Yamaha’s newly launched Fazer 25 is essentially a faired version of the FZ25 naked bike and Yamaha is pitching the motorcycles as a sport tourer. Just as the FZ25 has a rival of sorts in the Bajaj Pulsar NS200 , the Fazer 25 finds its closest competitor in the fully faired Pulsar RS200. Both bikes are priced nearly on par, so let’s take a look at what sets the Yamaha apart from the Bajaj.

Engine

The Fazer 25 continues with the same engine from the FZ25. This means a 249cc, single-cylinder, fuel injected air/oil-cooled engine with a two-valve head. Power and torque are the same as before, with 20.9hp and 20Nm. The five-speed gearbox continues unchanged as well.

The Pulsar RS200, meanwhile, uses a 199.5cc, single-cylinder engine similar to the one on the NS200, but sees improvements in the addition of liquid cooling and fuel injection. The engine uses a four-valve head with an SOHC layout and produces considerably more power than the Fazer at 24.5hp.

While the Pulsar has the stronger power-to-weight figure, it’s worth noting that the Fazer’s torque/weight ratio of 129.8Nm/tonne is significantly higher than the Pulsar’s 112.7Nm/tonne. This makes it fair to expect that the Fazer will offer stronger bottom end performance which will be enjoyable in urban conditions, while the more powerful Pulsar with its sixth gear will have better highway performance. 

Chassis

The Fazer 25 uses a simple diamond-style frame while the Pulsar RS200 uses a more sophisticated perimeter frame. Going by our experience with the FZ25 and the NS200/RS200, we expect predictable and safe handling from the Yamaha while the RS will impress with a more eager and involving handling experience. The Pulsar offers larger brakes than the Fazer as well.

Dimensions

The Yamaha Fazer 25 happens to be longer, wider and taller than the RS200 and also boasts a longer wheelbase. Despite this, the Yamaha weighs in a good 11kg less than the Pulsar and it also has a slightly higher ground clearance. A 14-litre tank, along with the Yamaha’s efficient engine, should relate to a longer fuel range, but it will be interesting to see what kind of efficiency the Yamaha returns at highway speeds as the engine will be working at higher revs than the RS200 with its sixth gear. We can only confirm this after we ride the bike, but it's also safe to expect good fit and finish on the Yamaha, while previous experience with the RS200 shows that the fairing is prone to rattling. 

Features

The Fazer 25 continues to offer the full-LED headlamp from its naked sibling but gains new LED daytime running lamps (DRLs). The Pulsar, meanwhile, has dual projector headlamps which offer good lighting and it features LED DRLs as well. Yamaha still doesn’t offer the option of ABS while the RS200 can be purchased with single-channel ABS for an additional Rs 12,000. The Fazer ships with a flat handlebar while the RS200 has clip-on handlebars

Conclusion

The RS200 comes across as fantastic value on paper, but the Fazer 25 promises a premium feel and exceptional reliability that we have come to expect from all of Yamaha’s products. Is that enough to beat the Bajaj? Look out for a comparison review soon.