[hillram]

Yes Yamaha !!! It Revs you up.
The early 90s saw an advertisement with,then leading model Anu Kutoor and Top Gun theme played at the background..you got it....The iconic RX100.
Since then the passion towards the tuning fork symbol was part of my life, along with Vespas and today I have a boastful collection of Yamaha Motorcycles.

Every July Yamaha India brings new marvels in the form of 2 wheelers, with their avant garde Blue Core technology. Having owned a pre-owned Yamaha RayZ for an year.
I sold it off and decided to buy a slightly muscular CVT scooter from Yamaha stable.I opted out of a Fascino as it had more feminine lines and was always juxtaposed to beauty pageants.
My obvious choice was the Alpha and I liked only Cocktail White(weird name) color, to my dismay, it lacked disc brake and the freshly launched digital speedometer. Since the color was soothing and my spouse also
could take it for a ride, i saw the ambivalence and decided to go for it.
No Booking..Straight Delivery Experience
Pearl Yamaha is perhaps the biggest Yamaha dealer in Hyderabad with a good set up in many locations around the city. I had good experience for the last 3 years servicing my Fazer and RayZ at their SVC.

A Display of Yamaha Scooters and Motorcycles at the showroom


With Paytm cash back offer in hand, I paid on spot through their app and with in an hour my new Cocktail White Alpha was ready to come along with me to my home...just imagine, 60 minutes to pay-pdi-delivery..
The team at Pearl Yamaha worked like an assembly line, multi tasking, preparing the vehicle and in between the store manager brought up the Service Manager and Service Head to personally introduce to me...
Ain't this Revs your heart..Indeed it does !! The delivery was a sweet experience



User Manual and Service & Warranty are two separate books.




Yamaha Alpha is s 110cc Air-Cooled , 4-Stroke , SOHC , 2-Valve with a dry centrifugal clutch and a V-Belt Automatic transmission scooter, slightly beefed up and light enough to maneuver easily.The BS24 carburetor (im hoping its a Mikuni) with Throttle Positioning System(TPS) and Yamaha’s engine concept idea Blue Core delivers outstanding running performance, excellent fuel efficiency and good emission quality.
The Blue Core technology of Yamaha is shown below, more pertinent to a motorcycle.


What I liked :
- Robust Body and not too beefed up or heavy bulging side panels.
- Cocktail White interspersed with Sea Green decals. Yamaha has become a fan of Cyan color,which is now seen in all their models.
- Telescopic Forks for front suspension. I found the suspension to be little hard when i glided over pot holes and speed breakers.
- Electric and Kick Start Options. The later as an option is a boon, when battery is low.
- Extra Long and Comfortable Seat. Pillion rider gets a comfortable seating.
- Large Grab Rail helps the pillion rider to hold on to something stable.
- Large Under seat Storage (21 Liters)
- Large Foot board helps the feet to be placed comfortable inwards there by the seating position also becomes more relaxed.
- Tubeless Tyres is a standard fitment now in all 2 Wheelers and MRF Zapper is a good tyre to compliment Yamaha 2 wheeler.

What I missed :
- Front Disc Brake
- At least Combi Brakes, if not Disk Brakes
- Digital Console (only available on premium colors)
- 5.2 Liters Fuel Tank is not adequate.

Competition :
Yamaha Alpha falls among the 110cc category, of numerous CVT Scooters from Honda,Suzuki,Hero,TVS and does not enjoy so much of popularity nor road presence. Only a Yamaha owner prefers a Yamaha vehicle IMHO. In fact many people on the road did not believe when I told that this was an Yamaha Scooter !!!
With in Yamaha Scooters, there isn't much competition as the other models namely Rayz and Fascino are catered to select audience.
I would see these scooters associated to the below groups :
Fascino - Purely a ladies scooter with some beautiful curves,chrome mirrors and peppy colors
RayZ - Purely meant for college going youth.
Alpha - Meant for family oriented people, couples who can travel to work together.


