Suzuki Gixxer SF vs Yamaha Fazer FI Comparison Review

It isn’t every day that one hits the jackpot, so when you do, you better make it count. Suzuki India wants to follow this same philosophy as with the Gixxer it has witnessed a tremendous turnaround in the Indian two-wheeler market. In the form of the Suzuki Gixxer, consumers finally had an aspirational motorcycle to buy after walking into the Suzuki dealership. To cash in on this positive sentiment, Suzuki has launched the faired version of the Gixxer christening it Gixxer SF (Sports Fairing). Although, the Suzuki Gixxer SF is a full faired motorcycle, its arch rival is the semi-faired Yamaha Fazer FI version 2.0 which got a shot in the arm last year with cosmetic and mechanical updates. Which of the Japanese motorcycle impressed us the most? Well, read on..

Design & Features:

Suzuki Gixxer SF: rating_4.5_rating

Yamaha Fazer FI: rating_3.5_rating

The Suzuki Gixxer according to us is among the striking looking 150cc motorcycles on sale in India currently. With the Suzuki Gixxer SF, the designers haven’t fiddled with the basic design of the motorcycle apart from adding a fairing which is a good move. The new fairing with its creases and scoops does look good and the design highlight has to be the manner in which the standard Gixxer headlamp has been merged beautifully into the new fairing. Other addition on the design front is the new die cast aluminium exhaust muffler tip which looks much better than the chrome tip ones found on its naked sibling along with clear lens indicators and taping on the wheels. The overall design of the Suzuki Gixxer SF is eye-catching especially in the MotoGP livery that we tested and one can easily pass it off as a 250cc plus displacement motorcycle.

And the styling seems to have clicked for Suzuki, as we saw many youngsters ogling at the bike wherever we stopped. Coming to the not so good bits, the triangle shaped LED taillight doesn’t flow with the overall design while the addition of clip-on handlebars and taller windscreen would have been appreciated. Speaking about the Yamaha Fazer FI, the twin headlamp along with the beefy quarter fairing endows the front of the bike with lot of character. The fairing extensions, chiselled fuel tank, split seats and the beefy muffler does make the Yamaha Fazer FI a handsome looking motorcycle. Although the design of the Yamaha Fazer FI is pleasing to the eyes, it just misses out on the oomph factor that the Suzuki Gixxer SF brings along.  Both the bikes employ a fully-digital instrument cluster but the Suzuki Gixxer SF’s unit gets gear shift indicator and gear position indicator.

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Engine & Performance:

Suzuki Gixxer SF: rating_4.0_rating

Yamaha Fazer FI: rating_3.5_rating

Powering the Suzuki Gixxer SF is the same 155cc motor as seen on its naked sibling and given the supersports styling we would have liked a higher displacement powerplant. The 155cc air-cooled motor churns out 14.8PS of power and a healthy 14Nm of torque. The Gixxer SF’s engine is super refined and loves to be revved hard with a throaty exhaust note for company. Open the throttle and the bike gathers momentum with relative ease and eggs the rider to push more. The 5-speed gearbox provides good and positive shifts while the gear ratios have been neatly distributed.

Providing firepower to the Yamaha Fazer FI is a new 149cc motor pumping out 13.1PS of peak power and 12.8Nm of maximum torque. The difference in power output between both the motorcycles can be felt right away. The Yamaha Fazer FI is lazier in picking up momentum but has a very strong mid-range which is very beneficial while riding in city. But sustaining higher speeds on the Yamaha offering does feel tiresome in comparison to the Suzuki Gixxer SF. Having said that, the fuel-injected Yamaha motor does offer crispier throttle response while the 5-speed gearbox is butter smooth.

