10 Forgotten motorcycles from Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company first entered the Indian market way back in 1985 and since then it has launched a few iconic products like the RD350, R15, RX100 and more. However, there are a few products from the Japanese brand that did not become as popular as the others. Here are ten bikes from Yamaha that are now forgotten by most.
RX-Z
Yamaha launched the RX-Z in India after the success of the RX100 in India. The bike was launched in 1987 and it was based on the Yamaha RX-135. The bike was powered by a 132cc, air-cooled, 2-stroke engine same as the RX-135 and RXG but it produced more power. The high revving engine produced around 16 Bhp at 8,500 rpm and 12 Nm at 6,500 rpm. It could go up to 120 km/h.
The bike offered low resonating exhaust mufflers, disc brake at front and telescopic suspension at the front and dual shocks at the rear. The bike was considered as a scaled down RD350.
YD125
Yamaha was trying to capture the commuter segment market at that time and it launched several premium commuter bikes in India. The YD125 was one of them. The simple looking powerful bike was powered by a 123.7cc engine same as the YBX but it only made 10.85 Bhp of power and came with telescopic front fork and oil damped shock absorber.
Libero
Yamaha launched the Libero to attract young riders. The bike had a uniquely shaped angular headlamp. The Libero was powered by a 105.6cc engine that produced a maximum of 7.6 Bhp and 7.8 Nm of torque. It was paired with a 4-speed transmission and returned 65 km/l. Libero was also launched in a sportier G5 version with alloy wheels.
Crux
The Cruz was Yamaha’s entry-level offering in India aimed to take on the likes of Hero Honda’s customers. The bike came with a 105.6 cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke engine that produced a maximum of 7.6 Bhp and 7.5 Nm. The Crux could return a maximum of 80 km/l and could reach a top speed of 93 km/h.
Crux R
The Crux R was a premium version of the Crux and came with a headlamp fairing and body graphics to look sporty. The Crux was a good success for Yamaha and they wanted to gather more customers from the segment. There were no mechanical changes in the Crux R and it was still powered by the same 105.6cc engine.
RD 350
RD 350 is a legendary bike which is known as India’s first sports bike. The bike was introduced in 1983 with Escorts group and was sold as the Rajdoot 350 in India. RD stands for Race Developed series and the motorcycle was every enthusiast’s wet dream.
It was powered by a 347cc, air-cooled, torque induction parallel twin engine that produced 30.5 Bhp – 32Nm. The bike could do 0-100 km/h under 7 seconds and could cross the 150 km/h mark. The Indian version of the bike was a licensed copy of RD350B that was tweaked according to the Indian conditions.
Enticer
The Enticer was one of the first entry-level cruisers in India. The motorcycle gained a good following in the country because of its unique style and looks. The Enticer was powered by the same 123.7cc engine that powered a lot of Yamaha bikes at that time. It produced a maximum of 11 Bhp – 10.4 Nm.
Fazer 125
Yamaha introduced the Fazer name much earlier with a commuter bike. The motorcycle came with an angular headlamp, which was not exactly pleasant to the eyes. The premium commuter segment bike was powered by a 123.7cc, 4-stroke, single-cylinder engine that generated 10.8 Bhp – 10.4 Nm.
Alba
The Alba was also a commuter bike that was launched to target the Hero Honda customers. The bike was powered by the same 106cc engine that generated 7.6 Bhp-7.85 Nm. The Alba was quite stylish and came with alloy wheels and fairing around the headlamp.
YBX
Yamaha launched the YBX targeting the premium commuter segment in 1998. The bike was powered by a 123.7cc single-cylinder 4-stroke air-cooled engine. The engine produced a maximum of 11 Bhp – 10.4 Nm. It was mated to a 4-speed transmission and could return up to 65 km/l.
