After the legendary RX100 and the RD350, the R15 is perhaps the first bike that got Yamaha some serious attention. Although it wasn’t exactly the most affordable of bikes, its sports-bike looks and fun to ride manners got it a lot of fan-following. The current model has lost some of its sheen to more potent models like the KTM RC200, but Yamaha plans to give its fully faired motorcycle a fresh lease of life in the YZF-R1 V3.0. The bike is packed with many first-class features, and needless to say, it looks quite a lot like the bigger sportsbikes from Yamaha, which is never a bad thing. The best bit is that it’s coming to Yamaha’s India showrooms soon, so here are the highlights.
To start with, the R15 V3.0 uses an all-new 155cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine which makes a healthy 19.3hp and 14.7Nm, as against the current bike’s outputs of 17hp and 15Nm.
The motor also features Yamaha’s Variable Valve Actuation Technology, which not only helps the engine make more power and torque, it also helps optimise fuel efficiency. This motor will come paired with a six-speed gearbox which will come with a slipper clutch.
The R15 V3.0 uses a steel twin-par frame and claims to have a 50:50 weight distribution. It is suspended on upside-down front forks, while the rear-end gets a swing-arm mounted monoshock. Its 17-inch wheels come shod with a 100/80-17MC 52P tyre at the front and a 140/70-17MC 66S tyre at the rear and its braking system comprises a 282mm front disc brake and a 220mm disc brake round the back.
It’s quite a well-equipped bike too. Internationally, the bike gets an all-LED lighting system, a fully digital instrument cluster, the previously mentioned USD front forks and slipper clutch, although it remains to be unknown if the bike will be offered with ABS.
What also remains to be known is how Yamaha will price the bike. If it comes loaded with all the equipment that the international bike comes with, it’s safe to expect that the new YZF R15 will be a costlier bike than the current R15 V2.0 which costs ₹1,18,373, ex-showroom, Delhi.
