Yamaha India still sells spare parts of its flagship product -- the Yamaha RX100 bike -- which went on to become a craze among Indian youth till the late 90s and beyond.
In an interview to a news portal, Yamaha India Chairman Eishin Chihana has now confirmed that the company is all set to launch the Yamaha RX100 again. Yamaha has not used the iconic RX100 moniker on any product till now as there are plans for it in future, Chihana said.
The 90s craze will be back in 2026
In the 90s, youth in Goa and India were crazy about the bike, the same way bikers were mad about the Royal Enfield Classic 350. The iconic RX100 was designed and developed by Yamaha Motors and distributed by Escorts from 1985 to 1996 in India.
In 2026, when it is launched, Yamaha RX100 will join the ranks of other retro and nostalgic motorcycles from Royal Enfield, Jawa and Yezdi. It will be a premium offering and will cost a premium too.
Fascinated both drag racers and criminals
RX100 was a quick accelerating motorcycle and thus it was also quite popular amongst street criminals and bike racers. The criminals were able to use the motorcycle as a quick getaway vehicle. So before the era of Bajaj Pulsars, the Yamaha RX 100 was the undisputed king of the streets.
The bike was really popular amongst drag racers. The owners used to perform various modifications on the bike and tuned the bike for high performance.
Dhoni too owned a Yamaha
Indian cricket's most successful captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, owned a Yamaha RX 135 -- his first bike. While working in the Railways in Kharagpur, the captain cool travelled far and wide on this bike. However, in the year 2003, he sold it. According to media reports, a person named Panna had bought this bike for Rs 15,000.
May not have the same two-stroke engine
The company was never able to launch the old Yamaha RX100 in India as it was supposed to have a two-stroke engine, which is completely against the current BS6 emission norms. In such a situation, it is likely that its engine will be changed and many more features will be updated.
Launching it is a big challenge
Launching the RX 100 will be a big challenge for Yamaha India as the bike was a legend. Its badge cannot be applied to any retro-looking bike. Even a small mistake by the company can completely destroy its legacy.
In such a situation, the company has to work a lot on its design and features. The hallmark of the old Yamaha RX100 was its power, so in this new version, the company will have to provide a strong engine and power.
