Yamaha FZ25 test ride

• Published On: 6 March 2017
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Is Yamaha’s 250cc naked streetfighter a good upgrade for FZ16 owners?

Demand for higher-cc bikes has risen in the Indian subcontinent over the past few years. In a bid to capitalise on this growing premium bike segment, Yamaha launched its FZ25 naked street-fighter. When you look at the FZ25, it looks like it’s the nearly-decade-old FZ16’s older brother. Yamaha positioned the bike as an upgrade for existing FZ16 owners who are looking to trade up. The company has designed this bike keeping the urban commuter in mind.

On the outside
It’s got that familiar FZ family appearance - it has that same muscular, hunkered down ready-to-pounce design that won the FZ16 so much favour. The new bike looks beefier than its younger brother and that sharp, low-positioned headlight (with daytime running lights) are certainly impressive to look at. It’s similarity to the FZ16 does take away from its road presence a bit.

Running gear
Powering this bike is a 249cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled four-stroke engine that makes 20.9hp at 8000rpm and 20Nm of peak torque at 6000rpm. The FZ25 feels underpowered for its class; it is not that the bike is slow, but it could have done with more power. What we particularly liked was how well the bike responded to even a slight twist of the accelerator. The engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox that shifts crisply and precisely. Yamaha claims the bike returns 43kpl, which is good for a bike in this class.

The suspension is set slightly stiff, so you can feel those tiny bumps on the road, but the flipside of this is that the bike holds onto the ground well on larger undulating surfaces.

The FZ25’s diamond-shaped chassis, unfortunately, does not allow it the agility of some of its rivals – it feels slightly sluggish to respond when you change direction quick. This is not a glaring problem, though, it’s not something you’ll notice in everyday riding conditions. The new Yamaha comes fitted with a 282mm disc in the front and a 220mm disc at the rear, both perform their duty effectively.

The seat is low, which is good news for shorter riders, and the seating position is good. The spacing of the bike’s foot pegs and pedals is comfortable. The bike’s riding position is more aggressive than the FZ16, but it is still comfortable and feels quite neutral. You can’t really feel too many vibrations seep in through the handlebars, they’re only slightly perceptible beyond 7000rpm.

Where the FZ25 really disappoints is in terms of equipment. There really isn’t much besides the LED headlamp and the digital instrument cluster. Also, the company hasn’t offered this bike with ABS.

Is it worth the money?
The FZ25 is a good motorcycle to ride around the city in. It’s stylish, quick to respond and comfortable (in some senses). But it still misses the mark in some areas. Current FZ16 owners who intend to upgrade and stay in the FZ family will take to this bike, but beyond that, it feels a little behind its time, especially when you look at what the competition has to offer.