The Yezdi Roadster is the brand's modern take on the classic cruiser, built around a peppy 334cc liquid-cooled engine. It is priced at Rs 2,05,969 (ex-showroom, Delhi), and is positioned against rivals like the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Harley-Davidson X440.. Here's a closer look at what it offers in terms of features, and whether they're worth it.
Convenience Features
One of the most practical is the detachable pillion seat, which allows riders to switch between a two-up configuration for commuting and a cleaner, solo-rider look for weekend rides without needing any tools. This offers proper functional flexibility that's also aesthetic as a single seater looks a lot cooler than one with a pillion seat. Also, the cushioned backrest should ensure the pillion feels comfortable and secured (as it prevents sliding rear-wards) over longer distances.
On the other hand, it comes with a negative LCD display, and while it's on the smaller side, it packs in a good amount of information laid out well. This includes a gear position indicator, clock, speedometer, tachometer, odometer, fuel gauge and tripmeter readings, apart from the other tell-tale lights.
Brightness is a weak point as it gets noticeably harder to read under direct sunlight. The cluster does tilt for adjustment, but that's there to help you set it to your riding height. Disappointingly, despite being a fairly premium bike, there's no smartphone pairing at all, so you're missing call and SMS alerts as well as turn-by-turn navigation, features that are increasingly common even on smaller capacity commuters.
The bike comes with two riding modes: City and Power, with the former limiting the top speed to 100kmph. There's no difference in the riding experience, though.
Safety Features
On the safety front, the Yezdi Roadster comes equipped with dual-channel ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) as standard across all variants. This is a crucial safety net, preventing both the front and rear wheels from locking up under hard braking. While there's no traction control, we didn't really miss it when we rode the motorcycle for about 300km.
BikeDekho Says
The Roadster nails the fundamentals: factory custom cruiser styling with a liquid-cooled engine. That said, it will appeal to those who aren't keen on having the most feature-packed bike. If you like a connected experience, then the Roadster will disappoint you. If you're someone who prioritises an engaging riding experience free of distracting elements, then the Roadster is a good choice.