As more and more 2-wheeler manufacturers are resorting to offering ABS well ahead of the deadline of April 2018, Yamaha will offer it only when it becomes mandatory.
Come April 2018 and every 2-wheeler manufacturer in the country will have to mandatorily offer ABS on motorcycles of 125cc and above displacement. The existing 2-wheelers have been fixed a deadline of April 2019.
While manufacturers like Honda, Bajaj, TVS and Suzuki are planning to launch their line-up of 125cc and above 2-wheelers with ABS well ahead of the deadline, Yamaha seems to be taking a different approach. Yamaha launched the Fazer 25 yesterday in the Indian market, as usual, ABS was expected but Yamaha failed to offer it in the Fazer 25.
Suzuki recently added ABS on the Gixxer SF, while TVS and Bajaj are planning to launch the Apache 200 and Pulsar NS 200 respectively with ABS soon.
Contributing significantly to this safety measure of the Indian Government is the German auto component giant, Bosch. Bosch has started manufacturing ABS for 2-wheelers since this April 2017 at its Chakan plant here in India. Apart from Bosch, Continental Automotive Components India will also be contributing to this initiative by supplying 2-wheeler ABS to bike manufacturers.
ABS is still seen as a premium feature rather than a necessity and in India, only premium and high-end 2-wheelers above the 350cc segment see ABS as standard equipment. Currently, in the 125cc to 350cc segment, there are very few motorcycles, for instance, the Pulsar RS 200, TVS Apache 180, Suzuki Gixxer SF and the Benelli 302R that come equipped with this safety feature. Indian roads are set to become safer with this initiative of the Government.
Once this safety norm is implemented, Yamaha will have to start offering ABS in the Saluto 125cc, SZ V2.0, FZ and FZ-S V2.0, Fazer 150 V2.0, R-15 S, R15 V2.0, FZ25 and the newly launched Fazer 25.
Yamaha ABS Models
– ABS to be offered by Yamaha only when it becomes mandatory
– Yamaha launched the Fazer 25 yesterday but did not offer ABS on the motorcycle
– Bosch has started manufacturing 2-wheeler ABS at its Chakan plant from April 2017
– ABS for new 125cc and above bikes will be mandatory from April 2018
