[Samba]

Background-

Bought a Honda Unicorn in 2005. Mine was the first bike delivered in Kolkata with a self start. Did more than 50 long rides on the Unicorn.



But to my bad luck after 3 years of using the bike as my primary mode of transport i started having shoulder pain. So bought a Maruti Alto in 2008 and sent back my Unicorn to Kolkata and eventually sold it off after a year or so. That time i used to stay in Bangalore. After using the car for a couple of years i somewhere felt, i should buy a bike again but will ride it occasionally.

In 2010 i bought a black Karizma R with red alloy wheels. I was really happy with the bike. In 2011 i shifted back to Kolkata permanently and i brought the bike with me to Kolkata.
From 2010 to 2017 the bike was used sparingly. The bike performed flawlessly over these 7 years. I never thought of upgrading this bike. But i always had a soft corner for Yamaha. Back in 2010 i looked at the R15 too but its seating position was not very suitable for my back pain. Fz16 was launched at that time and i used to check the net whether Yamaha will bring the Fazer 250 to India or not!

A pic from November 2017


Fast forward to 2017. Yamaha launched the FZ25 in January and i saw the bike in flesh in October. My friend owns a Yamaha showroom. I took a test ride and i liked it. That day i didn't even bothered to upgrade my bike. One fine afternoon i was simply chatting with my wife and mom and i impulsively told them i want to buy the Yamaha FZ25 and sell my Karizma! Both of them agreed! I told my dad about the decision and he agreed instantly too! That evening i whats'appd Team Bhpian Sheel for few details about the FZ25 since he use a FZ25. He gave me a thumbs up to go ahead with the bike.

The very next day i took another test ride and i paid the full amount. It was an impulsive buy. Even this bike will be used sparingly ! The booking date was 29th November. My friend had a black FZ25 in stock but he told me on 30th November he will receive a new stock and he will give me a bike from that stock. I was happy. In the mean time i had 4 customers ready for my Karizma! I gave it to one of my friend whom i sold my Unicorn too!

On 30th November morning i received the image of my bike, just after it was unloaded from the truck!



I decoded the VIN and it was manufactured in November 2017 !

A reference pic on how to decode the Vin no for Fz25



After the temporary registration and the insurance were done, i took delivery of the bike on 6th December.

[Samba]

Pros-

1) Looks, the bike actually looks better on road than in pics.

2) Excellent low end and mid range pull. Can give any bike in its segment a run for its money. 20NM of torque is available at as low as 6000 rpm.

3) Engine is very refined. No unwanted vibration's on handle bar or foot-peg. I love the engine sound when revved.

4) Fuel efficient. Being a 250cc it gives a mileage of 35+ with pillion.

5) Comfortable for long rides. Pillion comfort is good too.

6) Handling is really good.

7) Efficient brakes.

8) All Led headlamp and tail lamp.

9) 14 L fuel tank gives a very good range.

10) Fit and finish is flawless. The paint finishing is awesome too.

11) Light weight. The kerb weight is 148 kg. Its very easy to maneuver in city traffic, plus easy to park and push the bike, if required in odd situations.

12) Yamaha bikes have a reputation of being reliable.

Cons-

1) 20.6bhp for a 250cc bike is very mediocre.

2) The instrument cluster is very basic. At least would have preferred the clock display to be constant. Plus no gear or side stand indicator.

3) The absence of a 6th cog is felt on the highway.

4) The top speed is not very promising compared to other 250cc bikes.

5) Being a naked bike there is a fair amount of wind resistance at higher speed. For more highway riding the Fazer25 should be a better option.

6) Though Led, the headlamps could have been more powerful.

7) I felt the coverage area of the mirrors to be a tad less.

8) Stock rear tyre has horrible grip on mud/slush. No complaints on tarmac.

9) No ABS available even as an option.

10) Only three color option's available- White, blue and black.

Who are the target customer of this bike?

If you are in need for an all rounder, this bike is for you. This bike can do the duty of going to the grocery shop to your daily commute to office to Sunday morning breakfast rides to long trip to the mountains or anywhere.

Your mom or wife wearing a saree can seat comfortably on the rear seat. Your girl friend wearing jeans wont complaint either.

For daily commute if you look for a decent mileage and a good range for long trips you will get that too.

If you are a corner craver it wont disappoint either. Infact you will love it.

If you are looking for some spirited riding in city or highway, you will be satisfied with its performance.

If you are on low budget and looking for a fun to ride 250cc bike, its the cheapest one available at less than 1.50L on road.

Who should not buy this bike?

You are looking for a cruising speed of above 120km/hr or looking for a top end speed beyond 140km/hr, this bike is not for you. The Bajaj Dominar or Duke 390 will be a better bet.

You like to go off road or ride in slush or muddy terrain, the stock tyre needs to be replaced.

You often hit the track. R15, RC200/390 or the Apache 310 will be better anyday.

You are looking for a jazzy looking bike which will be a head turner every where, this bike is not for you. Many people confuse the FZ25 with its 150cc sibling.

