Yamaha Ray-Z Review

Yamaha has always made exceptional bikes. They have blessed us with the likes of RD350, RX100 to the recent R15 and FZ. Seeing the success of the scooter market , the Japanese maker decided to launch the Yamaha Ray-Z and what a journey it has been. Rather late to the party being launched in 2013 but has had an impact. After all it’s better late than never. Let us have a look whether the Yamaha Ray-Z has what it takes to be added to the list of legends like above.

Yamaha Ray-Z Price

Yamaha has gone very competitive on the price. This would normally be the price of a 100 cc scooter. With 13cc more can Yamaha get hold of the market? Would this price be enough to attract buyers?

Also Read: Honda Activa 4G Price and Review

Yamaha Ray-Z Top Speed

The Yamaha Ray-Z achieves a top speed of 86 km/h. That is a lot and more than enough for our urban traffic. Anything faster would only get you to office 3 mins faster to punch on time on the biometric.

Yamaha Ray-Z Dimensions

At 1835mm this is one of the smallest scooters on the market. To top that 675 width is the narrowest of them all. Yes the ground clearance is low and you would hit  speed breaker if too high. But along with smaller dimensions the Yamaha Ray-Z is also very light at just 104 kgs. That is 40 kgs lighter than my friend. How the dimensions roll in favour of this little gem we shall see later.

Also Read: Aprilia SR150 Price and Review

Yamaha Ray-Z Design

Yamaha somehow manages to add a lot of sex appeal to their bikes. And so is the case with the Yamaha Ray-Z. The huge clear head lamp with side indicators attached looks like a big grin. The v-shaped design and graphics surely add to the aerodynamic looks even if the scooter isn’t. Yamaha Ray-Z has a visor on the handle and this is the first I have seen on any scooter. Some functionality to wind deflection. From the side the scooter isn’t very long but the seats have ample of cushioning. The rear grab rails are more like a spoiler to help in downforce. The exhaust is matte black to add to the sporty look.

This is one thing I love and admire if a brand decides to do this on a scooter. The base of the foot board is curved. A lot of scooters have it flat. A lot of times this tends to brush if you lets say get close to a divider or footpath in heavy traffic. And for the riding maniacs attach a VR46 sticker and this bike can corner quite a bit. Well this is pure Yamaha DNA. Launched by Deepika as the brand ambassador to be a more feminine focused bike, turned out the males loved the bike more. That is thanks to not just the looks but performance with handling.

Yamaha Ray-Z Colours

The Yamaha Ray-Z is available in the following colours.

• Regal Red
• Astral Blue
• Moon Walk White
• True Blue

Sadly nothing is pure “BLACK”!

Yamaha Ray-Z Specifications

For a 113 cc generating 7 bhp is a lot. To top it up, it has 8.1Nm of torque. The Yamaha Ray-Z just keeps getting better. And both these factors combined with the extremely light weight. Why would any other scooter even sell. As I mentioned earlier, any better performance would only let you be on time to save you from the biometric. Something a lot of scooters today miss is a kick start. And the option of not having manual gears a push start incase of an emergency is also not possible. Well, that is not the case here. Yamaha know for quality and satisfying its customers gave that added small option.

Also Read: TVS Jupiter Price and Review

Yamaha Ray-Z Mileage

The company claims an efficiency of 62 km/l for the Yamaha Ray-Z. How is Yamaha able to achieve it all. Good performance and good mileage, what else can a person ask for. Even if we consider 55km/l with a5 litre tank, that is approx 250+ km before you stop for a refill. Consider that a months travelling expense taken care off.

Yamaha Ray-Z Ride and Handling

With its light weight and smaller dimensions, you will love to ride it. The front suspension is telescopic making it even more agile and flickable. The response to the twist of the accelerator is perfect and there is no lag. You would find it hard to believe but a friend of mine took theYamaha Ray-Z to Rajmachi which is one of the offroading heavens during the monsoon. When we reached the top this was the only scooter there. We were actually questioned how did he manage this. I can understand that skills matter but so also does the bike. This says it all. The low centre of gravity helps in boosting confidence. Yamaha has made another outstanding machine and the legacy goes on. My request would be if Yamaha adds discs brakes to the Ray-Z and if I am not asking for too much I would love the have this very bike with a bigger engine, say a 150 cc and the dimensions and rest of the work remaining the say. That would be a scooter to give me sleepless nights till I bought one.

Summary

Scoring a perfect 4 in all aspects is a rarity. Every vehicle has some drawback but that is not the scenario here. I’d be nitpicking if I said , was asking for better brakes or abs or a bigger engine. Yamaha has made another fantastic machine and I pray this continues by the Brand.