Gladiator

This bike is all set to Re – establish Yamaha as the performance king here in India

Overdrive reports that the 165cc motorcycle shall develop around 16.5 PS and complete a 0 – 60 sprint in less than 5 seconds. Overdrive also reported in its Jan issue, that Yamaha has already sent the bike for homologation.

The bike comes in two tone color, and superb looking engine guard (Something that many riders do as an after market mod). The bike seems to have a very sporty riding position, which can be inferred from the handles, and the rear peg position. The bike does not have a mono shock (Not evident from the pic), and is most likely to have gas/liquid filled shocks. I would have preferred this bike to sport a mono shock, which would add more to its international appeal.

Many of us in India had been expecting such a bike, from Yamaha after their RX and RD series of two stroke engine bikes, but what came from them was not up to the mark, or rather I say at time not up to the competition either. Many of their bikes like Crux R, Fazer, and Libero haven’t been able to make a mark in the market as their earlier bikes did. Off late their Gladiator has been a good product and is certainly the best bike in its class, more for the reason that it gives a big bike feel, and one does feel that it should have had a 150cc engine below the tank.

So Yamaha have answered to all of us, although it’s a bit late considering the last big launch was the RD 350. All hopes alive that this bike is ‘Truly Yamaha