Yamaha unveils new models FZ-S, Fazer and FZ

Yamaha Motors India presents a face-lift their FZ series by adding three new variants in vivacious colors and dynamic graphics. The three new variants FZ-S, FZ and Fazer in the 150cc segment are set to take the biking world by storm. 

Each of these models are designed to appeal to the excellence demanding consumers of today while pleasing to their sense of style and comfort. Each of these three variants are seen with a host of features, colors and designs making the bikes look contemporary and sporty while at the same time being comfortable and well within buyer's budgets.

The bikes are priced between Rs.69,250 for the FZ model, Rs.71,280 for FZ-S while Fazer will cost Rs,76,380. The two top end models FZ-S and Fazer will be super stylish bikes with longer and wider pillion seats. 

he bikes have larger and wider rear fenders to prevent mud from spraying upwards while a chain protector is in place so as to prevent loose ends of clothing from getting caught in spinning wheels. The FZ model has a new LCD meter with speedometer, trachometer, fuel gauge and trip meter. 

Toyota, Yamaha unveil connected electric trike, e-bike

With populations in urban centers expected to surge over the next few decades, auto manufacturers are looking beyond cars to find ways to mobilize the population without using more fossil fuels. Toyota teamed up with Yamaha to show off a couple of electric bicycle concepts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. They're not the first companies to tackle e-bikes, but they could be the first companies to show how these non-traditional EVs can be connected to smart grids.

The three-wheeled EC-Miu and the electrically power-assisted Pas With bicycle are designed to work with the Toyota Smart Center, an advanced smart grid energy-management system designed for homes, businesses, and power companies, which means your e-bike will be another appliance you can manage online.

Commuters will be able to recharge these e-bikes using the same G-Station charging stations used by electric vehicles. Embedded Wi-Fi capability will give riders a way to use smartphone-based navigation and telematics services.

The manufacturers went one step further and modeled how electric bicycles could be integrated in city-wide bike-sharing programs, creating a mashup of Daimler's electric Car2Go program in San Diego and Paris' Velib project. By giving commuters a way to get from A to B without breaking a sweat, these electric bike concepts could make it easier to opt for two or three wheels instead of four, which would help ease congestion on city streets. However, they'll still have the problem of creating helmet hair.

No information on range, speed, or charging times were given in the news statement, but for comparison, the Smart eBike has a range of about 62 miles and a top speed of about 15 mph.

source:http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57333645-1

Yamaha’s new premium bike

India Yamaha Motor on Tuesday launched the upgraded version of its premium motorcycle YZF-R15 as the Japanese bike-maker hopes to cross 5-lakh sales figure in 2011. Priced at Rs.1.07-lakh, the bike comes with a 150cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke fuel injected engine that boasts of spruced up looks and better performance in circuit riding.

“The YZF-R15 has been continuously gaining ranks in the hotly contested premium segment since its launch three years ago and we are sure to repeat the same feat for the new version too. Seeing the trend, the market for premium bikes in India offers immense scope as this segment consists of people who are looking for performance characteristics,” India Yamaha Motor CEO & Managing Director Hiroyuki Suzuki told journalists here.

The R15 version 2.0 has undergone changes as compared to the present YZF-R15 in the specs of the engine control unit (ECU), drive train unit, a long aluminium swing arm, wider front and rear tires (radial tire for the rear), split seat, LED taillights and new-design middle cowl and tail cowl, he added.

About sales, Mr. Suzuki said the company was hoping a 40 per cent growth to reach 5.2 lakh units this year against last year's 3.8-lakh units. The Japanese bike-maker will also strengthen its market share in the 150cc segment from 15 per cent to 20 per cent by the end of 2011. “We are aiming to sell 5.2 lakh units in 2011…we plan to sell 6.5 lakh units in 2012, and touch 10-lakh sales figure by 2013,” Mr. Suzuki said..

Read More

Yamaha, Piaggio to launch scooters in 2012

Honda Motorcyle & Scooter India, which holds almost half the scooter market in India, faces a big challenge with two of the world’s largest scooter makers readying a foray into the country.

Next year India Yamaha Motor and Piaggio will both launch their brands here. While Piaggio is bringing the world-famous ‘Vespa’, Yamaha is believed to be eyeing the entry-level scooter market, where currently HMSI is the undisputed leader.

Interestingly, Bajaj Auto recently vacated the scooter market, saying it did not generate enough volumes for the company whereas Hero MotoCorp—a late entrant—has seen healthy volume growth with its lone scooter brand called ‘Pleasure’.

A Tier I vendor, who supplies critical components to top two-wheeler makers in India, told DNA that Yamaha is working hard on its scooter plans and will be talking about volume targets by the end of the month.

“We have been asked to supply critical components to the Yamaha scooter brand...the first scooter should be out in the market next year and as far as I can see it will have a significant indigenisation level,” the vendor said.

A spokesperson for India Yamaha Motor declined to offer any comments. Yamaha would manufacture the scooters at its existing facilities at Surajpur and Faridabad.

Read More

2010 Yamaha YZF-R6 Graves Project Bike 2

If you’ve analyzed our recent 2011 Supersport Shootout IX Street and/or 2011 Supersport Shootout IX Track motorcycle comparisons you’d have learned that Yamaha’s YZF-R6 is one of the more racetrack-oriented sportbikes on the market. Therefore if you want to have a go at road racing, it makes sense to do it at the controls of an R6. In this episode of our project bike saga we race with Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC) to see if all of the performance upgrades we purchased in the 2010 Yamaha YZF-R6 Modified Comparison, 2010 Yamaha YZF-R6 Modified Comparison Part II and 2010 Yamaha YZF-R6 Graves Project Bike 1 features were really worth it.

WSMC holds races exclusively at Southern California’s Willow Springs International Raceway on either the 2.5-mile Big Track or 1.3-mile Streets road courses. Races are held monthly (with the exception of December) so there’s always an opportunity to compete, and if you’ve never raced, WSMC offers a new racers’ school (see sidebar). Considering SoCal’s relatively temperate climate as compared to other parts of the U.S. one would assume that weather conditions would be consistent year round. However since Willow is situated in the high desert, that can’t be further from the truth. Surprisingly, there is only a few weeks of comfortable days during spring and fall seasons—in-between the inferno-like 100-plus degree summers and, at times, freezing cold and wet winters. Considering the season finale is held in late-November, we experienced the latter.

Read More

Yamaha postpones first 1000cc test

Yamaha will not test the first version of its 2012 MotoGP bike until after the Czech Grand Prix in August.

Rivals Honda and Ducati have already begun running versions of their new 1000cc bikes for next season's regulation change - with Ducati sufficiently far advanced to start racing its 2012 chassis with a 2011-spec 800cc engine from this weekend's Dutch GP.

Yamaha had initially intended to run the 2012 bike at Mugello, scene of next weekend's Italian GP.

But the reigning champion team has now announced it will be mid-August before the new bike hits the track.

"Yamaha Factory Racing has made the decision to re-schedule the planned Mugello 1000cc test for the 2012 bike," said a Yamaha statement.

"To allow for further time for the development of the bike the decision has been made to postpone the test to a later date.

Read More