The 2025 Yezdi Roadster 125+ Km Review: Does The Four Stroke Icon Lives Up To The Hype ?

Spanning back to 2022, when Czechoslovakia-originated Yezdi Motorcycles made a return to India under Mahindra & Mahindra-backed Classic Legends, the Roadster was part of the crew, and ever since the 1979 icon’s successor broke cover, it has been the top-selling Yezdi, with the numbers crossing above 70,000 units by far in this successful journey of three years. However, despite being one of India’s favourites, there haven’t been days the Roadster has not faced criticism.

Following the same, Yezdi Motorcycles claims to be giving  a new birth to this legend with all the complications sorted, adding a new character to its existence. I had a long experience of riding this reborn Roadster for around more than 125+ kilometres, all the way from Mysore to Madikeri, testing its ability from every possible angle, and here is the report on my first ride experience with observations on whether the all-new 2025 second-generation Yezdi Roadster is really an incarnation of its pre-iteration, or is it just good PR?

Also Read: The 2025 Yezdi Roadster has been Launched & Here is all you need to know

Design:

The Yezdi Roadster is acclaimed for carrying a never-ageing design, taking forward the legacy of the iconic 1979-born two-stroke Roadking. The new generation adds to the overall sportiness, shading four divergent personas while retaining the original charm. Mentioning differences, the update brings minimal but noticeable changes, such as a more slender 12.5 L fuel tank with a larger grip area badged 69, which denotes the brand's coexistence, and a 795 mm high detachable twin-seat setup, further complemented by a chopped fender, enabling a semi-bobber's character reminiscent of the older Harley Davidsons.

Moreover, the cosmetics can be opted in six different retrofitted options, which are again based on four varying packages, including a set of 50+ accessories. Furthermore, the 2025 Yezdi Roadster is offered in two non-identical variants: Standard (base) and Premium (top-end), which can be distinguished by their unique set of LED tail lamps, where the Premium’s fender-integrated dual-purpose indicators can be switched to the Standard’s single-sided tyre hugger-mounted round tail lamp with standard bulb side blinkers, or vice versa. The accessorisation further allows the round LED headlamp to share a garnishing of either a full or half-sized cowl and even two distinct visor styles. Furthermore, the options don’t limit here; in conjunction with multiple seat paddings, a headlamp protector, and a two-way luggage rack portion with the front fascia complemented by the bar and mirrors besides a conventional round unit. Therefore, to sum up the composition, the rugged theme now amplifies the overall character of this new era’s four-stroke Yezdi.

Electronics & Technology:

​In terms of technology, the Roadster retains the similarly round-shaped, fully digital negative LCD instrumentation, which with the update has become adjustable for the positioning. Nevertheless, the interface remains similar, and there is no addition of Bluetooth connectivity for the turn-by-turn navigation or the message and call alerts. The visible indications available are gear position, speedometer, tachometer, and odometer, with the addition of a timer. The visibility pertains to issues with blurriness in bright sunlight. Looking at the cluster, you’ll acknowledge a symbol for traction control, but unfortunately that’s a dummy. The update anticipated some features from the third-generation Adventure, such as a USB charging port and the ones mentioned above, although what’s made its way is a little disappointing from the perspective of a consumer.

Engine & Performance:

​Powering the all-new Roadster is a Jawa 42 FJ-shared 334 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder 4V DOHC mill. However, as compared to the 42 FJ, where the displacement is tuned towards a linear torque supply, in the Roadster the Alpha 2 Series is characterised by performance orientation. Additionally, with the variable liquid cooling mechanism and the availability of a dual overhead cam (DOHC), the engine's refinement level is up to par. There is minimal heating due to the heat-sensing radiator fan acting constantly. This engine churns out the maximum power of 29 bhp with an increased torque figure of 30 Nm, which can be channelled into two riding modes: City and Power. The City mode is best suited to urban areas, or the townships, with manoeuvrability restricting the speed limits above 85 kmph up to 5,000 RPM, and hence it is considered preferable in regard to fuel economy, which in real-world conditions have improved to the figure of 31 to 34 kmpl.

Meanwhile, the Power mode unlocks the full potential of this engine, allowing it to rev above 8,000 RPM with the maximum output obtainable at the mid-end around 6,200 to 7,500 RPM, claiming a top speed of 140 kmph, covering an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in about 3.7 seconds. In my journey of 125+ km, I was able to gun a top speed of 120 kmph coinciding minimal vibrations, and this could have been only possible due to an increased number of acceleration rounds, which are directed through the increased two tooth of the rear sprocket, making the count 45 teeth.

