider enjoy sportier engine response in the low- to mid-speed range, and the “B” mode offers response that is somewhat less sharp response for riding situations that require especially sensitive throttle operation. 

Unlike the competition, Yamaha has maintained the underseat

 exhausts and a redesigned tail-light. Expect this bike to be quiter than the earlier models, unfortunately because of all the stringent emission norms. The R1 is launched at a premium for 12500$. At 215kg, the bike is still heavier than arch-rival Fireblade, but only the full blown track tests will show what the bike is worth.

For more images, CLICK HERE

For Technical Specifications, CLICK HERE

Yamaha's sledge-hammer on Indian Motorsport

The  Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the National Sports Federation recognized by the Government of India and the International Federation viz. Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), has today announced that the Yamaha YZF-R15 has been homologated for motorsport purposes in India. The Technical Data Form has been approved and this gives racers to the permission to use the R15 the National Championship Motorsport events. With the R15 already proving its mettle has a potent track tool, this motorsport homologation comes in as a great threat for competitiors of the 150cc segment category.

It finally looks like Indian Motorsport is now heading in a positive direction - all we need are more race tracks... 

R15 Championship

Yamaha India has gone all out with its R15. As is visible, Yamaha is heading back to its image of being a performance brand and its latest offerings have highlighted the fact. To emphasize further, Yam have announced the commencement of the 'R15 Championship' which allows owners of the permium bike to experiecne the power and handling on the place where it belongs - the race track. With the first race starting this weekend (6-7th September), Yamaha plans to organise similar events every month. The championship winner will get prizes worth 1 lakh INR apart from the thrill and excitement of the racetrack. The first event will be held at Irungattukottai Race Track at Chennai.

External Links:

Madras Motorsport Association

Yamaha India Website

More FZ16 details

100 Octane brings you more info on the soon to be launched FZ16.

Here they are:

Engine:

Engine: 153.7 CC four-stroke, air-cooled, single-cylinder, 2 valves, SOHC

ESTIMATED Power: 15PS @ 8,400 RPM

Gearbox: 5-speed

Fuel System: 26mm CV Carb

Wheels, Tyres and Brakes:

Wheels (F/R): 5-spoke 17" die-cast alloys

Tyres(F/R): 100/60-R17, 140-60-R17

Brakes(F/R): 267mm single cross-drilled ventilated rotor with 2-pot calipers / 130mm drum

Suspension:

Front: 41mm Telescopic Forks

Rear: Monocross type

Electricals:

Headlight: 12V 35W Halogen with Multifocal Reflector

Exhaust System:

Mid Ship type, side mounted

Tank:

Construction: 3-piece

Capacity: 13 litres

Additional info:

1. Fully digital console with digital readout for RPM, Speed, Trip and Odo.

2. YTPS: Yamaha Throttle Position Sensor, for better throttle response and fuel efficiency

Expected price:

Rs. 70,000 ex-showroom

R15: the bike that will help biking

Ever since its launch on the 11^th of June 2008, the R15 has been a target of appreciation as well by criticism all across the biking community. The appreciation has been for all the appropriate reasons, but the criticism is something that needs clarification. Here's my take...

CLICK HERE to read the full story!

FZ150 Pricing Revealed

According to sources close to Yamaha, 100 Octane has learnt that the ex-showroom pricing for the Yamaha FZ150 is close 90,000. The high quality of materials and the expensive DIASIL 150cc engine are responsible for the high price. More info soon...

The R15 to get a new color

Yamaha India will launch a new color for their R15 flagship model in the next couple of weeks. The combination is Cherry Red and Matte Black. Essentially, the entire body will be in Cherry Red while the side floating panels will be Matte Black, similar to the ones on the Black colored variant. The combination is similar to the 2007 model year YZF R1.