The Yamaha R15 is one of the best 155 cc performance motorcycles on sale and the full- faired offering derives its design and styling from the bigger R1 in the brand’s lineup. The Yamaha R15 V4.0 looks sharp and ready to hit the race track with its edgy design. The sharp fairing is complemented by a sculpted fuel tank, while the nose-down, tail-up design ensures the bike looks fast even at a standstill.
The Yamaha R15 further looks the part with its split seats and a sharply styled tail section inspired by the bigger Yamaha YZF-R6. The bike rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and gets a host of colour options sold in the standard and R1M guise. The 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in 100/80-section front and 140/70-section rear tyres.
Power on the Yamaha R15 comes from the 155 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, SOHC, four- valve, fuel-injected engine with VVA system. The motor was updated in 2023 to meet the OBD- II norms, which can monitor emission levels in real-time. The engine produces 18.4 bhp at 10,000 rpm and 14.2 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm, while paired with a 6-speed gearbox. The bike has a top speed of 131 kmph and promises to deliver a fuel efficiency figure of around 40 kmpl. The kerb weight stands at 141 kg.
The Yamaha R15 is underpinned by the Deltabox frame that contributes massively to its superior handling and overall performance. The chassis is complemented by 37 mm USD forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear. Braking power comes from the large 282 mm front disc and a 220 mm rear disc brake. The 150 cc motorcycle also gets dual-channel ABS and traction control, along with two riding modes - Track and Street.
The Yamaha R15 V4 comes with a TFT display that brings features like Bluetooth connectivity with a dedicated smartphone app. The Bluetooth feature brings updates like incoming call alerts, SMS alerts, email notifications and phone battery levels on the TFT display. The smartphone app tracks fuel consumption, provides maintenance recommendations, shows the last parked location and also gets malfunction notifications.
The Yamaha R15 include LED turn indicators with a single bi-functional LED headlight and twin LED DRLS. The bike also gets an LED taillight. Other features include an assist and slipper clutch and a quick-shifter (upshifts only) carried over from the older version. While the TFT display is specific to the R15M, the standard model continues to get the LCD unit with Bluetooth connectivity. Yamaha will also sell you the quickshifter as an accessory on the Dark Knight and Metallic Red colour options.
The colour options on the Yamaha R15 include Racing Blue, Vivid Magenta Metallic, Intensity White, Dark Knight, and Metallic Red. The Yamaha R15M further gets Metallic Grey and the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Edition. In terms of competition, the R15 takes on the Bajaj Pulsar RS200, KTM RC 125, and Hero Karizma XMR 210.