10 FORGOTTEN bikes from Yamaha – From RX-Z & YBX to RD350 & Enticer

Yamaha Motor Company has been present in the Indian two-wheeler market since 1985. The company can be credited with launching some highly successful and sporty products in our market, viz, RD 350, RX 100, and more recently, the R15. However, not all products from the Indian subsidiary of Yamaha have been well received in our country. Here is a look at 10 Yamaha motorcycles that everyone has totally FORGOTTEN about –

RX-Z

The Yamaha RX-Z was launched in India as the successor of the iconic RX100. The RX-Z was launched in 1997 and was basically a more stylish version of the RX 135. Powering the RX-Z was a 132cc, 2-stroke, air-cooled engine that was shared with the RX 135 and the RX-G. For the RX-Z, however, it produced a higher power of 16 bhp at 8,500 RPM along with a peak torque of 12 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The motorcycle had a top speed of 120 kmph. Other highlights included a low resonating exhaust muffler and disc brakes at the front wheel.

YD125

After the demise of the two-stroke motorcycles, Yamaha tried to gain some market share by launching a range of 4-stroke motorcycles in the commuter market. One such motorcycle was the YD125. Powering the YD125 was a 123.7cc four-stroke engine that produced 10.85 bhp of maximum. It featured a disc brake on the front wheel.

Libero

The Yamaha Libero was launched to attract the young buyers of entry-level motorcycles. The Libero came with stylish graphics, alloy wheels and a bikini fairing. It was powered by a 105.6cc four-stroke engine that offered a max. power of 7.6 Bhp and 7.8 Nm. It came mated to a 4-speed transmission and offered a peak mileage of 65 km/l.

Crux

The Yamaha Cruz was a bargain-basement commuter motorcycle aimed squarely at the likes of Bajaj CT100. The bike was powered by a 105.6 cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke engine that offered a maximum of 7.6 bhp of power along with 7.5 Nm of peak torque. It was claimed to return an impressive mileage of 80 kmpl. The motorcycle had a top speed of 93 kmph.

Crux R

The Crux R was a slightly premium variant of the Crux. The biggest difference was that the Crux R came with a headlamp fairing and stylish body graphics. The Crux sold in decent numbers and Yamaha wanted to attract more buyers through this more stylish variant. There was no change in the specifications and the Crux R came with the same 105.6cc engine.

RD 350

The RD 350 is easily among the biggest icons of Indian two-wheeler motorcycles. The legendary motorcycle was launched in India in 1983 and was sold as the Rajdoot 350. The ‘RD’ in the name stands for Race Developed series and this motorcycle used to be right at the top of every motorcycle enthusiast’s wish list. Powering the RD 350 was a 347cc, air-cooled, torque induction parallel twin motor that offered a maximum power of 30.5 Bhp along with a peak torque of 32Nm. The motorcycle could hit 100 kmph from standstill in less than 7 seconds and had a top speed of 150 kmph. The India-spec RD 350 was a licensed copy of the RD 350B that was tuned to suit the Indian conditions.

Enticer

The Yamaha Enticer came to us in the 2000s and became one of the first entry-level cruiser motorcycles. It was quick to gain fan following due to its stylish looks and an affordable price tag. Basically, it came across as a cheaper and more frugal alternative to the Kawasaki Eliminator. The Enticer was powered by the same 123.7cc engine that powered the YC125. It produced a maximum power of 11 bhp along with a peak torque of 10.4 Nm.

Fazer 125

The Fazer brand first made it to India in the form of an executive commuter motorcycle. The motorcycle’s headlamp had a rather unique look that made it stand out. Powering the Yamaha Fazer 125 was the same 123.7cc, 4-stroke, single-cylinder engine that powered many other Yamaha motorcycles. It produced a maximum power of 10.8 bhp along with a peak torque of 10.4 Nm.

Alba

The Yamaha Alba was another commuter motorcycle that was targeted at the entry-level models from Hero and Bajaj. The Alba looked sufficiently stylish and was powered by a 106cc engine that offered 7.6 bhp and 7.85 Nm. It offered features like alloy wheels, bikini fairing, and electric start.

YBX

The last motorcycle on our list is the Yamaha YBX, which was a premium commuter motorcycle launched in 1998. The YBX got its juice from a 123.7cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled 4-stroke engine that produced a maximum power of 11 Bhp along with a peak torque of 10.4 Nm. The motor came mated to a 4-speed transmission.