Barely few hours back we brought to you the exclusive spec sheet of the Yamaha YZF R15 S from Nepal and Yamaha has moments back, confirmed the launch of the bike in India as well. The R15S is nothing but the first generation model with a second generation powertrain (and other electronic updates) at a price tag of Rs 1,14,741 ex-showroom Delhi which is almost the same as the R15 V2 which will also continue to be on sale.
It must be mentioned that our regular readers already knew about this as, after confirming with Yamaha officials at a recent media event, we carried out a confirmation that R15S is real and will carry a similar price tag. Just to clear, the new R15S is just Rs 500 more expensive (yes expensive!) than the existing variant.
Here are some key pointers about the R15:
- Yamaha says that the bike has been developed due to customer feedback. Wonder what took them so long to bring in the R3!
- The split seat is no more and in comes the single seat layout which is lower and should be comfortable for pillion riders.
Here’s what Mr Roy Kurian, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Yamaha Motor India Sales Pvt Ltd had to say about the new 2015 R15S:
“Yamaha R15 is a pure sports vehicle designed especially for racing enthusiasts so that they can experience the power and passion that a sports bike has to offer. However, our research showed that a particular customer segment desired for a single seat version as it is more convenient for the pillion rider. Even so, the split seat version 2.0 will also continue to be in the market along with the new single seat variant. We, at Yamaha keep our customers first and hence this introduction was imperative. ”
The R15 S will give Yamaha a wider audience to sell its 150cc sports motorcycle. All those people who earlier shied away from the bike due to pillion discomfort can get the new-old variant. And suddenly it appears that the resale value of the older V1 may also see an increase.
R15S Colors
The R15 S will be available in following three colour options…
- Track White
- Adrenalin Red
- Spark Green
All the three colors are pictured on this page and the white, with a tinge of blue, seems to be the one which we like the most.
Overall a nice little addition to Yamaha’s lineup. Though it is nothing we have not seen before but it doesn’t harm if we have more options… So which one will you buy now – R15S or R15 V2?