Yamaha Vega Force i

The Vega Force i does not pull any punches when it comes to styling. This has to be the most stylish 115 cc underbone on the market today. It wears its sporty inclinations on its sleeve. Just look at it from the side profile. The bike is compact with a length of 1935 mm, 680 mm width and 1065 mm height. The wheelbase is even more compact at 1240 mm. The bike rides low with just 125 mm of ground clearance. The seat is also low at just 765 mm. Other features of the design that you may notice are the low handlebars and the high rear section that extends beyond the wheels. 17” wheels with thin cast alloy spokes are also hard to miss. These are shod with 70/90 38P tires on the front and 80/90 44P tires on the rear. Move to the front and you will be faced with a twin halogen headlight setup.

Underneath it is the muscular apron housing the two large indicator lamps along with the nostril like opening and the high riding front fender. The spine on the Vega narrows as it comes towards the front, leaving a shapely and slightly fatter rear section. The rear gets an equally stylish treatment with an angular and aggressive taillight and grab rail design. Yamaha has made the Vega Force I available in two color options: Black Raven and Race Blu.  The Race Blu option comes with a blue seat and racy graphics from the Yamaha racing team livery, making it unmistakable on the road. But not everything on this underbone is done to make it racy. The bike comes with an under-seat storage space of 7-litre that comes very handy for storing essential equipment like rain gear. The instrument display is conventional but attractive and contains the usual speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge.

The Vega Force i has been consistently winning races since its launch. It also has its own one-make race championship that garners a lot of enthusiasm. All this means that the Vega Force i is a very capable performer. It has a rather conventional suspension setup with a telescopic front fork setup in the front and a twin shock absorber unit swing arm setup in the rear. But the bike is a very nifty handler thanks primarily to its low wet weight of just 101 kg.

The low seat and handlebars give it a racy seating position. The short wheelbase and grippy tires make it easy to chuck into corners. The seat slopes downwards and might need readjustment from time to time. But long rides is not what this bike is meant for. It is meant to whizz through traffic like a hot knife going through butter. The tires are sufficiently grippy but could have been a little wider. However, that might have compromised the mileage and opened a box full of problems. Thankfully there is a thriving customizing scene for the bike in the country meaning that modifying the bike is extremely easy.

The biggest draw here has to be the fuel injected engine. The 115 cc air-cooled and fuel injected engine with 2 valves and SOHC, produces 10.1 PS at 7750 rpm and 9.9 Nm of peak torque at 6750 rpm. The transmission uses a 4-speed constant mesh gearbox with a rotary first gear. This bike then is meant to be driven hard and fast as most of the power is delivered at the top of the rev range.

Despite this the Vega Force i can deliver fuel economy figures above 60 kmpl, thanks mainly to its fuel injection mapping. This then not only delivers excellent sporty performance but also perfect fuel efficiency for commuting. Yamaha has also provided it with both an electric and a kick starter for emergencies.

When riders are expected to push their bikes hard, safety cannot be allowed to play second fiddle. With a single piston disc brake setup on the front and a leading-trailing drum brake on the rear, Yamaha has sorted the problem in a very cost-effective manner. The brakes have sufficient bite and perform well under any given circumstance. Another disc brake could have made this bike even more appealing but the price than would have been hard to justify.

Overall then, the Yamaha Vega Force i is a very good option for anyone looking for a bit of performance on the affordable side. It looks stylish and racy, is decently practical, good handler and also fuel efficient. At the least, it will make your daily commute more interesting without putting a big dent on your wallet. Being present in the country for a very long time now, it is also easy to live with.