When the Yezdi Adventure was first launched in 2022, it was clear that Classic Legends had their sights squarely aimed at the Royal Enfield Himalayan. In fact, it even brought a few improvements over the latter in the form of added power and features. However, the Royal Enfield has moved its game up quite a bit further. So, can the new 2024 Yezdi Adventure matchup and how have the improvements made it better? Well, I am at Prodirt Adventure dirt track in Pune to out it through its paces and find out what it has on offer.
2024 Yezdi Adventure First Ride Review: Design and Features
While the design of the Yezdi Adventure remains largely intact, there have been changes made to certain components which help not only with styling but functionality, too. First and foremost, you get a slimmer tank profile and even the frame of the motorcycle has been made more compact. This has been done in order to ensure better ergonomics for the rider while in the sitting or standing riding position. To aid the improved ergonomics, Yezdi has also worked on improving the seat comfort. Which, in my opinion, was quite supple and soft, yet firm enough to not cause problems for longer Ride durations. Next, you also get a redesigned crash bar, which has been made 3.6kg lighter than the one in the previous version.
Since the new Yezdi Adventure features the new and improved liquid-cooled Alpha 2 engine, the company has also opted for a slimmer but better oil cooler. Not just that, you now get a redesigned exhaust routing which has been done to improve exhaust flow and improve thermal efficiency. However, while all these changes have added to the weight, the Yezdi Adventure is now a kilogram lighter than the outgoing model in its total weight.
Also Read: Royal Enfield Himalayan Review: The Flying Sherpa!
On the features front, the biggest change that the 2024 Yezdi Adventure now gets is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity for your smartphone on the TFT cluster. This now only adds telephone connectivity to the features list but also the ability to display turn-by-turn navigation. The next highlight of the new Adventure comes in the form of a fly-by-wire throttle system which has enabled Yezdi to offer three ride modes - Road, Rain and Offroad. Other than this, the list of niceties remains largely intact. Highlights include dual USB chargers (Type-A & Type-C), all-LED lighting, tilt-able TFT screen for offroad use, three ABS modes and slip-and-assist clutch.
2024 Yezdi Adventure First Ride Review: Specifications & On-Road Performance
Now, it's time to get to the meat of the matter and the Yezdi Adventure does deliver on that front. You now get an improved Alpha 2 engine which has really reinvigorated the entire experience. It is still a 334cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder unit but brings in changes in the form of performance and efficiency. In terms of numbers, the updated motor now benches out 29.6bhp and 29.8Nm of peak torque. The company mentions the changes which they have made not only improves low and mid-end punch from this motor but they have done a great deal to improve the mechanical clatter which was prevalent in the outgoing model.
As soon as you start riding, the first thing you notice is how much smoother and quieter the motor has gotten. The 2024 Adventure gets a lighter, updated crankshaft which has helped get rid of the vibrations and even given this bike a better get-up-and-go ability. There is a hint of delay in the throttle input as soon as you start to twist the throttle but it becomes responsive once you start moving. The engine also feels like it has a much broader powerband than before. During our ride, we had a chance to sample the bike on one and two lane roads, and it had plenty of grunt to keep up with your shenanigans on both.
Mated to the new Alpha 2 engine is a 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch. Another reason why the performance of the new Adventure felt so diverse is the fact that the company has now individually mapped the performance from each gear. So, first, second and third gear have been tailor-made to tackle slow-speed and offroad situations. While, third, fourth and fifth are made to suit highway and high-speed scenarios. Basically, it felt grunty in the first three gears and relaxed when you go into higher gears.
2024 Yezdi Adventure First Ride Review: Handling & Offroad Performance
In terms of tyres and suspension hardware, the 2024 Yezdi Adventure carries over parts from the outgoing model. However, the suspension tuning has been returned to quite an extent in order to improve performance across all scenarios. It felt pretty light and maneuverable, and a large part of the confidence it inspires is because I felt it had a lower centre of gravity compared to the Himalayan and the previous model, too. While the handling was exciting on tarmac, where it truly shined was offroad.
Now, most of our testing during this event was at the Prodirt Adventure park in Pune. Here, we dealt with muddy offroad trails and a flowing dirt track to do our testing. When we got it out on the trails, it was easy to stand and the bars fell perfectly to my feet. Thanks to the compact frame, it was also easier to gain full control with the lower legs. The suspension now does a much better job at dealing with offroad obstacles compared to the previous model. We could easily touch speeds of up to 60-70km/h on trails filled with muddy ruts, rock beds and off-camber elevation changes. It was predictable and I really knew what my front or rear tyre was doing at all times. I started having so much fun that I actually lost track of time and my cameraman.
Also Read: 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Triumph Scrambler 400X: Which is Better for Everyday Adventure?
2024 Yezdi Adventure First Ride Review: Verdict
If we were to forget about segment rivalry for just a second, I actually ended up liking the 2024 Yezdi Adventure quite a bit. It's offroad prowess has a lot to do with that but it has improved in other areas too. Yes, it is not as powerful and feature-loaded as the Himalayan or Adventure 390 but then, the price reflects that. At 2.10 lakh (ex-showroom), I feel the Yezdi Adventure manages to hold its own in this segment. The Himalayan is a good Rs 70,000 above its price point and anything below falls behind in power and performance. It is genuinely a good ADV candidate for anyone with a budget around the Rs 2 lakh mark.
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