Yamaha R15 is perhaps the ultimate sports bike for about a lakh of rupees. Way back in 2008, Yamaha introduced the YZF-R15, a step well appreciated by the biking community in India which had to do with the Apache and Pulsar, two home-grown motorcycles that were learning fast but by making mistakes.
Till date the R15 has not lost its charm and is still a head turner on any road. It is the sports bike that’s instantly recognized and ever since its introduction, everyone’s been asking for a bigger engine, which the company has not paid any mind to.
However the YZF-R15 has been accused of having thin tires, poor response at lower rpm and lack of any style at the rear section. Three years into its launch Yamaha, it seems, has finally decided to refresh the YZF-R15.
It all started when the first spy images of an odd-looking R15 were posted on the internet. The test mule was spotted repeatedly and the final product’s image in production form without any camouflage arrived soon after.
So what’s different in the new YZF-R15?
To begin with I don’t expect the new R15 to have drastically different engine specs. However this is my hunch and nothing can be taken for granted until the final version is made official. Why would Yamaha increase the horsepower when the game is moving to the 250cc category? Instead of increasing the power and torque of the 150cc and missing out on fuel economy, Yamaha could bring a 250cc and position it above the R15.
By looking closely at the spy shot, it becomes obvious that Yamaha has performed significant changes to the cosmetics of the bike.
The design of the new R15 has been designed by the man who did the YZF-R125. The entire rear section appears to have been carried over from the R125 and this includes the alloy wheel design. The split rear pillion seat with a raised stance makes the bike sportier. The tail light has been redesigned as well and expect it to have LEDs embedded in them. If you look carefully at the images you will notice that the rear grab rails have been omitted. The rear number plate and the rear indicator set looks very similar to the YZF-R125.
The exhaust system sports a new design which to me feels like an ordinary effort. Since it is a new exhaust, expect it to serve you with better acceleration. But the biggest disappointment to me has been the rear wheel hugger which is the ink mark on the designer shirt.
Since most of the images have been of the side profile, it is hard to guess the fatness of the rear tire. The tire size is the most hotly debated topic among Yamaha fan boys. The engine has received a matt black treatment, along the lines of the Pulsar.
Coming to the front half of the bike I don’t see many changes except for the newly designed side panels with fancy graphics. The handle bar, the instrument console and the ignition area looks the same. If Yamaha could enhance the aspects we’ve discussed here, even marginally, without a drastic price increase, the new R15 should do better than the current model.
As of now the launch date or the price for the new R15 is not known.
The big question is will Yamaha reserve the launch for the Auto Expo 2012? Whenever it is I hope Yamaha has done the homework and eliminated weaknesses of the previous model.
Till date the R15 has not lost its charm and is still a head turner on any road. It is the sports bike that’s instantly recognized and ever since its introduction, everyone’s been asking for a bigger engine, which the company has not paid any mind to.
However the YZF-R15 has been accused of having thin tires, poor response at lower rpm and lack of any style at the rear section. Three years into its launch Yamaha, it seems, has finally decided to refresh the YZF-R15.
So what’s different in the new YZF-R15?
To begin with I don’t expect the new R15 to have drastically different engine specs. However this is my hunch and nothing can be taken for granted until the final version is made official. Why would Yamaha increase the horsepower when the game is moving to the 250cc category? Instead of increasing the power and torque of the 150cc and missing out on fuel economy, Yamaha could bring a 250cc and position it above the R15.
By looking closely at the spy shot, it becomes obvious that Yamaha has performed significant changes to the cosmetics of the bike.
The design of the new R15 has been designed by the man who did the YZF-R125. The entire rear section appears to have been carried over from the R125 and this includes the alloy wheel design. The split rear pillion seat with a raised stance makes the bike sportier. The tail light has been redesigned as well and expect it to have LEDs embedded in them. If you look carefully at the images you will notice that the rear grab rails have been omitted. The rear number plate and the rear indicator set looks very similar to the YZF-R125.
The exhaust system sports a new design which to me feels like an ordinary effort. Since it is a new exhaust, expect it to serve you with better acceleration. But the biggest disappointment to me has been the rear wheel hugger which is the ink mark on the designer shirt.
Since most of the images have been of the side profile, it is hard to guess the fatness of the rear tire. The tire size is the most hotly debated topic among Yamaha fan boys. The engine has received a matt black treatment, along the lines of the Pulsar.
Coming to the front half of the bike I don’t see many changes except for the newly designed side panels with fancy graphics. The handle bar, the instrument console and the ignition area looks the same. If Yamaha could enhance the aspects we’ve discussed here, even marginally, without a drastic price increase, the new R15 should do better than the current model.
As of now the launch date or the price for the new R15 is not known.
The big question is will Yamaha reserve the launch for the Auto Expo 2012? Whenever it is I hope Yamaha has done the homework and eliminated weaknesses of the previous model.
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