Yamaha FZ25 Test Ride Review

Performance – The heart of the matter is a 249cc oil and air cooled motor with fuel injection. Churning out 20.6 BHP of power at 8000 RPM and 20 Nm of torque at an early 6000 RPM gives the FZ25 a very friendly and extended mid-range. The numbers might feel small on paper but out on the road, the grunt from the butter smooth engine is enough to handle quick city maneuvers and highway overtakes. 0-100 km/hr comes up in just 9.89 seconds, making it faster than both the 200cc Indian bikes with which it competes. Out of experience, the mid-range of the FZ25 is the strongest of any other 250cc motorcycle in the Indian market. However, the FZ25 feels a little out of breath once pushed closer to its 10,000 RPM redline. The levels of refinement from this 250cc motor is insane and the vibrations are close to none even in the top-end.

The Yamaha FZ25 has a very bassy note and sounds really good on road

The electronic fuel injection works like a gem and with BlueCore technology, the FZ25 is capable enough to return astonishing mileage figures. About 32-35 km/l in the city and over 37 km/l on the highway, this Yamaha is a mile muncher. The 5-speed gearbox is slightly disappointing as a 6-speed unit could have had a huge impact on the performance on the highway but as the FZ25 is more of a powerful city machine, the precise shifts from the gearbox help a lot. While riding in the city with a slightly heavy clutch isn’t much of a problem as the gear shifts would be less considering the mid-range grunt is readily available at the flick of the throttle.

Riding Dynamics – The Yamaha FZ25 feels a little heavy at 148 kgs of kerb weight, it still has the characteristics of the FZ series as it continues to have the diamond frame, making it fun to ride around the corners. The feedback from the handlebar is enough to keep the rider engaged when the bike is being flicked around the twisties. The FZ25 stays sure footed along the straights while the weight distribution allows easy switching of lean angles without much efforts. The tyres are of similar spec as on the other FZ sibling. However, the rear tyre is slightly different and it’s the same one from the Yamaha R3. These tyres offer really good grip and feedback in calm as well as fast riding.

Comfortable in the city and eager on the highway, the FZ25 is a blend of both

The brakes on the Yamaha FZ25 are both discs to ensure proper braking feedback, however, there is no option for ABS. The initial bite is really good, at 282 mm, the front disc is slightly bigger than the FZ siblings and the 220 mm rear disc adds on to the better braking performance. The suspension is however slightly stiffer for better handling but has a soft spot for better ride quality. Overall the balance of ride quality and handling is very well maintained, the rider wouldn’t complain in any situation.