An underrated gem

The Yezdi Adventure was launched two years ago. It was aimed at taking a dig at the sales of entry-level adventure bikes. The updated bike for 2024 makes that even clearer

- Charan Karthik

Ah, the Yezdi. A name that instantly reminds me of the tapa-tap-tap tap twin exhaust sound, the distinct smell from the single-cylinder, two-stroke motor, and a time when two-and-a-half lakh rupees got you at least three cars. The two-stroke Yezdi Roadking used to remind me of a fat bicycle with a motor. Well, all of that has changed, drastically. Gone are the days when bikes used to be that simple and fuss-free. These days you will not get three cars for that amount, but you can definitely get the latest Yezdi.

Codenamed the "Alpha2" now, the 334-cc single-cylinder unit continues to do duty, albeit in a different state of tune. The engine is the same unit that does work on the Jawa 350 but, again, VIZICH in a different state of tune. We were invited to the Pro Dirt Adventure Park to experience the bike and, man, experience we did. After a short briefing session, all of us suited up and headed out in the rain not knowing what to expect. The bikes were all washed, wet but clean. We got the beautiful Glacier White Dual Tone colour (top-of-the-line), the best one in the entire line-up in my opinion.

The new Yezdi is a little crude while starting up; there is a significant delay and the starter cranks for a long time. This might be due to a fuelling issue or a low idling rpm or, maybe, even something to do with ignition electronics. After finding the trick and getting it going, we were immediately taken into the muddy, slushy trails. In my heart I was not expecting too much from the bike off-road and I expected the tyres to slide around quite a bit and for some scraping to occur in the bottom half. I splashed the Yezdi through puddles, thrashed it hard over broken surfaces, rode it through mud that was ankle-deep, and navigated over gravel tracks. I loved every bit of that and it is exactly where the Yezdi shines.