India getting Yamaha FZ-16

The Yamaha FZ-16 is bringing the company back into the limelight in India. The Japanese giant has again come up with a motorcycle that captures the heart of Indian motorcycle enthusiasts, and it’s becoming the country’s best all-round 150cc bike. The baby FZ has caused a flurry of activity at Yamaha showrooms, buyers queuing up across India to ride one home.


Rugged and naked, the FZ-16 looks striking, borrowing its lines from litre-class brother, the FZ1. Minicule fairing pieces clad the bike, with an exquisitely sculpted tank dominating its overall profile. A compact single-cylinder engine sits exposed, and the FZ uses black, slim-spoke alloy rims with its engine, frame and silencer in the same colour to good effect.

A steel, single downtube frame deploys the FZ’s engine as a stressed member. Fat 41mm diameter front forks are supported at the rear by Yamaha’s “monocross” suspension, mating with a box-section, steel swingarm, with 17-inch tubeless radial tires providing traction.

Now the million ringgit question is will this bike be offered in Malaysia? We certainly hope so.

Engine                   Single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke
Displacement         153cc
Power                    14bhp at 7500rpm
Torque                   1.42kgm at 6000rpm
Gearbox                 5-speed, 1-down, 4-up
0-60km/h                5.59 seconds
0-100km/h              22.09 seconds
Maximum speed     109km/h