2017 Yamaha FZ25 review, test ride

India’s appetite for higher displacement motorcycles is growing, and manufacturers are responding to that briskly. The latest to go down that path is Yamaha, with its new naked streetfighter, the FZ25. The FZ25 plays big brother to the nearly-decade-old FZ16, and as such, retains the latter’s core characteristics but presents them in a bigger form. Yamaha intends it to be an upgrade model for existing FZ16 owners more than anything and claims that the bike has been tailored for urban conditions. We’re in Goa, and we have just run it up and down sunny Goan roads to see how well this claim pans out.

Even a quick glance at the FZ25 will confirm that it belongs to the FZ family. It has that same muscular, hunkered-down ready-to-pounce design that won the FZ16 so much favour, though there is a definite maturity to it. It looks beefier than its younger sibling and its sharp, low-positioned headlight (with daytime running lights) will strike an impression on viewers. However, it doesn’t command spectacular road presence.

Under the sculpted fuel tank sits a 249cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled four-stroke engine with SOHC and two valves, which pushes out 20.9hp at 8,000rpm and 20Nm of peak torque at 6,000rpm. On paper, we found the power figure to be slightly low. However, the FZ25’s power is delivered smoothly, predictably and in a linear manner. The engine’s character instantly reminds you of the smaller FZ16’s engine characteristics. The torque delivery is quite satisfactory, ensuring good performance in the urban crawl. What we particularly liked was the throttle response – a slight twist of the wrist and there is an almost immediate response from the engine. This unit is mated to a five-speed gearbox that shifts crisply and precisely. Engine refinement levels are up to Yamaha’s mark and claimed fuel efficiency, at 43kpl, is good.

The suspension setup consists of 41mm telescopic forks up front and a monoshock at the rear. It is a slightly stiff setup, so bumps and lumps at higher speeds aren’t particularly absorbed well, but on the flipside, the lolloping on undulating surfaces is lesser too.