[Samba]

Looks

At the beginning i was confused between the Fazer 25 and the FZ25. The Fazer had a fairing so it should have less wind resistance and a slightly better top end. But looking at the black FZ25 i fell in love with its look, so went ahead with the FZ25. I really like its stance from every angle.
Liking the looks of Fz25 is absolutely my personal opinion and it may vary from person to person. I have seen people noticing this bike on road!

Pics of the bike from different angles-

The head on view.

Yamaha provided the leg guard as an accessory.



May be the only 250cc bike with a center stand.







The rear view







The side profile







Both are black & both are new to this world!



The three quarter view

[Samba]

The instrument cluster

Yamaha provided a very basic instrument cluster. But it do provide all the necessary information's.
A gear indicator or a side stand indicator could have been a good addition.
The digital speedometer starts from 5 km/hr once the bike is in motion. It do not show up 1/2/3/4 km/hr. While stopping its the same too. It goes to 0 from 5! I found it a bit funny!

At the start up the whole instrument cluster gets alive-



The total odometer reading-



Trip meter 1-



Trip meter 2-



Instant fuel average-



Total fuel average, until its reset-



Clock-



The switch gears

The quality of the switch's are good and feels durable. They are not back lit or has anything fancy but do their job nicely.

The head lamp switch is missing as its a BS4 complaint bike. Yamaha has nicely module'd the console rather than leaving a blank spot for the head light switch.




The pass light switch is not conventionally placed. It took me some time to get used to.



Rear view mirrors

The rear view mirrors look good but i would have preferred it more at the edge of the handle bar. 30% of it covers the hand of the rider or pillion even after adjustment. I have to move my head and check the vehicles behind me for the blind spot it creates. Another problem is the mirror vibrates after a certain speed but no vibration can be felt on the handle bar. I have heard changing the stock FZ25 mirrors with the mirrors from KTM or Pulsar 135 is sorting the issue. Am yet to check that.



Storage place

The storage place is at premium. Once we open the rear seat the First Aid kit and the Tool box occupy most of the place. So to carry the bike papers we have to either squeeze it some how inside the belt provided under the pillion seat or place it flat under the seat. Surely the papers will get crunched.

The opening and putting back the rear seat is very easy and smooth.
The key hole is placed here-



Storage place under the seat- Notice those open wires. So be careful on placing anything over there. It should not fiddle with the wires.



Fuel tank Cap

The fuel tank cap has a nice finishing. Opening it is easy, while closing we have to turn the key and put it back with a little pressure.

[Samba]

Headlight

Its one of the most talked and controversial topic of the FZ25.

I have tested it for a fair bit. The light is not bad. For city its adequate. The low beam is any day better than the bikes coming with 35 watt bulbs. Its infact better than a 55/60 watt bulb. The throw of the low beam is good. The intensity of the light could have been better.

The high beam has a good reach but the throw of the light is very linear. I have seen if i toggle between high-beam and low-beam to attract the attention of the driver driving ahead of me, most of the time the driver fails to notice it. The beam is so linear, it hardly hits the orvm of the car moving ahead. One has to intentionally direct it.

On the highway in normal condition with the high-beam on, exceeding 80km/hr can get risky. Because of the too linear throw it gets difficult to judge if any one is jumping off the median or some one is approaching the road from the side.

If one is into touring or rides more on the highways at night, putting an auxiliary light is recommended.

The look of the head lamp cluster-


With the low beam on-


With the high beam on-


The throw of the light at night.

Low beam-


High beam-



Horn

The Fz25 comes with a single horn. The sound is sharp and adequate for city usage. Out on the highways, to grab the attention of the trucks/buses, it can be inadequate.

[Samba]

Engine & gear box

Yamaha named this engine technology as 'Blue core'. They claim this engine to have lesser friction and light weight. Its a 249 cc engine which produces 20.6Bhp at 8000 rpm and 20Nm torque at 6000 rpm. Its Bs4 compatible.



Its not a liquid cooled engine, its an oil cooled engine. But have ridden in city traffic and highways both, the heat generated from the engine is negligible and one do not feel the heat.



The low & mid range torque is very impressive. The bike pulls really fast from the very beginning. It touches 60 km/hr below 4 seconds and can hit 100km/hr below 9 seconds. The low end torque and the short gear ratio's resulted in an impressive low and mid range pull. It can put a grin to anyone's face. For city riding its a fast bike.

For highways its fine, if one is not looking to cruise above 120km/hr. The bike reaches 120km/hr really fast but the progress after that gets slow. Post 130km/hr it takes time to build speed and it maxes out at around 140km/hr mark or may be a little more. 100km/hr comes up at around 6,200 rpm and the engine feels relaxed at that rpm. There is no unwanted vibration. Once can cruise all day at speeds between 110-120km/hr without any stress or fatigue. The motor is very well refined. The exhaust note is bassy. I just love the sound of this engine.

The dip stick is also conveniently placed, so checking the engine oil level or doing a DIY engine oil change can be easy. The drain nut is also conveniently placed. Without oil filter change, the engine oil required is 1.35L & with oil filter change its 1.45L. Company prescribed engine oil grade is 10W40



From the very beginning i felt the gear shifting to be smooth and precise. Finding the neutral is easy too.
I felt the clutch to be a bit harder in comparison to my old KarizmaR but no complaints on this, though a bit more softer clutch would have been more welcome.