The recalibrated engine comes mated to a slip & assist clutch-assisted six-speed transmission that now has smoother and shorter gear ratios, also accounting for the shorter gear ratios resulting in the accuracy of lower gears at higher speeds and lower speeds at higher gear combinations. For a reference, the shorter transmission travel allows the rider to cruise at 67 kmph even in fourth gear without the engine exerting any external pressure or manoeuvre at 37 kmph in fifth gear without the engine being shut off instantly, which is quite practical in terms of daily riding conditions of bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Cutting it short, on my journey all the way from Mysore to Madikeri, the engine let me stick between 97 kmph and the triple digits in the Power mode, simply making the bike glide over the tarmac, resisting redlining before 9,000 RPM, and contributing to the lighter clutching experience. In drawing things closer, the engine’s strength, the bike sheds its kerb weight of 194 kg every time the speedometer tops the double-digit numbers and therefore, is accompanied by a faster wheel rotation rate, yielding absolutely no torque lag on uphill travel, facilitating higher RPM on lower gears

Ride & Handling:

The Roadster underpins the dual-cradle frame, which is popular for its excellent weight distribution while the bike’s on the go, and as mentioned above, with the increasing speed, the overall weight appears to feel lighter. This supplementarily boosts the high-speed cornering agility and the stability all around. The Roadster, escorted by the recent upgrade, lets you choose between standard tubular handlebars, aimed at daily urban riding conditions, making the tight turnings effortless, and an optional flat set of hydroform handlebars focused on an aggressive riding stance, carrying a change in the ergonomics despite both the handlebars sharing a rake angle of 29 degrees. 

I had an opportunity to test the hydroform set of handlebars in diverse riding conditions. Sharing my experience, these handlebars are easygoing, endorsing high-speed flicks during traffic congestions for city riding and confidently planted expeditious highway laps accentuated by the extended wheelbase of 1,441 mm. By the same token, both these handlebars are a riser setup; henceforth, they can be adjusted for height as per the rider’s handling preferences and comfort. As a consequence, the response of these hydroform handlebars affirms an unwavering hold. 

The suspension, on the other hand, is fine-tuned to diverse road conditions, adapting to various demographies. The 125+ km is not a stretch and is more than enough to bring a bike’s hardware into a thorough evaluation. The 5-step preload twin shocks actually live up to the claims, soaking up all the potholes and gravel, constraining the impact to translate to both the rider and pillion, be it speedy runs or off-road, equally supported by a high ground clearance of 171 mm.

The rear suspension is set to such conditions; you’ll never hesitate to take on the trails, and thus riding this bike under extreme conditions should be a piece of cake, keeping in mind both the rider and pillion will remain jerk-free, as the two-step manual adjustment permits positioning the compression depending on one’s rideability. The adjustment, besides keeping the coils on the firmer side, also emphasises stiffness, which empowers the blistering roadway runs. In conjunction with this, the front long-travelled, to be precise 138 mm, 41 mm telescopic forks possess excellent damping, which, in amalgamation to the front-forward footpegs, corollarises a balanced saddling along with an upright rider’s triangle for a comfortable posture.

The new-gen Roadster doesn’t offer traction control, yet over the slippery surfaces the body roll is almost negligible with no tyre skid, thanks to the wider 150-section rear profiling, which acts positively in applying friction in response to the adequate gripping. While riding on uneven patches, I realised the increased width of the 17-inch rear wheels actually comes in handy during saddling, assuring safety at all ends even at zippy speeds such as 67 kmph. In addition, the comfort levels are so elevated that a pillion can painlessly ride around 50 to 100 km.

Now, coming to the braking, the Roadster is guarded by the ByBre-featured dual-channel ABS, notably highlighting the top-notch hardware quality. This ABS is mechanised by front dual-piston radial and rear single axial callipers bolted on the front 320 mm alongside the rear 230 mm rotor discs, both ensuring such a strong stopping power of the sintered pads that I was able to emergency brake at 90 kmph. Having said that, the braking effect was firm enough to avoid wheel locking in synchronisation to the rate of wheel rotation, further preventing accidental situations. 

Also Read: KTM 160 Duke Review: Is The New Youngest Duke Now City Friendly?

Verdict:

​Drawing a judgement around this under-350cc motorcycle, the engine is powerful enough to make you discover the hidden corners of India, and stability is at levels even a beginner could rely on. The fact cannot be ignored that in comparison to the competition, certain numbers of electronics are lacking. However, Yezdi says we don’t build motorcycles to distract the rider from his/her experience navigating the nation of cultural diversity by themselves, and hence their primary focus has always remained quality hardware components. What I could have understood, having my roots from the north and riding in the extreme of south, is that you don’t ride a Roadster to connect the routes but also the roots, adapting to divergent cultures and habitats in unity, imitating a nomadic lifestyle.

Yezdi with the Roadster wants you to be a stranger who’s unknown to nobody, where its limitless customisation plays a mark to make you stand alone favourably. As a cherry on the cake, surprisingly, you wouldn’t have to pay much; thanks to the new GST tax reforms, the older prices have come down by  ₹16,000, with the revised starting price tag of ₹1.93 lakh (ex-showroom) and going up to ₹2.09 lakh (ex-showroom), which used to be the pre-tax-reform starting price. To complement this pricing and overall value-for-money proposition, Yezdi is also offering a standard warranty of four years or fifty thousand kilometres, which is extendable to six years or seventy-five thousand kilometres. If this doesn’t convince you, the Classic Legends is eyeing expansion, bringing the dealership within your reach. So, what’s stopping you from owning a Yezdi, especially the all-new Roadster!