Fuzzy Smoothness

The Yamaha FZ-S Hybrid has become the first motorcycle in India to get 'hybrid assist', which means automatic start-stop and a higher fuel efficiency figure. We spent some time in the saddle to figure where it fits in its highly competitve segment

- Om Shukla

Picture this: you're a Japanese brand in the late 2000s who has been in India for over two decades, your once dominant portfolio is now a mere shadow of its former self. What do you do? You come up with two motorcycles, a sport-oriented 150cc one that creates a niche among the young and affluent crowd and another 150cc model that brings value into the segment, while not compromising on performance and tech. If you haven't guessed it by now, the brand is Yamaha and the motorcycles were the R15 and FZ-16, the stalwarts of Yamaha's redemption arc in India. We've now crossed almost two decades again, and the 150-160cc segment is fiercer than ever. In this crowd of motorcycles, Yamaha has updated its trusty FZ, this time calling it the FZ-S FI Hybrid. We set out to find if it lives up to the legacy of its badge and whether it still is the best buy in its category.

So you have an FZ-S Hybrid standing in your garage. What do you notice first? To me, it was the semblance of familiarity. The FZ has spent a long time in the Indian market, going through some updates, and yet, the latest model looks quite similar to the last, which in turn, wasn’t very different from its predecessor.

You still have a muscular tank, which now has the blinkers integrated into it at the centre of the air intakes. The rest of the design is exactly like the outgoing model, but Yamaha has claimed it has slightly tweaked the handlebar to make it more comfortable and also adjusted the switches. It's time though to address the elephant in the room. How Is it a hybrid motorcycle?