Yamaha R15 Version 2.0 Review by Ankur Tripathy

Hi, Myself Ankur Tripathy, an 18 years student, a model by profession and a true bike lover and an ethusiast. Having love for bikes from childhood I always dreamed to own a super bike and had hobby to collect bike photos and information about many super bikes from a mere age of 5 years, gradually this hobby developed into a great interest.

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When I was at 7th class I learned riding motorcycle but did not got it in that age but I insisted my father to buy me a bike after completion of my 10th board exams and he agreed but with a condition that if I score above 90% of marks in my board exams he will think of buying me a bike of my choice.

Gradually years passed and finally I was to appear my 10th exams and was very excited. I had to secure 90% overall to get bike so I was filled with ambition and worked extremely hard, read day and night and appeared exams. Finally the day came when ICSC results got declared i was filled with confidence but still i was nervous but when results came I was so happy that I was unable to express my happiness. I scored 92.81% of percentage, my dad was also happy and it was his turn to fulfill his promise.

I had dream of a sports bike and from 2008 when the YAMAHA r15 got launched I liked it a lot and wished to have it . And now I as my father promised of buying a bike of my choice its older model was stopped and Version 2 was released, I was damn sure I wanted it and said my father. Hurray!! He agreed. I was filled with happiness, just cant say how much. One fine day after a month of my results got declared we went to the nearest Yamaha showroom to book my R15 version 2.0, I had collected a lot of info about it previously and already decided to buy sunset red colour after getting suggestion from my fb friend ‘Nimai Das’ he had a sunset red R15 v.2 and he was amon first 5 person of Indeed to buy a R15 version 2 and he bought it after asking suggestion from ‘Deepak Raj Sir’ of bikeadvice.in.

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I was a follower of Deepak sir and also a big fan so I chosen to buy sunset red colour. We booked it but the very sad part showroom said I had to wait more twenty days for my R15 to be delivered. I was happy that I am getting my bike but was sad because I had to wait more twenty days. After that I felt that my every minute is passing like a decade. I was just counting days.

And finally the day came when I got the call from showroom that my bike has been arrived and we can go get it. I was jumping with happiness, I was so damn happy and hugged my dad and he said ” ab bas kar beta ja naha kar ready ho kar aaja we are going now to showroom for your bike”.

We went to showroom and I was speechless by seeing my red beauty and was thinking when I will take it out of the showroom. Finally after all the legal formalities the manager handled me the keys of my bike and I started it and vrooom…. I was at the seventh sky.

Its since 10 months that I got my R15 and still today I love it as much I did it at the first day. From the late 2008 when Yamaha launched its spectacular sporty YZF R15 it changed the riding style and class for Indian people. Its good performance and dashing looks made it the no.1 150cc sports bike and it became very famous. Yamaha is a well reputed Japanese company of world with world class technology and they have done a good job with R15 version 2.0 as well. Its a very good bike and to be honest as everything in this world is not completely perfect my Yamaha R15 Version 2.0 also have many Pros and some Cons to be noticed.

The Pros

1. It is made with a promise from the world class motorcycle manufacturing company ‘YAMAHA’. And they fulfill their promise, its their 2nd version of its previous sibling r15 version1 with improved performance and even better visual upgrades.

2. R15 has a very sporty edge look with its fairings, front dual lights, and its back styling which has been borrowed from its elder brother yamaha R6, its magnificient styling makes it unique and best of its class and definitely a eye candy bike, people will ask about it wherever you go.

3. Its best in class handling that we get from this bike is superb, version two has increased stabilty on roads and higher flickability in traffic. R15 is said as king of the corners due to its handling and cornering ability with its soft compound tyres, light handle and longer wheelbase. Its made to give you the complete sporty experience.

4. It has power packed liquid cooled fuel injected 150cc single cylinder, 4 valve SOHC engine with 15 nm torque and 17 bhp and a first in its class light aluminium swingarm and with its complete aerodynamical fairing, great cornering ability, smooth functioning, greater stability at high speeds and with best build quality,material and riding position it deliveres a great sporty riding experience.

5. Its top speed will be around 130km/ph(dynamo tested) but as every speedo meter shows around 7-8% error its speed may look more and vary. It has ability to quick acceleration of 0 to 60 km/ph within 6 seconds and 0 to 100km/ph in 12seconds (company tested and reviewed by bikeadvice) but overall it is a power packed product.

6. As compared to its previous model “R15 version 1” which was proven a very successful model, now r15 version 2 has many things improved like

  • a 3 cm longer wheelbase
  • improved looks and visual upgrades like back portion, split seat, led tail lamps, fatter wider tyres ,
  • better seating positon where more pressure is put on front tyre, -improved performance. Etc.

It’s Cons

1. As expected by Yamaha to deliver R15 version 2 with more engine upgrades and a more powerful 180cc or more and a more bhp engine, but it kept it same and no much diffrentiated in its version 2.0 r15 “but still it had good visual and performance upgrades.”

2. Its current model has more 4 kgs of extra weight installed and due to its fatter tyre it was expected to effect its milege but it didnt effect much and has a milege of 30-35 in city riding and 35-40 in highway but my experience by average its around 35.

3. Its price that is increased due to the changes made in the bike. Its seems to be a little overpriced. 1,14,000 (ex showroom Delhi) and prices vary from state to state due to taxes.

4. Newly some days the rider may feel pain in his arms and palms who is new in sports riding and has not ridden the R15 type bikes previously but gradually after some weeks when you get habituated you wont get the pain.

5. And The back split seat is said to be a little higher than normal and can be a pain for long rides mainly for woman. And by my experience once i had gone for a 220km long tour with my friend and i also sat for 220 kms in the pillon while returning from the tour and driven it while going and personally I feel that back pain and knees pain may occur to the pillon rider if his height is as much as me (5ft 10″) but riding is very comfortable and while riding it is very pleasure and you feel like flying.

I found no more cons with it and rest its a best sports bike bike in its category.

A Comparison

Being a real rider and a true bike lover I respect every bike even it is a suzuki max 100 or a Yamaha Vmax so here is ome alternative bikes that available with nearby range of this bike . They are =

  • Honda CBR 150r (1,20,000 ex showroom Delhi)
  • Bajaj Pulsar 200 ns ( 90,000 ex showroom Delhi)
  • Bajaj Pulsar 220 dts si (85,000 ex showroom Delhi)
  • KTM Duke 200 (1,26,000 ex showroom delhi)

Verdict

Overall YAMAHA R15 VERSION 2.0 is a best in its class bike mainly concentrated for youth and sports riding. Its a vry good eye candy bike and if you have sufficient funds and are looking for a fully faired power packed sports bike in 1,00,000 nearby range than you can go for this bike. And seriously by my own ownership experience its a very good bike and you will never regret buying it.

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Thank you for reading my review, I hope you liked it.

– Ankur Tripathy

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