When launched in India, Yamaha ADV motorcycle would rival off-road machines like the Hero Xpulse 200 along with upcoming TVS Ronin SCR
Indian motorcycle segment is witnessing a surge in demand for ADVs. The wave of adventure motorcycles is on the rise. Buyers and enthusiasts reward manufacturers when they go out of their limbs and launch a proper off-road machine instead of a pseudo ADV. That’s exactly what Yamaha seems to be doing as the first spy shots emerge on the internet.
Yamaha ADV Motorcycle Spied Testing In India
Remember when Yamaha India Chairman, Eishin Chihana, confirmed in 2022 that an ADV was in consideration for future prospects? He specifically mentioned a displacement class of 125cc to 150cc for their upcoming ADV. Initial speculations suggested a pseudo-ADV based on FZ’s 150cc platform.
However, Yamaha seems to be going full regalia on the ADV aspect and is cooking a proper off-road machine for India. Yup! A proper off-roader from Team Blue is soon to be a reality and the first set of spy shots emerge on the internet, confirming just that. Thanks to Akshay Raj and Solomon Daniel, we now have the first set of images of Yamaha’s upcoming off-roader.
Looking at the pictures, our thoughts immediately went to WR 155R. However, the exhaust orientation and other finer details suggest this ain’t a WR 155R. Instead, it looks much closer to a Yamaha XTZ 150 sold in Latin markets like Colombia. The pictures also show a saree guard which is not mandated by any other nation. So, this is India-bound for sure.
Off-road worthy componentry
Overall aesthetics of the spied motorcycle matches with XTZ 150. But for India, Yamaha’s premium pricing strategies will require fancier componentry to justify its intended price. In that regard, we get improved braking in the form of rear disc brakes, petal rotors at both ends for better heat dissipation, a fancier master cylinder for front brakes, among others.
We can also see round ORVMs and round turn indicators for Indian model. Headlights look like they have LEDs in them, while indicators are halogens. These aforementioned attributes are not seen with Yamaha XTZ sold abroad.
Off-road componentry include long-travel suspension at both ends (RSU telescopic at the front and mono-shock at the rear), wire-spoke wheels shod with dual-purpose tyres, up-swept exhaust, beefy swingarm, grippy footpegs for rider, a front beak, a rear luggage rack and more.
Which engine?
Yamaha India Chairman, Eishin Chihana, had mentioned a displacement between 125cc and 150cc. If we take a look at Yamaha XTZ lineup, it gets a 125cc, 150cc and a 250cc variant. We would incline more towards a 150cc possibility as it falls in the displacement bracket Chihana had suggested.
But there is a possibility of it being a 250cc motorcycle as well, considering the most affordable off-road motorcycle, Hero Xpulse, displaces 200cc. Hero is already testing a 210cc Xpulse, sharing the same 210cc single-cylinder DOHC 4V liquid-cooled engine with Karizma XMR 210.
Engine seen on the spy shots doesn’t exactly match with any of the 150cc engines Yamaha currently offers in India. So, it would be interesting to see how this motorcycle turns out. Considering most components looked production-ready, launch could happen by the end of this year. Excited? We bet.
