The Asian market is full of weird and wonderful motorcycles a lot of folks in the west have never seen before. In India, for example, motorcycle manufacturers roll out bikes designed specifically to fit the needs of Indian commuters, and as such, we don’t see these bikes anywhere else in the world. Take, for example, the Yamaha FZ X, a retro-inspired commuter which has been refreshed for the 2024 model-year.
The Yamaha FZ X is the retro model in its FZ line of commuters in India. You may be familiar with the FZ moniker from back in the day, when bikes like the MT-07 and MT-09 were called this. Prior to the boom of the naked bike sibling, there was the FZ6 and the Fazer. These days, the FZ name lives on, albeit in compact, single-cylinder form, and exclusive to the Asian market.
As for the FZ X, it’s most closely related to the XSR family of bikes simply because of the way it looks. It gets a signature round headlight, teardrop-shaped fuel tank, and single-piece saddle with a ribbed pattern. Indeed, at a glance, it can be easy to mistake it as its slightly more premium cousin, the XSR155. However, beneath the surface, it’s completely different.
From a performance perspective, the FZ X is powered by a 149cc, air-cooled, fuel-injected single-cylinder engine with 12.2 horsepower and 13.3 Nm (9.8 pound-feet) of torque. While it’s down on power, its simple construction means it's well and truly a workhorse suitable for India’s less-than-ideal road conditions. The FZ X’s underpinnings are equally simple, rolling on non-adjustable suspension, a steel frame, and front and rear disc brakes. The bike tips the scales at 139 kilograms (305.8 pounds) wet, and has a 10-liter fuel tank capacity.
When it comes to features, Yamaha has decked it out with the essentials for a capable urban commuter. It gets a USB charging port to power your devices on the go, as well as basic safety features consisting of single-channel ABS, a side-stand cutoff switch, and traction control.
For the 2024 model-year, the retro-inspired commuter is offered in two new colorways consisting of Chrome and Metallic Black. The Chrome version stands out thanks to its extensive use of chrome on the fuel tank and headlight bezel, as well as its gold-painted alloy wheels. Meanwhile, the Metallic Black variant is a much more subdued option, featuring an all-black finish from the tank, to the minimalist bodywork, to the 17-inch alloy wheels. Other colors include Matte Copper, Matte Black, and Dark Matte Blue. In India, pricing for the Yamaha FZ X starts at Rs 136,000, or about $1,634 USD.
