Honda Livo vs Yamaha Saluto

The Honda Livo was recently launched as a spiritual successor to the CB Twister. Sold alongside the Dream series of 110cc commuter bikes, the Livo is the most expensive small-capacity commuter in the Japanese manufacturer’s line-up. While the Twister was one of the most stylish 110cc commuter motorcycles in the Indian market, it failed to capture the buyers’ imagination. Honda has attempted to overcome this defeat by taking a toned down approach towards styling, which despite being less flamboyant than the CB Twister, makes the Livo look like a true blue-blooded steed.  

The Yamaha Saluto is a very perplexing motorcycle. Having established its roots in the more enthusiast-oriented 150cc segment with the FZ-S and the YZF-R15, Yamaha launched the Saluto as a replacement for the ageing SS125 with an eye on the lucrative 125cc commuter segment. On paper, it almost seems like Yamaha has taken a step backwards. The Saluto is more than 2 horsepower down on the motorcycle it replaces and loses out on a lot of features and flair thereby adopting a very civilised and sober design. So what was Yamaha actually thinking when they brought in the Saluto?