Yamaha SZ R

There is not much of a difference between the Yamaha SZ R that we will be discussing today and the SZ-X that we had discussed a while back; except for a few variations in the looks and accessories. Anyway, we will discuss the SZ R independently to see what customers have got to say about it.

Yamaha SZ-R

In terms of specs, the SZ-R is very much like the SZ-X. It comes with a 153cc air-cooled 4 stroke engine delivering a max power of around 12.1 PS at 7500 RPM. This effectively gets you a max torque of 12.8 Nm at 4500 RPM. Unlike the SZ X that has drum brakes on both the front and the rear wheels, the SZ R has a disc on the front and a drum on the rear. The bike measures 2050 x 730 x 1100 mm and weighs 134 kg. Equipped with a wheelbase of 1320mm, ground clearance of 165mm and seat height of 802mm, the other specs are mostly the same. The SZ-R can hold 14 liters of fuel at any point. You can purchase the motorcycle at a price of Rs. 57,500 ex-showroom Delhi.

Manufacturer’s Mileage Claim

Given that there is not much to choose between the SZX and the SZR, the manufacturer’s claim has stayed unchanged. As a matter of fact, Yamaha has one standard fuel economy claim for all their SZ variants – 62.4 kmpl. Do note that this is under test conditions and the real world FE would definitely be lower than this. Only a few other bikes like the Pulsar, Xtreme and Achiever have a higher mileage at the 150cc level.

User Reviews & Test Ride Reports

On Indiagarage, a customer reports that his SZR gives an unsatisfactory 43 kmpl on city roads. However there are more than a couple of other users who think the SZR is probably the best in class and they note a much higher FE of between 50-55 kmpl on city roads.

MaxAbout in their review say the SZR is “virtually identical to its younger sibling SZ-X” without any element of surprise when it comes to engine that they say lacks power. In terms of mileage, the SZR is reported to offer 55-60 kmpl on city roads and 65 kmpl on the highways. I feel the author has been too generous in this case. Anyway, let’s go through what the others have to say before jumping in on a conclusion.

In a customer review report back from 2011, BikeAdvice writer Naren calls the bike Sporty and ‘one of the hottest chicks’ in the Indian bike market. The review, which is overall very positive, does not specify the mileage. However, the readers reporting their FE claim it to be somewhere in the 45-49 kmpl mark.

On Motorbeam once again, the reviewer points out that the power delivered by the bike may not be up to the mark. However, there is a lot of thrust at low rev which is good in the city traffic conditions. On the mileage front, the reviewer notes 55+ kmpl overall which is extremely good which makes me rethink what I said about MaxAbout’s review.

Anyway, the final word needs to come from the customers themselves. On MouthShut, there are over 133 reviews for the SZR. The reviewers have together rated the bike 3/5 in fuel consumption which is not really a good figure. However, reading through the latest reviews, it seems like customers are happy with the mileage offered. The reported figure has hovered between 40-52 kmpl which is a pretty wide, yet good number to go with.

The summary of reports from various sources is tabulated below. Overall, the SZR looks like a decent bike to go with. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Official 62.4
IndiaGarage 43-55
MaxAbout 55-60 65
BikeAdvice 45-49
MotorBeam 55
MouthShut 40-52

Mahindra Pantero

Mahindra has always been known for its sturdy commercial vehicles and SUVs. Of late though, they have been getting aggressive on the two wheeler front. One of their latest launches in the Pantero. Derived from “Panther”, the Pantero is an entry-level motorcycle that is designed for agility and efficiency. Equipped with a 106.7cc 4 stroke MCI-5 engine, this bike can deliver a maximum power of 8.5 PS at 7500 RPM that translates to a torque of 8.5 Nm at 5500 RPM. The closest I can think of is Yamaha Crux which is an 106cc motorcycle too. However in terms of power, the Crux only delivered around 7.6PS which puts the Pantero in a better position. Speaking of other specs, the Pantero measures 2000mm x 1265mm x 735mm, weighs 120kg and offers a decent ground clearance of 165mm. With a 13.7 liter capacity fuel tank, you can be assured that you wouldn’t be running out of petrol anytime soon. The Pantero is available at a starting price of Rs. 39,650 ex-showroom Delhi.

Mahindra Pantero

Fuel Economy Claim From Mahindra

Mileage is a huge concern for bikes in the entry level sub-110cc bikes. The Pantero is no different and as I said earlier, Mahindra claims efficiency to be a huge selling factor for its motorcycle. According to ARAI certified tests publicized by the company, the Pantero can deliver 79.4 kmpl under standard testing conditions. While the real world conditions are likely to pull this figure down to more practical levels, the official claim puts the Pantero in the middle of the pie – if you read our note on the top 100cc bikes in India, you will notice that the official claim on most 100cc bikes range from 70kmpl to 91kmpl.

Customer Feedback & Test Ride Reports

Now let us take a look at what some of the third party test rides and customer reports have got to say. Let us begin with what the folks at MaxAbout have got to say. In their review, the website commends the powerful engine that can potentially beat a lot of competitors. However, as a rider, you may not feel the power possibly due to the low throttle response. The website also notes that the instrument console is pretty futuristic. The city mileage reported on the website is 60 kmpl while the corresponding number on highways is close to 79 kmpl.

ZigWheels in their report do not have too many things to say about the bike although they note that the Pantero is priced very competitively for the commuter segment. They report a fuel economy of 68.25 kmpl. The review has not specified if this was tested on city road conditions or on the highways.

On city roads, you should ideally be expecting a lot less FE. According to the report on TopGear, the Pantero is not too good on the city roads in terms of fuel consumption. Their test ride revealed a figure of 48.9 kmpl which is well below the manufacturer claim of 79.4 kmpl. However, the writer does note that performance-wise, the Pantero is pretty refined with great suspension and very little vibration at high speeds on the highway.

The report on ProdEase does not comprehensively cover the performance of the Pantero. However, on the mileage front, the website notes that the motorcycle should be able to deliver between 65-70 kmpl although I am not sure if this was independently tested by the reviewer.

Most commuter segment bikes on MouthShut receive a 4/5 rating for fuel consumption. However, Pantero seems to be a rare exception. Users have rated it 3/5 which is not a good sign. There are just 8 reviews though and not too many mileage reports. One user reports 49 kmpl on city roads and 57 kmpl on the highways, which is similar to what TopGear has posted but which is again not anywhere close to what the manufacturers claim.

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Official 79.4
MaxAbout 60 79
ZigWheels 68.25
TopGear 48.9
ProdEase 65-70
MouthShut 49 57

So there you have it. The mileage is not exceptional on the Pantero. I really do not know if there is any one aspect that should make you pick the Pantero over its competitors. In any case, if there is a reason, go for it. It’s not too bad either.