Yamaha RX100: The Evergreen National Crush Of Indian Motorcyclists

There are motorcycles and there are legends. For many Indian riders, the Yamaha RX100 is not just any bike; it is an emotion.

The raw noise of that two-stroke engine, the lightweight frame, the unmatched thrill of riding, a package that made the RX100 the poster child for the 80s and 90s. But to know how this icon came into being, we have to go into the deep history of Yamaha itself, a story that starts long before the RX100 roared to life.

A brief history of Yamaha

From Reed Organs to Racing Legends, Yamaha's journey began in 1887 not with motorcycles but with music. Torakusu Yamaha, the founder of the company, was a visionary craftsman and a true leader. Born in 1851, Torakusu came from a very humble background. Coming from an astrologer-cum-watchmaker father, a child would always be gifted by nature with a sense of precision and curiosity. Blending scientific interest with handicraft, Torakusu went through several trades leading him to the world of musical instruments. He repaired a broken reed organ, which made him interested in producing them as well. His success in crafting Japan’s first reed organ laid the foundation for what would later become Yamaha Corporation (originally Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd). The company's logo, the iconic three tuning forks, symbolises their musical roots, precision and harmony.

However, Yamaha's (Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd.) story went sharply in the direction of the Second World War. Like other manufacturers of its time, Yamaha focused on producing war aircraft propellers. After the war, Yamaha was still at a crossroads; there were no aircraft left to build and factories to rebuild. It needed an alternative direction and there it saw the opportunity—in affordable, reliable motorcycles.

Birth of Yamaha

Yamaha Motor Company was established in 1955 when it split off from its parent company to specialise only in motorcycles. Their first product, the YA-1, was a direct photoshop of the German DKW RT 125. The YA-1 had a 125cc engine and was not only Yamaha's first motorbike but also one that spoke for itself as it went on to be called the "Red Dragonfly" because of its great performance.

By 1960, Yamaha had begun to export motorcycles to the US for its journey. For twenty years consecutively since then, Yamaha's fame grew with powerful bikes that were extraordinary in design and reliable.

Yamaha's Indian odyssey

From RD350 to RX100, India’s love affair with Yamaha officially began in 1984. Partnering with Escorts, Yamaha introduced the RD350, a beast of a machine that became the dream bike for performance enthusiasts. However, the RD350's price and heavy build weren’t for everyone. Meanwhile, Suzuki’s AX100 was winning the hearts (and wallets) of Indian riders who wanted something more affordable and practical.

Yamaha noticed this and in 1985, they launched the RX100. A lightweight 100cc, the two-stroke motorcycle that packed a serious punch. It reached a top speed of around 100 km/h, making it fast and very pocket-friendly. It was the bike that turned teenagers into bikers and commuters into enthusiasts.

Yamaha RX100 engine power

The last recorded on-road price of the Yamaha RX 100 was around INR 19,764 in 1996. The RX 100 was powered by a 98cc, air-cooled, two-stroke engine that produced 11 bhp of peak power. Yamaha claimed that the RX 100 could complete 0-100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. The seat height of the motorcycle was 765mm, with 145mm of ground clearance. The company used drum brakes at the time but the motorcycle weighed only 95kg.

The reign of the RX100 

From 1985 to 1996, the RX100 monopolised Indian roads. Easy, rugged and freakishly fun, it tickled the minds of motorcycle mechanics as being easy to repair or modify. Riders cherished it for its unbeatable power-to-weight ratios. Long weekend rides to street races, the RX100 happened to be one's partner.

But in 1996, Yamaha suffered a lot. The Indian government enhanced emission norms and the sad part was the RX100's two-stroke unit was not able to meet the strict norms and thereby its production was stopped.

Celebrity crush

In 2018, Tamil filmmaker Ajay Bhupathi released a movie titled ‘RX 100’. Although it was a love story, the movie featured the Yamaha RX 100 on its cover poster and in some parts of the film.

Not only was this bike the crush of celebrities but Sunil Gavaskar was once the face of the Yamaha RX 100. The retired Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni loves this bike so much that he has kept it in his collection alongside other superbikes.

The new era

The rise of the R15 and FZ Series was again the best moment of Yamaha India’s life, Yamaha seemed to fade into the background in India at this time. There was something missing with the absence of the RX100 that no other model could fill. The tables turned in 2008 when Yamaha brought out the FZ16 and the YZF-R15. The aggressive designs and cutting-edge technology of these bikes saw Yamaha regain the top slot in the Indian market once again.

The FZ16 became an icon on the street, thanks to its muscular body and torquey engine. Meanwhile, the R15 offered a taste of superbike DNA to Indian bikers. Yamaha once again discovered the formula that captures young hearts.

Legacy lives on 

In an age of the R15 and the FZ-S, the RX100 has a special place in the hearts of motorcyclists. Its legacy lives on through restored models, enthusiast clubs and those unmistakable crackling exhaust notes that occasionally echo through quiet streets. Rumours of Yamaha reviving the RX100 in a four-stroke avatar continue to circulate, keeping the legend alive. Although, if rumours are to be believed, Yamaha might bring the XSR155 to India soon, which could be a fitting homage to the RX100.