Back in 2008, a friend of mine showed up at my house riding the first Yamaha R15. It had recently been launched, and I was instantly taken by how good it looked – it really did seem like Yamaha had shrunk an R1 down to a 150cc-sized motorcycle. Indeed, at the time it was probably the slickest-looking bike on sale in the ‘affordable’ category, and I couldn’t wait to ride it. Said friend provided the opportunity, and I put on my riding gear and took it for a spin. To say that I was blown away would be an understatement – that thing was a scalpel attached to a rocket, and was easily the most forgiving performance bike I’d ridden in a long time.
I’m happy to report that nothing has changed about the R15 – and a lot has changed.
In appearance, it has matured over the years (this is the R15’s fourth iteration here), but it is still unmistakably an R15, and looks like it’s track-ready from the showroom itself. It bears more than a passing resemblance to Yamaha’s flagship YZF-R7, which is a great (and clever) thing because it looks fast standing still; I can’t really think of anything adverse to say about its sharp looks. OK, I can – I don’t really like the single LED projector headlamp in the faux air scoop at the front; I preferred the earlier split-headlamp design. That said, it does give the R15 a rugged appearance, and it’s very bright.
The swept-back LED position lamps on either side of the headlamp merge with the new ‘floating’ side fairing, giving the bike a cohesive look. Fit and finish are both of a significantly higher level than on the previous generation bike, and the plastics and switchgear feel durable and solid.
Feature upgrades include Bluetooth-enabled digital instrumentation (I do miss the analogue dials, however), a quickshifter (but only for up-shifts), a couple of riding modes and traction control (which might seem like overkill for a bike in this category, but it’s a welcome safety feature).
This is a bike that makes you want to get out and ride, and when you do, you can't help but sing praises of its brilliant 155cc engine (which also goes into the equally brilliant Aerox scooter). The 4-valve, liquid-cooled unit is a candidate for being India’s best small-capacity engine, and even though it’s down a bit on power from the previous bike, the torque figure has gone up, and its peak kicks in 1000 rpm earlier as well. The difference, although minor, is still noticeable, with acceleration being a touch quicker.
Yamaha’s Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) technology (using two different cam profiles either side of 7400 rpm) is absolutely smashing – it offers up a great big burst of low-end shove, lots of mid-range grunt and a smooth high performance experience at the absolute top end of the rev range – all bases are covered.
The quickshifter is a boon, as it helps you blast through the gears when you’re screaming through the revs on a nice, open stretch of road. The engine is a joy to use and listen to – it revs freely, and it’s very refined as well, so it doesn't sound like it’ll go to pieces if you wring the throttle to the stop. It’s a typical Yamaha engine, really – it feels extremely usable and tractable at all times, and it’s happy to play along with you depending on what kind of mood you’re in. People with a variety of rising styles will be at ease on this machine.
As for the handling… oh, the handling. A hot knife going through butter doesn't begin to describe how good the R15 is around corners – and it’s been this good since the first version. It lives for bends in the road, and is pretty much the bike to learn how to corner properly on; it’s so forgiving that you never feel like it’ll pull a fast one on you, and experienced riders will absolutely love the way it slices and dices with consummate ease. True, the seat is a little high at 815mm, but you get used to it pretty quickly – and the foot pegs haven’t changed over the R15 V3.0. The clip-on handlebars are low and the riding position is committed, certainly, but you would expect that from a supersports-style bike.
This version gets upside-down front forks, instead of telescopic ones; this adds some weight, but also aids overall rigidity and provides great stability while cornering and braking hard. At the rear, a linked-type monoshock continues to do duty. The brakes are brilliant – you can play on this bike all day and they won’t fade, and they offer superb bite and lots of feel from the lever.
It’s hard to find drawbacks on this bike, such is the entertaining nature of the package. Perhaps Yamaha could have thrown in navigation, but other than that, it’s difficult to find demerits. You’ll pay roughly Rs 15,000 more for this R15 than the previous model, and all told, it’ll cost you around Rs 2 lakh to put one in your garage. That’s not exactly cheap for a bike that is singularly focused on fun, rather than city commuting, but considering its sporty design, accessible and razor-sharp handling and powerful engine, it’s well worth the money. It’ll urge you to ride hard and ride often, and each time you’ll come away buzzing with excitement – which is exactly what all the R15s so far have done. The legacy is in safe hands indeed.
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