Yamaha Bikes in India (23)

autocar.india

•23h

There's no clear answer here because no product today in the scooter segment has everything you need. On the product front, it's the Hero Xoom 160 that comes closest to meeting all your requirements. It has a smooth engine capable of holding highway speeds, good seating comfort and decent ride quality. The trouble is, Hero's Premia dealer network is still not widespread across the nation, and spares availability, as well as a quick service turnaround time for Premia products (like the Xoom 160 and Xtreme 250R), will not be on par with rivals with better dealer networks. While the Ntorq's smaller 12-inch wheels won't give you as surefooted handling as other scooters with their 14-inch wheels, it is perhaps the safest bet today. Backed by TVS' widespread sales and service reach in India, the bigger Ntorq is more than what its spec sheet suggests, and we'd recommend you at least take a test ride before writing it off. Coming to the Yamaha Aerox 155, it is simply too uncomfortable to be used on bad patches of road. Meanwhile, the SR 175 is expensive to own and maintain. Add to that the fact that Aprilia's dealer network is also very small and doesn't have a reputation for frictionless service.

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•4d

The code BLVWB0310000 reads like a Yamaha India workshop “V-belt kit” billing code. The actual belt itself usually carries a different Yamaha part number on the pouch and is even printed on the belt, commonly starting with BLV or B65 for the 155cc scooters. Belts on other scooters like the Fascino and RayZR are narrower and shorter. They either won’t fit or you’d immediately get slip, high revs and poor speed.If after your service, acceleration is smooth, cruising rpm feels normal, and top speed is unchanged, the belt is right. If you feel flary revs, sluggish pull, or a drop in max speed, raise it with the workshop. If you want to be 100% sure, ask them for the belt wrapper or a photo of the printing on the belt.

autocar.india

•1w

Since you're used to the stiff suspension and tight seating triangle of your sporty Aprilia SR 150, the Yamaha Aerox 155 will likely feel very similar in those regards. Of course, the Aerox's more modern, liquid-cooled engine will feel superior and its good fun to use on both fast roads and in slower city traffic. Expect very good fuel economy and reliability from the Aerox as well and its quick-thinking start-stop tech is one of the best in the business. On the other hand, the Hero MotoCorp Xoom 160 feels like a much larger and more luxurious scooter in terms of its seating and ride comfort. Compared to the Aerox, the Xoom's ride comfort is much better although its not outright plush. If you live in an area with predominantly bad roads, the Xoom will cope better than the Aerox. Its engine is also fairly punchy, but in terms of handling, the Xoom won't match the sprightly Aerox because it is a heavier and more relaxed machine. It can still take sweeping corners pretty quickly but its not going to be as agile as the Yamaha. Both have similar features and under seat storage areas but the Xoom's start/stop tech can get tiring to use in the city because its much slower than the Aerox's excellent system. Neither of the two scooters will have any storage space on the floorboard because their underbone frames have prominent spine sections, unlike your Aprilia, which will be something you'll have to work around. While both are directly comparable on paper, the real-world picture is actually quite different. Depending on the sort of experience you're after and which one feels better to use, make your decision. To do that, we'd recommend exhaustive test rides of both.

autocar.india

•3w

Since you are based in Mumbai and want a scooter with wide tyres as well as ABS to handle Mumbai's slippery and shoddily-made cement roads, the option that should be at the forefront of your shopping list is the TVS Ntorq 150. The bigger Ntorq has a 100-section tyre at the front and a 110-section hoop at the rear, which should easily be able to cope with most of the bad roads Mumbai will throw at you. Its brakes are strong and come with the safety of a single-channel ABS, which meets your requirements. While options like the Hero Xoom 160 and Yamaha Aerox 155 come with bigger 14-inch wheels and even wider tyres, these scooters are nowhere close to the Ntorq 150 when it comes to seating and ride comfort, which is a serious factor on Mumbai's bumpy roads, especially if you're going to use the scooter daily. Take a test ride of the bigger Ntorq before you make your purchase to verify whether or not its the right fit for you.

