A few months ago we detailed our opinion on why we think the Yamaha XSR 155 could be the Japanese marque’s next offering in India. It all stemmed from the tremendously overwhelming response we received on BikeWale’s social network and YouTube after its global unveil in 2019. We were flooded with questions about the XSR 155’s India launch timeline, expected price, and so on.
But after a few trademark filings were leaked and a couple of spy shots surfaced recently, it was clear that Yamaha had other plans that did not include the XSR 155. Instead, the manufacturer is set to launch the FZ-X in the country very soon, which seems to be an India-specific version of the XSR.
So why has Yamaha chosen to launch the FZ-X over the XSR 155? Well, it boils down to two simple reasons.
Pricing
For the uninitiated, the Yamaha XSR 155 is based on the international-spec MT-15 that gets the Deltabox frame, inverted forks, an aluminum swingarm, and dual-channel ABS. The motorcycle also shares the 155cc, single-cylinder engine with the MT-15 and of course the retro-styling that has been derived from the bigger XSR 700 and XSR 900 making it stand out in its segment.
Although we could expect it to come to India with the same components as the MT-15 sold here, the XSR 155 would have been priced at a slight premium if not lesser than the MT-15 that costs Rs 1.40 lakh.
Hence, Yamaha has chosen the comparatively inexpensive FZ platform for its next offering. This will not only enable the brand to offer the FZ X at an affordable price but also reduce the risk of experimentation. After all, if the FZ X fails to bring in the numbers, Yamaha has little to lose. And if it does manage to climb the sales charts, that’s always a good thing, isn’t it?
Brand recognition
The FZ started its journey in India in 2008 and is synonymous with Yamaha’s success story in India. The motorcycle made headlines thanks to its strong motor, muscular fuel tank, and wide tyres. While the FZ V3 focuses more on efficiency than performance like its predecessors, its character has stayed pretty much the same.
And since the FZ has consistently been the highest selling model for Yamaha in India for a good number of years, it made sense to go with a tried and tested brand name rather than introducing a completely new one.
All said and done, we believe the FZ-X will create a new segment in India just like the Yamaha XSR 155 would have if it were launched here. Moreover, it will offer a fresher appeal to the FZ V3 brand and possibly a boost in sales. As for pricing, we can expect the Yamaha FZ X to cost around Rs 1.12-1.15 lakh, positioning it higher than the FZ V3 that retails at Rs 1.08 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base model.