Pricing Factor :
Yamaha prices their vehicles were aptly, to appeal to customers of all ages. I dont categorize Yamaha scooters to be a "premium" brand.
Alpha is priced at Rs.52,772 (Drum brake version) ,Rs.56,0329(Disc Brake Version) ex-showroom price and with Rs.4000 cash back from Paytm,
one can strike a good deal.
Side Stand and Foot rest cum saree guard are offered as standard fitment (which other 2 wheeler manufacturers charge) and I have also observed that the accessories are a tad cheaper and affordable.

Yamaha Service :
Yes!Yamaha..I absolutely vouch for Yamaha Service, which is of highest standards.

• Absolute timely reminders / follow-up for Service from CS team.
• Same day delivery after Servicing (very exceptional if they dont)
• Polite Service personnel and Managers who give an estimate before Servicing begins.
• Genuine Yamaha Spare Parts and Oils. Im a fan of Yamalube !!!
• Consistent service levels in other cities - I have serviced my Fazer in Chennai (Habibullah Road SVC)..Chennai service levels are even more better,exemplifying and top notch !!!

My Ownership begins..
Ease to Ride :
Alpha comes with a rightly placed handle bar which makes long rides fatigue less and relaxing.A distance of 800 mm from the foremost point to the grab-bar helps provide added hip area to the tandem rider.
Easy Leg Reach is a new parameter that's being weighed upon CVT Scooters and it not only ensures comfortable seating but also enables easy leg reach to the ground.
The foot board shape has a simplified foot placement area which also makes it easier to reach the ground.
Night rides can be complimented with Handle Mount Headlight , which is a safety feature, as the rider gets better visibility even on turns.
Integrated Indicators into the body are a boon, as they don't protrude out, or are often broken and hanging by their wire !!!
Being a BS4 Scooter, Automatic Headlight On (AHO) feature comes with out asking, but i got a Headlight switch installed.

Engine Smoothness :
Alpha is powered by a newly developed air-cooled 113 cc, four stroke single cylinder engine that delivers smooth start-up acceleration and pickup. Engine hums very silently even in high revs and barely audible when in idling state.

Braking Power :
This variant of Alpha has drum brakes, front and rear. Hence a disc brake is sorely missed, atleast Yamaha should have given Combi Braking to ensure better braking ability.
But the drum brakes are not all that bad as I tried to hit flash sudden brakes from 60 and reached 0 with in seconds with out skidding. But i don't recommend greater speeds on this scooter, certainly not above.MRF Zapper tubeless tyres are good enough for Indian roads.

Fuel Consumption :
Yamaha promises a whopping 66 kmpl..arghh..Im out of my dream. My first empty to fill brought a mileage of 38kmpl, which i reckon is a good beginning and may reach 40-45 kmpl maximum.
This is where a smaller fuel tank of 5.2 liters doesn't help much and invariably,one may have to visit the fuel station frequently.


Service Intervals:

Yamaha gives Service Intervals from 1000km/60days then on every 3000kms.
1000km / 60days > 3000km / 150 days > 6000km / 240 days.......27000km / 870 days > 30000 / 960 Days


Looks & Appeal :
I find Alpha to be in between, sleekness and boxed body, with not too many curves, but refined edges and visible arches. I like the integrated indicators into the body, as I don't like protrusions !!!

Purpose of Buy :
For me, Alpha will serve more and more for household chores (Egg & Bread, Butter pick up), runs to the gym , dropping kid at his school bus stop and occasionally a longer ride to visit a friend. Ample storage(21 Liters) under the seat is good enough to pack a week's long groceries. There is a small space to store tool kit, first aid pack and vehicle documents.

Pillion rider can be comfortable even in case of a longer ride and not too much of power strain. The 110cc engine pulls well up to combined
weight of 180kgs of rider + pillion rider.
In fact Yamaha targets customers who are in search of a scooter which will fulfill the needs of a family, with its concept of "Easy to go and high utility city mover"

Now for a quick round of photo shoot, no glamorous settings, just urban surroundings.






