A necessary emissions update has been bundled with a number of other improvements. Here’s how much of an effect they’ve had.
Published on Oct 01, 2023 07:00:00 AM
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Earlier this year, the new BS6.2 emissions norms kicked in. These changes mostly pertain to the refinement of the on-board diagnostics (OBD) system on vehicles, meaning that in most cases, these are subtle under-the-surface changes that had little to no impact on end-user experience. In the case of Yezdi, though, the company took the opportunity to bundle this emissions update with some more meaningful changes, delivering a genuine improvement.
We’ve ridden the updated Adventure and Scrambler models, which feature improvements to the engine, drivetrain and electronics. More specifically, Yezdi has reworked engine internals, including the piston, crankshaft, cylinder block and exhaust ports, to deliver better NVH levels. The ignition system and engine mapping have also been revised to offer better low-end performance, and finally, there’s a larger rear sprocket to aid tractability.
In short, the changes have produced the desired results to a decent extent. There is a marked improvement in engine refinement, which is something that was sorely required for this motor. That said, since the baseline wasn’t set very high, even after these improvements, this isn’t the smoothest engine out there and does come across as slightly thrashy in the higher reaches of the tachometer. State-of-tune and engine mounting in the different chassis also seems to play a part, because the Scrambler felt a little smoother than the Adventure.
When we first rode these Yezdis last year, they displayed a very strong tendency to stall at low speeds. The new mapping and the larger sprocket seem to have helped with this to some extent – the updated bikes still stall a little more easily than we’d like, but it’s a less frequent occurrence than it used to be. Last year, we also experienced a very unsteady idle on the Scrambler, especially during cold starts, and this issue doesn’t seem to be present anymore.
Despite the slightly improved tractability, this is not an engine that enjoys chugging along at low RPMs, and it’s best kept in the mid-range if you want to make quick, smooth progress. One change that isn’t so welcome here is the new exhaust wrap. It’s rather shabbily executed, with an inconsistent tightness around the exhaust pipes, and we found the wrap already beginning to fray in some spots at the end of our time with these bikes. It also tends to absorb water when parked in the rain and then the bike steams for quite some time when you first start it up, as all the absorbed water boils off.
Aside from these updates, both bikes maintain their characters to a great extent. In the case of the handsome Scrambler, you see the potential for a reasonably fun and capable machine, but this fails to materialise because of the very firm suspension setup, especially for the rear shocks. Ride quality is still rather uncomfortable, especially in a city like Mumbai where the roads are quite terrible. Sadly, it’s still severe enough to pretty much be a deal-breaker for the Scrambler.
The Adventure is much better, delivering a softer and more comfortable ride that remains composed until you push hard in corners, at which point you will feel a mild weave and a slight disconnect between the front and rear ends. It still makes for a great all-rounder – quick and capable on tarmac, and the slightly better tractability and stall resistance also make it a little easier off-road. It does a decent job of masking its weight on the move. However, it does seem to have a slightly shorter seat-to-peg distance than the Scrambler, which you feel when riding the bikes back-to-back. This could be uncomfortable for taller riders over long distances.
Instrumentation is also an area that could be improved. On the Scrambler, the lack of brightness and contrast combined with the angle of the display makes it extremely difficult to read under direct sunlight. On the Adventure, the better mounting angle helps readability, but there is a lot of blank space on the large rectangular pod, which isn’t very pleasing to look at. Yezdi would also do well to improve quality and finish levels – aside from the scruffy exhaust wrap, the Scrambler’s accessory headlight grille had lost paint and was beginning to rust in spots. Its fuel cap also refused to open and freely rotated in place.
With the Scrambler costing Rs 2.10 lakh-2.12 lakh and the Adventure coming in at Rs 2.16 lakh-2.20 lakh, prices have gone up by between Rs 2,000 and 5,000, which is more than acceptable considering the updates on offer here, and as a result, these two continue to be reasonably well-priced motorcycles. But this is a space that is increasingly becoming more fiercely competitive and although these Yezdis have made small improvements, they still come across as a little rough around the edges. That has become even more apparent given how much higher Bajaj and Triumph have set the bar for not a lot more money.
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