autocar.india

•7w

While both the Yamaha options you have shortlisted have their own strong points, neither would be the best fit for your usage, in our opinion. Considering you have a pretty lengthy daily commute in Mumbai (where the road surface by and large ranges from subpar to non-existent), we would recommend you pick a comfortable machine like the TVS Ronin or Royal Enfield Hunter 350. Both have neutral ergonomics, neo-retro styling and plush suspension, which should make them well-suited for your use case. One area where both the smaller Yamaha machines will edge out the Ronin and Hunter is fuel efficiency, but aside from that, the TVS & Royal Enfield make for a better purchase. The Yamaha XSR155 is a lovely sporty neo-retro machine, but its suspension is too stiff over bad roads. The Yamaha FZ-X is a 149cc commuter, and its performance, handling, and overall feel won't be as premium as the other bikes mentioned here. Take a test ride of both the Ronin and Hunter to see which one suits you best. We also have multiple comparison reviews of the Hunter, XSR and Ronin on our channel as well as website, and we'd encourage you to take a look at them before you make your purchase.

autocar.india

•10w

Both the Yamaha MT-15 and TVS Apache RTR 200 4V are reliable machines offering you similiar levels of performance around the Rs 1.50 lakh mark. In general, Yamaha's products are easier to live with and service in comparison to TVS' offerings. Although it's not an exact science and sometimes boils down to your particular machine and the service centre you take it to. We'd recommend a test ride of both as well as visits to authorised service centres and showrooms of both bikes, so that you can make an informed decision.

autocar.india

•10w

Both the Honda CB350 H'ness and Yamaha XSR155 are great everyday machines, but have different characters. The XSR is light, agile and a lively machine to ride with its R15-derived underpinnings. Its motor also returns excellent fuel economy. However, its stiff suspension setup will get tiring if you encounter bad roads daily. The CB350 H'ness is a relaxed neo-retro roadster which is very easy to ride and prioritises comfort over performance. While the H'ness won't be able to match the XSR for fuel economy, it is a reasonably fuel-efficient machine for its displacement. If you ride often with a pillion, then the more spacious Honda makes a better case for itself.Picking between the two will boil down to personal prefrence so we'd recommend a test ride of both to help you make a decision.

autocar.india

•14w

In our experience, neither the Yamaha Aerox 155 nor the Hero Xoom 160 have proven to be comfortable, especially over broken roads. Instead of these two, we'd recommend you give a long, hard look at the TVS Ntorq 150. On paper, it might seem like a step down compared to the Yamaha and Hero with its 12-inch wheels and air-cooled engine, but in reality, it is the better product. With plush suspension, a spacious underseat storage and peppy performance, the bigger Ntorq makes for a compelling sporty scooter that doesn't sacrifice practicality. In our routine tests, we also found that - when ridden gently - it can be surprisingly fuel efficient. Do take a test ride of the Ntorq 150 to see if it resonates with you.

autocar.india

•14w

Within your budget, you have three very different options you can look at - Yamaha XSR155, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, TVS Ronin and Hero Xpulse 200 4V. The XSR is the least powerful but is also the lightest motorcycle here. It will also feel the sportiest to ride because its engine and underpinnings are derived from the popular Yamaha R15 and MT-15. The downsides of the XSR are that it is a rather petite motorcycle. For someone of large stature such as yourself, this will be a potential challenge, and its rear suspension is quite stiff. It can get uncomfortable over repeated bad patches. The Apache RTR 200 4V is another sporty roadster, and with its larger engine than the XSR, it will feel more at home at sustained higher speeds. Its suspension comfort and more spacious seats will also be helpful for your usage. The TVS Ronin is a relaxed roadster with its smooth and torquey engine and relaxed and neutral ergonomics. Also, plush suspension setup and relatively larger size - compared to the other two bikes here - the Ronin has the potential to be the most suited to your use case.Moving on to the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, this is the bike you should buy if you want to venture off-road on your long tours. It will have by far the most plush suspension of all the bikes here, although its on-road handling will leave you wanting once you pick up the pace. We'd recommend a test ride of all three before you make a decision. Also, do note that all four bikes are all slightly above Rs 1.50 lakh (your stipulated budget), within that amount, there's no credible option for your requirements.

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The recently updated Royal Enfield Hunter 350 has a super-light clutch action thanks to the slip/assist clutch that RE has equipped it with. Even for a newer rider or a scooterist looking to move to a motorcycle, it shouldn't be that much of an issue in big city traffic. However, if you are looking to stick to a scooter, then we'd advise against the Yamaha Aerox 155 because of its stiff rear suspension. We would recommend scooters like the Suzuki Access and TVS Jupiter models instead, for their good ride comfort and spacious, well-padded seats.