When one thinks of iconic motorcycles sold in India, the Yezdi Roadking has to be right up among the top five motorcycles. To say that the motorcycle was iconic is an understatement. The motorcycle was a style statement and a status symbol. It made bystanders aspire to own one someday.
However, all good things do come to an end and the production of the Yezdi Roadking ceased in the late 90s. While we can’t get the Yezdi Roadking back, we certainly can get the Yezdi Roadster. Yezdi has made a comeback and in its modern resurrection, the brand has launched three motorcycles.
Of the three, the Yezdi Adventure and Yezdi Scrambler are brand new and are unlike anything the company has ever made. The third motorcycle is the Yezdi Roadster, and this one brings back memories of the Roadking like no other. It does look like the Yezdi Roadking of yore, but does it offer the same thrill? What’s it like to ride? We rode it to find out.
Yezdi Roadster Design & Style
Quite obviously, design inspiration for the new Yezdi Roadster has been drawn from the Yezdi Roadking. It is not just the overall design and silhouette that makes us think so. Even the little design details seem to take us back to the Roadking.
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Up front is a circular headlamp. It is an LED unit with the Yezdi logo integrated into the division that separates the low and high beams. The fork has a higher degree of rake and the handlebar is canted upwards. It is quite obvious that the designers were trying to replicate the riding position of the old Roadking and this comes pretty close.
Positioned above the headlamp is the circular instrument cluster with a chrome surround. The headlamp surround and handlebar are also finished in chrome. Then comes the fuel tank. This is the one part that almost seems like it has been lifted off the old Roadking. With its rounded-off edges and voluptuous design, it bears striking resemblance to the fuel tank of its predecessors.
However, it now gets tank pads on both sides that make it look better while also making it functional. The side panels too carry the same voluptuous, rounded-off design language. The rest of the motorcycle is more modern with a retro touch to it.
The radiator looks pretty large and does draw your attention. There’s some interesting technology at work in there. Read on to know more about it. Coming back to the design and style, the Yezdi Roadster features a single-piece seat with the rider’s bit caved in to allow for a lower seating position. The pillion rider sits at a higher position and this seat also adds a lot to the styling aspect.
Yet another aspect that amplifies the retro styling is the rear fender. The tail lamp, indicators, and number plate are mounted on this very fender. The engine plays a major role in the styling department. It closely resembles the old two-stroke engine and even though it is a liquid-cooled engine, the cylinder features cooling fins to make it look more retro.
The Yezdi Roadster features twin exhaust outlets and the exhaust pipes have been styled just like the ones on the Yezdi Roadking. You also get bar-end mirrors and the Roadster is the only motorcycle among the three modern Yezdis to make use of alloy wheels.
Yezdi Roadster Features
The Yezdi Roadster is the entry-level model in the modern Yezdi lineup and therefore gets just the bare minimum in terms of features. It does get two smartphone charging slots. Yes, you do get both the Type-A and Type-C smartphone charging slots. You also get LED lighting all around.
A circular LCD instrument cluster handles instrumentation duties. It does look very attractive and it also displays lots of information. It features a gear position indicator, distance-to-empty, readout, multiple trip meters, speedometer, odometer, tachometer, etc. The switchgear is brand-new and feels good. The buttons and switches feel tactile and nice to use. The fit and finish in this area could have been better though.
Yezdi Roadster Engine Performance & Riding Impressions
The Yezdi Roadster is powered by a liquid-cooled, 334cc, single-cylinder engine just like the other two Yezdi motorcycles. However, it is tuned differently in order to suit the riding requirements of its target audience.
It produces a maximum power output of 29.3bhp at 7,300rpm and a peak torque output of 29Nm at 6,500rpm. The numbers show that the power and torque come in at higher engine speeds. In reality though, it is a different story. It manages a decent amount of grunt at lower engine speeds and the [ace really picks up once you hit the mid-range.
Compared to the two other Yezdi motorcycles, the maximum power on the Yezdi Roadster comes in at a slightly lower engine speed and this is felt in the way it performs out on the road. It doesn’t accelerate really hard off the line, however, it does feel very enthusiastic. Once it gets to speed though, it feels right at home.
It can easily cruise at speeds of 100-110km/h. There are a few vibrations that can be felt at these speeds, however it is not something that will bother you to a large extent. If you need to overtake at speed, things become much easier if you drop a gear and then do it. This brings us to the 6-speed gearbox. It is a smooth-shifting unit and gives us no room for complaints at all.
On the whole, the engine characteristics are quite similar to that of the Yezdi Scrambler and Adventure. However, we did feel that this engine is more suited to the Roadster and the kind of riding it would go through.
As a result of having the motorcycle only for a short period of time, we couldn’t really test out its capabilities in the urban jungle. But we did put it through its paces on some curves and on the highway.
As aforementioned, the steering rake angle is high and this enhances the riding position for cruising. Suspension duties are handled by a telescopic fork with 135mm of travel up front and twin shocks at the rear with a travel of 100mm. The suspension setup is neither on the softer side, nor on the stiffer side. It is a well-balanced suspension setup that allows you to ride in a relaxed manner.
Braking is taken care of by a 320mm disc up front and a 240mm disc at the rear. You do get a dual-channel ABS as standard fitment. However, unlike the other two Yezdi motorcycles, you do not get switchable ABS modes.
Yezdi has tweaked the radiator setup for these new motorcycles. As aforementioned, it does get a large radiator, but the cooling pipes that run inside the radiator now run horizontally as opposed to the norm which is vertical pipes. This, according to Yezdi, has increased cooling efficiency to a large extent.
On the whole, riding the Yezdi Roadster is a pleasant experience and it does bring back memories of the Yezdi Roadking.
Yezdi Roadster Colours, Price & Competition
The Yezdi Roadster is available in five colour options and the price of the motorcycle changes according to the colour one opts for.
– Smoke Grey: Rs 1,98,142- Hunter Green: Rs 2,02,142- Steel Blue: Rs 2,02,142- Sin Silver: Rs 2,06,142
– Gallant Grey: Rs 2,06,142
The Steel Blue and Hunter Green shades look the best on the Yezdi Roadster. The Gallant Grey and Sin Silver colours are part of the Chrome trim and this means, it comes with more parts finished in chrome, including the twin exhausts.
The Yezdi Roadster competes with the likes of the Royal Enfield Meteor, Jawa 42, Jawa, and to an extent, even the Royal Enfield Classic 350.
Verdict
The Yezdi Roadster is truly a worthy successor to the Yezdi Roadking. It may not have the same charm or the same enticing soundtrack. But it carries the same soul and the same thrill. It has a brilliant engine and looks great too. Now all that remains to be seen is, if the motorcycle sells as well as it is anticipated to.
Keyword: Yezdi Roadster Review — Is It A Worthy Successor To The Yezdi Roadking?