Reviewing Yamaha YZF R15 150cc is something which I have been waiting
for. Today I had a test drive of this (great?) bike and I can’t wait to
share it with you. Yamaha YZF R15 costs Rs.1,08,000 on-road and is a
150cc sports bike that has been launched in India.
I went to the showroom today morning, as I was parking my Karizma
in the parking lot, I couldn’t help but stare on the glaring bike that
was visible through the glass in the showroom. I had a good study on it
and here’s what I have to share with you…
How does it look?
This bike is perhaps one of the best looking bikes in India. The
design has been cloned from its dad, the Yamaha YZF R1. Except for a few
minor changes including single silencer which does not fit under the
seat as R1, it is almost R1 when looked from a distance. The dual head
lamps, the rear view mirrors, shape of the tank, seating position all
add up to a ‘WOW’ effect. This bike is definitely a head turner where
ever you go.
To add to its looks, Yamaha did not include the center stand. This is
perhaps the only bike in India which does not have a center stand. And
another thing to notice is that the bike has no safety guard!
The handle bars are curved as it is in high-end sports bikes and adds
to the grandeur of the sitting posture. Well, the rear part looks a bit
disappointing because compared the front the rear looks too small and
does not fit in with the whole bike’s look. I wished that Yamaha could
provide some big manly tires, but I will justify this point in the
performance review part below.
How does it perform?
When I was ready to take Yamaha YZF R15 for a test ride, I really did
not expect much out of this machine. I thought it was just another
150cc bike with too much of external make up. But the actual ride did
prove my thoughts wrong. Even with a pillion rider, the pickup was
awesome. I went upto 30 kmph in the first gear easily without much
resistance from the engine.
The bike vibrates a lot and it is not smooth, but users have reported
that the engine sound really becomes nice and the bike becomes very
smooth after riding 700-1000 kms. So do not let the test ride
performance disappoint you!
The first thing that I felt (and the most important thing) is that
the bike has a great acceleration in lower speeds but gives a great
disappointment when you go above 60 kmph. I can boldly say that ‘Engine
Size DOES Matter’, no matter what the technology, high displacement
always feels great. But unfortunately except a few bike enthusiasts,
most Indians need good mileage too.
The dashboard has the tachometer dial… the only dial and the digital
console incorporates the fuel gauge, ODO meter and a bold speedometer.
Do not be disappointed about the thin tires. I heard from some bike
owners that the thin tires actually perform very well, the bike is very
stable even on wet roads. Yamaha engineers realized that along with
great looks, indians also need mileage – hence the thin tires which
reduces friction and consumes much less fuel. The bike is said to have a
fuel efficiency of 40 kmpl in citis and 50 kmpl in highways.
From safety point of view, the bike performs great. The user’s have
reported that the rear disc brakes does make a difference. It wouldn’t
be long before all the high end bikes in India comes with compulsory
rear disc brakes. The bike comes with mono suspension as in the Unicorn
and claims to have better stability. But personally I don’t find a
remarkable difference in mono-suspension.
Conclusion:
If you give high importance to the looks and status of owning one of
the costliest bikes in India, go ahead and buy this bike. As for me I
wouldn’t buy it because it is not a good justification to spend nearly
one lakh and buy a 150cc bike. If it had a 250cc engine, I would buy it
right now. Even though the bike may have 6 speed transmission and other
advanced technologies, it will never be able to cover up the low
displacement of Yamaha YZF R15 engine.
There needs to be a match in looks and performance. If I buy the the
original 1000c Yamaha YZF-R1, it wouldn’t really make a great difference
because people will think that it is R15 in the first look. The bottom
line is, R1′s value has gone down! The brochure consists of too many
feature indications like DAISIL cylinder, liquid cooled engine, 33mm
front fork etc… but it doesn’t make much difference to a common man. In
fact, it makes people feel ignorant and shy away from the bike.
Bike Advice Overall Rating: 4.25/5
Beauty Rating: 5/5
Performance Rating: 3.5/5
Pros: Great looks, 6 speed gear
Cons: Low displacement, Thin tires, no leg guard
Yamaha YZF-R15 Specifications:
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4-valve
Cylinder arrangement: Single cylinder
Displacement: 149 .8cc
Bore x Stroke: 57×58.7mm
Compression ratio: 10.4:1
Maximum power: 17PS @ 8,500rpm
Maximum torque: 15 N.m @ 7,500rpm
Starting system: Electric Start
Fuel tank capacity: 12 liters
Fuel supply system: Electronic fuel injection
Clutch type: Constant-mesh wet multi-plate
Transmission type: Return type 6-speed
Cylinder arrangement: Single cylinder
Displacement: 149 .8cc
Bore x Stroke: 57×58.7mm
Compression ratio: 10.4:1
Maximum power: 17PS @ 8,500rpm
Maximum torque: 15 N.m @ 7,500rpm
Starting system: Electric Start
Fuel tank capacity: 12 liters
Fuel supply system: Electronic fuel injection
Clutch type: Constant-mesh wet multi-plate
Transmission type: Return type 6-speed
Dimensions
Overall length x width x height: 1,995mm x 670mm x 1,070mm
Seat height: 790mm
Wheelbase: 1,290mm
Minimum ground clearance: 160mm
Dry weight / Curb weight: 120kg / 131kg
Seat height: 790mm
Wheelbase: 1,290mm
Minimum ground clearance: 160mm
Dry weight / Curb weight: 120kg / 131kg
Additional Resources:
- Visit the official website of R15
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