Ride, Handling & Braking:

Suzuki Gixxer SF: rating_4.0_rating

Yamaha Fazer FI: rating_4.0_rating

Suspension duties on both the motorcycle are handled by telescopic front forks and a monoshock setup at the rear. In terms of ride quality both the motorcycles are equally matched, it isn’t plush, but one can ride over broken roads without the back going for a toss. Coming to the chassis, both the Yamaha Fazer FI and the Suzuki Gixxer SF employ a diamond type frame and have identical wheelbase of 1,330mm. So it isn’t surprising that the handling dynamics of both the bikes is similar.

But the Suzuki Gixxer SF holds a marginal edge over the Yamaha Fazer FI owing to the fact that it tips from one corner to another with lesser effort. This can be credited to the tyres of the Suzuki Gixxer SF which feels gripier despite the fact that the front and rear tyre sections are alike on both the Japanese bikes. Anchorage on the Yamaha Fazer FI and the Suzuki Gixxer SF is provided by disc brakes at front and drum brakes at the rear. With respect to braking performance, the Yamaha Fazer FI was better as it offered great feedback and bite. The Suzuki Gixxer SF’s brakes offer good bite but they aren’t progressive and a bit jerky in nature.

Riding ergonomics & Pillion Comfort:

Suzuki Gixxer SF: rating_3.5_rating

Yamaha Fazer FI: rating_4.0_rating

The flat handlebar and mildly rear-set footpegs on both the motorcycles result in an upright and comfortable riding posture with a hint of sportiness. The knee recess on the fuel tank enables the rider to grip the bike better with the Gixxer SF’s tank offering a snugger grip. The clip-on handlebars on the Suzuki offering has been ditched for comfier riding posture but it doesn’t flow with the DNA of the bike while the flat handle bar on the Yamaha Fazer FI feels spot on.

Both the motorcycles offer a relaxed riding position but given the taller windscreen of the Yamaha Fazer FI one would feel more comfy on it while touring on the highway. The Suzuki Gixxer SF employs a single seat unit which has been designed to give it an appearance of a split-seat design. The padding of the seat is soft and comfortable but we found it too narrow for our likening. The Yamaha Fazer FI gets equipped with genuine split-seats. Although we felt the padding of the seats to be on the stiffer side, the seats on the Yamaha Fazer FI are more accommodating than its rival. Also, the grab handles on the Yamaha feel better to hold making it comfier for the pillion.

Fuel Efficiency & Pricing:

Suzuki Gixxer SF: rating_4.0_rating

Yamaha Fazer FI: rating_3.5_rating

Yamaha have detuned the new Fazer FI’s motor and added fuel injection in the quest for better fuel efficiency. They have also equipped the quarter-fairing motorcycle with the patented Blue Core tech to make it more frugal. But all these additions haven’t been much beneficial as the Yamaha Fazer FI returned us an overall fuel efficiency figure of 44kmpl. Suzuki has also added the SEP (Suzuki Eco Performance) tech on the Gixxer SF that reduces friction among mating parts to improve combustion efficiency and hike the mileage figures. Suzuki claims it’s the most fuel efficient motorcycle in its segment but in our fuel efficiency run it returned us an overall figure of 49kmpl. Talking about moolah, the Yamaha Fazer FI is priced at Rs 86, 805 while the Suzuki Gixxer SF will carry a sticker price of Rs 84,939 for the MotoGP livery edition that we tested (both prices ex-showroom Delhi).

Verdict:

Suzuki Gixxer SF: rating_4.0_rating

Yamaha Fazer FI: rating_3.5_rating

The Suzuki Gixxer SF is almost Rs 2,000 cheaper than the Yamaha Fazer FI which makes it fantastic value for money proposition as it’s a full-faired motorcycle. In fact, the Suzuki Gixxer SF is the cheapest full-faired motorcycle on sale in the country and given the affection consumers have for this body style it gets additional brownie points. But it just doesn’t win this shootout owing to its visual appeal, it’s a fantastically engineered motorcycle with good performance, the added advantage of fuel efficiency as well.  However, can the Suzuki Gixxer SF hold on to its crown with the introduction of the Bajaj Pulsar AS150? We shall find that out soon....

Spec Sheet: