The moment the wraps come off, the silhouette hits you with a wave of nostalgia. Long, flat seat. Slim, straight tank with hand-laid pinstripes. Round headlamp with a tidy bezel. Spoke-ish design alloys that mimic the vibe without the tube hassle. It is unmistakably RX in attitude and stance, yet the details feel current and quietly improved.
The paint has a deep gloss, the switchgear clicks with purpose, and the cable routing looks tidy, the way enthusiasts of the original would have done it themselves on a lazy Sunday. If you grew up hearing the legend of the Yamaha RX100, this new model feels like a respectful bow to that story rather than a loud remake.
Design
Walk around it and the scale feels right for India. The tank is compact, the seat height is friendly, and the bars are wide enough for leverage in traffic without clipping mirrors. The side panels taper cleanly into a stubby rear fender, the tail-lamp is LED but styled with a vintage lens, and the indicators carry amber lenses for that classic wink. The Yamaha RX100 community has always valued simplicity and purpose, and you can sense those values in the way the footpegs, levers, and center-stand have been engineered. Nothing screams for attention, yet everything invites a touch.
Engine And Performance
Under the tank sits a fuel-injected, air-cooled single designed to deliver usable grunt right off idle. Short city hops are where this motor shines, squirting through gaps with a crisp throttle and just enough intake note to make you smirk inside the helmet. The mid-range is fatter than you expect, letting you stay a gear higher while rolling past slow buses.
On open stretches, it gathers pace cleanly towards the claimed 110 km/h, feeling composed rather than frantic. Purists who worship the zing of the original two-stroke Yamaha RX100 will find this a different kind of charm, more about clean torque and tractable pull than peaky drama. But the essence—lightness, response, eagerness—remains intact.
Gearbox And Ratios
The 5-speed box loves short, positive shifts. First is short enough for speed breakers and u-turns, second and third carry the city, and fourth is the magic carpet for ring roads. Fifth is a relaxed overdrive that cools the motor on longer runs and helps nudge fuel economy upwards. The final drive has been chosen with care, so the bike never feels strangled for pick-up even as it chases that headline 80 km/l in gentle hands. If the Yamaha RX100 taught India anything, it was the joy of effortless pace. This one brings back that easy rhythm.
Handling
Point it down a tight lane and the chassis answers like an old friend. The rake and trail numbers are set for quick turn-in without the nervousness that makes new riders flinch. The front fork is traditional but well damped, and the twin shocks get preload steps for pillion or luggage days. On a quick breakfast ride out of town, the bike holds a clean line and resists mid-corner bumps with a shrug. Urban speed breakers are dismissed at sensible speeds, and the center-stand is positioned to avoid early scrapes. That old RX gift for weaving through traffic feels wonderfully alive.
Brakes, Tyres And Safety
A front disc with single-channel ABS brings modern reassurance without changing the bike’s character. The rear drum is progressive and easy to modulate, exactly what you want in wet market lanes or gravelly village stretches. The 17-inch tubeless tyres use a compound that balances longevity with grip, and the front line in higher trims is steel-braided for stronger, fade-free lever feel on hot days. Side-stand cut-off protects against forgetful moments, and the engine kill-switch is now standard, because the Yamaha RX100 crowd loves quick pit-stops for chai and chats.
Fuel Efficiency And Range
The claim is an eye-catching 80 km per litre in ideal conditions. Real riders will see lower numbers depending on traffic and throttle, but the recipe is sound: light kerb weight, efficient combustion, taller top cog, and fuel mapping that prefers mid-range cruising. Ride it the RX way—flowing, anticipatory, wrist calm—and the bike rewards you with numbers that keep weekly fuel spends soothingly low. With a reasonably sized tank, range anxiety becomes something you joke about, not juggle.
Comfort And Practicality
The long, flat seat treats rider and pillion with equal respect. The foam density is medium-firm to avoid the afternoon slump, and the pegs’ relation to the bars makes for a neutral spine. Mirrors are classic round but wide enough to be useful, and the clutch action is light to nurse the left wrist in bumper-to-bumper crawls. A USB charger sits discreetly beneath the console for phones and action cams.
The small under-seat cavity fits documents and a medical kit, and the grab-rail is shaped for easy tie-downs. If you ever strapped a duffel to a Yamaha RX100 and vanished for the weekend, this new model will make you itch to repeat that tradition.
Instrumentation And Electricals
The gauge cluster blends an analog speedo with a small digital window for odo, trip, and fuel. Warning icons sit neatly without clutter, the backlight is warm, and the high-beam throw is clean with a focused hotspot that does not blind oncoming traffic. The DRL ring gives you daytime visibility while keeping that round-lamp charm. Wiring looms are tightened and insulated better than yesteryear, adding long-term reliability to the retro recipe.
Build Quality
Tap the tank and the note is solid. Run a finger along the welds and you find the small, satisfying consistencies that separate a good bike from a great companion. The side panels lock with a reassuring click, the paint depth holds reflections like a mirror, and the rim finish resists corrosion through monsoons. The Yamaha RX100 legend was built on real-world toughness. This new model aims to pick up that baton with better materials and tighter tolerances.
Price And Positioning
At ₹65,999 ex-showroom, the Yamaha RX New Model walks into a hotly contested space with confidence. The proposition is crystal clear: RX charisma at a price the working rider, the college commuter, and the weekend wanderer can reach. Add the promise of sensible spares pricing and a wide service network, and you have a package that warms the heart as much as it cools the wallet. The Yamaha RX100 faithful, and a whole new wave of riders who have only heard the stories, finally get a reason to visit showrooms with a grin.


