YAMAHA FZ-S V 3.0
In its third generation, can the FZ keep up with the new players?
LORD OF THE STREETS IS WHAT Yamaha India calls the FZ. And why not? Back in 2008, it definitely was. In a generation, where the Pulsars and the Unicorns made it to the ‘cool boys’ list, the FZ, with its butch looks swayed the country. The bike’s super refined engine too played a huge part in its success. Yamaha decided to downsize the engine from 153cc to 149cc in 2014 in favour of increased efficiency. Five years later the third version is here, but is it at par with the competition?
Really a V 3.0?
The FZ-S v 3.0 retains the muscular and sharp profile. With a FZ-25 inspired-design, the bike looks considerably bigger. It ditches the split seat for a wide, single unit to make it more comfortable for the everyday hustle. The FZ remains a sporty commuter and in a quest to make it friendlier for everyday riding, the ‘bar has been raised and moved towards the rider.
The FZ-S v 3.0 gets the same air-cooled, single-cylinder, 2-valve, 149cc engine producing 13bhp at 8000rpm and 12.8Nm at 6000rpm from the previous version. The additional muscle has given the bike an additional 5kg and with only 13 ponies to play with, it doesn’t make up for an interesting proposition, does it?
Lord of the Streets?
Once astride the bike, the numbers won’t matter. The roomy saddle, wide, comfortable ‘bars and well-positioned pegs make it a comfortable everyday hustler. The strong midrange makes slicing through traffic easy. The bike enjoys being in the 85-90kmph range, however, getting to the triple-digit territory takes some time.
The front suspension does what it is meant to do and that it does well. The rear too is tuned for comfort and that clearly shows. The brakes offer enough stopping power and feedback.
The final word
Once a benchmark in the 150-160cc segment, the bike is now the least powerful bike amongst the competitors. For someone looking for a commuter that could be fun on the weekend jaunts to the ghats, the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V makes more sense at `99,101 (ex-showroom, Delhi). If you are looking for a mature and calm everyday hustler that could stand out in the crowd, the FZ-S FI version 3.0, at `98,180 is worth considering. You can save `2,000 by giving up on the chrome and the bellypan by opting for the standard variant though. ⌧