Tyres

The bike comes with 100/80-17/c 52p MRF Zapper fx1 in front and 140/70-17m/c 66s MRF/ nylogrip Zapper - s2 in rear.

The performance of these tyres are good in tarmac, it handles loose pebble or wet roads pretty well too but pathetic on mud/slush. These are sort of flat profile tyres, so leaning on a curve gets a bit hampered due to it.

Ride & Handling

The wheel base is a short 1360 mm with a ground clearance of 160mm. The seat height is 795mm. Being 5 feet 10 inch i can get both my legs easily to the ground. With a short wheel base, backed up by a low turning radius of 2.5m and a light weight of 148 kg its quite nimble and easy to ride on congested roads, where as the bike do not lose it composure on the highways either.

The mono shock is 4 stage adjustable to higher or lower the ride height. For me the stock adjustment was just perfect.



The seating position is more or less upright and comfortable for touring.

A reference pic for the seating position-


The pillion seat is tad higher than the riding seat and its fairly comfortable. After riding for 160 km+ at a stretch, the comment from my pillion rider was its pretty comfortable.



The suspension set up is neither soft nor stiff. It follows the middle path. On broken roads the bike is comfortable. It absorbs the undulation's quite well. For cornering i would have preferred a little more stiffer front suspension.

Braking

The bike is equipped with disc brakes on both the wheels though an ABS is been sorely missed. Even without ABS the braking is really good & confidence inspiring.

The front disc-



The rear disc-



I have heard about some early wear & tear for the rear disc pads from few owners. Am yet to experience it. From FZ25 whats app group i got this pic. Hope it helps-

[Samba]

Few pics from a couple of highway rides-







With Bhpian SVK'riders Cbr 250.




Note- Bike is just a month old on today's date and covered around 600 km on the odometer. Am not a regular rider so the updates will be slow but will update from time to time. For any queries please feel free to ask. Thanks for reading.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by Samba

Note- Bike is just a month old on today's date and covered around 600 km on the odometer. Am not a regular rider so the updates will be slow but will update from time to time. For any queries please feel free to ask. Thanks for reading.

Vow, super review there Samba , rated it 5-star. Very crisp, precise complemented by stunning pictures. Many congratulations on getting your FZ25. The bike itself is drool worthy, but your wonderful photography has added "icing to the proverbial cake". This will be one thread that I will be completely hooked to besides updates from Sheel, Vik0728, etc. Please keep the updates coming regularly.

Since last couple of months I am bike-less. Mind is in dilemma whether to get a bi-cycle or a motor-cycle or probably both

[sayakc]

Congratulations Samba for your new acquisition! Wish you many happy miles with it. The motorcycle looks stunning when viewed from the front and black adds to the sportiness.

Cheers,
Sayak

[Thebat]

Excellent review with good pics to complement it. How do you find the acceleration as the weight of the bike is low. I feel it's a perfect city bike if they add abs, the fir and finish seems amazing for the price.

I also wonder why are there two cables coming out from the accelerator.

[ARAY]

Congratulations mate.
I was sad when you told you have decided to sell off your Karizma. But at the same time became happy with your purchase decision. Every awesome things have a good end and every good end gives way to another awesome thing.

Long live our Karizmas. Our two Karizmas opposite Nandi hills.

[gauravanekar]

Originally Posted by Samba

Pros-

Excellent low end and mid range pull. Can give any bike in its segment a run for its money. 20NM of torque is available at as low as 6000 rpm.
.

Good review Samba, have great time riding this beautiful bike.
I was seriously considering this bike for purchase. When I test rode this bike, my impression was that the low end acceleration it's too much for the pillion especially for a upright seating position bike like this one. The pillion may have to put a little too much effort to sit straight and resist bending backwards. This is coming from Pulsar AS200 rider couple ( AS200 has a weak bottom end and a very powerful top end ).
What is your pillion riders opinion with regards to city comfort where the bike will have to ridden in lower gears often with stop and go traffic?

I've still not upgraded, your opinion would be valuable.

[Swapnil_Alto]

Congratulations Samba Da.

I must say, that's one crisp review of the Yamaha FZ25. Have been owning a Yamaha since the past 3.5 years and touring on it occasionally, I can assure you that these japanese machines have an amazing quality. You'll love riding it to the bits. And since you love touring, this bike will take you to places without any niggles. Just periodic maintenance and you're good to go.

Regarding the storage space for keeping papers, I've cut a small cardboard piece and keep the bike papers over it under the seat. I'm out of town and can't snap a picture for reference. So I've marked the space where I keep the papers using your picture, hope you won't mind.


Wish you happy miles with the bike, keep the pictures flowing.

Regards,
Swapnil

[VW2010]

Congrats and a good feedback and review. Can you also confirm if you took the bike for the latest recall.

http://www.livemint.com/Industry/z4R...897-bikes.html