Yours Truly poses with his cocktail

Wishing a safe ride.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the 2-wheelers Section. Thanks for sharing!

[TorqueyTechie]

Congrats Hillram! Nice no-nonsense bike. Love the under seat storage space which is smaller in our Vespa. And to the thought of providing space for documents. Weird placement of the rear brake light though.

Is the wheelbase larger than its competitors? From couple of pics the bike looks lengthier than say Activa.

Also, have you actually changed the filter to K&N or is it just stickered?

[hillram]

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

Congrats Hillram! Nice no-nonsense bike. Love the under seat storage space which is smaller in our Vespa. And to the thought of providing space for documents. Weird placement of the rear brake light though.

Is the wheelbase larger than its competitors? From couple of pics the bike looks lengthier than say Activa.

Also, have you actually changed the filter to K&N or is it just stickered?

Thanks for your wishes.
Indeed, Alpha is a little longer than Activa.
Infact, the rear portion with inconspicuous tail light and just indicators, was looking very bland. I added a Yamaha Logo 3D Decal and Alpha decal just to spruce up the rear !!!
K&N Filter as of now is a sticker, but once the warranty is done, I will try one.

[hillram]

We took delivery of another Alpha today with in our family.The deal was similar to mine and was sweetened by complete free accessories fitted to the vehicle.
This is too is like mine, a drum brake Alpha in Blooming Red.

[hillram]

2 Months of ownership completed, hence it was time for 1st Free Service.
As they say "Free" Service, they dont charge only labour, but rest of the parts and consumables are to be paid.
During 1st Service included, Engine oil Change and Gear Oil change(never heard of gear oil change in 1st service for CVT) and a good water wash.
I was presented a bill for :
Engine oil : 295.00 (Yamalube Prime)
Gear Oil : 53.00
GST : 62.00
Yamalube Optima 10W40MB is specially manufactured by Yamaha for their scooters (Alpha,Fascino,RayZ). which is a 4 Stroke Motor Oil formulated to provide enhanced performance. It contains a friction modifier Molybdenum (Mb)which results in lower viscosity to suit dry clutch engine requirement.

I also got a new Alpha stamped Seat Cover, which wasn't available during delivery , ofc of no cost.

As usual Yamaha service levels have been impeccable as they completed the whole service in 90 minutes and handed over the vehicle to me fully washed and polished. Feedback was through a automated IVR with a Chatbot actually pronouncing my name fluently and correctly !!!
Some pics as i rode out of the service centre on my way home



Post Service Report :
- Engine is much smoother and literally noise level has come down
- Mileage has improved to 42kmpl
Yamaha keeps my heart revving !!!

[hillram]

Flyscreen Added
It was time for just not aesthetic upliftment, but also functionally useful..Flyscreen.
Again, I spent lot of online research and found an easy option which didnt burn my pocket and also fitted with very minimal alteration.









Happy Motoring !!!!

[hillram]

2nd / 3rd Service 1000 kms
As expected I didnt get any reminder for 2nd Service which was delayed by 2 months and after a complaint to Yamaha India, I was called for clubbed 2nd and 3rd Service which was just an oil change and a water wash. Cost of Service Rs.306 (for just Yamalube)


I have been enjoying an ultra smooth ride on my Alpha since my purchase which means..no regrets and shows the reliability of Yamaha Scooters.

Some Highlights
- Smooth and Powerful Pick up.
- Rock Steady at high speeds of 60KM +
- Good Braking and adequate inertia.
- Decent Fuel Economy of 45kmpl.
- Ideal city scooter for running errands.

Some Low Lights
- Smaller Fuel Tank capacity is a hinderance. Need to visit fuel station more
- No road presence or brand recognition. People stare with rare questions.
- Poor Service standards of Pearl Yamaha till date.
- Considerably lower resale price compared to Activa & Jupiter.

Happy Motoring

[hillram]

Towards end of December 2018, My Alpha got a new company as I added a Fascino to my Yamaha fleet, sheer for it curvy looks. Both stand togather now..