KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- The bikemaker has said that it will focus purely on the performance segment.
- With no 100-125cc motorcycles on the cards, it is clear tbat the RX100 will not see a revival.
- Yamaha is instead focusing on making itself an aspirational brand and remaining performance-focused.
- High-end motorcycles likely on the cards.
The Yamaha RX100 is a topic that somehow gets a lot of attention nearly every year, with numerous social media handles and news agencies that the Japanese bikemaker is bringing it back, or planning to do the same. There is a wide variety of reasons why the RX100 simply cannot be revived, and the bikemaker chose to make this clear at a recent event.
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The Yamaha RX100 is NOT Coming Back; Details!
The Japanese bikemaker held the 3S Grand Prix recently, which is a skill-based competition you can learn more about elsewhere on our website. During this event, Ravinder Singh, Vice President, Sales And Marketing, Yamaha India said that it has no intention of entering the 100-125cc commuter segment, and it remains committed to building a more premium, aspirational brand image. Yamaha further states that the 100-125cc segment has become overcrowded, and that it fixed its positioning in the Indian market with its 'Call Of The Blue', which it chooses to stick with since 2018.
The bikemaker stated that its customers seek performance and style, traits which have always been a Yamaha trademark. The needs and wants of a buyer in the 100-125cc segment are more utilitarian in nature, which does not align with the philosophy of the bikemaker.
By vacating the commuter space, it is clear that Yamaha is not playing the numbers game. Interestingly, however, if you remember history, Yamaha's performance biking ethos and philosophy finds its roots back in the RD350, and the RX100 itself; a 100cc two-stroke motorcycle that went on to become a cult classic. The bikemaker did try its luck in the 100-125cc segment, with products such as the Crux, the Libero, G5, the original Fazer, and the Gladiator, all of which have died out rather unceremoniously.
Every year, some rumour starts to float around on the Internet, claiming that the RX100 is going to be revived in some form or the other, with a bigger engine and yada yada yada. A few years ago, the bikemaker did pop a theory that we could see something shaping up in 2026. However, with this statement, it is pretty clear that the RX100 will continue to rest in peace, which is how it should be.
The RX100 was known for its light kerb weight, its exhaust note, tremendous performance and acceleration. Recreating all these aspects, especially with a modern four-stroke platform will just be impossible, and it will risk ruining the RX100's legacy.
With that out of the way, the bikemaker also said that there are some models in the premium that are being evaluted for launch. This could possibly mean the bikemaker could finally bring the much-awaited middleweight motorcycles, such as the MT-07, the Tenere 700, the MT-09, R9 and so on. However, there remains a big question mark on the timeline of these bikes arriving here.
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Verdict
Most of the RX100's audience has moved on and accepted that there is no way this bike will ever come back. Plus, to invest in a completely new platform and try recreating the same aspects on a four-stroke platform is no easy feat, and even then the results won't be guaranteed. Thus, it makes sense for Yamaha to remain absent from this segment.
