Yes, the Yamaha YZF R15 is coming next month!
The long-awaited Yamaha YZF R15 is due to be launched on the 11th of June. For ages, Yamaha have been promising that they will move away from low-cost, low-capacity, utilitarian commuter bikes in India, and move on to bigger, sportier and more stylish machinery. Now, the bike is ready and will be shown to the Indian automotive press on the 11th of June. Track riding/testing sessions with the bike have also been scheduled for some sections of the media.
While the Rs 12 lakh Yamaha R1 (which is imported in India as a CBU, hence the stratospheric price tag!) may not be for everyone, the YZF R15, which borrows styling cues from its elder brother, may well be within the reach of the Indian middle-class.
The R15 will be powered by a SOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder 150cc engine, that makes 20 horsepower. The Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi makes a bit more, but the Yamaha will pack in more technology and almost certainly much better, more consistent build quality.
The bike’s engine will have a cylinder made of die-cast aluminium-silicon alloy, which means advantages of light weight and efficient heat dissipation. The R15 will also get forged pistons, six-speed gearbox, disc brakes front and rear, 17-inch alloy wheels with tubeless tyres, and aluminium beam frame. Those who’ve worked on Yamaha’s India project for the R15 say this will be the first real high-performance sports 150 to be launched in the Indian market. At approximately Rs 80,000 the bike will be affordable too.
More on the Yamaha YZF R15 when it’s launched on the 11th of June.
