Yezdi Roadster review: First ride

The Yezdi range begins with the Roadster, which takes the classic Yezdi design form and channels it into a modern cruiser that will take on the likes of the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

The first motorcycle I rode was my father’s Yezdi Classic II. I grew up listening to stories about the infallible Yezdi and the adventures my dad had on it. In many ways, it sowed the seeds of the passion that I have for motorcycles today. And I have to admit, that even now after having ridden some of the best motorcycles on the planet, I was thrilled when I heard that Yezdi would make a comeback. Like me, I’m sure there are thousands of 90s kids out there who grew up around the legend of the Yezdi. The market is there for the taking, and Classic Legends have rolled out three contrasting motorcycles to take on this space, the Yezdi Scrambler, the Roadster and the Adventure. On our test ride, we had a chance to ride all three of them, this is our review of the Yezdi Roadster.

Where the Scrambler and the Adventure are all shock and awe with bright paint schemes and scaffolding, the Roadster is subtle and svelte. Of the three Yezdis, it is the only one that is purely road-going. and even though it lacks the visual drama of the other two, it is still a very handsome motorcycle. The design combines the aesthetics of a bobber and a standard cruiser which in the case of the Roadster works very well. It is also the only one that incorporates the twin silencers from the original Yezdi almost down to the tee. The small circular LED headlamp with a tiny fly-screen mounted on top paired with the flat bars and bar end mirrors give the Roadster that factory custom appeal right out of the box. It’s a simple design, but I think it works in the case of the Roadster.

Being the entry-level offering from Yezdi, the Roadster has the least in terms of standard features. There’s no USB charger, nor do you get switchable modes for the ABS. Although that’s not necessarily all bad. The USB charger can be added to the Roadster as an accessory and for the most part, the standard dual-channel ABS should be enough for most on-road situations. Unlike the other two, the Roadster also misses out on LED indicators and instead uses a conventional bulb kit for the front and rear indicators.

In comparison to the other two, the Roadster is a single purpose motorcycle, with only road riding in focus. It sits low, and the 1440mm wheelbase is ideal for stable cruising. Visually, it does seem to have a lazier rake angle than the other two but this is well-balanced by the wide-set flat bars. The riders triangle too is comfort-focused, and even for my 6’foot frame, it didn't feel cramped or too stretched out. The suspension set up on the Roadster is similar to what Yezdi have on the Scrambler with conventional forks up front and twin gas-charged forks at the back. Although on the Roadster you get 135mm of travel up front, 100mm at the rear. The springs are still set stiff which is great for riding on smooth roads but a little more compression would have made for a better ride on broken tarmac and bumpy roads. Overall though, the Roadster has my vote for being accessible and easy-going as far as the riding experience goes. It sits nice and low with a 790mm seat and 175mm of ground clearance making it a great motorcycle for the highways.

Despite sharing the same engine i.e. the one that we had seen on the Jawa Perak. Yezdi have tinkered with fuelling, cycle parts and gear ratios to try to pair the engine best with the motorcycle. The Yezdi Roadster’s 334cc liquid-cooled DOHC single makes 29.7bhp@ 7,300 rpm and 29Nm of peak torque at 6,500rpm. This state of tune somehow brings out the best in the motor, and right from the moment you thumb the starter the motor feels and sounds more relaxed than its siblings. This sedate attitude continues into the road manners as well, while the Roadster does not feel noticeably slower than its siblings, it does feel more refined through the rev band and accelerates off the line much smoother as well. What is exceptional though on all three bikes is the 6-speed gearbox which has nice short and precise throws with a reassuring click that really add to the riding experience.

The Roadster is the most accessible of the Yezdis’ not just in terms of rideability but also price. Its simple no-nonsense approach seems to work well in its favour. It’s the smoothest to ride of the three motorcycles and the added grunt of the high revving motor makes for an engaging ride experience. With prices starting at Rs 1.98 lakh ex-showroom, I won’t be surprised if this is the most popular motorcycle of the Yezdi family in the years to come.