Yamaha FZ-25. Is the New BS6 version better?

The FZ(S) 25 "Lord of Adventure", the elder sibling of the FZS "Lord of the Streets"

Source: https://www.yamaha-motor-india.com/yamaha-fzs25-fz25-bs6.html

The outgoing FZ25 

The new headlight and the "long" visor.

The first Yamaha FZ25 was launched in 2017 with a price tag of ₹ 1.19 lakhs. Back then it was a pretty good offer at that price point. The styling of the bike was very well done. So well done, that it looks better than the new model! The new model doesn’t change many things except the headlight and a few bs6 compatibility tweaks. The outgoing model was last priced ₹1.6 lakhs on-road. The fans of this motorcycle have been asking for a 6th gear since long, but it’s very difficult for the company, because then, they’d have to redesign the engine as a whole. I had expected Yamaha to do that, but it seems they think that they can increase sales just by changing the looks on the front. I think that this thought must have been derived from the sales graph of the MT-15. They proudly claimed to have added a windscreen and new colors for the new model. The headlight is all LED with a mono projector in the center. The mileage was also pretty good about 40 km/l. But on the highway, 100 km/h could cost you a mileage of 35 or a little less. Being a naked bike, the seating is comfortable and wide, good for touring. Yamaha has said:
 “Long Visor- A stylish crown to the front face, it helps minimize wind blast and protects you from oncoming foreign bodies like gravel, dust, insects etc. when you are tearing down the highway.”

It’s funny because : 1) The visor is not big enough, just a “crown” as they mention and;
2) It still isn’t useful against wind blasts, it’s definitely better than the predecessor but still not fully capable of doing what its supposed to do.

Yep they seriously put this on their website.

"Side-stand with Engine cut-off switch"
That's it boys we've done it, we're in the future NOW!

I mean look at their website for this motorcycle. They are advertising stuff like “side-stand with engine cut-off switch”. Bikes like Dominar had that already. They are advertising stuff like “aggressive colors” , “muffler cover”, and “140mm wide tyre”, “dual channel abs” and “ Golden wheels”. I mean seriously? Might as well tell us that the engine is made of metal, and tyres are made of rubber, hell, even say that you’re giving free set of wheels with the body. Features like Daytime running lights and abs have become compulsory with the new norms. And they want to expect sales in a market where the 250cc segment already has competition like Husqvarna, CBR250R, Dominar 250, and the duke as well! The Husqvarna twins offer so much more for just a little more. Even the R15v3 might be a better choice than this.



There are two models offered : FZ 25 and FZ S 25.

Colors available in FZ 25 variant:
 Metallic Black, and Racing blue.


Colors offered in FZS 25 variant: Patina Green, White-Vermillion, Dark Matt Blue.
 

Pros:

1) Good looks.
2) Wallet-friendly fuel economy .
3) Comfortable seating position.
4) Light-weight and flickable.
5) Well-refined.

Cons:

1) Old design, with no major changes other than headlights
2) Lacks Juice above 100 km/h.
3) Highway mileage can be lower than city if you cruise at 90-100 or above.
4) The power figures are lower than the competition
5) Due to low power, the “fun” factor takes a dent.

The last point in the cons might be a little debatable. After seeing a few drag races with the R15, you realise that the torque is good and better than the R15 but the top speed isn’t. The FZ just struggles after 110 or 120 km/h. It is overall a good motorcycle, but not enough to justify it’s price point. If, somehow, Yamaha manages to keep the on-road price of this motorcycle below ₹1.5 lakhs, then it would be a success. Otherwise, in my opinion, it’s not quite worth it. Many people have used this motorcycle for long tours and they do have a good opinion of this bike. However, the others in the competition are simply better. The CBR, KTM Duke, Husqvarnas, all have rev happy engines. The Dominar 250 is a better choice. I would also go so far as to say that price-point wise, the Royal Enfield Thunderbird is better due to a better torque figure and the unique, vintage nature of the engine.

Conclusion

The motorcycle as a creation is excellent. The looks are certainly attractive, the refinement is also at a good level. But, in the end, this is not 2017, where features like DRL, ABS, and a negative LCD instrument cluster would attract buyers. This is 2020, the year where the people of past had predicted that we would have already had reached mars! We would have flying cars and stuff. We do have that technology. Similarly, Yamaha could have made this better, but no, instead they just made a little redesign and have decided to use marketing and looks alone to get buyers. They may also get buyers! And it’s not a bad thing. I also don’t want to not encourage you to buy this, I have just laid bare the facts. Still, if you find your mind set on this bike, I will encourage you to get it. After all, it’s not a bad bike. No regrets is the key to happiness. You don’t want to be in a situation where you not look back at the bike after parking it!

Specifications of FZ 25:

Engine type: Air cooled, 4-stroke,SOHC, 2-valve

Displacement: 249cc

Bore & stroke: 74.0x58.0mm

Compression ratio: 9.8:1

Maximum power: 20.8PS/ 8000rpm

Maximum torque: 20.1N.m/6000rpm

Fuel system: Fuel injection

Starting system type: Electric starter

Transmission type: Constant mesh,5-speed

Clutch type: Wet,multiple disc