The styling on the Yamaha Fascino emerges as extremely fresh and the capable mechanicals make sure that the scooter rides as good as it looks, says Indian motoring website MotorBeam.
While the scooter market may be booming at the moment, most two-wheeler manufacturers have chosen to stick to the tried and tested formula offering mundane designs with efficient engines. For those looking at a bit of exclusivity, the Piaggio Vespa is the only option in this space but does come at a premium. Nonetheless, a new contender in the scooter segment 'Yamaha India' understands this niche well and has introduced the new Fascino 110cc scooter that much like its name promises to charm you along the way. Does it exactly do that? MotorBeam finds out.
Sharing its underpinnings with Yamaha's existing scooter range, the Fascino distinguishes itself with a very different design language. The scooter gets sharp lines with curvy looks, while there is a radiator grille dawning the front fascia flanked by the leaf styled indicators at the sides.
The headlight cluster looks quirky and the chrome finished rear view mirrors are a neat addition. The side profile gets a curved drop down panel that rises towards the rear exposing the engine, while the gloss black finished tail section comes with neatly styled tail lamps and a silver finished grab rail.
There are pockets of chrome throughout the scooter that have been tastefully done and we would have even appreciated a chrome finished exhaust cover. One thing is for sure, the Fascino will grab attention where ever you go.
Keeping up with the retro charm, the Yamaha Fascino gets a completely analog instrument console finished in a very appealing beige shade and a white background. The speedometer occupies majority of the space on the console, while the fuel gauge rests at the bottom right corner.
There are only two tell tale lights for the high beam and turn indicators on the console.
The switchgear comes from Yamaha's other scooters and boasts of good quality.
Like almost every second scooter, the Fascino gets commuter based ergonomics with the rider seated upright. The handlebar is lower than other scooters that makes for a good view of the road. The is no front storage box provided making way for ample of legroom, and accommodates riders of all heights.
You do get some space to hold a bottle though. The seat provides good cushioning for the rider, but the pillion will find it small and thin.
The foot pegs are well positioned for both rider as well as pillion, and the rear foot pegs retract easily when not required.
The 21-litre under seat storage space though large does not accommodate a full face helmet, which is disappointing.
Powering the Yamaha Fascino is the same 113cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine seen on other Yamaha scooters and is tuned to produce 7.1 PS at 7500 RPM and 8.1 Nm of torque at 5000 RPM, paired to a CVT automatic transmission.
While power may not seem too much on paper, the delivery is quicker and the Fascino gets early off the line. The motor is extremely refined and very smooth throughout the rev range with no vibrations.
The figures do lose out on the top-end, but there is ample of power to get you through the city. The Yamaha engine is a gem and although a bit louder than other scooters, it definitely appeals to the ears.
In terms of fuel efficiency, the Fascino officially claims a figure of 66 km/l while a realtime mileage of around 50 km/l is easily achievable.
The Yamaha Fascino feels very excited all the time, being small and quick and comes with reassuring handling. The low and thin handlebar makes it comfortable to manoeuvre and zipping through tight spaces is fun.
The suspension set up is soft in favour of a plush ride quality and doesn't bounce you off. At low speeds, the scooter wades though potholes easily, but you do feel unsettled at high speeds.
The brakes are quite responsive on the scooter and the MRF tyres provide excellent traction, even on wet surfaces.
The Yamaha Fascino offers some excellent features like telescopic forks, a very pleasing retro design language and multitude of trendy colours to choose from. The ride quality is appealing and the handling is very responsive while the build quality is certainly appreciable.
That said, we do feel a higher displacement engine would have done more justice to the scooter.
Nonetheless, priced at Rs 64,500 (on-road, Mumbai), the Fascino emerges as an excellent buy for those looking for something attractively different and well engineered.
