Some might say that this is an unfair comparison, because the price of the products listed in this article ranges from Rs 1.2 lakh all the way to Rs 3.2 lakh. However, the difference in pricing is because of the different approach to the product, but there’s one common thread: they all displace 250cc. The first entrant of the trio in the Indian market space was the Kawasaki Z250. It occupied the price bracket previously occupied by the Ninja 250 when that was discontinued and moved upmarket to the Ninja 300. The concept of the Benelli TNT25 is similar – it slots in below the TNT 300, but it has quite a big price difference compared to the TNT300 and the Z250. The Yamaha FZ25 takes a different approach; it is less related to the R3 and more to the FZ16. It is step up from a class below, rather than a watered-down version from the class above.
Design and styling
All three are streetfighters, all three have big, muscular tanks and aggressive stances. However, the Benelli looks that little better thanks to the Italian flair it possesses, and the scarlet trellis frame peeping out from under the tank. There’s points to the FZ for the all-LED headlamp, and the Z for the twin-bulb one. The Kwacker also has the most fetching alloy wheel design of the lot.
Engine and transmission
Here is where things get really interesting. The FZ is at the bottom of the list, with an air-cooled engine. It does get an oil cooler and fuel injection, but the two-valve head is exactly half that as the TNT’s, and that’s a single cylinder engine, too. Small wonder that it’s got the lowest power figure at 20bhp. The Italian also gets liquid cooling, which helps it achieve 28 bhp. The Z with its twin cylinder setup and a total of eight valves achieves nearly 32bhp. The engines have different characteristics, too – the FZ promises a potent midrange, with torque peaking at 6000rpm, the Benelli takes the middle road with the peak at 8000rpm, and the Z is the screamer with the peak at 10,0000rpm. The Benelli and Kawasaki make do with six-speed gearboxes; the Yam gets a good ol’ five-speeder. All drive the rear wheel via a chain. There’s no slipper-clutch trickery at work here.
Features and cycle parts
The FZ beats the others here – it gets two trip meters, a clock, a shift light, a reserve fuel trip meter, and instant and average fuel economy indicators. The other two eschew the digital tachometer for an analogue one, but they get everything except the instantaneous and average fuel efficiency indicators. None of them gets ABS, but the Benelli gets petal discs and inverted front forks. The FZ is the only one here without radial tyres, too.
Price
The FZ25 is essentially a grown-up FZ16 and as such, the price reflects that. It is priced at Rs 1.25 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai. The Benelli is next up the ladder, at Rs 1.8 lakh – not bad value when you consider it is a much larger motorcycle with a six-speed gearbox, trellis frame, liquid cooling, four-valve head, inverted front forks, radial tyres, and it is taxed more as it isn’t manufactured here. Finally, the twin-cylinder and CKD format mean cost, and the Kwacker is the dearest of the lot at Rs 3.2 lakh, ex-Mumbai.
