Yamaha Alpha first look, review

Can Yamaha set its foot in the family scooter segment of India, with the Alpha?

 

The design characteristics that makes the Alpha stand out at just at a glimpse, is the front apron that slightly overlaps the indicators creating the imagery of an air vent, followed by the rear that poses a smartly placed tail-light and indicators. It’s a purpose built family scooter to attract the likings of middle aged men and women, with contemporary styling and bold lines.

The Alpha get a halogen powered headlight placed on the handlebar, typical of scooters, as are flush-set clear lens indicators on the front apron. Instruments are attractively laid-out and very readable, with speedometer calibrated to 120kph and the economy zone residing between 30 to 50kph, covered by a body coloured casing. Scooter-typical palm grips, switches and control levers are provided with operational mirrors similar to the ones found on the Ray. A solitary bag hook is placed under the saddle with a storage capacity of 21 litres provided under the seat. This scooter gets a smartly designed tail, and a neatly placed exhaust encased with a textured shroud. As a family scooter it should prove to be a reliable commuter, courtesy of good overall Yamaha fit-finish quality and built-to-last rubber and plastic components.

The new Yamaha is built around a four-stroke, 113cc, single-cylinder and force air-cooled engine. Peak power generated is similar to Ray, with 7bhp at 7500rpm and 0.82kgm of peak torque at 5000rpm, which is transferred to the rear wheel through a CVT system. The carburetted powertrain can be fired up via an electric and a kick starter, a choke knob is provided just below the handlebars for cold starts.

The 113cc scooter accommodates the rider and pillion with an upright seating position on a comfortable saddle, with a flat floorboard for the rider and rubber based pillion footrests. A steel underbone type chassis, holds the scooter together, with telescopic front fork suspension and a rear monoshock, with engine doubling up as a stressed member of the frame. The 130mm front and rear drum brakes manage the braking activity, and are mounted on the 90/100 x 10 inch tyres.

Yamaha has shifted its focus to the scooter segment of India, with the increasing number of scooter sales that the company has received after its first scooter launch, the Ray. Alpha is available in five colour options- black, grey, white, red and magenta, and has been launched at Rs 49,518 (ex-showroom, Delhi). This scooter plays an important role for Yamaha in India, with the company setting up a sales target of 200,000 units in the 1st year of launch itself.

 

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 49,518

Engine

Fuel	Petrol
Type	113cc, Single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke
Power	7bhp at 7500rpm
Torque	0.82kgm at 5000rpm

Transmission

Type

CVT

Dimensions

Length	1795mm
Width	675mm
Height	1124mm
Wheel base	1270mm
Ground clearance	128mm

Chassis & Body

Weight	104kg
Wheels	10-inch pressed steel
Tyres	90/100x10