Yamaha FZ-S FI: Fleet introduction, 1,000km long term review

When I came to know that the Yamaha FZ-S FI is heading to the ZigWheels garage and its keys will be in my hands, I must admit that I was more than happy.  At a glance the Yamaha FZ-S FI doesn’t look any different from its carburetted predecessor as Yamaha hasn’t fiddled much with the basic design of the bike, which is a good thing. The split seats and restyled exhaust muffler are the design details that impressed and despite the subtle changes people do notice it as a few guys walked up to me enquiring about the new bike while I was getting the number plate fixed. Though, I must add that the rear tyre hugger is an eye sore on the Yamaha FZ-S FI. The tyre hugger gives function priority over form which is understandable, however it looks out of place in the neat and chiselled overall design. 

Yamaha has also restyled the all-digital instrument cluster on the Yamaha FZ-FI, gone are the snazzy graphics on the tachometer which has been replaced by a cleanly laid out digital console. The all-digital console holds a plethora of information and is easy to read in motion unlike the older bike. Riding position on the Yamaha FZ-S FI remains unchanged with its slightly rear-set footpegs and wide handlebar. The riding position is upright and comfortable, which is beneficial while riding in city as well as on the open highways. 

The biggest change on the Yamaha FZ-S FI has been made to its heart. The bike sports an all-new 149cc, fuel-injected, 4-stroke motor. The air-cooled mill pumps out 13.1PS at 8,000rpm and peak torque rating of 12.8Nm at 6,500rpm. The powerplant is void of any vibes and power delivery is linear. Power is transmitted to the rear-wheel via a 5-speed gearbox that provides crisp and precise gear shifts. The new engine is down on power than its predecessor as Yamaha have focussed on better fuel efficiency on the Yamaha FZ-S FI. Owing to this factor, it doesn’t feel as brisk on its feet as the older bike in terms of acceleration but it does have a punchy midrange. Yamaha claims that the new Blue Core tech has hiked the fuel efficiency of the bike by 11 per cent and on our daily runs the Yamaha FZ-S FI returned us 47kmpl (overall). The journey with the Yamaha FZ-S FI has been a pleasant and glitch-free one so far and we hope it continues so. 

Also Read: Yamaha FZ FI vs Suzuki Gixxer vs TVS Apache RTR180 Comparision Review

Total kilometres done: 1,143km

Fuel Efficiency: 47kmpl (overall)

Date Acquired: August 2014

Costs: Nil

Cheers:  Design, Engine refinement

Sneers: Engine lacks punch, Stiff ride quality